Skip to main content

WOMANHOOD - UNDERSTOOD OR MISUNDERSTOOD? (A Tribute to all the women out there)


Being born in this world is not easy and being born as a woman is definitely not easy and being a chaste woman and trying to live a principle-centered life is definitely, definitely not easy. The struggles a woman goes through being a wife, raising children and running a family is many times beyond comprehension and very often, overlooked. Running an empire is easier than running a family. But probably the biggest challenge of womanhood is in being understood. Every woman looks for some man to empathize with her struggles and see her side of the picture. But instead of being understood, she is more often than not, misunderstood and exploited by the stronger sex. 

One of the reason Lord Krishna appears in this world is to protect chaste ladies and teach a lesson to all those who try to exploit the innocent womenfolk. Krishna was born to help his helpless mother, Devaki who was being tortured by wicked Kamsa. Krishna cried seeing the suffering of Kunti Devi and stood by her at all times giving protection and solace to this devoted widow. Krishna married Rukmini who was being forcibly married to Sishupala even though she had absolutely no liking for him. He married the 16,100 girls who were rejected and shunned away by society for being touched by Baumasura. 

Probably Lord Krishna was the only one who found a fault in the otherwise faultless Bhismadeva and rebuked him for kidnapping Amba without her consent and thereby destroying her life. He was always there for Draupadi in all her difficult times, took a unique incarnation as her saree and personally took onus to do justice for all the atrocities done to her and to meet out befitting replies to all those who tried to exploit her. Lord Krishna cried alongside Subadhra, gave her a lot of love and stood by her side when she lost her only son, young Abhimanyu. He also empathized with the grieving Gandhari, the mother of the notorious, deceased Kauravas. He empathized with the wives of Duryodhana and the wife of Karna for He knew that they were innocent and had tried their best to give wisdom to their wayward and adamant husbands. The list can go on and on. But I think you get the point. 

Lord Krishna was one personality who understood the misunderstood and mistreated womenfolk and showed kindness and showered protection to them, reassuring them with His "Abhaya mudra". If the men follow the footsteps of the Lord in this regard, the world will be a much better place to live in because a world where women are mistreated and abused will always be filled with unlimited miseries and anxieties whereas the world in which women are respected and honoured will be filled with unlimited prosperity and happiness. That is the law of the Almighty. No one can break it; we can only break ourselves against it. Let men not make a mistake of considering the womenfolk to be weak because who can be weak with the strength of God personally protecting them.

- Achyut Gopal Das

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A RADHASHTAMI MEDITATION

Jai Sri Radhe!! Is the chant on everyone's minds and hearts now. Atleast in the minds and hearts of devotees. It's time to celebrate the most auspicious of auspicious festivals; it's time to celebrate Sri Radhashtami - the appearance day of Srimati Radharani. For devotees, Radhashtami is a more important festival than Janmashtami. Why? Because for the world Krishna is God but for devotees, Radha is God because they know that Krishna is subservient to the love of Radha. In our ISKCON circle, it is said that - Janmashtami is a public event but Radhashtami is a private event for only devotees who understand the supreme position of Srimati Radharani. On the most auspicious occasion of Radhashtami, I would like to bring to your attention a beautiful meditation that His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami wrote many years back on this occasion called "An offering for the Divine Mother". The best prayer is to repeat the prayer of previous realized, great souls. Keeping thi...
Post a Comment
Read more

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND OPEN

Don't build your house in shifting sand, build it on a solid rock foundation." - Paraphrased from the teachings of Jesus Christ. As I close my eyes to chant japa and open my eyes a little while later, I notice that something has changed. Either someone who was chanting along has got up and left or someone new joins the chanting. As I close my eyes to chant in the Kirtan on the beach and open my eyes a little while later, I notice that the scene has changed. As I go outside Goa for a few days for any trip and come back, I notice that things have changed, some more development has happened. As I meet a child I know after a few years, I notice that he or she has gone through a lot of changes. Change after all is constant factor in this world. Just by observing life and being aware of the happenings around, one can learn about the truths of life. Srimad-bhagvatam mentions the story of a King called Muchukunda who once was summoned by the demigods to lea...
Post a Comment
Read more

THE POWER OF OBEISANCES

Offering obeisances to the Supreme Lord in His deity form may superficially look like a very small and a simple activity. But, it is one one of the very important and significant aspect of Bhakti. Therefore Lord Krishna stresses the importance of offering obeisances to Him in one of the most important verse of the Bhagvat-gita in chapter 9, verse 34. "man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ" "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me." - Bhagvat-gita 9.34 This verse comes exactly in the middle of Bhagvat-gita making it all the more important. Not only that, this is the only verse that appears almost as it is, again towards the end of the eighteenth chapter of Bhagvat-gita as follows - "man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo ...
Post a Comment
Read more