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

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

GLORIOUS LIFE OF A GLORIOUS DEVOTEE

"What is the value of a prolonged life which is wasted, inexperienced by years in this world? Better a moment of full consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest." - Srimad-bhagvatam 2.1.12 THE WINNER OF HEARTS Today is the disappearance day of His Grace Jayananda Prabhu. He left his body, a day before Narasimha chaturdashi in the year 1977. Jayananda Prabhu is an example of a perfect devotee whom every devotee should follow. Born as Jim Khor, Jayananda Prabhu became one of the intital and senior most disciple of Srila Prabhupada. He was a mechanical engineer by education but he chose a simple, humble profession of a taxi driver in order to be free from an artificial life of name and fame. He was already a kind of spiritual seeker therefore, as soon as he came in touch with Srila Prabhupada and the Krishna Conscious movement, he got hooked onto it and took it up with all seriousness right from day one. He was enthusiasm ...

LIFE OF PI - A Tribute to Irfan Khan

"I  suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye." - Irfan Khan from the movie "Life of Pi" Probably one of the best movie of Irfan Khan is the "Life of Pi" (that is the only movie I have seen of his). The movie shows how Irfan Khan as Pi, was saved once during the drowning of the ship in which his family was relocating to Europe and the second time, while being stranded alone in the Pacific Ocean along with a ferocious Bengal tiger called Richard Parker in a small sail boat. But in the movie of life, he sadly couldn't be saved from the cancer that was ravaging him. We may get saved many times from many life-threatening circumstances but there will be one situation when we will not survive. Whoever one is, however famous one may be, however educated and successful one may be, everyone has to meet this inev...

CAN'T IMAGINE A WORLD...

The recent passing away of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaj has put devotees worldwide in a state of shock. He is yet another disciple of Srila Prabhupada who is no longer present with us now. I was remembering all the disciples of Srila Prabhupada who have in the last few years left this material world to join Srila Prabhupada in the spiritual world. With every departure of these treasured Vaishnavas and Vaishnavis, my heart is left a little more pained. Having grown up in ISKCON seeing all these inspiring figures, I just can't imagine living in a world without these personalities. Yet we know that the rules of this world is not going to change however we may wish for it to.  The fact is that in a few years from now, we will all be bereft of the association of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, our fatherly, motherly figures. We know that on the spiritual plane, there is no separation. These personalities will ever be there to assist us, guide us and bless us. But o...