.png "The central Vedic teachings about womanhood emphasize that women are of equal capacity for intellect and virtue as men, and are entitled to fully polite and respectful treatment from everyone. The Vedas see women and men as equals and emphasize that a spirit of cooperation and appreciation between men and women is a vital part of what leads to societal progression. The Vedas particularly emphasize that women's education is integral to the entire well-being of society, and place a heavy emphasis on the teaching of female children. The Vedas make clear that it is the duty of each parent to ensure that their daughter is brought up and educated with great effort and care, no less than a son. The Vedas also directly encourage girls and women to be scholarly if they feel so inclined. The Vedas also permit women to undergo the Upanayana ceremony and study the Vedas at the highest levels. The Vedas name dozens of female Rishikas (enlightened seers) among their own authors, and praise many latter-day female scholars and sages called brahmavadinis who became expert scholars of the Vedas, engaging (often very successfully) with their male counterparts in philosophical debates, such as Ambhrini, Ambani, Romasa, Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra, Ghosha, Swaha, Gautami, Hemalekha, etc. When it comes to marriage, the Vedas regard marriage as a union of two equals. Neither the husband nor the wife is given importance over the other in the Vedic texts on marriage; they equally constitute the griha, or home unit. The Vedas refer to a wife as her husband’s “other half”, his partner and friend in Dharma - not in servile terms, but in ones that express an attitude of fundamental equality. Notably, the Vedas do not prescribe practices like dowry or sathi. The Vedas’ attitudes toward women are often implicit in how they phrase things. For example, a passage from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Shukla Yajur Veda teaches that a husband should cook rice for his wife, and they should eat the food together in a certain way depending on whether they wish to conceive a daughter or a son. If they wish for “a learned daughter” then the rice should contain sesame seeds; if they wish for “a learned son” then different grains, etc. The daughter option is listed first, not as an afterthought, and the same descriptor - “learned” - is applied to both the daughter and the son. Also, of course, it is treated as very normal for a husband to cook food for his wife. Little details like this often show the Vedas’ attitude toward women without even focusing on it. Here are some of the central Vedic teachings about womanhood: “A scholarly woman, the entire life of society depends upon you. You provide us the right knowledge. May you bring knowledge to all segments of society.” - Rigveda 2.41.17 “O scholarly woman, the way a river breaks away the mightiest of hills and rocks, the scholarly woman destroys misconceptions and wrong hypotheses through her intellect. May we bow to women through our polite words and noble actions.” - Rig Veda 6.61.2 “May the pure life-giving enlightening woman be respected as if one’s own mother every day so that she provides us with peace and eradicates all hatred from the society.” - Rig Veda 8.18.7 “Parents should gift their daughter intellectuality and power of knowledge before she leaves for her husband’s home. They should give her the gift of knowledge to carry with her.” - Rig Veda 10.85.7 “O, women! These mantras are given to you equally as to men. May your thoughts, too, be harmonious. May your assemblies be open to all without discrimination. Your mind and consciousness should be harmonious. I give you these mantras equally as to men and give you all and equal powers to absorb the full powers of these mantras.” - Rig Veda 10.191.3 “O, wife! Become the queen and manager of everyone in the family of your husband.” - Atharva Veda 14.1.20 “O woman! Utilize your Vedic intellect in all directions of our home!” - Atharva Veda 14.1.64 “O, my wife! I am knowledgeable and you are equally knowledgeable. If I am Samaveda then you are Rigveda.” - Atharva Veda 14.2.71")
The central Vedic teachings about womanhood emphasize that women are of equal capacity for intellect and virtue as men, and are entitled to fully polite and respectful treatment from everyone. The Vedas see women and men as equals and emphasize that a spirit of cooperation and appreciation between men and women is a vital part of what leads to societal progression.
The Vedas particularly emphasize that women's education is integral to the entire well-being of society, and place a heavy emphasis on the teaching of female children. The Vedas make clear that it is the duty of each parent to ensure that their daughter is brought up and educated with great effort and care, no less than a son. The Vedas also directly encourage girls and women to be scholarly if they feel so inclined.
The Vedas also permit women to undergo the Upanayana ceremony and study the Vedas at the highest levels. The Vedas name dozens of female Rishikas (enlightened seers) among their own authors, and praise many latter-day female scholars and sages called brahmavadinis who became expert scholars of the Vedas, engaging (often very successfully) with their male counterparts in philosophical debates, such as Ambhrini, Ambani, Romasa, Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra, Ghosha, Swaha, Gautami, Hemalekha, etc.
When it comes to marriage, the Vedas regard marriage as a union of two equals. Neither the husband nor the wife is given importance over the other in the Vedic texts on marriage; they equally constitute the griha, or home unit. The Vedas refer to a wife as her husband’s “other half”, his partner and friend in Dharma - not in servile terms, but in ones that express an attitude of fundamental equality. Notably, the Vedas do not prescribe practices like dowry or sathi.
The Vedas’ attitudes toward women are often implicit in how they phrase things. For example, a passage from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Shukla Yajur Veda teaches that a husband should cook rice for his wife, and they should eat the food together in a certain way depending on whether they wish to conceive a daughter or a son. If they wish for “a learned daughter” then the rice should contain sesame seeds; if they wish for “a learned son” then different grains, etc. The daughter option is listed first, not as an afterthought, and the same descriptor - “learned” - is applied to both the daughter and the son. Also, of course, it is treated as very normal for a husband to cook food for his wife. Little details like this often show the Vedas’ attitude toward women without even focusing on it.
.png "The central Vedic teachings about womanhood emphasize that women are of equal capacity for intellect and virtue as men, and are entitled to fully polite and respectful treatment from everyone. The Vedas see women and men as equals and emphasize that a spirit of cooperation and appreciation between men and women is a vital part of what leads to societal progression. The Vedas particularly emphasize that women's education is integral to the entire well-being of society, and place a heavy emphasis on the teaching of female children. The Vedas make clear that it is the duty of each parent to ensure that their daughter is brought up and educated with great effort and care, no less than a son. The Vedas also directly encourage girls and women to be scholarly if they feel so inclined. The Vedas also permit women to undergo the Upanayana ceremony and study the Vedas at the highest levels. The Vedas name dozens of female Rishikas (enlightened seers) among their own authors, and praise many latter-day female scholars and sages called brahmavadinis who became expert scholars of the Vedas, engaging (often very successfully) with their male counterparts in philosophical debates, such as Ambhrini, Ambani, Romasa, Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra, Ghosha, Swaha, Gautami, Hemalekha, etc. When it comes to marriage, the Vedas regard marriage as a union of two equals. Neither the husband nor the wife is given importance over the other in the Vedic texts on marriage; they equally constitute the griha, or home unit. The Vedas refer to a wife as her husband’s “other half”, his partner and friend in Dharma - not in servile terms, but in ones that express an attitude of fundamental equality. Notably, the Vedas do not prescribe practices like dowry or sathi. The Vedas’ attitudes toward women are often implicit in how they phrase things. For example, a passage from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Shukla Yajur Veda teaches that a husband should cook rice for his wife, and they should eat the food together in a certain way depending on whether they wish to conceive a daughter or a son. If they wish for “a learned daughter” then the rice should contain sesame seeds; if they wish for “a learned son” then different grains, etc. The daughter option is listed first, not as an afterthought, and the same descriptor - “learned” - is applied to both the daughter and the son. Also, of course, it is treated as very normal for a husband to cook food for his wife. Little details like this often show the Vedas’ attitude toward women without even focusing on it. Here are some of the central Vedic teachings about womanhood: “A scholarly woman, the entire life of society depends upon you. You provide us the right knowledge. May you bring knowledge to all segments of society.” - Rigveda 2.41.17 “O scholarly woman, the way a river breaks away the mightiest of hills and rocks, the scholarly woman destroys misconceptions and wrong hypotheses through her intellect. May we bow to women through our polite words and noble actions.” - Rig Veda 6.61.2 “May the pure life-giving enlightening woman be respected as if one’s own mother every day so that she provides us with peace and eradicates all hatred from the society.” - Rig Veda 8.18.7 “Parents should gift their daughter intellectuality and power of knowledge before she leaves for her husband’s home. They should give her the gift of knowledge to carry with her.” - Rig Veda 10.85.7 “O, women! These mantras are given to you equally as to men. May your thoughts, too, be harmonious. May your assemblies be open to all without discrimination. Your mind and consciousness should be harmonious. I give you these mantras equally as to men and give you all and equal powers to absorb the full powers of these mantras.” - Rig Veda 10.191.3 “O, wife! Become the queen and manager of everyone in the family of your husband.” - Atharva Veda 14.1.20 “O woman! Utilize your Vedic intellect in all directions of our home!” - Atharva Veda 14.1.64 “O, my wife! I am knowledgeable and you are equally knowledgeable. If I am Samaveda then you are Rigveda.” - Atharva Veda 14.2.71")
Here are some of the central Vedic teachings about womanhood:
“A scholarly woman, the entire life of society depends upon you. You provide us the right knowledge. May you bring knowledge to all segments of society.” - Rigveda 2.41.17
“O scholarly woman, the way a river breaks away the mightiest of hills and rocks, the scholarly woman destroys misconceptions and wrong hypotheses through her intellect. May we bow to women through our polite words and noble actions.” - Rig Veda 6.61.2
“May the pure life-giving enlightening woman be respected as if one’s own mother every day so that she provides us with peace and eradicates all hatred from the society.” - Rig Veda 8.18.7
“Parents should gift their daughter intellectuality and power of knowledge before she leaves for her husband’s home. They should give her the gift of knowledge to carry with her.” - Rig Veda 10.85.7
“O, women! These mantras are given to you equally as to men. May your thoughts, too, be harmonious. May your assemblies be open to all without discrimination. Your mind and consciousness should be harmonious. I give you these mantras equally as to men and give you all and equal powers to absorb the full powers of these mantras.” - Rig Veda 10.191.3
“O, wife! Become the queen and manager of everyone in the family of your husband.” - Atharva Veda 14.1.20
“O woman! Utilize your Vedic intellect in all directions of our home!” - Atharva Veda 14.1.64
“O, my wife! I am knowledgeable and you are equally knowledgeable. If I am Samaveda then you are Rigveda.” - Atharva Veda 14.2.71