THE SCRIPTURE OF MANUSMRITI HOLDS WOMEN IN HIGHEST ESTEEM

Manusmriti is the greatest civil code ever authored on Planet Earth for human society centuries ago. During colonial occupation, Euro-authors were mobilised by the intruding British regime to insert Sloka-s to distort the philosophy in their bid to divide and rule Hindu society. Intensity and depth of the wisdom may be gauged from the fact that quite enigmatically, the philosophy is very much in action in various forms and manifests in all societies, in all countries even today being intrinsic to human psyche. Several Smriti-s came into being during that phase but none of them could survive in presence of the aura of Manusmriti. Antiquity of the Smriti is established by its being mentioned in scriptures like Satpatha, Taittiriya Upanisad etc. 

Universe is essentially binomial in structre and temperament. If peaks have valleys, deserts have oceans, days have nights, summers have winters, blizzards have tranquil serenity, Prabhava has Pralaya, wisdom has action then Purusa has Prakriti. The cosmic binomiality is reflected in the entity of Ardhnarisvara wherein Siva and Sakti are integrated into one existence, right side being masculine while the left feminine, both enjoying equal stature in all respects, also both incapable of solitary existence. The grand concept went into being foundation of very high stature granted to women in family and society as described in the scripture of Manusmriti reflecting the concept of Ardhanarisvara. None is diminished by the other albeit completed, rather fulfilled when integrated into one entity. 

We shall now delve into select quotes from the scripture to drive home the issue to its logical conclusion -       

प्रजनार्थं महाभागाः पूजार्हा गृहदीप्तयः। स्त्रियः श्रियश्च गेहेषु न विशेषोऽस्ति कश्चन।। ९। १३।।

For procreation and advent of great fortune are women in homes brightening household, adorable as Laksmi, all being identical. 

पितृभिर्भ्रातृभिश्चैताः पतिभिर्देवरैस्तथा। पूज्या भूषयितव्याश्च बहुकल्याणमीप्सुभिः।। ३/३५।।

Pita, Bhrata, Pati and Devar are called upon to adore, protect and support their Putri, Bhagini, Bharya and Bhabhi respectively, in all respects. 

यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः। यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः ।। ३/३६।।

Wherein women are adored, dwell in deities and prosperity; where they are not adored, every endeavour is rendered futile. 

शोचन्ति जामयो यत्र विनश्यत्याशु तत्कुलम्। न शोचन्ति तु यत्रैता वर्धते तद्धि सर्वदा ।। ३/३७।।

Wherein women are anguished, family is destroyed soon. Wherein they are joyous and adored, family advances unhindered. 

जामयो यानि गेहानि शपन्त्यप्रतिपूजिताः। तानि कृत्याहतानीव विनश्यन्ति समन्ततः ।। ३/३८।।

Homes and clans wherein women curse for not being adored by men, are destroyed completely in all respects in due course. 

तस्मादेताः सदा पूज्या भूषणाच्छादनाशनैः। भूतिकामैर्नरैर्नित्यं सत्कारेषूत्सवेषु च।। ३/३९।।

For the sake of their own well-being, men ought to honour and adore women with ornaments, clothes, food and other considerations. 

स्त्रियां तु रोचमानायां सर्वं तद्रोचते कुलम्। तस्यां त्वरोचमानायां सर्वमेव न रोचते।। ३/४२।।

Woman in agony leads to entire household being tormented as woman full of joy is a source of joy for all in a family.  

कुमारीश्च रोगिणो गर्भिणीः सुवासिनीः स्त्रियः। अतिथिभ्योऽग्र एवैतान्भोजयेदविचारयन् ।। ३/७९।।

Newly married women, girls, sick and pregnant women must be served food even before Atithi-s unhesitatingly. 

अरक्षिता गृहे रुद्धाः पुरुषैराप्तकारिभिः। आत्मानमात्मना यास्तु रक्षेयुस्ताः सुरक्षिताः।। ९। १०।।

Because even women confined within home by trustworthy father, mother, spouse etc. are not really secured unless capable of protecting themselves.  

उत्पादनमपत्यस्य जातस्य परिपालनम्। प्रत्यहं लोकयात्रायाः प्रत्यक्ष्ं स्त्रिनिबन्धनम् ।। ९। १४।।

O Men ! Women alone are foundation and cause of procreation, fostering of progeny and smooth functioning of life. 

अपत्यं धर्मकार्याणि शुश्रूषा रतिरुत्तमा। दाराधीनस्तथा स्वर्गः पितृणामात्मनश्च ह।। ९। १५।।

Procreation, rituals and rites, ministration, conjugal joy, bliss for self as well as ancestors are all anchored to women alone. 

क्षेत्रभूता स्मृता नारी बीजभूतः स्मृतः पुमान्। क्षेत्रबीजसमायोगात्सम्भवः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।। ९। १८।।

Woman is akin to earth while man, seed. Conjugation of earth and seed leads to creation of living beings. 

येऽक्षेत्रिणो बीजवन्तः परक्षेत्रप्रवापिणः। ते वै सस्यस्य जातस्य न लभन्ते फलं क्वचित् ।। ९। १९।।

Those with seeds yet without field, sow in others field, certainly cannot claim ownership of proceeds. 

भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्य भार्या वा गुरुपत्न्यनुजस्य सा। यवीयसस्तु या भार्या स्नुषा ज्येष्ठस्य सा स्मृता
।। ९। २३।।

Elder brothers wife is as exalted as Guru-Patni for the younger one while his wife, as daughter-in-law for the elder one. 

अन्योन्यस्याव्यभिचारो भवेदामरणान्तिकः। एष धर्मः समासेन ज्ञेयः स्त्रीपुंसयोः परः ।। ९। ३८।।

No violation of matrimonial sanctity and separation till death, be allowed with that being the essence of Dharma between man and woman. 

तथा नित्यं यतेयातां स्त्रीपुंसौ तु कृतक्रियौ। यथा नाभिचरेतां तौ वियुक्तावितरेतरम्।। ९। ३९।।

Duly married men and women must strive uninterruptedly never to separate from each other. 

यथैवात्मा तथा पुत्रः पुत्रेण दुहिता समा। तस्यामात्मनि तिष्ठन्त्यां कथमन्यो धनं हरेत् ।। ९। ५२।।

Like ones own Atma, is that of daughter too, like that of son. With ones own Atma like daughter, how can anyone else claim bequeathed wealth ?  

मातुस्तु यौतकं यत् स्यात्कुमारीभाग एव सः। दौहित्र एव च हरेदपुत्रस्याखिलं धनम् ।। ९। ५३।।

Mothers possessions belong to daughter alone in addition to the wealth of maternal grandfather not having a son. 

Aforesaid quotes establish beyond an iota of misgivings of any possible scriptural discrimination against women in families and societies. And the doctrine of non-discrimination against women has been in active practice for centuries till the social equilibrium was savaged by Islamic brutes, followed by British savagery then by their planted stooges led by the Nehru-Gandhi-Vadra dynasty. So-called holy scriptures of other faiths/cults may or may not pontificate on the issue but hardly they pursue it in letter and spirit. Manusmriti is the only faith/cult neutral universal civil code that can be pursued without any possible misgivings. Mysticism of Manusmriti lies in the enigmatic reality that it is inevitable like Canakya-Niti. Berating the grand scripture is sheer ignorance and bigotry.