"I realised what the Hindu religion meant. We speak often of the Hindu religion, of the Sanatan Dharma, but few of us really know what that religion is. Other religions are preponderatingly religions of faith and profession, but the Sanatan Dharma is life itself; it is a thing that has not so much to be believed as lived."
Mahabharata refers not only to the seizing of women by force but also to their sharing.
“Draupadi was shared by the five Pandava brothers and had five sons from them.(Adi Parvan-CCXXI).
Kunti was shared by Dharma, Vayu and Indra and gave birth to Yudhistira, Bhima and Arjuna from them(Adi Parvan-CXXIII) and Madri who gave birth to Nakula and Sahadeva was shared by the Ashwini Kumaras(Adi Parvan –CXXIV).
Justifying this custom, Yudhisthira not only states that it was a righteous practice followed by the ancestors of the Pandavas, but he even refers to Gautami being the wife of seven rsis (rishis) and Vurski being shared by the ten pracetasa brothers in the past(Adi Parvan –CXCV. CXCVII).
Vyasa has described this practice as Sanatana Dharma (Adi Parvan. CXXII, CXCVII).
The historian L B Keny also emphasizes that “the dialogue between Pandu and Kunti confirms the existence of this Sanatana Dharma where society had no sex-restrictions and women roamed about freely seeking satisfaction of their sex desires” Pages 30-33-Bharata war and Puranic Genealogies- Paper presented by L B Keny and edited by D C Sirkar and published by the University of Calcutta’s Centre of Advanced Study in Ancient History and Culture).
DC Sirkar is also of the same opinion.
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Quotes from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar:
"Valmiki has very minutely described the daily life of Rama after he became King. According to that account the day was divided into two parts. Up to forenoon and afternoon. From morning to forenoon he was engaged in performing religious rites and ceremonies and offering devotion. The afternoon he spent alternately in the company of Court jesters and in the Zenana. When he got tired of the Zenana he joined the company of jesters and when he got tired of jesters he went back to the Zenana.
Valmiki also gives a detailed description of how Rama spent his life in the Zenana. This Zenana was housed in a park called Ashoka Vana. There Rama, used to take his meal. The food according to Valmiki consisted of all kinds of delicious viands. They included flesh and fruits and liquor. Rama was not a teetotaler.
He drank liquor copiously and Valmiki records that Rama saw to it that Sita joined with him in his drinking bouts. From the description of the Zenana of Rama as given by Valmiki it was by no means a mean thing. There were Apsaras, Uraga and Kinnari accomplished in dancing and singing. There were other beautiful women brought from different parts. Rama sat in the midst of these women drinking and dancing.
They pleased Rama and Rama garlanded them. Valmiki calls Rama as a 'Prince among women's men '. This was not a day's affair. It was a regular course of his life."
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar - Riddle of Rama and Krishna.
A piece from the page of Ramayan of Valmiki printed by him in his magazine of April 1988.
“Standing
(unabashed) before me, even though suspicion has arisen with regard to your
character, you are extremely disagreeable to me even as the light to one who is
suffering from sore eyes. (17). Therefore, go wherever you like, O Janaka’s
daughter; I grant you leave to do so this (very) day. (All) these (ten)
directions are open to you. O good lady! No more purpose of mine remains to be
served by you. (18).
“What
man of spirit and born in a noble family for his part would take back with an
eager mind a woman who has dwelt in another’s house, (simply) because she has
been kindly disposed towards him (in the past)? (19).
While
boasting of my lineage, how can I accept again you who were squeezed into the
arms of Ravana (while being borne away by him) and regarded (by him) with an evil
(lustful) eye? (20).
That
object (viz, the retrieval of my lost honor) for which you have been won (back)
by me, has been achieved by me. There is
no more attachment for you (in my heart). You may (therefore) go wherever you
like. (21). Hence this utterance has been made by me today, resolved as I am to
act accordingly. Set your mind on Laksmana or even on Bharata according to your
pleasure. (22) (Nay) fix your mind on Satrughna or even on Sugriva or on the
ogre, Vibhishana, O Sita, or do as it pleases your mind. (23). Seeing you, who are endowed with a charming exterior and are
(so) soul-ravishing detained in his abode, Ravana could not have endured your
separation for long, O Sita!” (24).
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Translation in Tamil:
“உன் பண்பு மீது எனக்கு ஐயப்பாடு வந்தபின்னரும் கூட வெட்கமின்றி என்முன்னே
நின்று கொண்டிருக்கும் உன்னை எனக்குக் கட்டோடு பிடிக்கவில்லை. கண்ணில் நோய் வந்தவனுக்கு
வெளிச்சத்தைப் பார்க்கும்போது எப்படிக் கூசுமோ அப்படி எனக்கு உள்ளது.
உயர்குடியில் பிறந்த எவனாவது மற்றவர்களுடைய வீட்டில் வாழ்ந்திருந்த
ஒரு பெண்ணை அவள் கடந்த காலத்தில் தன்னிடம் அன்பாக இருந்தாள் என்ற ஒரே காரணத்திற்காக மறுபடியும் சேர்த்துக்
கொள்வானா?
என்னுடைய குலப்பெருமை பற்றி உயர்வாகப் பேசிக் கொள்ளும் நான் இராவணனால்
தூக்கிச் செல்லப்படும் பொழுது அவனது கைகளில் கசங்கியவளான, அவனுடைய காமக் கண்களால்
பார்க்கப்பட்டவளான உன்னை எப்படி மீண்டும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியும்?
உன்னை இராவணன் கொண்டு சென்றதால் நான் இழந்த புகழை அவனிடமிருந்து உன்னை மீட்டு அதன்மூலம் எனது புகழை மீண்டும் பெற வேண்டும் என்று நினைத்த எனது குறிக்கோள் நிறைவேறி விட்டது. அதற்குமேல் எனது இதயத்தில் உன் மீது எந்தப் பாசப் பிடிப்பும் கிடையாது அதனால் நீ எங்கே போகவேண்டும் என்று நினைக்கிறாயோ அங்கே நீ போகலாம். அதனால்தான் நான் இன்று இப்படிச் சொல்லியுள்ளேன் அதன்படிச் செயல்படவும் தீர்மானித்துள்ளேன்.
வேண்டுமானால் லட்சுமணன் மேல் ஆசை வைத்துக்கொள்! அல்லது பரதன் மேல் வேண்டுமானாலும்
உன் விருப்பப்படிஆசை வைத்துக்கொள்! இல்லையேல் சத்துருகனன் மேல் வேண்டுமானாலும் ஆசை
வைத்துக்கொள்! அல்லது சுக்கிரீவன் மேல் வைத்துக்கொள்! அல்லது அந்த இராட்சசன் விபிஷணன்
மேல் வேண்டுமானாலும் வைத்துக்கொள், ஓ சீதா! அல்லது உனது விருப்பப்படி எப்படி
வேண்டுமானாலும் செய்து கொள்! கவர்ச்சியான வெளித்தோற்றத்துடனும் மனதை மயக்கும் அழகுடனும் இருக்கும் உன்னை தனது இருப்பிடத்தில்
வைத்திருந்த இராவணனால் உன்னை ரொம்ப நாளைக்குப் பிரிந்து இருந்திருக்க முடியாது, ஓ சீதா!.”
S.V.Raju was on the cover of his magazine after his death.
Rajaji said Rama's act was "disgraceful"
In regard to the book Riddle of Rama and Krishna by Ambedkar, S. V. Raju wrote as under:
“This is not the first time that someone has taken a swipe
at Rama or Krishna. Compared to what some others have said, Dr. Ambedkar is
mild. Rama’s conduct in slaying Vali and Sambuka has been criticised time and
again and his treatment of Sita, compelling her to undergo an ordeal by fire
after her release from captivity, was characterised by Rajaji as ‘disgraceful
conduct.’ “
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Next Mr. C.R. Sreenivasa Iyengar:
Mr. C.R. Sreenivasa lyengar's translation of Valmiki Ramayana says: " Though Rama had married Sita to be the queen, he married many other wives for sexual pleasure in accordance with the royal customs. (Ayodhya Kandam 8th Chapter, page 28). (The term "Rama's wives" as been used in many places in Ramayan).
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This "Dharmasastra" says that Brahmins can have three wives, one from the Brahmin clan, the other from Kshatriya and the third one from Vaishya clan. It also shows that Sudras were not permitted to marry outside their varna and that too only one in their own Varna.
But, Manu mentions Sudra wife as allowable for the Brahmins. (Mandlik 168).
Manu in Chapter III Sloka 13 says as follows: " It is declared that a Sudra woman alone (can be) the wife of a Sudra, she and one of his own caste (the wives) of a Vaisya, those two and one of his own caste (the wives) of a Kshatriya, those three and one of his own caste (the wives) of a Brahmana."
He, thus, permits four wives for Brahmins. Maybe, this is the reason the Kaavis are yearning for Manu raajya, while ridiculing other religions, simultaneously.
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Please be aware of these facts, my dear friends!
சிறப்பான பதிவுகள்... வாழ்த்துகள்..
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