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KRISHNA Tarangam

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Know why Ravan couldn’t touch Sita, the ideal of womanhood

 

What should women do to demolish the mindset that she is a physical opportunity for men? This is a relevant question which Bhavini Dubey  interviewed youngsters on for this week’s Youthexpress. Almost all the youngsters tried to resolve the issue their way. But, we need to understand the basics first.

 

Let’s get deeper

 

Why is a woman considered a physical opportunity for men? There could be two approaches to this. One from man’s point of view and the other from woman’s. In fact, so far we have been approaching the issue from man’s point of view which sees woman as a physical opportunity believe it or not. In today’s family setup, we have taken women for granted as those who are meant to serve men—be it father, brother, husband or son.  The other viewpoint is what should a woman do to blow this mindset and establish herself as an awakened citizen or personality. Enough of having addressed the issue with the stale victimiser- and- victim logic. ‘Let’s not be the victim’ should be the approach and solution to the ages old problem across the world. 

 

Simplest approach

 

A woman should remind herself “I am an individual who has a mind of her own.” Instead of pushing this idea hot-headedly, she must try and implement this through gradual actions. Because, a sudden approach to this may be counter-productive. 

First, she should know what she is in reality. Second, she should practise this through action and let others follow her in family and outside.   

 

Who is she?

Krishna says this in Discourse Ten shloka 34, especially the last line कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ।।Krishna says,I am power of fame, power of wealth, power speech, power of memory, power of will power and power of forgiveness among women.” This is the most profound statement made by Krishna for women. He identifies Himself as these seven qualities of womanhood. I have drawn out the most relevant social aspect of the last line here. This has many other spiritual dimensions too. But, this one is most relevant here because, in a nutshell, Krishna is saying He is these seven characteristics among women, the rest, if any, He is not, or He doesn’t qualify. 

So, first lesson learnt from this statement is, “ I am not the physical opportunity for men. I am the power of fame, wealth, speech, memory, intellect, will power and forgiveness. In fact, the word क्षमा is dynamic forgiveness—as long as you are going right, I forgive you, but when you go wrong again, I will not spare you.” This has been manifested all through by Bharatiya women in the past. May it be the example of Sita, Anusuiyaa, Maitreyi, Gargi, Jhansi Ki Rani, Jhalkari Bhai, Meera Bhai…. You go through their character strength and you will find the above seven traits manifesting through them in various degrees. 

This is what today’s woman should do—manifest your real seven traits and gradually demolish the mindset that you are a physical opportunity. So far you are manifesting more as a physical opportunity unconsciously. Once you manifest the seven traits, you would find things changing outside too.

 

Modern plight

 

In the present time, a woman, however, qualified she is, has to be subordinate to the wishes of an ordinary man. Many career girls have spoiled their life like this. They have lost confidence and slipped into depression or digressed into revengefully presenting themselves as physical opportunities to prove men are emotional fools! 

Well, they can use this situation too by manifesting their traits gradually and changing the mindsets with pure determination to keep the family together.  There have been many cases in which she had been abused by the ones who she trusted. Well, all these circumstances only indicate that a woman as a mother, wife, sister and daughter should remember and manifest the seven traits come what may. 

 

Physical Level

 

Once she is mentally and emotionally mature, she should learn self-defence techniques. Jhansi Ki Rani, Sita and the rest were expert in it. Ravan couldn’t touch Sita as she manifested her will that she was not a physical opportunity and fiercely defended herself with a grass straw. When you have trained your mind with  manifesting the seven traits, self-defense comes natural to you. You can protect your dignity with anything you lay your hands on. When one woman can do it, all can do it too.  But, unfortunately all these stories were so much dramatised that the main content of them was almost lost and we began seeing Sita as an abla naree.  No, she wasn’t this. See how bravely she stood her ground in the custody among negative characters. She was able to influence a few and turn them into her favour. Staying so long in the custody of a villain is not a mean achievement. All she did was manifested her seven traits to the full. And when Ram, as her husband, heeded to a dhobi, doubted her honesty and asked her to prove her purity, she upheld her self-respect, went through the test, proved herself and then never returned to Ram.  Remember! She loved him deeply. They were one soul. But, she set an example before the womanhood as to how to respond when even your beloved doubts you. Ram repented his decision and pleaded her to come back. But, Sita stood the ground for womanhood and gave up the proximity of her husband. She gave birth to his children and raised them by herself. Who else can represent womanhood better than Sita? None.

So be like her—humble but a conscious individual who manifested the seven traits what Krishna has identified with. Meera Bai is no less. I think I have conveyed the point fully. Your inner divinity is first, everything else is later. Can you raise yourself to the heights of Sita? If you can then none can dare to see you as a physical opportunity.

 

 

Vivek Sharma

Editor-In-Chief

krrisha.com


 

 

Contending for the rights of woman, my main argument is built on this simple principle, that women are the ones who are responsible for passing down the virtues and knowledge to generations and if they were not educated to become the companion of man then the whole social structure would crumble. This education is an utter failure if women are reduced to mere robots in the society who are just made to obey the traditions and rules without letting them apply any reason or express their will. Since such pressure only makes them a physical opportunity. Unless freedom strengthens her reason till she comprehends her duty, and see in what manner it is connected with real good? The whole education system is useless. If children are to be educated to understand the true principle of patriotism, their mother’s would become for them true patriots working selflessly and with love.

Inference: Women should consider themselves as warriors with utmost character strength and therefore nothing less than a man. But the education and situation of woman, at present, shuts her out from such investigations.

 

 

Priya Mandani

 

 


 

 

The idea of women as physical opportunity has been into existence since the origin of society. Women were seen as mere possession or asset to be acquired because she was capable of giving birth and thus nurturing and all the characteristics associated with it became her identity which gave her a secondary status in the society. While men became protector, conqueror, food gatherer upon whom the other gender depended. Therefore they acquired primary status in the society. Now the society was mere expression of what men willed and others had to follow it. Over the time the position of women became so fragile that she became mere helpless object sold in markets. She was lead to believe that she could be nothing more than an asset for men in patriarchal society.

Indian society has been patriarchal in nature and thus has to dominant women. Such mindsets still exist in our society and can only be removed when women would radically protest against patriarchal society. Until women emerge as strong and as equal as men, this mindset of men cannot be curbed.

But as the concept of patriarchy took long time, developing this kind of mindset will also take long time to be demolished.

According to me the best way to do this is to bring strong social movements against this mindset towards women.

 

Inference: The best way to eliminate the patriarchal mindset is to bring strong social movements lead by women.

Rahul Sinha

 


 

Women should set boundaries and limits.

Women should be decent in their conversation and appearance.

To have an ethical and friendly work environment wherein colleagues work supporting each other and incidents of workplace harassment are catered to effectively and quickly without any pressure on the complainant.

 

Inference: Women should set boundaries. They should have ethical, friendly work environment.

 

Sujit Maurya 

 


 

Report (at any level) each and every act of physical and/or emotional violation at the workplace/home/public place. 

Support other women who come out and share stories of their exploitation. 

Seek help from loved ones as soon as indication of any exploitation is noticed.

 

Inference: Women should help each other and stand firmly against exploitation.

 

Aditya Shukla 

 


 

Mindset of men is not a responsibility of women. It is totally their outlook and call how they see women. Men do see women as a physical opportunity. This is because there is a learning as well as a teaching that exists in the society which says that " women are physically weaker than men". This is what insists and  pressurizes men to show their masculinity and superiority by taking women as a physical opportunity.

Women must take a stand and never show themselves physically or mentally weak. It is high time now. We will have to keep away the stereotypical definition of a woman away which says that a woman is calm, sober and gentle. It is now the time to inculcate the anger of Goddess Kali in ourselves, so that men do not get any opportunity to over-power us. We have to be stern and rigid. 

 

Inference: Women should take a stand and never show themselves physically or mentally weak.

 

Kriti Walia

 

 


 

When a child is born he/she is like clay, we can caste them in whichever way we wish to. Therefore I believe that if every mother starts inculcating the thought of respecting women and not treating them as an object to satisfy their physical or economical needs in their children. We will be able to start a healthy chain reaction, as when these children with good values will grow up they will also want the same for their children. In this process we will not only make good human beings but also we will be creating a safer and lot better society.

 

Inference: Mothers should start inculcating children with the idea of respect for a women since their tender age.

 

Ishita Shail Pathak 

 

 

 

 

 


 

If we take a bucket of reasons as to why women are being seen as a physical opportunity, more than half of the reasons will not involve women, themselves. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2013 annual report, 24,923 rape cases were reported across India in 2012. However, if we have a holistic approach towards the ages of women who were raped, it will start from as young as an eight month old to a woman in her seventies. Now the question here emerges that how did the either of the two tantalised men to such an extend that they were raped?

The women on this level cannot be blamed for the hideous crimes committed by men. Furthermore, in a number of cases the accused were addicted to pornography moreover, when a person gets addicted to it, one of the worst side effect that follows is that they want to fulfill their sudden urges and satisfaction by hook or by crook. This makes a woman passing by them an easy lunch to the party of their hunger. If we look at a broader aspect, pornography can be considered as an ultimate however, we cannot ignore how the entire film industry is paving an easier way for everyone to consider women as a physical opportunity. The song 'Gandi Baat' said and I quote, "अच्छी बात कर ली बहुत अब करूँगी तेरे साथ गंदी बात". The boy here is clearly giving a rape threat to a woman however, just because it has been sung and acted by 'the people we idolise', we don't mind it being a rape threat. The other song 'Feviol se' said and I quote, "मैं तो तंदूरी मुर्गी हूँ गटकाले alcohol से". What are we? Are women actually a thing to be eaten and enjoyed with a beverage in the other hand? Surprisingly or, we can say shockingly, actresses don't mind doing what it takes to subject themselves as a physical opportunity. A solution to this can be that, women on the level shouldn't mindlessly do things because of the glamour tag attached to it. This makes men generalise and fantasize every woman to be easily available to quench their thirst.

 

Inference: Women on the level shouldn't mindlessly do things because of the glamour tag attached to it. This makes men generalise and fantasize every woman to be easily available to quench their thirst.

Deepanshi Verma

 


 

It's important that women clearly show that they have a boundary through maintaining distance when someone is standing close, so it is communicated that they are not an easy target; according to researches people are attacked who seem an easy target. Even staring people right at their face makes them back off and make the abuser scared of their identity. In any case of abuse it’s important to revolt or retaliate, like pushing, screaming etc so that the abuser can back off.

 

Inference: In any case of abuse it’s important to revolt or retaliate, like pushing, screaming etc so that the abuser can back off.

 

 

Sonakshi Agarwal 

 

 

 


 

Compiled by Bhavini Dubey

 
A mindset of any sort concretises when perception of a kind keeps nourishing it. For women to be not seen as physical opportunity women need to take firm, strong and straight stand of not being one. Options, excuses and exceptions made are only masquerades and should not be allowed to have their way. It’s not necessary that only people outside of home/house treat women as physical opportunities; women empirically are aware of the fact that such mentality can be witnessed in any vicinity. A firm, straight negation of this mentality alone can break this concrete wall. A woman’s response should always come in the same intensity as has the stimulus of the aforementioned mind-set. 
केवल सतत, उचित प्रहार से ही इस जटिल, जड़ मानसिकता की दीवार को गिराया जा सकता है। 
 
 

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