Mahabharata 191
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
Aadivamsavatarana Parva
Pandu's pleading
Kunti narrated the laments of the widow Bhadra. The lament touches the high water mark of elegiac poetry. She through her devotion to her husband brought back the fleeting breath of her husband and co-habited with the spirit of the husband and begot children. A wonderful story of conjugal love. Kunti said that she was as devoted to Pandu as Bhadra was devoted to her husband. So Kunti told king Pandu that she would beget children by the spirit of Pandu even after Pandu’s death the way Bhadra begot her children.
King Pandu well-versed in all the rules of morality replied conforming to virtue --- Oh Kunti, what you said is absolutely true. King Vyushitaswa did as you said. Indeed he was equal to the
gods. But I shall now tell you the practices of rule of the morality as perceived by illustrious rishis. Oh you handsome with sweet smiles! Women formerly were not confined within the houses and was not defendant on husbands and other relatives. They used to go about freely, enjoying themselves as best as they liked. They did not adhere only to their husbands faithfully. And yet, they were not regarded sinful, as that was the practice of the times. That very
practice is followed even to-day by birds and beasts without any jealousy. That practice, was sanctioned by precedent. It is praised by the great scholars. The practice is yet regarded with respect amongst the Northern Kurus. Indeed, that practice, is good for the women. It
had the sanction by the scholars of olden days . The present practice, however of women being confined to one husband for life, was established lately. I shall tell you in detail who established it and why. It has been heard by us that there was a great rishi known by the name Uddalaka, who had a son named Swetaketu who was also a great rishi. The present practice has been established by that Swetaketu in anger. Hear the reason. One day, in the presence of Uddalaka , a
Brahmana came and catching Swetaketu's mother’s hand, told her ---Let us go. Seeing his mother taken away as if by force, Swetaketu was greatly moved by anger. Seeing his son upset, Uddalaka addressed him ---Be not angry. Oh my son! This is the tradition of the women for long. The women of all orders in this world are free. Like the cows the women are subject to their own will.But they never neglected the house hold duties. And during their monthly
season they never deserted their hubands and never allowed other men. The rishi's son, Swetaketu, however, disapproved the old custom. And established in the world, the present practice as regards men and women. Therefore the existing practice dates from that period among human beings only. But it does not apply to other classes of birds and
animals. It is sinful for the women not to follow their husbands. Women overstepping the limits set by the rishi Swetaketu became henceforth guilty of slaying the embryo. And men too, who will have extra marital affairs other than his virgin and loving wife, who from
her maidenhood observed the vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin. The woman also who, being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, by others refuses to do so becomes equally guilty. Oh Kunti! The present usage established by Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka
replacing the old one by the power of his asceticism should be observed. It has been also heard by us that Madayanti, the wife of Saudasa, commanded by her husband to raise offspring went to the sage Vasishtha. And on going to him, the handsome Madayanti obtained a son
named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her
husband. The Mahabharata thus in its own way seeks to explore the roots or the
genesis of different social institutions. According to the Mahabharata earlier women were more or less free to co – habit with any man. Conversely men were also free to co- habit with any woman. Only during the season the woman can not co- habit with any man other than her
husband. Thus free sex was largely acknowledged during the earlier times. But Swetaketu brought about a change in the system through a legitimation.This simply shows that marriage as an institution is not perennial. Its laws are never absolute. The Mahabharata persists that
even during the Mahabharata age there were societies where women were free to co- habit with others. Since no law is perennial and absolute he rules of marriage could be amended or changed. That is the legitimation of the Mahabharata. Hence living together gay marriage
and the like of today should not be looked down upon.
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
Aadivamsavatarana Parva
Pandu's pleading
Kunti narrated the laments of the widow Bhadra. The lament touches the high water mark of elegiac poetry. She through her devotion to her husband brought back the fleeting breath of her husband and co-habited with the spirit of the husband and begot children. A wonderful story of conjugal love. Kunti said that she was as devoted to Pandu as Bhadra was devoted to her husband. So Kunti told king Pandu that she would beget children by the spirit of Pandu even after Pandu’s death the way Bhadra begot her children.
King Pandu well-versed in all the rules of morality replied conforming to virtue --- Oh Kunti, what you said is absolutely true. King Vyushitaswa did as you said. Indeed he was equal to the
gods. But I shall now tell you the practices of rule of the morality as perceived by illustrious rishis. Oh you handsome with sweet smiles! Women formerly were not confined within the houses and was not defendant on husbands and other relatives. They used to go about freely, enjoying themselves as best as they liked. They did not adhere only to their husbands faithfully. And yet, they were not regarded sinful, as that was the practice of the times. That very
practice is followed even to-day by birds and beasts without any jealousy. That practice, was sanctioned by precedent. It is praised by the great scholars. The practice is yet regarded with respect amongst the Northern Kurus. Indeed, that practice, is good for the women. It
had the sanction by the scholars of olden days . The present practice, however of women being confined to one husband for life, was established lately. I shall tell you in detail who established it and why. It has been heard by us that there was a great rishi known by the name Uddalaka, who had a son named Swetaketu who was also a great rishi. The present practice has been established by that Swetaketu in anger. Hear the reason. One day, in the presence of Uddalaka , a
Brahmana came and catching Swetaketu's mother’s hand, told her ---Let us go. Seeing his mother taken away as if by force, Swetaketu was greatly moved by anger. Seeing his son upset, Uddalaka addressed him ---Be not angry. Oh my son! This is the tradition of the women for long. The women of all orders in this world are free. Like the cows the women are subject to their own will.But they never neglected the house hold duties. And during their monthly
season they never deserted their hubands and never allowed other men. The rishi's son, Swetaketu, however, disapproved the old custom. And established in the world, the present practice as regards men and women. Therefore the existing practice dates from that period among human beings only. But it does not apply to other classes of birds and
animals. It is sinful for the women not to follow their husbands. Women overstepping the limits set by the rishi Swetaketu became henceforth guilty of slaying the embryo. And men too, who will have extra marital affairs other than his virgin and loving wife, who from
her maidenhood observed the vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin. The woman also who, being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, by others refuses to do so becomes equally guilty. Oh Kunti! The present usage established by Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka
replacing the old one by the power of his asceticism should be observed. It has been also heard by us that Madayanti, the wife of Saudasa, commanded by her husband to raise offspring went to the sage Vasishtha. And on going to him, the handsome Madayanti obtained a son
named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her
husband. The Mahabharata thus in its own way seeks to explore the roots or the
genesis of different social institutions. According to the Mahabharata earlier women were more or less free to co – habit with any man. Conversely men were also free to co- habit with any woman. Only during the season the woman can not co- habit with any man other than her
husband. Thus free sex was largely acknowledged during the earlier times. But Swetaketu brought about a change in the system through a legitimation.This simply shows that marriage as an institution is not perennial. Its laws are never absolute. The Mahabharata persists that
even during the Mahabharata age there were societies where women were free to co- habit with others. Since no law is perennial and absolute he rules of marriage could be amended or changed. That is the legitimation of the Mahabharata. Hence living together gay marriage
and the like of today should not be looked down upon.
No comments:
Post a Comment