“Stree Dharma & Why the Bharatiya Naari is Revered”, Pragyata, September 30, 2025
“As per our Hindu philosophy, humans are supposed to aim for the 4 ‘Purusharthas’, viz. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. The fact is that the roles of men and women are so intertwined that, to achieve the Purusharthas, it becomes essential that one marries and complements the spouse in attaining it or one becomes a lifelong renunciate. Take Dharma for instance – it is the spouse who can encourage you to be on the right path of life, stay away from temptations, and most importantly follow the rituals as written in the Shastras – whether it is a Puja or a Yagna or any other Dev-Kaarya, a spouse is needed to attain the fruits of the rituals. It is the same for all the other Purusharthas too. Even the great Rishi Yagnavalkya took permission from his wives before he sought Moksha. Keeping all this in mind, we understand that in our Hindu philosophy both men and women are expected to uphold Dharma equally. When this is the case, why do we single out the Bharatiya Naari as one who is worthy of being worshiped? Why is a “Stree” given special respect in our Bharatiya tradition? What is Stree Dharma? In today’s world when women seem to have forgotten their Dharma and are called as gold diggers, it takes a Guru to say it as it is without colouring it, sounding condescending or exaggerating her greatness.
Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath, while defining the Bharaitya woman, says that she is in many ways similar to a Sanyasi. Like the Sanyasi has left his home, family, friends and identity behind in his search for “Atma-uplabhdhi” (search for the soul), the woman too leaves behind her home, family, friends and identity when she gets married. Both are “gruh-tyaagi” ie. both leave their homes behind. The Sanyasi leaves behind his Aham Bhaav (arrogance) and ego when he enters Sanyas Ashram. Similarly, the Stree dissolves her identity in her husband on getting married – she takes on his name, gotra and kul (clan). In fact, she now revels in her role as a Dampati, a married woman; she thinks of herself as with her husband, as a pair. If she becomes a widow, then till the end of her life, she follows the rules that the Sanyasi follows, like that of Brahmacharya (abstinence of sex), satvik food and no shringar (self-adornment). The words for a Sanyasi and a widow too are similar, indicating the similarity of their roles – यति and यती respectively.
So if the wife or woman is expected to be so pious, how are the men supposed to be? Are there no such rules for the men? Hindu Dharma has very strict rules for the men too…..”
Read full article at pragyata.com
