P: Firstly I have been reading different articles on the net and in the process saw the Questions and Answers on the vedmandir.com site where different topics have been covered. From what I read, I understood some Vedic aspects and some I still have to understand. My interest is the problems faced by women and therefore I would be very thankful if you clear my doubts. Guruji, you have said that as per Vedas both men and women are equal, as it is the soul which is important and which has no gender.
P: Firstly I have been reading different articles on the net and in the process saw the Questions and Answers on the vedmandir.com site where different topics have been covered. From what I read, I understood some Vedic aspects and some I still have to understand. My interest is the problems faced by women and therefore I would be very thankful if you clear my doubts. Guruji, you have said that as per Vedas both men and women are equal, as it is the soul which is important and which has no gender. But it has always been ingrained in us that persons who have daughters do not get Moksha after Death and women are born only if they are sinners. Physically also women have to go through many problems like pain of child birth while socially all sorts of rules and regulations are only made for her so that she will always remain in a state of guilt and fear. If the Vedas are divine revelations certainly there would be no God who wishes ill for his children whether man or woman. If God is present everywhere he is also present in the woman then how can women be considered inferior? I understand that there would be differences physically and emotionally (though now days to a lesser degree) between men and women. I think when customs are made for conveniences it is different but when they become rigid and do not adapt to changing circumstances they may loose their worth. The male child is preferred over a female and the male lights funeral pyre, the sraddha ceremonies and funeral rites are also done only by men. I think this is one of the main reasons why people are desperate to have sons and a daughter’s birth is associated with tears even in educated families, i.e. to attain salvation by having a male child.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. This is man-made view and not God-made view that women are born sinners and those who beget daughters can’t attain moksha. I would advice you to read my book- Brahmcharya- Ek dukh Nivarak divya manni (in Hindi) in which I have also clarified that Gargi was a learned acharya. She was the guru of king Janak. Gargi did not marry and remained a Brahmcharinni in her entire life. She did not have any child, being a Brahmcharinni and attained moksha. Bheeshma Pitamah was a neshthik Brahmchari, did not marry but got moksha. Yudhishthir, Arjun, Nakul, Sehdev and Bheema had one son each, that is, they had five sons. After Mahabhrat war, when their sons were sleeping, Ashwathama entered their home at night and killed them. I mean to say, the Pandavas at the time of their death had no issue, but got issue.
King Janak had Mata Sita and Urmila as only two daughters and no son but got moksha. So, don’t believe in false views made by men. We have to believe only in God’s voice i.e., four Vedas. The body of woman is awarded to a soul by God based on his deeds which we have to accept happily and as regards periods, child-birth pain etc., that is, for the betterment of a lady as per health point of view otherwise in the world no generation will be produced.
Moreover, every healthy lady after marriage wants to bear the pain said by you. If the pain had been intolerable then in the world second, third, fourth issues could not be borne. Moreover, in the ancient times, when public adopted only Vedas’ path, the lady had no problem because she used to do agnihotra and yoga bhyas, name jaap etc., daily. So, main thing in the life is happiness which is gained by following the worship of God according to Vedas. The matter of inferior thinking is the problem of human-beings and not Almighty God who is supreme judge, please.
Custom of Shraddh ceremonies, funeral rites to be performed by son etc., have been made by human-beings, which are wrong and create problem for man, woman and society. for example- Shraadh system has not been told by God in Vedas.
Shradh
The alive parents are to be served faithfully. Everybody knows that a person who is alive takes food, water, puts on clothes etc. After death body is burnt. Now how the parents will be able to take food. They according to the karmas get next birth too. So shradh is against the Vedas’ philosophy.
Funeral rites to be performed by son is again not stated in Vedas but it has been told that dead body is to be burnt immediately. After burning the body, no custom is left to be performed.
Girl Child’s birth is associated with tears even in educated families because nowadays the entire universe has forgotten about the meaning of education. Yajurveda states that progress both in spiritualism as well as in worldly science (education) is required to be attained otherwise no peace and happiness can be attained. So, main problem is spiritual education. World has forgotten the God’s voice i.e., preach of Vedas and hence the problem arises. Most of the saints are against the Vedas and are looting innocent public while being duly indulged in illusion.
When the world will be able to adopt the knowledge of Vedas as was adopted in last three yugas- satyug, Treta and dwapar then there shall be no following of blind faith, all members of the family would be hard-working, God fearing, respectful to parents and elders, nationalism would be inculcated within them and several good, pious sanskars would be in the world because the same have been originated through the teachings of Vedas.
So, our country should revert back to Vedas because the problems raised by you is being raised more than rest of the world. However, such problems were never faced by previous three yugas due to the pious effect of Vedic culture.
P: My doubts are: A person cannot do any thing and simply escape his liability by saying he/she has fulfilled the religious and social responsibility by having sons. This is especially true in today’s times where people are limiting their families with two children and no sons/male members may be there. The parents of the boy always feel they are superior to the girl child.
I am raising the following question only so that people love their children whether daughters or sons and try to live like good human beings.
1) If there is no specific/ explicit prohibition on women lighting the funeral pyre in the Vedas can a daughter married or unmarried light the funeral pyre and perform other ceremonies if she is mentally strong to do so?
2) If a girl is ill-treated/cheated by her husband/in-laws how can she protect herself?
3) If we find that the husband/people around us are doing wrong/being unfair should we just ignore or explain our view? As many a times discussions only lead to arguments.
4) Sometimes I find that it in order to maintain peace in ourselves, in others and the surroundings it may be necessary to be dishonest without much harm to anybody, because many a time there are problems due to ego, anxiety, fear etc.
5) I feel women can/should help her maayaka people (if necessary) without causing disturbance to in laws or others.
I am at despair because I feel that the human being is important and in the guise of customs, rules rituals, etc. goodness is being lost and people don’t want to take initiative to do anything citing scriptures, customs, etc. These may be necessary but not if humanity is lost. I will be grateful if you clarify and enlighten me on these matters. Thanking you and looking forward to a reply.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. This is wrong thinking to escape one’s liability by getting a son alone. You see, nowadays, several sons have stood against his parents to gain property and for several other matters as well. In several cases, parents have killed their sons and vice-versa then what more to say about sons. So, the motto to get a son is worst and troublesome. One must say that a child must be got who harbours good, pious qualities based on the Vedas. Then there will not be any problem whether it would be a son or daughter. So, the target should be to have a child with good qualities.
1. I have already told in your previous question that God has not banned the daughters, ladies to light the funeral pyre. God has only told in Yajurveda mantra 40/15- “Bhasmantam Shareeram” i.e., the dead body must be burnt. Usually, I state that the sun of the good fortune of our India has set down after Mahabharat war was over and now, in the absence of the knowledge of ved mantras, humanity has ruined.
Now, when we have not gained Vedic knowledge then how can a lady get her right to light the funeral pyre.
2. She cannot protect herself because she has already lost her mental and physical strength during the time spent with her parents. That time was the Brahmcharya period to gain Vedic knowledge which inspires and gives mental as well as physical power to a girl and boy. As a result, they became Sri Ram, Sri Krishna Maharaj, Sita, Gargi etc. So, to avoid further problem, now also we must start giving Vedic education to our children.
3. No doubt, comments/arguments will be more and more and the discussion always goes in vain because neither problems are raised by a learned of Vedas nor are placed to those who are learned of Vedas. Then who will do the justice because only Sri Ram and previous kings and society who was learned of justice dispensed justice to men and women. But, on the other side, to bear injustice is also a sin so without desiring a good result, the lady must raise her voice to the parents, elders and public.
But being helpless, what can the lady do since her parents are not ready to support her. Mostly, the parents think that since they have married their daughter, they have done their duty. Most important duty told in Vedas was to educate their daughter in Vedic education and the same is not performed by parents. As a result, girl/lady remains weak and can’t fight for the justice. In the society, women cells are not enough to settle the problem until Vedic spiritualism is followed.
4. Neither permanent solution nor permanent peace can be attained by adopting even slightly wrong path like dishonesty, buttering etc., because God is looking at us every time and decides the results of false deeds done by us. So, truth prevails.
5. Mayaaka people cannot be helped without causing disturbance to in-laws.
On the other hand, Atharvaveda states that after marriage, lady should not make frequent contact with her parent’s house. However, nowadays, why the said views are not in vogue or cannot be followed because Vedic education since childhood has not been given. Sita got the Vedic spiritualism education and even in hard days, she never asked for her father’s help and went happily to exile with her husband.
Anuj Kumar: Please suggest Shubh Din for marriage.
Swami Ram Swarup: All the days, week, month, years, minutes, seconds have been created by God and thus are always pious. Regarding the philosophy of deeds, Vedas tell that we have come here to face the previous lives’ deeds (good or bad) according to Rigveda mantra 10/135/1,2 and we have to face the said deeds in the shape of pleasure and pain respectively. So, the days are not concerned with auspiciousness or bad omens. If we do pious deeds today then one day we will enjoy pleasure and if we do bad deeds then in the future on any day we will have to face sorrows awarded by God. So, the day becomes full of pleasure or full of sorrows when we face our deeds as said above. So days are never good or bad but always pious and gifted. So days are never good or bad, but always pious and gifted to us by God to always do pious deeds to enjoy life.
Also the days, nights and times are never ashubh (unfortunate) being created by the purest God. only deeds done by us are bad or good. And based on the previous lives’ deeds we have to face the result thereof accordingly on one particular day and time. So days are not good or bad. It is our own deeds done by us which are bad or good.
So one can enter at one’s own convenience or suitability in his newly constructed house, shop etc., or start any pious work at any time. However, one should perform havan with Ved mantras before ensuing any of those works. It does not depends on any name and date of birth etc. because it is not mentioned in Vedas. We must be always away from blind faith.
Pankaj: Swamiji, I am told that I have Shani Panoti or Sade-Sati for 7.5 years since 2006. I am going through a tough time now and I want to know if this Shnai Panoti is believable and what can be done about it? If that’s not the case than why am I going through tough time and what’s the reason and cure? Kindly shed some light on this matter about horoscope as they say that some peoples horoscope is so powerful that they never go wrong in life and yet its the opposite for some? If everything is destined as per birth chart or deeds than what’s the point of trying anything? Any mantras for complete happiness and any cures? Please kindly reply.
Swami Ram Swarup: Tough times or the good times are the result of our own bad and good deeds done in our previous lives. Shani panoti, sade-sari, kaal sarp dosh, mangal dosh etc., are not believable because such matters have not been mentioned by God in Vedas, shastras and other holy granths like Bhagwad Geeta, Upnishads and any granth written by ancient Rishis. The only way to remove the effect of previous lives’ bad deeds is to worship God as told in Vedas. So, I would advise you to please chant Gayatri mantra and do havan.
Please, start the day by chanting Gayatri mantra in the early morning sitting on suitable asan like Sukhasan, Siddhasan or Padmasan etc. concentrate on the point between two eyebrows which is called “Agyachakra”. The Gayatri mantra should be chanted along with its meaning both times. Also, please try to perform daily hawan even with Gayatri mantra. Then try to study any of my books daily and put up question if any.
After 15 days chant the Gayatri mantra only thrice thereafter do the name jaap of Almighty God-“Om”. The jaap must be done daily by heart and not orally.
The Gayatri mantra is as follows —
OM BHURBHUVAHA SWAHA TATA SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGODEVASYA DHIMAHI DHIYO YO NHA PRACHODYAT
Meaning of Gayatri mantra stating each word is as follows. Its meaning is based on Vedas and Sanskrit grammar. Grammatical hints are in short please.
Om has three Hindi words. Aa, Uu AND Ma. Aa is meant for Aakaar from which three names of God are built,Viraat, Agni, and Vishwadi. From Uu = uukar from which Hiranyagarbha, Vaayu and Tejas names occur andMa = makaar from which Ishwar, Aditya and Praajyan aadi, holy names of God occur. Rigveda mantra 1/164/46 says God is one but His names are several. But here OM the holy name of God is only being explained.
VIRAAT= Viraat word is made from dhatu ‘Rajrideeptau’ i.e., manifest. Therefore Viraat means He who manifests the universe. As God manifests the universe, thus Viraat is the name of God. Rigveda mandal 10, sukta 129 states that like potter makes pot from clay, similarly God creates universe from non-alive matter prakriti. Prakriti is unseen matter. From unseen matter, the whole universe is created in the visible form. Science also says that matter is never destroyed but changes its form. Suppose a paper is burnt, paper changes its form into ashes. Then ashes are crushed and thrown in air. At this moment, the paper changed into ashes becomes invisible but was never destroyed. Similarly the whole universe at the time of finaldestruction is turned into prakriti i.e., into unseen form.
AGNI = From dhatu, ” ANCHU GATI POOJANAYOHO” the word “AGNI is made. Its meaning is — He who is a form of wisdom. “SARVAJAYEN” i.e., omniscient. I.e., knows even every atom of universe and even beyonduniverse too. He who is to be known, to be gained and worshippable. So agni is the name of God.
VISHWA = Vishwa word is made from dhatu, “VISHPRAVESHANE”. Its meaning is in whom the universe is entering or He is entering the universe. So being omnipresent, Vishwa is the name of God.
HIRANGARBHA = i.e., ” JYOTIRVAYIHIRANYAM”. Its meaning is, who is the base of all sun, etc., luminous lokas or He who is the living place of all luminous lokas.
VAAYU = from dhatu, “VA GATIGANDHANYOHO”, vaayu word is made. Its meaning is He who holds, gives life and destroys and the mightiest amongst all. So the name of God is Vaayu.
TEJ = from dhatu, “TIJA NISHANE”, the word Tej is made who is self made and self-enlighted and gives light to sun, moon, stars etc. God does not take light from anywhere else but gives light to sun, moon, stars, etc. so the unbroken, unobstructed/unproduced and eternal shape of light is Almighty God and not sun, moon etc. So the name of God is Tej.
ISHWAR = from dhatu, “ISH ASHWERIYE”, the word Ishwar is made. Its meaning is whose knowledge is thoughtful and true and has unlimited wealth, fortune and glory etc. Therefore the name of God is Ishwar. Here it is not out of place to mention that soul (man/woman) has limited qualities and are dependent whereas God is independent and has unlimited qualities that is why He is God.
ADITYA = from dhatu, “DO AVAKHANDANE”, Aditya word is made. Its meaning is the one who cannot be broken into pieces and thus cannot be destroyed. So God’s name is Aditya.
PRAJAYEN (PRAGYA) = from dhatu, “JYEN AVABODHANE”, Prajayen word is made whose wisdom is totally without any misunderstanding and thus he who knows every Manner and behavior of whole universe without misunderstanding. So God’s name is Prajayen. So here also it not out of place to mention that illusion can never attack on God and God is totally free from illusion.
BHUHU= “BHUHU ITI VAYEE PRANAHA” i.e., He who is the base of lives of universe, is most beloved, even more than Pran i.e., breath. So Bhuhu is the name of God.
BHUVAHA= “BHUVAHA ITI APANAHA” i.e., He who is totally free from any sorrow, and with whose contact, the soul removes his all sorrow. So the name of God is Bhuvaha.
SWAHA= i.e., “SWAHA ITI VYANAHE” who is omnipresent in the universe and is holding the same. So the name of God is Swaha.
SAVITUHU = He who creates the universe. So the name of God is Savituhu.
DEVSYA= who gives all pleasure/merriment, so the name of God is Dev.
VARENYAM = He who is the most supreme and acceptable. God is most supreme and acceptable for worship.
BHARGAHA = the purest entity (though God is formless, but finding no suitable English word of Sanskrit word, “SUDH SWARUPAM” the word entity has been used.)
TAT = i.e., the God i.e., of the purest entity.
DHIMAHI = i.e., we must hold (sort of meditation) because
YAHA = the God
NAHA = our,
DHIYAHA = mind (i.e., in our minds)
PRACHODYAT = by inspiration (fulfil the mind with wisdom)
MEANING
“We meditate the God who is the base of lives’ of universe, totally free from any sorrow, omnipresent, creates the universe, gives all pleasure/merriment,most supreme and acceptable, purest entity; May the God enlighten our minds with wisdom by His inspiration”.
Here it is not out of place to mention that idea of a (one) Ved mantra is based on ideas of several Ved mantras. So in the above Gaytri mantra, there are three things —-
Bhuhu, Bhuvaha, Swaha, Savituhu, Bhargaha, Devsya are some qualities amongst unlimited qualities of God. These are called Stuti i.e., to say about God with His real qualities and not self made etc.
Secondly Dhimahi means meditation i.e., one should always sit in meditation and do hard and pious deeds for which he will have to study Vedas in full, while discharging moral duties towards family and nation.
Third and last is DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT. It is a prayer to God explanation of which is cited above.
In the above mantra we pray to God but mere prayer does not solve the purpose until we do hard work according to the prayer.
As regards pronunciation of Gayatri mantra, either you may contact any learned acharya locally or a cassette with recitation of Gayatri mantra by me can be sent to you on receipt of your postal address, if you so desire, the price of cassette will be worth Rs.20/- excluding postal charges.
How to do havan
Please sit in the morning to perform havan. Havan must be in sunlight then it is more beneficial. Then half a bowl of fresh water with a tablespoon must be with you with small twigs especially of mango tree if possible, havan samagri, ghee, camphor and match box must be there with you. Please sit on sukh asan on four times folded blanket and blanket must be on mat.
Sukh asan i.e., sit on duly folded feet in comfortable position. Then first close your eyes and concentrate between two eyebrows and chant Gaytri mantra three times within heart and not by mouth. Then open your eyes.
Take one spoon of water in right palm. Chant this mantra, OM AMRTO UPASTRANMASI SWAHA and drink the water which you have put in your palm. Then again take the spoon of water in right palm then chant the next mantra, OM AMRITA APIDHANMASI SWAHA, and drink the water. Then again take the water in right palm and chant the mantra, OM SATYAM YASHAH SHRI MAYI SHRI SHRAYTAAM SWAHA, and drink the water. Then wash the right palm while sitting, with the same water kept in bowl.
Then put the twigs into havan kund with one piece of camphor and burn it. During this process chant the Gaytri mantra again and again till such time the fire is lighted sufficiently. Then chant the Gaytri mantra and at the last add the word Swaha and offer ghee with tablespoon, quantity equivalent to 4 to 5 drops. And if you are alone then also offer in fire pinch of havan samagri from your right hand’s finger and thumb avoiding forefinger. So this offering may be of 11 times, 21 times or 51 times as the time suits. It is the simplest way and I have not quoted the complete method of Yajna. The havan with Ved mantras are always offered as the best worship of God only please. Do havan daily and both times.
I also paste my article on Karmas’ philosophy
Three types of Deeds
There are three types of deeds (karmas) – sanchit, prarabhadh and kriyamann. Suppose one soul has to take birth (body). It means he has to face total number of deeds of his all previous lives and these deeds are called sanchit karmas but sanchit deeds are huge/unlimited and cannot be faced in one life. So the karmas which can be faced in one life are called prarabhadh (luck-destiny). So God has not made our luck at His own but Almighty God has taken the deeds which we have already done.
Yajurveda mantra 7/48 clarifies that human being is free to do any deed good or bad but God only awards the result. Now the balance deeds from sanchit deeds will be counted in the next life. Now the deeds which we do in our day today present life are called kriyamann.
If we do pious deeds according to Vedas, shastras and holy books and based on pious preaches of Rishi, Muni/learned saints then our all sanchit deeds are burnt and we can get salvation. Human beings are free in the matter of doing deeds good or bad. But result will be awarded by God. So we must worship and do pious deeds under guidance of a learned Guru. One should go always ahead for hard working, pious deeds, worship to make future bright himself. One should always work hard towards a right path.
Worship does not mean that we are free to discharge only our family duties, education, etc., but rather it is a sin. We have to get progress in both way at a time i.e., spiritualism and worldly progress i.e., science, education, duties towards family etc. God creates the universe according to His eternal law framed in Vedas which are always unchangeable and unchallengeable. So we have to follow the law of God always to get long happy life.
You are also advised to read some vedic holy books which will be a pious deed to attain peace, say Vedas. List of Vedic books, written by me with the blessing of God is placed in the publications section to select 1-2 books. If you desire, then you can send your postal address.
