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Uplift
of Women:
In eighteenth century Gujarat, there existed four main Sampradayas: Shaiva,
Vaishnava, Jain and Shakta. Of them, the Shakta flourished rapidly. Two
factors boosted this spread: ignorance and the hedonistic psyche of the
people, who indulged in meat, alcohol and adultery.
With its branches of Vama, Kaul, Cholio and others, the Shakta Sampradaya
had also perverted religion by regarding adultery as a means to moksha.
Feudal chiefs of large and small sub-states within Gujarat also favoured
this exploitation of women and therefore followed and supported these
cults.
Against such deeply ingrained hedonism, a mountain of prejudice and ignorant
opposition, Lord Swaminarayan proved to be the first, perhaps the only
luminary, in India who rose against the shocking plight of women in society.
For them, He carved a tunnel of succour, liberating them from their neglected
status, suppression and exploitation.
Some practices He outright eradicated; others He refined.
First, He exhorted people to abolish the practice of Sati. This involved
the forced or voluntary immolation of a widow on the cremation pyre of
her dead husband. The Lord enlightened women about the invaluable opportunity
of a human birth graced by God. And only a human birth facilitated moksha
in transcending the cycle of births and deaths. Sati flouted this grace
and was in essence Atmahatya (suicide) and therefore a sin. His practical
and patient approach successfully eradicated Sati from most areas of Gujarat.
Simultaneously, He persevered in persuading people to forsake female infanticide
in which newly-born baby girls were drowned in a pot of milk. This practice
chiefly prevailed among the Rajputs and Kathis. He offered parents financial
aid to defray dowry costs, on the condition they desist from killing newly-born
females. This, He divulged, involved three great sins:1 killing
an innocent relative, Stri hatya - killing a helpless female and bal-hatya
- killing a child. He warned them, in prophecy, that if they did not abandon
this practice voluntarily now, they would have to later, when a powerful
political ruler arrived. This covertly referred to the British, who began
to establish themselves in south Gujarat around 1803. Later, on behalf
of the East India Company, to support Gaekwad of Baroda Col. Walker entered
Kathiawad in 1807, to make a financial settlement with the chiefs of the
sub states.2 The British later banned female infanticide. In
addition to see Lord Swaminarayan's edifying effects, Sir John Malcolm
on his visit to Kathiawad in 1830, also wished to check female infanticide
among the Jadeja Rajputs.3
Lord Swaminarayan's efforts then focused on the religious education of
women. Female education in general had practically disappeared from society
as a result of Muslim rule over the centuries. At best, a mother might
impart to her children traditional stories and folklore that she may have
heard from the village bard.
Lord Swaminarayan's first bold step provided special worshipping areas
for women. He appointed women well-versed in the Satsang lore to preach
to other women. In some towns, even separate mandirs were built for them
and males were prohibited entry. Women could now offer devotion to God
on a par with men. This encouraged women to think independently and attain
leadership skills to teach each other. An off-shoot advantage of this
surfaced about twenty-five years after Lord Swaminarayan's demise. Under
Colonial rule, schools for female education sprung up in the cities of
Gujarat. Some of the first women teachers arrived from the Swaminarayan
Sampradaya.
His segregation of the sexes during religious gatherings not only provided
women the freedom to manage their own activities, but also shielded them
from the promiscuous behaviour of males, which Lord Swaminarayan had frequently
observed in His teenage sojourns. A Gujarati author, Kishorelal Mashruwala
noted: 'His insistence in this matter stemmed from observing the rot that
had infiltrated religious sects of the period.'4
There also remained the problem of widows. Unlike the prevailing social
discrimination of widows, Lord Swaminarayan did not consider them inauspicious.
On the contrary, He offered them another option; to adopt the life of
a Samkhyayogini. Such a group of widows would live in special areas in
mandir precincts, avoid the company of males, offer devotion to God, practise
austerities and preach to women devotees.
Purity of Speech
To instil cultural values in the people, Lord Swaminarayan left no stone
unturned. Even a seemingly superfluous factor as speech concerned Him.
He forbade the vulgar tradition of singing ribald songs - known as fatana
- during marriage ceremonies. To this end, He instructed His poet Paramhansas,
namely Muktanand and Premanand, to compose kirtans glorifying the marriage
episodes described in the scriptures, such as Tulsi vivaha and Rukhmani
vivaha, to be sung instead. This revived sacredness in marriages.
An other undignified and distasteful practice concerned the usage of
the word rand. A slang, derogatory term for a widow or a prostitute,
men used it derisingly to address any female. Surprisingly, even women
did not fail to use it when bickering with each other, thus lowering
their own dignity. Lord Swaminarayan exhorted both men and women to
abjure its usage. No matter what the social dictates, it just did not
befit a disciple to utter obscenities from lips that chanted the Lord's
glory.
Finally, He exhorted people to use speech sparingly, like ghee, not
freely like water.
Moksha for All
Lord Swaminarayan's purpose of incarnating centred on redeeming infinite
Jivas (souls). He removed distinctions of sex, caste, wealth, status,
religion, friend or foe.
However, an incorrect interpretation of some scriptures then prevailing,
claimed that women could not attain moksha. This would only be possible
in a male birth. But Lord Swaminarayan revealed that the soul - Atma
- is neither male nor female. In the Shikshapatri (116) - the code of
conduct written by Him for His followers, He advocates identification
of the Atma, with Brahman to offer worship to Parabrahman. Therefore
women automatically obtain the right to moksha
To consider an example an aged devotee named Mulima, of Ganala, after
years of sincere devotion in the Satsang, once instructed her husband
to return home at midday from the fields to perform her final rites.
In a vision Maharaj had informed her that since her life span had ended,
He would arrive at midday to take her to Akshardham - His divine abode.
Bewildered at her statement, for she appeared quite healthy, her husband
ignored her.
Nonetheless, a few minutes before twelve, filled with anxiety, he returned,
just in case her statement proved true. He saw her sitting cross-legged
in meditation, taking her final breaths. He then attempted to assure
her, 'Do not worry about my plight, but take care of your moksha.' Hearing
this weak statement of uncertainty, she awakened and reprimanded him,
'With these hands, I have served Maharaj. They have thus been sanctified.
Visitors who have drunk water or eaten food even once from my hands
will definitely be redeemed. Since you have eaten food made by me all
these years, it is you who should be confident of your moksha! And if
you are to be redeemed, don't you think I will?' She then re-entered
the state of samadhi and as a snake sheds its skin she shed her body.
Arriving in a divine form, Maharaj took her to Akshardham.
Shreeji Maharaj's approach even towards a sinful person such as a prostitute
reflects His unbiased grace. Prior to the yagna in Jetalpur, He distributed
wheat to the townsfolk, to be ground into flour for use in the festival.
Nathibai, a prostitute, plucked up courage to approach the Lord in the
assembly, to be allowed to grind wheat. If Lord Swaminarayan was indeed
God, she wished to be cleansed of her sins.
As she inched her way through the assembly, an outcry arose in the women's
section. The male devotees also looked at her scornfully. But when Maharaj
saw her, with a wave of His hand He indicated to the assembly to let
her through. She requested Him to permit her to contribute. He agreed,
but only if she ground the wheat herself. This she promised. He then
allotted her one maund.
She laboured all night with heartfelt devotion. Unaccustomed to such
strenuous work her palms blistered. In the morning she brought the flour
to the Lord. He requested her to show her palms. Satisfied, He accepted
the flour. She then pleaded for forgiveness for her sinful life, also
asking Him to grace and sanctify her 'house of sin'. Pleased with her
sincerity and resolution, He addressed her as "sister", and blessed
her. He granted her moksha, on a level similar to His senior Paramhansa
- Muktanand Swami! Subsequently, He sanctified her house.
Muktanand Swami composed a moving kirtan empathizing with Nathibai,
glorifying the Lord's grace on her. Being a brahmachari, it is also
remarkable that Muktanand Swami wrote a special code of rules for women,
known as the Sati Gita. Commenting on this unique work, a French scholar,
Françoise Mallison, has noted, 'No one has yet written codes for Satis
(chaste women) as Muktanand Swami.'5
Yet contemporary society loathed the uplift of lower caste women by
Lord Swaminarayan and not only castigated Him, but maligned Him as ill-mannered;
devoid of any social etiquette. He did not let this thwart His work.
In the village of Langnoj, a few miles from Ahmedabad, Lord Swaminarayan
visited the house of a poor, low caste, Bhavsar woman named Sonbai to
take prasad. But a rich Nagar brahmin devotee, Gangama, told her that
since her grain and pulses were of a low quality, she should prepare
food for the sadhus accompanying Maharaj. She, Gangama, would use her
own higher quality grain for Maharaj. Sonbai's dreams shattered. Silently,
she grieved, unable to object to someone of a higher caste.
When Maharaj arrived, He noticed Sonbai's gloominess and questioned
her. Distraught, she wept, barely managing to relate Gangama's decision.
Maharaj calmed her. He requested her to fetch whatever she had cooked.
Exhilarated with His decision, she served Him devotedly. Just as He
finished dining, Gangama arrived with her food. Maharaj calmly suggested
that since He had already taken prasad, she was welcome to have what
she had brought.
The sweeping effects of Lord Swaminarayan's audacious and revolutionary
steps in uplifting women, with a marked emphasis on protecting their
chastity and dignity, induced many to forsake their cults to join the
Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Contemporary society began to respect its lofty
spiritual values. The Collector of Baroda, Mr. Williamson observed,
'Swaminarayan exhorts people to regard women with respect and purity.'6
Altekar, A.S. The Position of Women in
Hindu Civilization (From Prehistoric Times to the
Present Day). Benares Hindu University, 1938.
1 Dave, op. cit., Vol. II., three sins of female infanticide,
pp. 277-279.
2 Wilberforce Bell, Capt.H.History of Kathiawad.London:William
Heineman. 1916., p.178.
3 Kaye, John William. Life & Correspondence of Major General
Sir John Malcolm. Vol.
II., London: Smith Elder & Co., 1856, p.541.
Dave, op. cit., Vol. III., Purity of speech, p. 412, Fatana stopped,
p.573.
Shastri, op. cit., Female education in medieval India, p.466.
Singhji, Virbhadra. The Rajputs of Saurashtra. Bombay: Bombay Popular
Prakashan,
1994, Fatana, p.169, female infanticide, pp.208, 209, Sati, pp. 274-279.
Vaghela, op.cit., Female education initiated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan,
pp. 168, 169.
Mashruwala,Kishorelal.Swami Sahajanand athawa Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
Amdavad: Navjivan Prakashan Mandir,1923, 2nd. ed.,1940,Fatana stopped,
p.44.
4 Mashruwala,Kishorelal.Stri-Purush Maryada. Amdavad: Navjivan
Prakashan Mandir,
1937, 3rd. ed., 1991, p.83.
Dave, op. cit., Vol. II., Prostitute redeemed, pp. 501, 521.
5Mallison, Françoise. Le Sect Krishnaite des Swaminarayanis
au Gujarat. Journal
Asiatique, 1974.
6 Viveksagardas,Shastri.Stri Swatantraya.Amdavad:Swaminarayan
Aksharpith,1992,p.25.
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