Talk:Gender
By Vishal Agarwal
Bhakti Yoga is a uniquely accessible path to Mokṣa, open to all, regardless of social or economic circumstances. Rooted in humility, love, devotion, and faith, it nurtures a personal and fulfilling relationship with Bhagavān, allowing every individual, regardless of gender, to embark on a journey toward spiritual liberation.
By devoting oneself to the service of Śiva and seeking communion with His Name, men, women, and even the impotent reach the Supreme abode of Rudra. Śivadharmottara Upapurāṇa 2.166
Women Bhakta Tradition
Right from the Vedic times, when various Ṛṣikā-s expressed their devotion to different Devatā-s in their Mantras, Bhārata has been blessed with a continuous stream of women devotees. In more recent times (Common Era), we have examples of Lalleśvarī and Rūp Bhavānī of Kaśmīra, Āṇḍāḷ and Karaikkāl Ammaiyār of Tamil Nāḍu, Ammaṭci of Kerala, Molla of Telugu-speaking areas, Janābāī and Bahinābāī of Mahārāṣṭra, Mīrābāī of Rājasthān, Akkā Mahādevī of Karṇāṭaka, Toral of Gujarāt, Sijā Lāioibī of Maṇipur, Sahajobāī of the Hindī belt, Padmapriyā of Asam, Mā Ānandamayī of Bengal and so on.[1] In modern times, various Guru-s and the Hare Kṛṣṇa-s[2] in the West have inspired numerous women Bhakta-s who are ethnically not from the Indian Subcontinent.
Women as Gurus in the path of Bhakti
In the path of Bhakti, women are often regarded as Gurus of their husbands. Prince Rāimalā of Jodhpur was a great devotee of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. He spared no effort to serve other devotees who visited him. One day, his wife asked him, Why are you always engaged in serving His devotees instead of serving Bhagavān Himself? Rāimalā replied, Bhagavān gets pleased sooner when we serve His devotees. Thereafter, the wife, too, began serving visiting devotees with great faith and generosity. One day, she asked a visiting saint, When will I get a vision of Bhagavān Viṣṇu? The saint replied, If you follow me to a nearby place, I will show Bhagavān right now. The wife followed, and the saint revealed His four-armed form of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, who had come to experience her faith and hospitality in disguise. The wife was overwhelmed, and she said to Bhagavān Viṣṇu, It is due to my husband's instruction that I began to serve devotees and got a vision of You. Would you be kind enough to reveal your Divine Form to my husband as well? Bhagavān agreed, and they went to meet her husband, where He revealed His Divine Form to him too. But a sense of despondency overtook Rāimalā. He felt small that Bhagavān had appeared to him only due to the request of his wife and not necessarily due to his own devotion. Bhagavān read his mind and said, Do not feel insulted that your wife was instrumental in you seeing Me. You have labored hard, serving the devotees all your life. Now, I will always be with you. The couple were overjoyed with the compassion of Bhagavān, and He lived in their hearts for their entire lives.[3]
Numerous stories are narrated about women excelling on the path of Bhakti:
Akkā Mahādevī
Akkā Mahādevī was a beautiful daughter born around 1130 CE to a couple who were great devotees of Śiva and lived in the Indian state of Karṇāṭaka. From her childhood, she enjoyed worshipping Śiva and even wanted to become a Sannyāsinī, i.e., renounce regular life and devote herself full-time to worship and meditation.
Mahādevī grew to become a beautiful woman. Kauśika, the ruler of her town, was attracted by her beauty and proposed to her. But she refused, saying that she had already married Śiva in her heart. Her parents were worried that Kauśika, being their King, would make their lives miserable. To console them, she said, Please dress me like a bride and send me to his palace. I will marry him if he agrees to become a Bhakta of Śiva. They agreed. At the palace, she put forth her condition, but he refused. He walked towards her and started pulling her clothes. Akkā Mahādevī prayed to Śiva to protect her. Miraculously, a ball of fire appeared between her and King Kauśika and started burning him. Frightened, he backed off. Akkā Mahādevī forgave him and said, You only saw my physical beauty, but were blind to the power of a Bhakta's soul that appeared as fire. Kauśika repented and fell at her feet.
Akkā decided to live the rest of her life as a Sannyāsinī. She heard of two great devotees of Śiva in the city of Kalyāṇa—Bāsava and his student Allāmā Mahāprabhu. She appeared in their spiritual assembly, where several scholars had gathered to discuss matters of Dharma and Yoga. After questioning her, they recognized Mahādevī as a great saint. She became a disciple of Saint Bāsava and started living in a cave a few miles from the temple of Maḷḷikārjuna.
Akkā Mahādevī composed beautiful hymns called Akkā Mahādevī Vachanas, which are very popular even today. She also wrote books on Yoga and Bhakti, displaying her mastery over Śāstra and her advanced spiritual stature. Her life teaches us that women are equally eligible for the path of Bhakti, as the ātmā is neither male nor female.
King Madhukara Śāha and Queen Gaṇeśadeī of Orchhā
King Madhukara Śāha and Queen Gaṇeśadeī of Orchhā were devout Vaiṣṇavas. Once, a saint, overcome by greed, asked the Queen for gold. She had none, and he stabbed her in anger. She tied the wound and hid the incident from the King to prevent him from losing faith in serving Bhaktas. Later, she revealed the truth and made him promise to continue honoring devotees. The King praised her nobility.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ Dāsi, Kṛṣṇa Kānta. Bhakti Blossoms – A Collection of Contemporary Vaiṣṇavī Poetry. Golden Dragonfly Press, 2017, US.
- ↑ Deśāī, Subhadrā. Indian Women Seers and Their Songs. Aryan Books International and IGNCA, 2017, New Delhi.
- ↑ Nābhādāsa (Nābhā Gosvāmī). Śrī Bhaktamālā with Commentary by Śrī Priyadāsa. Translated by Bhūmipati Dāsa, edited by Pūrṇaprajña Dāsa, Rasbihārī Lāl and Sons, 2017, Vṛndāvana, India. Commentary on text 117 of Bhaktamālā.
- ↑ Nābhādāsa (Nābhā Gosvāmī). Śrī Bhaktamālā with Commentary by Śrī Priyadāsa. Translated by Bhūmipati Dāsa, edited by Pūrṇaprajña Dāsa, Rasbihārī Lāl and Sons, 2017, Vṛndāvana, India. Commentary on text 104 of Bhaktamālā.