Dharma Vahini - Post 20

ALL CAN ASPIRE FOR SPIRITUAL WISDOM

Swami writes, 

'High and low, rich and poor, male and female — all are affected by illness, and all have the right to seek the drugs that cure illness. So too, all people are affected by the illness of birth and death and all have the right to the drug, named knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-vidya), that is its effective cure. 

That is the heritage of all. According to the stage reached by each, the degree of development attained in spiritual discipline, and the extent of assimilation of the drug, each person will improve in health, that is to say, in peace and equanimity. But one thing has to be specially mentioned: along with the drug, the regulations regarding the mode of living have also to be strictly adhered to.

Women may seek knowledge of Brahman

Now, there is one question: are women entitled to seek knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-vidya)? This question has already been answered. 

If women don’t deserve this knowledge, how did Vishnumurthi teach Bhudevi the mystery of the Gita? How did Parameswara teach Parvathi the Guru-gita? “Dhara spoke (Dharovaacha)”, “Parvathi spoke” — such statements reveal that Dhara and Parvathi took part in the discussions and put questions to clarify the points. 

The meditational scriptures (yoga-sastra) and the sacred-formula scriptures (mantra-sastra) were both taught to Parvathi by Iswara. This must therefore be correct, authorized by the scriptures (sastras), right? In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned that Yajnavalkya taught the knowledge of Brahman to Maitreyi.

In the Brihadaranyaka, there is mention of such effulgent women - sages as Gargi and Maitreyi, and in the Mahabharatha, the names of Sulabha and Yogini are found. 

Women should be inspired by their moral rectitude and their

steadfastness and then walk in that path; then only does the question of reaching that height arise. Chudala, Madalasa, and other such women attained knowledge of Brahman while in the householder stage of life itself. Women can, by spiritual practice, attain that unwavering unequalled auspicious Brahman; this is made clear in the Yoga-vasishta and in the Puranas. Doubts will haunt only those who have not studied the scriptures properly. Novitiates, householders, recluses, all among women, have attained the goal by their pure hearts and holy conduct. All women should strive to acquire these two.

In fact, the Atma is devoid of all differences as between men and women. It is eternal, pure consciousness itself, and self-illumining (nithya, suddha buddha, swayam-jyothi). Women can reach the status of those holy women only when they become aware of the nature of the Atma.

Love.