Woman in Vedic Literature

Excerpt from an email received from Tunga Vidya

Woman seers where called Rishikas and male seers as Rishis.

now a rishi is equivalent to a prophet in semitic religions. they 'saw' (rishayo mantraa drashtaarah) the great hidden meanings of the vedic mantras and made them known to the people.

that was the highest privilege of vedic religion and it was not denied to women. there were great sages like lopamudra, romasa, visvavara, angirasi sasvati, apala, sraddha kamayani, vasukra patni, ghosa, urvasi, juhu, vaak ambhrini, paulomi shachi and the list goes on (these rishikas i've named are only of the rigved, there are three other vedas).

not only that, we had erudite philosophers like gargi and maitreyi who faced and argued with the sages of their day (their dialogues on the nature of the self and the universe are recorded in the brahmana granths and the upanishads).

btw here's some more quotes :

'Just as boys acquire sound knowledge and culture by the practise of Brahmacharya and then marry girls of their own choice, who are young, well-educated, loving and of like temperment, so should a girl practise Brahmacharya, study the Vedas and other sciences and thereby perfect her knowledge, refine her character and give her hand to a man of her own choice who is young, learned and loving.'

- Atharva Ved 9.16.3.18

'The educated girl who leads a virtuous life and acquires honour by her achievements, wishes for a husband who is intelligent and brave. She experiences happiness by leading a life full of love with a man of integrity, nobility of character and conduct.'

- Rig Ved 6.49.7

'Divinity resides in families in which women are respected; and where they are not, there is ruin.'

- Manu 3.56

'There is rapid destruction of those families in which womenfolk suffer. Where the womenfolk do not have difficulties, that family always prospers.'

- Manu 3.57

'Where women, insulted or dishonoured, curse the household, that family is destroyed as if by poison.'

- Manu 3.58

'That family is certainly blessed where there is mutual satisfaction and co-operation between husband and wife.'

- Manu 3.60

'When the women in the home are happy, the whole family is happy. The unhappiness of women results in the unhappiness of the whole family.'

- Manu 3.62

'The rank of one acharya (principal) is equal to ten ordinary teachers; the rank of one father is equal to that of one hundred acharyas. The rank of one mother is equal to that of a thousand fathers.'

- Manu 2.145