Gandhi Before Gandhi

Author(s): Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah
Publisher: Jain Academy Educational Research Center Promotion Trust Mumbai

Page 55

GANDHI BEFORE GANDHI
of Brahmin priests flocked to him and thus 500 years before Christ there was a great spectacle on the banks of the Ganges. Buddha was preaching the doctrine of equality and salvation for all men high and low. The work which Buddha did in this respect was noble & noteworthy.
The third mistake that I must refer to concerns the women of my country,
of the family was the priest, and his home was the temple. The sacred flame was kindled in every house and the hymns were chanted with simplicity and devotion by the entire family. When sacrifices were to be offered, religious devotions were to be performed, prominent in that picture is seen, the woman who is the wife and the mother. In those early days and down through all mutations, and till the present time, the most worthy households from every point of view are those households in which grandparents, parents, sons and their wives dwell together in unity and in the bonds of love, each doing his and her part of work for the comfort, instruction and happiness of the home, not alone in domestic industries, but in the rights and ceremonies of religious devotion. I will give you a few of the prayers of the Rigveda pertaining to this exalted condition.
The next mistake that I must refer to, concerns the women of my country. This mistake is many sided and time will not permit me to consider it in detail. In a general way it may be stated, thus: Some have stated that,
"The women of India, from time immemorial, have been and are, the slaves of their husbands, without rights, without privileges, without education, without authority, and even (as I have heard) without souls, except perhaps as they may blindly serve the whims, the behests and the lusts of their masters." To all such statement and to every particular definition that may be given to it, I am proud and honored to interpose a downright denial. I do not mean by this that woman's place and work in India are the same as I am led to believe as are found in this country: whether lower or higher or equal, in a genuine sense, I will not attempt to decide. In the Vedic times, as may be learned from the numerous hymns, many of them are composed by women, a pleasing picture of woman's estate may be seen. In that early age the father
"Oh, ye gods, the married couple who prepare oblations together, who purify the Soma juice and mix it with milk-may they obtain food for their eating and come united to the sacrifices (religious for service ), may they never have to go in quest of foods. They worship you with the best offerings, bless them with youthful and adolescent offspring, they may acquire wealth and may they both attain to a mature age. Then god themselves covet the worship of such a couple who neglect not religious sacrifices and duties, and who offer grateful services of Worship and gifts to gods, and who embrace each other to continue their race and they worship their gods."
Again a beautiful picture is that of highly educated women who, themselves are Rishis(sages), because of their learning and devotion, they have composed hundreds of hymns and they have performed the sacred