Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates ‘Status of Women in the Matsya Purana’ of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

Status of Women in the Matsya Purāṇa

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From the time immemorial, women have been held in the highest esteem. However, in the Vedic age, although women had a high position, in some matters their rights were less. In the field of education, women did not have equal rights. Sometimes women have been seen to be unfairly treated by the society. Even then, women have been able to strengthen their position in the highest seats of society with their patience, courage and strength. Such women had no value in patriarchal society. So their birth was not auspicious or pleasant for the family. Everyone wanted a son, not a daughter. In the Aitereya Brāhmaṇa it is said that daughters are the sources of sorrow but sons give heaven happiness.

Exactly the same thing we find in Matsya Purāṇa. Where it says–

manujāstatra jāyante yato na gṛhadharmiṇaḥ |
krameṇā''śramasamprāptirbrahmacārivratādanu ||—Matsya (Chapter 154/253)

That is, the birth of a son is said to be the best here. And saying that if the household religion is not done properly, a son will not be born. In other words, the birth of a daughter is the cause of grief. Pārvatī ’s mother Menā also says the same thing. Menā is worried and anxious about the marriage of 182

Pārvatī and said to the sages that this is the reason why no one wishes for the birth of a daughter even though it is very fruitful.^[1] Even after this, the scriptures have honored the daughter and it has been said that the daughter who is not devoid of virtue is equal to ten sons.^[2]

No matter how undesirable and unpleasant the birth of a daughter was, no one could deny the uniqueness of the spirituality and intellectual development of girls. Although girls did not have access to education in the early Vedic period. But next time that opportunity became effective. We find examples of majestic women like Apātā, Lapāmudrā, Viśvavārā etc. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣada , we see Gārgī who is practicing spirituality with sage Yajñāvalkya .^[3] In the Vedic age, feminism was basically divided into two parts, Sadyodvahāsa and Brahmavādinī . The only one who Sadyodvahāsa were these who studied till marriage. And the Brahmavādinīs were those who practiced education all their lives without getting married. We find the example of Brahmavādinī woman in the Matsya Purāṇa . Sannati, the wife of Brahmadatta was a Brahmavādinī woman.^[4] In the 154th chapter of the Matsya Purāṇa it is seen that Brahma himself said that women were incapable of receiving Vedic education and for this reason women stayed away from Vedic education. However, many women did have the right to strict austerities. There are many such examples in the Matsya Purāṇa who used to do hard austerities with their own strength and ability to satisfy the gods and get husbands and children as they wished. The demon’s mother Diti, bewildered by the grief of her children’s death, performed austerities on the banks of the river Sarasvatī in the place of Symantapañcaka to get rid of that grief.^[5] This Diti again wished for a strong son who could kill Indra, by worshiping and doing austerities to her husband, Kaśyapa .^[6] Yoginī Pivari satisfied Viṣṇu by doing austerities and wanted a husband like her own.^[7] Umā did hard austerities to get Lord Śiva as her husband.^[8]

Women chose their own life partners. For example, Devayānī offers love to Kaca, a disciple of Śukrācārya , and proposes marriage.^[9] Although he did not marry his Guruputrī out of respect. Later Devayanī offered love to Yayāti and surrendered herself to Yayāti.^[10] At first for the marriage he was hesitant but later the marriage was consummated. King Yayāti also offered marriage by Devayānī ’s maid and friend, Vṛṣaparvā ’s daughter, Śarmiṣṭhā .^[11] Even a woman can choose her husband if she menstruates three times in her father’s house. And the king can’t punish that women.^[12]

There are also descriptions of widows in the Matsya Purāṇa . The widow comes before us with short hair, without ornaments, a helper of suffering, a face that always covers itself with plain white clothes, so that no color touches her. The king duty is to protect the widows and to provide a job for them.^[13]

Although women did not have equal rights to Vedic education, they had equal rights to practice different religions like men. Just as wives could perform austerities voluntarily, they also had the freedom to perform various vows. There are several patterns in the Matsya Purāṇa from which it is understood that women were not barred from attending religious ceremonies. Women used to vow Rohinīcandraśayana so that she would be freed from all the karma of the previous birth and from being born again.^[14] The women used to observe Śivacaturdaśī vows so that she could take shelter under the feet of the Mahādeva. However, the women could not do this vow voluntarily. This vow had to be made only on the orders of the husband, children or any other elder.^[15] Married, unmarried or widow used to perform Rasakalyāṇinī vows so that 1000 Agniśtoma Yajña would be performed by the vow and worshiped in the Gauriloka being fortunate and healed.^[16] If a woman dies in the Avimuktakṣetra , she gets the highest place, no matter how transparent, pure or opaque that woman is.^[17] In this way women enjoyed equal rights with men in religious matters.

Women were independent in the society but in some cases there are descriptions of oppression on women in Matsya Purāṇa . Indra’s oppression of Brajānga ’s wife Barāgī is one of these examples.^[18] In the verse 47 of the 188th chapter of the Matsya Purāṇa , the word “Gṛhapanjarakokilā ” describes the house arrest of women. In society, wife was an enjoyable subject for some men. However, in that case, there was also a penal code by the king to protect the dignity of women. If a lustful man raped a virgin girl, he was immediately put to death.^[19] If anyone had sex with a virgin girl, he would be fined two hundred Paṇa.^[20] There was no crime or penal code in the society for remarrying a poor widow. But if anyone married a rich widow, he would be punished.^[21] For example, Jyāmagha ’s wife is older than him and childless, but he has not remarried. Jyāmagha gave his wife the highest place. After winning a battle, jyāmagha got a bride-to-be, brought the girl and handed her over to his wife, saying that she was their daughter-in-law, although they were childless. But later they had one child.^[22] All these patterns prove that even though the all parts of the society, women were worshiped in the society.

In society, killing women was punishable. From the Vedic period, women were killed for various reasons, but the perpetrators were also given sufficient punishment for that act. Chapter 227 of the Matsya Purāṇa provides for the death penalty for the murder of a woman.^[23] Maharṣi Bhṛgu cursed Viṣṇu when he saw the Devī Khyāti being killed.^[24] Eventhe enemy’s wife could not be killed.^[25] But if a wife kills her husband, son or elders with poison, she has to cut off her ears, nose, lips and killed by animal.^[26] And the woman who sets fire to villages, fields and houses and commits adultery with the princess is burnt to death.^[27]

In society, women have been identified as a kind of consumer goods. Yayāti’s son Druhya is reluctant to give his youth to his father and says that the old man cannot enjoy the kingdom, nor can he ride in the Chariot, nor can he enjoy his wife.^[28] Yayāti considers his wife as his property. He says his son that the amount of paddy, gold, cattle and wife in this world is not enough for a man.^[29] These examples prove that women were a subject of enjoyment for men.

The nature and temperament of the girls are also depicted in the Matsya Purāṇa . In Matsya Purāṇa , women are called jealousy and violence. They can never accept the presence of any other women in the life of their beloved. That is why when Devayānī found out about the relationship between Yayāti and Śarmiṣṭhā , she left Yayātī and went to her father.^[30] When mother Pārvatī also goes elsewhere for austerities, she appoints the Vīra as a gatekeeper and keeps an eye on Mahādeva so that no other woman can come to him.^[31] Not only this, Pārvatī also requested Goddess Kusumāmodinī for the same purpose.^[32] In the 154th chapter, women are also called narrow-minded.^[33] In the 178th chapter of the Matsya Purāṇa it is indirectly said that in the presence of men, girls do not speak and without men, their roar does not end.^[34] Another feature is also mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa . There is also a special aspect of the femininity of the female race in the form of Sāvitri. Sāvitri brought her husband’s life back from Yamaraj.^[35] In other words, Yamarāja was satisfied with Sāvitri’s knowledge, patience and piety and gave her husband’s life back.