Say NO to Manu?
Feb 10, 2019 | 6hrs; FB page of Gaura Kesava Prabhu
Just say NO to Manu! (in Kali Yuga)
Although Srila Prabhupada quoted from Manu Samhita many times and even called it the Lawbook for Mankind. Still on other occasions he said that we could never follow it. Below we see that actually Manu Samhita is meant ONLY for Satya Yuga:
kṛte tu mānavī dharmas
tretāyāṁ gautamaḥ smṛtaḥ
dvāpare śaṅkha likhitau
kalau pārāśaraḥ smṛtaḥ
"The codes of Manu were authorized for the Satya yuga, the codes of Gautama for the Treta, the codes of Sankha and Likhita for the Dvarpara yuga and the codes of Parasara for this age of Kali." Parasara Smrti 1.23
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The SP quote that Gaura Kesava Prabhu is refering to in above post is—
My dear Madhusudana Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 4th, 1977.
I discussed the contents of your letter with His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada stated that our grhasthas should simply chant 50 rounds before conceiving a child. Prabhupada said: “We do not want all these rituals. Chanting Hare Krishna is our only business. According to the Manu-samhita you are all mlecchas and yavanas. You cannot touch the Manu-samhita, what to speak of translating it. So if you try to follow the Manu-samhita then you become a mleccha and yavana and your career is finished.” I hope this makes the matter clear.
Hoping this meets you well.
Your servant, Tamal Krishna Gosvami, Secretary to Srila Prabhupada
[Ref. Letter to Madhusudana Vrndavana, May 19, 1977] (emphasis ours)
This seems to be a very offensive stance of Gaura Kesava Prabhu. It goes directly against Srila Prabhupada’s stance on this topic. He brings just a single quote of Srila Prabhupada which he wrote for some disciple or a group of disciples (who prematurely wanted to translate Manu samhita). Gaura Kesava Prabhu tries to make a doctrine out of it. He undermines volumes of quotes of Srila Prabhupada where he uses Manu samhita as support, where he glorifies it as the law book for whole human society and says that current society should be based on it, and where he applies Manu samhita for his own disciples and ISKCON generations to come.
Thus, "Just say No to Manu" (in kali yuga) would be an inappropriate claim and needs to be cleared from the "speculative brains" of people influenced by this idea. It makes us remember Manusmurti Dahan Din or the festival day of burning of Manu samhita (December 25, 1927 on which Dr. Ambedkar gathered crowd from India and officially burned Manu samhita).
His reasons were the same as those of Gaura Kesava Prabhu’s in his arguments—birth based caste system. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and alongwith him the Indian constitution did the same mistake that Gaura Kesava Prabhu is proposing here—throwing the baby out with the bath water, that is throwing the whole scientific, quality based varnasrama system, out with the perverted jati based caste varnasrama system.
However, Gaura Kesava Prabhu seems to have not studied Parasara smriti at all. He seems to have just caught hold of single verse that declares it as Smriti for kaliyuga and has mistakenly thought that it must be debunking caste system and sexism. However, this idea is worng—Parasara Smriti is as caste based and sexist as Manu Smriti itself. Here is a sample quote from it:
duḥśīlo ‘pi dvijaḥ pūjyo na tu śūdro jitendriyaḥ |
kaḥ parityajya gāṁ duṣṭāṁ duhec-chīlavatīṁ kharīm ||8.32||
BRAHMANA IS WORSHIPPABLE EVEN IF NOT OF GOOD CHARACTER; SUDRA IS NOT WORSHIPPABLE EVEN IF SENSE-CONTROLLED. WHICH FOOL WILL GIVE UP AN AGGRESSIVE COW AND TRY MILKING A DOCILE, GOOD CHARACTERED SHE-ASS.
Parasara Smriti 7.7-8 | ONE WHO DOESN’T GET HIS DAUGHTER MARRIED BY THE TIME SHE IS 12 YEARS OLD, HIS FOREFATHERS DRINK THE MONTHLY MENSTRUAL FLUID OF HIS DAUGHTER (7). THE FATHER, MOTHER, AND ELDER BROTHER GO TO HELL BY SEEING HER UNMARRIED MENSTRUATING (8).
More from Parasara Smriti
(Gaura Kesava Pr claims for kaliyuga)
(click on links to end of this email):
Caste System —Brahmana etc. by birth
Women Discriminated
Yuga-dharma mentioned is Charity and agnihotra is compulsory duty
Srila Prabhupada almost always quoted Manu samhita when commenting on modern social and political issues (and especially so in case of women). He hardly quoted anything from Parasara smriti or even Hari-bhakti-vilasa regarding such issues. This shows significance of Manu-samhita even for kaliyuga.
A few sample quotes from Srila Prabhupada that counteract Gaura-kesava Prabhu’s order of NO Manu-samhita (in kaliyuga). More quotes and their short explanations at the end of email (Click here).
That the Brahmacarini ashram is a good success is very good news. But the best thing will be if the grown-up Brahmacarinis get married. ACCORDING TO VEDIC CULTURE, WOMAN IS NEVER TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT. I shall be glad if the Brahmacarinis can have nice husbands, and live as Grhasthas. But if they cannot find out good husbands, it is better to remain a Brahmacarini all the life, even though it is little difficult. --- (Letter to Satsvarupa, Montreal, Aug 8, 1968)
In the above quote Srila Prabhupada applies instruction of Manu-samhita for his female disciples living in ashram.
BECAUSE THE SEX-URGE IS SO STRONG IN YOUNG PERSONS, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE USED TO MIXING FREELY WITH ONE ANOTHER, I ENCOURAGE MY STUDENTS TO GET THEMSELVES MARRIED. But our point is not that hard knot as above described. It is simply a relationship of mutually helping each other, man and wife, to make advancement in spiritual life, nothing more. We are not after home, money, fame, like that. But that does not mean that he shall not support her nicely, no. It is the duty of husband to protect wife in every way from the onslaught of material nature, and he must act always as her spiritual guide by being perfect example of devotee. Women are not so quick to learn, and they are weak by nature, so they should be protected in this way. IN OUR VEDIC SCIENCE OF LIVING, IT IS ENJOINED THAT THE SOCIETY SHOULD BE ORGANIZED IN SUCH A WAY TO PROTECT WOMEN, CHILDREN, OLD PEOPLE AND COWS, BECAUSE FACTUALLY ALL OF THEM ARE INNOCENT. So children have parents, elderly persons must have grown up children to protect them, and woman must have husband. AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THEY SHOULD BE MARRIED AT VERY EARLY AGE, THEN THE WIFE WILL REMAIN ALWAYS CHASTE AND DEVOTED TO HER HUSBAND. At such young age, from the first night onwards, she can never for a moment forget him, being still child and unspoiled, therefore she becomes the perfect chaste wife, and in those times the wife was so much devoted to her husband that SHE WOULD VOLUNTARILY DIE IN THE FIRE OF HIS CREMATION, UNABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT HIM. Myself, I was very young when I got married, and my wife was 11 years only. But there is no question of separation in our marriage belief, neither your daughter will ever be separated from that boy, that is their vow. Rather, it is when people are a little grown-up, when they have got little independence and their own ways of doing things, then if they marry there is often difficulty to adjust, just as it is more difficult to bend the bamboo when it is yellow. (Letter to Mr.Loy—Vrndavana 7 Nov 1972)
Woman brahmacāriṇī, this is artificial.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In our centers, though, there are so many brahmacāriṇīs, and even sometimes they’re encouraged to remain brahmacāriṇī.
Prabhupāda: That they cannot. As soon as they will find opportunity, they will become vyabhicāriṇī.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They’ll become what?
PRABHUPĀDA: VYABHICĀRIṆĪ. FOR WOMAN, PROTECTION.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you don’t advocate this remaining sing..., these women remaining brahmacāriṇīs.
(Morning Conversation, Bombay, Apr 29, 1977)
In the below quote from SB 7.11.14, both Srila Prabhupada and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura both have accepted and connected Manu samhita for varnasrama duties to Bhagavatam. They both quote the same verse. Thus, our acharyas have accepted Manu samhita, Srila Prabhupada accepts it, Srimad Bhagavatam (which is specifically for kaliyuga) accepts it, WHO ARE WE TO SAY NO TO MANU?
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains the position of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas as follows. Brāhmaṇas have six occupational duties, of which three are compulsory—namely, studying the Vedas, worshiping the Deity and giving charity. By teaching, by inducing others to worship the Deity, and by accepting gifts, the brāhmaṇas receive the necessities of life. This is also confirmed in the Manu-saṁhitā:
ṣaṇṇāṁ tu karmaṇām asya trīṇi karmāṇi jīvikā
yajanādhyāpane caiva viśuddhāc ca pratigrahaḥ
Of the six occupational duties of the brāhmaṇas, three are compulsory—namely, worship of the Deity, study of the Vedas and the giving of charity. In exchange, a brāhmaṇa should receive charity, and this should be his means of livelihood. A brāhmaṇa cannot take up any professional occupational duty for his livelihood. The śāstras especially stress that if one claims to be a brāhmaṇa, he cannot engage in the service of anyone else; otherwise he at once falls from his position and becomes a śūdra. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī belonged to a very respectful family, but because they engaged in the service of Nawab Hussain Shah—not even as ordinary clerks, but as ministers—they were ostracized from brahminical society. Indeed, they became like Mohammedans and even changed their names. Unless a brāhmaṇa is very pure, he cannot accept charity from others. Charity should be given to those who are pure. Even if one is born in a family of brāhmaṇas, if one acts as a śūdra one cannot accept charity, for this is strictly prohibited. Although the kṣatriyas are almost as qualified as the brāhmaṇas, even they cannot accept charity. This is strictly prohibited in this verse by the word apratigraha. What to speak of the lower social orders, even the kṣatriyas must not accept charity. The king or government may levy taxes upon the citizens in various ways—by revenue duties, customs duties, realization of fines, and so on—provided the king is able to give full protection to his subjects to assure the security of their life and property. Unless he is able to give protection, he cannot levy taxes. However, a king must not levy any tax upon the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then, how to understand the statement that Parasara Smriti is for Kaiyuga?
Let us see the quote from Parasara smriti 1.24, again—
kṛte tu mānavī dharmas tretāyāṁ gautamaḥ smṛtaḥ
dvāpare śaṅkha likhitau kalau pārāśaraḥ smṛtaḥ
"The codes of Manu were authorized for the Satya yuga, the codes of Gautama for the Treta, the codes of Sankha and Likhita for the Dvarpara yuga and the codes of Parasara for this age of Kali."
It nowhere prohibits Manu-samhita to be used in Kaliyuga. It only says about the prominence of Parasara Smriti in Kaliyuga. This means that it mentions the rules that are to be followed differently from what is already mentioned in Manu-samhita. For instance, prayaschitta to be performed for some sin is recommended lesser compared to that mentioned in Manu-samhita. Thus, when we see for that particular sin, we need to follow the prayaschitta as mentioned in Parasara-smriti and not as mentioned in Manu-samhita.
However, the rules that are not mentioned in Parasara-smriti are to be followed as per Manu-samhita. For instance, there is no vyavahāra-kāṇḍa (section that deals with how to administer the state) in Parasara-smriti. Does that mean Parasara Smriti says that in Kaliyuga there should be no kings or no sastric guidance in how to rule?
No. Parasara-smriti itself mentions on several ocassions that King should be there and that citizens should pay taxes, etc. But, Parasara-smriti does not give any detailed guidance on this matter. However, Manu-samhita has whole section called vyavahāra-kāṇḍa (or rāja-śāstra) with many chapters. Hence, Manu-samhita has to be followed in this case. And there are many such cases.
Thus, Parasara smriti is paraṁ means when there is a clash between statements of Manu and Parasara smritis, words of Parasara smriti are to be followed for Kaliyuga. That is it. It doesn’t reject Manu Samhita. That is why we find Srila Prabhupada mainly quoting Manu-samhita for social and political issues.
Srila Prabhupada on Manu samhita
(1) As for behavior, there are many rules and regulations guiding human behavior, such as the Manu-saṁhitā, which is the law of the human race. Even up to today, those who are Hindu follow the Manu-saṁhitā. Laws of inheritance and other legalities are derived from this book. [Ref. BG 16.7, purport]
Response: It’s clear that laws regarding inheritance etc. should be taken from Manu-samhita, otherwise there is no point in mentioning it in the issue.
(2) In modern days the people in general occupy the administration by the strength of manipulated votes, but they are never trained in the primary duties of the king, and that is also not possible for everyone. Under the circumstances the untrained administrators play havoc to make the subjects happy in all respects. On the other hand, these untrained administrators gradually become rogues and thieves and increase the taxation to finance a top-heavy administration that is useless for all purposes. Actually the qualified brāhmaṇas are meant to give direction to the kings for proper administration in terms of the scriptures like the Manu-saṁhitā and Dharma-śāstras of Parāśara.[Ref. SB 1.9.27, purport]
Response: Point to be noted that Manu-samhita is not excluded from Srila Prabhupada’s list.
(3) The Manu-saṁhitā is the standard lawbook for humanity, and every human being is advised to follow this great book of social knowledge.[Ref. SB 2.1.36, purport]
Response: Does that mean Vaisnavas are not human beings?
(4) Manu-saṁhitā recommends that to keep a wife satisfied a husband should give her some ornaments because women are generally fond of home, ornaments, dresses, children, etc. In this way the woman is the center of all material enjoyment.[Ref. SB 4.25.21, purport]
Response: (If Manu-samhita is meant for Satya-yuga) Should Manu be consulted in order to keep one’s wife satisfied? If it is irrelevant to quote Manu in kali-yuga, then why Srila Prabhupada has included it in his purports to give us guidance in this particular issue!
(5) A man is allowed to keep more than one wife because he cannot enjoy sex when the wife is pregnant. If he wants to enjoy sex at such a time, he may go to another wife who is not pregnant. These are laws mentioned in the Manu-saṁhitā and other scriptures.[Ref. SB 6.1.8, purport]
Response: Again, it is in the purport, meant to be studied for the next 10,000 years in this Kali-yuga!
(6) As stated in the Manu-saṁhitā (2.215) and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (9.19.17) :
mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsano bhavet
balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati
"A man should not associate with a woman in a solitary place, not even with his mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that they lead astray even a person advanced in knowledge."[Ref.SB 6.18.30, purport]
Response: Srila Prabhupada takes special interest to quote Manu-samhita along with Srimad-bhagavatam to make emphasis. This indicates that Manu-samhita does have an important role to play (in kali-yuga) in certain matters if not all!
(7) In many places in Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, refers to the varṇāśrama-dharma of four varṇas and four āśramas. He teaches people about this varṇāśrama-dharma so that all of human society can live peacefully by observing the principles for the four social divisions and four spiritual divisions (varṇa and āśrama) and thus make advancement in spiritual knowledge. The Manus compiled the Manu-saṁhitā. The word saṁhitā means Vedic knowledge, and manu indicates that this knowledge is given by Manu…….
Manu gave the law known as Manu-saṁhitā, which is full of directions based on varṇa and āśrama concerning how to live as a human being.These are very scientific ways of life, but under the rule of demons like Hiraṇyakaśipu, human society breaks all these systems of law and order and gradually becomes lower and lower. Thus there is no peace in the world. The conclusion is that if we want real peace and order in the human society, we must follow the principles laid down by the Manu-saṁhitā and confirmed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. [Ref. SB 7.8.48, purport]
Response: Srila Prabhupada is saying “must”, it is not optional!
(8) As we learn from the history of the Mahābhārata, or "Greater India," the wives and daughters of the ruling class, the kṣatriyas, knew the political game, but we never find that a woman was given the post of chief executive. This is in accordance with the injunctions of Manu-saṁhitā, but unfortunately Manu-saṁhitā is now being insulted, and the Āryans, the members of Vedic society, cannot do anything. Such is the nature of Kali-yuga.[Ref. SB 10.4.5, purport]
Response: Should we consult or insult Manu-samhita based on this instruction of Srila Prabhupada?
(9) The human race has come from the Manu. Therefore the Vedic followers, they follow the principles, or codes, of Manu-saṁhitā. Manu-saṁhitā is the law, Hindu law, still accepted, although they have made many amendments. But it is not to be amended. Just like in the Manu-saṁhitā there is no divorce. Now our Hindu laws, they have amended, "Divorce is allowed." That is not according to Manu-saṁhitā. [Ref. Lecture BG 7.3, feb 18 1974, Bombay]
Response: Should we allow "divorce" among devotees if this instruction is not available in Parasara-smrti?
(10) Now Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, "In the family there are enemies." How? Ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatruḥ. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, "A father who is a great debtor, he is enemy." Because the son inherits the money of the father, similarly, the law is that if the father dies a debtor, the son becomes responsible to pay the debts. That is the law, Manu-saṁhitā. I do not know what is the law here. I don’t think the son is responsible for paying the debts of father, but in India that is the law. One big barrister, Mr. C. R. Das, his father died insolvent, making debts. So when he became very rich, he called all the creditors and paid five to five, that "My father was debtor. You take this money." That is obligation. [Ref. Lec, SB 1.3.17, sep 22, 1972, Los angeles]
Response: Do we disagree with Srila Prabhupada if the law is not found in Parasara-smrti?
(11) Śyāmasundara: He says that the social good is that which is desired by the most people.
Prabhupāda: Self... Most people may be foolish. Therefore we don’t take social or in that way. Our Vedic civilization is from the higher authorities. Just like law we take from Manu, Manu-saṁhitā.[Ref. Discussions with Syamasundara Dasa]
Response: Srila Prabhupada takes laws from Manu. How do you reconcile this statement with the letter to Madhusaudana wherein Srila Prabhupada discourages him from even touching Manu-samhita?
(12) Yogeśvara: He says this seems to be somewhat different from the traditional Hindu practice, since in the Manu-saṁhitā, for example, śūdras are not to be instructed.
Prabhupāda: Yes, but we do not keep him śūdra. A devotee is no longer śūdra. We are creating brāhmaṇas. Just like these Europeans and Americans. They, according to Manu-saṁhitā, they are mlecchas, yavanas. But we are not keeping them mlecchas and yavanas. Just like these European and American boys. They are accepting the Vedic regulatives principles: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. So they are no more śūdras or caṇḍālas. They are brāhmaṇas.[Ref. Room conversation, June 5, 1974, Geneva]
Response: Please follow this. Srila Prabhupada does agree to the effect that sudras are not meant to be instructed as per Manu-samhita, however he justifies devotees’ position in this regard.(They are brāhmaṇas) How is this matching with the letter to Madhusadana wherein Srila Prabhupada calls his disciples’ attempt to follow Manu-samhita will turn them again into mlecchas?
And, if devotees are not supposed to follow Manu-samhita in kali-yuga(to be saved from turning again into mlecchas), then why does Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of ISKCON take so much consideration in quoting Manu-samhita on several issues?
(13) Harikeśa: In the Manu-saṁhitā also there is many, many rules about what kind of meat to eat.
Prabhupāda: That is gradually. Gradually. If he cannot give up meat-eating, so, "All right, don’t eat cows’ flesh. You eat hogs. That’s all." But the real purpose is to stop meat-eating. And that is also under restriction. "You can eat one goat. Sacrifice it before Goddess Kālī under such and such rules and regulation. Then you take one piece of meat at night." So any sensible man—"Why I should undergo such rules and regulation for eating a little piece of meat? Better give it up." That is the idea. It is not that encouraging him.[Ref, Morning walk, Jan 22-23, 1976, Mayapura]
Response: This is another example how Srila Prabhupada receives Manu-samhita.
Thus, far "No way has Srila Prabhupada seemed to go against the authority of Manu-samhita wherever it comes into picture."
If in Kali-yuga only Parasara-smrti is to be consulted (and never Manu-smrti, strictly!) according to Parasara Smrti 1.23, then Srila Prabhupada’s mentioning of Manu-samhita and accepting its authority on several social issues, then, does not appear to be more than a joke!
Caste system -- Brahmana etc. by birth
duḥśīlo ‘pi dvijaḥ pūjyo na tu śūdro jitendriyaḥ |
kaḥ parityajya gāṁ duṣṭāṁ duhec-chīlavatīṁ kharīm ||8.32||
BRAHMANA IS WORSHIPPABLE EVEN IF NOT OF GOOD CHARACTER; SUDRA IS NOT WORSHIPPABLE EVEN IF SENSE-CONTROLLED. WHICH FOOL WILL GIVE UP AN AGGRESSIVE COW AND TRY MILKING A DOCILE, GOOD CHARACTERED SHE-ASS.
śūdra-kanyā-samutpanno brāhmaṇena tu saṁskṛtaḥ |
asaṁskārād bhaved-dāsaḥ saṁskārād-eva nāpatiḥ ||11.23||
kṣatriyāc-chūdrakanyāyāṁ samutpannastu yaḥ sutaḥ |
sa gopāla iti khyāto bhojyo viprair-na saṁśyaḥ ||11.24||
vaiśya-kanyā-samudbhūto brāhmaṇena tu saṁskṛtaḥ |
sa hyārdhika iti jñeyo bhojyo viprair-na saṁśayaḥ ||11.25||
A CHILD BORN OF A ŚŪDRA’S DAUGHTER BY A BRAHMANA IS CALLED NĀPATI IF SAṀSKĀRA IS DONE.
A CHILD BORN OF A ŚŪDRA’S DAUGHTER BY A BRAHMANA IS CALLED DĀSA IF SAṀSKĀRA IS NOT DONE.
A CHILD BORN OF A ŚŪDRA’S DAUGHTER BY A KṣATRIYA IS CALLED GOPĀLA, AND A BRAHMANA CAN EAT WHAT HE COOKS.
A CHILD BORN OF A VAIŚYA’S DAUGHTER BY A BRAHMANA (WITH SAṀSKĀRA) IS CALLED ĀRDDHIKA, AND A BRAHMANA CAN EAT WHAT HE COOKS.
Comment: In the above you can see that son’s duty and varna etc. are set by the combination of father and mother’s varna. This is purely a case of caste system so much vilified by Gaura Kesava Prabhu.
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kapilākṣīrapānena brāhmaṇīgamanena ca |
VEDĀKṢĀRAVICĀTEṆA ŚŪDRASYA NARAKAṀ DHRUVAM ||1.75||
Drinking milk of a kapilā cow, having sexual intercourse with a wife of a brahmana, and BY CONTEMPLATING ON THE WORDS OF THE VEDA A ŚŪDRA FALLS DOWN TO HELL.
Women are discriminated simlar to Manu
jito dharmo hyadharmeṇa satyaṁ caivānṛtena ca |
jitāścauraiśca rājānaḥ STRĪBHIŚCA PURUṢĀ JITĀḤ ||1.30||
sīdanti cāgnihotrāṇi gurupūjā praṇaśyati |
kumāryaśca prasūyante tasmin-kaliyuge sadā ||1.31||
In kaliyuga, adharma has won over dharma, asatya has won over satya, kings have been won by thieves, MEN HAVE BEEN OVERPOWERED BY WOMEN. Agnihotras and respect for gurus have almost been lost. UNMARRIED WOMEN ARE GIVING BRITH TO BABIES.
[POINT TO BE NOTED: PARASARA SAMHITA IS FULLY AWARE OF THE WOMEN CONTROLLING MEN SITUATION OF KALIYUGA; KEEPING THAT IN MIND HE INSTRUCTS AS BELOW]
daridraṁ vyādhitaṁ dhūrtaṁ bhartāraṁ yāvamanyate |
sā śunī jāyate mṛtvā sūkarī ca punaḥ punaḥ ||4.16||
patyau jīvati yā nārī upoṣya vratam-ācaret |
āyuṣyaṁ harate bhartuḥ sā nārī narakaṁ vrajet ||4.17||
apṛṣṭvā caiva bhartāraṁ yā nārī kurute vratam |
sarvaṁ tad-rākṣasān-gacched-ityevaṁ manurabravīt ||4.18||
A woman who disregards her husband who is poor, sick, or crooked, becomes a bitch or a sow in her next life (16). A woman who performs vrata (fasting etc. vow) while her husband is alive, reduces her husband’s life and she goes to hell (17). Manu says that whatever vrata etc. a woman performs without getting permission of her husband, goes to the rākṣasas (18).
Comment: Although Parasara samhita accepts in the beginning (1.31) that women controls men in kaliyuga, still, being well aware of this fact, here (in 4.16) he says that women who disregard their husband goes to hell and become a bitch or a sow in her next life.
na striyāṁ keśa-vapanaṁ na dūre śayanāśanam ||9.56||
na ca goṣṭhe vased-rātrau na divā gā anuvrajet |
nadīṣu saṅgame caiva araṇyeṣu viśeṣataḥ ||9.57||
na strīṇām-ajīnaṁ vāso vratam-evaṁ samācaret |
trisandhyaṁ snānam-ityuktaṁ surāṇām-arcanaṁ tathā ||9.58||
bandhumadhye vrataṁ tāsāṁ kṛcchra-cāndrāyaṇādikam |
gṛheṣu satataṁ tiṣṭhec-chucir-niyamam-ācaret ||9.59||
WOMEN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SHAVE THEIR HEAD, SLEEP BEING AWAY FROM HOUSE (IN NIGHT), OR EAT BEING AWAY FROM HOUSE. THEY SHOULD NOT SLEEP IN GOSHALAL IN THE NIGHT AND NOT GO BEHIND THE COWS IN DAYTIME. THEY SHOULD NOT GO TO PLACE WHERE DIFFERENT RIVERS MEET AND TO FOREST. FOR WOMEN THERE IS NO BRAHMACARI LIFE, NOR LIVING IN GURU’S ASRAMA, NOR FOLLOWING THE VOWS OF BRAHMACHARIS, NOT FOLLOWING THREE SANDHYA-VANDANAMS, NOR WORSHIPPING THE DEITIES. THEIR VOWS LIKE KṚCCHRA-CĀDRĀYAṆA ARE TO BE ALWAYS PERFORMED STAYING IN HOUSE AMONG RELATIVES FOLLOWING ALL RULES OF CLEANLINESS.
jāreṇa janayed-garbhaṁ mṛte tyakte gate patau |
tāṁ tyajed-apare rāṣṭre patitāṁ pāpakāriṇīm ||10.31||
A WOMAN, WHO HAS BEEN REJECTED BY HER HUSBAND OR WHOSE HUSBAND HAS DIED, SHOULD BE ABANDONED TO ANOTHER STATE IF SHE BECOMES PREGNANT BY ANOTHER MAN AND THUS BECOMES SINFUL.
mṛte bhartari yā nārī brahmacarya-vrate sthitā |
sā mṛtā labhate svargaṁ yathā te brahmacāriṇaḥ ||4.31||
tisraḥ koṭyo ‘rdhakoṭī ca yāni lomāni mānave |
tāvat-kālaṁ vaset-svarge bhartāra yānugacchati ||4.32||
vyālagrāhī yathā vyālaṁ balād-uddharate bilāt |
evaṁ strī patim-uddhṛtya tenaiva saha modate ||4.33||
A woman who lives a strict life of celibcy after the death of her husband, goes to heavan after death, as those male naiṣṭhika-brahmacārīs (31).
HOWEVER, A WOMAN WHO FOLLOWS HER HUSBAND BY BURNING HERSELF INTO HIS FUNERAL PIRE, RESIDES IN HEAVEN TILL 3.5 CRORE YEARS, EQUAL TO NUMBER OF HAIRS ON THE BODY OF HUMAN BEINGS (32). SUCH A WOMAN LIFTS HER HUSBAND FROM ABOMINABLE POSITIONS JUST AS A SNAKE CATCHER CATCHES A SNAKE FROM SNAKE HOLE. SHE THEN ENJOYS WITH HIM IN HEAVAN FOR THESE MANY YEARS (33).
aṣṭa-varṣā bhaved-gaurī nava-varṣā tu rohiṇī |
daśa-varṣā bhavet-kanyā ata ūrdhvaṁ rajasvalā ||7.6||
prāpte tu dvādaśe varṣe yaḥ kanyāṁ na prayacchati |
māsi māsi rajas-tasyāḥ pibanti pitaro ‘niśam ||7.7||
mātā caiva pitā caiva jyeṣṭho bhrātā tathaiva ca |
traste narakaṁ yānti dṛṣṭvā kanyāṁ rajasvalāṁ ||7.8||
An 8 year old girl is called gaurī; called rohiṇī when reaches 9; called kanyā when reaches 10; beyond that she is rajasvalā or menstruating (6).
ONE WHO DOESN’T GET HIS DAUGHTER MARRIED BY THE TIME SHE IS 12 YEARS OLD, HIS FOREFATHERS DRINK THE MONTHLY MENSTRUAL FLUID OF HIS DAUGHTER (7). THE FATHER, MOTHER, AND ELDER BROTHER GO TO HELL BY SEEING HER UNMARRIED MENSTRUATING (8).
Some differences of Yuga-dharma from ours
tapaḥ paraṁ kṛta-yuge tretāyāṁ jñānam-ucyate |
dvāpare yajñam-evāhur-DĀNAM-EVA KALAU-YUGE || 1.23 ||
kṛte tu mānavā dharmās-tretāyāṁ gautamāḥ smṛtāḥ |
dvāpare śaṅkha-likhitāḥ kalau pārāśarāḥ smṛtāḥ ||1.24||
In satya-yuga austerity was considered topmost process, cultivating knowledge in tretā-yuga; in dvāpara-yuga sacrifices were considered topmost, and CHARITY IS THE TOPMOST PROCESS FOR KALI-YUGA.
na kāryamāvasathyena NĀGNIHOTREṆA VĀ PUNAḤ |
sa bhavet-karma-cāṇḍālo yastu dharma-parāṅmukhaḥ ||4.21||
A gṛhastha WHO DOESN’T PERFORM AGNIHOTRA and is away from dharma, eventhough he may be performing all karmas, HE IS A CĀṆḌĀLA.
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