Women In Epics of India

Satyavati:

She was the adopted daughter of a Fisherman, rejected by her King's father. She dreamed of running the kingdom because she was born a princess and had her rights denied. She was the mother of the extremely talented Krishna Daipayan, whom she rejected as he came on the path of her dreams. She mesmerised the emperor with her beauty. She made Devabrata into Bheeshma. The king died soon. Her arrogance led to the fall of her spoiled sons, and yet she desired more. She brought up her grandchildren with desires that later led to Adharma. She was Satyavati, Princess of Matsya, Queen of Hastinapur.

Yajnaseni:

She was born to be used as a tool of revenge; she knew it and had no say. Her Swayambhar was a flaw, as only he could win the archery contest. She was his winner's prize. He shared her with his brothers because his mother said so. She was the direct reason behind the greatest Dharma Yudh. She was disrespected for her polyandry and insulted time and again with perverted offers from her brothers-in-law and their allies. She never got to see her children grow; none of her husbands was truly hers, and she saw her own children die in war, but outside it. Her brother and father also died for her husband's throne. The husband for whom she wanted this war gambled her away, and even after her death, he blamed her for being partial towards his younger brother. She was Yagyaseni, Panchali, Draupadi, Queen of Hastinapur, Princess of Panchal.

Gandhari:

She was beautiful and received a boon to have a hundred children. She was her father's only daughter. She was forced to marry the blind, arrogant prince who refused to love her. He took away her only friend and made love to her, giving her a child. Her boon became her curse as all her children took the path of Adharma taught to them by her own brother. The brother who claimed to love her. She had to bear the pain of the murder of all her children. She was Gandhari, Princess of Gandhar, Queen of Hastinapura.

Kunti:

She was the adopted daughter of her father. She got the boon of getting children from the gods. In her childish attempt at trying the boon, she made the biggest mistake of her life and the greatest of warriors was born. She had to give him up in the hopes of a good future. Her husband loved his other wife. She became the mother of his children. She found her lost child as his brother's enemy. She helplessly saw them fight, and her firstborn was killed. She saw her grandchildren die, and her mistake made her Daughter-in-law a shared wife. She was Preetha, Princess of Kuntibhoja, Mother to the Pandavas, and to Karna.

Uttara:

She was married at a young age to a warrior prince. He died six months later, leaving her pregnant with an heir to the throne. All she wanted was a family and happiness. All she got was loneliness and anxiety. Her marriage was short-lived. He left her with an unfulfilled promise. She led a life full of duties and responsibilities. She was Uttara, Princess of Biratnagar, Matysadesh and Queen Mother of Hastinapur.

These five generations of women were the backbone of the family that led the greatest war in the history of Aryavarta. Where cousins fought and desire ruled, these women stood tall, fighting with the world, regretting their mistakes and trying to be justified and Dharmi. They fulfilled their responsibilities towards the throne and people dutifully, but never got any personal happiness. They were all wrong somewhere, but so are all humans; yet these women stood united in grief when the whole of Hastinapur fell apart. The epics show women being abused, kidnapped, and humiliated time and again. They have no voice, yet they are the backbone of the system. Some say Draupadi caused the war, but why? Because the men gambled with her. Took away her dignity.

Sita:

She was won by him by breaking a bow. She was taken to his palace with promises of being the future Queen, but instead, fate led her to the forests, where she was kidnapped and taken hostage. After rescuing her, the question that haunted everyone was her Character, if she had given herself to her kidnapper. She was made to give the Agnipariksha. She stayed away from his palace in a hermitage with her sons and committed suicide even when she met him after a long time and was again asked to give the Agnipariksha. She never once questioned him. She was Sita, Princess of Mithila, Wife of Rama.

The Lord says that whoever insults women or humiliates women, he will come to their rescue, so he does in the epic. The words of the Lord are a promise. The men of Kaliyug are to learn from this. Whenever they have tried to forcefully take women or tried to humiliate them, these women have become their Yama, their Death and Destruction. He had said :

Whenever Righteous values are destroyed in Bharata,
I manifest myself in a form and return to destroy evil.

These women made the epics, and women in your life make yours. Epics are nothing but life lessons. The sooner people realise this and take the essence of these tales as moral values, the sooner there will be relief from this Kali Yug. If we help ourselves, God may help us. Start with respecting the women in your life: your mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and friends. Maybe it will be a good start towards the prevention of a darker future. Every day, women being abused and raped are in the news media. This is Kal Yug, where women get abused every day. Our epics remain a reminder in history for those people who do this Adharma. They are filling the world with darkness, and one day, a Kalki will come to destroy all that is evil and alive, to prove again that people who do not respect women shall be cursed and killed.

YADA YADA HI DHARMASYA
GLANIRVA BHABATI BHARATA
ABYUTHANAM ADHARMASYA
TADATMANAM SRIJAMI AHAM|

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