Topic: Vedic Period

Que. Examine how the transformation of the Varna system from the Rigvedic to the Later-Vedic period affected the position of women. [UPSC CSE-2019]

Approach:

(1) Explain briefly the Vedic period.

(2) Mention the Position of Women in the Rigvedic Period.

(3) Mention the transformation of the Varna system affected the position of women.

(4) Explain how the position of women deteriorated in the later Vedic period.

Introduction:

The Vedic Age lasted from 1500 BC to 600 BC. After the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization around 1400 BC, this was the next significant civilization in ancient India. The Vedas were written during this time period, hence the name. The Vedas are also the primary source of information for this period. The arrival of the Aryans, or Indo-Aryans, marked the beginning of the Vedic Age. The Vedic period is separated into two parts: The Early Vedic Period (1500-1000 BCE) and the Later Vedic Period (1000-600 BCE). The reason for this is that society changed dramatically between the time the earliest Vedas were written and the introduction of subsequent Vedic writings.

Position of Women in the Rigvedic Period:

(1) Freedom: The degree of freedom given to women to take part in public activities indicates the nature of the status enjoyed by women during Vedic period. Women never observed “purdah”. They enjoyed freedom and even they enjoyed freedom in selecting their male partner. They could educate themselves. Widows were permitted to remarry. Divorce was however not permissible to them. Even men did not have the right to divorce their wives. Women were given complete freedom in family matters and were treated as “Ardhanginis”.

(2) Educational Freedom: Daughters were never ill-treated although male children were preferred to female children. They also received education like boys and went through the “Brahmacharya” discipline including the “Upanayana” ritual. Women studied the Vedic literature like men and some of them like Lopamudra, Ghosa and Sikata-Nivavari figure among the authors of the Vedichymns.

(3) Social Freedom: Marriage in the Vedic period was considered a social and religious duty and united the couple on an equal footing. Women had the right to remain spinsters throughout their life. Marriage was not forcibly imposed on them. Child marriages were unknown.

(4) Economic Freedom: Vedic women had economic freedom. Some women were engaged in teaching work. Home was the place of production. Spinning and weaving of clothes were done at home. Women also helped their husbands as agricultural purists.

(5) Property Rights and Inheritance: Women rights were very much limited in inheriting property. A married daughter had no share in her father’s property but each spinster was entitled to one-fourth share of patrimony received by her brothers. As a wife, a woman had no direct share in her husband’s property. However, a forsaken wife was entitled to 1/3rd of her husband’s wealth. A widow was expected to lead an ascetic life and had no share in her husband’s property. Thus, it could be generalized that the social situation was not in favour of women possessing property and yet protection was given to them as daughters and wives.

(6) Religious Freedom: In the religious field, the wife enjoyed full rights and regularly participated in religious ceremonies with her husband. Religious ceremonies and sacrifices were performed jointly by the husband and the wife. Women even participated actively in religious discourses. There was no bar for women to read or study any of our sacred literature.

(7) Role of Women in Public Life: Women could shine as debaters in public assemblies. They usually occupied a prominent place in social gatherings but they were denied entry into the “Sabhas” because these places besides being used for making political decisions were also used for gambling, drinking and such other purposes. Women’s participation in public meetings and debates, however, became less and less common in the later Vedic period.

(8) Status of women during the Epic period: The women of Epic India enjoyed an honourable position at home. Both Ramayana and Mahabharata Epics had given a respectable place for women; women had been called the root of Dharma, prosperity and enjoyment in both the epics. We find vast references of the expression of courage, strong willpower and valour of women like Kaikeye, Sita, Rukmani, Satyabhama, Sabitri, Draupadi and others. The Ramayana is a glorious illustration for the Hindu ideal womanhood, it glorifies the value of “Pativratya” and idealises womanhood as one of the most venerable aspects of our heritage. The Mahabharata also outlines the duties and the attitude of the wife to the husband.

(9) Women during the Period of Dharmashatra’s and Puranas: During the period of Dharmashastras and puranas the status of women gradually declined and underwent a major change. The girls were deprived of formal education Daughters were regarded as second-class citizens. Freedom of women was curtailed. Sons were given more weightage than daughters. Girls were prevented from learning the Vedas and becoming Brahma charinis. Manu, the law giver of Indian society gave the statement that women have to be under father during childhood, under her husband during youth and under her son during old age”. At no stage shall she deserve freedom.

Transformation of the Varna system affected the position of women:

The transformation of the Varna system (caste system) from its early stages to its later, more rigid form had significant implications for the position of women in ancient Indian society. As the Varna system evolved, it influenced various aspects of gender roles, rights, and opportunities for women.

Here’s how the transformation of the Varna system affected the position of women: 

(1) Changes in Occupational Roles: As the caste system became more hierarchical, certain occupations became restricted based on birth. This affected the range of opportunities available to women, limiting their roles primarily to domestic and caregiving activities.

(2) Decline in Autonomy and Agency: The evolving caste hierarchy led to a decline in the autonomy and agency of women. Their role shifted more towards the private sphere, with limited involvement in decision-making beyond the household.

(3) Restrictions on Education and Rituals: Over time, women’s participation in rituals decreased, and their access to education became more limited. Brahmanical texts reinforced the idea that women were not fit for certain rites and roles.

(4) Emphasis on Purity and Honor: The caste hierarchy placed a strong emphasis on maintaining purity and avoiding pollution. This led to seclusion of women, particularly those from higher castes, to protect family honor and caste status.

(5) Practice of Sati and Widowhood: The concept of widowhood and practices like sati (self-immolation of widows) emerged during this period. Widows were often restricted from remarrying and, in some cases, expected to embrace widowhood or perform sati.

(6) Subordination and Patriarchy: The hierarchical structure of the Varna system reinforced patriarchal norms. Women were increasingly subordinated to male authority within the family and societal structures. Shatapatha Brahmana states; ‘A good woman is one who pleases her husband, delivers male children, and never talks back to her husband.’ According to the same text, women own neither themselves nor an inheritance.

(7) Influence of Brahmanical Texts: Brahmanical texts such as the Dharmashastras began to codify social norms and gender roles, influencing the perception of women’s duties and responsibilities. These texts promoted the idea of women’s subservience to men.

(8) Impact on Caste Interactions: The caste-based hierarchy affected interactions among women from different castes. Women from lower castes faced greater marginalization and discrimination, leading to varying degrees of vulnerability and disadvantage.

(9) Birth of Female Child: The Atharva Veda describes a life of spinsterhood as the greatest curse for women, and deplores the birth of daughters. The Aitareya Brahmana describes a daughter as a source of misery.

Conclusion:

The transformation of the Varna system over time contributed to a more restricted and subordinate role for women in ancient Indian society. As the social hierarchy solidified, women’s access to education, public participation, and ritual activities diminished, reinforcing gender norms and patriarchy. While these changes were not uniform across all regions and communities, the evolution of the caste system had a lasting impact on the position of women.