A woman plays several roles in a family – a mother, a daughter, a sister and wife.  In her role as a wife, a woman takes a very crucial position because she not only is a supporter for a husband’s spiritual progress, but also the key person who helps nurture the family and build the character of children and help raise them in good consciousness – Krsna consciousness.  She occupies a position of pre-eminence in ancient Vedic tradition. The Vedas place woman on a high pedestal.

So, how should a woman be treated?
The success of family life depends on how a woman is treated. What is the position of a woman? In the Mahabharata, Bhismadev instructs King Yudhisthir on this very subject.  This important subject is also dealt with in the Manu samhita.  Bhismadev states:  “It is very important that every single woman must be given love, adored and honoured and the shatra says that where women are honoured, even the demigods
are pleased. A home in which the women- folk are not honoured, all acts become fruitless.

• If the women in a family live in grief, then that family will become extinct, the house will be destroyed. Such is the power, unleashed when a woman is displeased or dishonoured.
• Women are deities of prosperity. They are the very embodiment of Laxmi devi.  Dishonouring a woman is like disrespecting Laxmi devi, who will then not cast her benign glance on such a home.
• The virtue of men depends upon women. Men are dependent on women because whatever virtues they have is simply because these were inculcated in them by the women-folk- by the mother, by the sister, by the wife. Hence women are worthy of love, adoration and respect from all men.
• The Vedic injunction is that all men should look upon all women, except their wife, as their mother.
• Srila Prabhupada said that within ISKCON, a woman should be addressed as mataji, which is a term of respect that we show to our own mother. In Vedic society, a woman is a symbol of awe, reverence and worship.
• A spiritually trained woman in family life imparts purificatory good impression and training to the children. Thus good children are generated, good population ensured, conducive for a God-conscious happy and prosperous human society. Chaste and pious women can transform the condition of the society into the mode of goodness, which is a platform for spiritual progress. Otherwise, a hellish condition would be created in the society.
• It must be concluded that the woman is always an object of worship in the Vedic society and not an object of exploitation. Lack of this Vedic perspective is the source of many ills

It is equally important for women to self-learn or approach advanced spiritualists/devotees on areas where they need help or guidance.  Training themselves and practising higher values and Vedic way of life, will help garner all support, love, and respect that every woman truly deserves.  Like the Vedas say,

Yatra nariyastu poojayante ramante tatra devah.

“Where woman is worshipped ,demigods preside there.”

By Divya Rupa Devi dasi

[excerpts from Grihasta manual, based on teachings of Srila Prabhupada]