Page 21 - HIRS - Eng
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PREFACE                                              xix

            do get nasty along the way, so be it. As I began to understand
            the importance of qualities such as humility and compassion,
            I reconciled to the fact that a large part of my spiritual life
            would be spent in the attempt to undo the harmful attitudes
            which I had internalized earlier.

            A related challenge, for me personally, was to understand and
            accept my role as a woman according to the Vedic tradition.

            In the Vedic culture, spirituality is a way of life: it’s not
            something that one engages in once a week on Sunday.
            Therefore, the Vedic scriptures not only provide a set of rituals
            for worshiping God, but they also circumscribe various facets
            of one’s life right from early childhood to the time one has to
            leave one’s body, for aspects of worship are intertwined even
            in day-to-day activities. The structure of the society; the duties
            of men and women; the responsibilities of the king, the priests,
            the farmers, the traders, the artisans — everything is dealt
            with in great detail, so that people’s lives can be structured
            in such a way that the spiritual goal is not forgotten.

            In his commentaries, Śrīla Prabhupāda often deals with these
            aspects, including the role of women in society. At first, I
            found it very difficult to accept his statements, for they seemed
            to be the complete opposite of the ideals that I had set for
            myself. However, I realized that they are not his personal
            opinions. His comments are based on ancient wisdom given
            in the Vedic scriptures. I could understand that the Vedas
            provide the blueprint for a harmonious life, and hence, the
            role defined for each individual would work for their benefit.
            So I decided to examine the subject of women in Vedic culture
            further, to try and figure out how the principles could be
            reconciled with my own life.
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