Page 21 - HIRS - Eng
P. 21
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.