Pativrata or Kanya?

Pativrata

 A Partivrata is a chaste woman who have taken the vow of ‘pativratam' who sticks to her Partivrata Dharma, even at the risk of her own life. Who is faithfully devoted to her husband, who she worships him as a lord and who serves him with all her heart, mind and soul.

 Now coming to the special religious duties of the married ladies. Those married ladies, who are our followers, should serve their husband by treating him like God despite the abuses received from them or their disabilities like blindness, sickness, poverty or impotency. They should not say pinching words to them. ¹

The excerpt above is from the website of Swami Narayan sect[1] extolling ‘Stree Dharma’ in which it talks about Pativrata. Swami Narayan sect is one of the most powerful Hindu sects in India. One can safely say that this is the predominant understanding of ‘Pativrata’.  This is also a perception that has set expectations of a woman in India. While I have yet to meet a woman in my generation who thinks of her husband as  a Lord to be followed blindly, there are lots of examples where relationships are ruined because this expectation that is assumed of the woman by husband, family and society.

One look at the words from the excerpt, any one can understand the reservations of women to be a Pativrata.

Such is the perception of the word ‘Pativrata’ . As we explore the psychological and mythological history of the word, we can explore what gives it this reverence. Why it came to be so?

In the Hindu mythology of the country, eulogized women are invariably ‘Great Pativrata’ irrespective of whether they are ‘chaste’, virgin, loyal, etc. In fact it is almost as if no other quality of a woman is a appreciated. While there are references of capability in several areas, respect exists only for her Pativrata.  Biggest example of this is of Anasuya – Hailed as one of the greatest Pativrata, there is no mention of her great wisdom, statesmanship, etc. Draupadi is noted for dharma towards 5 husbands but not of her education, courage, intellect,etc.

Further as we explore into the next level of complexity, there is  one major googly that is interesting and insightful to explore and personally most meaningful to me.

The famous sloka for extolling what we call ‘Pativrata’ is the following

Sanskrit transliteration
ahalyādraupadī sītā tārāmandodarītathā।
pañcakanyāḥsmarennityaṃmahāpātakanāśinīḥ ॥

English translation
Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodari
One should forever remember the panchakanya who are the destroyers of great sins

A variant replaces Sita with Kunti ^[[2]]

Note the following in this sloka –

1.     The women are identified as ‘kanya’ i.e virgin even though they are married and sometimes with children

2.     Each has been with/ possessed by/ cast upon by more than one man.

3.     Though most are mothers, their motherhood is hardly the subject of discussion

4.     The choice of the man they are with is not often in their hands.

The other satis or Pativratas (they are quite synonymously used in several places in mythology) are –

1.     Anasuya

2.     Arundhati

3.     Parvathi

4.     Savitri

These are extolled for their devotion to their husband as wives and for their greatness in relation to his. –

1.     Anasuya – famed for transforming the Trimurtis to babies so she can feed them bare bodied by the power of her pativrata, she got her husband the 3 Gods as children, fulfilling his major penance on it.

2.     Arundhati – wife of Sage Vasishtha , one of the Saptha rishis, she is considered the idea to follow for chastitiy, conjugal bliss, devotion. She is respected and worshipped at par with the saptharishis.

3.     Parvathi – woke up Shiva with her Tapasya for him and earned her way to be his wife in a manifested form.

4.     Savitri – brought her husband back from death by following Yama, her pativrata being capable of influencing ‘fate’ itself

-        All are with respect to their husbands.

-        All have put effort in finding/being with their husbands/ done tapasya

Despite this, it is the 'Panchkanyas' whose ‘remembering’ is deemed to remove sins.

Based on the above and in relation to Jungian principles of Anima, Animus, Self and Individuation, what appeals to me is this perspective –

It seems that the famed Pativratas or Satis represent the highest feminine in conjunction to its Masculine. Their marriage to their spouses seems to have been sought by them and the marriage itself to have taken place after a lot of effort, what the myths call tapasya. In this process they seem to have approached individuation and met their animus within. This, then manifested into their husbands outside to whom their marriage is complete. (In the case of Anasuya, information is there only of her tapasya along with her husband to have sons like the Trinity, no information on how she came to be married to Atri). This marriage to their manifested animus seems to show up in great strength to their ability to enhance the lives of their husbands. As if their Shakti enhances their vision.

A Sanskrit maxim on inference indicates this with great beauty –

Arundhutīdarśananyāyaḥ (IAST: अरुन्धतीदर्शनन्यायः), used in the meaning of inferring the unknown from that which is known.

The context to this is that – The Arundhati star is only faintly visible. The way to see it is to first look for the Sapta Rishi stars, then in that to the Star of Vasishtha and beside it you will know where is Arundhati star.

In the current context, the meaning I make is that what is visible is Sage Vasishtha’s greatness, but on careful examination you will know that it is brightness is added to by the Arundhati’s brilliance.

This very beautifully captures the beautiful relationship possible between the masculine and feminine. The clear vision of the masculine powered by the energy ‘Sattva” of the Feminine as Sati.

But as is clearly seen in mythology as well as reality, this is a rare exception. More common are the struggles of women to find their animus figures within, the painful journeys that this involves of the animus being projected on more than one man and having to painfully find it within. It is this journey that is indicated by the Panchakanyas. Here are women who find themselves married to men, not always of their choice. Then as they learn to love, respect and devote, they go through various hurdles – from multiple husbands, deception, kidnapping, husbands not listening to their Dharma, being given to other men, etc. They are now in the position of having to find their true animus within, in the confusion of the relationships and circumstances outside.

Sanskrit sloka transliteration

ahalyādraupadī sītā tārāmandodarītathā।

pañcakanyāḥsmarennityaṃmahāpātakanāśinīḥ ॥

English translation

Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodari

One should forever remember the panchakanya who are the destroyers of great sins

A close examination-

1.     Ahalya – created as the most beautiful, given to be raised by Gautma, she is then asked to marry him. With different versions of stories indicating different levels of complicity, she is found to be with Indra who is disguised as Gautama. She is then asked to take up penance for it. This penance is lifted when Rama meets her after Vishwamitra extols her virtues and takes Rama to her.

2.     Draupadi – She spends a lifetime of penance to get the husband who is good at all important qualities, but then is forced to marry 5 men who together meet that criteria ( is that 5 criteria that of her perfect animus?), of whom her slight preference is the primary winner of her hand, Arjuna. Regardless of this, she has to keep Pativrata to all 5 failing which she will be considered a whore.

3.     Sita – Adopted by one the greatest monarchs in mythology and raised as a princess, she marries Rama with all devotion and follows him into the forest seeking to partake of his life. Captured by Rama’s shadow, Ravana, she prays for the victory of Self  over Shadow( Rama is her symbol / bridge to Self/God). But questions about her chastity and desertion by Rama force her to look for the Animus and Self as distinct from the symbol of Rama. This is seen in her composure and preassumable self work in Valmiki’s ashrama where she gives birth and raises Lava, Kusha

4.     Tara – Wife of Vali, Sugriva, Vali and Sugriva again. Her duty toward husband and her duty toward her kingdom as a queen demanded her always to go beyond her wishes and transform the situation with her wisdom. Her integrity to her Animus within, is clearly reflected when she counsels Sugriva to help Rama to find Sita quickly and stop wasting time. Till such a time, she is seen to be in a helpless position being claimed as a prize, her advice not listened to by Vali, her husband being unfairly taken away by circumstances, etc.

5.     Mandodari – A famed princess married by womanizer Ravana. Her integrity is to Dharma more than Ravana. While there are other examples of Asuras[3], who have Pativrata wives, it is only Madodari who is considered a Pancha kanya. This is possibily an indication towards the integrity to her own animus within as indicated by her following her Dharma rather to the husband Ravana outside. Information on her journey to this state is not available to me.

6.     Kunti – Variations of the sloka put Kunti in the place of Sita. Again she is married to one of the lesser Kaurava princes, has to go through the pains of un wed pregnancy and begetting sons from different Gods. She even bargains for one son’s wife against another. Only reason seems to be her sense of Dharma rather than any particularly selfish reason.

In all these stories of Pancha Kanya – they are loyal to the animus within rather than the husband outside. This can be seen in sense of holding themselves, their dignity despite the circumstances; like a Lotus leaf in water.  There seems to be a quiet dignity alight in each irrespective of their Circumstance. As if a lamp is burning within that lights them, guiding through their very human fallacies. It seems to be this light within that is recognised as their virginity and the belief that these women's remembrance can vanquish sin.

The journey to this position however does not seem to have been easy.

While the man's journey is clearly marked by Herculean tasks and mazes with tests for valour and bravery, the journey of Pathivrata a test of their love, affection & loyalty to husband. The journey of the Panchakanyas is a bit more complicated. One factor seems to be the challenge of having to tame ID and Ego to allow Dharma to lead from within.

In conclusion, some highlights for me are that Hindu mythology[4] indicates the journey of a woman to be through taming of the Id and Ego for allowing of her Dharma to blossom out. This Dharma is often with the connotation of Divine Duty ordained by the Self and given clarity by the Animus. This animus is arrived at by journey often painful and involving more than one man. When the Dharma is clear and the woman completely devotes to it, her capability, stature, etc is equal to that of the greatest sages or Gods.

In this aspect of hers, a woman is highly revered and sought. However this has denigrated to an expectation of service to the husband in modern times.  If a woman can be this great source of Shakti, which man would not want to his wife to become one, even though he does not understand what it really means and demands.

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[1] From website http://www.swaminarayan.info/femalesatsang/Display.asp?bookID=4 , a page on Stree Dharma of Shree Swaminarayan Sampraday

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchakanya#cite_note-apte-4

[3]  Vrinda , wife of Jalandhara and Tulasi, wife of Shankachuda. Both were violated by Vishnu taking the form of their husbands. Till then their Asura husbands are protected by their chasity. But these women are not venerated as Pativratas only as favorites of Vishnu.

[4] While the following essay is focused on Hindu Mythology in India, there are parallels in western stories – Beauty and the beast, Cindrella, Helen of Troy, Joan of Arc, St Mary, etc