HN_ANI_DELHI_UNION_MINISTER_NIRMALA_SITHARAMAN_LAUNCHES_A_BOOK_SHAKTI_WOMEN_18-07-59

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Transcript

00:00Tells her son, you go search your Guru, find your Guru, but tell him you're Satyakama Jabala.

00:07Jabala, son Satyakama and the Guru will understand.

00:12It so happens the Guru understood, understood the scholarship eagerness in him, the thirst for

00:20knowledge in him, admitted him. Does this deny education or does this allow education for anybody

00:30so long as he had the thirst for knowledge, so long as he had the drive to come in search of a Guru

00:39and Jabala did not think she was one less. Oh, I've been leading this miserable life. No,

00:49she didn't say that. This is my work. I'm doing it. I'm not suggesting that was right. I'm not

00:54suggesting that was good. I'm not suggesting that Jabala was happy. I don't know any of that,

01:00but she suddenly didn't allow that to put herself down or put her son down.

01:06Neither did that Guru. So it is a civilization which has constantly included everybody in its

01:15scheme of things, denied anybody. There are varied such stories about Mahabharata,

01:23particularly women. Women in Mahabharata is a chapter in itself that we should read,

01:29meaning Mahabharata doesn't keep a chapter like that, but the stories of various women,

01:36which many of the leftists have taken out and said, Dekha, in Hindu civilization,

01:42this is the treatment offered to women. No. What that story tells you, Draupadi is one which all

01:48of us know about how injustice was done to her. She fights, she takes a vow, she comes out. There

01:55are several such stories about women during the various episodes in Mahabharata. But in each case,

02:01what I see is despite the injustice, the woman finds her own course, proves herself and achieves

02:12what she wants to achieve. And that also is recorded. And that also is recorded and we

02:21didn't shy away from writing about it. Our civilization never shies away from

02:32stating things as they were. That is why they are called Itihasa, as it was.

02:38There's no filtering. We will not say about this, but we will say about it. No.

02:44And therefore, I would strongly recommend and suggest we should get out of this defensive

02:52mindset. Oh, this Western feminism, look how we... No, that's all right. That is yours.

03:00I don't need to defend myself in your terminology, in your perception of a woman,

03:06where you talk about, oh, don't commodify a woman. No, none of that. We had enough and more

03:14examples to show how women have had their role. Every one of our temple architecture will tell

03:20you about the various women, whether they were into dancing, whether they were into,

03:25you know, tapas mode, they were seeking truth. Everything is there. So, I would think

03:33the few things which will come out of this book...

03:38One other thing about Indian marriages, the women is now completely servile to the husband.

03:47It pains me. They cannot be a more man and woman friend-like treatment offered in

04:01in any other marriage than in an Indian marriage. The man actually seeks a hand by saying, look,

04:10I want you as a friend for my life. Saptapati, look at each one of the fairy's mantras.

04:18I honestly want every one of those young people who get married to read those seven mantras.

04:24It only constantly calls her as my friend, sakhi. You're from my rib,

04:35from man's rib. Eve was born out of man's rib and therefore you're subordinate to me,

04:41you're lesser than me. None of that. You both, we'll both have to keep this house.

04:47We both will have to be companion together. We both will have to earn our living and also support

04:53good causes around. We both will stand by each other throughout life. You are my friend, I am...