Women Power 

Reminiscence

Padmini Arhant

What happened to the male and female characters in Shiva religion (Saivam, Vainavam and Saktham for Sakti) who humiliated and persecuted women to demonstrate their dominance and hubris is quite interesting to say the least and worth checking out in this topic.

1. In Ramayana, Lord Ram’s consort Goddess Sita was abducted and held captive by the demon King of Lanka i.e. Sri Lanka today.  The reason behind Goddess Sita’s captivity is Ravana’s sister – Surpanaka one of the three women troublemakers besides Lord Ram’s step mother Kaikeyi and her assistant Mandira, the instigator of family politics triggering the entire epic Ramayana.

King Ravana is slayed. Surpanaka and the rest meet their karmic fate. The slaying of Ravana is celebrated as Dusshera and Diwali in India and other parts of South Asia following the Shiva religion.

2. In Mahabharata, one of the main characters Queen  Draupati is humiliated by Kauravs then ruling members of Hastinapur now Delhi, India. Among the Kaurav brothers – Duryodhana and Dushasana along with their maternal uncle Shakuni responsible for the public disgrace of Queen Draupati succumb to their evil deeds and killed in the battle.

Duryodhana prior to his death tries to hide under the ocean. He is then spotted and summoned to the land by Lord Krishna and brought to justice for all his actions.

Not to mention the elimination of Kaurav clan of own doing is a testament to evil reaping what evil sows in life.

3. Kannagi seeking justice from King Pandiyan in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.  In Tamil literature Silappathikaram, the event involving missing precious Jeweled Anklet is a remarkable testimony on the so-called ordinary woman and womanhood. Kannagi, an intelligent, chaste, pious and loving wife outwitting the reining King of Madurai is the take away from the real incident.

The Pandiyan Dynasty –  King Pandiyan’s irreversible mistake costing Kingdom, Madurai and much more in the Royal court proceeding against Kannagi’s beloved husband Kovalan, accused of stealing the Madurai Queen’s precious jeweled anklet.

Upon hearing King Pandiyan’s hasty wrongful judgment against Kannagi’s husband Kovalan and execution of an innocent man, the leading lady Kannagi valiantly proves her deceased husband’s innocence embarrassing the King on the erroneous judgment without due diligence and process.

The devoted wife Kannagi then challenges the King Pandiyan on the ill-fated decision and misguided judgment against her innocent husband Kovalan.

King Pandiyan is then dethroned at his will upon realizing the monumental judgment error against an innocent man.

Importantly Kannagi’s grit and wisdom demonstrated in exonerating her demised husband instantly disrobes the King of might and power with King’s acumen and discernment failing in the critical hour of fairness and justice barring prejudice and predisposition.

The net outcome in the Royal episode is the Pandiyan dynasty ended and Madurai burns from subjecting Kannagi and her husband to presumptuous fatal trial.

The women power never to be underestimated is the moral of this iconic epic.

4. Mahisasura was a demon Prince and described as sexist and misogynist. He presumptuously challenged women’s power having received a boon from Lord Brahma, the creator in the Trinity that he would be killed by none except a female force. Mahisasur scoffed at this unique blessing and dismissed it as misspoken by the cosmic entity.

Lo and behold much to his dismay and devastation, the Goddess Durga – God Shiva’s consort appears and he is eliminated from the face of the earth where he was reeking havoc and making lives miserable for innocent beings all around.

Accordingly, Goddess Durga is known as Mahisasura Mardini – meaning the one who killed the demon Mahisasur and relieved the victims of their suffering from the demon’s power.

The above epics conclusively confirm the women’s  plight whether Sita or Draupati misery and indignation respectively. Nonetheless none of their persecutors were spared and every one of them including all those in collusion and complicit in exacerbating abuse against Sita and Draupati  perished to the point of no return.

Similarly, Goddess Durga was disrespected and insulted continuously by arrogant Mahisasur ignoring Lord Brahma’s reminder. He was also dealt with in the manner ordained in the demon’s destruction.

As a result, invariably all of them were shown their place i.e. ending in the grave by their choice.

Goodness prevailing over evil is indomitable truth.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com