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Malatimadhava (study)

by Jintu Moni Dutta | 2017 | 52,468 words | ISBN-10: 8120813057 | ISBN-13: 9788120813052

This page relates ‘Women in Religious Field in 8th-century India� from the English study on the Malatimadhava of Bhavabhuti:—A Prakarana type of Drama in ten acts revolving around the love-story of Malati (from ʲ峾屹ī) and Madhava (from Vidarbha). This study discusses the history of its author and the literary, social, religious, historical and cultural aspects of the Malatimadhava.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 3.2 - Women in Religious Field in 8th-century India

In the religious activities women’s role was inevitable during early 8th century A.D. It is noticed that women did not suffer any religious inequality during 󲹱ūپ’s time. Various religious sects or seat of worshipping had come into existence during 󲹱ūپ’s time. It is observed in the ī󲹱 that 峾Ի岹ī embraced Buddhism. 峾Ի岹ī was a female Buddhist nun in the Monastery[1] and ܻ峾ī, who was pupil of 峾Ի岹ī[2] , adopted asceticism and was meditating on the Śī貹ٲ.[3] There were temples or the practice of idol worshipping. It is evident from the ī󲹱 that ī had repaired to the temple of Śṅk on 14th day of the dark half of the month to worship the god with flowers for the enhancement of her good fortune. Moreover, ī’s mother ordered ī to worship the deities at the commencement of the auspicious marriage rite for the attainment of good fortune.

During 8th century A.D. women appeared to have been ascetics. The yogis reflected the growing influence of Tantricism. Women acquired miraculous powers by practice of yoga. Yogic powers achieved through meditation were seen as a manifestation of control over the human body extending into mind. Levitation, flight and invisibility were possible through yogic power. Furthermore, women reached a climax in respect of exhibiting the miraculous power. ܻ峾ī attained the miraculous power by practising yoga to bear one aloft and then through space. Through the help of this miraculous power ܻ峾ī had flown up from the divine Śī貹ٲ to ʲ峾屹ī.[4] In the 10th act when everyone had resolved to put an end due to separation from ī at that moment a terrible admixture of darkness and lightening thwarting the perceptive power of the eye appeared for a moment and then vanished by the greatness of ܻ峾ī.[5] Again it has been known from the speech of 󲹱 and Makaranda that ܻ峾ī descended from the sky parting the cloud, of whom the shower of nectarous water in the form of words surpassed the shower of water from the clouds.[6] 󲹱 and Makaranda, subjected to affliction by the evil in the form of 첹ṇḍ’s wrath had been rescued from the calamity by ܻ峾ī with a resolute effort. However, women were seen to be achieved high during that period.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

saugatajaratparivrājikāyāstu kāmandakyā� ٳ󲹳� ū� /
ī󲹱, I.p.10

[2]:

kathamiya� sā bhagavatyā� pakṣapātasthānamādyaśiṣyā� saudāminī /
Ibid., IX.p.213

[3]:

󲹲ī sā saudāminyadhunā samāsāditāścarya mantrasidhiprabhāvā srīparvate ٲ� dhārayati /
Ibid.,I.p.18

[4]:

eṣāsmi saudāminī 󲹲ٲ� śrīparvatādutpatya padmāvatīmupāśritā
Ibid.,IX.p.176

[5]:

vyatikara iva bhīmastāmasau vaidyutaśca/
ṣaṇaܱ貹󾱳ٲṣuṛtپūūⲹ śԳٲ�//
kathamiha mama vatsastatkimetat kimanyat/
prabhavati hi mahimnā svena yogīśvarīyam//
Ibid.,X.8

[6]:

sā yoginyambarato vighaṭitajaladābhyupaityaya� yasyā�/
vāgamṛtajalāsāro jaladajalāsāramatiśete//
Ibid.,X.17

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