The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c16.3

c16.3

Perhaps one of the best ways to ascertain the attitude of society in this matter would be to find out its angle of vision towards women overtaken by the misfortune of falling in the hands of ruffians or enemies. Such a situation is the real touch stone to test the genuineness of society's sympathy towards the weaker sex; it enables us to find out how far man is prepared to rise above the prejudices of his sex and judge the woman by an equitable standard. The present attitude of Hindu society in this matter is very stiff and unsympathetic; if a woman has the misfortune of falling into captivity even for a short time, she finds it impossible to get readmission into her family and society. In this respect we are following the example of Śrī-Rāmachandra, who refused to accept back Sītādevī after the overthrow of Rāvaṇa. He informed her that all his efforts to kill Rāvaṇa were only for the purpose of avenging, the wrong done to him; he had no idea whatsoever of accepting back a wife, who had stayed so long in the house of the enemy¹. Sītā points out in reply that being in captivity, she was no longer the master of her person; she could command only her mind and that was always