The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c16.65

c16.65

Some of the uncomplimentary remarks about women are further due rather to a light-hearted cynicism than to a deep-rooted conviction. ‘Even Indra has observed,’ says the Ṛigveda in one place, ‘that women cannot control themselves¹.’ One of the later Saṁhitās observes that women can be easily won over by one who is fair in form and expert in singing and dancing². In some of the writings of modern feminists, we come across similar semi-frivolous and semi-cynical observations about men. They are not intended to be taken seriously. In one Jātaka story a woman of 120 is represented as falling in love with a youth of 20. This is frivolity and nothing else. It has its counterpart in many of the present day magazine stories, where we often find old men of seventy marrying tender girls of seven..