Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c5.101

c5.101

There are not wanting evidences that women had a much higher status and more independence in early society than they came to have later. The position of the woman of the Aryan invaders of India was one of authority and honour, and marriage sometimes took place by free choice of man and maid. The customs of infant marriage and enforced widowhood were not prevalent among the Aryans of Vedic times. The authorship of some Vedic hymns¹ is ascribed to women, and in the deep discussions on philosophical truths which are related in the Upanishads, women are mentioned as taking part. Thus Gārgī Vāchaknavī² joins in the discussion, and Maitreyī,³ wife of Yājnavalkya, was 'conversant with Brahman', and heard from her husband philosophical doctrines. It is also described what a man should do⁴ if he wished 'that a learned daughter should be born to him'.