You might be thinking why I made a post with such a comparison. I couldnt help it after watching yesterday's episode of Mahabharata.
In it was a queen of Dwapar Yuga standing in front of a raja sabha humilated and called a dasi. More vulnearable than anyone can feel herself to be. But even in that vulnearablility in the name of sanskaars the lady doesnt lose her self respect . She raves, she asks relevant questions shaming everyone in that raj sabha including her husbands. She asks so everyone is telling you did your duty. So is duty the name of insulting a woman. In the name of duty do you have the right to put your wife like this. Am I your commodity. You have taken vow to protect me and today I am standing in front of this sabha with insults hurled at me.
And here we have Sandhya who is supposed to be born in this modern day and who thinks whatever Bhabo does to her is right. She should suffer and do all the illogical demands placed on her by Bhabo without complaining because her husband is supporting her. The so called modern woman is not understadning Sooraj's support to her is not charity but her right. He is supposed to support her, protect her and ensure she is respected in his house. If he cannot do that he is failing in his duty as a husband. And if Sandhya is not qeustioning him about his silence then she is accepting this slavery.
Not only Sandhya but all of us modern woman has the means for our liberation. But only if we ask the right qeustion. But we dont , because we accept certain things and even injustice done to us as part of our duty. We accept that as woman this is our fate and we need to bear it. I would say yesterday's episode of Mahabharata is the one which every Indian woman should watch.
Because yesterday this queen of dwapar yuga appeared to me more liberated even in her most vulnearable state than any of us modern woman can ever think of. The way she refused to surrender her self respect is an eye opener to any woman who thinks surrendering self respect for husband's family is a woman's duty. Obeying husband's most illogical demand without questioning is a woman's duty. She told I came to your family as the Lakshmi of this palace and is this the treatment you are giving me. Tell tell tell. Yes a bride comes to a family as Lakshmi , we call her that, but is the bride treated as Lakshmi or as slave. We all know the answer. But what are we doing about it. Nothing. We think it is our duty.
Just watch Draupadi's speech in that raj sabha and believe me you will be never the same again.