Serving the Hindu community in Australia

Welcome to the website of the Australian Council of Hindu Clergy. We are a council of Hindu priests, monks, nuns, astrologers and preachers (kathakaras) coming from a wide range of backgrounds:— India, Srilanka, Nepal, Fiji and South Africa and practicing throughout Australia. We are dedicated to the service of the Hindu community at large  and the promotion of the Hindu Dharma in general and have been operating since 1989.
We are here to help you to celebrate your festivals and observe  your sacraments such as birth, marriage and funerals etc. As well as playing a role in educating and instructing the community in all matters pertaining to the theory and practice of the Dharma.

Application for Clergy Membership
Download an application form, fill it in, scan and send it to us by email. To download an application form click HERE

International Womens Day

In honour of International womens day we are giving here a series on the status of women in the Hindu Scriptures.
Women in the Hindu Scriptures.
 
One of the most common devices in the anti-Hindu diatribes of the leftists after the caste system is the status and treatment of women. They can find numerous incidents in practice and statements from Hindu sacred texts to justify their indignation and attack on the "system." When a neo-Marxist social justice warrior has the intention to critique, it is never objective. Atrocity literature is dug out from anywhere and extreme examples are adduced as pseudo-intellectual evidence to demonstrate the social evils that are being critiqued. So the purpose of this op-ed[1] is to educate both Hindu apologists as well as SJW's that there is more that ample evidence to demonstrate that in the vast library of Hindu Sacred literature there are a plurality of views, and some of them far superior to their comparatives in other world religions. Bearing in mind that the status of women in almost all societies has evolved according to time, place and circumstances — Hinduism is at a great advantage because of its inherent flexibility and ability to change and accommodate.
There are certainly a plethora of verses and examples in Hindu literature of the subordinate position of women and also hundreds of verses supporting the patriarchal status quo, this cannot be denied. But as times and circumstances change so should our reaction to them in terms of cultural and religious modifications and accommodation. 
There are two major sources of socio-religious practice in Hindu communities.
  1. Śāstra — Scripture
  2. Sadācāra — custom and usage based upon local traditions (rīti riwāz)
Sometimes these two sources of guidance are in harmony but more often than not they are in conflict. According to the rules of interpretation when these two clash, the Shāstra  (Scripture) is considered the more authoritative.

In Gīta chapter 16 Kṛṣṇa says:--
Whoever disregarding the ordinances of the Scriptures, acts under the influence of personal desire, attains neither perfection nor happiness, nor the Supreme State.  (23)

Therefore, let the Śāstra be your authority for determining what should be done and what should not be done. Having learned what is enjoined in the  Śāstra, you should act. (24)

There are different degrees of authoritativeness in the various categories of Scripture.
  1. Vedas consisting of Samhitas, Brahmaṇas, Araṇyakas and Upaṇiṣads.
  2. Smritis — law books written by different sage authors.
  3. Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa — the Epics. The Mahābhārata is known as the 5th Veda.
  4. Tantras — sectarian Scriptures held to be as authoritative as the Vedas.
  5. Purāṇas — Encyclopedias of mythology, genealogy, botany, astrology, law, rituals etc.
So let us examine the primary texts to discover what the status of women really is and how they should be ideally treated.
 
                                          VEDAS
There were a number of female Rishikas (Female Rishis) mentioned in the Vedas who composed sūktas.

A Wedding Blessing.
One of the most astonishing and outstanding declaration of the status of women in Ancient Hindu Civilization is the blessing which is still given to brides today:–

sa̱mrājñī̱ śvaśu̍re bhava sa̱mrājñī̎ śvaśru̱vāṁ bha̍va |
nanā̎ndari sa̱mrājñī̎ bhava sa̱mrājñī̱ adhi̍de̱vṛṣu ||

Be an empress over your father-in-law, an empress over your mother-in-law,  be an empress over your husband's sisters, and an empress over his brothers too. (RV.10.85.46)
 
In the Āpastamba Mantra Brahmana we find another two verses which the culturally conservative might find rather embarrassing:--

uddhu̍tta̱ram ā̱rohantī̍ vya̱syantī̍ pṛtanya̱taḥ |
mūrdhāna̱ṁ patyu̱r āro̍ha pra̱jayā̍ ca vi̱rāḍ bha̍va ||

Rise over conflicts and calamities, exceed your husband (lit. "climb onto your husband's head!") , and  your children in dignity and pride  and be you famous. (ApMB. 1.6.5)

snu̱ṣāṇā̱guṁ śvaśu̍rāṇāṁ  pra̱jayā̎śca dhana̍sya ca |
patī̍nāṁ ca devṛ̱ṇāṁ ca̍ sajā̱tānā̎ṁ vi̱rāḍ bha̍va ||

May you radiate over the daughters-in-law in your new home, over all the children and the property,  over your husband and his brothers and over all the community. (ApMB. 1.6.7)

Equality with men according to Rig Veda  5;61;6 – 8:
uta tvā strī śaśīyasī puṁso  bhavati vasyasī | adevatrāda  rādhase || 6 ||
vi yā jānāti jasuriṁ vi tṛṣyantaṁ vi kāminam | devatrā kṛṇute manaḥ || 7
 
Yea many a woman is more steady and better than the man who turns away from the Gods, and serves them not. She who assists the weak and the weary, the person who thirsts and is in want; she sets her mind upon the gods.
 
Sayana Comments —  The wife and the husband being equal halves of one substance are equal in every respect, both should join and take equal  part in all work - religious or secular.

[1] There are a few good books that have been written on the subject of Women in Hindu culture and civilization which I have mentioned in the bibliography section. These books may not be easily accessible to the reader and nowadays attention span being what it is few people have time to read!!
adhyāpanam adhyayanaṁ  yajanaṁ yājanaṁ tathā |
dānaṁ pratigrahaṁ ca-eva brāhmanānām akalpayat || 

To Priests was assigned the duties of teaching and studying (the Veda), performing rituals for their own benefit and for others in the community, giving and accepting (of donations). (Manu 1:88)
Panchang for 2018 calculated for Australia
                            Disclaimer
All the articles and comments on this site are the personal opinions of the author and not reflective of the views of all the members unless otherwise  stated.

            The Crime of Dowry

We, the Hindu Clergy of Australia unreservedly condemn the giving and the taking of Dowry. It is a social evil as well as a sin, condemned by the Shastra.

       strīdhanāni tu ye mohād upajīvanti bāndhavāḥ |
        nārī yānāni vastraṁ vā te pāpā yānti adhogatim ||
Those deluded relatives who live off a woman’s property — her carriages, her clothes, and so on are evil and go to hell.  (Manu 3:52)

It is illegal under the Australian Marriage act to pressure or to coerce the parties to a marriage in any way, and the giving and taking of dowry is a form of coercion. Participants to a coercive marriage can be prosecuted under the law.
                                False Advertising by so-called PANDITS

There are a number of so-called PANDITS that advertise in the local Indian Newspapers, claiming to be able to remove black-magic and witchcraft, to practice faith-healing, bring back-loved ones and to solve every problem with 100% Guarantee and 100% satisfaction.

These so-called PANDITS are not members of this organization and have nothing to do with us. We do not approve of their practices nor do we endorse their claims. No one, not even scientists can give 100% guarantee about anything and to claim this regarding voodoo and black-magic and other personal problems is plainly misleading, deceptive and false advertising.

                                               We request you to avoid these charlatans by all means.