Women as Object - "Bhand"
The heroic struggle of "Nirbhaya" the gang rape victim from Delhi is finally over. The brave girl wanted to live .. she said this to her mother but alas ... this was not to be and we lost this brave daughter of India today. As we all ponder over her sad struggle, its time to think that she could have been our sister, daughter, or mother.
A woman brought you in this world and you do not have the right to disrespect one or treat her like an object. This was the teaching of Guru Nanak, one of the greatest spiritual teacher form India and the founder of Sikhism.
Asa di Var is a collection of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib which are sung early in the morning. The word bhand means woman as object, and is the theme of one of the Asa di Var hymns written by Guru Nanak. The great teacher tells the men of his time to not treat the women like a "Bhand" or object because we are all born from the same object.
Guru Nanak exalted the status of women when he wrote that from a woman is the mother of all:
"Bhandd janmeeai bhandd ninmeeai bhandd mangan veeaahu ||
From woman, man is born; within woman man is conceived and to woman betrothed and married.
Bhanddahu hovai dostee bhanddahu chalai raahu ||
Woman becomes his friend and through woman are his generations propagated.
Bhandd muaa bhandd bhaaleeai bhandd hovai bandhaan ||
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman, to woman his passions are bound.
So kio mandaa aakheeai jith janmehi raajaan ||
Why call her evil from whom are born kings.
Bhanddahu hee bhandd oopajai bhanddai baajh na koe ||
From woman, is woman also born, so without woman, there could be no one at all.
Naanak bhanddai baaharaa eko sachaa soe ||
O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.
Jit mukh sadaa saalaaheeai bhaagaa ratee chaar ||
That mouth which ever praises is prudent, blessed and beautiful.
Naanak tae mukh oojalae tit sachai darbaar ||2||
O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the righteous court. ||2|| SGGS||473
From woman, man is born; within woman man is conceived and to woman betrothed and married.
Bhanddahu hovai dostee bhanddahu chalai raahu ||
Woman becomes his friend and through woman are his generations propagated.
Bhandd muaa bhandd bhaaleeai bhandd hovai bandhaan ||
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman, to woman his passions are bound.
So kio mandaa aakheeai jith janmehi raajaan ||
Why call her evil from whom are born kings.
Bhanddahu hee bhandd oopajai bhanddai baajh na koe ||
From woman, is woman also born, so without woman, there could be no one at all.
Naanak bhanddai baaharaa eko sachaa soe ||
O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.
Jit mukh sadaa saalaaheeai bhaagaa ratee chaar ||
That mouth which ever praises is prudent, blessed and beautiful.
Naanak tae mukh oojalae tit sachai darbaar ||2||
O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the righteous court. ||2|| SGGS||473
Interesting that men in general and Indian man in particular has not changed his habit of treating women as object. I wish they had listened to the wisdom of Guru Nanak who traveled to all corners of India to give his message. But its never too late. It is our duty as parents to teach our sons how to respect women. It is important that we take this responsibility seriously and make our society safe for our daughters and all women.
Comments
Post a Comment