Griha Lakshmi
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Griha Lakshmi
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“If you want to see the progress of a
nation, |
From
ancient times, the feminine aspect of the Divine has been worshipped in various
ways. The Vedas declare that where
women are honoured and esteemed there Divinity is present in all its potency.
Woman
is described as ‘Adishakti’ – the primal source of all energy, the
creative force behind all creation. She
is the ‘Prakriti’ (Creative faculty) without which the ‘Purusha’ (the
Creator) is not complete. She is
the ‘Shakti’ (Energy) aspect of Shiva (Truth, the Eternal) without which the
Lord Himself cannot operate. She is the Goddess of Nature
Swami
says that the first title given to a woman is ‘GrihaLakshmi’ – Goddess of
the Home. This holy title connotes
a sacred duty.
Today,
the role of women has changed. Women
have stepped out of the boundaries of their homes and taken up the dual role of
home makers as well as bread winners.
What
is the result of this change in our social structure? Women who have always been the strength and support of their
husbands, their families and homes are now susceptible to distraction by the
attractive images of the ‘modern woman’ crafted by the media.
Women have to face constant demands of society.
Unfortunately,
many women have chosen to respond by seeking ‘liberation’ and
‘independence’, often forgetting their first and foremost role of upholding
our cultural and spiritual heritage. A
silent but tangible weakness at home has quietly, yet definitely, extended to
society. With this weakening of
society’s foundation, there has developed restlessness and dissatisfaction.
Swami says, “It is not my view that women
should not get educated. They
should have education. You may also
take up jobs but you should live up to the obligations and glory of
womanhood.”
Not
doubt, the role of women today is more demanding and challenging than it was in
the past. Yet, it is at these
testing times that women have to show their strength and live up to the
challenges of this dual role by keeping an efficient and effective balance
between the home and profession. The privilege and responsibility of maintaining
and upholding our cultural and spiritual values, and passing these on to future
generations, can only rest with them.
This
booklet is a humble offering to shed light on the multi-faceted role of women.
It seeks to illustrate our inner strength and highlight the spiritual
resources we have at our disposal to succeed in our sacred duty.
It is hoped this booklet will inspire all women everywhere to increase
their efforts to protect our heritage.
The
title of our booklet “GrihaLakshmi” has been chosen as a tribute to the
important role of women. The title
is a union of two words – “Griha” (home) and “Lakshmi” (Goddess of
Wealth). A home (Griha) is not
merely a structure of four walls and a roof.
A house becomes a home only with the love, warmth and care of the woman
of the house, the Griha Lakshmi. She
is the “heart” of the home. She
is the bestower of wealth (“Lakshmi”) – the wealth of morals, values,
principles, religious faith and spirituality.
A child learns its first lesson in the loving care of a mother, who is
his/her first teacher. Through her
a child learns the most important lessons of life.
Swami says, “If only women were given their recognition and encouragement they would shine with brilliance in all fields and would serve the house, the country, and the entire world gloriously, contributing to the welfare of all humanity.”
For sales of the above, kindly contact Mr. Arjan Sakhrani at saiorghk@i-cable.com.
