Linking Women’s Wellbeing to Prosperity
We often dismiss the verses of Manusmṛti, assuming Manu saw women only as homemakers. Yet Vedic accounts speak otherwise: women were not only managing estates and supporting their husbands in positions of power, but also teaching, guiding, and shaping society as philosophers and sages. Well-known examples were seers such as Gārgī, Lopāmudrā, Sulabhā, and Maitreyī, as well as queens like Draupadī, who managed the kingdom of her five husbands. And yet, we often remain convinced that Manu failed to recognize women’s potential in public life.
But the truth may be subtler. Manu seems to have emphasized women’s inner well-being, and their feeling at home in themselves and their surroundings as essential for the stability of family and society. His caution about public roles is not a denial of women’s capacity, but a reminder that their happiness and balance are central, whether they serve as homemakers, teachers, guides, or leaders. When…
So important to note that a woman’s inner state shapes the collective atmosphere of the family and her environment, and the value she adds to society.