The Prosperity Principle: The Forgotten Link between Women’s Well-being & Prosperity - Verse 2
Verse 2 in Focus - Manusmriti 3.57
शोचन्ति जामयो यत्र विनश्यत्यपसुः तत् कुलम्।न शोचन्ति तु यत्र एता वर्धते तद् धि सर्वदा॥
“A family where women are unhappy loses its prosperity and falls into ruin, but a family where women are joyful always prospers.”
Why is this verse criticized?
Critique 1 - Portrayal of Women as Emotionally Weak or Dependent
· The imagery used—“sorrowful or unhappy”—is seen as stereotyping women as fragile, overly emotional, or passive victims.
· Critics argue that such verses essentialize women as beings who must be kept emotionally content in order to fulfil their familial role—as though their value lies primarily in how they serve the continuity of lineage (prajaḥ).
· It risks reinforcing the idea that a woman’s suffering is dangerous only because it disrupts the family or society, not because her individual wellbeing matters in itself.
Clarification - Acknowledging Emotional Influence ≠ Stereotyping: Recognizing that a woman’s joy or sorrow impacts the household does not mean she is only emotional or exists to serve others. Rather, it acknowledges her influence—that her inner state shapes the collective atmosphere. In Vedic thought, the feminine is the shakti (energy) that nourishes relationships and prosperity. If that energy is neglected or suppressed, harmony is naturally disturbed.
Critique 2 - Women’s Worth Tied to Family Prosperity
· The verse links women's happiness to the survival and flourishing of the family line.
· Critics see this as instrumentalizing women—valuing them not for their own spiritual or personal growth, but for their utility in sustaining lineage and order.
· It reinforces patriarchal expectations that women must be protected and emotionally managed for the sake of collective stability, rather than out of genuine reverence for their inner worth.
Clarification - Women as Pillars, Not Just DependentsThis verse highlights how essential women are to the health of society—not just for producing offspring (prajaḥ), but for maintaining dharma, peace, and abundance. If they are joyful, everyone benefits. If they are suffering, everyone around them is affected. Far from being a limitation, this is a recognition of women’s powerful emotional and spiritual presence. A woman’s inner world is not a tool for social stability—it is a mirror of it.
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.