Sexual morality

Sexual morality

In the Vedas one finds matters relating to seduction, incest, abortion, conjugal infidelity, deception, and robbery as well. Prostitution was common and the prostitutes were called warrangnas. There are some very obscene passages in the Vedas. For example in Rig Veda read the lewd conversation between Pushan and Surya (Rig Veda 10.85.37) and again a similar conversation in Ashwamedha section of Yajur Veda. We will not
Refer to Mandal10. Puranas are full of stories depicting open sexual perversities which we cannot record here and must avoid the stink of immorality.
go into the details of such conversations which may be offensive but we will refer to some of them here briefly. Brahma is considered to be the greatest spiritual leader of the Hindu Trinity and yet if we read Shiv Puran (Ruder Samhita 2 Sati Khand 2 Chapter 19), we find him mentioned as a cheat and a sex maniac. Even at the time of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati Brahma displayed his sexual depravity openly. In the same Granth another lewd story is recorded concerning Shiva and Parvati. Reading the Hindu Shastras and Puranas we find that relation of the sexes among the Vedic Aryans and gods was not ideal. Obviously these standards were later followed by the followers of Hinduism. More than one man shared one woman and none of them had any exclusive rights on the wife. Devas molested the wives of the Rishis or sexually attacked the wives of their colleague Devas. Rape of Ahalya, the wife of Rishi Gautama, by Indra is well known and Indra was the prominent god of the Rig Veda. In Adhyaya 100 of the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata we read that Rishi Vibhandaka cohabited with a female deer and as a result of this intercourse Rishi Shranga was born. In Adhyaya 118 of the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata Rishi Vyas gives us a similar

The popular belief is that Lord Brahma produced the Vedas. He is said to have established sexual relationship with his daughter Saraswati

The story is also found in Mahabharat. It may have come from Greece where goddess Medusa was similarly ravished by god Poseidon.

story of Pandu, the father of the Pandus, who received a curse from Rishi Kadam. According to the story Rishi Kadam issued a curse because he was engaged in sexual intercourse with a deer when Pandu disturbed him. In Adhyaya 63 of the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata Rishi Parashara had sexual intercourse with Satyavati, (also called Matsya Gandha – fisherman’s girl) in public and in broad day light. In Adhyaya 104 of the Adi Parva, Rishi Dirgha is stated to have staged a similar scene in public.

(a) Incest:-
Father-daughter incest occurs in the story of Brahma and his daughter.

Brahma married his own daughter Satarupa.
“Wise, teaching, following the thought of Order, the sonless gained a grandson from his daughter”. Fain, as a sire, to see his child prolific, he sped to meet her with an eager spirit‖.

[RigVeda III .31.1-2]. Hiranyakashpu married his daughter Rohini. Vashista married Shatrupa, Janhu married Janhavi, and Surya married Usha.

(b)Rape
Rape was common. Some examples are Manu-Illa, Surya raped Kunti. Vishnu raped Jalandhar‘s wife (Varinda) who later committed suicide. Love-lorn Vishnu did not even let her go after death. He bathed in her ashes, bereaved her death for days and cried loudly.

(c) Sons married their mothers

There are cases where father and son married the same woman; Brahma is the father of Manu. Manu married his mother
Sharadha . Pushan too married his mother.

(d)Marriage with sisters

The discussion of open sex between a brother and sister (Yama and Yami in Rig Veda Mandal X) The description of sexual relationship between Yam and Yami (Brother and sister) is lewd, lascivious, and bawdy. It is a spur to carnality. They did not get married but discussed open sexual relations. From their discussion it is clear that in those days sisters could discuss sexual matters with their brothers and even marry them. Brahma had three sons Marichi, Daksha and Dharma and one daughter. Daksha is stated to have married the daughter of Brahma who was his sister (see Adi Parva of the Mahabharata). Other instances are Purukutsa and Narmada, Viprachiti and Simhika, Nahusa and Viraja, Sukra and Usanas, Amavasu and Go, Amsumat and Yasoda, Suka and Pivari.

Pushan is the lover of his sister Achoda. “Attendant on the Blessed Dame the Blessed one hath come: the Lover followeth his Sister. [Rig Veda X.3.3]

Agni is the lover of his own sister. ―Pūsan, who driveth goats for steeds, the strong and Mighty, who is called His Sister’s lover, will we laud‖.
[Rig Veda VI.55.4] Ashvins were the sons of Savitar and Usha who were brother and sister. Krishna was married with his uncle’s Satrajit’s daughter and Krishna’s son Priduman was married with his matenal uncle Rukmaya’s daughter.

(e) Selling & hiring of women:
There is evidence that the ancient Aryans also sold their women (wives and daughters). When a daughter was sold her marriage was known as Arsha marriage. This was done through Go-Mithuna (giving away one cow and one bull to the girls‘ father as price )― When (the father) gives away his daughter according to the rule, after receiving from the bridegroom, for (the fulfillment of the sacred law, a cow and a bull or two pairs, that is named the Arsha rite”.
 (Manu Simrti 3.29)
“Some call the cow and the bull given as on Arsha wedding ‗a gratuity‘ but that is wrong. The acceptance of the fee great or small is a sale of the daughter.” (Manu II)

Women were also rented to others for cohabitation. In the Mahabharata we read that Madhavi was the daughter of King Yayati. Yayati made a gift of her to Galwa Rishi. Galwa rented her out to three kings one after the other. After the third, Madhavi was returned to Galwa. She was now given by Galwa to his Guru Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra kept her till he begot a son. After this he returned her to her father.

(f) Niyoga – mistreatment of women

Niyoga is the Aryan name for a system under which a wedded woman was legally permitted to beget a son from another person, not her husband. There was no limit to the number of men a woman could go for Niyoga. Madhuti and Ambika had one Niyoga each. Saradandayani had three. Vayusistasva was permitted to have 7 and Vali is known to have allowed as many as 17 Niyogas to one of his wives. With the consent of the husband a Niyoga could last from one night to twelve years or more. Jatila-Gautami had 7 husbands. In The Mahabharata Daropadi had five husbands and Pandu allowed his wife Kunti to have four Niyogas. Karna was the premarital first born brother of the Pandus through Nyoga.

Abduction and disrobing of women in public is evident in the Mahabharta. Daropadi was disrobed in front of her near relatives.

In Shiv Puran Ruder Samhita (4.12) we read that Shiva ran after the wives of the Rishis completely naked. On account of this indecency he had to lose his male organ. In the temples at Jagan Nath, Konark, and Bhuneshwar of Orissa there are statues of naked women in very objectionable poses. Similar poses are openly depicted on the outside of the temples at Khajuraho. Even Mahatma Gandhi was of the opinion that KhajurahoTemples should be demolished.
Such stories do not lead to spiritualism or to ideal sexual behavior which is expected from religious leaders. It is for this reason that Gurbani says, “Dirty was Brahma and dirtier still was the moon. Shiva, Shankra and Mahesha too did not fare well.” (P.1158)
(g) Gambling

Gambling is made respectable in the Vedas. It was developed to a science by the Aryan civilization. Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali were the names of the dices used by the Aryans at gambling. The luckiest of the dices was called Krita and the unlucky one was called Kali. Treta and Dwapara were intermediate dices. Kingdoms and even their wives were offered by the Aryans as stakes at gambling. Their examples were later followed by the common Hindus. For example King Nala staked his kingdom and lost it. Later the Pandus staked their kingdom and their wife Daropadi and lost both.

Manu did not approve gambling or betting. He goes against the Vedas when he says, ―gambling and betting should be suppressed.” (Manu IX 221-222)

(h) Drinking
All Vedic Rishis used to drink Soma and similar intoxicating drinks.

It was a part of an Aryan’s ritual. There were numerous Soma sacrifices among the ancient Aryans. Females (Even Brahmin women) too indulged in drinking because it was a respectable practice and not regarded as a sin or a vice. Ramayana in Uttar Khand admits that Sri Ram Chander and Seeta too drank wine so did Krishna and Arjuna. The Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata says: “Arjuna and Shri krishna drinking wine made from honey and being sweet-scented and garlanded, wearing splendid clothes and ornaments, sat on a golden throne studded with various jewels.” It had spread to all classes but Shudras were restricted from drinking Soma. They drank Sura which was an ordinary wine sold in the market. According to Rig Veda 10.86 and 13-14 Indra used to eat Meat and was also a drunkard.