Swami Dayanand Saraswati believed in the equality of men and women. He argued that women are equal to men in all respects, including intellect, spirituality, and moral character. He also believed that women should have the same rights as men, including the right to education, property ownership, and religious freedom.
In his book Satyarth Prakash, Saraswati wrote:
- "Men and women are equal in every respect. They are both created by God and have the same soul."
- "Women should be educated and given the same opportunities as men. They should be able to own property and hold religious offices."
- "Sati (widow burning) and child marriage are social evils that should be abolished."
Swami Dayanand Saraswati's views on women's equality were ahead of his time. He was one of the first Indian religious leaders to speak out against the oppression of women. His ideas helped to lay the foundation for the women's rights movement in India.
The Vedas don't discriminate among human beings. Even if there is a distinction then it is purely on the merits because it is only the human society that has categories of good and bad humans. Also, there is no distinction between men and women in the Vedas.
However, the current trend in civil society is to discourage discrimination based on gender, probably because women have been deprived of their legitimate rights in the recent past. Indeed, such shortcomings originated in the Western culture because even the word 'woman' seems to have been derived from the word 'man' indicating their secondary status.
We can be proud of the Vedas that give us the independent word for woman - Stri. The root meaning of the term is 'one that should be respected to the extent of being worshipped'.
As the Vedas have their origin from the Supreme Being that has promulgated all the natural functions, it can be appreciated that men instinctively let a woman proceed if there happens to be a narrow passage even if she is a stranger. 'Ladies first' is a natural principle accepted worldwide.
Manu has correctly stated that society is well developed where men have acquired the status of Devatas they treat women with respect - his word pujyante can be translated as 'respect to the point of worship.'
Saraswati's views on women's equality were based on his interpretation of the Vedas, the sacred texts of Hinduism. He believed that the Vedas teach that men and women are equal and that they should be treated with respect and dignity.
Swami Dayanand's ideas about women's equality have had a significant impact on modern Hinduism. They have helped to inspire the women's rights movement in India, and they have also helped to change the way that many Hindus view women.