of women. Whether treated by men with respect
or with disdain, women are seen to turn the heads
and agitate the hearts of men.[272] Living creatures,
O thou of mighty arms, are virtuous. Even this
is what has been heard by us. (How then, can this be
consistent with fact)? For treated with affection
and respect or otherwise, women (forming a fair portion
of living creatures) are seen to deserve censure for
their conduct towards men.[273] This great doubt fills
my mind,
viz., when their behaviour is such,
what man is there that can restrain them within the
bounds of righteousness? Do thou explain this
to me, O highly blessed scion of Kuru’s race!
It behoves thee to tell me, O chief of Kuru’s
race, whether women are truly capable of being restrained
within the bonds prescribed by the scriptures or whether
any one before our time did really succeed in so restraining
them.’”
“Bhishma said, ’It is even so as thou
sayest, O thou of mighty arms. There is nothing
untrue in all this that thou sayest, O thou of Kuru’s
race, on the subject of women. In this connection
I shall recite to thee the old history of how in days
of yore the high-souled Vipula had succeeded in restraining
women within the bounds laid down for them. I
shall also tell thee, O king, how women were created
by the Grandsire Brahman and the object for which
they were created by Him. There is no creature
more sinful, O son, than women. Woman is a blazing
fire. She is the illusion, O king, that the Daitya
Maya created. She is the sharp edge of the razor.
She is poison. She is a snake. She is fire.
She is, verily, all these united together. It
has been heard by us that all persons of the human
race are characterised by righteousness, and that they,
in course of natural progress and improvement, attain
to the status of deities. This circumstance alarmed
the deities. They, therefore, O chastiser of
foes, assembled together and repaired to the presence
of the Grandsire. Informing Him of what was in
their minds, they stood silent in his presence, with
downcast eyes. The puissant Grand sire having
ascertained what was in the hearts of the deities,
created women, with the aid of an Atharvan rite.
In a former creation, O son of Kunti, women were all
virtuous. Those, however, that sprang from this
creation by Brahman with the aid of an illusion became
sinful. The grandsire bestowed upon them the
desire of enjoyment, all kinds of carnal pleasure.
Tempted by the desire of enjoyment, they began to
pursue persons of the other sex. The puissant
lord of the deities created Wrath as the companion
of Lust. Persons of the male sex, yielding to
the power of Lust and Wrath, sought the companionship
of women. Women have no especial acts prescribed
for them. Even this is the ordinance that was
laid down. The Sruti declares that women are
endued with senses the most powerful, that they have
no scriptures to follow, and that they are living lies.
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