Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12
A Native Tells of the Misrepresen-
tations Concerning Them.
ABOUT The jams OF INDIA
Wandering Monks and Their lnfIu-
ence Over the People.
A FIFTEEN DAYS DISCUSSION
wsittca for The Evening Star.

ers " no have visited India concerning Hin
du women and their condition that l feel
constrained to let the people of this coun-
try hear about the women of India from a
Hindu who knows their condition and who
will not find IL necessary to misrepresent
the facts either through ignorance or any
Interior purpose. In my article in the Arena
for January. 1895. I have mentioned few
things that even our educated women are
entirely ignorant of. and so Will not re-
peat that. In my public and class lectures
i am often confronted with the assertion
that our women are ignorant Yes, in the
light of western measure of intelligence
the women of India are ignorant, no doubt.
But Is the collection of a mass of facts on
various subjects. which is of no benefit to
the average person without the knowledge
of the laws of life, a measure of intelii-
gence? Why say the women OF India are
ignorant when only twenty per cent OF the
whole population of India can read or
write? Surely eighty per cent of the whole
of India are not women. IL would seem to
me that il truthfulnesS were the distn-
gushing trait of writers and lecturers on
this subject. a trGer knowledge of the con-
dition of Hindu women would have pre-
vailed in this country. When We consider
that the average income of the poor man
of India is but 80 cents per month, with
family to support, where is the sense of
talking of the Ignorance of women? When
the artiss rs and clerks get from to ID
rupees $3.50 to 5000 per month. educa-
ton OF his family is out of the question.
When one-half of the IS, OO 900 of the
population of India get but one meal d
day from their birth to their death. and
many even live habitualiy on wild flowers,
why harp about the ignorance of our wo-
men? wealthy nation like the Ameri-
cans. who can spend thousands of dollars
every year for toys alone for their chill
dren. which are broken and cast aside in
few days, not considering a thousand and
one other ways of spending money more
useiessly even,c have no idea of the pow
erty OF poor. overtaxed India
For the Education of Girls.
But Notwithstanding the poverty of our
people and the tyranny of conquering in
vaders during the many centuries past.
India has produced women philosophers.
poets and scholars. TO say nothing of the
host of such brilliant lights in the palmy
days of our country. Even in the last CEN
tury the names of Mirdhai and other poet
esses of Gujrat. in India. have become
household words from the HimalayaS to
Cape Comorin. "A lady member of my COM
munity. HUrkoover Shethani. soon after
the passing away of the turbulent waves
oil Mahomedan tyranny. took active meas
ures for educating the Hindu females and
established in many places schools for
girls. MIR. Premchand Roychand. the we'll
known JAIN of India. who has spent mil
BOMBAY
University Library and endowing the Col
cutta University. and for other public
purposes, has also established schools for
girls The late Goculdas Tejpal of Bombay
eStabnShed Tree schools for boys and girls
and so did the late Sir Mangaldas Ma
thubhai of the same city. But how much
can be done for the masses of India only
by few rich citizens? Here il Is naces
sary to mention that the Iains are rho
representatives. OF the oldest philosophical
thought in India They are to be found
IN large numbers in all parts of that coun-
try. They are mostly engaged in banlirt,
and trade. and in morality they stand bie h
est Their love and kindliness towards all
forms or life are well known They have
aospitals for animals in all parts of India.
The architecture of their TEMPLES and
shrineS is simply wonderful
About the Jains
Little IT nothing is known in this or 9TH
er foreign countries about the jams. from
the fact none of our sacred Uterature-and
We have no other-has ever been translated
INTO any foreign language. We have thot,s
ands OF volumes that are held too sacred
by us TO permit them to be looked upon bv
the eyes of scholars. who invariably uisin-
terpret and misunderstood and therefore
only reVlle. When men are ready to deal
Justly ana 10 recognize truth in other doc
trlheS IMAM their own. this rare ancient lit |
erature. revealing knowledge of sciences
unknown to western countries will he |
gladly brought forth from their secret |
archives. where they have lain sealed since
the many invaders began their work of de- |
St-Oying them
Today some of our women. if brought be-
fore the public. would not occupy a second |
seat II compared with American or F,uro
pean women in learning. As to our social |
customs and manners. there can be no com
parison of the Hindu women with any other
women In the world. L will give you an in
stance of the standing and esteem of orr
among ourselves ainlp
they are esteemed by foreigners who do |
not take the trouble to know us as We are |
The Influence of the Monks
A few months ago discussion took place !
between the great Brahmin. Pandit Totach-
arya. who resides In Solinger, a town i'm |
southern India, and the great Vedanta |
philosopher and monk. Shankarac harya, as
TO the advisability in this Kali dron) age |
OF persons adopting the life of an ascetic,
as all our monks do. / will explain that
our monks are our religious teachers: they
are generally very learned and able philos- |
ophers. They constantly travel from one
place to another. never receiving pay for |
heir teachings. They live as Jesus (Matthew
x: .. lOD once told his disciples to do as he |
sent them forth to preach: Get you no |
gold. nor silver. nor brass, in your purses;
no wallet for your journey, neither two
coats. nor shoes. nor staff for the laborer
Is worthy of his food"
This has been the teaching and practice
or our monks thousands OF years before
Jesus visited India in his youth But the
words that follow those passages which
your Bible claims to be those of Jesus are
not the practice of our monks or holy Men |
1r even of our laymep who have studied
the laws. Peace and blessing of good wish
IS and good Will are to be sent out to all
worthy and unworthy alike. so that some
ray or vibration may influence even the
unworthy. and certainly 1t does leave a
good influence upon the sender.
Fifteen Days Discussion.
But to return to the discussion on asceti-
ism Instead of going to public hail. the
wife of the Pandit offered the large social |
loom of her home the place OF meeting |
Many learned people-ladies and gentle
nen-were invited to be present. Tota-
'harya is great scholar of the Sanskrit |
language and religious lore. while Shanka- |
achdrya IS well known as the leader of his |
rider. They discussed the question in the |
;anSkrit language for three and four hours |
II one sitting each day, until the dinner |
lour. none of the listeners growing restless
IT fdgetty and whispering among them
elves. viii they never stop" This con-
roversy continued for fifteen days. TIL
nately they concluded to appoint an UNI
lire 10 decide the question. Taking into
consideration the gravity and importance
" the issue involved. we would suppose !
hat the High Priest SundarcShyara Of |