Many debates in feminism centre round the issue of subordination of woman. Anthropologists and sociologists have tried to trace the origin of subordinate position of woman by giving various explanatory theories. The author examines the reductionist and constructionist theories and using a hermeneutic device of the Beejakshetra model explores the images of feminity to be found in the Mahabharata and in the rules of conduct in the Manusmriti. She shows how these models of feminity have shaped the life experiences and self-interpretation of woman down to present day. The last part attempts formulation of a feminist ethic of friendship and raises the discussion beyond protest and recrimination.

A baby abandoned. A queen dishonoured. And a cataclysmic war to wipe out the known world. The Mahabharata - the Great Bharat -- is a grand and timeless story, the oldest and longest epic in the world. A perennial bestseller in India, it has enthralled millions throughout the centuries and is as relevant, wise, and spellbinding today as ever. Sons of Gods is a new version of this ancient Indian classic. It transports the reader into a wonderful world of the almighty spirit: where a mantra spoken flippantly can change the course of history; where a curse uttered in anger can spell doom and destruction; where a truly awesome vow can grant the power of life over death. Its heroes have survived the millennia. Bhishma, who possesses the boon of invincibility, and can choose the time, method, and agent of his death. Amba, the wronged princess who changes sex to seek revenge. Arjuna, the mightiest archer of all, and dearest friend of Krishna, God's incarnation. Arjuna's arch-enemy Karna, the invincible but doomed son of the Sun-god. The fire-born queen Draupadi, who marries all five of the famous Pandava brothers, and whose word is their command. ..".love, betrayal, lust, envy, pride, devotion, and heroism never go out of style. Sons Of Gods is a literary soap opera with a soul that spans the full horizon." --- Jamie Mason, author of Three Graves Full and Monday's Lie More on: www.sonsofgods.blogspot.com

In This Book, The Author Presents A Complete Picture Of Woman`S Life In The Mahabharata, Dealing With Her Status, Education, Aims, Fields Of Activity, Marriage, Achievement, Family Life, Social Life, Moral Codes, Economic Condition, Political Life, Style Of Living, Including House, Dress, Food, Etiquettes Etc. The Characters Women In The Epic Reflect The Vision Of The Society About Women. While Draupadi Reveals A Most Sarene And Touching Profile Of Indian Woman, Gandhari And Kunti As Well As Devayani, Savitri And Damayanti Are The Most Inspiring Characters Since They Visualise An Underred Spirit Of Struggle And Preservance. The Book Is Immensely Useful For The Research Scholars, Teachers And Students Of Sanskrit Literature And Ancient Indian Culture. It Will Work As An Encyclopeadia For The Readers Of Woman Studies.

In the stories where the Mahabharata speaks of life, women occupy a central place. In living what life brings to them, the women of the Mahabharata show, that the truth in which one must live, is however, not a simple thing; nor can there be any one absolute statement about it. Each one of them, in her own way, is a teacher to mankind as to what truth and goodness in their many dimensions are. The twelve women of the Mahabharata whose life stories make up this book, range from Shakuntala, Savitri and Damayanti who are known only in sketches; from Sulabha, Suvarchala, Uttara Disha, Madhavi and Kapoti who are hardly known, and finally to Draupadi, known widely but frozen in popular culture and writing in two or three standard clichéd images. The women of the Mahabharata are incarnate in the women of today. To read the stories of their relation-ships is to read the stories of our relationships. They demand from the men of today the same reflection on their perceptions, attitudes, and pretensions too, as they did from the men in their lives, and equally often from other men full of pretensions, even if they were kings and sages. Badrinath s ability to combine respect and love and to write with impressive scholarship and grace will unforgettably transform our experience of reading the Mahabharata.

The Hindu tradition has held conflicting views on womanhood from its earliest texts—holding women aloft as goddesses to be worshipped on the one hand and remaining deeply suspicious about women's sexuality on the other. In Woman as Fire, Woman as Sage, Arti Dhand examines the religious premises upon which Hindu ideas of sexuality and women are constructed. The work focuses on the great Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata, a text that not only reflects the cogitations of a momentous period in Hindu history, but also was critical in shaping the future of Hinduism. Dhand proposes that the epic's understanding of womanhood cannot be isolated from the broader religious questions that were debated at the time, and that the formation of a sexual ideology is one element in crafting a coherent religious framework for Hinduism.

These Two Volumes Of The Book Eminent Women In The Mahabharata By Dr. Mrs. Vanamala Bhawalkar Presents A Complete Picture Of Woman As Depicted In The Mahabharata, Dealing With Her Status, Education, Family Life As Daughter, Wife And Mother, Social And Poloitical Life, Field Of Her Activities And Achievements, Moral Code, House, Dress, Ornaments, Food Etc., And Also The Life Of Woman Of Lower Class. The Present Two Volumes Offer A Complete Study Of Eighteen Eminent Women As Depicted In The Mahabharata. The Noble And Dignified Personality Of Draupadi, Kunti`S Virtues, Patience And Suffering, Gandhari`S Wisdom And Adherence To Moral Code. Damayanti`S Superb Qualities, And Virtues Of Other Characters Like Sudhadra, Satyavati, Devayani, Sarmistha, Sikanya Etc. Will Remain As A Source Of Inspiration To Generations To Come. These Books Can Be Reference Books For Scholars And Students Of Ancient Indian Culture, And Will Also Be Interesting To Ordinary Readers.