During Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s era, women in India faced daunting social challenges such as widow burning, female infanticide, and oppressive dowry practices, which curtailed their independence and dignity. Although revered for his spiritual and social reforms, Bhagwan Swaminarayan vehemently opposed these practices, which were often mislabeled as religious obligations. He not only denounced them but actively worked towards their elimination. His contributions have been noted by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Sir John Malcolm, Lt. Governor of the British East India Company.
The practice of sati was the act where a widow would voluntarily or forcibly self-immolate or commit suicide on her husband's funeral pyre. This practice was rooted in cultural beliefs and interpretations of honor, purity, and devotion to one's husband. It was believed that by doing so, the widow ensured spiritual benefits for herself and her husband in the afterlife, and it was seen as a mark of ultimate devotion and loyalty. Bhagwan Swaminarayan and His sadhus traveled extensively, explaining the God-given right for each individual to love and enjoy their life within the codes of their dharma. He taught illiterate and ill-mannered people that it was not the woman’s fault that her husband had passed away and that she was innocent. She should have the right to live a life just like any other woman. By likening widow burning to murder and suicide, families realized that by partaking in such a practice, they were committing one of the greatest sins. As a solution, Bhagwan Swaminarayan created special communities for widows so they could live free from the social stigmas attached to being a widow. He created mandirs that catered specifically to women and offered them formal religious education, an opportunity previously unheard of. He also encouraged them to marry again.
Another evil practice that had seeped into the list of false customs was female infanticide. Newborn girls were drowned in milk to avoid the economic burden of dowries. Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s approach to eradicate this custom was two-fold. He assumed responsibility for finding well-bred, educated, and civil grooms for the daughters of His disciples and also abolished the practice of accepting and offering dowry in marriage.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan formalized education and literacy campaigns for women in villages and towns. He encouraged women to operate properties, farms, and their family’s business ventures. He taught them how to face society and voice their opinions confidently. Women were given a place and function in society that they rightfully deserved. He made them realize how important a role they played in their families and communities. When women were not even considered citizens in most parts of the world around 1805, Bhagwan Swaminarayan encouraged them to take a leading role in society by reading, writing, thinking, and raising a family, which would serve as a building block for their community.
His reforms not only appealed to the educated elite but also left an indelible mark on people belonging to different faiths, even among Christian missionaries. Justice Ranade has rightly epitomized him as the 'Last of the Hindu Reformers.' However, the social reforms He had spearheaded were mere specks in the vast ocean of work He had done in spirituality and Hinduism.
- Lenin Joshi
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
