Roles and Responsibilities of a Man and a Woman as Per Dharma

📜 1. Fundamental Concept: Dharma

• Dharma is the righteous path—what sustains harmony and cosmic order.
• It varies by role (e.g., student, householder, renunciate) and by individual capacity.
• Both men and women have dharmic duties, but the specifics differ in some traditional texts.

👨‍🦱 2. Traditional Duties of a Man in Hinduism

These vary by stage in life but generally include:

a) As a Student (Brahmacharya)

• Focus on education, self-control, discipline, and celibacy.
• Respect for teachers and scriptures.
• Learn the Vedas and master moral and intellectual training.

b) As a Householder (Grihastha)

• Earn an honest living (Artha).
• Fulfil Dharma through family life.
• Provide for the family and ensure their safety and well-being, including their education.
• Perform religious duties (e.g., daily worship, yajnas).
• Treat wife as equal in spiritual journey (Ardhangini—half of his being).

c) As a Father

• Protect and guide children with values.
• Perform Samskaras (rites of passage), such as naming, education, and marriage.
• Promote their spiritual and moral development.

d) As a Community Member

• Be truthful, kind, courageous, and generous.
• Offer hospitality (Atithi Devo Bhava).
• Defend righteousness and support dharmic causes.

👩‍🦰 3. Traditional Duties of a Woman in Hinduism

Again, this varies by age and context:

a) As a Daughter

• Be respectful and obedient to parents.
• Be educated, traditionally in the arts, values, and household duties.

b) As a Wife

• Seen as the Ardhangini (equal partner).
• Manage the home with wisdom and grace (Grihalakshmi).
• Participate in rituals and religious activities.
• Support the husband’s dharma and spiritual journey.

"Where women are honored, there the gods rejoice" – Manusmriti 3.56

c) As a Mother

• Considered the first guru of the child.
• Raise children with spiritual and moral values.
• Play a central role in early education and sanskaras.

d) Spiritual Role

• Women have historically been rishikas (female sages), such as Gargi and Maitreyi.
• In Bhakti traditions, women such as Meera Bai and Andal attained high spiritual states.
• Women can achieve moksha (liberation) just as men can.

🧘 4. Equality in Spirituality

Though social roles differ traditionally, spiritually, Hinduism holds:

• The Atman (soul) has no gender.
• Both men and women can reach moksha.
• Goddess worship (Shakti, Lakshmi, Saraswati) upholds the divine feminine as essential and powerful.
• Ardhanarishvara symbolizes the unity of masculine and feminine energies in one divine form.

📚 5. Scriptures and Views on Gender Roles

Positive views:

• Rig Veda: Women participated in intellectual and spiritual debates.
• Mahabharata: Draupadi is depicted as wise, strong, and articulate.
• Upanishads: Sage Maitreyi asks deep questions about immortality.

Conservative views (especially in Manusmriti):

• Emphasize obedience to father, husband, and son.
• Restrict roles to household and domestic duties.

These views are contextual to the time and not uniformly followed today.

🔄 6. Modern Interpretation and Reform Movements

• Many reformers, including Swami Vivekananda, Dayananda Saraswati, and Raja Ram Mohan Roy, supported women's education, rights, and spiritual freedom.
• Contemporary Hinduism increasingly emphasizes:
• Gender equality
• Education and career for women
• Shared household and parenting roles
• Equal access to temples and spiritual paths

✅ Summary: Hinduism’s View on Men and Women

Aspect	Man	Woman
Dharma	Leadership, protection, provision	Nurturing, wisdom, harmony
Spiritual Role	Path to moksha, rituals	Equal path to moksha, rituals
Household	Financial & moral foundation	Home management & moral guidance
Status in Society	Varies by Varna and role	Often revered, sometimes restricted
Modern Role	Career + spiritual development	Career, education + spiritual path