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This is the verse as give in Shiva Puran. Is it true because vedas are against Wife beating

The brahmin lady said:

...

A chaste lady shall never mention her husband’s name. If the husband scolds or rebukes her she shall not abuse him in return. Even when beaten by him she shall remain glad and say “I may even be killed, O lord. Be kind to me.” (Shiva Puran 2.3.54.19.)

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226118.html

Aupakarana Abhibhaa
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Keśava Jāmbavatī Das
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    I don't think this verse "supports" anything. It merely prescribes rules for Pativratā, which represents the marriage vows for women. So I don't think its possible to infer any kind of support from this verse. Unless explicitly mentioning such support, the text could just as well condemn such practices. – Gabe Hiemstra Dec 23 '21 at 11:59
  • Many of the Puranas are encyclopedic in nature. They are reporting ancient hindu ideas and practices on many issues. The Purana is not necessarily supporting wife beating. It is reporting practice in ancient times. – Pradip Gangopadhyay Dec 23 '21 at 12:56
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    Well, the purana ia very clear on this point. – Wikash_ Dec 23 '21 at 12:57
  • Are you sure Vedas don't support this? See here https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/18614/22253 –  Dec 23 '21 at 14:18
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    @MrGreenGold wrong translation of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.4.7 has been done. https://vedicheritage.gov.in/flipbook/Brihadaranyaka_Upanishad/#book/717 this is correct translation (word to word) – Raghav Dec 23 '21 at 17:10
  • @Raghav I'm pretty sure it's translated correctly. The translated version is from senior monks. Btw did you read the link you gave?? It clearly says showing her the fear of punishment. How is it better?? –  Dec 23 '21 at 17:17
  • Such inferences are obviously incorrect. That's why it's recommended to learn shastras with a learned Guru, instead of reading like a book. Out of context meaning will ruin your learning. – sbharti Dec 23 '21 at 23:28
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    Even Manusmriti says something to this effect, In any case, you are looking at it from post-mod western lenses As per Hinduism, standards are set very high for males in order to achieve higher realm or receive divine grace. For women, it is much lower. Wives receive one-half of all the punya earned by husbands while Husbands incur one-half of all the paap of the wives. – Artist Formerly Known As CSD Dec 24 '21 at 05:15
  • @MrGreenGold translation is - "If that woman still does not fulfill her husband's wish, then by showing fear of punishment or by holding her by the hand, explain that "O beautiful woman....." far of punishment is nothing but tough love. LOL are you seriously asking how is it better ???? A child doesnt listen to his mother's order ( mother's order is correct ) , and mother either beats him with stick/slaps him or she scolds him . According to you both are same things ? – Raghav Dec 24 '21 at 07:40
  • fear of punishment * – Raghav Dec 24 '21 at 16:42
  • Perhaps. But is it not strange that men focus on punishments for wives, rather than the punishments for husbands? You might like to focus on what the scriptures say as the punishments for husbands... – Swami Vishwananda Dec 26 '21 at 05:21

3 Answers3

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Maybe there is some wrong translation because as per Gita press translation

A chaste woman shouldn't take her husband's name . Even after husband speaks harsh words , wife shouldn't say harsh words in return. When her husband calls her , she should leave all housework and immediately go to him and lovingly ask him with bowed head and folded hands .....

By the way this is another link for pdf of Gita press translation , the earlier link is not that clear . You can go to page 342 of this new link I shared

Raghav
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  • That could be the case because, all hindu texts should go in accordance to the vedas and Vedas are against the beating of either two – Keśava Jāmbavatī Das Dec 27 '21 at 04:19
  • @KeśavaJāmbavatīDas yeah , by the way I would be grateful if you would accept my answer if it satisfies you :-) – Raghav Jan 21 '22 at 12:11
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    This translation is not accurate. It completely leaves the last line and doesn't translate it "हन्यतामिति च ब्रूयात्स्वामिन्निति कृपां कुरु". This shouldn't be accepted as right answer. The translation mentioned in the question is more accurate. – Lokesh Jun 01 '22 at 10:09
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This verse is consistent with what we find in Manusmriti and other Puranas

One of the answers claims it is wrong translation. This is incorrect. The Sanskrit verse says

patyurnāma na gṛhṇīyāt kadācana pativratā | ākruṣṭāpi na cākrośetprasīdettāḍitāpi ca | hanyatāmiti ca brūyātsvāminniti kṛpāṃ kuru || 19 ||

The word to focus on is tāḍita which means beaten

Artist Formerly Known As CSD
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  • no , it means both beaten and chastised( rebuking severely i.e. using harsh words ) http://faculty.washington.edu/prem/mw/t.html – Raghav Jan 21 '22 at 11:23
  • @Raghav - I am yet to see tadita means rebuke in any other scripture. And finally when other scriptures corroborates beating then i don't see why it should.mesn rebuke – Artist Formerly Known As CSD Jan 21 '22 at 16:46
  • @Carmensandiego watch this https://youtu.be/leQeuuwQK0s it's the perfect explaination which is shastrokat & even correct from Vyakran & intellectually correct. – Chamunda das Jul 15 '22 at 19:01
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She is speaking to the daughter of a mountain, so it would make sense to tailor advice to her.

There is a race called mountains, who along with race called rivers, are both literally mountains and rivers and sapient beings. One clear example is when Ganga is described as both a literal river and able to talk (makes more sense if you imagine the rivers as flowing in a circle) in a way in which if they were not the same thing the story would not make sense.

"Lomasa said,

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Then came down from the sky Ganga, the daughter of the snowy mountain. And her whirlpools were raging, and she was teeming with fishes and sharks.

O king! she directing her course towards the sea, separated herself, into three streams; and her water was bestrewn with piles of froth, which looked like so many rows of (white) ganders. And crooked and tortuous in the movement of her body, at places; and at others stumbling at it were; and covered with foam as with a robe: she went forward like a woman drunk. And elsewhere, by virtue of the roar of her waters, she uttered loud sounds.

Thus assuming very many different aspects, when she fell from the sky, and reached the surface of the earth, she said to Bhagiratha,

So presumably Parvati is a mountain or river given her family. Thus being absolutely gigantic, beatings wouldn't really hurt her and she would be fine. Thus beating your spouse for mountains and rivers makes more sense than for humans.

Aupakarana Abhibhaa
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