Temple Rules and Roles - Origins of Observances

Namaste,

All religions have rules about worship and Hinduism is no different in that regard. While I respect tradition and study relgion, there is one rule in particular that does not sit well with me.

It has recently come to my attention that there is a widespread practice of prohibiting women from entering Hindu temples during menses. I am curious if anyone has the precise location of this in Hindu scripture. I am mostly interested, however, in those denominations that do not follow this tradition. I contacted ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) and they do not follow that tradition. That's the only one I'm aware of, though.

Not here to judge those who do such things, just stumbling along finding the way that's right for me this time around.

Amala

Originally Posted by Amala

Namaste,

All religions have rules about worship and Hinduism is no different in that regard. While I respect tradition and study relgion, there is one rule in particular that does not sit well with me.

It has recently come to my attention that there is a widespread practice of prohibiting women from entering Hindu temples during menses. I am curious if anyone has the precise location of this in Hindu scripture. I am mostly interested, however, in those denominations that do not follow this tradition. I contacted ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) and they do not follow that tradition. That's the only one I'm aware of, though.

Not here to judge those who do such things, just stumbling along finding the way that's right for me this time around.

Amala

namaste amala

your enquiry is intriguing...i do not have an immediate answer (but will try to research this and share the results). but i would definitely like to say this...i believe many hindu rituals/ traditions are based on a deeper scientific reason. for instance, meditation is advised during early morning as the atmosphere is then charged with ozone and it would have a very beneficial effect on the practitioner. similarly, eating certain articles (like leafy vegetables) is prohibited during chatur-maas i.e. rainy season because the leaves would have many germs/ insects that multiple during the wet weather. also, fasting on certain days like ekadashi is advocated from a health point of view (like giving your digestive system periodic rest to facilitate optimal functioning). thus i believe there has to be a scientific reason for the prohibition on women entering temples during their menses. yes i agree that iskcon does not prohibit menstruating women from entering temples, it does not permit menstruating women to perform purificatory or other rituals like deity worship. draupadi at the time of the cheer-haran was menstruating and was in a special chamber meant for that purpose. however, she was dragged by duhsasan. she cried out in that impure state and krishna came an assisted her. this proves that god can be remebered anytime but in normal routine life, certain restrictions must be observed.

From Construction to Rituals in Temples has Science behind it... One of the important aspect of a Temple is … it works as Quantaum Healing Centres. The place pulls the Cosmic energy (explained in Agama Shastra) increases from rituals and spreads in the place. The visitor gets Physical and Mental benefit from these energies.

Any waste coming out of body has & creates negative energies. To avoid this, Shastras syas not to take part in any rituals.


Food, sleep, fear and copulation are common to both animals and men.
That which differentiates a man from an animal is Dharma, ie faculty of discrimination. It is Dharmashastra conferred upon human being in Indian atmosphere which is obligatory to be followed if he is a human being, as specified in the verse.

Varna-ashrama-dharma-s are to be followed even by a Jivanmuktas, to keep the Dharama-shastra live and flowing.

Now coming to your question, it is simply following the modern theologists and theosophists. Nothing bars you (including temple authority- until concerned specifies) if you do not follow the religious codes of Dharma-shastras. Being a Astika, to belief in God is one thing and following the religious codes is another thing. You cannot mix up both and kick out the Vedic culture and its antecedent religious practice as irrelevant It is up to you respect the religious codes.


Atma

Originally Posted by Atma

From Construction to Rituals in Temples has Science behind it... One of the important aspect of a Temple is … it works as Quantaum Healing Centres. The place pulls the Cosmic energy (explained in Agama Shastra) increases from rituals and spreads in the place. The visitor gets Physical and Mental benefit from these energies.

Any waste coming out of body has & creates negative energies. To avoid this, Shastras syas not to take part in any rituals.


Food, sleep, fear and copulation are common to both animals and men.
That which differentiates a man from an animal is Dharma, ie faculty of discrimination. It is Dharmashastra conferred upon human being in Indian atmosphere which is obligatory to be followed if he is a human being, as specified in the verse.

Varna-ashrama-dharma-s are to be followed even by a Jivanmuktas, to keep the Dharama-shastra live and flowing.

Now coming to your question, it is simply following the modern theologists and theosophists. Nothing bars you (including temple authority- until concerned specifies) if you do not follow the religious codes of Dharma-shastras. Being a Astika, to belief in God is one thing and following the religious codes is another thing. You cannot mix up both and kick out the Vedic culture and its antecedent religious practice as irrelevant It is up to you respect the religious codes.


Atma

Aghora & Atma. That was amazing and beautiful. And deeply respectful to womankind. ^_^

Yes, Thank you from me also.

Prohibitions regarding women's involvement in ritualistic worship during their menstrual cycle are implied throughout the scripture. At least this is how those who have formed lineages have interpreted sections of the scripture that discuss this period. The Bhagavata Purana for example attributes the menstrual cycle to one fourth the karmic reaction to Indra's inadvertent killing of a brahmana. According to that Purana, Indra killed a brahmana and was then chased by the karmic reaction to this killing. He then negotiated with four groups who each agreed to absorb one quarter of the reaction in exchange for a blessing. Women got the blessing that they could have sex during pregnancy without endangering the embryo in exchange for accepting the monthly menstrual cycle.

sasvat-kama-varenamhas turiyah jagrhuh striyah
rajo-rupena tasv amho masi masi pradrsyate (BP. 6.6.9)
It is also stated in this Purana that one should not eat food seen by a woman during her monthly period, bhunjitodakyaya drstam (BP. 6.18.49). You may also find something about this in Manu Samhita.

I am interested it finding out the info related to that also.

I wondering, if it was put in place by people of the society.
In hindusim, doing a puja can be exhausting or tiresome. I don't think you could exactly sit infront of God long periods of time that way in a particular sitting poisition (asana) when you are menstruating. Maybe, that is why they usually don't let women do any religious ceremony during that time.

I really don't see why you could not do a dharsan? The creator made me this way. Isan't it a cycle that helps create life? or is something to be shameful about?

If you know the answer to this or find it in some scripture I would like to know.

Iksvakave