bRhadAraNyaka case
- Arguable reference to wife beating and rape in bRhadAraNyaka : IMG. ( षष्ठोऽध्यायः । चतुर्थं ब्राह्मणम् । मन्त्रः ७)
- FB15.
- shankara considers such to be smRtyanuvAdinI, as representing smArta, rather than shrauta karma-s. Example: 6.3.1 commentary (- http://i.imgur.com/GmoWeUa.png । अनुवादोऽत्र - http://i.imgur.com/2boHAYb.jpg ।). smRti-s according to some dharmashAstra commentators have less authority than shruti.
- Unsatisfactory excuses: Some authorities interpret it as encoding a secret (eg: होळेनरसीपुरवासिनः परमपूज्याः श्री श्री सच्चिदानन्देन्द्रसरस्वतीपरमहंसाः IMG1) - so it should not be taken literally.
- Of course, it is easy to regard them as one of the ancient recommendations which need to be given up since the society so hates them (as explained here).
- वेदेषु नैकानि सन्ति दारुणानि कर्माणि यानि कलिवर्ज्यानीति कथ्यन्ते सगर्हणम् पश्चात्तन-स्मृतिकारैः। यथा गवालम्भः, नियोगः, कान्याक्रयणम् … । तेष्व् एतदपीति गणयितुं शक्यम्।
Extrapolation from modern India
- Some extrapolated the horrendous Nirbhaya rape to suggest that Indian (and by extension Hindu) civilization is particularly horrible for women.
- Needless to say, no hindu holy man/ text says: “rape is punishment for going out late.”
- Responses: petty-crime-reportage, female-successes, comparison-to-west, stupid-western-lawmen.