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THE IDEAL OF INDIAN WOMANHOOD
of marriage is to have children. Childless marriage is regarded as a misfortune. If the wife fails to give birth to children, the husband is entitled to marry again. If we are to be guided by strict scriptural injunctions, birth-control, cven as advised by Gandhi, cannot be legitimnately practised. BCcause, that would be violating scriptural rules and social traditions. Yet, Gandhi takes his stand prccisciy on these grounds. Two sets of questions are involved in the controversy. One about sex-intercourse ; is it sinful, except when performed for bredding? Is it not a physical and cmotional necessity, irrespective of the act of procreation ? Is it harmful for spiritual (in the broad sense of mental and emotional) development ? The other question is about the position of women in Hindu society.
Gandhi advises women to resist lustful husbands. It is rather flattering for the fair sex. But few will be deceived. Sex-attraction is mutual. Women are no more goddesses than men are animals. Beforc giving them the advice, one should enquire if they want to resist. The fact is that they do not, and that fact alone shows that the moralist does not know what he is talking about, although he lays thc claim to an intimate acquaintance with the psychology of women,-a strange claim on the part of a Saint. However, Gandhi's advice to women assumes that they are free agents. Are they? Does Hinduism permit
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