Women Must Lead With Their Ideals Part – Ninety Eight

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals

When explaining the problems we face in everyday lives, Bhagawan would often tell us that we tend to give more importance than it is due to certain aspects of life, and ignore or demean those that are significant. This imbalance is what causes discord. Similarly in society too, a lot of the disharmony and chaos we notice can be attributed to the disregard we show to womanhood. The disrespect shown to women can no more be spoken of as a problem to be dealt with by that gender alone; it is a social issue that needs to be addressed by men and women, young and old. Unless and until we learn to respect womanhood, which is the very source of life itself, how can we respect and love our other fellow beings? Even as we as a society tend to give more importance to wealth and power, the women too have been forced to re-order their priorities. This too has led to a gradual drift from what Swami would refer to as Sthree Dharma or the primary nature and role of a woman. It is to reinstate the importance of womanhood, to remind all to respect and revere the feminine aspect and to guide women along the right path Bhagawan instituted the observance of Ladies Day, every year on 19 November. On this solemn occasion we present before you few golden words of counsel from a Divine Discourse delivered during the Ladies day of the year 1995. 

We should not consider the feminine principle to be ordinary. Since ancient times the feminine aspect of the Divine has been worshipped in various ways. The Veda declares that, “Where women are honoured, revered and respected, there Divinity is present with all potency”. Unfortunately today people consider it demeaning to honour women. This is a primary expression of ignorance! We should not think thus.

Sthree (Woman) is Grihalakshmi (the Goddess of prosperity for the home). She is hailed as Dharmapatni (the virtuous spouse). She is called Illalu (the mistress of the house) and Ardhaangi (the rightful half). People gloat over petty, insignificant titles like Padmasri and Padma Vibhushan conferred on them. But women have been conferred the highest titles which are valid for eternity. A home without a woman is like a forest.

Men should realise the high status of women, and honour and respect them accordingly. They should not make women weep and shed tears. A home where the woman sheds tears will be ruined. Men should therefore, as much as possible, lead their lives by giving women an honourable place and their due importance. The archetypal woman is described as Adhishakti (the primal source of all energy) having a whole array of powers.

The word Sthree is a combination of three syllables. They are the consonants, ‘Sa’, ‘Tha and ‘Ra’. Just as in the Aumkara we have ‘A, U and M’, in the word Sthree we have ‘Sa, Tha and Ra’. First and foremost, ‘Sa’ signifies the Satvik nature of women. This is what leads to Salokyam (being in the same sphere of existence), Sameepyam (proximity) and Sayujyam (mergence). So it is the ‘Sa’ that represents the Divinity in Salokyam, Sameepyam and Sayujyam. Most women are endowed with this Satwik nature.

After which comes the ‘Tha’ which signifies the Tamasik quality or Tamo Guna. But this Tamasik quality is not indolence, gluttony and slothfulness. Tamo Guna includes qualities like humility, kindness, shyness and modesty. The woman in all her humility serves the cause of the family and society honour in the right spirit. There is a saying in Andhra Pradesh: ‘Judge a home by its mistress.’ As is the woman, so is the home.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals – divine wisdom for positive living

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals is a powerful message that reminds us of the noble role women play in shaping families, society, and the future of humanity. A woman’s strength is not limited to outer achievement alone. Her true greatness shines through purity, courage, compassion, wisdom, patience, sacrifice, and moral leadership. When women live with strong values, they become guiding lights for generations.

From ancient times, women have carried the power to inspire, protect, educate, and transform. A mother shapes the first thoughts of a child. A teacher awakens understanding. A sister brings affection and support. A daughter fills the home with hope. A woman of character silently builds peace wherever she lives. Her influence may not always be loudly praised, but it reaches deeply into hearts.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals means that leadership should begin with character. Real leadership is not only position, authority, or public recognition. It is the ability to live in such a way that others feel inspired to become better. A woman who speaks truth, practices kindness, respects values, and stands for righteousness leads through example. Such leadership is stronger than mere words.

Society often measures success by wealth, status, fashion, or popularity. But spiritual wisdom teaches that the highest success is noble living. When women hold firmly to truth, self-respect, discipline, and compassion, they protect the moral strength of society. They remind the world that progress without values is incomplete and dangerous.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals also teaches that women should not underestimate their inner power. Strength does not always mean harshness or aggression. True strength can appear as patience during difficulty, forgiveness during pain, courage during injustice, and calmness during confusion. A strong woman does not lose her softness; she uses it with wisdom.

The home is one of the first places where ideals are practiced. If a woman fills the home with love, respect, prayer, discipline, and understanding, the atmosphere becomes peaceful. Children learn values not only from lessons, but from daily example. When they see truthfulness, service, humility, and devotion in the mother, those qualities naturally enter their own lives.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals is also important in education. Educated women can guide society with knowledge and compassion together. Education should not make anyone proud or selfish. It should make the heart wider and the mind clearer. A woman who uses education for service, upliftment, and moral guidance becomes a blessing to society.

Women must also lead in preserving human values. In a world filled with competition, distraction, and selfishness, ideals can easily become weak. Women with strong character can protect values such as honesty, purity, loyalty, gratitude, and service. They can remind families and communities that life is not only for enjoyment, but also for responsibility and spiritual growth.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals does not mean that women alone carry the burden of morality. Men and women both must live righteously. But women have a unique influence because their love, patience, and guidance often touch life at its earliest and deepest levels. When women rise with dignity and values, society becomes more balanced.

A woman’s leadership should also include self-respect. Self-respect is not pride. It is the understanding of one’s own divine worth. A woman should not allow herself to be treated as weak, inferior, or merely an object of appearance. She is a soul with intelligence, strength, compassion, and sacred purpose. When she respects herself, she teaches others to respect her too.

Service is another beautiful ideal. A woman who serves with love does not become small; she becomes spiritually great. Service may appear as caring for family, teaching children, helping the poor, supporting the sick, guiding the confused, or working for society. When service is done without ego, it becomes worship.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals also calls for courage against wrong. Compassion does not mean silence before injustice. A woman of ideals speaks truth with dignity and stands firmly for what is right. She does not encourage hatred, but she also does not support weakness, dishonesty, or cruelty. Her courage is guided by wisdom and purity.

Spiritual strength gives depth to womanhood. Prayer, meditation, devotion, and remembrance of God make the heart fearless and peaceful. A spiritually strong woman can face hardship without losing hope. She becomes a source of comfort for others because her own heart is connected to divine grace.

Society becomes noble when women are honored, educated, protected, and encouraged to lead with values. But women themselves must also recognize their sacred responsibility. They should not copy harmful trends that reduce dignity. They should choose ideals that increase inner beauty, wisdom, and strength.

Women Must Lead With Their Ideals finally teaches that the future of humanity depends on value-based leadership. When women live with truth, compassion, purity, courage, education, and devotion, they shape better homes, better children, better communities, and a better world. Their ideals become silent seeds of peace and progress.

A woman who leads with ideals does not merely influence one life. She uplifts many lives through her thoughts, words, actions, and example. Her life becomes a lamp of divine grace, showing that true leadership begins in the heart and shines through character.