It is time for my weekly post, and incidentally, today marks International Women’s Day—a time for celebration. Though one might ponder, do we truly need a designated day for women? Ideally, every day should be a celebration. Nevertheless, in the spirit of honoring this day and to avoid being labeled a spoilsport, I shall dive directly into today’s post! I recently immersed myself in a stunning piece of Sanskrit literature, ‘Mṛcchakatika,’ penned by the esteemed poet Shudraka. While the context remains unclear to me—whether it was intended as satire or not—I found it remarkably compelling.

Here is a snippet:

स्त्रियो हि नाम खल्वेता निसर्गादेव पण्डिताः। पुरुषाणां तु पाण्डित्यं शास्त्रैरेवोपदिश्यते।।

In this verse, the poet proclaims that women are inherently intelligent, whereas men acquire intelligence through the study of scriptures. A fascinating perspective, and one I find myself in agreement with. Mahakavi Kalidasa, in his drama – अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तलम्‌ ‘abhij~nAnashAkuntalam‌,’ echoes a similar sentiment, stating that women possess an innate acumen: स्त्रीणामशिक्षितपटुत्वम् (strINAmashikShitapaTutvam). So, to all the wonderful women out there, let’s celebrate the natural intelligence that resides within us all.

Happy Women’s Day! May all your heartfelt wishes come true. Enjoy your weekend!