Ecofeminist Activities of Devahuti and Devayani in the Bhagavata Mahapurana

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the ecofeminist activities of Devahuti and Devayani  in the Bhagavata Mahapurana. These characters emphasize the protection of ecology and they come to know that the rights of women cannot be implemented practically without the freshness in ecology. In this epic, the researcher interprets the issues of women in terms of ecology in the patriarchal society. To study this dharmic text from the perspective of ecofeminism is the main problem of this research. These characters remain conscious not only in their rights but also in the significance of ecofeminism. The theory of ecology also helps to respect the rights of women. The Hindus treat nature as their mother and they show special respect to her. The text reveals the power of female characters for the decision of their marriage, and success in it. This research work examines two courageous female characters highlighting their ecofeminist activities despite the rules and regulations of the patriarchal society. To emphasize this idea of ecofeminism, the researcher uses Greta Gaard’s principles of ecofeminism in the methodology which includes inspiring activities of these two female characters and their lesson to the society of the Puranic Period. The conclusion is that both Devahuti and Devayani are successful for displaying ecofeminism in their activities. Both the female characters are successful for the creation of their self-identity and also the identity of ecofeminism. The readers are recommended to study this Puranic text to highlight ecofeminism in which the writer links the female condition with the condition of ecology.                                   

Keywords: Patriarchy, ecology, ecofeminism, oppression, violence, beauty, attraction        1.Introduction                                                                                                                               Krishna Dwipayana Vyasa’s Bhagavata Mahapurana is an epic- philosophical and literary classic of the Hindus which includes a variety of subjects such as geography, history, religion, philosophy, culture, mythology, cosmology, legend, music, dance and yoga. As far as its linguistic meaning is concerned, it is said that Srimad stands for Sri meaning beauty and prosperity of goddess Laxmi and mad meaning the form of “Madana or Kamadeva” (quoted in Tagare 4).  By combining both Srimad stands for “exquisitely beautiful.” The word Bhagavata has been derived from the word Bhaga means the six divine graces collectively named riches, vigor, fame, knowledge, beauty, and renunciation (Tagare 4).  This classical epic is divided into twelve cantos which are known as the Skandhas. Because of its thematic value, it represents the particular races (Chandra Banshi and Surya Banshi), it is also termed as the Mahapurana. The Sage Vedavyasa composes Vedanta Sutras, Mahabharata, and seventeen Puranas before the composition of the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana. Each Skandha praises the particular organ of the Virata Purusha (Tagare 181). The whole universe is the embodiment of the Virata Purusha from whom the universe is created and it also dissolves in Him. The Virata Purusha comprises all the actions which happen in this world. Prabhupada presents the ideas of Vyasadeva about the form of the Virata Purusha as follows:

Patalam etasya hi pada –mulam

Pathanti parsni-prapade rasatalam

Mahatalam visva-srjo tha gulphau

Talatam vai purusasya janghe

[Persons who have realized that the planets known as Patala constitute the bottom of the feet of the universal Lord, and the heels and toes are the Rasatala planets. The ankles are the Mahatala planets, and His shanks constitute the Talatala planets].

(Canto: II.1.26. 45)

The writer presents the universal form of the Lord from whom we can realize the downward planetary systems. The description begins from the feet of the Lord and the planets are on His body. But from our poor fund of knowledge, it is difficult to have knowledge of the Virata Purusha. The gigantic form of the Virata Purusa is the origin of physical and the spiritual planets. All the natural works take place on the body of the Virata Purusha. Fourteen planets lie on the body of the Virata Purusha (quoted in Menon 275). The things which happen in this world belong to the body of the Virata Purusha.                                                          Devahuti and Devayani are the two conscious female characters in this epic. They challenge the ideology of the patriarchal society from their consciousness of the rights about their lives. Their social and intellectual consciousness belong to the importance of ecology in the text. These two characters are related to the different periods. Both the Puranic characters Devahuti and Devayani have progressive steps towards their future. Their thoughts and actions to think about their future become challenge to the system of the Puranic Society. The ecofeminist activities and opinions of  Devahuti are presented from 22nd to 25th chapters of the Third Canto of the Bhagavata Mahapurana. Her psychology presents her as a new woman in her society. Within the context of asceticism and she emphasizes in the continuation of her determination for the sake of achievement. Later, the story culminates with complete obliteration of her identity as an individual.                                                                                                      

Devayani, another ecofeminist of the Bhagavata Mahapurana, is a daughter of Sukracharya. Like Devahuti, she becomes careful about her rights for marriage and ecofeminism. The author presents her works and words in the eighteenth and the nineteenth chapters of the Ninth Canto of the Bhagavata Mahapurana.  The character becomes the matter of discussion because of her self- decision about her marriage not with the common person but with a king named Yayati. The lady loves and compels him to marry her. Kasturi presents a situation how there is the union between a Brahmana girl and a Kshetriya king: “Yayati, a Puranic king and an ancestor of the Pandavas, rescues her from a well by catching her hand” (135). The help of the king becomes the means of attraction to her and she compels him to marry. The emperor of the earth is melted by her beauty and feels difficult to reject her proposal. Despite the fear of curse from the Brahmana i.e. Sukracharya, the king marries her.                                                                                                                Both Devahuti and Devayani are aware of their rights who love and respect ecofeminism and get married with the desired persons according to their intentions. They are not selected but both the girls select their life partners themselves because of their belief in ecofeminism. It is a challenging task for them in the male chauvinist society. In ecofeminism, men respect both to nature and women. The male characters Kardama Muni and Yayati remain in forest. They know how to respect to the natural things and ecofeminism. The setting of the forest becomes crucial for the marriage of these two female characters with the intended persons. Due to their respect in ecofeminism, they respect to the condition and the rights of women. If both the men had neglected the ecofeminism, they might have rejected the marriage proposal of the ladies. Green scenario creates green thoughts in the minds of Kardama Muni and Yayati.                    

2. Methodology                                                                                                                                                           The researcher applies Greta Gaard’s concept of ecofeminism as the particular research theory for the analysis of the activities and the motives of the characters. Vyasadeva’s Bhagavata Mahapurana is the primary text for the research. The text translated by Prabhupada with Sanskrit stanzas of the Srimad Bhagavatam is also used for the primary text of this study. The criticism made on the Bhagavata Mahapurana becomes the secondary materials for this research. The researcher presents the actions, description and the significance of the ecofeminism through the characterization of Devahuti and Devayani in this research work.  It excludes the other characters, events and the aspects of the Bhagavata Mahapurana. Besides, different opinions of the eastern and the western critics on the ecofeminism make this research paper reliable. The methods of transliteration and free translation are used while citing the Sanskrit verse from the primary text.

3. Theoretical Concepts on Ecofeminism

Ecofeminism is the feminism oriented on ecology.This theory deals with ecology and feminism. Feminist criticism was developed after 1960 as a self-awareness approach to literature. It is the consequence of two centuries long struggle for women’s rights and their freedom of expression. It is closely related with the movement by political feminists for social cultural and economic freedom and equality. Mary Wollstonecraft’s “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” (quoted in Tyson 84) is the first feminist literary work as a defense of women as a rational being. Other feminists follow her footsteps and try to identify themselves with the help of their writing.  Their suppressed ideas are expressed to make conscious for other women about their rights. Louis Tyson highlights the marginalization of women: “In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is objectified and marginalized defined only by her difference from male norms and values, defined only by what she lacks and that men have” (92). The writer presents the rights of women by mentioning that there should not be the marginalization of women in the patriarchal society. The women are also the human beings so that they have to create their identity themselves. The feminists like Elaine Showalter, Julia Kristeva, Simone de Beauvoir, Luce Irigaray, and so on emphasize only in the rights of women. It is necessary to connect between feminism and the ecofeminism.

There is the birth of ecofeminism from the concept of feminism. The feminists argue about their rights, but the ecofeminists make connection the female problems with nature. If there is the connection between women and the earth, everybody will show the special respect for women. If the movement of women belongs to save the environment, men may help them. Gaard argues about it as an ecofeminist: “Ecofeminists analyze the condition of the women in terms of nature by saying that “men are related to culture and the women are concerned to nature” (quoted in Gebra 34). This idea indicates that men make the social rules and try to control women as far as possible. This theory enhances the female problems and the ecological solutions. Women live near nature and they are sensitive to understand the problems of others. They argue that the exploitation of the physical environment and women is same which is necessary to control.

The term “ecofeminism” emerged in the 1970s with an increasing consciousness of the connection between nature and women. Francois d’ Eaubonne, the French writer coined the term “ecofeminism” ( quoted in Gebra 32) in 1974 and he leads an ecological revolution to save the earth. This ecological revolution entails gender relations between men and women and between humans and nature. Ynestra King developed “ecofeminism” at the Institute for Social Ecology in 1976 and the concept of ecofeminism became a movement in 1980 to solve the female and ecological problems. In a conference in1980, the environmentalists and the feminists discussed on “Women and Life on the Earth” (Gaard 5). During the 1980s cultural feminists in the United States injected new life into ecofeminism by arguing that both women and nature could have liberation together. Social, cultural, and liberal feminists concern to improve the human\nature relationship and each contributes to the perspectives of the ecofeminist in different ways (6). Ecofeminists reform environmentalism to alter human relations with nature from the existing structures from the new laws. They present sameness between feminism environmentalism and try to solve female problems with the problems of the physical environment. Gena Corea expresses her ecofeminist voice by arguing: “Social ecofeminism analyses the capitalism of the patriarchal society. The ecofeminists ask how patriarchal relations of reproduction reveal the domination of nature by men” (18). We can observe the domination of nature as well as women by men in the patriarchal society. There is the control in the natural things by men from reproduction. The ecofeminists blame in the activities of men who perform their activities without thinking significance of ecology and women in their lives.

Ecofeminists advocate the forms of an environmental ethic which relates with the twin oppression of the domination of nature and the exploitation of women. Karen Warren, a philosopher, conceptualizes it: “Ecofeminists do not only recognize the multiple voices of feminists, located differently by race, age, and the considerations of ethnicity, it also conceptualizes those voices” (7) The ethnicity of ecofeminists, constraints the traditional ethics based on rules, rights and utilizes with the considerations which are based on trust, care and love. There is the association of women and nature and this association refers the same problems in the physical world and in the life of women. Ecofeminism is a response to the perception that women and nature have been mutually associated. To strengthen this theory, Carolyn Merchant argues that this movement largely focuses on the sphere of consciousness in relation to nature- spirituality, goddess worship (192). The interpreter points out the female and the natural problems in terms of goddess. If people link both nature and women with goddess, they can control the deterioration in the environment and there will be the solution in the female problems. Thus, the ecofeminists are conscious about the utility of nature, female problems and the goddess which imply what men do to the planet is bad, but the action of women are good. There is the connection between the female and the ecological problems and both problems become the matter of discussion for the appropriate solution.

4.Textual Interpretation

The Bhagavata Mahapurana is an epic that deals with the issues of ecofeminist activities of Devahuti and Devayani. These two female characters perform different kinds of ecofeminist activities in the text. Devahuti and Devayani have their different roles and the writer presents their actions differently according to situation. The most important features of ecofeminism are natural domination and gender domination.  These two female characters have both these features in their works. They have attentiveness in both the natural domination and the domination of male in their lives. Devahuti and Devayani are the exceptional female characters in their activities. These two female characters behave as the ecofeminists.  Green scenario of the earth affects in their thoughts and activities. The theory of ecofeminism impresses them and their activities are related to it. It can be analyzed that the significance of ecofeminism prevailed during the Puranic period, before the birth of this theory. If human beings apply the Bhagavata Mahapurana practically with the lens of ecofeminism, it will be helpful to solve the problems of ecofeminism.

 These problems are the parts in the life of other female characters of the epic except Devahuti and Devayani. They neither speak about their rights nor about the problems of ecology. They do not have the ideas about cultural, social and spiritual ecofeminism in their lives. To emphasize in this idea, Richa Pauranic Clements focuses the condition of the female characters in the epic: “Almost all the female characters in the epic Bhagavata Mahapurana are voiceless, passive, and submissive and they are exploited as nature” (111).  The critic highlights the passive condition of women of the Puranic period and their female nature to the physical nature. They accepted the male trend as it was and they did not violate the rules and regulations for the sake of their rights.  The concept of ecofeminism was far from them and to argue about the rights of animals and vegetation was beyond their imagination. The passive female characters in this epic accept the rules and regulations of their contemporary society without any complain. Greta Gaard, an interpreter of ecofeminism, divides this theory into cultural ecofeminism, spiritual ecofeminism, social ecofeminism, and the socialist ecofeminism, (quoted in L. Chen 68). These four main schools of ecofeminism are reliable for the analysis of the characters in the epic.

4.1 Cutural Ecofeminism

Cultural ecofeminism analyses subservient positions of nature and the temperament of women (L. Chen 68). This critical theory includes the physical nature and the activities of women. Both the female characters are culturally conscious in their lives. Green scenario of forest evokes them to originate the ideas of cultural ecofeminism in their minds. Devahuti, daughter of Svyambhu Manu and Satarupa, is a virtuous girl with the noble character. The Cultural ecofeminism enhances her beauty. Her activities and behaviors belong to good culture of her family and natural beauty. Vedavyasa elucidates the beauty and the forthcoming marriage of Devahuti in the Bhagavata Mahapurana:

Atmajan asitapangim

Taya –sila –gunanvitam

Mrgayantim patim dasyati

Anurupa te prabho

[He has a grown-up daughter whose eyes are black. She is ready for marriage, and she has good character with her good qualities. She is also searching for good husband. Her parents will come to see, you are exactly suitable for her, just to deliver their daughter as your wife].

(Canto: Third. 21.27. 172)

Devahuti is born on the lap of nature and the girl is reared in the naturally beautiful place. The role of the sun, rain, air, and soil help her for her maturity. The writer believes that everything is found in the natural environment. These natural gifts are the boons for the birth and maturity of a person. Devahuti is a daughter of nature and the girl spends her childhood making good relationship with the physical environment. The narrator states that the parents are conscious about the culture of marriage of a marriageable daughter with an appropriate person and they search a husband for their daughter. But Devahuti searches a suitable suitor to marry her. In the physical environment, everything happens spontaneously according to time. She has self-awareness about her forthcoming marriage. It is her cultural ecofeminist attitude to get married in the right time with the right person.  

 The parents of Devahuti go to the hermitage of Kardama Muni with their marriageable daughter to propose him. During the Puranic period, it was an irrelevant and incredible matter to compel a marriageable boy to get married with the particular girl. But the cultural ecofeminist activities of Devahuti affect in the life of her parents. Vedavyasa mentions the idea of Devahuti’s father to Kardama Muni: “She heard about you from Narada and she determined to be your wife and no others’s” (quoted in Menon’s Canto: III. 103). Devahuti insists her parents to marry with the particular sage but not with others. In a patriarchal society, a boy goes to the house of a girl to ask her hand but the case is different in the life of Devahuti. She is successful to challenge the culture of her society by selecting her life partner herself according to her plans. As a cultural ecofeminist, J.L. Sashtri rightly mentions the intention of Devahuti about her marriage: “She desires to marry a husband who is suitable to her in age, character, excellences and other attributes” (Canto: III.22.9. 343). She thinks that she is capable in knowledge, age, beauty with good characters for marriage and the marriageable boy should also be like her. The environmental condition of the rivers and forest help her to make a bold decision of her marriage herself. During that Puranic period, Devahuti thinks ahead of her contemporary time and her thoughts are different from the thoughts of other women of her society. Environmental background plays the motivational factor to emphasize her thoughts of her cultural ecofeminism and to think about own marriage consciously by her in the patriarchal society.

  Like Devahuti, Devayani, presents her cultural ecofeminist voice both in her works and words. The brahmana girl becomes conscious about the superiority of her culture and she treats negatively to Sarmistha (a kshetriya girl). The brahmana girl quarrels with the kshetriya girl in the trivial matters (quoted in Menon 676). During the time of their quarrel, Sarmistha is conscious about cultural ecofeminism and she pushes Devayani into a well in forest. King Yayati comes there to quench his thirst during the time of hunting. As the king sees Devayani in the well, he rescues her by catching her hand. It is the cultural ecofeminism of the king to rescue to a lady during the time of her crisis. The ecological setting creates a situation in which there is the attraction between the two marriageable youngsters. When Devayani comes out of the well, she gets inspiration from the natural beauty. The young lady becomes bold and proposes the king. Prabhupada argues about it: “Oh King! You have accepted my hand, Oh conqueror of inimical cities!” (Canto: IX. 18.20.1219).  It is the praise of Devayani to the king in his helpful work for her. The culture of the king respects both nature and women so that physical environment of the forest changes his psychology. The Kshetriya king feels difficult to accept the proposal from the Brahmana girl. During this time, nature is presented herself as a character. Both the king and the beautiful girl forget their conscience and are attracted to each other because of the impression of the cultural ecofeminism in their lives. The king is entangled by two kinds of beauty- the beauty of nature and the beauty of the girl and he marries her.

4.2 Spiritual Ecofeminism

Spiritual ecofeminism advocates the worship of goddess, nature and the rights of women (L. Chen 68). Devahuti and Devayani promote the goddess psychomotor to reconstruct the relationship between nature and women. The spiritual ecofeminists love the natural things as Devahuti and Devayani in the Bhagavata Mahapurana and they think everything from the perspective of God and religion. If there are attacks in ecology, the spiritual ecofeminists believe that there may be question marks in the existence of God (quoted in Greta 44). We can get the mutual relationship between spiritualism and ecofeminism.  Everybody has to treat nature as an inhabitant of God on the one hand and the respect of women on the other hand. From this sort of concept, all the creatures remain happy. Devahuti begets nine daughters and the mother rears them in the environment where there is no sign of ecological crisis. Fresh environment helps for the maturity of her daughters without any sign of illness. The woman believes in the role of the natural spirit for caring her children. After the marriage of those daughters, the father decides to resume his penance in a dense forest having abandoned the materialistic life-style. But Devahuti expresses her desires to have a son with her husband (quoted in Menon 111). To think to have a son is the belief in the spiritualism.

  The concept of the spiritual ecofeminism makes Devahuti conscious in her life for begetting a son. Clements rightly observes: “She marries Sage Kardama with the certain knowledge that he will leave her after begetting a son for her. She is blessed from the Avatara (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu in the form of Sage Kapila.(654\55).  The woman is a predictor about her future due to her faith in the spiritual ecofeminism. Devahuti has her intention to marry sage Kardama for the birth of the incarnation of Lord Visnu. She is curious to gain the knowledge of Samkhya Yoga from her son and she begets Kapila. Sage Kardama, her husband goes away from her life for his penance because of his faith in spiritualism. Despite the absence of her husband in the hermitage, Devahuti plays the role of both parents for caring and rearing the son (Prabhupada Canto: III. 21. 32. 180). Having taken the inspiration from fresh environment, she performs her daily activities. As a doting mother, she completes her duty to the son. Her faith in the spiritual ecofeminism makes her active and courageous when her son is in his childhood. Later, the son teaches about Samkhya Yoga to his mother (Purnendu 71). The mother gets education about the philosophy of Samkhya Yoga and the “spiritual ecofeminism” from her scholarly son, Kapila. Her activities of the spiritual ecofeminism are useful to make Devahuti psychologically strong to face the problems of her life.

 The spiritual ecofeminism strengthens in the psychology of Devayani as well. The well in which King Yayati meets her at first is the venue to make a union between them. There might be the power of spirit for the sake of attraction between them. Devayani proposes him: “I would request you to accept me as your wife” (120). The spiritual ecofeminism makes her courageous even to propose to the king. Prabhupada argues mentioning the idea of Vedavyasa:

Yayatir anabhipretam

daivopahrtam atmanah

manas tu tad- vacah

pratijagraha tad-vacah

[This type of marriage is not sanctioned by regular scripture, king Yayati did not like it, but because it was arranged by providence and because he was attracted by Devayani’s beauty, he accepted her request.]

(Canto: VI.18. 23. 566.)

The king does not like to marry Devayani due to the difference of their castes. A brahman girl insists to marry the king which is difficult for Yayati to accept her proposal but the king becomes ghee in front the fire (quoted in Menon 676 ).The girl might use the spiritual power to draw the attention of the king. “The king is not in favor of marriage as it is against the code of ethics” (Kasturi 121). The ethics compels the king not to decide about the marriage in the forest immediately.

Devayani is a Brahman girl although she makes a bold decision for her marriage with the Kshetriya King Yayati. There was unlikely to be the inter caste marriage during the Puranic period of the patriarchal society even though Devayani raises her voice against the system of the male-dominated society with the help of the spiritual ecofeminism. Clements deals with the spiritual ecofeminism from the activities of Yayati: “He realizes infinite nature of her desire and becomes renunciant” (126).  The king believes in the spiritual ecofeminism and he does not react against Devayani. Even the father of the girl feels difficult to go against the desires of his daughter. Because of the inspiration of the spiritual ecofeminism, Devayani deals with the rights of her marriage and she becomes successful in it.

4.3 Social Ecofeminism

Social ecofeminism pays more attention to the analysis of hierarchal structure itself,

 emphasizing the dominant function of social and economic factors on the society and the reform of the social and economic system (L. Chen 68). The concept of the social ecofeminism becomes a motivational factor for Devahuti to succeed in her activities. To highlight the concept of the social ecofeminism through the characterization of Devahuti, the opinions of Rosemary Reuther are justifiable. The critic argues: “The feminist vision of new society of social justice must reckon with the ecological crisis” (273). Both the human destruction of nature and oppression of women are legitimized and perpetuated by hierarchal social structure.  Ecofeminists like Devahuti discuss on the significance of nature for the protection of women’s rights. “Devahuti” means “offering to Devas” which is known as the universal service (Purnendu 70). She is the progenitor of those forms of life which has the spiritual influence for the protection of the social ecofeminism. Her husband “Kardama” means mud. He was born to Brahma’s shadow (70). Devahuti, being wedded to the materialized shadow of the whole Universe, gives rise to certain female type. Being wedded to the seer, she becomes the progenitor of all the life-forms of the universe.

Devahuti requests her husband to have children and Sage Kardama does not deny her wills. Prabhupada cites the extract from the Bhagavata Mahapurana:

priyayah priyam anvicchan

kardamo yogam asthitah

vimanam kama –gam ksattah

tary evaviracikarat

[Seeking to please his beloved wife, the Sage Kardama exercised his yogic power and instantly produced an aerial mansion that cold travel at his will.]

(Canto: III. 23.13.265)

Kardama Muni is the master of the yoga and he respects the social ecofeminism as well. The seer uses his yogic power practically to build a mansion in air for travelling with his better-half. The wife has the social ecofeminist role not only in marriage but also for merrymaking and her husband accepts her plans of visit in the space. She has a dominant role of the social ecofeminism for begetting the children and the woman influences the activities and psychology of her husband. Sage Kardama takes Devahuti in the place where it is rich ecologically and he fulfills her desires.

 Devayani is an arrogant and quick-tempered young lady in her activities and behaviors. Like Devahuti, the girl is interested in the social ecofeminism. With the help of her contemporary society, the girl emphasizes in the ideas of ecofeminism (quoted in Menon 677).The social condition of the patriarchal society makes her bold to be independent and successful. The significance of the social ecofeminism is displayed with the help of her characterization. C L Goswami presents the scenario of the social ecofeminism when Devayani is roaming in a garden: “On one occasion, in the city garden, full of flowering trees and adorned with sandy strands of a lotus pond” (Canto: IX.18.6-7.68). The garden is the centre of attraction for Devayani. Her beauty links to the natural beauty and the girl becomes socially and ecologically conscious with her rights of the mate selection. The confidence of the girl works properly to succeed in the plans of her life.

4.4 Socialist Ecofeminism

The socialist ecofeminism analyses the natural domination and gender domination from the view of social and the economic development objecting to capitalist patriarchy caused the natural domination and gender domination and advocate the elimination of all practices (L. Chen 68).  This theory points out the oppression and injustice of women in society and their reactions about them. Kapila, the son of Devahuti dilates on the relations between purusa and prakriti using the illustration of the sun reflected on water and reflected on the wall (Menon 655). The son is supports the sun to highlight his ideas. In the absence of the sun there is not the existence of ecology. He mentions only the sun but not the moon. The sun symbolizes men and the moon is the symbol of women. Kapila ignores the existence of a woman as a human in the patriarchal society. Due to her oldness the mother does not react about it directly against her son. The mother understands the socialist ecofeminism even though it is not her time to talk about it because of her oldness.

The richness of prakriti strengthens the importance of the socialist ecofeminism. Vedavyasa emphasizes the richness of prakriti in the holy lake of Bindu –Sarovara. It is flooded by the water of the Saraswati River. “Kardama Muni undergoes austerities to gain causeless mercy of the Lord, and when the Lord arrives there, he sheds tears from pleasure and it becomes Bindu-Sarovara” (quoted in Prabhupada 186). Devahuti studies nature from the scenario of Bindu-Sarovara. She herself is as pure as the water of the Bindu-Sarovara and as thoughtful as the greenery scenario of the forest. Green color symbolizes contemplation which highlights the lifestyle, thoughts and the activities of the socialist ecofeminism through the activities of Devahuti in the epic.

Devayani is a socialist and ecofeminist in the Bhagavata Mahapurana in her activities. The girl is conscious about the injustice of women. The scenario of the garden makes her happy and the careful girl realizes socialist ecofeminism in that place. She meets Kacha there and from the inspiration of the garden, she proposes Kacha. The boy is a disciple of Sukracharyaand he resides in his hermitage after learning the science of reviving the dead. “Devayani expresses her love for him to become his wife” (Purnendu 114). This socialist action on ecofeminism of the girl is admirable. Being conscious about her rights in marriage, she does not expect the proposal of marriage from her desired person but she proposes herself without understanding his psychology. It is a challenging task against the patriarchal society of the Puranic period. But “Kacha refuses her proposal because of his consideration on Devayani as his sister” (Kasturi 118). When her first plan of mate selection is not succeeded, she realizes her humiliation. She thinks a question mark in her matchless beauty, purity, vanity, and the rights of her life. The girl is enraged and curses Kacha that his learning will be futile. It is her socialist ecofeminism role in her society and she does not care about the social rules in her marriage. Devayani is the socialist and ecofeminist in her marriage who thinks ahead of her time but she is victimized by the rules of the male dominated society.       

5. Conclusion

In the Bhagavata Mahapurana, Devahuti and Devayani are ecologically conscious female characters. They have self-awareness and they make the decision of their marriage having selected the life- partners themselves. Their principle of ecofeminism makes them bold and decisive in their lives. They have been associated with nature and they have been socialized to think the same dualities. These female characters become careful in their rights of lives and they support the significance of the natural world without making any harm to the creatures and the vegetation. The activities of Devahuti and Devayani get influenced by cultural ecofeminism, spiritual ecofeminism, social ecofeminism, and the socialist ecofeminism of the patriarchal society They violate the traditional notions of the gender system and reverse the hierarchy within the gender context. The voice of ecofeminism is raised from their actions in the text. Both the female characters are the pioneers for other women to use the rights of life. This Puranic text is useful to mention the rights of women and to preserve the ecology. They are the inspiring ladies for the ecofeminists of the present world whose footsteps are to be followed.

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