DISCIPLINE

उर्ध्वाङ्गं अनुशासनं स्त्री अधोङ्गं च पुरुषगृहे |

तत्रैव रम्यन्ते देवताश्च तपोभूमिः प्रतिष्ठितम् ||

urdhvA~NgaM anushAsanaM strI adho~NgaM cha puruShagR^ihe |

tatraiva ramyante devatAshcha tapobhUmiH pratiShThitam.h ||

urdhwa = upper portion; angam = an organ of body; anushasanam = disciplined

stri = woman; adho = lower portion; angam = an organ of body; purusha = man

grihe = house (dwelling); tatreiva = over there (for sure); ramyante = is graced by

devta = the Gods; cha = and; tapobhumih = sanctified through austerity;

pratishthitam = is established

The dwelling (house) in which women have disciplined their upper organ (Of speech; जिव्हेंद्रीय) and men have disciplined their lower organ (Of sex; जनेन्द्रिय); Such place is graced by the Gods for sure and even (such a house) gets established as the Sanctified Land.

Nature has created Woman & Man as complimentary to each other. The same is even applicable to their physiological structure which in turn is designed to compliment one another for better or worse. We can see that there are two organs which can either take oneself to the upper heights of human achievement or towards the lowest plane of animalistic existence. In a woman's body that organ resides on the upper part of her body and in a man's body it is towards lower side. They are designed to generate both Contentment OR Chaos, depending upon the training it is subjected to. With a closer observation we shall also find many similarities among these two organs (1 Gyanendriya & 1 Karmendriya) and also importance of the role they play, especially in spiritual path.

History and Shastras indicate that in women (the stri nature) there is a weak spot when it comes to using one particular Gyanendriya. Which is why there has been more references to women (in Shastras too) suggesting them to practice - Madhubhashanam. Similarly, History and Shastras indicate that in men (the purusha nature) there is a weak spot when it comes to using one particular Karmendriya. Which is why there has been more references to men suggesting them to practice - Bramhacharyam. This is the understanding emerging out, while the word Griha in the text, is equated to 'dwelling of the Body' in a macro-cosmic sense.

While we can ponder upon history and shastras upon the validity of this comment, it is to be noted that, the words Stri & Purusha has been used denoting that particular aspect of Human Nature which is more commonly found in corresponding bodies of Women and Men, respectively. However, there are many personalities with a Man's body yet a more dominant Stri nature, and vice versa.

At a deeper level however, the word Griha in the text refers to that 'dwelling' which is occupied by the Atman. It is the Dwelling of the Atman, which is a Human Body. Thus, both Purusha and Stri nature resides in the same Body (dwelling). And in every Body, these two indriyas - 1 Gyanendriya and 1 Karmendiya plays a vital role, especially in the Spiritual Path. On one hand the tongue can be used to transmit knowledge while on the other end the same Gyanendriya crosses many limits for the sake of taste pleasure. Similarly, on one hand the Karmendriya is an essential tool for reproduction while on the other end the same Karmendriya crosses many limits for the sake of sex pleasure. Here, the same principal of Anushasanam (DISCIPLINE) applies to an individual 'dwelling' from a micro-cosmic sense.