India’s Spiritual Heroines

India's Spiritual Heroines, Nandini Kapadia brings us fascinating biographies of paradigmatic female sages, ascetics, bhakti saints, and mystics of all times. Meet these outstanding women whose destinies propelled them to take the road less travelled and reach lofty spiritual heights.

I would like to begin by invoking Shakti, the All-Powerful Mother of the Universe, whose divine inspiration has made this book possible. History tells us that the Vedic society was patriarchal and patrilineal, where women were largely relegated to playing a secondary role. Yet, defying the odds, some rose to fame as seer-composers of hymns in the Rig Veda. And some gained respect as Brahmavadinis or scholars in expounding the scriptures. Notwithstanding the thousands of years of male dominance, every era has witnessed remarkable women who broke the meld to follow their calling. Their power could not be suppressed by the disadvantages they may have faced because of their gender. Bhakti saints, sages, mystics, ascetics, yoginis, and jnanis from all corners of the country have left behind a rich spiritual and cultural heritage. Fortunately, today, as the tide slowly changes in women's favour, I sincerely hope their outstanding achievements and attainments get the pride of place they deserve in the annals of history.

For millenniums, India has been home to people who engaged in an intense search for inner discovery. Many of these were women who were unknown beyond their family circles. Some who achieved fame we know about, and now we can meet many more in the pages of Nandini Kapadia's India's Spiritual Heroines. This volume, which spans hundreds, in some cases, even thousands of years of spiritual history, is a treat to read. We are transported into the society of the times, its attitudes, moral concepts, and practices as we watch the sage find her way through life's maze and finally reach Self- realization. Their endeavours to discover what touched them deeply, what called them irresistibly, was often not easy. They faced misunderstandings and pressures from their kith and kin; at times, even attempts to kill them. But nothing could stop them, and eventually, they were recognized even by those who initially tried to obstruct them.

What a gift to all of us! This inspired collection weaves together the stories of thirty-three divine women of India. The author, Nandini Kapadia, has lovingly described each saint's unique history and spiritual predilection in India's Spiritual Heroines. Pieced together through extensive research, memoirs, biographies, and other materials, the author has skilfully presented the personalities and life circumstances of each of these outstanding women. She shows that there is no one path to spiritual fulfilment but rather a myriad of roads leading to God. Perhaps among them, you will find one that speaks strongly to you. Across the ages, women have been making profound contributions to the spiritual knowledge of humankind. Although we do not often hear about them, it does not mean that great women leaders have been absent from the spiritual realm. Rather, as you will see in these pages, they have been with us all along, and, as a result, their contributions are deeply entwined in the spiritual fabric of India. Unlike other major religions, Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority, founder, or single text to represent it. Although it has many denominations, such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, many practicing Hindus do not belong to any specific lineage or denomination. Sanatana Dharma is primarily a way of life with liberal moorings rather than a set of dogmatic commandments to be followed.