Yug Samantano Che

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Yug Samantano Che" by Sukhlal Sanghavi:

The text discusses the concept of "Yug Samanta" (equality of eras or ages), specifically examining the social dynamics between men and women and how societal structures can lead to one gender treating the other as a "pashu" (animal).

The author begins by referencing a verse from Tulsidas's Ramayana which describes women as akin to animals, suitable for scolding and punishment. The author posits that Tulsidas, being a prominent saint, likely wouldn't have had a personal bias against women. Instead, this description reflects the prevailing social condition of that time (and often continuing today) where economic and power structures are predominantly held by men. In such societies, women's potential and energy become confined within the narrow limits of domestic life, making them feel helpless despite their inherent capabilities. While women are adept at managing household affairs, men are often less so. However, because men control the crucial economic power, women become dependent and may even struggle to value their own strengths and abilities. Their worth is only truly recognized when men find themselves helpless without them. The text argues that the reason women were considered ignorant and deserving of punishment wasn't solely due to their physical or mental state, but primarily their economic dependence. The author contrasts this with women who work alongside men in fields outside the home, suggesting they often possess more self-respect than those who are solely homemakers. Therefore, the women Tulsidas refers to are likely those who are economically dependent.

The text then explores a second perspective: the idea that women can also "domesticate" men and treat them as animals, using them as they please. This occurs in societies where women are the primary breadwinners and men are dependent on their earnings. Such scenarios are observed in mountainous regions, or in places like Burma and Bali. However, a more intriguing, and perhaps more common, situation is when women in patriarchal societies also manage to turn men into their "animals." This might seem counterintuitive in a male-dominated world where men hold economic and political power. Yet, from a psychological standpoint, it's a common daily experience.

Even when men earn and hold power, they often bring their earnings home and rely on women. Their rest, recreation, and happiness become centered around women. In this environment, women's psychology develops in a way that focuses on how to further manipulate and control men and their wealth. This desire fosters skills in creating various attractions. Through these artistic attractions, women can motivate men to undertake risks and even travel to distant lands. Ultimately, these same arts are used to pull men back, ensuring they return home to satisfy the women. Thus, even after engaging in external pursuits like earning and gaining power, men can become playthings for women within the home. This is the state where women, through their own means, "herd" men like animals.

The text concludes by emphasizing that women, like men, are sentient beings with extraordinary potential. When societal structures don't allow these potentials to be expressed freely, they don't disappear but instead manifest in different, sometimes distorted, forms. The suppressed energy of women, when denied opportunities for earning, power, or independence, finds other ways to assert dominance. This manifests as flirtatious behavior, gestures, adornment, and other novel attractions designed to manipulate men. This artistic talent allows women to control men, directing their actions and thoughts, and then drawing them back into their sphere.

The author acknowledges that while men may turn women into animals, women also possess the artistic capability to turn men into animals. This is observable in contemporary urban and semi-urban lifestyles. The core question then becomes: how can this cycle of one gender treating the other as an animal be broken? The straightforward answer is to provide equal opportunities for both men and women to utilize their abilities without suppression, even if their life spheres are somewhat different. Women should have the opportunity to earn, thereby increasing their self-confidence and reducing their vulnerability to men's unchecked power. Furthermore, if women can earn, they wouldn't need to resort to creating artificial attractions to gain control over men's earnings. This would also lighten the burden on men.