Category:Ideal Wife
Theme Analysis
The concept of an "ideal wife" in Vedic culture goes beyond mere domestic compatibility; it is rooted in unshakeable chastity and spiritual partnership. Śrīla Prabhupāda defines an ideal wife as one who accepts her husband's circumstances without complaint—whether in prosperity or poverty, in a palace or a forest. This unconditional support earns her the title of "better half." The archetypal relationship is that of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa, where the wife is as faithful to her husband as the Goddess of Fortune is to the Supreme Lord. Historical examples like Sītā, Gāndhārī, and Devahūti illustrate this standard. Sītā followed Lord Rāma into exile, and Gāndhārī embraced voluntary blindness to share her husband's fate. When a husband serves the Lord and the wife serves such a husband, they move together towards spiritual perfection.
- Unconditional Chastity: An ideal wife remains faithful regardless of material conditions. She does not abandon her husband when he faces poverty or hardship.
- The Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa Model: The perfect householder couple is compared to Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. The husband serves the Supreme Lord, and the wife serves the husband, creating a harmonious, spiritual atmosphere.
- Historical Examples:
- Sītā Devī: The supreme example who followed Lord Rāma to the forest rather than staying in comfort.
- Gāndhārī: The ascetic wife (tapasvinī) who shared the disability of her blind husband, Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
- Devahūti: The chaste wife (sādhvī) who served the great sage Kardama Muni with love and affection.
- Spiritual Destination: By acting together in this faithful relationship, both husband and wife become strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and return to Godhead.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Qualities of the Ideal Wife.
Pages in category "Ideal Wife"
The following 16 pages are in this category, out of 16 total.
A
- A man should be an ideal servant of the Lord, and a woman should be an ideal wife like the goddess of fortune. Then both husband and wife will be so faithful and strong that by acting together they go back to Godhead, without a doubt
- An ideal husband and wife are generally called Laksmi-Narayana to compare them to the Lord and the goddess of fortune, for it is significant that Laksmi-Narayana are forever happy as husband and wife
- As Lord Ramacandra is the ideal husband (eka-patni-vrata), mother Sita is the ideal wife. Such a combination makes family life very happy. Yad yad acarati sresthas tat tad evetaro janah: whatever example a great man sets, common people follow
I
- I think of you very often that you are a most ideal devotee wife. Your husband is working very hard and nicely in KC, and when the husband is executing his activities very nicely it is credit not only to the husband, but it is a credit to his wife also
- Ideal wife must be prepared to accept any circumstances of the husband. Not that when the husband is rich the wife is faithful, & when he has come down to be poor or he's going to forest wife gives up his company. Wife means better half. She must abide
S
- Saubalini, or Gandhari, daughter of King Subala and wife of King Dhrtarastra, was ideal as a wife devoted to her husband. The Vedic civilization especially prepares chaste and devoted wives, of whom Gandhari is one amongst many mentioned in history
- She (Devahuti) served him (Kardama Muni) with great love and affection, and she knew how to please him. Therefore, she is designated here (SB 3.23.1) as sadhvi, which means "a chaste, faithful wife." Her rare example is the ideal of Vedic civilization
- She (Gandhari) was an ideal woman as mother, wife and ascetic, and in the history of the world such character in a woman is rarely found
- She (Mother Laksmiji) is an ideal wife because she takes care of Lord Narayana in every detail. She takes care not only of His lotus feet but of the household affairs of the Lord as well
T
- The sixteen thousand queens, headed by the goddess of fortune Rukminidevi, the ideal wife of Lord Krsna, and accompanied by their respective sons, all followed behind Lord Krsna
- There are many good qualities in Mahabharata about Gandhari. Therefore she is described here as tapasvini. Tapasvini. Very chaste, faithful wife. Ideal wife
- This is ideal wife. She (Sita) could have refused, "Oh, Your father has ordered to go to forest. You can go. I shall go to my father's house or I shall remain here." No. This is ideal wife. She must be prepared to accept any circumstances of the husband
- This reciprocation of service and love between husband and wife is the ideal of a householder's life