SINGLE MOTHERHOOD AND EMPOWERMENT: AN ETHICAL INTERPRETATION REFLECTED THROUGH INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

Sayani Bhattacharya

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i03.47005

SINGLE MOTHERHOOD AND EMPOWERMENT: AN ETHICAL INTERPRETATION REFLECTED THROUGH INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

Author(s)	Dr. Sayani Bhattacharya
Country	India
Abstract	In the early stages of creation, there may not have been any distinction between men and women, but the moment men realized that their physical strength was greater than that of women, they asserted dominance over women, leading to the formation of a patriarchal society. This patriarchal society is an institution that dictates women's roles, constantly determining the scope of their activities. It elevates motherhood to a divine status, yet deprives women of many of their rights. They claim that motherhood is innate to women, so from birth, the concepts of family and childbearing are ingrained in their minds. According to this patriarchal view, motherhood through the act of mothering is viewed as the most important trait. However, in the current era of women's empowerment leading to empowerment of motherhood, mothers, independent of the patriarchal family have developed their identities based on their own freedom and rights. By relying on economic self-sufficiency and mental strength, a mother has formed a new family free from patriarchy and male dominance. In this family, she is both the giver and bearer of life. By balancing her profession and motherhood, she has made motherhood multidimensional. She has established that patriarchal-free single motherhood is not inherently bad. Therefore, in today's time motherhood outside the boundaries of patriarchy has established itself on solid moral standards. In the traditional discourse of the four divisions of Indian philosophy, following the path of dharma, women have engaged in appropriate duties. The highest principle of the four divisions, moksha, understood as liberation from the bonds of karma. In this context, single motherhood has also achieved liberation, but from the shackles of patriarchy and the bonds of subjugation. Motherhood is not only properly expressed within the family; even beyond the family, single mothers can successfully nurture their children's growth. Just as a company flourishes through the proper execution of duties, a single mother can appropriately nurture her motherhood, thereby being recognized as a good mother according to moral standards. Keywords: patriarchy, single motherhood, empowerment, morality, moksha.
Keywords	Patriarchy, Motherhood, Empowerment, Moksha, Dharma
Field	Sociology > Philosophy / Psychology / Religion
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 3, May-June 2025
Published On	2025-06-04
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i03.47005
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g9m7jm

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SINGLE MOTHERHOOD AND EMPOWERMENT: AN ETHICAL INTERPRETATION REFLECTED THROUGH INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

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