There are some people who have the opinion that men are especially favoured by Parama Puruśa and that women are not; or that one man is equal to three women. This is dogma. These absurd ideas all originated in dogma. Any intelligent person can easily understand that these propositions are totally hollow and irrational. “The intellect of one man is equal to the intellect of three women” – it is a ridiculous statement. In reality, there may be some cases in which the intellect of one man may be equal only to that of two women. But then there may be other cases where the intellect of one woman may be equal to the intellect of twenty men. Such intelligent women can be found in the world. Or if we speak only of physical weight, then we may find some woman who weighs more than two men. Theoretical statements should not be accepted here.

Again, women covering their faces with burkas – is this rational? You know burkas have but tiny holes to see through, and women have to walk along the path peeping through these holes. This is inhuman and bestial. No civilized society, civilized country or civilized person should accept this kind of decree. These are naked dogmas.

There was a time in India when the ruling class would kidnap women. The burka was introduced throughout northern India, where this particular ruling class had undisputed authority, so that those wicked men could not see the women’s faces.

At that time dogma pervaded not just a few, but all aspects of life. Dogma in the psychic realm thwarts human progress. Dogma has long been rampant in our society, and wherever there is dogma, there cannot be proper conduct, or the development of rational intellect, or the thought of genuine sacrifice.