I have learned a lot through Instagram — corporate tricks, girl life hacks, recipes, and a few social concepts. The one thing that we all think Instagram introduced us to is consent. But is consent a new concept, or has it existed for centuries? Well, the bougie-sounding idea of not being a pushover and standing up for yourself isn’t a 21st-century concept. Consent dates back almost 2,000 years and was introduced to us by the legendary writer of Ramayana, Valmiki. Now, you may wonder how a so-called Gen Z idea fits into the ancient world of Valmiki’s Ramayana. Read on to find out.

Consent is consent, and it is gender neutral

We might believe consent is a new generation concept that came into existence through social media. Let me burst your bubble — it isn’t. Here’s a small example from Valmiki’s writings that are anything but new. If you’ve ever read, heard, or seen any version of Ramayana, you might be able to recall Surpanakha, Ravan’s sister and a demoness. During her frequent visits to the forest, she is infatuated by Ram’s youthful good looks and decides to approach him by taking a beautiful avatar. She steps into Ram’s residence, where he is in exile with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, to try and lure him into marrying her. Ram, a married prince, refused her proposal. Furious upon being denied, Surpanakha attacked Sita, only to be taken down by Lakshman, who cut her nose.

So, what do we take away from the story? Ram respectfully denied Surpanakha’s advances and didn’t give her his consent. Now, that’s not something you learn from scrolling through reels, folks.

Consent through years

Similarly, when you look at Sita or Draupadi’s characters, both women refuse to be taken away or become pawns in someone else’s game. Over the years, we have seen courtesans living on their own terms and refusing to be anyone’s property. They were free agents who chose to do as they wished and had unmatched power in society. They preached consent, never gave in to anyone’s wishes and stood their ground, no matter what consequences they faced. So, when did the idea of women and consent being a 21st-century thing become popular? All when TikTokers and creators started posting scripts online to educate their viewers.

In an episode of AfterHours with All About Eve, author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik delves into the concept of consent and how it has been a part of society for ages. He explores the role of consent in mythological texts and how it has evolved through the years. Check out the episode for an enlightening chat.

Watch the episode here.

Featured Image Source

Related: Does The Kama Sutra Only Talk About Intimacy And Sex Positions?