Govinda Mas

Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11
…………………..

Advisor: Govinda Mas Focus on Women

HH Bhakti Raghava Swami Volume: 03
bhakti.raghava.swami@pamho.net Issue: March’11-April’11

Editor: Vrndavanlila dd Highlights of the issue:

vrindavanlila.brs@gmail.com
Co-Editor: Bhartur Varta-Dharma Nishthaya
HG Rasamandal Das
Rasamandal.BRS@pamho.net Varna Occupations for Women Destroy Dharma

Editorial Consultant: Woman: Aham Brahma Asmi…

HG Hari Kirtan Das Women in Krishna Consciousness: Qs and As
hkd75@yahoo.com
Women in the Vedic Tradition
Conception & Design:
Vrndavanlila dd When the Husband Is Not a Devotee
vrindavanlila.brs@gmail.com ISKCON, Woman and Varnashrama

Mrs. Wax: I realize that we're all considered spirit souls. But can a woman be first -class if she...
Prabhupāda: Anyone can become first-class. Woman can become first-class if she is
chaste and very much attached to husband. And if the husband is first-class, she becomes first-class.
Because woman's duty is to follow husband. So if the husband is first-class, the wife is first-class, if she sticks to
the husband.
Mrs. Wax: But she can never be first-class unless she has a first class husband.
Prabhupāda: No, she is first class by following faithfully husband. And if the husband is first-class, then woman is
first-class. [Room Conversation, July 5, 1975, Chicago]
***
"These women are not ordinary women. They are preachers. They are Vaishnavas. By their association one
becomes a Vaishnava." [Morning walk, March 27, 1974]

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Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11

The words bhartur - -

, then vānaprastha, then sannyāsī, and the

wife is taught just to follow the husband strictly in all conditions
of life. After the period of brahmacarya, a man accepts a
householder's life, and the woman is also taught by her parents to
be a chaste wife. Thus when a girl and boy are united, both are
trained for a life dedicated to a higher purpose. The boy is trained
to execute his duty in accordance with the higher purpose of life,
and the girl is trained to follow him. The chaste wife's duty is to
keep her husband pleased in householder life in all respects, and when the husband retires from family
life, she is to go to the forest and adopt the life of vānaprastha, or vana-vāsī. At that time the wife is to
follow her husband and take care of him, just as she took care of him in householder life. But when the
husband takes the renounced order of life, namely sannyāsa, the wife is to return home and become a
saintly woman, setting an example for her children and daughters-in-law and showing them how to live a
life of austerity. [SB 4:23:20, Purport]
***
Devotee: "After reaching his own camp, Arjuna, along with his dear friend and charioteer (Sri Krsna), entrusted the
murderer unto his dear wife, who was lamenting for her murdered sons. "Sri Suta Gosvami said: Draupadi then saw
Asvatthama, who was bound with ropes like an animal and silent for having enacted the most inglorious murder. Due
to her female nature, and due to her being naturally good and well-behaved, she showed him due respects as a
brahmana."
…Prabhupada: …athopetya sva-sibiram / govinda-priya-sarathih
nyavedayat tam priyayai / socantya atma-jan hatan
tathahrtam pasuvat pasa-baddham / avan-mukham karma-jugupsitena
niriksya krsnapakrtam guroh sutam / vama-svabhava krpaya nanama ca
So this is already explained in the purport that woman's nature is very mild, and man's nature very strong. That is the
difference. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman must be protected because they are very simple.
They can be led to goodness also very easily, and they can be polluted also very easily. By nature, they are very
simple. Therefore sastra says that... Just like child. If you mold the character of a child from the very beginning, then
he can become a great man. Similarly, if you train woman from the very beginning how to become chaste and faithful
to the husband, they can become a very good mother, very good asset in the family.

So there is sufficient information in the Vedic literatures how a man should be trained up, a boy should be trained up,
a girl should be trained up, so that in future they may become happy. The ultimate aim of life is how to become
connected with Krsna. That is the ultimate. Athato brahma jijnasa. If I say to anybody that "Your ultimate goal of life is
to understand Krsna or Visnu," naturally there will be inquiries: "Who is Krsna? What is Krsna? What does He do?"
So many questions. That question is recommended in the Vedanta-sutra, athato brahma jijnasa. That is life. So the
boys and girls should be trained up how to inquire about the ultimate goal of life, Krsna or Visnu. That they do not
know in the modern civilization. That they do not know. Not merely in the modern civilization. In the past also, those
who were entrapped by the modes of material nature, ahankara-vimudhatma, the material conception of life, false
ego... Ahankara this is called... Ahankara there is. But when we are in a false ahankara, that is our cause of all
trouble, miseries. Ahankara, ahan... If we become entrapped in false ahankara, then we are vimudhatma, entrapped
by nature. That is the difficulty. [SB1.7.43, Vrndavana, October 2, 1976]

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Issue: March’11 –April’11

Varna Occupations for Women Destroy Dharma

he issue of traditional occupations vs. non-traditional occupations for men and women alike

T has become less of a contention in modern day society. The shift from agrarian to urban
lifestyle (“the global urban wave”), which continues to go unabated in present day
“developing” countries, has taken deep roots with global urban population expected to reach
70% of the earth’s population by year 2050. [1] This had brought about more and more acceptance
of the changing roles of men and women as cited in the following article:
Myth: A man’s place is in the workforce making money and as the breadwinner in the family.
Fact: Although more women than men are the main caregiver in
their families, more and more fathers are becoming the primary
parent for their child(ren). More fathers are staying home and
taking care of their children while the wife/mother works, more
fathers are participating equally in the housework and childcare
in their family, and more fathers have sole or shared custody of
their child(ren) in situations of divorce. With most
wives/mothers working full-time, fathers need to participate
fully in the important job of raising their children. [2]
Such a mentality has become mainstream for an increasing
number of people in pursuit of the ‘American Dream’ (not only in
North America but around the world) putting into question the
traditional understanding and acceptance of varnas and hence
the whole system of varnasrama which is described in the Vedic literatures as the most scientific
and practical social system meant to help one advance in reaching the real goal of life, spiritual
emancipation which culminates in Krishna consciousness.
While the above observations are undoubtedly true and verifiable through statistics, the fact
remains that such trends are not necessarily beneficial for individuals or society even though
seemingly appealing to many. To the contrary, Vedic authorities view this shift from the rural to the
metropolis as increasingly not only problematic but highly destructive. Such drastic societal
changes uproot the very foundation of what is meant to be a civilized people whose primary goal
and objective in life should be ‘consciousness building’ or ‘consciousness development’ as opposed
to mere ‘economic development’. Today’s consumer oriented cities increase the unnecessary
necessities of life while making us increasingly alienated to the real values of life such as mother
earth, the sacredness of all forms of life, especially the cows, humanity in general, what to speak of
spirituality itself.
Modern ‘liberalized’ life standards where men and women are allowed to easily mix together and
where women are encouraged to take up the same occupations as men open the doors to all types
of anomalies. From a Vedic point of view, these are regarded as dangerous and major deviations.
Non-traditional occupations, as taken up today by women as well as by men, are the cause of major
upheavals and disturbances for individuals and society at large as they create both physical and
emotional health hazards (See article STRESS KILLS), [3] disrupt normal relationships and in
particular destroy the family nucleus, the basis for a healthy, balanced and progressive society.

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Issue: March’11 –April’11
Therefore, in the Vedic culture, marriage and family responsibilities are not only highly
recommended for women, they are actually compulsory since the traditional occupation for women
is meant to be that of devoted wives and loving mothers, however archaic and outdated this may
seem to many. Sex life is also meant to be confined within married life ‘only’; another antiquated
concept for most ‘modernized’ people.
“According to Vedic civilization, without marriage, no sex life is allowed. Therefore marriage is
compulsory. In every human society, there is marriage. But according to Vedic civilization, marriage
is compulsory, samskara. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, strisu dustasu varsneya jayate
varna-sankarah. If the women are not married, then varna-sankara population will increase. It is
said. And as soon as there is
varna-sankara population,
the whole world will be in
chaotic condition.” [4]
Although women will
naturally inherit the qualities
of a particular varna due to
their being born within a
particular family, or due to
marrying someone from a
particular varna, it should be made very clear that women, as a
class, do not receive formal training to take up any of the four varna occupations, namely that of
brahmana, ksatriyas, vaisya or sudra. In the discussions held between Srila Prabhupada and his
senior disciples on the topic of varnasrama college, when asked if women would also be admitted to
study in the varnasrama college, Srila Prabhupada replied to the negative:
Satsvarupa: Srila Prabhupada, is this school for women also, or just for men?
Prabhupada: For men. Women should automatically learn how to cook, how to cleanse home.
Satsvarupa: So they don't attend varnasrama college.
Prabhupada: No, no. Varnasrama college [is] especially meant for the brahmana, ksatriya
and vaisya. Those who are not fit for education, they are sudras. That's all. Or those who are
reluctant to take education—sudra means. That's all. They should assist the higher class. [5]
This does not mean that women do not receive any education. Their education, and it can be quite
extensive as well as enunciated in the sixty-four activities in fine arts and crafts [6], is meant to help
them take up the lifelong and noble duties of responsible mothers and grandmothers. The Vedic
culture gives utmost stress to the need and importance of upholding family tradition through the
sacred ceremony or samskara called marriage. There are ten kinds of purificatory processes, dasa-
vidha samskara, to be adopted within a civilized society. Marriage is also defined as the union of
male and female for the purpose of creating good progeny, which in itself forms the basis of a stable
and healthy society. Society otherwise produces varna sankara, unwanted population as we see
rampant today, where women engage in dangerous, unnatural and sinful activities of abortion and
contraceptives, what goes under the attractive name ‘family planning’.
“Prabhupada: Sankaro narakayaiva. When there are unwanted children, then the family tradition,
the family obligation, they are all forgotten. At the present moment, nobody knows that after death
there is life, and still such life is connected with the family, the forefathers and the descendants.
Nothing of this science is known at the present moment… This subtle regulation of family
connection is unknown at the present moment, and still they are very proud of advancement of
knowledge… But kula-striyah, family women, they have got so many obligations… the wife is so

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important. If there is chaste wife, she can help the husband in these four principles of life, dharma
artha kama moksa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Adi 1.90], dhara samprati hetuta. If we can train up nice wife, or
the society trains the girls to become nice wife, she becomes a great source of energy to the
husband. Dharma-artha-kama-moksa dhara sampra.... And if they are polluted, they become source
of the sankara, varna-sankara. [7]
The role of women within our Vedic system that propounds essentially an agrarian based lifestyle is
to assist the husband carry out his particular varna or occupation. It is not that a ‘brahmani’
performs the same duties of a ‘brahmana’ and thus becomes a ‘female’ brahmana. A ‘brahmani’ is
the wife of a brahmana who, due to close association with the duties and responsibilities of that
particular varna, will naturally learn many things about the brahmana varna and in exceptional and
rare cases may also take up certain activities of that varna. The same can be said for all other three
varnas. The wife is not meant to take up the social occupation of a ksatriya, nor that of a vaisya nor
that of a sudra, as we see artificially done in present day society. Some devotee women may be an
exception. “For preaching purposes,” they may be allowed to take up some activities of the
brahmana varna and even ksatriya varna. But what is meant to be an exception among devotees
should not be advertised or promoted as a rule within our ISKCON society, what to speak of the
general society. A small example that we are seeing in present day modern ISKCON society is the
use of the word ‘prabhu’ for women. This is artificial,
misleading and a disservice to the varnasrama mission.
Srila Prabhupada gave us all sound advice on how to rectify
our present misguided society and we should hear closely
those words of wisdom. Although these instructions are
directed to his American disciples, we should know that
they are equally applicable to any society who is imitating
the American way: “If the American people are serious
about curbing the degraded criminal life of their nation,
they must take to the Krishna consciousness movement and
try to create the kind of human society advised in
Bhagavad-gita (catur-varnyam maya sristam guna-karma-
vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]). They must divide their society into
first-class men, second-class men, third-class men and fourth-class men. Since they are now
creating only men who are less than fourth class, how can they avoid the dangers of a criminal
society? Long, long ago, Lord Indra regretted his disrespect to his spiritual master, Brhaspati.
Similarly, it is advised that the American people regret their mistaken advancement in civilization.
They should take advice from the spiritual master, the representative of Krishna. If they do so, they
will be happy, and theirs will be an ideal nation to lead the entire world.” [8]
References:
[1] http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=new-trend-rising-in-the-world-urbanism-2011-03-28
[2] http://uhcc.hawaii.edu/nontrad/myths_facts.php
[3] http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/06/stories/2010120662870100.htm
[4] Veda Base: Lecture at World Health Organization, Geneva, June 6, 1974
[5] Veda Base: Varnasrama College, March 14, 1975, Morning Walk, Vrindavan
[6] Sri Brahma-samhita, 5.37, Purport
[7] Veda Base: Lecture, Gita 1.41-42, London, July 1973
[8] Veda Base: SB 6.7.12

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Issue: March’11 –April’11

• Varnashrama Musings
Woman : Aham Brahma Asmi…

- Vrndavanlila dd

c haitanya Mahaprabhu rejected varnasrama in conversation with Ramananda Raya

naham vipra na ca narapatir napi vaisyo na sudro
naham varni na ca grhapatir no vanastho yatir va
kintu prodyan nikhila paramananda-purnamrtabdher
gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanu-dasah (Cc, Madhya 13.8, Padyavali 74)
"I am not a brahmana, nor a ksatriya; I am not a vaisya nor a sudra, I am not a brahmacari, nor a
householder, not a vanaprastha, not a sannyasi. But since Lord Sri Krsna , the maintainer of the
gopis and the overflowing ocean of nectar, is the only source of universal, transcendental bliss, I
claim to be a servant to the servant of the servant of His lotus feet."
Our real identity is the transcendental identity, “gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanu-
dasah” as Gauranga Mahaprabhu would explain. It
appears very attractive to us; just not because it Prabhupada: Not required. Caitanya
states the ultimate truth, but surprisingly, also Mahaprabhu denied, "I am not brahmana, I am
because it pampers our ego - we are ‘vaishnavas’, not ksatriya, I am not this, I am not this." He
above brahmanas. We may derive pleasure in rejected. But in the Bhagavad-gita, the catur-
saying, “I am not this body, I am a spirit soul.” “My varnyam maya srstam. So we are Krsna...,
varna is not a woman, but a spirit soul.” preaching Krsna consciousness. It must be
done.
Spiritually there is no distinction between a man Hari-sauri: But in Caitanya Mahaprabhu's
practical preaching He only induced them to
and a woman, anybody can scale any height. The
chant.
gopis of Vrindavan are personification of height of
Prabhupada: That is not possible for
bhakti bhava. Vishakha devi, seeing the suffering ordinary man…The chanting will be there, but
of Srimati Radharani in the absence of Krsna (who you cannot expect that people will chant like
was then with Chandravali) cursed Him to suffer Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They cannot even chant
sixteen rounds. (And) these rascals are going to
the same emotion of separation and agony (You be Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
shall cry, cry, and cry!) as her prana-sakhi (Srimati Satsvarupa: No. But if they at least will chant
Radharani) had. The Supreme Lord’s most and take some prasada...
merciful form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, whose Prabhupada: Chanting will go on. That is not
lotus eyes were always tearful in separation from stopped. But at the same time the varnasrama-
dharma must be established to make the way
the Lord, is the result of the curse (blessing in easy.
disguise for the devotees) of Vishakha devi.
(Room conversation in Mayapur, February 14,
1977)
Aham Brahma asmi. While it is the truth, it has to
be understood in the right perspective lest it turns spiritually self-destructive - we are in the relative
world after all. If we humbly and sincerely try to explore into our hearts we would realize that the
said transcendence is very difficult to achieve. I do not rule out the possibility and even presence of
great souls even amongst us who have achieved this perfection but they are very very rare.

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bahūnām janmanām ante jñānavān mām prapadyate
vāsudevah sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhah [BG 7.19]

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to
be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

In general we are all on the path to that perfectional state, with different devotees serving from
different planes of realization. Understanding of general conditioning or limitations imposed by our
body will only help us fighting it successfully. Chanting or harinam is definitely the yuga-dharma and
it should not stop under any circumstance. It is a great cleanser but how many of us are like Haridas
Thakur?

Prabhupada: Because it will cleanse the mind. Chanting will not stop.
Hari-sauri: So therefore the chanting was introduced to replace all of the systems of varnasrama
and like that.
Prabhupada: Yes, it can replace, but who is going to replace it? The... People are not so
advanced. If you imitate Haridasa Thakura to chant, it is not possible.
(Room conversation in Mayapura, February 14, 1977)

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s chanting could make even ferocious animals like tiger also forget their
nature imposed by their material body and enjoy the Nama-sankirtana in the Jharikhanda forest.
Haridas Thakur’s chanting was so pure that he could effortlessly bring a heart change even in the
prostitute (he could achieve what great Vishwamitra could not). But are we on the same platform?
Both qualitatively and quantitatively, we are a far cry from Haridas Thakur. His chanting had
transformed the prostitute, but if we are simply able to continue with our chanting without offence
even in her absence, it is an achievement.

“Being gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanu-dasah is the true transcendental identity. But

with layers of conditioning on our consciousness, encased in the material body we forget ourselves in
different identities – “I am an Indian; I am a Hindu, I am a woman or a man, I have a Ph.d., I am the
Senior Manager etc." These are all upadhis, the disguises of the soul and we have to aspire for

sarvopadhi vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam

hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate

"Bhakti is defined as the engagement of the senses in the service of the Proprietor of the senses. This
service is to be free from any contamination by identity with the body, and pure through being
exclusively fixed on Him." (Bhakti-rasamrta Sindhu quoting Narada Pancaratra )

But have we achieved that transcendental plane? The nature of soul is – sad+cit+ananda (eternal,
full of knowledge and blissful). The animals around us, even the plants and trees have the same soul,
same quality of the soul; but their consciousness is so low that it is very difficult for them to jump out
of it. So much is the effect of this bahya (external) superfluous material body! Is this conditioning so

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easy to conquer? In human form we have an opportunity to chant and come out of it but is it so easy
to break the conditioning that has been on us from millions and millions of lifetimes? We are full of
bliss then why do we cry in pain when hurt (recall Bhakta Prahlad who was a vaishnava), we feel the
pangs of hunger; we feel thirst and need water to quench the thirst, we treat when sick… We behave
according to our gender, like a man or a woman, we dress like a man or a woman. Not just that, we
even marry which is based on our identification with body.

Even Lord Siva was momentarily bewildered by the

illusory potency of the Lord, who are we compared to
Him?

ayi vyapaśyas tvam ajasya māyām

para-devatāyāh
kalānām r abho 'pi muhye
yayāvaśo 'nye kim utāsvatantrāh [SB 8.12.43]

[Lord Śiva said: O Goddess, you have now seen the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the unborn master of everyone. Although I am one of the principal expansions of
His Lordship, even I was illusioned by His energy. What then is to be said of others, who are fully
dependent on māyā?]
“The basic principles of irreligiosity,
such as pride, prostitution,
Our desire may be sincere, but our ambience is not so intoxication and falsehood, counteract
conducive. There are more than enough examples to show the four principles of religion, namely
austerity, cleanliness, mercy and
the wonderful working of maya, even within our own
truthfulness. The personality
society. It is thus more effective to take a humbler and of Kali was given permission to live in
safer position in a daiva varnasrama and discharge our four places particularly mentioned by
the King, namely the place of
duties according to the Vedic injunctions. gambling, the place of prostitution,
the place of drinking and the place of
Sadly in this age, the general mass is of varnasankaras. animal slaughter.” [SB, Purp, 1.17.38].
Further, the four regulatives that Srila Prabhupada gave us In order to protect the devotees from
the attack of Kali, Srila Prabhupada
to protect the devotees from the attack of Kali and reinstate gave us the four regulatives (no meat
the four legs of dharma is very difficult to observe despite eating as the basic principle of Krishna
Consciousness.
sincerity.
• No eating of meat, fish or eggs -
[Principle of mercy or daya]
In this age, every pillar of spiritual growth has crumbled
down. Unconsciously we are a part of civilization that • No illicit sex - [Principle of Austerity
or tapas]
thrives on slaughterhouse, total sense aggrandizement,
• No gambling - [Principle of
gambling (stock market), and dirt (internally as well as Truthfulness or satyam]
externally). Sitting on the debris of violated vows what • No intoxication (including alcohol,
kind of liberating chanting will we be able to do? Isn’t it caffeine, tobacco and other
recreational drugs) - [Principle of
simpler to acknowledge the power of Kali and equip
Cleanliness or Śaucam]
ourselves to safety by resorting to the structure of daiva

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varnasrama dharma? Its Krsna-centric living can only facilitate the chanting and one day lead
everybody to the perfectional stage where we can actually relish His name.

Similarly, how can a woman be above the material conditioning? She also has to perform her dharma
– stri dharma as given in the scriptures (Refer to HH Bhakti Raghva Swami’s article “Vedic View of
Women” in the last issue). Simply serve the husband, who in turn serves the Guru, Guru ultimately
serves the Lord in the disciplic succession. If there is a break in the service-chain anywhere, the
person who fails to render the service is at the suffering end. So if we have to realize our selves, we
need to serve according to our dharma.

Many women cite spiritual blindness of their husband as a sufficient reason to not to serve or worse
(to divorce). Although at several places Srila
Prabhupada said that a chaste woman need not serve
a fallen husband (naradhama), but if we see
practically this was advised only in extreme
situations. He instructed even his own sister to serve
her husband dedicatedly without any complaints,
despite he having all the vices - a meat eater,
drunkard, woman-hunter. She did, and it is a history
how he turned around completely after a few years.
This situation does not give license to men to do
anything sinful, it only means that a woman’s path of
liberation is much easier, it lies in her sincerely
following and assisting her husband with reverence
and intimacy. Indian history is replete with such
examples; Queen Mandodari, wife of king Ravana,
personification everything demoniac, is also one of
the Satis; Gandhari devi was married to Dhratrashtra, about whom we all heard so much. Bhagavad-
gita opens with his speech clearly displaying his material attachment, spiritual blindness,
selfishness, irresponsibility, and adharmi nature. His wife, Gandhari never gave up on him and f
ollowed her path of stri dharma. She was so chaste that she covered her eyes when she realized that
she would be marrying a blind king, so is the case with Vrinda devi, who was married to demon king
Jalandhar. This simple path of chastity and following the husband in itself endows the women with
such spiritual power that even the Supreme Lord honors it. For instance, the Lord gracefully honored
the curse of His devotee, Gandhari devi and of Vrinda devi. When they cursed, what did the Lord do?
He gladly accepted it, even though it meant complete erasion of His dynasty and then because of
Vrinda devi’s curse He later appeared as Shaligram shila in Gandaki river. Why should the Lord
accept the curses and ‘undergo’ this ‘tribulation’? He is setting an example for us to show how He
respects a person, man or a woman who respect His timeless injunctions. It is therefore important
for every woman to not just know the stri-dharma but also follow it sincerely. Hare Krsna!!

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Issue: March’11 –April’11

•
Women In Krishna Consciousness–Questions
& Answers •

- HG Vishakha Devi Dasi

The first step in spiritual understanding is to transcend the bodily concept of life. To think I am a
man or I am a woman is to be in illusion. The body is a material dress for the soul, a dress that’s
changing from moment to moment, as the body develops, and will change entirely at death. But
the constant within the body is the soul, which is not subject to any of these changes.
Q. Why should women be interested in Krishna consciousness?
A. So they can realize they’re not women! If we think of ourselves as “women,” we reveal our
ignorance of our actual identity. The word woman refers to the temporary material body, not to
the eternal, spiritual soul, the person within the body. In maybe forty or sixty years, the body I’m
wearing will perish, and I’ll no longer be a Woman. But the living force, the soul within the body,
won’t perish. Krishna consciousness provides an understanding of the relationship between the
soul and matter and the Supreme Soul, Krishna. Human intelligence is meant for contemplating
these subjects, not for dwelling on materialistic thoughts based on a false identification with the
temporary body.
Q. What do you think of the women’s liberation movement?
A. The highest liberation is to go back home, back to Godhead, and never again face the
miseries of birth, old age, disease, and death. Although the women’s liberation movement may
offer some worthwhile proposals, it generally ignores this highest goal. But by becoming Krishna
conscious, a woman is liberated in this life and the next; so Krishna consciousness is the real
women’s liberation movement.
Q. In the Krishna consciousness movement, what is the position of women devotees?
A. From the spiritual viewpoint, men and women (and all other living entities) are equal. The
soul within the body is part and parcel of Krishna and is equal in quality and quantity to all other
souls. But from the material, bodily point of view, obviously there are differences.
Q. What about those differences?
A. As far as serving Krishna and preaching Krishna consciousness, material differences are
ignored. Men and women serve the Supreme Lord’s Deity form in the temple–worshiping,
cleaning, cooking–and they go out daily to preach to interested people and distribute literature
about Krishna consciousness. Women with children both care for their children and spread
Krishna consciousness alongside their unmarried godsisters. Actually, to raise a child as a
devotee of God is in itself a great service to Krishna.
Q. But I’ve heard that you think women are inferior to men. Is that true?
A. As I mentioned before, spiritually there’s no distinction. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna says that
both men and women are eligible to attain the highest destination, to return to the kingdom of
God, if they take shelter of Him. Spiritually there’s no duality, no inferiority or superiority based
on the body and mind. But there are material differences: women are generally not as physically
strong as men, but only women can bear children and nourish them with their breast milk. So it’s
natural that women’s duties will differ from men’s in some ways.

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Q. Today many people reject that idea. It won’t make your movement very popular among
women.
A. We can’t change the Krishna conscious philosophy to make it popular. Nor are we so
concerned with popularity. We simply want to present Krishna’s teachings as they are, and
those who hear receptively will benefit. The first step in spiritual understanding is to transcend
the bodily concept of life. To think “I am a man” or “I am a woman” is to be in illusion. The body
is a material dress for the soul, a dress that’s changing from moment to moment, as the body
develops, and will change entirely at death. But the constant within the body is the soul, which is
not subject to birth, death, or any other material influence.
Q. How do men and women relate to each other in Krishna consciousness?
A. Except for his wife, a Krishna conscious man should regard every woman as he would his
mother. So in Krishna consciousness the relationship between men and women is based not on
lust but on mutual respect, with Krishna in the center. If this mentality is absent, men and
women mix too freely, and their relationship may easily degrade into immorality and mutual
exploitation.
Q. What about in more intimate relationships?
A. In more intimate relationships, the man protects the woman. In a
woman’s youth, her father protects her; after marriage, her husband
protects her; and later on in life her grown sons protect her.
Q. What do you mean, “protect”?
A. Protect from illusion and degradation. That is real protection. When
the father, husband, and sons are fully trained in spiritual principles by
the spiritual master, they are qualified to guide their family members.
Bhagavad-gita points out that when the religious tradition in the family breaks down, the chastity
and faithfulness of women are shaken. As men and women mix freely, the result is abortion and
unwanted progeny. From such immorality and licentiousness come broken homes and the
degradation of the whole society. Conversely, when the husband is a dedicated devotee of God
and the wife is loyal, good progeny and a harmonious society result.
Q. But what if the woman wants to be more than just a housewife?
A. That is welcome and encouraged. Women in the Krishna consciousness movement sing,
write, photograph, paint, act, sculpt, teach, and dance. One of my godsisters in our West
Virginia farm community is an architect. Now she’s helping plan out a huge temple that the
devotees there will build over the next few years. So there’s no hindrance at all to a woman who
wants to use her special talents to serve Krishna.
Q. Can women become leaders?
A. Real leadership is to teach by example and precept how to go back home, back to Godhead,
at the end of this lifetime. A fully Krishna conscious devotee, whether man or woman, is actually
more of a leader than all the so-called leaders of modern society. Materialistic leaders simply
increase our material problems; a devotee decreases those problems to nil. That is real
leadership.

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Women in the Vedic Tradition

- HG Niscala dd
Srila Prabhupada’s views regarding women are often felt to be outdated, more applicable
to Srila Prabhupada’s time and place of birth in early twentieth century India. Ironically, while he
adjusted much of the teaching of the parampara to appeal, apply and be relevant to late
twentieth century Westerners, there were bits like these that he left as is, although the position
of women is hardly a core issue of Vaishnavism (we are, after all, not these bodies!) and indeed
his stance estranged some women such as the liberationists who might otherwise have become
more attracted to bhakti, had he not been so uncompromising.
This leads one to wonder why he was so inclined? In an attempt not to justify, but to
understand, as well as to portray my own feelings as a woman (bodily speaking), I offer the
following thoughts.
The issue is not superfluous to bhakti at all, but is at the very core of Vaishnavism. The living
entities’ position constitutionally is one of service; he or she is happiest when engaged in
serving another being, and this is perfected when dove-tailed towards serving a devotee or the
Lord Himself. I already mentioned in another article that a recent survey showed that those who
had the greatest satisfaction within their lives were proportionately those involved in serving not
their own interests, but those of another. Extending this concept to marriage, it is also meant to
be a training ground for bhakti, and where the emphasis is on who can be servant, it is
conducive, but if it is on who can be master, it is detrimental.
Modern marriage often degenerated into a struggle for supremacy, and this is the unfortunate
effect of women’s liberation, which was a natural result of abusive, exploitative and manipulative
husbands. However, it became the fashion, and maybe due to media sensationalizing the
stories of abuse, many wives of gentle-men thought it “better to be safe than sorry” and leave no
opening for exploitation. One can only, after all, exploit a servant – not a master, nor one of
equal status. Thus, either the women went out to work and Dad changed the nappies, or they
shared equally – very equally – in these chores; and the reaction of these “liberated” people
to Srila Prabhupada was shock and horror. How could he be so blatantly patriarchal?
Actually, he was trying to tell these women that they could be happier if they weren’t vying for
artificial supremacy over, or equality to males. By adopting the constitutional position of service,
the living entity is happiest, and if by circumstance the one being served is of low character and
exploits the service attitude, this does not condemn the service attitude, or give a reason to do
away with it – it should simply be applied elsewhere.
In a normal marriage where there is love, not domination, the husband’s reaction to a wife who
is eager to serve and please him, will be to serve and please her in all respects. Practically he
will be dominated by her loving service and be henpecked. This is the normal happy effect of a
service attitude in marriage. The abnormal effect, which is often due to alcohol, drug abuse,
infidelity or mental disturbance, is to exploit horribly the innocent service attitude, and it is this
disastrous effect which is dramatized and sensationalized over and over in the media. A
hardening of relationships in general has resulted, as if in paranoia, women are suspecting their
husbands could degenerate into enemies at some point, and like nations in a cold war, are
building up their weapons arsenal.
There is another consideration – that the service attitude could degenerate into unhealthy
masochism. The telling sign is a lack of respect being accepted and inflicted upon oneself.

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Whether between wife and husband, parent and child, or guru and disciple, there must be
mutual respect and loving concern, no matter who is serving whom. If that is the case, and the
dynamic is thereby actually loving, there is no need to struggle for supremacy or equality, for the
servant and the served become bound in reciprocal dealings of gratitude.
Thus, there is real equality by service, and the effect is to experience relief and happiness as
layers of paranoia and self-defense become peeled away. As one learns to trust one’s ability to
serve and not be exploited, eventually one can apply this healthy attitude towards other living
entities and towards the Lord. Indeed where the husband is a devotee, it is as good as serving
the Lord, and is accepted by Him as better.
Considering this, I think Srila Prabhupada’s attitude towards the position of women was only
apparently antiquated and is actually based on the eternal nature of the soul.
What about Srila Prabhupada calling women “less intelligent”? A typical quote is “…literatures
were written for the less intelligent women, laborers, and friends of the twice-born.”
Specifically, Srila Prabhupada refers to less intelligent women. Of course, more intelligent
women may like to delve into deeper philosophy, but for the less intelligent ones, Mahabharata
and so on were written.
Why am I so certain? Because there is a conversation where Srila Prabhupada states that his
female disciples are as good as their brothers. Obviously he considered that women were of
varying intelligence, as were men, being divided into brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, friends
of the above, and shudras, the last two categories or lower, comprising the gamut of men in Kali
yuga, except for those who are trained in spiritual culture. And similarly, women.
We tend to forget that alongside his mention of less intelligent women, he is placing categories
of less intelligent men. When we don’t knee-jerk at political incorrectness, such
as Srila Prabhupada’s placing “less intelligent” before “women” and actually analyze him a bit
we may not find him antiquated at all, just more sensible in approach than the modern attempt
to equalize everyone, which is an unsuccessful attempt at stopping exploitation of the weak by
the strong. The real cause of this is addressed over and over in his purports, the desire in the
living entity to lord it over and exploit nature, which robs him of happiness while embodied, and
spoils his chances of freedom.

When the Husband Is Not a Devotee…

- HG Sundari Radhika dd

W
e were asked a question: what if the wife is a devotee of Lord Krsna and her husband is a non-
devotee (karmi)? If one partner is a devotee and the other one is not (yet), it is not a problem if
the devotee wife knows what her duty is towards Krsna in this situation. In my answer that
follows we assume that the husband is a normal man and not a homicidal maniac or in some other
way having serious clinical mental problems.

All women have just one duty or dharma in this world--- to serve her husband. When we
say all women, then it means all women. It is called stri-dharma (SB 7.11.25-29). For the wife, vivaha
is her second birth (dvi-ja) her initiation into Vedic culture. And moving into husband’s house is not
just moving into the house, it means she goes to live in the asrama. Who’s asrama? The ashrama of

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her husband. If husband is qualified, it is grhastha ashrama. If not, it is a grhamedhi life. But it does
not matter if husband is qualified or not according to our standard or expectations. He is still the
representative of Krsna. Who sent us this husband? Krsna sent him. The wife can still make spiritual
progress even if the husband is not a devotee.

So what is it that Krsna wants from me, you, and other jiva’s in this
female body? As devotees we want to please Krsna. Krsna says that for
a brahmacari, guru is His representative; for child, mother is the
representative of Krsna, and for wife, her husband is representative
of Krsna. As a brahmacari lights the fire for sacrifice in the ashrama of
his guru, so does the wife when she lights fire in the kitchen to cook for
her husband. That is her sacrifice. And Krsna accepts it equally. (This is explained in Manu
Samhita.)

The point is that wife makes spiritual progress if she performs her prescribed duty which is – serving
her husband [SB 7.11.25-29]. She performs her duty for Krsna for His pleasure.

“Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain
one's physical body without work. Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise
work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed
duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.” [BG 3.8-9]

She may not love to serve husband who is not a devotee, but she serves him as her duty to please
Krsna (BG 5.29). Wife should not be rude, critical or fight with husband as this would be even
greater sin than any fault he may possess. His faults should be dealt with by his superiors or equals
not by his subordinate (wife). Although he may not be spiritually qualified she should be respectful,
in the same way as she is respectful to her guru. Guru may criticize, but disciple cannot be rude and
disrespectful. So why should the wife be angry and rude with her husband? Hiranyakasipu abused
his own son Prahlad, but Prahlad was never disrespectful to him. He always approached his father
with folded palms saying: “O greatest of all demons.” Prahlad was never rude. Although his father
literally wanted to kill his own son Prahlad was always respectful. Nrsimhadeva corrected his father.

For a wife service to the husband is her sacrifice (BG 3.14-15); it’s not that she should sacrifice a goat
in the temple. She should sacrifice her false ego, mind, body in the service of her husband, who is
direct representative of Sri Krsna. And she makes spiritual advancement. Like we have a murti of
Krsna in some material form—He may be carved and made with very delicate and attractive
features, or He may be painted or carved not really perfect, but still Krsna is present in those statue
forms/murtis and we offer our service to Him. Even imperfectly carved murti is still Krsna’s
manifestation in this world. So is the husband for wife; perfect, imperfect, good, bad, devotee, or
non-devotee.

If husband wants her to serve him meat, alcohol, sex, etc, she should serve him. She will not get any
reaction for doing that (BG 18.47), because she is doing her dharma (stri dharma); she is following
her husband’s instructions, which means she is following her duty. So she will not get any reaction,
but her husband will get reaction if he demands something that is not according to dharma. Though

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wife gets no karma it may affect her consciousness, for example she would get no karma for cooking
meat but she may feel disgusted.

The point is that everyone should follow their dharma or prescribed duty. Krsna arranged this world
in such a way so that everyone is able to make spiritual advancement by following his or her
prescribed duty (BG 18.46).

For women it is simple. Just follow what your husband says. So however we turn, if wife is able to
adjust and follow her husband she makes advancement. If she
disobeys her husband, she degrades herself, slowly and surely.
Krsna always sends for us a husband who is best for us to practice
for our relationship with Krsna. Remember we can not get into the
spiritual world until we develop the service attitude.

Now we have opportunity to practice serving Krsna by serving His

representative that He sent to us and whom we got by our own
karma. If we are dealing on platform of justice and morality and
think “if my husband is not good then I will not serve him,” then
we are not going to like Krsna. How will we tolerate that Krsna
said He is going to be with me but is with another gopi instead? Is
that justice? No it is not.

“I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by
His embrace or makes me broken hearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to
do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.”

So there is so much we have to practice. (Of course as I said at the beginning that we assume that we
are dealing with normal men not perverts or criminals. Nor should men take advantage of this
because by so doing they would reap serious bad karma.)

If husband is not a devotee, we have to do our duties, cooking (what he wants), offer to Krsna,
cleaning, taking care of all family members etc. Speaking sweetly and be respectful. Have faith in
Krsna that by serving your husband nicely, He will be happy with you and if He wants He will
change the heart of your husband. And even if he doesn’t want to become devotee, if he is pleased
with service of his wife, he will not be able to make obstacles in her devotional life. He will have
respect for such a wife.

We have the example of Pisima Mataji, HDG Srila

Prabhupada’s sister. She was not only Srila Prabhupada’s
sister, but his God-sister as well. Just try to imagine her
situation; she was married to a non-devotee, who turned
out to be a rogue, meat eater, he drank alcohol, he was a
woman-hunter, spending money on gambling, etc. So if
we have in our husband only one of these things we
would consider it as a catastrophe. She had all in one
person. Not only was he a non-devotee, but he had many

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bad habits. So Pisima Mataji came to Srila Prabhupada and asked what should she do in this
situation? He advised her to do what she learned from her mother- to serve her husband, and to pray
to Sri Krsna for the best interest of her husband. And not to argue with her husband. Actually a
woman should never argue with a drunken man, because he can kill her.

And Srila Prabhupada told her: “Remember those Deities that we worshiped when we were
children?” He said, “I have them here, I’ll give them to… You worship Them, Radha-Govinda, and
you keep praying to Them, and They’ll help you.” He didn’t advise her to divorce her husband, or to
complain to various women’s ministries about him, etc. Rather for material problem he gave a
spiritual solution.

She did the way Srila Prabhupada advised her; she didn’t criticize her husband, she didn’t argue
with him, but she did her prescribed duties, her stri-dharma with the idea to please Sri Krsna through
her service to the husband. It is not a material thing to follow stri dharma, because as I said before, a
woman who follows stri dharma properly, she makes direct spiritual advancement, as a brahmacari
makes by serving his guru. When Krsna gets pleased, only He can change the husband. No wife can
change her husband. Krsna was obviously pleased with Pisima mataji’s service, and her husband
came to her after sometime, and begged her for forgiveness, admitting that he was so bad, and
realizing what a good wife he has, a wife who always works in his best interest. He ended up
worshiping her. That “This woman is serving me so faithfully, and serving the Deities so faithfully,
and she wants nothing but the best for me, and she’s praying to Krsna for me.” He acknowledged
that and changed all his ways.

That is the power of a woman who follows her prescribed duty, stri-dharma, in order to please Sri
Krsna, and to make spiritual advancement.

Women, ISKCON, and Varnashrama

- HG Sita Pati Das

The individual can go home without varnashram-dharma. You can go back to Godhead without
adopting the gender roles of varnashram-dharma in this lifetime. It is possible. At the same time, if we
really want everyone to go back to Godhead, then a varnashram society is the way to facilitate that.
The acaryas have been quite clear in this matter.
I submit that our present problems arise from an incomplete understanding of the real nature of the
male-female roles and relationship in varnashram-dharma, and dishonesty about our own
qualifications. Without a deep understanding of the actual essence of this relationship and the
necessary qualifications we have attempted to ape the external appearance and found it
unsatisfactory. The varnashram-dharma model that Srila Prabhupada advocated should not be
abandoned for other unproven model that we may concoct. We should not use our intelligence in a
demonic fashion to oppose theh Lord’s agents, to find fault in them. We should try to understand
how our implementation is faulty. A Vaisnava sees no faults in others, only in oneself.
One of the problems we encounter in presenting Prabhupada’s books are his statements that women
are generally less intelligent than men. One thing we should bear in mind is that Prabhupada
intended his books to be the standard for human society for the next ten thousand years. Prabhupada

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is stating the conditions in an ideal varnashram soceity, which we don’t have at the present point in
time. To see where this society fails to meet the Vedic standard, it is not to the women that we
should look, but to the men.
In Vedic society men control their senses according to a regulated program. This does not happen
today. Therefore men have less intelligence than they have the potential to manifest. Although
Prabhupada states that women are generally less intelligent, this may not be the case at the moment,
hence Prabhupada’s qualification of the statement with the modifier generally. Or else he is referring
to the “woman class” as less intelligent. Prabhupada is speaking in broad sociological terms about
the general material society of conditioned living entities over a long period of time. We shouldn’t
confuse our limited sense perceptions with the vision of a maha-bhagavat. When we try to put our
perceptions into context with the statements of a maha-bhagavat then we are actually using our
intelligence and our limited independence correctly.
That women are generally less intelligent does not translate into all women are less intelligent than
all men, and I submit that at this point in time the exception can sometimes approach the rule.
While recognising the limitations of our present circumstances, we should not lose sight of the
proposed goal of varnashram-dharma implementation in society. We need to have faith that
Prabhupada’s vision for the world is coming from Krishna. If we don’t, then what is the point in
hearing anything from him? Prabhupada made that very clear - you cannot pick and choose. Either
accept it all or reject it all. The mind is imperfect and when it attempts to discriminate amongst
knowledge in that way it will do so according to its conditioning. Therefore one surrenders totally to
a bona-fide system of transcendental knowledge, and is therefore given protection from this tendency
of the mind. Either we accept Prabhupada as the captain of the ship or not. Let’s not try to have
some half-way house - hot or cold, not an attempt to remain in a luke warm mix of Prabhupada’s
instruction and our own imperfect speculation by claiming that in some respects he is “socially
conditioned”, while in others he is speaking the absolute truth. We are the ones who are socially
conditioned.
This controversy has arisen out of a lack of faith that what Prabhupada has said in this regard is true,
when it clashes with our limited sense perceptions. We can accept information that is contrary to our
sense perceptions when we have faith in the source. The lack of faith in Prabhupada has arisen
through our miscomprehension and misapplication of his instructions. This miscomprehension,
applied under the justification that “Prabhupada has said!” has caused a negative association to arise
in the hearts of many. Not only in this regard, but in many other issues as well. We should not,
however, mistake the baby for the bathwater and throw both out together.
We should never have made the mistake of thinking that women are inferior to men in the
varnashram system. This is a conception from our social conditioning that we have imposed on Srila
Prabhupada’s description. As soon as we hear “less intelligent” we automatically think and act:
“inferior”. Intelligence means the ability to discriminate. If it is the case that women have a less
developed ability to discriminate than men how does that make them inferior? It is our tendency to
use this as a mechanism to lord it over that gives rise to the association. Even in Vedic civilisation
where it is the case that women are generally less intelligent than the men they are never inferior.
Women appear as subordinate to men, but at the same time men are reliant on women for
everything. Actually, women are worshiped in Vedic society. Every women is regarded as one’s
mother, and one’s mother is worshipable. What to speak of the current manifestation of maya where
the reverse can often be the case, where men can be less intelligent than women. We find that many
women are more receptive to Krishna Consciousness because they have more humility and less
propensity to be the enjoyer. Intelligence means the ability to discriminate, and real intelligence
means discriminating between spirit and matter. Therefore, according to Srila Prabhupada’s
standard, by their actions they are among the most intelligent.

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Women on the other hand are more compassionate. Witness Draupadi’s treatment of Asvattama.
They generally have less intelligence and they generally have more compassion. A pita constituted
body, according to Ayurveda, has less water and more fire. Why is it that we impose no conception
of inferior in that case, but automatically do so when we hear that “women have less intelligence”?
The answer lies in the same explanation that Prabhupada gave of the interaction between the varnas.
It is not that brahmanas are superior to to the other social roles. They are all equally necessary, but
the brahmanas are especially respected because they provide spiritual guidance to society. At the
same time, a real brahmana offers all respects to others and expects no respect in return. This is not
always the case, as we see in many historical examples in the Bhagavatam, but nonetheless it
remains the ideal standard. Due to the deterioration of the Kali yuga the caste brahmanas began to
develop a superiority comples and thus they lost all their
good qualities. The brahmanas are reliant on the other
social classes. They all exist in a mutually beneficial
relationship.
Similarly, have to a large degree lost the good quality of
their greater capacity for intelligence, men have retained a
superiority complex through social conditioning. Along
with this is a concomitant lack of humility that
characterises all interactions in Kali Yuga. This is the age
of quarrel and misunderstanding. Amongst all this, men
have insisted that women live up to the Vedic standard of
submission, chastity, and obedience, without insisting that
they themselves live up to the terms of their varnashram contract: providing protection, well informed
level-headed guidance and support. Varnashram is a social contract - all parties have to fulfill their
obligations under the terms of the agreeement.
A woman’s traditional role, not just under varnashram-dharma but in the majority of societies, is to be
submissive. This comes from the fact that women generally have more humility than men. Someone
has to be humble. Actually, both husband and wife should be humble. That is the standard of the
spiritual platform. However, on the way to the spiritual platform there needs to be an arrangement
whereby disturbance can be minimised. Therefore, in society traditionally women have utilized their
greater forbearance. humility, and tolerance to provide this peaceful social situation. Without this
social chaos would have precipitated long ago. A woman’s applying her greater natural humility in
submissiveness should never be mistaken for inferiority. Doing that has lead us to the mess we are in
now. Actually she is serving a greater goal than her husband, who due to his conditioning has a
body that mimics that of the Supreme Enjoyer. By her humility and submissiveness she actually
trains him in service. First he is taught by his mother, and then by his wife. But he should be
receptive to learning from this. He should be brought up to recognise it for what it is.
Should we expect the women to be on that platform, performing their duties in accordance with
varnashram-dharma while men are neglectful of theirs? Why should men expect women to be maha-
bhagavats while they are not? There needs to be compromise, and understanding. We do not live in
a perfect varnashram society and we are not all pure devotees. At the same time our compromise
should be directed toward attaining the ideal varnashram society and pure devotion. It should be one
of practical necessity in achieving the goal rather than one of expendiency in lowering or changing
the standards whimsically to suit our present conditioning. In other words, it should be a working
strategy that carries us forward, preserving and approaching the ideal while acknowledging and
taking into account how our present reality does not meet with that ideal.
In varnashram society women are amply rewarded for their service in playing a submissive role, and
that is what they are - spiritual beings playing a material role. They are given the facility to raise a

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family in a peaceful setting and to play a vital role in the socialization of children. The unique
contribution they give in imparting the feminine qualities and values that predominate in their
character to the future generation is recognised as the indispensable service to society that it is, and
thus they are considered as one of the seven worshipable mothers. In fact, the seven worshipable
mothers are named so after them. They have a strong sense of identity and self-worth as their
contribution to society is acknowledged as equal to that of men. Without this input, society cannot
go on.
Can society provide this for women today. within ISKCON or without? Obviously not. We have
brought our social conditioning into the society from outside and in some instances interpreted Srila
Prabhupada’s teachings according to it. When women’s unique contribution to society is
acknowledged and valued and honored and reciprocated, then there can be equality of the sexes.
Then there can be some form of material social stability. Women’s contribution to society should
not be marginalized, undervalued, or denigrated under any pretext. These things do not come from
Prabhupada or his teachings, they come from a socially conditioned conception of Prabhupada and
his teachings.
The backlash has been against our misunderstanding of Prabhupada’s teachings and it has reflected
badly on his character. Prabhupada was always a perfect gentleman, and no lady has come forward
to complain about her treatment by him personally. The actions of the sons are to the credit or the
disgrace of the father. Now the women do not want to help establish varnashram-dharma by taking up
the roles and trying to apply them. Renunciation means performance of duties without attachment
to results. It does not mean neglect of duty.
This has all come about due to a simplistic understanding of the
nature of renunciation. Prabhupada gave us what we could take at
the time and encouraged us to go as far as we could in the short
time allotted to us. However we need to develop a more
sophisticated understanding of the sublime and profound
philosophy and culture that is his legacy to us.
Devotees are transcendental to varnashram-dharma. They adopt the
roles in order to demonstrate to the general mass of people how to
live. Everyone wants to be a hero though.
We need to recognise the important role that grhasta life plays in
society, for it is here that the women’s contribution is in effect.
Society means grhasta life. Without children and families and
socialisation there is no society. Without renunciation and
travelling preachers there is no Krishna Consciousness missionary
work. We need both. Because family life and socialisation have
been de-emphasized in the endeavour to introduce renunciation into a society that has only a dim
historical recollection of it, the vital importance of women and their unique role has also been de-
emphasized. Now we need to mature in our understanding of how a proper Krishna conscious
balance between both, existing in a harmonious relationship, is needed for proper human society.
The children are our future. In order to ensure the well-being of that future, as well as the renounced
orders of life, we need to understand the roles we need to adopt in order to facilitate Krishna
Conscious family life. These roles, for both men and women, need to be recognised by society at
large as a valid and important service for pushing on this movement, without detracting from the
importance of perceived prestige of the renounced orders. Women will not be happy as long as their
unique contribution to society is marginalized. Without their input and active co-operation this
movement has no future. [Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=5366 (An excerpt from the
original article)]

Make Vrndavan Villages

 Govinda Mas
Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11

• Varnashrama Literature
Make Vrndavan Villages
H.H. Bhakti Raghava Swami, who heads the
Varnasrama Ministry, India has authored several books
on Varnasrama, including this. This book is meant to
serve as a general introduction to some of the basic
concepts of varnasrama-dharma. In essence, the
subject matter deals with both the topic of education as
well as social and spiritual upliftment through a well
established and scientifically planned educational
system and social structure which encompass all
spheres and all dimensions of life. Its revised edition
includes more information on the subject and exciting
additions on cow.

Gosamvardhan: A Peep Into the Traditional

Go-Practices in India
Released just last month, on the occasion of
Fourth International Seminar on Daiva
Varnasrama, Sridham Mayapur, is authored by
HG Sacikumar prabhu (with hands-on
experience in farming and cow raising) and
Vrndavanlila dd (Editor, The Eight Petals, a
monthly e-newsletter in support of Daiva
Varnasrama dharma). It makes an intensive
reading as it pours information about the
traditional practices related to cow rearing in
traditional India and fragility of present situation.
It should be of great help for those who are just
not interested in keeping the cows in goshala,
but also in reviving an ecosystem that supports
mother cow in her old glory and not as a
liability. Its ‘Introduction’ has been written by
Indian Minster for Daiva Varnasrama, HH
Bhakti Raghava Swami and ‘Foreword’ by none
other than the Global Minister for Cow
Protection & Agriculture, HG Balbhadra prabhu.

Varnasrama Education
The topic of education, a highly debated and
controversial subject among many many
educationalists and students alike, has always been of
extreme importance and relevance to any society,
especially in the most traditional oriental cultures. This
books deals with the aspect of Education in the context
of Varnasrama.

Make Vrndavan Villages

 Govinda Mas
Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11
The Fourth Wave
It is a wonderful collection of HH Bhakti Raghava
Swami’s essays on Daiva Varnasrama addressing a
wide range of concerns of daily life beginning from the
very definition of the term ‘dharma’, administration,
family system, education, food, to technology. The
‘Preface’ for The Fourth Wave has been written by HG
Patita Pavan Adhikary, a senior disciple of Srila
Prabhupada, a strong daiva varnasrama supporter, a
prolific writer, and an astrologer who has the distinction
of having served as ISKCON Temple President and
Director (Book Reviews) for BBT.

Gavopanishad: Prayers to Mother Cow

Cows, dear to the Lord Himself, have been
integral to the concept of varnasrama and have
functioned as the defining features of Vedic
social, economic, amd spiritual system. This
small attractive book contains lovely prayers in
the glorification of Mother Cow, complemented
by short but interesting information on the
significance of cow and panchgavya products.
The ‘Foreword’ to Gavopanishad has been
written by H.H. Bhakti Raghava Swami himself.

The Science of

. In order to make it
convenient for the reader it has been divided into three
section

th

.
Traditional Education
Traditional Education which is usually viewed
with denigration if not scorn has been very
interestingly dealt. It very effectively brings out
the science behind the method, structure,
curriculum, efficacy and even patrata of
traditional education. It founds itself on
insightful answers given to 20 questions related
to different aspects of education. It includes
interviews by HH Bhakti Raghava Swami, HH
Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami, HG
Gopiparanadhan Das and HG Atmatattva Das.
It also invludes an interesting lecture given by
HH Bhakti Vikas Swami on the same subject.

In addition to the above there are many more books in the pipeline and several documentary movies. In
order to get more information one can contact: vrindavanlila.brs@gmail.com

Make Vrndavan Villages

 Govinda Mas
Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11

• Varnasrama News
No drama over first 'legal' same-sex The SlutWalk movement, which started in
marriage [Source: Times of India] Toronto in April to protest police indifference to
Jul 30, 2011. Gurgaon. A Gurgaon court has victims of rape, spurred similar marches in the
recognised a same-sex marriage, but the LGBT U.S., the U.K. and Australia.
frat is sceptical as it's still not 'legal'.
Most would have expected it to be 'big news', In 10 years, urban Indian women's
but the opposite happened when a runaway average income doubles [Source: The Times
lesbian couple, Beena and Savita, (from of India)
Khekada village in Baghpat) was given Jul 26, 2011. Mumbai. Reinforcing the growing
recognition of their marriage by a Gurgaon financial independence of women in India, a
court, along with police protection. Unlike the survey says the income level of urban Indian
recent legal nod given to same-sex marriages in women has doubled in the last decade. This
New York, which was followed by widespread increase has also led to the average urban
celebration and fanfare, gay parades with household income doubling, according to a
jubilant posters, outrageous costumes and study by market research firm IMRB.
overwhelming euphoria, LGBT activists and The urban Indian woman who earned Rs 4,492
lawyers here seem barely optimistic about the per month in 2001 was taking home as much as
development. Rs 9,457 as of 2010. The rise in her income is
directly reflected in the average monthly
It's tough being a woman household income of urban India going up from
[Source: The Times of India] Rs 8,242 to Rs 16,509 in 2010, says the IMRB
July 31, 2011. New Delhi. India is far from being survey.
a safe haven for women. Seema Sinha reports
on the hidden dangers of being a woman in this ‘Cradle baby' scheme to be extended
country. [Source: The Hindu]
Recently, on her visit to Delhi, actor Gul Panag July 24, 2011. Chennai. The ‘cradle baby'
made a cutting statement, 'It's difficult being a scheme, a brainchild of Chief Minister
woman in Delhi' This is a stark reality in a land Jayalalithaa, will be extended to Cuddalore,
where we have had charismatic women like Ariyalur, Perambalur, Villupuram and
Indira Gandhi, the astronaut space shuttle Tiruvannamalai districts as the 2011 census has
mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, and many revealed a fall in the child sex ratio in these
more. The hurtful fact in this largest democracy districts. Ms Jayalalitha added that female
is that we have seven million girls missing since infanticide and foeticide could be the reason for
the last decade and a whopping 50 million this trend in these districts. She said that so far
missing over the past century. 3,200 girls and 582 boys had been rescued.
Subsequently, 2,088 girls and 372 boys were
Indian Women Take SlutWalk to New given in adoption in the country and another
Delhi's Streets [Source: The Times] 170 girls and 27 boys were in foreign countries.
August 1, 2011. New Delhi. On a bright Sunday Non-resident Indians adopted 13 girls and 5
morning, young women walked the streets of boys. A total of 160 children were handed over
New Delhi without the fear of being ogled or to their parents.
groped. For yesterday's female participants in She said the scheme and the awareness created
SlutWalk Delhi, one of a series of marches had had the desired effect in these districts. The
around the world protesting sexual violence child sex ratio in the State was 1000:942 as per
against women, the atmosphere of safety was the 2001 census and the figure became 1000:
an exception to daily life in the Indian capital. 946 in 2011 census.

Make Vrndavan Villages

 Govinda Mas
Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11

• Mails to the Editor

Thanks for sending me the latest copy. In his article, Bhakti Raghava Swami states, based on
Narada's teachings, that "...varnas are for men, not for women..." Actually throughout Vedic
literature women are considered to belong to different varnas. Thus we have the feminine
terms: brahmani, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudrani. Maharaja is correct that in traditional culture,
the women would not enter the workplace, but they definitely belonged to the varnas,
regardless of marriage. Thus, Arjuna's concern in the beginning of Bhagavad-gita is varna-
sankara, literally 'varna-mixing.' Similarly, the Manu-smrti is extremely concerned to avoid
varna mixing.
With best wishes,
- HH Hridayananda Das Goswami
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Thank you for this article. I have personally concluded that a woman’s place in varnasrama is
not well understood. A philosophy and social organization that are true, that come from the
Absolute Truth, must be one that provides each individual with authentic personal
expression both material and spiritual. If we understand a social system to mandate that a
person’s nature is repressed (which Krishna advises against) then such a system must not be
fully true. Because I believe varnasrama to be a system of truth, I also believe it must be a
system where both men and women can authentically express both their ashrama and varna
natures and to do so in such a way as to nourish and allow full expression of their spiritual
nature.
I have found that those who say women do not need such expression cannot live what they
preach and end up being who they are anyway. Such is what Krishna predicts in the third and
eighteenth chapter of the Gita–our choice is not to repress our nature, nor to artificially do
another nature. Our choice is to use our nature properly in devotional service, or improperly
for maya. We each–yes, women, too–have three aspects to our nature. One is spiritual and
eternal. One is varna and for this life. It changes from one life to the next. The other is
ashrama that changes as we age in life. All three need authentic expression in Krishna’s
service, whether one is male or female, black, white, brown or otherwise.
Your servant,
- HG Urmila devi dasi

Dear Mother Vrndavanlila dasi,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to your gurudeva.
I read the issue of your newsletter issue on women, and I thank you for including one of my
articles in it. I also read your article with great interest--especially as your article was the only
one of significant length submitted by a woman.
Your servant,
- HG Krishna Kirti Das
Dear Swamiji (His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami),
I was immensely pleased to read your indepth article on ideal womanhood as per -Srimad
Bhagavatham. All the ills of the world whether terrorism of Islam or materialism of the west
with toxic influence on children in their formative years will be overcome only if the people
of west/gulf countries were to just go through the articles written by really enlightened and

Make Vrndavan Villages

 Govinda Mas
Volume: 03
Issue: March’11 –April’11
wise people of your order. May Lord Krishna give you strength, longevity and production of
further works of the type I was fortunate to come across from your self.
With warm regards,
- Bhakta Madhavarao
Hare Krishna Mataji!!
Please accept my humble obeisances _^_o All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I read your article "“I do not want to be a woman in varnashrama” and was very inspired to
read that. Especially the line "We are here to prepare ourselves to go back home and not
waste our human birth in asserting our “right”. This birth is meant for higher purpose rather
than settling the gender equation ‘right’." makes a lot of sense as it takes one out of the bodily
conception of life. Thanks for jotting down your thoughts so wonderfully and inspiring all
the women who have ever suffered gender inequality. All glories to you...
A struggler on the path of devotional service,
- Bhaktin Ruchika Srivastava
PAMHO mataji,
Another fantastic issue! 1) The articles, including the first page is simply wonderful (Loving
Krishna Will Help Her To Love Her Son & quote from SB). I always look forward for such
things in your spiritual e-zine. 2) The photos of the Lord whilst Kunti offering prayers are
worth seeing again and again. 3) HH Bhakti Raghava Swami's quotes from puranas are
interesting to read. 4) I liked the quote of Prabhupada "Yes, women are not as intelligent as
the men, but when a woman becomes a devotee, then she becomes as intelligent as the man.”
from HG Hari Sauri Dasa's article. 5) Your article with your personal experiences is amazing.
You've covered a wide variety of aspects. All glories to your wonderful service!
Hare Krishna!
- Bhakta Ravishanker Sangem
Maharaj has nicely presented the Vedic injunctions and recommendations regarding the
position of women in the family and society. We can see other religious groups which have
presented a very conservative and chaste example of family life also. Various Christian groups
including the Amish have demonstrated practically that it is possible even in the environment
of the modern world.…Naturally, there are many men who have exploited such
vulnerabilities for their power and abuse. Fortunately, the ideals remain, but the practices
often fall short of that ideal. … It does not mean that the ideals are not worthy to study, but
the practical application has often fallen short…
- HG PustaKrishna Das
Hare Krsna dear Readers, I am thankful to the devotees whose inspiring and overwhelming response to
the newsletter in the form of mail, phone calls or even otherwise and their interest in varnasrama
dharma. Their mood was truly infectious and encouraging. I may not be able to mention all the names
because of space constraint, but I nevertheless owe each and every one of them my heartfelt thanks.
Please keep reading and writing!
-The Editor
The mails/ articles can be posted to eightpetalsnewsletter@gmail.com or vrindavanlila.brs@gmail.com
Focus for the next issue -
Postal address:
New Govardhan, #89, 9th Cross, Trimurty Colony, Mahindra Hills, Secunderabad, AP (India)
For further details: Contact: +91-9949698297 (Vrndavanlila devi dasi)
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Make Vrndavan Villages