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What's a woman to do? Reflection on Women's Services in Srila Prabhupada’s Hare Krishna Movement.
2. How did Prabhupada translate service opportunities for women?
<< A. Touching on touchy topics >>
 | Let’s not shy away from the uncomfortable and controversial statements about women that we sometimes find in scriptural verses and in Srila Prabhupada’s writings. For example, Srila Prabhupada writes,
| | | “A man’s psychology and woman’s psychology are different. As constituted by bodily frame, a man always wants to be superior to his wife, and a woman, as bodily constituted, is naturally inferior to her husband. Thus the natural instinct is that the husband wants to post himself as superior to the wife, and this must be observed.
(SB 3.23.2, purport)”
| | | As I also mentioned in my introduction, men and women have different psychologies. Ignoring, defying, or trying to “correct” these natural psychological bents can make marital relationships ugly. Thus such statements are helpful - not just for husband-wife relationships but also for any relationship between men and women.
| | | For example, according to an article published in theNew York Times on September 17, 2017, Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany since 2005, “has spent her political career playing down her sex: shunning a feminist label, offering modesty, caution and diligent preparation as an implicit contrast to male swagger.” Honoring the male-female psychology, Merkel’s leadership was often invisible because “she painstakingly built consensus behind the scenes and avoided claiming credit for ideas she often originated.” This is one way a woman can deal with the male psychological tendency to dominate women.
| | | Thus it is possible for women to teach and lead men, as the Naga-patnis did with Kaliya and the brahmanas’ wives did with their husbands.
| | | "The actual system is that the husband is Spiritual Master to his wife, but if the wife can bring her husband into practicing this process, then it is all right that the husband accepts wife as Spiritual Master. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that anyone who knows the science of Krishna, that person should be accepted as Spiritual Master, regardless of any material so-called qualifications, such as rich or poor, man or woman, or brahmana or sudra.
(Letter to Silavati, June 14, 1969)"
| | | In this letter Srila Prabhupada affirms the precedent set by the Naga-patnis and the wives of the brahmanas. We’re meant to be personal, to appreciate one anothers’ qualities, and to avoid forejudging another based on sex stereotypes.
| | | Another possibly touchy statement from Srila Prabhupada’s writings:
| | | "Every person must get married. Every woman especially must get married.
(CC. Madhya 7.128, purport)"
| | | This and other such statements are generalizations or guidelines meant to give us informed direction. Generalizations, by definition, are inferred from specific cases and not meant to be applied indiscriminately, whereas universal statements (such as that we’re spirit souls) are always true in every circumstance. For example, although Srila Prabhupada said everyone, and especially all women, should be married, he also said:
| | | "Prabhupada: If one can remain without marriage, that is the first class.
Rupanuga: Women also?
Prabhupada: Women also. What is the use of this material husband? Make Krishna husband. Krishna’s prepared to become everything — love Him as husband, love Him as son, love Him as friend.
(Room conversation, July 6, 1976, Washington, DC)"
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Prabhupada is broad-minded and encompassing, not small-minded and narrow. His idea is that we become Krishna conscious, not that we become married, particularly, and throughout his writings and talks he leaves room for individuality in how we achieve that. Krishna consciousness is a variegated, dynamic process. Here is another of his statements:
| | | "If one becomes Krishna conscious, then he [she] doesn’t require husband. He [she] does not require. He ... She knows that ‘Krishna is my protector. Why shall I artificially seek after father or...” And what protection for a few days either the father or the son or the husband may give? Real protection is Krishna.
(Room conversation, January 7, 1977, Bombay)"
| | | We have a number of practical examples in our movement of women who are not protected by father, husband, or son - Malati, Mukhya, Kaisori, Prasanta, Visakha Priya, to name but a few. Each of these women not only feel protected but are also making important contributions to Srila Prabhupada’s movement. (We should note with caution, however, that neither men nor women are meant to remain single artificially - that is, to remain single for prestige, power, or out of frustration. This benefits no one and leaves the individuals involved unhappy and vulnerable.)
| | | The above quotes are easy to understand. Let’s look at some more challenging statements.
| | | "Generally all women desire material enjoyment. They are called less intelligent because they are mostly prone to material enjoyment.
(SB. 3.23.54, purport)"
| | | Again, this is a generalization, not a universal statement - that is, inferred from specific cases and not to be applied indiscriminately.
| | | "Prabhupada: Both of them are very intelligent. And Nandarani is more intelligent than her husband. (laughs) I know that.
Atreya Rishi: I find that he is very intelligent, Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: Ah, Dayananda.
Atreya Rishi: Yes.
Prabhupada: He is intelligent, but Nandarani is still more intelligent. (laughs) I know that. Both of them are intelligent, but this girl appears to be more intelligent.”
(Room conversation, July 16, 1976, New York)"
| | | To understand the “women are less intelligent” statement we need to consider what “intelligence” means in this or other contexts. In Sanskrit there are several words that are translated as “intelligence.” One is buddhi, which refers to the ability to analyze, judge, or discern. Another is medha. In the tenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna lists medha among seven feminine qualities. Medha means “mental vigor, wisdom, prudence.” From Prabhupada’s purport to Bhagavad-gita 10.34: “The ability not only to read many books on different subject matters but to understand them and apply them when neces sary is intelligence (medha), another opulence.” Thus these are broad classifications - buddhi: analytical intelligence; medha: nourishing, practical intelligence.
| | | "The Lord is so kind that He does not show special favor only to one who is a great philosopher. He knows the sincerity of purpose. For this reason only, women generally assemble in great numbers in any sort of religious function. In every country and in every sect of religion it appears that the women are more interested than the men.
(SB 1.8.20, purport)"
| | | However, both women and men have both the buddhi and medha types of intelligence; it’s a matter of the degrees of each. We need to avoid jumping to conclusions about a person or a group of people based on what body they are wearing around their intelligence.
| | | One of the beauties of Krishna consciousness is that it sees past all bodily and mental differences to a higher, spiritual truth. When we become devotees we transcend all designations. Thus Krishna consciousness can unite all people, whatever their religion, race, nationality, age, or sex. The Hare Krishna movement is meant to be at the forefront of implementing such equal vision. Our world is in desperate need of it.
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Let’s move on to what many consider a very heavy statement:
| | | "Never place your faith in a woman or politician.
(Canakya Pandit, quoted by Srila Prabhupada)"
| | | Yamuna Devi Dasi comments: “I was present on four occasions when Srila Prabhupada repeated the Canakya adage, ‘Never trust a woman or a politician.’ On each occasion Srila Prabhupada looked me in the eye to see my response. On the last occasion, in Bombay in 1973, he quoted the saying, heartily laughing in front of a small group of men. Then he said: “What do you think, Yamuna?’ Immediately I retorted: ‘Of course it is true, Srila Prabhupada,’ whereupon he became grave, looked at me with great feeling, and said, “But you are not a woman; you are a Vaishnava.” Srila Prabhupada’s consistent goal is to help us transcend all material designations. He wants to see each of us advance spiritually.
| | | "Women, sudras, and vaisyas are ordinarily regarded as less intelligent, but if one takes to Krishna consciousness one is the most intelligent... Although Kunti had the body of a woman, she was a devotee. Therefore she was not like an ordinary unintelligent woman. Rather, she was the most intelligent, for she recognized Krishna to be the Supreme Godhead.
(Teachings of Queen Kunti, chapter 3)"
| | | No material qualification can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, yet He is satisfied and our endeavors become successful simply by our developing devotional service to Him. Thus, from Krishna’s viewpoint, unless and until we’re elevated to spiritual consciousness, we're conditioned and fallen. From that viewpoint, those of us who are spiritually inclined are more intelligent than those who aren’t, and on the spiritual platform everyone is equal. Krishna does not discriminate.
Yamuna devi dasi, London
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