Women in ISKCON
Women in ISKCON in Prabhupada's Times
by Jyotirmayi
Devi Dasi
Historical Report: "From about 1965 up to 1974, time when Srila Prabhupada
had to get less and less involved in temple management because of translating
work and the tremendous increase of disciples and temples, the women devotee's
situation changed very little from what Srila Prabhupada had originally established.
From 1974 their situation started to significantly deteriorate and got worse very
fast until it reached its paroxysm before Srila Prabhupada's departure.
When Prabhupada decided to accept women in the movement, he did so according to
the reasoning he himself quotes in the Chaitanya Charitamrta, M.L., Ch. 23 purport
of verse 105: "To broadcast the cult of Krishna Consciousness, one has to
learn the possibility of renunciation in terms of country, time and candidate.....He
must avoid the principle of niyamagraha,
that is, he should not try to perform the impossible.
What is possible in one country may not be possible in another. The acarya's
duty is to accept the essence of devotional service. There may be a little change
here and a little change there as far as yukta-vairagya (proper renunciation)
is concerned...The essence of devotional service must be taken into consideration,
and not the outward paraphernalia... A vaishnava is immediately purified, provided
he follows the rules and regulations of his bonafide spiritual master. It is not
necessary that the rules and regulations followed in India be exactly the same
as those in Europe, America and other Western countries. Simply imitating without
effect is called niyamagraha. Not following the regulative principles but instead
living extravagantly is also called niyamagraha... We should not follow regulative
principles without an effect, nor should we fail to accept the regulative principles.
What is required is a special technique according to country, time and candidate...."
Srila Prabhupada followed this reasoning concerning not only the acceptation of
women in the ashramas, but also lots of other subject matters, such as the practice
of renunciation, which is being dealt with in the quote, preaching methods, only
a partial introduction of Vedic culture, Deity worship, etc.... Everything that
he introduced or did not introduce was deeply thought about, very carefully and
logically analyzed. When he was asked, several years later, if he would have preferred
to establish the movement differently, he answered that if it was to be done again
he would do it exactly the same way.
Despite the fact that he had been criticized several times in India, because of
all the changes he was introducing, Srila Prabhupada kept them and justified his
position regarding the women devotees once more in the Chaitanya Charitamrta A.L.
ch. 7, purport of verses 32 and 38. "An acarya who comes for the service
of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, for he must find the
ways and means by which Krishna Consciousness may be spread. Sometimes jealous
persons criticize the Krishna Consciousness movement because it engages equally
both boys and girls in distribution of love of Godhead. Not knowing that boys
and girls in countries like Europe and America mix very freely, these fools and
rascals criticize the boys and girls in Krishna Consciousness for intermingling.
But these rascals should consider that one cannot suddenly change a community's
social customs.
However, since both boys and girls are being trained to become preachers those
girls are not ordinary girls but are as good as their brothers who are preaching
Krishna Consciousness. Therefore to engage both boys and girls in fully transcendental
activities is a policy intended to spread the Krishna Consciousness movement...
The results of this are wonderful. Both men and women are preaching the gospel
of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna with redoubled strength... Therefore
it is a principle that a preacher must strictly follow the rules and regulations
laid down in the shastra's yet at the same time devise a means by which the preaching
work to reclaim the fallen may go with full force."
By accepting women in the temples and giving them the brahmacarini status, Prabhupada
was not pretending, he gave them all the same rights and duties of the brahmacaris
in the guru's ashrama. The same thing applied when he gave them Brahman initiation.
The women devotees had exactly the same spiritual activities, the same tasks,
the same possibilities to progress spiritually and they were entitled to the same
respect. At that time everything was done according to the abilities and the spiritual
advancement of a person and not according to sex. Prabhupada did not make any
distinction.
* Women, as well as men, accompanied Prabhupada when he was traveling and served
him as secretaries, as did Arundhati, or served him personally as did Janaki.
* Women led kirtana's: Jamuna, Kausalya, Lilavati were amongst the best.
* They gave classes and public lectures. The most renowned was Jadurani who was
endowed with great erudition.
* Women were in charge of the Deities and performed public aratis. Jamuna, Shilavati,
Rukmini and Mandakini were the most famous.
* Men and women circumambulated Tulasi together without mixing, forming a circle
separated in two halves, one half for the men, the other half for the women.
* Women paid dandavats to Prabhupada.
* Women offered garlands to Prabhupada personally or to his picture.
* Women performed aratis to Prabhupada's picture on his vyasasana during Guru-puja.
* Women devotees were on one side of the temple room, men devotees on the other
side, during kirtanas as well as classes and japa.
* During Guru-puja, men and women offered flowers simultaneously to Prabhupada,
forming two lines, and women as well as men paid their obeisance's in front of
the vyasasana.
* When Srila Prabhupada was personally present, women as well as men could stand
next to him.
* During harinamas (called at that time sankirtanas), Prabhupada had asked that
the women stand between two groups of men, one in front and one behind so that
they could be protected.
* Women wrote articles in magazines. Prabhupada personally asked Bibhavati who
had been journalist previously, to do so.
* As far as the service of temple president was concerned, Srila Prabhupada included
husband and wife, he recommended them to be father and mother of the devotees
they were in charge of.
* Women were doing things that, later on, they were forbidden to do in front of
Srila Prabhupada himself; Jamuna was leading kirtans in front of him, Himavati
gave pubic conferences, Jyotirmayi and Rukmini performed arati in front of him.
* Women had access to important responsibilities: Jadurani was in charge of the
BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) painting department, Jamuna or Govinda dasi were
proposed as the GBC (Governing Body Commissioners) by Prabhupada, Kausalya organized
pandals, Varanasi was temple commander, Jyotirmayi BBT chief translator, etc.
* The grhasta status was very respected. Prabhupada was very proud of his couples
who were opening temples together.
* Men and women chanted japa together in the temple room during the morning program.
The positive results of the way Prabhupada was relating to his women disciples
will be presented later on, opposed to the negative results of the decisions taken
later on by the leaders, which are going to be discussed now.
After the first six years of the movement, at the beginning of the 1970's, a first
change took place, which of course was not contested by anyone. Instead of being
mixed in the temple room without any distinction of sex, men and women devotees
were separated and were placed on each side of the temple room. In 1973 a second
change happened, not very important either, but it was foreboding lots of other
changes which were going to follow faster and faster and cause lots of harm to
the movement - - - women devotees were forbidden to do dandavat.
Everything began in America and was imported in France only gradually from around
1974. There, a note on the temple room door said that women devotees were forbidden
to lead kirtans or to give class. Then they were forbidden to circumambulate Tulasi
with men devotees, could not chant japa in the temple room, they had to stay behind
the men in the temple during kirtans, classes, harinama, each of their important
responsibilities were removed, as well as their right to offer aratis to Prabhupada.
They were no longer authorized to offer public arati (mangala and sundara arati)
to the murtis, to go on the altar and get close to the murtis. They could not
pay obeisances in front of the vyasasana anymore, they had to offer flowers after
the men, and later only after Guru-puja was over, etc., etc. Simultaneously with
the status of the women, the status of the married men was seriously depreciated,
female children became a matter of shame.
As those new decisions were adopted and instead of the simple separation between
men and women that Prabhupada wanted, a real segregation was taking place, the
women devotees went to see Prabhupada to tell him about it and each time he asked
that the standard that he had established remained the same. Two times Jyotirmayi
asked Prabhupada about her giving classes, once verbally, another time in a letter;
each time Prabhupada told her that it was perfectly all right. Then Prabhupada
left his body and there was no one to appeal to any longer concerning this subject
and others, even more serious.
Then the effects of those restraints started to really upset the lives of some
of the women devotees. Shilavati for example, the most qualified pujari of the
movement at that time, had her service removed and was forbidden to go on with
the service in which she had put all her heart and soul for so many years. Jyotirmayi
also had her responsibility for the BBT removed and today, more than 20 years
later, she has to correct all the mistakes that have been made when she could
not supervise the work anymore. There are so many other examples. On the whole
these unfortunate effects swept away the wonderful spirit established by Prabhupada.
Questioned by Gurudas about the difference of atmosphere between the first years
and the subsequent ones, Srila Prabhupada answered with regret: "Yes, before
it was a family."
* Instead of brotherhood between men and women devotees, aggressiveness, suspicion
and fear appeared.
* Instead of caring for one another, there was nothing but indifference.
* Instead of mutual respect, there was contempt of the men for the women and of
women amongst themselves.
* Instead of admiration for someone because of his/her material and spiritual
abilities, it was only according to the title and the position.
* Submission to the male authorities became blind and fanatical, tinged with "sexuality"
(creation of "groupies" and feminine "fan clubs.")
* Instead of being considered full fledged devotees, women were considered only
as "women" in the most pejorative sense.
* Women were not considered Brahmanas anymore (except for the puja when this service
was given back to them.)
* Women devotees did not consider men as sons anymore and men did not behave with
women as mothers but as enemies.
* Instead of kindness, gentleness and courtesy amongst men and women devotees,
wickedness, meanness and impoliteness appeared.
* Instead of sane and constructive criticisms aiming at progressing, we could
see a fault-finding mentality with an unhealthy purpose.
* Women were not recognized for their services, but often men received the credit
for them.
* Instead of being accepted and utilized, women's talents were discredited and
rejected if they did not match the new standard.
* The idea came up not to give academic education to the girls, but fortunately
Prabhupada did not allow that to happen.
* Women were considered stupid and incapable and became subject to gross mockery.
* Only those who could collect were appreciated.
* Instead of being seen as spirit souls and godsisters, they were only considered
as sex objects to be rejected and avoided.
* Adultery and illicit connections, which were excuses to mistreat women devotees,
increased instead of decrease.
* Instead of being admired by other women, and example to follow, a goal to reach,
intelligent and dynamic women became subject to scorn and malicious talks from
other women.
* Spiritual practices of women weakened, enthusiasm went down and services suffered.
* New devotee women, lacking outstanding examples to follow, did not get anymore
the motivation that leads to great achievements, to the great detriment of Srila
Prabhupada's mission.
* Lots of women lost the spirit of Prabhupada's mission.
* According to their own personality, women either indulged in an easy going situation
or lived in frustration and discouragement. It was more difficult for those who
had known ISKCON at the beginning when it was lead by the kind but firm hand of
Prabhupada, or those who had purely followed his example, and for those who were
in charge of important services.
* For most of the women who had not known the movement at the beginning and not
met Srila Prabhupada personally, these detrimental psychological effect appeared
without their being conscious of it because they did not know anything else and
had no other frame of reference.
* Belittled in such a way, lots of women lost confidence in themselves and in
their material and spiritual abilities, accepted to be deprived of their human
dignity and played the part that was expected from them, being brainless, ignorant
and unproductive.
* Exceptionally active and intelligent women, which were numerous in the beginning,
no longer joined the movement and women's conditions in our temples became subject
to very bad press for our movement.
* Prabhupada's movement, so much in need of arms and heads to accomplish his mission,
thus lost a good amount of its strength because on one side the potency of the
women in the temple decreased and on the other side fewer women joined the movement.
* The marriages also suffered as a consequence of this new mentality because women
were considered as nothing else but an object for sensual desires and not anymore
as spiritual personalities: relations between spouses got worse and worse, deprived
of the affection and mutual respect required for the good harmony of a couple.
* Women having been put down, so was the married man, internal quarrels between
grhastas brahmacaris and sannyasis started.
* Children were of course last on the list of priorities and were very neglected.
It may seem that I depict here a very dark picture, but everything can be confirmed
with lots of examples. However, we have to consider that those events were more
or less acute according to the temple, the country and the leaders' personality.
Most of those abuses took place in America; France was less touched. Moreover,
women devotees performing sankirtan (book distribution) in France suffered a lot
less because their situation was always privileged and protected because of their
service. This was not the case in America where unbelievable abuses took place.
Moreover, even if ISKCON was deviating from the original teachings regarding this
aspect and others, it kept its other qualities; it was still Lord Chaitanya's
movement and the path leading to Krishna and those imperfections did not stop
sincere women to know great spiritual joys and progress despite all obstacles.
Fortunately the position of women has improved over the years.
2nd Part:
PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENTS AND PRABHUPADA'S PRACTICAL APPLICATION
REASONS FOR THIS DEBATE:
Many of the changes brought in the movement, whether concerning the women or other
vital elements of ISKCON, have done great damage to the beauty and the greatness
of Srila Prabhupada's contribution to the world. Having known to a certain extent
the movement from almost its beginning (from 1969), a number of the first devotees
and Srila Prabhupada personally, I feel responsible to share this experience with
other newer devotees in order to help correct the faults and give back to ISKCON
its original wonderful nature.
AUTHORITATIVENESS OF THIS ENDEAVOR:
Convinced at heart and by practical experiences that Prabhupada was not at the
origin of the negative changes of women's position in ISKCON, I personally asked
Satsvarupa Maharaja and had someone ask Brahmananda Prabhu, who both associated
very intimately and for long periods of time with Srila Prabhupada, if they had
ever heard him personally give instruction for these changes to occur. Both said
no, that they were instituted by the leading men of the movement.
After a lecture I gave on the subject during a Communication Seminar by Mukunda
Maharaja, he told me to take as a special mission the re-establishment of the
women's proper situation in ISKCON.
Param Gati Maharaja, the GBC for France, fully backs up my endeavor for informing
the devotees about the way things were when Srila Prabhupada directly managed
the temples and trained the devotees and about the most wonderful spirit he created.
AUTHENTICITY OF THE PROPOSED ARGUMENTS
Our subject here deals with the social application of Krishna Conscious principles,
not with the philosophical knowledge. Therefore many of the arguments given here
do not come from Prabhupada's books but from conversations between Srila Prabhupada
and his disciples in daily encounters, most of which of course did not get recorded.
Many devotees do not trust these '"Prabhupada's said," but Prabhupada
himself gave his opinion about these '"Prabhupada said." In a reunion
in Mayapura in 1975, the GBC told Prabhupada: "There are so many "Prabhupada
said," better only accept what is in the books and tapes." Srila Prabhupada
answered: '"No, what I say in talks also, many things I say are not in my
books.'"(From Himavati.) My information is coming from a notebook in which
all along the years, I noted the anecdotes related to me by devotees who lived
closely with Prabhupada, or by devotees who received these stories from these
first disciples. My other stores, which are irrefutable, are from Srila Prabhupada's
letters.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS
Many devotees are puzzled by the many seemingly contradictory statements appearing
in Srila Prabhupada's books and talks, while others choose to quote and act only
upon those fitting their own desires and conditioning while completely avoiding
to see their counterpart. But devotees must learn, by analyzing scrutinizingly
Srila Prabhupada's teachings as a whole, to understand how Prabhupada in his great
intelligence and love knew how to change or adapt an instruction according to
the spiritual need in a particular time and place. In the following list of anecdotes
or quotes showing Srila Prabhupada's attitude towards women in ISKCON, this kind
of apparent contradiction will sometimes occur.
EQUALITY AND EQUAL TREATMENT
Often pushed by his male disciples to minimize ISKCON women spiritual position,
Srila Prabhupada reacted for example in the following way:
* Srila Prabhupada: '"You dance, she dances. You sing, she sings, you cook,
she cooks, there is no difference. You are the same in Krishna's eyes."
* While during a darshan Srila Prabhupada had a brahmacari distribute a little
prasad to everyone present, the boy gave prasad to all the men and sat down. Srila
Prabhupada noticed that he did not serve the only two girls present and said:
"Give them also prasad, why don't you serve them?"
WOMANLY DUTIES
Srila Prabhupada often stressed that women took up traditional roles:
* "Girls who are living in New Vrindavan should be engaged in the following
activities: 1) "Taking care of the children, 2) cleaning the temple, kitchen,
etc., 3) cooking and 4) churning butter" (letter to Labangalatika, 1969)
* "A women's real business is to look after household affairs, keep everything
neat and clean. ....the women should be sewing." (letter to Chaya Dasi, 1972)
There is not doubt that householder women inside ISKCON or outside, recognize
that cooking, cleaning, sewing, taking care of children are their basic activities.
As a mother, I spend myself a good part of my time in these matters. But the point
is that a woman is not limited to these activities only, if she has abilities
for other activities, as will show the following quotes and anecdotes:
* Bhibavati asked Srila Prabhupada "Should I live like in the Vedic times,
and simply serve my husband and child?" Srila Prabhupada answered, "No,
you have a talent as a writer, you should write articles for newspapers and propagate
Krishna Consciousness. (Bhibavati)
* "You have good writing capacity, and good artistic ability. Now devote
your life to chanting Hare Krishna and if possible write articles on Krishna Consciousness,
as many as possible with your own paintings and send it for publication to Back
to Godhead." (letter to Govinda Dasi, 1974)
* "The nursery school program is very good. That is good that the mothers
are being freed to increase their devotional service." (letter to Jayatirtha,
1975)
* "All the wives of our students should be trained up for Deity worship and
cooking, and when possible they should go on Sankirtana party with their husband
and others." (letter to Hamsadutta, 1970)
* "I am very glad to know that you are engaged as pujari there. Try to learn
this art of arcana very nicely. ..I wish that all our girl devotees be expert
in the matter of arcana..." (letter to Kanchanbala, 1970)
* When the service of Deity worship was being taken away from women, Srila Prabhupada
wrote, "Regarding women worshipping the Deity, in the Bhagavad-gita it is
stated: striyo vaisyas tathasudras, te 'pi yanti param gatim. The idea is that
everyone who is properly initiated and following the rules and regulations can
worship the Deity." (letter to Uttama Sloka, 1974)
* So far your question regarding women, I have always accepted the service of
women without any discrimination, so I have no objection if Yamuna devi contributes
her ideas on this construction project. Nothing should be done without group consultation.
(letter to Guru Das, 1972)
WOMEN IN POSTS OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Many men were opposed to women being given posts of responsibilities and refused
to work under them.
* Atreya Rsi asked Srila Prabhupada if women could be given great responsibilities.
Srila Prabhupada answered, "Yes, if they are Krishna Conscious." Then
he gave the example of Jahnava, the wife of Nityananda Prabhu, who took charge
of the whole Vaishnava community after His departure. (Atreya Rsi)
* "Chanakya Pandita said not to trust those who do not control their senses,
politicians and women. But this applies to non-devotee women, not our women, because
they do control their senses." (class in Los Angeles 1972)
* When a male devotee refused to be instructed by Jadurani, the head of the art
department, because of her being a woman, Prabhupada called him in and ordered
him to accept her instructions.
WOMANLY QUALITIES FAVORABLE TO DEVOTIONAL SERVICE
* "A devotee should have the courage of an English officer and the heart
of a Bengali mother," used to say Srila Prabhupada.
* "Women are better than men because they can accept any position."
(Bhavatrini)
WOMEN LEADING KIRTANS AND BHAJANAS
"An important apparent contradiction comes from a statement in the scriptures
that a sanyasi and a brahmacari should not hear a woman's voice. But Srila Prabhupada
had men and women chant japa together, women lead kirtans in the temple and in
public engagements and the women gave classes.
* Srila Prabhupada had Yamuna (one of our best singers) lead kirtans in front
of crowds of guests and devotees, which included of course sannyasis and brahmacaris.
* Yamuna, Lilavati, Kausalya and later Parijata, Jyotirmayi and many others used
to routinely lead kirtans.
* "I want to organize a women kirtan party singing the Gita-Gan. Can you
help me?" (letter to Gargamuni Maharaja, 1974)
* In France, when he noticed that Jyotirmayi could pronounce the sanskrit better
than others (she had been taught by Nitai, his personal sanskrit secretary), Srila
Prabhupada said that from then on, she should lead the recitation of the sanskrit
verses before class. (Jyotirmayi, 1972)
* During his massage Prabhupada heard a letter from Jayasacinandana in Los Angeles
written on behalf of a group of brahmacaris. In every ISKCON temple of the world
the assembled devotees offer their obeisances to the Deities in the morning as
the Govindam prayers loudly play, George Harrison recorded it and Yamuna sings
the mantras. Disturbed by this custom, Jaysacinandana quoted Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakur (as well as Srila Prabhupada) that if a brahmacari hears and is attracted
to a woman singing, it is a subtle fall down. "In light of this, he wrote,
many of the brahmacaris approached the temple president to see if it would be
possible that when the Deities are greeted in the morning, instead of listening
to Gurudasa Maharaja's former wife singing the Brahma-samhita prayers, we could
listen to Your Divine Grace rather than hear a woman sing." He did not want
to change the tape because it has been a standard thing in ISKCON since 1970.
"So requested by many devotees, I am inquiring from Your Divine Grace if
we could play a tape recording of your singing instead of a woman when the Deities
of Rukmini Dvarkadhisha are greeted in the morning. I am sure that all the devotees
would be enlivened to hear you instead of electric guitars, the London symphonic
orchestra, etc., etc......" Prabhupada was not pleased. He said that constantly
changing things is "our western disease." His reply was short and direct.
"No! You have made some discovery. All along you have been hearing the recording
of Yamuna dasi and now you want to change. It is not ordinary singing, it is not
concert. Many people are singing, so it is not bad. Just like Sankirtana. I approve
of it. Here in the Krishna-Balarama temple we are hearing the same recording every
morning. So if it is good here, why not there?" (Hari
Sauri, Dec 1975, Vrndavan, "A Transcendental Diary.")
WOMEN'S
ADVANCEMENT
* For a long period of time, women in ISKCON have been considered unfit for real
spiritual advancement. Their only hope was to become men in their next life and
start spiritual life from that point.
* "regarding your question, yes woman can certainly reach the perfectional
stage of devotion to Krishna." (letter to Krishna Devi, 1969)
* Srila Prabhupada said about Yamuna in the early 70's that she had reached the
stage of bhava.
* "In the Bhagavad-gita we find that women are also equally competent like
the men in the matter of Krishna consciousness movement." (letter to Himavati,
1969)
* We are Vaishnavas. We are not concerned with male of female position in life.
That is simply bodily concept of life. It is not spiritual. Whether one is male
or female, it does not matter, simply chant Hare Krishna and follow the four regulative
principles and your life will be perfect." (letter to Jennifer, 1975)
* It is not that women should only produce children, but they are meant for advancing
in devotion." (letter to Jayatirtha, 1975)
WOMEN AS DANGEROUS FOR MEN
Many men in the movement have used various scriptural statements on women's faults
to rebuke and humiliate them, hinder their service and advancement, or even try
to drive them out of the movement.
* When Srila Prabhupada first said in a class that for a man association with
a woman is dangerous because she makes him loose control over his senses, the
male devotees started acting very nastily with the women of that particular temple.
The ladies expressed their pain to Prabhupada who then called in all the men and
said: "I was talking of materialistic women, not of the women of the movement.
These are angels."
* Srila Prabhupada also said in another instance: "When we talk of women,
we do not talk about those of our movement because by associating with these women,
if they are Krishna Conscious, you will be liberated." (Madhavananda)
* A disciple of Swami Narayana said to Srila Prabhupada: "My spiritual master
said to avoid all women and to never go where there are women." Srila Prabhupada
laughed and said: "That is impossible, there are women everywhere."
Then, coming back to the temple and watching two women devotees bow down to him,
he said: "By associating with these women, you will be purified." (Madhavananda)
* In various occasions, brahmacaris complained to Srila Prabhupada that they were
agitated by the presence of women in the temple, and Srila Prabhupada replied
that if they could not restrain their senses, they should go live alone in the
forest.
* "regarding the disturbance made by the women devotees, they are also living
beings. They also come to Krishna. So consciously I cannot deny them. If our male
members, the brahmacaris and sannyasis, if they become steady in Krishna Consciousness,
there is not problem. It is the duty of the male members to be very steady and
cautious." (letter to Gargamuni Swami, 1975)
WOMEN'S WELL BEING
For years men were always given the best facilities (as far as living quarters,
chanting japa, sitting places in a van or at festivals, prasad, etc.) while the
women got what was left. But Srila Prabhupada was always concerned that the women
be well protected and taken care of.
* During the Gaura Purnima festival in Vrndavana, Yamuna got sick. Srila Prabhupada
had her stay with him until she got better. (Yamuna)
* In 1974, Palika lived in India with Prabhupada, her husband having taken sanyasa.
While she was taking care of Prabhupada in his office, Srila Prabhupada noticed
that her sari had a hole and said, "I am going to buy a sari, yours is all
torn." As she protested, he continued: "Your husband Bhavananda has
now taken sanyasa, therefore I shall give you some money." (Dinatarine)
* Srila Prabhupada was informed that there was no running water in the women's
living quarters in Bombay for a long time, as the plumbing needed repairs. Srila
Prabhupada called in the leaders and said: "You are always talking of big
big things and you do not see that these simple things are being taken care of."
* Srila Prabhupada wanted that for Sankirtana (chanting in the street), women
stay in the middle to be protected.
WOMEN'S LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE
Srila Prabhupada's statement and the scripture's statements about the women being
less intelligent has brought a lot of misunderstanding and men's ruthless behavior
towards women. But what does "less intelligent" exactly mean?
* kalau sudra sambhavat: in the age of Kali, everyone is sudra. In the
Vedic times, women were considered on the same level as vaisyas and sudras. The
brahmanas and kstriyas of those days were so elevated that women were no doubt
on an inferior level. But in Kali-yuga, men have degraded
to the level of the women, everyone being sudra, and cannot anymore pose themselves
as highly superior.
* In Bhagavad-gita (3, 42-43), Krishna says: "The working senses are superior
to dull matter, mind is higher than the senses, intelligence is still higher than
the mind, and he (soul) is even higher than the intelligence....one should steady
the mind by deliberate intelligence." According to this definition, an intelligent
person is one able to control the mind with his intelligence. The mind's activities
are thinking, feeling, willing. Therefore it can be concluded that a woman is
less intelligent because she has harder time than a man to control her emotions
than for a man. But it does not mean that a woman is totally deprived of most
intelligence, as it has unfortunately often been established in the movement.
It is not that one goes from the most intelligent man down to the most stupid,
and then only comes the most intelligent women down to the most stupid. If we
rate men and women's intelligence on a scale, it is not that man's intelligence
occupies the highest section and women's the lowest, but the two overlap. Of course,
it is certainly true that if one takes the most intelligent men in the world and
the most intelligent women, the men might be on a higher level than the women."
*There are various facets to intelligence - intelligence as controller of the
mind, material intelligence, spiritual intelligence - and various definitions.
Srila Prabhupada once defined it as "sharp memory and good discrimination."
The following examples illustrate its different meanings:
* Srila Prabhupada said to a lady disciple: "Well, if you think you are a
woman that means you are less intelligent, because you are suppose to understand
that you are a spirit soul and that your real identity is transcendental to these
bodily designations." (Sadaputa)
* When Srila Prabhupada was asked if Jyotirmayi should finish her studies in ethnology
(study of religions and cultures) in order to teach vaisnavism in the universities,
he answered, "yes, she is very intelligent girl, she can do it." (Yogesvara)
* "Another examination will be held sometime in 1971 on the 4 books, Bhagavad-gita,
Srimad Bhagavatam, Teachings Of Lord Chaitanya and the Nectar of Devotion. One
who will pass this examination will be awarded the title Bhakti-vedanta. I want
that all my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhakti-vedanta,
so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations.
Those possessing the title of Bhakti-vedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples.
Maybe by 1975 all my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the number
of generations. That is my program." (letter to Hamsadutta, 1968)
* "Regarding your questions about the examination to be given, the girls
will also be able to take these. In Krishna Consciousness there is no distinction
between girls and boys. The girls also may become preachers if they are able."
(letter to Himavati, 1969)
* "Now I see that in our Society the girls are more intelligent than the
boys." (Letter to Krishna Devi, 1970)
WOMEN AS PREACHERS
For many years, women have been forbidden to give classes to all devotees in the
temple room, to give Sunday lectures to guests, whereas those were common practices
from the beginning of the movement to about 1973-74.
* "Regarding lecturing by women devotees: I have informed you that in the
service of the Lord there is no distinction of caste, or creed, color or sex......
We require a person who is in knowledge of Krishna, that is the only qualification
of a person speaking. It does not matter what he is. Materially a woman may be
less intelligent than a man, but spiritually everyone is pure soul. In the absolute
plane there is no gradation of higher and lower. If a woman can lecture nicely
and to the point, we should hear her carefully. That is our philosophy. But if
a man can speak better than a woman, the man should be given the first preference..."
(letter to Jaya Govinda, 1968)
* "Jadurani has now become a nice preacher, I have report from Satsvarupa
that she gives lectures very nicely. If we open a pavilion, I shall take Jadurani
also at that time so she will deliver nice lectures." (letter to Mahapurusa,
1968.)
* "So far as girls or boys lecturing in the morning, that does not make any
difference. Either girl or boy devotee may deliver lecture if they choose to do.
We have no such distinction of bodily designations, male or female. Krishna Consciousness
is on the spiritual platform. As such, anyone who is a devotee of the Lord, following
in this line of disciplic succession, can deliver lecture on the teachings of
Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, etc." (letter to Syama Dasi, 1968)
* Srila Prabhupada had Himavati give public lectures in front of crowds of people
in India.
* From 1973-74, when stopping women from giving classes began to spread from temple
to temple, country to country, different women went to Prabhupada for help.
* "You can also keep giving Bhagavatam class if you like. Women in our movement
can also preach very nicely. Actually male and female bodies, these are just outward
designations; Lord Chaitanya said that whether one is brahmana or whatever he
may be, if he knows the science of Krishna, then he is to be accepted as guru."
(letter to Malati, 1974)
*Excerpt of a conversation about varnashrama dharma between Srila Prabhupada,
Yogesvara and Jyotirmayi, 1974, France.
SP: Woman is to help her husband.
JM: So the duty of the brahmana is to preach. It is to learn the philosophy. SP:
Yes, to learn and to preach.
JM: And to teach the philosophy. So in our movement, the women have always preached
philosophy, given classes, given lectures.
SP: Oh yes, oh yes. With the husband. She is always helping hand to hand the husband....
Assistant.
JM: Does that mean that the girls should not give lectures and not give classes?
SP: Why not? If she is a brahmana's wife, she can give lecture.
JM: Jadurani, for example, now she is no longer with her husband anymore., but
she is giving classes, she is giving lectures. So is that good?
SP: Yes, yes. Why not? This varnashrama dharma, woman is according to the husband.
That's all. Jadurani is suppose to be a brahmana's wife, her husband has taken
sanyasa, so she can preach.
JM: So women can preach. They can give classes. They can give lectures.
SP: Oh yes.
* After receiving the confirmation from Srila Prabhupada, Jyotirmayi went on giving
classes in France. But the pressure from the American men became stronger and
stronger (such as telling the brahmacaris not to attend the classes), and Jyotirmayi
wrote to Prabhupada for his renewed support. At that time, Srila Prabhupada did
not write his letters himself anymore but dictated his answers to his secretary.
As it happened that both Jyotirmayi and Bhagavan had written to Prabhupada at
that time, each for a particular question, Srila Prabhupada had his secretary
Brahmananda answer them both a common letter. The letter that Srila Prabhupada
sent was confirming her right to give classes in the temple. (Jyotirmayi)
HOUSEHOLDER LIFE AND SANNYASA
As women were being demeaned, householder men and householder life were also heavily
put down, to the point that householders were in great numbers trying to convince
Prabhupada to give them sanyasa.
* "Regarding your separation from Nandarani, nothing should be done artificially.
Nandarani is no different from you. She also seeks Krishna Consciousness. Your
household life is not repugnant. It is favorable. Do not separate artificially.
When everyone is engaged in Krishna's service, there is no question of maya. I
have got good estimation about Nandarani." (letter to Dayananda)
* "If you have taken a wife for grhastha life, why are you neglecting? That
is not vaishnava. Vaishnava means he is very much responsible, and if he is householder,
then he must be responsible. I cannot give sanyasa to any devotee who has not
proven himself to be responsible in all respects. Better you prove yourself first
by being ideal householder and forget all this nonsense." (letter to Mahatma,
1972)
* This taking sanyasa should not be a whimsical proposition, and should not be
an excuse for becoming irresponsible, have no responsibility as grhastha, brahmacari,
etc." (letter to Danavir, 1973)
* "We are suppose to take husband or wife as eternal companion or assistant
in Krishna Conscious service, and there is promise never to separate. Of course
if there is any instance of very advanced disciples, married couple, and they
have agreed that the husband shall now take sanyasa or renounced order of life,
being mutually very happy by that arrangement, then there is ground for such separation.
But even in those cases there is no question of separation, the husband, even
he is sanyasa, he must be certain his wife will be taken care of nicely and protected
in his absence. Now so many cases are there of unhappiness by the wife who has
been abandoned by her husband against her wishes. So how can I sanction such thing?
....But if it becomes so easy for me to get married and then leave my wife, under
excuse of married life being an impediment to my own spiritual progress, that
will not be very good at all. That is misunderstanding of what is advancement
in spiritual life." (letter to Madhukara, 1975)
CONCLUSION
If I usually write "many men" and not just "men," it is that
a certain number of them, especially amongst householders, objected against the
way women were being treated. But their effort to protect the women was always
quickly stopped as they ended up being ridiculed by their godbrothers calling
them "henpecked husbands."
The arguments presented here, as well as the anecdotes and letters referred to,
are certainly already known to and approved by most of the devotees who have sincerely
and objectively tried to understand the matter of women in ISKCON. I have only
tried to compile as many of them as possible in a structured way to inform those
who never thought over the matter, and those who are reluctant to do the necessary
changes, being adverse or insufficiently convinced.
Many of the wrongs done to women for so many years have now been corrected and
ISKCON women have recovered some of their rights. Unfortunately, they have been
rehabilitated only to higher of lesser degrees according to the different leaders,
in different places. Much is still to be done for men to recognize fully women's
dignity, and for women to assume again that dignity everywhere. Hare Krishna.
PROPOSAL FOR RE-ESTABLISHING ISKCON WOMEN IN THEIR SPIRITUAL
RIGHTS
1) Many of the rights taken away from women have been given back to them since
a number of years now, to a different degree in various temples. Again, they are
allowed to write articles, perform Deity worship, give classes in the temple,
take on various posts of responsibilities previously forbidden to women. (Gurukula
headmistress, head pujari, photographer, member of temple administration or national
council, etc.). Respect and proper behavior towards women has also come back within
ISKCON to a certain extent. Harikesa Swami for example had a memo written to protect
women from improper behavior on the part of the men and leaders. Here are some
excerpts:
* Whenever prasadam is served, it must be served simultaneously to both the men
and women...This is especially true at festivals. Sufficient sized rooms should
be allotted to the men and women for taking prasadam. The women should not be
made to wait till after the men eat.
* It is a mental concoction to strictly call men "Prabhu" and women
"Mataji"... However, calling the ladies "Mataji" is a sign
of respect since everyone should respect their mother. It is a very respectful
term and should be used in that way. If one uses the term "Mata" in
a derogatory sense, then he is using it wrongly. Neither does calling someone
"Prabhu" imply automatically that they are superior to a lady. Someone
shall be known as higher or lower according to their spiritual status, not according
to their gender or social opinion.
* The women should be given equal facilities in the temple. It is not that the
men are given a lot of room to live in but the women must be cramped up in their
quarters. Both should have proper place to live and both should get equal medical
facilities and health care when sick. This principle of equality should be extrapolated
into all areas of temple life. All practical considerations should be examined
in this light and where there is discrimination, it should be abolished.
* If a women is a temple president, temple commander, Sankirtana leader or department
head, she should be respected by the other devotees, either male or female. Anyone
who is a leader in ISKCON has the authority of ISKCON behind them and should be
respected. We should not tolerate that some male member of ISKCON will disrespect
some female temple president simply because she is female. There must be respect
of this position.
* No guru, sanyasi or preacher may speak in a derogatory way about women in classes
or in discussions amongst men. They must maintain this spirit of respect between
men and women. This does not mean, however, that we should not repeat the message
of the shastras or what we have heard from Srila Prabhupada regarding the dangers
of association between men and women. Rather, this means that there should be
no statements wherein the devotee women are seen as lower than the devotee men,
and therefore treated improperly...(Memo to the National Council of Germany, from
Harikesha Swami, GBC, January 1994)
2) There are very positive improvements but still more has to be done. And these
improvements should not be limited to only some temples or some zones, but to
the whole movement. To attain this goal, the re-establishment should be one of
the prime objectives of the GBC board as it concerns (children included) half
of the population of ISKCON.
In addition to what has been instituted by Harikesha Swami, in his zone, here
is a list of further situations to be corrected in our movement to bring back
Srila Prabhupada's original ISKCON.
* Men and women should again both face the Deities, each on one side of the temple
room during kirtans.
* Men and women should both again face the speaker of the Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita
class, each on one side of the temple room.
* During festivals, both men and women should face the stage, each on one side.
* During special celebrations, both men and women should be invited to sing and
talk on stage, both on one side.
* During guru-puja and Vyasa-puja, women should be again allowed to offer obeisances
in front of the vyasasana and not anymore obliged to offer them in the back of
the temple.
* While offering flowers to Srila Prabhupada during guru-puja, there should be
as in the past two lines, one of men, one of women, presenting simultaneously
the petals. Out of the two lines, one man goes, then a woman, and so on.
* The same should be done for offering ghee lamps during the month of Damodara.
* Japa should again be chanted by both men and women in the temple room, sitting
down in front of the Deities, men and women each on their side.
* During public preaching programs, men should be on side, women on the other
side.
* While chanting in the streets, both men and women in turn should give a short
speech.
* During Tulasi worship in the temple room, there should be as in the past only
one Tulasi for everyone, both men and women devotees.
* New devotee men should be taught to avoid intimate associate with women (except
of course their own wife), but they should not be taught to hate and humiliate
women devotee.
* As much as men should be taught to respect women as mothers, women should be
taught to respect women as mothers, women should be taught to see the men as sons.
* Women should be taught to respect each other and not feel contempt for each
other.
* During festivals, while bathing the Deities, pushing Their swing or reading
an offering to Srila Prabhupada, first all the senior men and women should go,
then younger men and women; not all the men, then all the women.
* As much as both men and women are taught how to distribute books on Sankirtan,
both men and women should equally be taught how to give classes and public lectures.
* Women able to kirtans and bhajans with real devotion and art should be allowed
to do so.
* Women should be allowed as before to perform mangala-arati as well as 7 o'clock
arati.
I surely have not covered everything in this list but at least a good part of
the problems women have had to face since about 1973, when Srila Prabhupada could
not anymore oversee personally ISKCON's management.
3) Because of bad habits acquired for so many years, what was so natural and simple
for devotees at the beginning with Srila Prabhupada will be very difficult to
institute again now. Most devotees having not known anything else since the time
they joined, will not want to change their ways, thinking that doing so will be
maya. And this attitude will come from women as much as from men. Changing back
to the way it was will also be accepted more easily by leaders, by old and advanced
devotees than by the mass of devotees. Some will oppose strongly, some will be
enthusiastic and some won't dare. It will therefore be necessary for the leaders
to free the minds of the devotees all over again, in a very practical way.
* Temple presidents should have regular ista-ghosthi's where all there points
will be thoroughly discussed until all objections will be defeated, everything
clarified and understood, and finally the mentalities changed.
Example 1: It will be objected that some temple rooms are too narrow for men and
women to be side by side. Some of our temples in the past were also small and
narrow, still there was no problem, just a small space was left between the two
lines of men and women, but no one ever sat or stood in the reserved space.
Example 2: Some women will object that they cannot be shy if they come up front.
Women in the past were never considered immodest by Prabhupada because of standing
in front of the Deities and meditating on Them. So, if Prabhupada did feel that
way, so they think they know better than Prabhupada how a woman should behave
in Krishna Consciousness?
* Temple presidents, GBC's and heads of departments should see day to day to the
application of the reformation of the women's condition.
Example: Stop the men from pushing the women back to the end of the temple room
by progressively dancing more and more to their side and on the space left between
them and the altar.
Example: Not give in to the blackmailing of some men such as: "If a woman
gives class, I won't attend."
*Experienced lecturers should teach the women how to give class and prepare it:
proper state of mind, adequate reason for giving class, how to develop erudition,
how to capture the attention of the audience, etc. As they never got the chance
to practice progressively as the men did, they can start with easier classes such
as Chaitanya-Charitamrta classes or readings of Prabhupada Lilamrta (where there
is a lot of reading with just a few comments). Once they feel more at ease, they
will begin Bhagavad-gita classes, then Bhagavatam classes when they feel ready.
Often, there are no weekly lists of who gives classes, who offers guru-puja arati.
Just anyone who feels like it goes up. Women won't dare to just go up like that.
There should therefore be weekly lists so they may know when it is their turn,
especially for classes. Women will not give a spontaneous class as they have no
practice. It is better anyway for most devotees to prepare their classes to really
teach philosophy to their audience.
* Women are so used to sitting passively back in class, that they have often lost
proper behavior. They often go in and out, lean against the wall, sew or do other
things rather than really listen and participate actively, let their children
move about noisily. They must be taught again adequate behavior in class, respect
of the speaker and the listeners. Those who just listen, have no children or services
should sit in the front. Those with children or service should sit in the back
of the other women. Being side by side with men, the young children will more
easily disturb the men, they should therefore be better controlled by their mothers.
Srila Prabhupada always wanted the children to behave properly in the temple room.
(*6)
4) Recovering Srila Prabhupada's sprit, as far as devotee women are concerned
is of the utmost importance for our movement even though many may not be conscious
of it.
* To advance spiritually women need examples, just as men have sannyasis, GBC
men, gurus, temple leaders, if older women are allowed to express their realizations
and knowledge through classes, their devotion through kirtans and taking great
responsibilities for their spiritual master, younger women will see them as examples
to follow and will advance more and more.
* When on the opposite, they are trained to see all women as unadvanced, unintelligent,
incapable, etc., having no female example to admire and follow, being unable to
imitate men as their services and association are forbidden to them, they often
despise other women and become sexually attracted to advanced men devotees, either
grossly or subtly. That is how the phenomenon of "groupies" takes place,
and how men leaders fall down.
* Immature men think that despising women and putting
them down, "keeping them in their place," proves their own worth.
In reality, in societies where men are truly confident of their own worth, women
are not merely tolerated, they are valued. Their opinions are listened to with
respect, they are given their rightful place in shaping the society in which they
live.
* Not only the prejudicial, hurtful behavior towards women has stopped many men
and women from joining our movement, but it has made us fail to attract, or loose,
the interest and support of educated thoughtful seekers of spiritual truth.
* Whatever progress the movement has made since Prabhupada's arrival is been due
at least as much to the efforts of women as of men assisting him. But the women
having since 1973 being kept away from almost all decision making and superior
responsibilities, the problems and chaotic situations which have befallen ISKCON
since cannot be attributed to them, but to the men only. Maybe listening to what
the older advanced women had to say would have helped to avoid many blunders.
* Some of the valid positions we have on controversial issues, such as abortion,
divorce, sex, birth control, women, children, loose a lot of their impact and
are much less convincing in large measure because of their being presented by
men instead of women to whom these issues main belong.
* Srila Prabhupada built the movement on the foundation of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's
unique contribution. No one is to be excluded from the Sankirtana movement, regardless
of gender, race, religion, age, social status or any material distinction. He
made the necessary adjustment of womanhood to modern western situations as he
saw that following the traditional Vedic definition would be completely anachronistic
and impede our movement. By not following in his footsteps and trying to overstep
his decisions we bring a universal spirituality to the level of a sect, with no
contribution to make to the vital issues of our time.
* As we celebrate Srila Prabhupada's Centennial, the world prepares to celebrate
the new millennium. Those who wish to see Prabhupada truly honored this year will
acknowledge the universality of his message and its relevance to a world in transition,
a world in which the role and contribution of women will continue to increase
in size and scope.
Hare Krishna.
Jyotirmayi Devi Dasi