Stir Fried Veggies

Ekadasi is a good time for this simple dish. Vegetables like potatoes and cauliflowers are especially delicious sauteed in ghee. A squeeze of lemon brings out extra flavor, all for Krishna's pleasure.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5- 6 T ghee
• about 6 c chopped veggies for stir frying
• salt and pepper, as desired

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the ghee in a frying pan until almost smoking hot. Toss in the vegetables. Stir quickly and coat evenly with the ghee.
2. Let cook a bit on high while stirring every couple minutes. Vegetables will start to brown and shrink.
3. Lower heat to very low, cover and let vegetables cook in their own juices until done. Add salt and pepper.
4. Offer to Krishna with a big bowl of sweetened yogurt.

Banana and Lime Beverage

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe bananas
• 4 c water
• 1/4 c fresh lime juice
• 1/2 c sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Boil sugar with 1/2 c water until sugar dissolves, cool 
2. Blend the bananas with remaining water until smooth.
3. Add cooled sugar syrup and lime juice. Blend well and offer immediately.

moong soup II

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c whole moong beans, sorted and rinsed, soaked 6-8 hrs
• 2 med zucchini, peeled and chopped
• water
• 1 t salt

FOR THE CHAUNK:

• 5 T ghee
• 1 T ginger root
• 1 t coriander powder 
• 1/2 -3/4 t bl.pepper
• 1/4 t hing
• 1 t turmeric
• 1 t mustard seeds
• 1 t cumin seeds
• salt
• Fresh lemon slices

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the ghee to make a chaunk. Add the ginger and let it get brown and crispy. Then add the coriander powder, hing, black pepper and turmeric. 
2. Add the vegetables and salt and fry a few minutes, and then add the moong beans and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook until beans begin to burst from skins and soup thickens a bit. Add more water as needed. Lower heat and cook on simmer until veggies are tender.
3. Heat the ghee and make a chaunk with mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard about stops popping and cumin is nicely brown, add to the soup and stir in a little more salt. Altogether, the general rule is 1 t salt per cup of finished soup. 
4. Offer to Krishna with lemon slices and piping hot rice, fresh slices of bread 

Serves 6

VARIATIONS:
Experiment with various vegetables and spice combinations. Fresh root vegetables go well and hot chilies can be added along with fresh coriander leaves.

If you use tomatoes, add the tomatoes towards the end of the cooking when lowering the heat to simmer. Otherwise, tomatoes have a tendency to slow down the cooking of the dahl if added in the beginning.

broccoli and peas in tomato sauce

I really love this Bengali subji, but for some, the cardamon included may be an acquired taste.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch chopped broccoli, washed and steamed
• 1 cup fresh peas, rinsed and steamed
• 8 blended plum tomatoes
• 1/4 t mustard seeds
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 1 T grated ginger root
• 1/4 t hing
• 1 t mixture of equal parts turmeric, ground cardamom and ground cinnamon
• 4 T ghee

PREPARATION 

1. Chaunce in hot ghee the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and ginger until the ginger browns and mustard seeds pop.
2. Add hing until the smell comes out. Add the mixture of turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon, followed immediately with the blended tomatoes.
3. Cook until tomato thickens a bit. Add the steamed vegies.

Offer to Krishna with freshly cooked rice and or puris.

Return of the Mothers

Updated 12/13/17
A prabhu at Dandavats.com asked -in regard to the article My Brief against Feminism-  "How is feminism related to female guruship?" and more specifically, "Why can't an older woman become guru?"

First of all, the idea of female diksha is not the foremost issue, feminism is. It is a chief cause of the many social disturbances we see today, fed by the root cause- godlessness. Feminism was what prompted the article; the questioning of female diksha was simply for openers.

Historically, it's not that a woman could not become diksha, but there was no dearth of full time mothers and women at home either. The divine consort of Lord Nityananda and incarnation of Ananga Manjari, Jahnava Ma, was one rare example, but who was better known for cooking and feeding devotees rather than traveling to Japan. Thus the question should be: Why is it not the best idea at this phase in time, when family life and the family structure has been undergoing serious attack from atheists?

In other words, what problems arise when a society gives increasing emphasis to personal choice via leading women taking on traditionally men's training and roles, rather than their God given duties in the home? and what does feminist influence have to do with this?

WHY FEMINISM DOESN'T WORK
Feminism is related to the idea of material equality, and since that's impossible, it forces human society to adapt in many artificial, complicated ways to facilitate female independence. Take, for example, the widespread use of unhealthy contraceptives, all the aborted babies or latchkey kids, sexual harassment laws, men forced to pay child support while losing their children, men losing job and educational opportunities that have become more and more geared towards women, or the fact that men have to take on the worst or high risk job positions which subject them to workplace fatalities simply because women are still protected from them.

And how do many women end up? Often lonely and bitter with little or no family.

Because of this continued push for equal rights, we see such trouble and a scourge of husbandless women. And this will continue to grow until women are foremost encouraged to learn about and take their place in the home, regardless of what path they choose later.

SUDRANIS
Of course, it's not like one will never see a woman on the street again or in the work place. There always have been public women, as Srila Bhaktivnoda called them, or sudranis who work alongside men. Therefore, we do not find only brahmanis and queens in the sastras. There also are women like Kubja, for example, who was obliged to work as a maidservant for Kamsa or the maidservants that accompanied Devaki during her wedding, or the prostitutes of Dwaraka or the beautiful Cintamani who inspired Srila Bilvamangala Thakur or the woman vendor who gave her fruits to Lord Krishna (And as a side note, Srila Prabhupada cleverly took advantage of the western woman's proclivity for public service and elevated them to the status of Krishna's transcendental dasis instead). Working outside the home is the back up crew because generally the servant class has always been necessary for the activities of the other classes to go on. Sudranis do so many services to keep the rest of human society going even to the present day; not every woman can be fortunate enough to work at home (Ditto the transcendental women servants in present day ISKCON).

Beyond this, there may occasionally be the case of domestic women needed outside the home similar to what Srila Prabhupada mentions as "emergency duties" in Bhagavad gita 2.47 purport. Such duties, as necessary, may require capabilities outside one's regular activities, and thus they are generally executed without personal ambition and on a short term basis. One example might be Queen Kaikeyi in the Ramayana assisting her husband Dasaratha on the battlefield.

This is different reasoning, however, than what is happening today. In Kali yuga sudra life is glorified and a perpetual situation is being pushed for all women to not only work outside the home but also to become trained for men's duties ad nauseum and to live their lives outside marriage if no husbands are willing to facilitate such a program. And since similarly, ISKCON leaders have already sanctioned for women positions as temple president or GBC, the position of female diksha was bound to come up.

So now, questions naturally arise- if not the boundaries given in Srila Prabhupada's books, who decides where boundaries should be drawn?  And how does the GBC propose to solve the above social problems created by independent womanhood? Not long ago, they passed a resolution resembling sexual harassment laws. So instead of protecting women by encouraging marriage and faithful womanhood, it seems our whole society is being brought closer to the artificial conditions of present secular society. And if we must have women on the GBC, why not married women who are closer to the sastric ideals?

Otherwise, more problems are guaranteed to multiply because when women are increasingly programmed to demand men's jobs, this detracts from the duties traditionally assigned by sastra. Such duties take a back seat or become practically non existent in the clamor for an egalitarian, communist society.

And perhaps the most serious problem is that the remaining women who do choose a home life suffer from feelings of loneliness, derision, lack of role models and support. They are prone to feel incomplete if they don't compete with the superwoman model that teaches women they should "have it all", which means juggling both family life and a career or some big service outside the home. The result is women who feel disconnected from their families, too worn out to do it all, properly.

PUT PROTECTED FAMILY WOMEN FIRST
The family woman, therefore, should become the standard for ISKCON rather than the public woman (who usually make better girlfriends than wives). A shift in focus is in order, so that dedicated family women may develop their God given abilities to nurture a society via stable family life. Especially for the children's sake.

There is talk, for example, about improving the educational standards within ISKCON. What people need to understand, however, is that no amount of education will turn a child into a devotee the way stable family life can. Children who actually feel loved and cared for by both parents and valued, make happy students and better schools. This means getting to the root of ISKCON's educational problems, rather than drifting away from Prabhupada's vision for gurukulas. It means getting to the heart of the problems most men today face, which often disqualify or cripple their abilities as leaders in the home or the greater society.

After all, mother is the first guru. She teaches her children the foundation of unconditional love by faithfulness to their fathers, as prescribed by Lord Sri Krishna. This means her position as shiksha to her children and, in her maturity, to everyone else is totally natural; it complements the feminine nature. Thus it makes sense that when Suniti is described as shiksha guru for Dhruva Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada chose her example to teach women that being guru is not limited to diksha (SB 4.12.32p). CC Adi 1.47 purport says:

"If one foolishly discriminates between them, he commits an offense in the discharge of devotional service."

RETURN OF THE MOTHERS
And if women are encouraged in their duties at home, in turn we will see the return of dedicated grandmothers or mother's in-law because without their involvement, young wives and mothers cannot thrive. They simply have not the maturity, experience, etc. Without such elderly family women, there are currently many young women who need mentoring and support, rather than depending upon society to pressure their already overworked husbands or outsiders to accept more and more responsibilities previously done by mature family women.

No wonder so many abandon their home life for other things while their husbands and children are bewildered and deeply affected by their frustration!

Young men, too, benefit from the advice and encouragement of elderly, family women. Not entangled in other things the world now has women believe they should be a part of, availability of an elderly woman's counsel and support is probably her most important service to humanity. And the more experience such noble women have in life as a mother to others around them, the better able men will grow up to think of them as such, rather than objects for personal sense gratification. Disrespect for women naturally will be curtailed.

In other words, family life and motherhood should be presented for women as their normal, healthy, and lifelong service to the Lord or to at least be looked up to by women not so fortunate, wherever their karma places them. These are such extremely important jobs, sacred duties, that they are meant to be promoted and carefully protected by a godly governing class as an example for all.

GIVING MEN ENERGY INSTEAD OF COMPETING WITH THEM
Thus women, currently programmed to believe they should act as a temple president, GBC or to give diksa rather than siksha to help humanity, less likely would be called upon, the more they focus upon establishing for men and their children a happy home life overseen by mature women. That's because men who grow up in stable families of supported mothers, followed by good training in gurukulas and satisfactory householder lives via faithful wives dedicated to their husbands, homes and family for Srila Prabhupada's and Lord Krishna's satisfaction, will become better equipped to take on these duties that were meant for them in the first place.

To get to this point, we need women educated in their domestic duties and supported by healthy social attitudes to help them to realize just how valuable their position in the domestic sphere really is.

THE ROLE OF SOCIETY IS ESSENTIAL
We won't accomplish much, however, if neophyte women should be forced into these roles. For most of us converts, it required a higher taste, which gives the patience needed to understand what is duty and what is not. It requires steadily chanting Hare Krishna and following the process of Krishna consciousness to gain a service mood. That's because varnasarama development depends upon bhakti, not the other way around. Bhakti is always independent.

"The value of such scientific divisions of human society can be ascertained only in terms of the proportionate development of devotional service to the Lord...Everyone is meant to serve the purpose of the Supreme Lord" -SB 2.8.16p

But does that mean society should just sit back and not have an important role in determining how things will play out?

The masses of people are simple- minded; what is fed to them enough, they eventually accept. Today the media, for example, constantly displays images of unsubmissive, grossly selfish, often violent tempered women who apparently have no concern for men, family life, children or anything else normal women have feelings for. If ISKCON leaders propagate the roles of women from Prabhupada's books, this blatant social engineering can be gradually overturned, and a healthy attitude towards dedicated family women and their extremely important contributions to society can reawaken.

So the ISKCON leaders need to take these things into consideration. Which role models for human society should receive the most attention?  Domestic women or public women? The latter always have and always will exist and for important reasons not covered here, but we need to consider who needs the most support in order to help our sons and to set the best example for our daughters, as well as attract traditionally minded people by giving our movement a better image.  Plus, it makes sense that a social structure that takes into account all living entities, having been designed by the Lord Himself, should take priority over the desires of the nostalgic devotees who seem to expect that all men must act immediately on the same platform as paramahamsa Srila Prabhupada did in dealing with women. Srila Prabhupada's position is not so cheap.

COUNTERACTING SINFUL ACTIVITIES
Some may argue that devotees are transcendental, that they are above such considerations. But what example does that give the masses outside our movement? Unless we counter modern culture, we are inadvertently supporting sinful activities which include domestic violence, divorce, abortion and child abuse. 

And let us not forget that family life connected to Krishna's service becomes purified. Prabhupada says in Bg 5.2-3 purport, "Since everything belongs to Krishna, everything should be employed in the service of Krishna. This perfect form of action in Krishna consciousness is far better than any amount of artificial renunciation...There is no duality in his mind because whatever he does, he does for Krishna. Being thus freed from the platform of dualities, he is liberated- even in this material world."

THE REAL PROBLEM-  MEN WHO ARE OVER ATTACHED TO WOMEN
As for those who strongly insist that opposing material equality for women is discrimination, they should consider how their stance is discrimination against dedicated family women just as well (and also how they appear envious of their own gender).

Truth is, if it were not for the foolish men who support feminism, feminism could not exist (although conversely, it is feminism that gives such men, who are over attached to women, a voice in the first place!).

And if they could please read their own sexist language whenever describing a woman at home... Often, they write as if it is some terrible, horrible thing forced upon her. By men. But unless they have served as a dedicated wife and mother for thirty years or so, what qualification do they have to even speak on this subject?

The source of this thinking is something all devotees should examine. These men are enjoying the company of women in every sphere of their lives, and therefore it makes sense why they fight tooth and nail to keep things the way they are- a chaotic society overrun by people's wants. In reality, they are more dangerous than the feminists because, as Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura pointed out, "What will a man attached to women not do in disobedience to the orders of guru and scripture?"

BRING BACK THE LADY AT HOME, BUT THIS TIME KRISHNA CONSCIOUS
This blog has vintage images from the 1950's and so on. Maybe that's why the same prabhu at Dandavats criticized: "Some devotees seem to confuse western materialistic culture prior to 1950 with the ideal Vedic standard".

The reality is, it's difficult to find many pictures after the early 60's that show a woman serving her husband or in the home. Revealingly, that's how looked down upon household life for a woman has become.

And yes, any period in American history had a good share of flaws.  Underneath the surface of any materialistic society lies a good deal of unhappiness and even if covered by social expectations, it's bound to come out some way or other.

In response, the second wave of feminist activity began in the early 1960s and lasted through the late 1980s. "The key event that marked the reemergence of this movement in the postwar era was the surprise popularity of Betty Friedan's 1963 book 'The Feminine Mystique'.

"Writing as a housewife and mother (although she had had a long story of political activism and connection with the CIA), the problem with no name that Friedan described-  the dissatisfaction of educated, middle class wives and mothers like herself who, looking at their nice homes and families, wondered guiltily if that was all there was to life-  was not new; the vague sense of dissatisfaction plaguing housewives was a staple topic for women's magazines in the 1950s. But Friedan, instead of blaming individual women for failing to adapt to women's proper role, blamed the role itself and the society that created it" (Norton, Mary Beth, "A People, A Nation" )

After consorting with the ideals of Friedan and her ilk for a disastrous decades, many people are again attracted to what the fifties era represents- homelife, motherhood, family, apple pie... But that is the nature of the material world, wavering back and forth between semblances of the fifties or that of the hippies. This wavering is described in the sastras as "bhoga tyaga".

 But, we followers of Srila Prabhupada should know better than anyone else, that the discontent described by Friedan was actually a lack of Krishna consciousness, which is also the root cause of this industrial society and its nuclear family model and all its feelings of isolation, depression, boredom, etc.

Prabhupada's books, on the other hand, give the ideal for human society to function according to Krishna's plan, and the role that women play is highly important and their cooperation essential. To move forward, therefore, shouldn't we first of all take better care to avoid further advancing the materialistic woman's eternal discontent voiced by Friedan, and work to promote Srila Prabhupada's desires for varnasrama instead?

A sect of Christians sell a book called The Return of the Daughters.  But those daughters have mothers and grandmothers already in the home. With their faithful women already firmly convinced that happy home life is a primary necessity and God's arrangement for human society to function properly, all they need now is transcendental consciousness, something ISKCON is meant to demonstrate for them.

But at present, it isn't just daughters ISKCON needs the return of, but dedicated mothers, mothers-in-law and grandmothers to support those daughters.

It is notable, too, that these Christians understandably have less trouble following the determination to have sex only for procreation, since they consider children their future hope and therefore often have large families in the face of the widespread, western contraceptive mentality.  We could do likewise, since Krishna says sex for His divine service is religious and Srila Prabhupada desired many such children for the spreading of Krishna consciousness.

In conclusion, Krishna consciousness was what was missing all along. Feminism was just a symptom of that. Then Srila Prabhupada came to the west and women started becoming Krsna conscious. Unfortunately, coming to the Hare Krishna movement contaminated by feminist conditioning, many had disposed of their valuable feminine nature well beforehand and have influenced succeeding generations to do the same. Now let's work conjointly to bring back the lady at home, this time for the service of Krishna, and in this way establish the long awaited, non-industrial, spiritually -progressive society Prabhupada envisioned for us, a true varnasrama society.  First things first.

Then maybe some day, another nitya-siddha female diksha might appear like Jahnava Ma, who, most importantly, served with the heart of a mother.

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again

by Diane Loomans

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self esteem first, and the house later.

I'd fingerpaint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less and know to care more.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.

I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.

I'd model less about the love of power,

And more about the power of love.

The Need for Varnasrama

Here are some words from Prabhupada from his last days with us, related to a previous post:

(Room conversation in Mayapura, February 14, 1977)

Satsvarupa: When Ramananda Raya brought varnasrama up, Lord Caitanya said it was not possible in this age to introduce this.

Prabhupada: He did not say not possible. Iha bahya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was interested only on the spiritual platform. He had no idea of material side. He rejected material side.

Satsvarupa: But don't we do that also?

Prabhupada: No. Our position is different. We are trying to implement Krsna consciousness in everything. Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally took sannyasa. He rejected completely material. Niskincana. But we are not going to be niskincana. We are trying to cement the troubled position of the world.That is also in the prescription of Bhagavad-gita. We are not rejecting the whole society. Our duty is that we shall arrange the external affairs also so nicely that one day they will come to the spiritual platform very easily, paving the way. We are preaching. Therefore we must pave the situation in such a way that gradually they will be promoted to the spiritual plane.

Hari-Sauri: But in Caitanya Mahaprabhu's practical preaching He only induced them to chant.

Prabhupada: Chanting will go on. That is not stopped. But at the same time the varnasrama-dharma must be established to make the way easy.

Satsvarupa: We tell them go on with your job but chant also.

Prabhupada: Yes. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended, sthane sthitah. Therefore varnasrama-dharma is required. Simply show-bottle will not do. So the varnasrama-dharma should be introduced all over the world, and...

Satsvarupa: Introduced starting with ISKCON community?

Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. Brahmana, ksatriyas. There must be regular education. So we are stressing on the point of education. You educate certain section as brahmana, certain section as ksatriya, certain section as vaisya. In that education we don't discriminate because he's coming of a sudra family. Take education. Be qualified.

Hari-Sauri: But in our community as it is, we are training up as Vaisnavas...

Prabhupada: Vaisnava is not so easy. The varnasrama-dharma should be established to become a Vaisnava. It is not so easy to become Vaisnava.

Hari-Sauri: No, it's not a cheap thing.

Prabhupada: Yes. Vaisnava, to become Vaisnava, is not so easy. If to become Vaisnava is so easy, why so many fall down? It is not easy.

Hari-Sauri: Varnasrama system is beneficial. Where will we introduce the varnasrama system, then?

Prabhupada: In our society, amongst our members.

Hari-Sauri: But then if everybody's being raised to the brahminical platform...

Prabhupada: Not everybody. Why you are misunderstanding? Varnasrama, not everybody should become brahmana.

Hari-Sauri: No, but in our society practically everyone is being raised to that platform. So then one might ask what is...

Prabhupada: Everybody is being raised, but they're falling down.

Hari-Sauri: So then we should make it more difficult to get brahminical initiation. After four or five years.

Prabhupada: Not necessary. You remain as a ksatriya. You'll be happy.

Hari-Sauri: No need for even any brahmana initiation, then...

Prabhupada: No, no.

Hari-Sauri: Unless one is particularly inclined.

Prabhupada: Not that a sudra man is by force become a brahmana. You cannot improve. That is not possible. But even if he remains a sudra and does accordingly, he will get the same position as devotee. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya sam... He'll get the perfection. At the present moment the idea is: if one remains a sudra, then he cannot get perfection. No. Even a sudra can get perfection provided he does the work of a sudra perfectly.

Hari-Sauri: For Krsna.

Prabhupada: Therefore why a sudra artificially should be a brahmana? Let him remain a sudra, and if he follows strictly the rules and regulation of sudra, he'll also be as good as a brahmana. The same example: Just like head is as important as my leg. It is not that because it is leg, it is less important than my head. And if you ask the head, "Do the work of a leg," it is impossible. And if you ask the leg to work as a brain, that is impossible. Let him remain brain, let him remain leg, and do your duty and you become perfect.

Satsvarupa: Today you've been saying that the Vaisnava is the highest, above the brahmana. But then we've also understood that everyone in ISKCON is a Vaisnava.

Prabhupada: Yes. Vaisnava everyone, even if he's not brahmana. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa. But you have to gradually bring him to that pure consciousness that "I am servant of Krsna." Here the bodily conception is going on, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that."

Satsvarupa: If in our society we say, "Srila Prabhupada wants some to be sudra..."

Prabhupada: No, no, no. I don't want. I want everyone to become Vaisnava. But because he's a sudra, it is not possible to bring him immediately to the platform of brahmana, or Vaisnava. Therefore falling down. Therefore the system must be present. But even if he remains a sudra, he's a Vaisnava.

Hari-Sauri: So we'd have to completely revise the whole system that we have now.

Prabhupada: No. Whatever we have, that is all right. But we see by experience that they're falling down. Why falling down? Because he was not fit for the position, therefore he has fallen. Better remain in his position and become perfect. Why artificially bring them? There is no need. Krsna says. Bring that Bhagavad-gita. Sve sve karmany abhiratah?

Hari-Sauri: sve sve karmany ab hiratah samsiddhim labhate narah sva-karma-niratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrnu By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done."

Prabhupada: Yes. He is sudra, clerk. As a sudra, he can get the perfection. Why he should artificially become a brahmana and sannyasi and fall down? This has to be checked.

Hari-Sauri: So in Mayapura here now we have that situation, that so many...

Prabhupada: Everywhere, wherever, Mayapura or anywhere. Question is that here it is clearly said, sve sve karmany abhiratah. Brahmana has his duty, ksatriya has his duty, vaisya has his duty, sudra has his duty. And if he performs his duty nicely, then he also becomes perfect.So why artificially he should be called a brahmana?Let them do, according to sastra, the work of sudra, or vaisya. He'll become perfect. Perfection is not checked.But why artificially he should be made a brahmana or he should be made a sannyasi and fall down and become ludicrous?That is the point. Better let him live in his position and become perfect. That's good. That looks very nice. And that is possible. That is possible. Lord Visnu can be worshiped if you perfectly follow the rules and regulation of four varnas and four asramas. Here it is also said, sve sve karmani. You work as a perfect brahmana or a perfect ksatriya, perfect sudra; you get perfection. The perfection is available in your natural life.Why should artificially you become unnatural and fall down and become ludicrous?

Hari-Sauri: At this time should we try to introduce it in our centers or not?

Prabhupada: Always we shall try. Human society will be always there. We have to serve them, para-upakara. We have to keep them in the right position.

Hari-Sauri: I just remember two or three years ago there was a thing... A pamphlet came out about introducing the varnasrama system in the society, but actually nothing came of it.

Prabhupada: Yes. That time was not right. Now you can do something. Every business is important. Brahmana business is important, ksatriya... Just like the body. Head is important; the arm is important; the belly is important. They must be kept in order.Just like I am in trouble because my belly is not working. Digesting power is not good. So in spite of brain, hand, and leg, I am diseased. If any part of the society remains diseased, the whole society will suffer.Therefore they must be maintained in correct order. You cannot say if there is some trouble in the leg, "Neglect the leg. Take care of the brain." No. Brain will be taxed due to the pain in the leg. This is nature. Therefore everyone should be kept in order. Then things will go on. That is varnasrama.

Hari-Sauri: So at least if we successfully introduce the varnasrama system in our own society, then when all the demons finish themselves...

Prabhupada: At least... At least... At least they will see, "This is the ideal." Ideal. We are giving the ideal. We are not going to be a sudra. But to show ... Just like you play in a drama. You are playing the part of a king. You are not a king.

Hari-Sauri: No.

Prabhupada: So similarly, just to give them idea, we have to play like that.

Hari-Sauri: Well, again, that's...

Prabhupada: Not necessarily that we are going to be sudra. So that is it. That is the thing. We are servant of Krsna. That's all. And as servant of Krsna, we have to execute the order of Krsna.

Satsvarupa: So we can ideally organize ourselves and then for the rest of the people all we can do is hope that they'll follow it.

Prabhupada: Yes. In order to serve the mass of people, to bring them to the ideal position, we should try to introduce this varnasrama, not that we are going to be candidates of varnasrama. It is not our business. But to teach them how the world will be in peaceful position we have to introduce.

For more on this topic and the very important role domestic women play in Krishna's scheme of things click here: "Varnasrama Begins at Home".

"So modern civilization is not strictly following the Vedic injunction. Therefore, especially I have seen in the Western countries, there is no home practically. There is no homely happiness, because women are allowed to mix freely and there is no protection. They are not married, there is no husband. The father also does not take care. As soon as the girl becomes fifteen, sixteen years, she goes away. Therefore I have practically seen there is no home, there is no peace in the Western countries. These are very important things, that soft-hearted woman, vama-svabhava, they should be given protection. They should be trained up how to become faithful wife, affectionate mother. Then the home will be very happy, and without happiness we cannot make any spiritual progress. We must be peaceful. This is the preliminary condition. Therefore, as far as possible, the Vedic injunction is there should be division in the society, varnasrama….Varnasramacaravata. Because the whole aim is to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu." -SB 1.7.43 lecture, Vrndavana, 10/3/76

Preparing Our Daughters Part II

In regard to the quotes from Srila Prabhupada posted previously, one important item was studying the lives of women in the sastra: "There are many stories, Nala-Damayanti, then Parvati, Sita, five chaste women in the history. They should read their life." -Conversation: July 10, 1975, Chicago

"Not only was mother Sitä powerful, but any woman who follows in the footsteps of mother Sitä can also become similarly powerful. There are many instances of this in the history of Vedic literature. Whenever we find a description of ideal chaste women, mother Sita is among them. Mandodari, the wife of Rävana, was also very chaste. Similarly, Draupadi was one of five exalted chaste women. As a man must follow great personalities like Brahmä and Närada, a woman must follow the path of such ideal women as Sitä, Mandodari and Draupadi." -SB 9.10.27p

On the contrary, a representative of the ISKCON Women's Ministry has recommended that the lives of the chaste ladies given in the sastras and suggested by Srila Prabhupada as part of a woman's education, are currently negligible and should therefore be replaced with Kali yuga career women role models. She seems unaware of an increasing number of western men who are actively seeking out traditional minded women from other countries with the help of matchmaking services. Seeking out traditional women has been happening in ISKCON, too, quite naturally. So, it is not that traditional thinking is dead. Rather, it is making a recovery. It is better that we catch up by replacing the current Women's Ministry with a more dharmic ministry that promotes the return of traditional role models (LATER NOTE: Thankfully, this is starting to happen via the ISKCON Institute for Spiritual Culture and HG Devaki Mataji).

GOOD REASONS TO AVOID JUMPING INTO THE CAREER WOMAN HOLE:
1. Once one invests so much trouble into education as a career woman, she will feel forced to use it, even at the cost of future family life and happiness. And really, what mundane careers are that precious?

Becoming a lawyer to defend liars? Becoming a professor required to teach atheism? Becoming a doctor to prescribe dangerous drugs for an increasingly sick world? Bhagavad Gita says to examine the flaws of every Kali yuga job.

2. Srila Prabhupada was right on the mark that a university education for young women means learning to kill their own children. Normal women are designed to bear children, and to counteract this, feminist-funded education on abortion and contraceptives has become widespread. Think about it- supporting career education for women supports child killing.

3. Imagine the shock of women discovering infertility after devoting their youth pursuing the career they got trained for, what to speak of trying to find a husband when they are much older. It gets tougher, since health problems become more serious with age. After all, nobody wants to marry a walking doctor bill, and unless attachment has had much time to develop, reluctantly will someone want to care for such a person if they should become seriously ill.

On the other hand, a woman who married young and her children are now grown up, took care of all that biological business already, and now has the time do as she likes. 

4. The career woman model is known for killing off femininity. Ever notice how working women are increasingly looking like and or acting like men? Being surrounded by men in most working places makes it a survival tactic.

5. If a woman is successful in her career, her wages give her a certain amount of independence. That means she gains the option to dump her husband when the going gets rough, rather than learning how to work at a relationship. Wealthy women are famous for this. And it puts off maturity.

6. There's a saying that "Credentials on a wall do not make one a decent human being". In other words, it is far better to be a humble housewife with full faith in Krishna and respect for all living beings rather than a faithless, academic addict who derides the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Rama as a woman hater or thinks a pure devotee such as Srila Prabhupda is conditioned by his cultural background. The latter exist in ISKCON today, due to association of mundane colleges.

"“Unless you cent percent agree with the spiritual master’s opinion or philosophy, there is no need of accepting a spiritual master. There is no need." (Lecture: Bhagavad-gita 2.8-12 — Los Angeles, November 27, 1968)

“Although a devotee may apparently express himself to be ignorant, he is full of knowledge in every intricate matter.” (SB 3.7.8 purport)

“…if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant.” (SB 7.15.26 purport)

“If the spiritual master is considered an ordinary man, the disciple surely loses his chance to advance further.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.14, Purport)

7. All further education can be better learned instead by good association and good, useful books. Large amounts of time and money can be saved as well from going into the pockets of mundane colleges and it can be better invested for a woman's future home life, what to speak of saving her future husband from having to shoulder a huge college debt!

8. Outside employment is meant for sudras. Srila Prabhupada says:  "You see here that all young girls are carrying water, collecting. In the morning collecting water, cleansing the house, utensils, clothes, taking bath, then cooking, those girls. Their first business. Man's business is to earn money, go to the market, the necessities. Woman's business is take care of household affairs, children, and they have got engagement. And in the presence of father or elder brother or husband, a woman has to earn livelihood—that's a great insult." - (VAD talk, SB 2.1.1-5, 6/28/77, Vrndavana)

9. When women stick to their prescribed duties, deferring to men what are theirs, men naturally will be encouraged or feel needed to perform them. This not only applies to the services at a temple, but in one's home and at the work place as well.

Unfortunately, most employers are now forced to give women job preferences over men out of fear of "sex discrimination" lawsuits. As a result, there has been an increase of working women everywhere, taking over more than 50% of the job force in the west. The same goes for favoring women over men- even if the men prove more qualified- for getting into an educational institution. Thus all of this so-called "progress for women" really means that men are being cheated out of educational, employment and service opportunities. Even a word has been coined to describe this- "misandry". And Bhagavad gita calls it greed, one of the gates to hell, (Bg 16.21)

In this regard, George Gilder, author of Sexual Suicide wrote, "To most men, success at work is virtually a matter of life and death, for it determines his sexual possibilities and affirms his identity as a male in a socially affirmative way... For a female employee the sexual constitution of money is much less important. Her sexual prospects are little affected by how much she makes. Thus even if the woman is a very dependable employee, a payment to her does not usually purchase as great a commitment as does a payment to man." 

Furthermore, with so many people now available for hire, flooding the marketplace, wages are affected, which in turn affects those women who sincerely wish to remain at home. Helen Andelin, author of the best selling classic "Fascinating Womanhood" foresaw this when she wrote: “If you women continue to demand your choice to work, you will so upset the economy of this country that the time will come when you will not have a choice. You will have to work.” And you can thank the feminists for getting rid of the family wage.

A respectable lady, too, has talents and skills she can use to serve humanity, but rather than give class to men, she prefers sharing we Krishna katha with lady friends. Rather than becoming a temple president, she prefers to manage her own household as an expansion of Lord's temple. Rather than being the head pujari, she loves serving her own deities at home and hosting guests to feed them prasada. And rather than preaching to the masses, she engages in various programs with her husband or female companions. In this way, more men can feel encouraged to do their duties rather than become lazy, thinking the women will do everything for them.

10. The more important work for women, caring for their families, won't be neglected. Otherwise, so many disadvantages every child faces who is left to be raised by strangers. One is when the day care is unsteady and the child is switched from one caretaker to another during his most impressionable, formative years. Of course, family women may maintain a nanny or nurse to assist in caring for her children, but she should  be at home directing the caretaker and household help.

In other words, it's not that a lady at home can't have her personal desires met within the domestic sphere. The only real problem is when there is a lack of support from society as a whole, since the lady at home often goes about her business quietly and behind the scenes. Left untrained and uncultured, most women prefer to be seen and heard.

SOCIAL CONDITIONING
Feminist social engineers argue that the traditional roles for men and women are due to a social conditioning that needs to be unlearned. So, even if that were true, that people who want traditional roles still exist, how about we undo feminist conditioning instead?

Actually, we can by teaching our daughters properly. And with a major shift in ISKCON's mindset back to Srila Prabhupada's teachings, they'll soon have lots of company and won't  feel lonely or discouraged. Many a young woman will be able to admit her natural, feminine propensities with a sigh of relief...rather than having to dress like a neon sign board!

So, sensible people need to take a look at the huge, growing discontent displayed against feminism on the web and by talking to people around them. It didn't work. That's because all that was really missing in the past traditional role models was Krishna consciousness. Thus, instead of listening to these gender conscious women who say "by women for women only", let's get back to the business of giving the real knowledge that everyone is thirsting for- Krishna consciousness.

Krishna consciousness, working for the pleasure of Krishna, is so important because in nearly every discussion about the role of women that includes "liberal" minded devotees, there have been disparaging remarks in regards to the position of a mother or a homemaker. They talk like its some sort of nasty duty women are forced to bear in order to get on to better things. They don't seem to understand how anything done for Krishna is an ever-fresh, ever-increasing blissful experience. Nor do they seem to understand what an absorbing and fulfilling service family life can be in relation to Him. It appears all they are really doing is repeating what their Women's Studies classes taught them, rather than experiencing anything for themselves.

Actually, it is this feminism that is repressive and sexist. It is uncivilized and demoniac. Feminist history reveals the expectation for human society to adapt to an artificial, humanist and ultimately confusing ideology, and whoever does not or cannot- is expendable. Therefore, any sane person should reject it.

Undoubtedly, the Hare Krishna movement, seen and revealed by the wise and gentle devotees, is completely transcendental. At the same time, external ISKCON will have its faults or maya's coverings. We've all had our share of misconceptions about Krishna consciousness and endured that of others, but if we are actually hearing and chanting, we should be able to get over them and help newcomers and especially the younger generations to get the right information. Similar to mine, one mataji wrote about her experience joining a women's asrama. Her asrama leader had left her husband and the preaching going on was that family life is maya, children are stool bags and sankirtana is more important than cooking.  Fortunately, when she went to visit her future guru maharaja, he asked her what the position of women was according to Prabhupada's books. She answered that it was to serve her husband in Krsna consciousness. That is what got her wondering whether staying single was a good idea...She said "the moral of this story is we must be careful what we preach to women who come to Krsna consciousness.."

And for those that resolutely dislike domestic life, there's the idea to maintain an all women's temple. In a letter (Nov 1975) Srila Prabhupada wrote:
"My dear Palika devi dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 27, 1975. Yes, the separation of man and woman is desirable. If Yamuna and yourself can develop such an institution of a woman's asrama, that will be nice."

As for our daughters, they can be trained in herbal and natural healing, learn about the arts, social graces, nutrition, cleanliness, child care, healthy relationships and so much more. There is a life time of stuff to keep the normal woman busy without the need for a college education, which Prabhupada repeatedly criticized as meant for sudras. Most importantly, given an education in Krishna consciousness, they can become spiritually strong women who are able to withstand the inevitable difficulties this material world has to offer rather than hiding behind artificial philosophies and material adjustments. In other words, let's bring back the beautiful, feminine women- but who are now Krishna conscious.

This could prove to be our most powerful preaching program of all.