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Sunday, August 27, 2017

Prabhu and Vaishnavi, a Double Standard

ISKCON's Women's Ministry (now known as the Vaisnavi Ministry) says that all women in ISKCON should be addressed as"Prabhu" instead of "Mataji" (Mother). "Prabhu" means "Master", and is therefore an equivalent to calling a woman "Mister",  a title that over time has been derived from earlier forms of the title "Master". At the same time, please note how the female "Prabhu" advocates like being called "Vaisnavi". Vasnavi is a feminine form of "Vaisnava".

But is this not a double standard? And what is wrong with being called "mother" in the first place?

Motherhood is a life changer. There are so many lessons to be had that a woman is no longer just a woman when she becomes a mother. And not only is nurturing children an important service, it appears to be a necessity for the quality of life for women.

Childless women, for example, often become teachers or nurses or at least adopt a pet to enable that nurturing sense to unfold. In women's magazines like Better Homes and Gardens they have huge, regular adverts referring to the pet being featured as one's child. Or a neighbor may be seen pushing her cat around in a stroller she bought at Petco.

In other words, it's a part of a woman's life difficult to get around, And there is mounting evidence how this need can result in physical and mental health problems if not addressed. Canakya pandita wrote that "a lack of sexual contact with her husband brings old age upon a woman". 

Sadly for many of us, such irreverence for motherhood has ruined being addressed as a "Vaisnavi". And the result has been confusion for many people. Or embarrassment. Such as when young men call an elderly mataji by her first name to avoid the titles altogether. But can you fault them for this?

In our Vaisnava culture we honor our spiritual fathers by addressing them as such. So why not our spiritual mothers, from whom we may learn the highest standards of sacrifice in devotion to Krsna?

"Never mind whether she is younger or older. It doesn't matter. Woman has to be addressed as 'Mother.'" - A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bg 4.16 lecture, Bombay 4/5/74