Ideals Taught by Queen Draupadi

This conversation may be found in the Mahabharata (text version below). It contains high ideals for study. First, a quick outline:

A CHASTE WIFE AVOIDS THE PRACTICES OF WICKED WOMEN (defined below as):

• addicted to incantations (witchcraft?) and drugs
• ever treading the path of sin,
• do sometimes (by these means) injure their husbands.

A CHASTE WIFE IS:
PROTECTIVE OF HER HUSBAND

• should never do the least injury to him
• always devotedly seeks the good of her husband.

SENSE CONTROLLED (A YOGINI)

• keeps aside vanity
• controls desire and wrath
• restrains jealousy,
• does not utter what is evil or false,
• does not look or sit or walk with impropriety,
• does not cast glances indicative of the feelings of the heart
• does not indulge in angry and fretful speech
• does not imitate women that are sinful.
• is not idle/ does not waste time
• does what is agreeable
• bears hunger and thirst,
• is the first to rise, the last to rest
• does not laugh unnecessarily, except at a jest,
• does not stay for any length of time at the house-gate nor pleasure gardens attached to the house, etc. (Similar to the teaching in Proverbs in the Bible- a wicked woman's feet always wander from her home).
• refrains from laughing loudly and indulging in unnecessary sense gratification
• and from everything that may give offence.

WILLING TO SERVE:

• serves with devotion.
• serves without a sense of degradation at the services performed (has a service attitude)
• waits upon her husband
• never bathes nor eats nor sleeps until her husband has eaten or slept
• hastily rises up to greet her husband with water and a seat when he returns home
• serves superiors with diligence, alacrity, and humility

DEVOTED TO HER HUSBAND:

• with deep devotion of heart,
• is attracted to none other
• separation from her husband is never agreeable
• renounces dressing up and so on to undergo penances when her husband is far from home.
• renounces whatever her husband does not like to drink, eat or enjoy

MANAGES HER HOUSEHOLD

• keeps the house and all household articles and the food that is to be taken well-ordered and clean.
• keeps the rice carefully (keeps it hot?)
• serves the food at the proper time
• regulates and manages any household help

DUTIFUL

• does those duties instructed by her mother-in-law in respect to relatives,
• engages also in giving charity, deity worship, observing religious ceremonies, serving guests and dignitaries, and all other duties known to her
• discharges her duties in the day or night, without idleness of any kind.
• serves with wholehearted recourse toward humility and approved rules
• is ever observant of virtue,
• handles her husband carefully (like a snake that can be angered at a trifle!)

APPRECIATIVE

• appreciates her husband's refuge (protection)
• accepts his guidance

DEVOTED TO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW

• does not speak ill of her mother-in-law
• serves her personally with food and drink and clothes
• does not show preference for herself over her in matters of food and attire
• does not correct her personally

A WORSHIPER OF VAISNAVAS

• worships duly with food, drink, and raiment

THRIFTY

• takes care of the family budget

THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN DRAUPADI AND SATYABHAMA
Vaisampayana said, "After those Brahmanas and the illustrious sons of Pandu had taken their seats, Draupadi and Satyabhama entered the hermitage. And with hearts full of joy the two ladies laughed merrily and seated themselves at their ease. And, O king, those ladies, who always spake sweetly to each other, having met after a long time, began to talk upon various delightful topics arising out of the stories of the Kurus and the Yadus. And the slender-waisted Satyabhama, the favourite wife of Krishna and the daughter of Satrajit, then asked Draupadi in private, saying, 'By what behaviour is it, O daughter of Drupada, that thou art able to rule the sons of Pandu--those heroes endued with strength and beauty and like unto the Lokapalas themselves? Beautiful lady, how is it that they are so obedient to thee and are never angry with thee? Without doubt the sons of Pandu, O thou of lovely features, are ever submissive to thee and watchful to do thy bidding.

'Tell me, O lady, the reason of this. Is it practice of vows, or asceticism, or incantation or drug at the time of the bath (in season) or the efficacy of science, or the influence of youthful appearance, or the recitation of particular formulae, or Homa, or collyrium and other medicaments? Tell me now, O princess of Panchala, of that blessed and auspicious thing by which, O Krishna, Krishna may ever be obedient to me.'

"When the celebrated Satyabhama, having said this, ceased, the chaste and blessed daughter of Drupada answered her, saying, 'Thou askedest me, O Satyabhama, of the practices of women that are wicked. How can I answer thee, O lady, about the cause that is pursued by wicked females? It doth not become thee, lady, to pursue the questions, or doubt me, after this, for thou art endued with intelligence and art the favourite wife of Krishna. When the husband learns that his wife is addicted to incantations and drugs, from that hour he beginneth to dread her like a serpent ensconced in his sleeping chamber. And can a man that is troubled with fear have peace, and how can one that hath no peace have happiness?

'A husband can never be made obedient by his wife's incantations. We hear of painful diseases being transmitted by enemies. Indeed, they that desire to slay others, send poison in the shape of customary gifts, so that the man that taketh the powders so sent, by tongue or skin, is, without doubt, speedily deprived of life. Women have sometimes caused dropsy and leprosy, decrepitude and impotence and idiocy and blindness and deafness in men. These wicked women, ever treading in the path of sin, do sometimes (by these means) injure their husbands. But the wife should never do the least injury to her lord.

'Hear now, O illustrious lady, of the behaviour I adopt towards the high-souled sons of Pandu:

'Keeping aside vanity, and controlling desire and wrath, I always serve with devotion the sons of Pandu with their wives. Restraining jealousy, with deep devotion of heart, without a sense of degradation at the services I perform, I wait upon my husbands. Ever fearing to utter what is evil or false, or to look or sit or walk with impropriety, or cast glances indicative of the feelings of the heart, do I serve the sons of Pritha--those mighty warriors blazing like the sun or fire, and handsome as the moon, those endued with fierce energy and prowess, and capable of slaying their foes by a glance of the eye. Celestial, or man, or Gandharva, young or decked with ornaments, wealthy or comely of person, none else my heart liketh.

'I never bathe or eat or sleep till he that is my husband hath bathed or eaten or slept,--till, in fact, our attendants have bathed, eaten, or slept. Whether returning from the field, the forest, or the town, hastily rising up I always salute my husband with water and a seat. I always keep the house and all household articles and the food that is to be taken well-ordered and clean. Carefully do I keep the rice, and serve the food at the proper time.

'I never indulge in angry and fretful speech, and never imitate women that are wicked. Keeping idleness at distance I always do what is agreeable.

'I never laugh except at a jest, and never stay for any length of time at the house-gate. I never stay long in places for answering calls of nature, nor in pleasure-gardens attached to the house. I always refrain from laughing loudly and indulging in high passion, and from everything that may give offence.

'Indeed, O Satyabhama, I always am engaged in waiting upon my lords. A separation from my lords is never agreeable to me. When my husband leaveth home for the sake of any relative, then renouncing flowers and fragrant paste of every kind, I begin to undergo penances. Whatever my husband drinketh not, whatever my husband eateth not, whatever my husband enjoyeth not, I ever renounce. O beautiful lady, decked in ornaments and ever controlled by the instruction imparted to me, I always devotedly seek the good of my lord.

'Those duties that my mother-in-law had told me of in respect of relatives, as also the duties of alms-giving, of offering worship to the gods, of oblations to the diseased, of boiling food in pots on auspicious days for offer to ancestors and guests of reverence and service to those that deserve our regards, and all else that is known to me, I always discharge day and night, without idleness of any kind.

'Having with my whole heart recourse to humility and approved rules I serve my meek and truthful lords ever observant of virtue, regarding them as poisonous snakes capable of being excited at a trifle. I think that to be eternal virtue for women which is based upon a regard for the husband.

'The husband is the wife's god, and he is her refuge. Indeed, there is no other refuge for her. How can, then, the wife do the least injury to her lord? I never, in sleeping or eating or adorning any person, act against the wishes of my lord, and always guided by my husbands, I never speak ill of my mother-in-law.

'O blessed lady, my husbands have become obedient to me in consequence of my diligence, my alacrity, and the humility with which I serve superiors. Personally do I wait every day with food and drink and clothes upon the revered and truthful Kunti--that mother of heroes. Never do I show any preference for myself over her in matters of food and attire, and never do I reprove in words that princess equal unto the Earth herself in forgiveness.

'Formerly, eight thousand Brahmanas were daily fed in the palace of Yudhishthira from off plates of gold. And eighty thousand Brahmanas also of the Snataka sect leading domestic lives were entertained by Yudhishthira with thirty serving-maids assigned to each. Besides these, ten thousand yatis with the vital seed drawn up, had their pure food carried unto them in plates of gold. All these Brahamanas that were the utterers of the Veda, I used to worship duly with food, drink, and raiment taken from stores only after a portion thereof had been dedicated to the Viswadeva.

'The illustrious son of Kunti had a hundred thousand well-dressed serving-maids with bracelets on arms and golden ornaments on necks, and decked with costly garlands and wreaths and gold in profusion, and sprinkled with sandal paste. And adorned with jewels and gold they were all skilled in singing and dancing. O lady, I knew the names and features of all those girls, as also what they are and what they were, and what they did not.

'Kunti's son of great intelligence had also a hundred thousand maid-servants who daily used to feed guests, with plates of gold in their hands. And while Yudhishthira lived in Indraprastha a hundred thousand horses and a hundred thousand elephants used to follow in his train. These were the possessions of Yudhisthira while he ruled the earth. It was I however, O lady, who regulated their number and framed the rules to be observed in respect of them; and it was I who had to listen to all complaints about them. Indeed, I knew everything about what the maid-servants of the palace and other classes of attendants, even the cow-herds and the shepherds of the royal establishment, did or did not.

'O blessed and illustrious lady, it was I alone amongst the Pandavas who knew the income and expenditure of the king and what their whole wealth was. And those bulls among the Bharatas, throwing upon me the burden of looking after all those that were to be fed by them, would, O thou of handsome face, pay their court to me. And this load, so heavy and incapable of being borne by persons of evil heart, I used to bear day and night, sacrificing my ease, and all the while affectionately devoted to them. And while my husbands were engaged in the pursuit of virtue, I only supervised their treasury inexhaustible like the ever-filled receptacle of Varuna.

'Day and night bearing hunger and thirst, I used to serve the Kuru princes, so that my nights and days were equal to me. I used to wake up first and go to bed last.

'This, O Satyabhama, hath ever been my charm for making my husbands obedient to me! This great art hath ever been known to me for making my husbands obedient to me. Never have I practised the charms of wicked women, nor do I ever wish to practise them.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing those words of virtuous import uttered by Krishna, Satyabhama, having first reverenced the virtuous princess of Panchala, answered saying, 'O princess of Panchala, I have been guilty, O daughter of Yajnasena, forgive me! Among friends, conversations in jest arise naturally, and without premeditation!'"

Beginning Basket Weaving

I love baskets made from natural materials, and I've often wanted to create one. I finally got my chance when I noticed the long grasses the locals here use to wrap spinach and such.


After collecting a bunch of them, first I soaked them to make them pliable once more, then I used a large plastic yarn needle, following the coil method shown on the following web page: http://basketmakers.com/topics/tutorials/construction.htm


My efforts weren't perfect, and I ran out of twine before being able to make a basket, but I did end up with an interesting hot plate! Later it moved from being underneath hot pots to being underneath our large bowl of tilak to protect the wooden table it rests upon. It is very durable and was fun to make.

iddlis

UPDATED 7/5/2025:
I use almost the same ingredients as for urad dahl dosas. The main difference is iddlis are steamed and dosas pan fried. And no water is added to thin out the batter.

INGREDIENTS (for about two dozen small iddlis):
1 1\2 cups rice ( I have used the short grained rice such as "masoori" at the Indian grocer, and have even used basmati if ground very well)
1/2 cup urad dahl
2 t fenugreek seeds
warm water
scant 1/4 t black pepper (or cayenne or minced chilies, as desired)
1 1/2 t salt,
2 t sugar

1/4 t black pepper 

1/2 t ground coriander
ghee
1 T mustard seeds

1 T fresh coconut, shredded (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Sort, rinse and soak the rice and dahl and fenugreek, sufficiently covered with water for 6-8 hours.
2. Drain the rice and dahl and fenugreek. Put all in a blender and cover almost entirely with water and blend well.
3. Stir in sugar and set covered in a warm place overnight, such as the top of a warm oven (or just a warm kitchen will do) until double to triple in volume. Then add the salt and black pepper.
4. Fill a large pot with a few inches of water. Also it helps to put a stainless steel lid or a similar implement at the bottom of the pot, immersed in the water, in order to raise the iddli maker higher above the water during steaming. That way you won't run out of water too quickly.
5. Meanwhile, while the water is heating up, fill greased iddli trays with a generous tablespoon of batter per iddli. Wet the spoon first for easier transfer of batter.

6. Cook inside steaming pot covered for  about 15-20 minutes or until firm.
7. Remove cooked iddlis from mold. Make a mustard seed and coconut chaunce as described below and pour over iddlis before offering.

LATER NOTES: THREE MORE WAYS TO MAKE IDDLI:

Method 1. Use a stainless steel plate, small enough to fit on top of a vegetable steamer inside a covered pan of water. Pour enough batter into the greased pan to about 1/2 inch below the rim. Cut the finished iddli cake before serving.

Method 2. Place a large, moistened cotton cloth on a working surface. Pour on the iddli batter, enough the size of the lid for the pot you are using to steam with and about an inch in depth. Cover with the pot lid and securely tie the cloth to the lid. Set the lid on the pot when the water is boiling for steaming.

Be careful not to let any cloth hang too loose or close to the flame or that the flame is too large for the diameter of the pot.
Cover and steam everything 25 minutes
Remove the lid and set it onto a large plate. Untie and take away the lid, exposing the steamed iddli cake beneath. Place another plate over this and flip the bottom plate over so that the iddli cake lands into the second plate. Remove the cloth and soak it in the hot water in the steamer for easy cleanup later.

RECIPE 2. I recently learned from an Indian cook, to soak one part urad dahl with two parts of rice (preferably short grained. Mataji used "iddli rava", but I don't like using parboiled rice). Then grind and prepare as usual. Only a little water and salt to taste is added right before cooking. Not while fermenting. This form of iddli will definitely need chutney.

FINAL SEASONING (optional)
Place the cooked iddlis on a plate or slice the iddli cake into wedges and chaunce them with a tablespoon of mustard seeds in a couple generous tablespoons of ghee. When the the mustard seeds stop popping, toss in the coconut and stir constantly until browning, then immediately pour contents all over the iddlis or  slices.

Traditionally these are offered to Lord Krsna with some coconut chutney and lots of love and devotion. Or serve with sambar or a favorite soup. But my favorite quick way is just the mustard seed and coconut seasoning on top and serve with various dishes as you like or alone as a snack.

Cooking iddlis in a pan over a vessel steamer has become my favorite method. No more messing with iddli trays afterwards or storing them. Be careful however not to overfill.

A large amount of batter can be stored in the fridge to be used throughout the week. Very healthy menu item. Low in fat and high in protein. It's especially good for growing children and invalids. 

Kitchen Meditations

from a vyasa puja offering, Melbourne 1991
by Kurma dasa (slightly adapted)
(used with permission http://www.kurma.net/)

Dear Srila Prabhupada,
As I enter the kitchen to prepare another offering, I pray, “Let me meditate on your instructions.” My only desire is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from your lotus-like mouth:

1. The yogurt has thickened overnight. It was once milk, but in contact with the souring agent it has changed. Similarly, our original love for Krishna has been transformed into lust by the sour mode of passion. Srila Prabhupada—please help me to transform my lust back to love of God.

2. I unpack the box of mangoes; some are ripe, some green. They’re all mangoes, but the ripe ones are better, tastier and more relishable. My daily devotional service is service no doubt, but it’s like the green mango. Srila Prabhupada, please help me ripen and mature my love for Krishna in the association of your devotees.

3. I slice the eggplants one by one. Every so often, I expose a tiny worm that has been living there, illusioned by Mäyä’s covering potency to think that “This life is not so bad.” Srila Prabhupada, please protect me from Mäyä’s spell. Don’t let me forget that this material world is “no place for a gentleman.”

4. I take the dried coconuts, one by one, and shake them to see whether they’re fresh. One produces a rattling sound. It has dried and become detached from the husk. Similarly, although you walked with us, your transcendental body was never attached to this material world. Srila Prabhupada—allow me to attach myself to your feet. Let your divine instructions increase my knowledge in devotional service and help me to detach myself from this dry material world.

5. I am ready to cook. I never tasted anything you cooked, Srila Prabhupada, but I heard it was very nectarean because you were cooking for your dearly beloved Krishna. I feel like an imitation. Srila Prabhupada, please allow me to serve you nicely, with no tinge of personal desire. And then maybe one day I can actually cook for Krishna.

6. I melt the butter for the halavä. It has been expertly prepared from the milk of Krishna’s cows. You have stated, “As no layman can separate butter from milk, so no one can extricate the merged self from matter by acquiring some material qualification.” Srila Prabhupada, you are expertly disentangling my real self, which has been merged in the external energy of the Lord.

7. Toasting the besan for the laddus, I remember the saying, “A confectioner is never attracted by sweetmeats.” Krishna has produced innumerable spiritual beauties and is not at all attracted by the false beauty of this material creation. Srila Prabhupada, help me develop my attraction for the all-attractive Lord Krishna; then only will my attraction to the so-called beauty of this world become slackened.

8. I heat the ghee and toss in a handful of mustard seeds. One of those tiny seeds is like a universe containing innumerable planets. We are living on this tiny cold, dark planet, thinking we are enjoying, but our universe is like one mustard seed in a whole bag of mustard seeds. “The planets in the spiritual sky are at least three times the number of those in the material sky.… Each of them is eternal, indestructible, free from all kinds of inebrieties experienced in the material world. Each of them is self-illuminating and more powerfully dazzling than (if we can imagine) the total sunshine of millions of mundane suns. The inhabitants of those planets are liberated from birth, death, old age, and diseases and have full knowledge of everything.… They have nothing to do there except to render loving service to the Supreme Lord.… [The] spiritual happiness in the eternal kingdom of God cannot be imagined even by the great brahmacärés or sannyäsés, … but such happiness is factually attained by the unalloyed devotees of the Lord, by His divine grace.”

9. I chop a bunch of fresh coriander leaves. Each large stem was produced from a single coriander seed. Each and every coriander seed on the spice shelf will similarly sprout if planted in the ground. But if we fry these seeds, they will never sprout. Similarly, you have ignited the fire of devotional service in our hearts to burn up the seeds of sinful desire. Srila Prabhupada, give me the strength to keep this fire of Krishna consciousness burning in my heart.

10. In fact, Krishna is everything. He provides the moon’s cooling rays, which enliven the vegetables; He sends the rain to nourish the grains, and the sun to ripen the fruits. He is the fire on which I cook, and from Him comes the ability to perform the actual cooking task. The cooking pots and the floor on which I stand are nothing but Krishna’s external energy. The ability to remember all this comes from Krishna, and, Srila Prabhupada, all this detailed knowledge can be realized by your grace.

11. “If one offers Me, with love and devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it.”

12. The hungry family and guests arrive. Soon they will sit and eat Krishna’s prasädam and be released from all kinds of sins. The duration of their lives will increase, their existence will be purified, and they will gain strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. But first they hear the kértana and the Bhagavad-gitä class. “This hearing is the expert treatment for the mad mind,” you have stated, “and eating the foodstuffs offered to Krishna is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Krishna consciousness.”

13. Srila Prabhupada, the hungry man feels pleasure, nourishment, and relief from hunger with every morsel of food. Similarly, by the process of Krishna consciousness, which you have kindly given, we gain devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from all other things. Thank you for saving me, Srila Prabhupada.

Toasted Mung Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 cup mung beans, split
about 6 cups of water
1 green chili, seeded and minced
1 t turmeric powder
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 t black mustard seeds
1 t cumin seeds,
about 10-12 fresh curry leaves (if available)
1/4 t hing
2-4 T fresh chopped coriander leaves (or 1/2 t coriander powder)

PREPARATION:
1. First, after sorting the mung beans for foreign matter, do not wash but put it directly in a heavy bottomed pan on high heat and stir constantly to toast it until a smell starts to come out and it is very slightly darker. Cool immediately by rinsing the beans. Then put in a cooking pot with 6 cups of water, the chili, the turmeric and a couple drops of ghee.

2. Bring to a boil, lower the heat as needed and allow to boil until the beans are partially cooked, beginning to expand and soften. Then add the chopped tomatoes. Lower the heat and partially cover until the tomatoes are cooked and soup desired thickness. (If too thick, add a little more water)

3. Chaunce the finished soup with with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and hing.

4. Add salt as desired and then garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves (if available because they give the most flavor, otherwise add 1/4 t coriander powder along with the hing). Then offer to Krishna with freshly made rice.

coconut chutney

With the increasing hot weather, more yogurt is desirable. One use for yogurt is coconut chutney, the other is raitas and the other is lassi. More recipes are coming soon and how to make yogurt.

Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh coconut, finely grated
1-2 t fresh ginger, minced
1 generous T yogurt
1 T roasted chana dahl (or lightly toasted besan)
1 t lemon juice (or a pinch of tamarind paste)
1/2 c coconut water (or water)
salt, as desired

CHAUNCE:
1-2 T ghee
1/2 t cumin seeds
1/4 t black mustard seeds
1/4 t ground black pepper
4-5 curry leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put coconut in a blender with ginger, chana, yogurt, lemon and enough coconut water and or water to grind until chutney consistency. Pour into a bowl.
2. Chaunce in hot ghee the mustard seeds, cumin, black pepper and curry leaves and add to the coconut mixture.
3. Add salt and offer to Krishna with freshly cooked urad dahl dosas!

TIP:
Choose coconuts that are light colored and with no cracks or mold and make sloshing sound, full of coconut water

Women's Liberation

This exchange between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and a woman reporter took place at Chicago's Krishna center during the summer of 1975.

Reporter: What advice do you have for women who do not want to be subordinate to men?

Srila Prabhupada: It is not my advice but the advice of the Vedic literatures that a woman should be chaste and faithful to her husband.

Reporter: What should we do in the United States? We're trying to make women equal with men.

Srila Prabhupada: You will never be equal with men, because in so many respects your functions are different. Why do you say artificially they're equal with man's? The wife has to become pregnant, not the husband. How can you change this? Both the husband and wife will become pregnant—is it possible?

Reporter: [No reply.]

Srila Prabhupada: Is it possible?

Reporter: No. It is not.

Srila Prabhupada: Then by nature, one has to function differently from the other.

Reporter: Why does this mean that women have to be subordinate—just because they bear children and men can't?

Srila Prabhupada: By nature, as soon as you get children you require support from your husband. Otherwise, you are in difficulty.

Reporter: Many women with children have no support from their husband. They have no—

Srila Prabhupada: Then they have to take support from others. You cannot deny that. The government is giving them support. Today the government is embarrassed. If the husband supported the wife and children, the government would be relieved of so much welfare expenditure. So that is a problem.

Reporter: What happens when women support men?

Srila Prabhupada: First of all, try to understand that you are dependent. After a man and woman unite, there are children. And if the man goes away, you are embarrassed—the woman is embarrassed. Why? The poor woman is embarrassed with the child—she has to beg from the government. So do you think it is a very nice thing? The Vedic idea is that a woman should be married to a man, and the man should take care of that woman and the children—independently—so that they do not become a burden to the government or to the public.

Reporter: Do you think that the social unrest—

Srila Prabhupada: I am thinking like this. You give me the answer! Simply you go on questioning. I will question you—Do you think this burden to the government and the public is good?

Reporter: I don't understand what you're saying.

Srila Prabhupada: Every year the government has to pay out millions of dollars in aid to dependent children. Do you think that this burden caused when the husband goes away from the wife this burden to the government and the people is good?

Reporter: No.

Srila Prabhupada: That has happened—because the woman does not agree to be subordinate. She wants "equal freedom."

Reporter: And if women were subordinate to men, I suppose that would solve all of our problems?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. The husband wants that his wife should be subordinate—faithful to him. Then he's ready to take charge. Man's mentality and woman's mentality are different. So, if the woman agrees to remain faithful and subordinate to the man, then family life will be peaceful. Otherwise the husband goes away, and the woman is embarrassed with the children, and it becomes a burden to the government and the people in general.

Reporter: Is there anything wrong when the woman works?

Srila Prabhupada: There are so many things wrong, but the first thing is, Why should some man's wife and child become a burden to the government or the public? First of all answer this. Why should she become a burden?

Reporter: [No reply.]

Srila Prabhupada: What is your answer?

Reporter: Well, men are burdens to the government, too.

Srila Prabhupada: Do you think, from the social point of view, that this situation of women and fatherless children is a very nice thing?

Reporter: What I'm trying to say is that ... this may happen to some women ... I'm talking about women who are not

Srila Prabhupada: This is the general pattern. You cannot say "some." In America I see they are mostly women.... The woman should be subordinate to the man, so that the man can take charge of the woman. Then the woman is not a problem for the public.

Reporter: Is this true for all women and all men?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. That is the law of nature. You take even the dogs—they also take care of their children. The tigers—they take care of their children. So in the human society, if the woman is made pregnant and the man goes away, then she is embarrassed—she has to beg from the government. That is not a very good situation.

Reporter: What about women who do not have children?

Srila Prabhupada: Well, that is another unnatural thing. Sometimes they use contraceptives, or they kill their children—abortion. That is also not very good. These are all sinful activities.

Reporter: Excuse me?

Srila Prabhupada: These are sinful activities—killing the child in the womb and taking shelter of abortion. These are all sinful activities. One has to suffer for them.

Reporter: Is the social unrest in this country caused because—

Srila Prabhupada: Because of these things. They do not know that.

"From the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrishni, comes unwanted progeny. An increase of unwanted population certainly causes hellish life both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated...Those whose family traditions are destroyed dwell always in hell." --Bg1.40-43

Real Equality- Unity in Variety

Prabhupada: There are four division of your body—the head division, the arm division, the belly division, the leg division. If you engage the head for walking, that is mistake, and if you engage the leg for thinking, that is mistake. Similarly, there are different types of men, combine together, and it will be nice body, the leg will walk, the hand will protect, the head will give instruction, and the belly will get energy by eating food. Those divisions are required. Not that everyone is all.

No, there must be division of labor. So that is described, how to make civilization perfect, who is going to hear and take it. Catur varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. If you can adjust things, you can utilize things, then everything will be useful. And if you do not know how to utilize things, then everything will be useless. Take instruction from Bhagavad-gita and make everything useful. Then the human society will be perfect.

Otherwise you'll go on manufacturing ideas, you'll never be successful. Because nature's law is working, you cannot interfere with the nature's law. That is not possible. You may think yourself very much advanced in science, but nature's law, you cannot interfere. Just like now there is movement, man and woman, equal.

Nityananda: Women's liberation.

Prabhupäda: Yes, but how the nature's law is strong. Woman has to become pregnant, not the man. Why equal right? Let the man become pregnant once. Woman became pregnant once. The right. Where is that law? So why equal right? Brahmananda was saying one day they'll not mix with man.

Nityananda: Yes, they want to become not dependent sexually, even on the men. Just on themselves.

Prabhupäda: So you have to study first of all what is nature's law. You cannot surpass the nature's law. That is not possible. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Nature's law will go on. Best thing is, let the hand... the hand can typewrite, but if you say "No, the leg will typewrite," that is not possible. Take hand's business, take leg's business, and combine them cooperatively. Then the body will be nice. If the leg says "Why hand will type? I shall type," that's not possible. "Legs, all right, you walk, and hands that you type." Then combine together. Then it will be nice. You cannot change the different capacities. There is God's law, nature's law.

Let the man and woman combine together, live peacefully. The woman takes charge of the household affairs, the man may take charge of bringing money, and they meet together, have Deity at home, together chant Hare Krishna. Where is the difficulty? That is unity. Combine together, working differently but for the same purpose, for pleasing Krishna, then you will become happy. That is equality. Unity in variety. That is wanted. Variety is enjoyment. Variety is not disturbing. --Room Conversation, New Orleans, 7/31/75

Cooking Tips

For "hairless" grated ginger in your subjis and dahl, peel and cut the ginger into chunks no larger than 1 - 2 inches.

Make sure to grate each piece along the grain of the ginger (as shown above).

If you need to mince ginger, grating first saves time.

When you can begin to smell something that is baking, that's one clue it's just about done. Next, look for brownness on the edges, cracks forming on the top (in some cases) and firmness in the center when lightly pressed.

Place a wooden spoon over a pot of milk on high heat to prevent it from completely boiling over in case you forget about it. Better yet, unless you are in a hurry, keep on low heat the milk that you want to boil. You can then go about your business without worrying it'll boil over.

Washing a milk pot after use with cold water makes it easier to clean rather than hot water.

Extra peeled potatoes can be preserved by covering with water and refrigerating until ready to use.

If rice is sticking to the pot, turn off the heat and add a little water and cover a few minutes before serving. Then the stuck rice will come out nicely with the rest. This works well with subji dishes, too. In this case, water isn't usually needed. Just turn off the heat and the remaining steam inside the covered pan can help loosen the stuck layer of subji underneath.

To juice a lemon (or orange) without a juicer, a cooking spoon can work just as well. Hold half a lemon in one hand and press and turn the spoon into it with the other, but from the side rather than pressing the lemon down the way you do with a simple manual juicer. Before tossing the rinds, squeeze them once more before tossing, to get any extra juice.

If chapatis can not be served immediately, do not butter them. Add softened butter when serving. Or butter them, and when finally ready to serve reheat on a skillet. Or keep them warm inside the rice or dry subji pot kept warm over a pot of hot water.

To make fenugreek seeds less bitter, fry them briefly towards the end of a chaunce. For more bitterness, fry longer.

Stir metal pots with wooden spoons to prevent a gradual micro erosion of unwanted metal from cooking pots from getting into the food.

After chopping fresh hot chilies, immediately rub onto fingers full strength dish soap (without water) to remove irritating oil. Rinse with cold water only.

To soften cold butter quickly, grate it.

Cold, hardened paneer that was stored in the refrigerator can be cubed and boiled or grated to soften. Or it can be fried first in a pan before  subji is added and will soften while cooking in the subji juices.

Paneer made from yogurt whey or paneer whey or buttermilk will be softer than made from citric acid. Also paneer need only be pressed a minute or two for softer texture. But if over-pressed very dry, not a problem, see softening methods above.

Grated paneer makes a superior "scrambled paneer" dish.

To get the last bit of honey out of a narrow necked container, leave the jar upside down so the honey can gather at the mouth and be collected for quick removal. Be careful, some lids are not very secure. Repeat as needed

Cut melons and juicy fruits over a kitchen towel.

First sift carob powder and then blend it with a little milk to get out the lumps before adding to a pot of milk. Better yet, use a blender with carob powder and a little milk before adding to remaining milk.

When using a recipe with besan, add liquids in small amounts to the besan first,  to smooth out any lumps.

Measure salt by storing it in a container that is large enough to dip a measuring spoon in. This creates less waste because it is easier than pouring the salt into the spoon.

When cooking beans and various dahls, add tomatoes after the beans are tender. Otherwise, the acidic quality of the tomatoes inhibits the cooking.

Leave your washed okra out on an absorbent towel to dry before cutting, to reduce slime. Dry lettuce so the dressing can cling better.

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Long Bean and Coconut Salad

Ingredients:
*about 6 cups of long beans, washed and cut into 2" pieces
2 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon yellow asafoetida powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 t sugar
salt
1/3 cup roasted peanut powder
1/2 cup finely grated fresh coconut

DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil the beans in lightly salted water until they are cooked but not mushy. Drain, rinse with cool water, drain again. Allow to cool.
2. Chaunce in the ghee the mustard seeds in a heavy pan over moderate heat until the seeds crackle. Add the asafoetida and saute momentarily. Pour the chaunce over the beans.
3. Toss in the black pepper, salt (as desired), sugar, peanut powder, and grated fresh coconut with the beans. Offer at room temperature.

*I never saw long beans in the mainland U.S. but maybe check Asian grocers.

Burfi

These sweet balls look like galubjamuns, but they are not. The glossiness comes from using whole cow's milk straight from the cow. Many devotees add a little pat of butter near the end of cooking to compensate, if only store- bought, homogenized milk is available, but that is optional. Very fresh milk gives the best results. Also slow cooking.

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of milk (makes a dozen medium-small sized pieces)
1/2 cup sugar (turbinado, mishri...)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour the milk into a wide, heavy-bottomed pot and place over high heat. Add the sugar. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat so that the milk boils steadily but without rising. Stir now and then so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

2. When the milk thickens, stir very often and towards the end stir constantly, preferably using a wide wooden spatula.



3. Continue cooking until all the burfi pulls away from the pan and is very thick. This takes practice to know when to take it off the heat. It stiffens more as it cools. Transfer it to a buttered plate to cool.



4. When cool enough to handle, pat into a cake or roll into balls. It helps to moisten with a little water a spatula to pat the burfi down smoothly into a cake. When thoroughly cooled, cut the cake into squares.




VARIATIONS: Burfi, another name for caramel, is tasty on its own, but a wide variety of other flavors can be added to it toward the end of cooking. You may want to experiment with crushed nuts, toasted or dried coconut or ground cardamom-all are typical flavorings for burfi.

GETTING FANCY Decorative molds can be purchased in India for pressing burfi into.

Eggplant, Chickpea and Tomato

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups whole chickpeas (garbanzo beans) sorted, washed, soaked overnight in water, and boiled until tender
3 medium eggplants, washed, peeled and cut into cubes
6 medium-size, firm ripe tomatoes, skinned, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup ghee
2 T grated fresh ginger root
3 seeded, minced fresh hot green chilies (use as desired)
1 T cumin seeds
1 t black mustard seeds
scant 1/2 t hing
2 turmeric
salt (as desired)
3 T chopped fresh coriander leaves, parsley or 1 t roasted, ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 T sugar, honey, or equivalent sweetener

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the ghee in a saucepan over medium to medium-high flame for 1 minute. Drop in the ginger root, seeded chilies, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds, and fry for about 30 to 45 seconds or until the cumin seeds turn golden brown. Add the hing, and then immediately add the eggplant cubes. Stir-fry for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the ghee is absorbed into the eggplant and the cubes are brown.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, turmeric, and the drained, cooked chickpeas. Add a couple cups of the drained chickpea water and bring to a boil.

3. Partially cover the pot, reduce the flame to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is butter soft.

4. . Before offering to Krishna, mix in the fresh coriander or roasted ground coriander, lemon juice, and sweetener.

VARIATIONS: Cooked, chopped spinach may also be added to this dish. If you want a drier vegetable, remove the lid, raise the flame to high, and quickly cook off the excess liquid. If you wish a pureed eggplant-and-tomato vegetable, cook over medium flame, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, until the ingredients have merged into a thick velvety sauce.

This recipe serves 6-8 people.

Besan Yogurt Soup

(AKA "cuddy" sauce, pronunced "cuddy" but with a slight r sound for Indian way to say "curry", and the d's should be written with a dot underneath))

I make this whenever fresh curry leaves are available:

INGREDIENTS: (serves 4)
1/2 c chickpea flour (besan)
2 c water
2 c yogurt 

3/4 t turmeric
2 t sugar
salt

CHAUNCE:
2 T ghee
2 t fresh ginger, minced
1 t mustard seeds
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
6-8 fresh curry leaves
1/2 t ground coriander powder
1/4 t yellow hing

GARNISH:
2 T fresh coriander leaves, chopped

PREPARATION:
1. In a saucepan, whisk water into the chickpea flour. Whisk in the yogurt. Then whisk in the turmeric and sugar.
2. In a smaller saucepan, heat the ghee and add the ginger. Fry until a little brown, then add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds are almost done popping, add the remaining ingredients in quick succession. Pour into the yogurt mixture.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-20 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat. Add salt, 1/4 t per finished cup
5. Garnish with the fresh coriander leaves.

Offer to Krishna with stir fried potatoes, cooked rice or biscuits or fresh parathas

VARIATION: Stir in cooked vegies before offering.

When no curry leaves are available, use 1 t fenugreek seeds instead