Umapati Maharaja on Vedic women

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna,

Pamho. AgtSP! This was posted on Chakra today. Thought you might find it

interesting, especially the parts about Kausalya prabhu's remarriage.

Ys,

Madhusudani dasi

 

Vedic Women (part 1)

an interview with Umapati Swami

by Madhusudani Radha devi dasi

 

MR: Umapati Maharaja, what do you think about the notion that women in

ISKCON are not Vedic enough?

 

US: If the men want the women to be Vedic, then the men should take the

lead and become Vedic first. The men have to provide a society where the

women are protected. What is the use of talking about Vedic culture if we

do not create a society where people can follow it?

 

But I am not so sure that the people who speak the most about being Vedic

understand all the imports of Vedic culture. I do not claim to understand

them either. For example, ISKCON women distribute books on the street.

Is that Vedic? If so, then the role of women in Vedic culture is wider

than is

commonly thought.

 

Nor do the scriptures encourage women to be blind followers. "A woman,

therefore, should consider her husband, her house and her children to be the

arrangement of the external energy of the Lord for her death, just as the

sweet singing of the hunter is death for the deer." [sB 3.31.42]

 

So I think we should learn more about what Vedic culture really is and not

just present one aspect of it as all in all.

 

MR: There have been several accusations stating that divorced and remarried

Vaisnavis are prostitutes and whores. Do you think that is a fair

assessment?

 

US: If the women are whores, then what are the men if not whoremongers?

You can't have one without the other.

 

But better than calling people names is to see how Srila Prabhupada treated

remarried women. I did a little research on this. Here are some excerpts from

letters concerning Mother Kausalya in the early seventies. Kausalya had

married, or was planning to marry, for the second time since her initiation.

 

Srila Prabhupada writes, "My special blessings for Palika and Kausalya

prabhus who are doing so much for our Lord and they must be specifically

blessed to go back home, back to Godhead without any delay for waiting for

the next life. Thank them very much on my behalf."

 

Does that sound as if Srila Prabhupada is calling this remarried woman a

prostitute?

 

Here's another letter. "Now Madhavananda and his wife have arrived.

Kausalya is an expert Deity worshiper and an important hand in our

movement, so she and Yamuna, two sisters can be very useful in Deity

worship there. Keep Kausalya comfortable and she can be a great help."

 

Was Srila Prabhupada recommending a prostitute for Deity worship? He

obviously considered Kausalya to be a brahmani in spite of her second

marriage.

 

I am not saying this to encourage divorce. It is abominable, and Srila

Prabhupada preached against it. But we are not living in a Vedic society,

and we should follow Srila Prabhupada's example in dealing with people

who have this kind of problem in their lives.

 

The most important thing is to encourage people in Krsna Consciousness

whatever their situation because by serving and chanting and following the

principles, we can develop the necessary intelligence to understand Vedic

culture and establish a Vedic society.

 

end of part 1

 

© CHAKRA 17-Dec-98