Reply to asperations cast against me by Vipramukhya Mj...

[Guest guest]

Camp: New Delhi

 

Dear Vipramukhya Maharaj,

 

Namonamaha. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

 

Received your unkind message Maharaj:

 

> Text COM:2787792 (34 lines)

> Vipramukhya Swami {1201}

> 18-Nov-99 04:45

> Cc: India (Continental Committee) Open (Forum) {6443} [864] Cc:

> ISKCON India (news & discussion) {6033} [2822] Reference: Text

> COM:2779069 by Basu Ghosh (das) ACBSP (Baroda - IN) {1727} Comment: Text

> 3 by Basu Ghosh ACBSP Reply to IWM statement by Guru Krishna

> das...

> ---------------------------

> Dear Basu Ghosh Prabhu,

>

> Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

>

> I take offense that a private message from Guru-Krsna dasa to me and CC'd

> to Ajamila was then posted to all the GBC's and practically every

> conference on COM imaginable. This is unfair because as it was a private

> message to me I made a private reply to Guru-Krsna. You have posted only

> his side, and have not seen my reply to him, refusing to publish his

> letter on CHAKRA.

>

> His views and tone of his letter do not meet CHAKRA's editorial policies.

>

> Please do not do that kind of thing again.

>

> Your servant,

> Vipramukhya Swami

>

>

> > > X-Sender: afn39393 (AT) pop3 (DOT) afn.org

> > > Sun, 14 Nov 1999 11:14:52 -0500

> > > <news (AT) chakra (DOT) org>

> > > Guru-Krsna das <afn39393 (AT) afn (DOT) org>

> > > for CHAKRA

> > > Cc: HH <Vipramukhya.Swami (AT) bbt (DOT) se>, HG <Ajamila.ACBSP (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

> > >

> > >

> > > "Western civilization has broken the quality of shyness

> > > that

> > > was essential in preserving the dignity and virtue of women." --

> > > His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

> > >

> > >

> > > IS MY VOICE ALSO NEEDED?

> > > (A response to "Your voice is needed:

> > > A statement by the ISKCON Women's Ministry")

> (Text COM:2787792) --------

 

With all due respect Maharaj, how could I have forwarded a "private message"

that Guru Krishna Prabhu wrote to you, if indeed it was "private"?

 

The fact is that it was Guru Krishna Prabhu who sent this to me & asked me

to forward it. If you still feel that he's done something wrong in this

way, you are free to take up the issue with him.

 

It seems that you are overcome by anger at the COM "publicity" that is being

given to opinions of devotees that disagree with your personal views on the

"women's issue" controversy. Sorry that you are not giving due

consideration to those views. Vedic culture and traditions are well

established here in India; which I know that you've witnessed 1st hand in

the past.

 

And in Bengal you might have noticed that women as a class are extremely shy

in their behavior and that at religious functions - especially those

"organized" (as opposed to a mad rush for darshan on a big festival day)

they do indeed keep separate from the "menfolk". And this is true all over

India - whether the ladies cover their heads or faces or don't... they still

maintain separation from men as far as possible.

 

And Srila Prabhupada also propagated "separation of the sexes"; as far as

possible. The exception to this rule is for householders (men); they are

allowed to mix with women and even THAT mixing (especially true in

traditonal Hindu society) was very restricted - to the ladies of the

household/family.

 

I understand that there is "free mixing" of the sexes in the West; I come

from there & have spent time there too during my 6 visits during these past

10 years. Prabhupada might have made some time & place concession to this

fact... but it's also a fact that he opposed this type of civilization,

which is no better than a "polished animal civilization".

 

Yes, the "womenfolk" traditionally in villages engaged in the traditional

activities of "womenfolk"; tending to the house. Period.

 

And Srila Prabhupada also commented that the Indian village system was the

"ideal system" for householder life.

 

That we want to "superimpose" the "modern urban lifestyle mentality" on

Vrindavan or even anywhere else indicates to me that we have "taken leave of

our senses". Because it is an indication of what is described in the

Bhagavad-gita; "He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to

his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme

destination." (BG 16.23)

 

Hope you will reconsider your seemingly "pro women't lib" stance after due

consideration.

 

And I demand no apology from you for having cast false asperations on me. I

understand that it is the fruit of past sinful deeds I may have performed

and I welcome that.

 

And I hope you will forgive me for speaking the truth here so boldly. And

since you have posted your letter to me above on "public" COM conferences, I

hereby reciprocate the honor you have done to me thus.

 

dasabhas,

 

Basu Ghosh Das