Trivikrama Maharaja's question

[Guest guest]

> Lola dd replied:

> >Do you really think that a devotee lovingly serving prasad to a family

> >member, male or female, is the same as being forcibly barred from being

> >near the Deity.  The wife's service would be voluntary, not forced. I

 

I wrote:

> This is the point. The question raised by Trivikram Swami is a

> *non-sequitur*, using cunning logic to distract us from the real issue at

> hand. It is not addressing the issue honestly, like any gentleman would.

 

First of all, I want to offer my sincere apologies to HH Trvikrama Swami and

beg his forgiveness from him and all the receivers of my previous post, I was

being unfairly harsh on the Maharaja and accusing him of sins he was not

guilty of. Since his posts followed after from Guru Krsna Prabhu, who does

seem to make a business of furthering his arguments by such "cunning logic," I

unfortunately lumped the Maharaja in as well. This is the problem of

criticizing, it can lead one to criticize a great soul. I am sincerely

regretful for this disrespect to the Maharaja, and I will make all efforts to

restrain myself in the future.

 

Trivikrama Swami wrote:

> What is the real issue at hand, Srila Prabhu???

 

The REAL issue is the underlying cause, not the isolated precipitating event.

The straw doesn't really "break" the camel's back, it's all the hundreds of

pounds that were ALREADY there. Volcanic eruptions are not surface phenomena,

they originate deep within the earth. Similarly, the dissatisfaction of women

within ISKCON is not limited to 1 or 2 frustrated "troublemakers" but has been

pervasive and developing since 1974 when the first MACHO sannyasis returned

from India and turned the standards established personally by PRABHUPADA

upside down. That is the fact of the matter. There is a long history behind

this single event.

In American history, the "Boston Tea Party" wasn't a single bunch of ruffians

acting up. It singled the beginning of the end to British colonial oppression.

We are similarly hopeful that this event in Vrndavan will ignite genuine

discussions and substantial improvements for women in ISKCON, and an end to

male chauvinism in the name of spirituality.

 

 

> You are always advising us to learn from the Gaudiya Math.

 

In this connection, there was a recent post from one of our godsisters who

visited a GM temple and was so much moved by the Vaisanava hospitality she

received from the brahmacaries, "even as a woman. " None of the Gaudiya

temples have the problems we do in ISKCON with women being disrespected. You

will get little mileage out of this line of argument. In fact, it may well

backfire fi anyone checks out a GM temple to see for themselves.

 

> Especially as it happened to be a tradition that was set in the days of the

Founder Acarya!!!

 

Doesn't mean it was established by Prabhupada, does it?

 

Humbled, but still standing firmly for my godsisters,

 

Srila dasa