“We Are Vaisnavas”
By Sankirtana Das (ACBSP)
The debate in ISKCON for the last decade or two about women gurus is still unresolved. In 2019 a GBC resolution allowed Vaishnavis (devotee women) to initiate disciples of their own with specific conditions – they had to be at least 55 years old and in a stable ashrama situation, as well as fulfilling all the other requirements for Vaishnava men. The resolution was passed by a vote of 19 in favor, 2 opposed, and 8 abstentions.
Most devotees saw this resolution as fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s vision for his movement, first stated in a lecture of August 17, 1968 – “So all my students present here who are feeling so much obliged… I am also obliged to them because they are helping me in this missionary work. At the same time, I shall request them all to become spiritual master. Everyone of you should be spiritual master next.”
Several months later, in a letter January 3, 1969, he again expressed his desire: “I want that all of my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhaktivedanta so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations. Those possessing the title of Bhaktivedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples. Maybe by 1975, all of my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the numbers of the generations. That is my program.”
Over the years Prabhupada made similar statements reaffirming his desire and vision for his International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). But for some reason the GBC withdrew their 2019 decision. Now the topic has been relegated into a limbo state of perpetual discussion with no resolution in sight.
The topic becomes muddled because when it came to discussions about the varnashrama social system, Prabhupada certainly made distinctions between men and women. Sometimes he spoke about the constitutional position of men and women and their duties in society. He also noted that women are more inclined to express religious or spiritual sentiments, but, in general, they were not so philosophically inclined. On the other hand, when speaking of transcendental consciousness, he made no distinction. Prabhupada offers a different perspective, “The Vaiṣṇava never accepts another Vaiṣṇava on the basis of birthright, just as he never thinks of the Deity of the Lord in a temple as an idol.” (SB 2.4.18, purport)
Prabhupada has written and spoken millions of words, available in many forms: books, lectures, conversations and letters. He gave countless, and sometimes seemingly contradictory, instructions. The instructions are not contradictory but are based on the sacred Vaisnava teachings and Prabhupada’s far-reaching vision. As he has often explained, we have to consider time, place and circumstances in presenting Krishna Consciousness.
In a June 14, 1969 letter Prabhupada tells us, “Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that anyone who knows the science of Krishna, that person should be accepted as spiritual master, regardless of any material so-called qualifications; such as rich or poor, man or woman, or brahmana or sudra.”
Prabhupada wanted foremost to establish a brahminical order to help people distinguish between dharma and adharma, help guide the world toward peace and prosperity, and reawaken one’s loving relationship with Sri Krishna. In this way he gave the teachings to both men and women, and envisioned that one day all his disciples in good standing would serve as gurus.
But let us examine the trajectory of the modern day acaryas which began with Bhaktivinoda Thakur in the latter part of the 19th century. He sent some of his books overseas to Western colleges. He envisioned westerners from many countries taking up the Vaisnava tradition, and even coming on pilgrimage to India to chant and dance together.
In the next generation, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati initiated women and he sent two of his sannyasi disciples to England to present the Vaisnava teachings in the West. After a two year effort, supported by Bhaktisiddhanta’s mission, they returned to India with only one European gentleman who accepted initiation.
In 1965 Srila Prabhupada made an unprecedented journey to the West. With no funds he simply hitched a ride on a cargo ship. In New York he lived among the hippies who championed free love making and free drugs. But he inspired them to observe the four regulations of spiritual life. He also gave both men and women brahminical initiation, and also had women serving on the altar. He had some of the initiated ladies cooking for him. This was all unheard of in India, even amongst the Vaisnava community. Prabhupada also envisioned all of his disciples (men & women) serving as spiritual masters to expand the movement into the future. This is the trajectory established step by step by the modern acharyas.
In his instructions to grow his movement, Prabhupada never said that he didn’t want the women to be gurus. Rather, he advocated again and again, as part of the trajectory, that all his disciples eventually take up the service of being gurus: “So I hope that all of you, men, women, boys and girls, become spiritual master, and follow this principle. Spiritual master, simply, sincerely, follow the principles and speak to the general public. Then Kṛṣṇa immediately becomes your favorite. Kṛṣṇa does not become your favorite; you become Kṛṣṇa’s favorite.” (Vyasa-puja Address, London August 22nd, 1973)
Being involved in theater for many years, the idea is that, in developing your part for the stage, you practice constantly. You study the words your character speaks. You learn to move and speak in a certain way to establish your part. Then you go on stage to present the drama. But what is the value of an actor practicing for weeks or months if they never go on stage. The whole purpose is to perform your part for the audience. The mission of a director is to prepare the actor. In the same way, Prabhupada saw his mission as preparing his disciples to become leaders to educate and guide the world in Krishna Consciousness.
In a July 18, 1971 conversation in Detroit, Prabhupada expressed this vision for the future when a visitor inquired: “After you, is it any decision has been made who will take over?”
Prabhupada: “Yes. All of them will take over. These students, who are initiated from me, all of them will act as I am doing. Just like I have got many Godbrothers, they are all acting. Similarly, all these disciples which I am making, initiating, they are being trained to become future spiritual masters.”
Prabhupada also foresaw the possibility of his mission manifesting itself a little differently in the East and the West: “It is not necessary that the rules and regulations followed in India be exactly the same as those in Europe, America and other Western countries” (CC Madhya 23.105 purport). Nevertheless, Prabhupada always declared his movement as “transcendental” – meaning beyond all mundane considerations. As ISKCON spread throughout the world, he always expressed a clear, overarching vision for his movement.
In a lecture in Mayapur, India on April 6, 1975, Prabhupada quoted the order of Lord Caitanya (CC Madhya 7.128) and followed with, “Suppose you have got now ten thousand. We shall expand to hundred thousand. That is required. Then hundred thousand to million, and million to ten million. . . . . . So there will be no scarcity of acarya, and people will understand Krsna consciousness very easily.”
It’s not difficult to understand Prabhupada’s overarching vision for his movement. One must ask, why would a disciple not want to support Prabhupada’s desire and vision? Especially, when he repeatedly makes the point – “Women in our movement can also preach very nicely. Actually male and female bodies, these are just outward designations. Lord Caitanya said that whether one is brahmana or whatever he may be, if he knows the science of Krsna then he is to be accepted as guru” (Letter, December, 25 1974).
It’s not difficult to understand this statement – “We are Vaisnavas. We are not concerned with male or female position in life. That is simply body concept of life. It is not spiritual.” (Letter, February 15, 1975)
Or this statement – “To spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one need only be cognizant of the science of the spirit soul. It does not matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, sannyāsī, gṛhastha or whatever. If one simply understands this science, he can become a spiritual master.” (CC Madhya 8.128 purport)
In a room conversation of August 2, 1976, Prabhupada quoted CC Madhya 7.128 and made this heartfelt appeal: “This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Every one of you become guru and deliver the residents of your neighborhood Ei deśa. Wherever you are living, just deliver them. Become their guru. How to become guru? It is not difficult. Yāre dekha tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa. What Kṛṣṇa has said instruct them. You simply repeat it, that’s all. You become guru. So this should be preached all over the world.”
Prabhupada himself, you might say, began as a neighborhood guru in his little storefront in the lower eastside, hippy neighborhood of New York. His movement grew and quickly spread all over the world in eleven short years. Why? Because he was inspiring, inclusive and empowering. When those early devotees saw Prabhupada’s welcoming spirit, they knew they wanted to be part of his mission.
Prabhupada’s words were often revolutionary. Some devotees might falsely assume Prabhupada didn’t really mean some of the things he was saying and, they mistakenly think that the present topic at hand is some sort of “feminist” issue. But by studying his teachings, we can see this is a much broader and deeper issue.
In May of 1976, toward the end of his lecture (SB 6.1.21) at the Honolulu temple He told the devotees present that Lord Caitanya wants “that ‘every one of you become guru.’ He wants not rascal imitation guru but real guru. That He wants. Because people are in darkness, we require many millions of gurus to enlighten them.” Lecture – May 21, 1976
Prabhupada urged his disciples to present the eternal truths of Vedic wisdom according to time, place and circumstances. In a 1971 letter to Dr. Bigelow, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “It will be a great contribution to human society if this authorized information from the Vedic literature is presented to the modern world on the basis of modern scientific understanding. The fact is already there. It simply has to be presented for modern understanding.”
And indeed, he expressed this mood in a poem to his guru Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati in 1936:
The line of service
As drawn by you
Is pleasing and healthy
Like morning dew.
The oldest of all
But in new dress
Miracle done
Your Divine Grace.
Prabhupada encouraged us to thoroughly study his books – “I am very much stressing nowadays that my students shall increase their reading of my books and try to understand them from different angles of vision. Each sloka can be seen from many, many angles of vision, so become practiced in seeing things like this.” (Letter, June 16, 1972) It is not necessary for all devotees to agree on everything. Within ISKCON, devotees can implement their different “angles of vision” and the movement can easily move forward in the various places devotees find themselves in. This is an opportunity for ISKCON to exhibit to the world Prabhupada’s principle of Unity in Diversity.
Prabhupada’s early disciples, now in their 60s, 70’s, and 80s, and still participating in the movement are an invaluable asset to ISKCON. In any other community or culture, they would be considered elders who freely share their matured wisdom and experiences with anyone who inquires from them. These devotees have been meditating on the holy name of Krishna for a half century or more. In the early days of the movement, these devotees were ready to make any sacrifice to fulfill Prabhupada’s smallest desire. Many abandoned ambitions, careers and college educations. And now, over 50 years later, it is certainly time for the movement to invest in these elders, men and women alike. As per Prabhupada’s vision, whoever wants to accept the task and responsibility of becoming a spiritual master should be allowed to do so.
Prabhupada’s words, “We are Vaisnavas” must resound throughout the Hare Krishna Movement. It was a revolutionary concept over 500 years ago when Lord Caitanya angered the Hindus as He chanted the holy names of Krishna in the public arena and welcomed Haridas Thakur, a Moslem, into His inner circle. It was revolutionary when, in the early part of the 20th century, Bhaktisiddhanta declared that Vaisnavas are transcendental to all social designations. He explained that a Vaisnava is willing to go to any lengths to give others the opportunity to worship Vishnu, even willing to go to heaven or to hell in the service of the Supreme Lord. And it was revolutionary when Prabhupada first brought his western disciples to India in 1971, again challenging traditional Hindu beliefs and perspectives. And Prabhupada’s statement is still revolutionary today. This understanding of what a Vaisnava is will surcharge all the devotees and bring the presentation of Krishna Consciousness up to a new level of involvement.
In these confused and chaotic times, Vaisnavas are agents of Krishna’s compassion. They need to demonstrate how to be peaceful; how to be kind and equal to everyone; how to be expert in presenting these ancient teachings, and work for the benefit of the entire society. In this way, devotees need to move forward just as Prabhupada did in the early days in his little store front on the lower eastside. There he created community, patiently engaging whoever walked through the door in devotional service, amidst respect and love and trust.
Sankirtana Das, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, is a longtime resident of the New Vrindaban Community and an award-winning author and sacred storyteller. He is also a recipient of a WV Artist Fellowship Award & Grant. His most recent book, Hanuman’s Quest, is acclaimed by scholars and has received a Storytelling World Resource Honor. See Mahabharata-Project.com
The Mahabharata Project 