The reactive problems we see whether in or outside of ISKCON are the result of conditioned souls trying to lord over the material world. Whether it be mentally, physically, socially…lording over matter is Maya. We have been given codes of ethics by every religious tradition and they should become common sense after a while. When there are incongruities, that is due to the illusory energy. We have heard from Krishna how to recognize one who is transcendentally situated, what their qualities and behavior are like. Practically, with one of Srila Prabhupad’s last instructions, he said that by hearing the topics of the Srimad Bhagavatam, on develops more and more goodness which is beneficial to progress in spiritual life. It is not contrived. The hrdaya-granthi, knot of the heart, is cut simply by hearing about Krishna. THIS IS WHAT THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT IS ABOUT…TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT KRISHNA. Not to encourage them to be part of any varna while neglecting the great opportunity of human life to connect with Krishna. The observations about varna are simply to clarify that people can work together without being envious of one another. They must however work to overcome lust, anger, and greed in order to properly execute the duties. It is God’s arrangement both to satisfy people’s material needs, and to create a simplified social system where Krishna, God, can be the Center.

Now, whether Indian, Western, metropolitan or agrarian, we must introduce the necessity of a God centric lifestyle. There will naturally be different cultural bias with Krishna consciousness, but we must emphasize over, and over, and over again, that Krishna consciousness is not Indian religion, and not only for Indians. It is for everyone. It is inclusive rather than exclusive. Pusta Krishna das

Adipurusa Prabhu says: It is already ISKCON law since many years. Except for a few (revered) ISKCON members in South India, lady guruship does not seem to evoke any special feelings in anyone in India.

Possibly for the small circle of devotees Adipurusa Prabhu associates with in Vrindavan, “special feelings” are not evoked. But not for “All India.” For the majority of devotees in India, it is not an issue because they already take it for granted based on tradition that diksa guru is male.

It should be noted that Adipurusa dasa holds a senior position as well as he is a teacher at the VIHE (Vrindavan Institute of Higher Education). Mother Narayana dasi, who’s name has been put up for being the first female diska guru is also a senior devotee at the VIHE. And out of nine teachers for this years VIHE courses (Bhakti Sastri, Bhakti Vaibhava and Bhakti Vedanta), four were females: Laksmimoni Dasi, Urmila Dasi, Prasanta Dasi and Vraja Lila Dasi. This information can be found on the VIHE website http://www.vihe.org/index.html

So the VIHE is influenced by a small group of Western devotees and also by gender equality. It is sad that an institution entrusted with disseminating the conclusions of Sastra should not perfectly understand its conclusions “As It Is,” on the gender issue.

I understand your reasoning. Depending on which side of the argument one belongs, the opposing arguments will always appear radical or extreme. Why did I use the word Radical?

I had in mind this recent uproar and reaction to Mother Urmila giving class in Mayapur in the presence of sannyasis and so on. Hundreds of comments written in opposition to this, mainly from female devotees, much of it with vehemence and reminders of Stri Dharma loyalties, indicated that sizable sections of our Iskcon world are poles apart.

What is not radical for FDG supporters is radical for opponents of it. Under the circumstances, I can foresee problems on the horizon if lady gurus are nominated at this time in the face of such hostility. Even if our GBC does nominate a woman, or more, then that GBC resolution is not going to earn respect.

A guru has to be respected. We know that Respect is not something that can legislated or enforced – even if it comes from the GBC - it must be earned, usually over time. A lady guru will be disrespected, as things stand now. This shows we are not ready yet.

Since more VAD education has influenced more and more of our Iskcon devotees, this has also raised increased awareness of tradition and Stri Dharma in particular. At this rate of VAD awareness expansion, the tide toward FDG is ebbing. Add that to the strength of the Indian yatra who ‘collectively ‘ are opposed…

Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.

You wrote: “(6) To acknowledge that promoting lady guruship is as ‘radical’ as traditionalists imposing stern female restrictions. We are not ready for either, as they are culturally too sensitive.”

It is already ISKCON law since many years. Except for a few (revered) ISKCON members in South India, lady guruship does not seem to evoke any special feelings in anyone in India - in our own Gaudiya line, either soft or hard versions, there are many examples of lady gurus (http://gbc.iskcon.org/2012/01/26/female-diksa-guru/), even in the more smarta-type of lines. Bhaktivinoda Thakura did not disrespect Bipin Bihari Gosvami on the basis of his diksa-parampara, starting from Sri Jahnava Ma and including other women gurus. So the present development (”ban lady gurus” - of whom we don’t have even a single instance:-) strikes me as something bizarre, since it imposes a restriction quite foreign to either Lord Caitanya’s movement or even larger Indian tradition. “Male gurus born in the West” are a much much more radical idea and Indians accept it. But now, after at least 500 years of “legal precedents”, some ISKCON members propose, in fact, to be more radical than the radicals!

Here are some compromises that pro FDG positions would make:

(1) To acknowledge that cultural sensitivity surrounding lady guruship will cause problems. Many sincere lady devotees are opposed to this.

(2) To acknowledge that if someone were elected as lady guru, current resentment in many parts of our Iskcon world will result in disrespect and the committing of offences.

(3) To acknowledge that learned, experienced and influential lady Vaisnavis can still be major preachers without having a guru title attached.

(4) To acknowledge that Iskcon needs to showcase to the world how versatile and essential the Mother role can be in promoting family-centred living.

(5) To acknowledge that placing oneself as a woman devotee under protective care – married or unmarried – is exemplary behaviour.

(6) To acknowledge that promoting lady guruship is as ‘radical’ as traditionalists imposing stern female restrictions. We are not ready for either, as they are culturally too sensitive.

There are more, I am sure. I hope this clears up some uncertainties.

Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.

Thank you Adi Purusha Prabhu for your kind words - and again, for allowing me to expand on the unclear passage, which requires unpacking.

As with any situation where compromise is reached, there will be mixed emotional reactions and half-acceptence and so on - same here. Let’s begin with some compromises the conservatives would make:

(1) To acknowledge that the VAD idea of women strictly being homebound is probably feasible only for financially well-to-do devotee couples. Both husband and wife working to earn enough income and so on usually meet Kali-yuga high expenses for home bonds, education, life assurance and insurance. In comparatively rare situations where the husband is the sole breadwinner, maybe the housewife can remain at home. How many couples meet this criterion?

(2) To acknowledge that ‘high-profile’ or celebrity women like Tulsi Gabbard, Hazel O’Connor (former pop star) and many others – married or unmarried – can do wonders for preaching purposes. To think that all women who join Iskcon, or who promote the values of Iskcon and Krishna consciousness, must conform to ‘Indian,’’Vedic’ or traditional strictures alien to Western acceptance, can produce understandable apprehension.

(3) To acknowledge that supplanting ‘Indian’ or ‘Vedic’ female restrictions into Westernised cultural settings at this juncture of time, is premature.

(4) To acknowledge that promoting ‘Eastern’ cultural prohibitions can curtail our preaching efforts.

(5) To acknowledge that the power of the holy name is our first impact in cleansing hearts. Culture or VAD comes later.
(
6) To acknowledge that women can be Mothers, and yet hold powerful, essential or influential positions in society, or in representing Iskcon.

Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.

I must be missing something here.

And it is not that many women wouldn’t like to be protected and stay home, but protection is not their responsibility - putting the onus on them is very effeminate from the side of ‘patriarchs’, as you also seem to note.