Parvati (dd) ACBSP (Vrindavan – IN): Basu prabhu. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I couldn’t answer on the “Comment” button, so I just copied the addresses you used.
I don’t know who Devaki is, though it seems she’s married to a diksa guru. Maybe you could forward her my comment.
1- Historically in the Vedas, we have seen that young students generally live at the home of the guru, meaning there is also a guru mata. This is normal. But we see this is not normally followed in our society. One can extrapolate the advantages and the disadvantages of that lacking. We seem to lose a lot of good men through the cracks, because they have less association with equals and superiors than those who fall at their feet, especially women who serve them. Hard to apply na danam, na janam, na sundarim. You may refer to my letter to the forums “Lonely at the top.”
2- A lot of men seem to have their intelligence clouded by their intelligence itself and their lack of feminine qualities, which are listed in the BG as very predominant and wonderful qualities of Krishna, the Supreme Purush. It would seem these men might take advantage of qualified help from qualified places where these deficiencies exist. I.E. Association is paramount to our spiritual life. Even, nay, especially, for those in a “higher station of life”.
3- As is stated in Devaki’s letter, Prabhupada allowed that there would be a few women Diksa gurus. It is not impossible or shocking. And if the “Committee” which decides this thing was as vigilant with the men as they are with the women contenders, we would have less difficulties.
4- Prabhupada claimed that there is a difference between materialistic women and Vaishnavis. “These women have 64 oz. brain.”
5- In Kali Yuga, all mankind is generalized in the category of sudra. So where do we go from here?
6- The relationship of a disciple to a guru is just that, and it cannot be designated, authorized, limited, poo-pooed by a committee–unless of course the “guru” is an obvious charlatan. “Let the buyer beware.”
7- Siksa is the main thing, and hopefully it also comes from the diksa guru. We pray that we are not running a society entirely on charisma– a very emotional thing.
8- Personally, whenever anyone asks me if I am taking disciples, I always answer with, “I’ll be very happy to give all the free advice you want, but I’m not giving diksa unless I get direct order from Lord Caitanya,” (as Lokanath Goswami opined), which is highly unlikely anyway. It was severe enough raising a couple kids. I can’t imagine what it would be like to do this for an eternity for people who come to you with not just spiritual needs, but all varieties of picayune things. My hats off and sincere dandavats to those who can adjust to that.
9- Basu, you always kindly bring to our attention anything related to the guru issue, especially when it shows the faults lying with promotion of women gurus. We think thou protesteth too much.
I hope this meets you well. With love and affection,
Your servant,
Parvati devi dasi