Kasya das: There has been lot said and written about addressing Vaiṣṇava ladies as Prabhu. Discussion of this inevitably sinks when we distract our attention to material emotions and frustrations.
During last Gaura Purnima festival in Sridham Mayapur we have had too often to hear from some holy dhām visitor’s, both men and women, to give to Vaiṣṇava ladies suffix Prabhu as an invented token of respect. Being bugged when there is inconsistency what they claim they strive to preach and present with what Śrīla Prabhupāda did, more over bringing it to Gaurāṅga’s spiritual abode, I am writing this understanding of gender variety as it is. Though, their is the minority, but bold anomaly, and somewhat geographically and culturally limited phenomenon.
Prabhu can be both noun and adjective. As noun it is masculine only, meaning master, lord, king, god, massively used by predecessor ācāryas and Śrīla Prabhupāda . As adjective it can be masculine, feminine and neuter meaning powerful, excelling, mighty, rich, abundant as very sparsely used by Śrīla Prabhupāda in the case of his two or three female disciples. Feminine noun form of prabhu is prabhvī, meaning mistress, goddess, used for Śakti. Bhu points to the one eternal Lord, Supreme being, exiting above mundane wranglership. Pra adds to it the increased aspect of fulfillment of continuous hankering of individual jīvas to be subjugated to the supermost desire of Śrī Hari. In other words Prabhu, the Supreme Lord is for Whom we ought to live and to Whom we ought to serve.
It is ever cherished intention of jīvas of this world to invent something else than what is given by Lord Kṛṣṇa, presented by His truthful devotees and preserved by tradition, which is wholly against “anything goes.” The One source and His subsources is not difficult task to find out, much less difficult than to concoct new ways. Since time immemorial, the woman other than one’s wife, has been addressed as mātājī. This tradition is preserved not only in India, but in other cultural and religious traditions of the Western world. Even women address each other as mother to this effect. For respected mothers prefix Śrī or Śrīmatī is used, as we all know for Śrī Rādhā, the most respected lady and mother of all. While going through variety of revealed scriptures there is nowhere to be found a tittle Prabhu for lady. These are simple straight facts, no rocket science. But we want to be in the position we know and do better, ending in acquiring greater disrespect for ourselves and for person we supposedly represent, like guru or Śrī Hari.
This ventilation of uniqueness to attract followership and procurement of wasted respect is the idea, in this case for the fair sex. It is ununique, because here everybody is trying for that. Kṛṣṇa, śāstra and tradition gives solution for disrespectful behavior towards women. No invented solution of false ideas and terms will improve that. The women have to be protected at all stages. If that is not there, no amount of positions, tittles, false ways will save them, rather the opposite. They will be exposed yet in another way. Actually man do not demand tittle Prabhu for themselves. It is out of respect that they address each other that way. Same with women, in proper way.
Here are some fun notions on this subject. Why not to suggest to address man as Mātājī or child as Mahārāja? I believe fools will take up this even. Or when addressing woman as Prabhu the pronoun he instead of she should be used according to grammatic rules, and for the cause of desired increase of respect, according to some peoples’ logic.
The point is that there is variety of gender in Vaikuṇṭha. They do not need to present some artificial equality. The idea is verily from this material world where many try to make equality and fraternity of dead matter in bodily, social, political and humanitarian fields. Than it all ends up in exploitation of women, may be more subtle, but still exploitation. As such it stays in the material world and does not fly into spiritual world, because it is false idea. False ideas and im positions never comes into spirit. It does not work. For that material world is made.
Let Caitanya Mahāprabhu has mercy on us to follow His teachings and be of some use in service to Śrīmatī Rādhārānī.