FDG Revisited
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AFDG paper on the FDG/Female Revisited Diksa Guru Issue Evidence Ignored by SAC FDG Theory A Review of SAC FDG Paper by Ambika Devi Dasi February 5, 2014 Evidence Ignored By SAC FDG Theory Introduction Bhagavad-gita Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Vyasadeva Narada Muni Mahajanas Lord Kapila Queen Kunti Chaste Female Acaryas Uma Anasuya Varnasrama Differences Brahma Bandhu Guru-patni Goswamis Qualification To Receive Initiation Srila Prabhupada Prabhupada’s Instructions For Single Female Disciples Concluding Summary Appendices: Prabhupada’s Letters Letter to Silavati 1969 Letter to Soucharya 1972 Letter to the GBC 1976 Letters to and About Yamuna 1976 July 9-13, 1975 July 9, 1975 Chicago TV Interview July 9, 1975 Chicago Press Conference July 9, 1975 Chicago Conversation After Press Conference July 10, 1975 Chicago Morning Walk July 11, 1975 Philadelphia Reporters July 11, 1975 Philadelphia Arrival Lecture July 13, 1975 Philadelphia Room Conversation With Writer Sandy Nixon Evidence Ignored by SAC’s FDG Theory Introduction According to religious principles, a female guru must be chaste assistant/helpmate to her husband. She is there- by called dharma-patni. If her husband is a diksa-guru brahmana, she becomes a brahmani/guru-patni/dhar- ma-patni. Therefore, the term FDG for Female Diksa Guru is more aptly named Female Dharma-patni Guru for there is no authorized system in a bonafide Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya for a Female to supercede her hus- band as Acarya. This paper examines the philosophical correctness of the Sastra Advisory Council’s FDG (“Female Diksa Gurus”) GBC Presentation and Conclusion, which attempts to reconcile selected sastric contraindications by considering them as external, spiritually irrelevant, “social concerns”. Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Manu, Narada Muni and Srila Prabhupada define chastity as an exclusively female qualifica- tion which establishes women are differently qualified than men to accept initiation/diksa and give instruction/ siksa. It has been asked whether/why women have to be “more qualified” than a man to become diksa guru but this question is based on a false premise of equality. One could similarly ask whether women have to be more quali- fied than a man to take sannyasa. Both questions deny the principle of female dependence and subservience. Varnasrama Differences were followed, not neglected, by Jahnava Devi who is a recent example of a female acarya. According to ISKCON Law, a disciple who is not faithful to the teachings of our Acaryas (including chas- tity for a female disciple) is breaking a vow and clearly not qualified to be guru: “Vows of Disciple 4. To accept discipleship into the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradaya through the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON and to remain faithful to their order and teachings.” 7.2.1.4 Bhagavad-gita “It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though they may be faulty, than another’s duties. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.” PURPORT: One should therefore discharge his prescribed duties in full Krsna con- sciousness rather than those prescribed for others. Prescribed duties complement one’s psychophysical condition under the spell of the modes of material nature. Spiritual duties are as ordered by the spiritual master, for the transcendental service of Krsna. But both materially or spiritually, one should stick to his prescribed duties even up to death, rather than imitate another’s prescribed duties.” [Bhagavad-gita 3.35] A woman who acts as instructor guru must “stick to” (as opposed to reject or neglect) her “prescribed duties even up to death rather than imitate another’s prescribed duties”. Female gurus who neglect their prescribed duty confuse society. Spiritual leaders cannot be fallen in the matter of morality as immorality hinders others in the execution of their duties by promoting a spirit of irresponsibility. [Dialectical Spritualism p.15] A female leader, therefore, must possess exemplary chaste character, in addition to being a spiritual adept, in order to guide the general population towards peace and prosperity. Prabhupada wanted ISKCON’s leaders to become “acarya-like”, ideal representatives of Vedic culture [May 28, 1977 Meeting with GBC], so that by their association, people would become good and responsible citizens in addition to becoming God-conscious. “From every position, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, sva-karmana tam abhyarcya: one can serve the Supreme Lord by performing one’s prescribed duty.” [SB 3.29.15] Men and women have different occupational duties, thus they are qualified differently in terms of being “acarya- like”. The acarya follows the principles of sastra and in so doing teaches others. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures. [Bhagavad-gita 3.21] Manufacturing something new that is not evidenced by sastra is condemned by Lord Krsna. [March 15, 1976 Mayapura Lecture] “The first recommendation is sva-dharmacaranam. As long as we have this material body there are various duties prescribed for us. Such duties are divided by a system of four so- cial orders: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. These particular duties are mentioned in the sastra, and particularly in Bhagavad-gita. Sva-dharmacaranam means that one must discharge the prescribed duties of his particular division of society faithfully and to the best of his ability. One should not accept another’s duty. If one is born in a partic- ular society or community, he should perform the prescribed duties for that particular division. If, however, one is fortunate enough to transcend the designation of birth in a particular society or community by being elevated to the standard of spiritual identity, then his sva-dharma, or duty, is solely that of serving the Supreme Personality of God- head. The actual duty of one who is advanced in Krsna consciousness is to serve the Lord. As long as one remains in the bodily concept of life, he may act according to the duties of social convention, but if one is elevated to the spiritual platform, he must simply serve the Supreme Lord; that is the real execution of sva-dharma.” [SB 3.28.2] Krsna conscious men and women must be careful to not transgress the rules and regulations of their constitu- tional positions [May 27. 1974 Rome], or sva-dharma (stri-dharma for a woman). Followers of varnasrama are called varnasramacaram (Visnu Purana 3.8.9). Srila Bhaktivinoda comments on this verse: “varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam Sri Visnu is worshiped only by carrying out one’s prescribed duties in varnasrama. There is no other way to please Him.” [Jaiva-dharma p 168] This VP verse is also given in CC Madhya 8.58 by Ramananda Raya to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and often mis- understood. The ultimate goal of our prescribed duties is to please Krsna. It is a misunderstanding that varnasra- ma is to be rejected in bhakti-yoga. Srila Bhaktivinoda explains: “As long as one has a material body the system of varnasrama-dharma must be followed, but it should remain under the full control and domination of bhakti. Varnasrama-dhar- ma is like the foundation of one’s supreme occupational duty. When one’s supreme occu- pational duty is matured and one achieves his goal, then the process is gradually neglect- ed. Again, it is also abandoned at the time of death.” [Bhaktivinoda Bhaktyaloka] Being a religious follower means one follows regulative principles/prescribed duties: “They are not really interested in religion. It is simply show-bottle. If you do not follow the regulative principles, then where is your religion? “ [JSD 4] Whimsical action performed in violation of Vedic rules is considered capricious work according to Lord Krsna: “Capricious work means actions without the sanction of authority” [BG 2.47 Purport] “But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.” [BG 16.23] Krsna warns against one’s giving up prescribed occupational duty and imitating another’s. Deliberate transgres- sion of a woman’s stri-dharma does not lead to happiness or spiritual emancipation because it does not have the sanction of authority. Capricious action stems from a defiant and competitive attitude which carries us to rebirth: “He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection nor happiness nor the supreme destination.” (Bg. 16.23) Thus one who is deliberately transgressing the rules and regulations of the sastras is simply involving himself more and more in material existence in the three modes of material nature. Hu- man society should therefore follow the Vedic principles of life, which are summarized in Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise life in material existence will continue.” [SB 4.26.8] Bhagavad-gita states King Janaka (one of the Mahajanas, along with Manu and Narada): “TRANSLATION: Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work. PURPORT Kings like Janaka were all self-realized souls; consequently they had no obligation to perform the prescribed duties in the Vedas. Nonetheless they performed all prescribed activities just to set examples for the people in general. Janaka was the father of Sita and father-in-law of Lord Sri Rama. Being a great devotee of the Lord, he was transcenden- tally situated, but because he was the king of Mithila (a subdivision of Bihar province in India), he had to teach his subjects how to perform prescribed duties. Lord Krsna and Arjuna, the Lord’s eternal friend, had no need to fight in the Battle of Kuruksetra, but they fought to teach people in general that violence is also necessary in a situation where good arguments fail.