Time to Stop Attacks on Vedic and Indian Culture in ISKCON

By Kamalaksha Dasa

Abstract: This paper consists of two parts. The main article and an Appendix section with quotes from Srila Prabhupada on the responsibility and duty of Indians, ISKCON members and even Americans and Europeans to adopt and spread Vedic culture and varnasrama dharma.

Srila Prabhupada has tasked all members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness though, particularly the GBC, with enveloping the whole planet with Krishna consciousness. This means, as Srila Prabhupada said, declaring war on maya. This is a great responsibility – to spread the mission of Lord Caitanya and deliver the jivas in Kali-yuga. Currently all over the world there is an exponential increase in moral and social degradation, suffering due to pandemic, corrupt leadership and an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters. The urgency to spread this movement was always there but more so now. There is practically no alternative to the suffering and degrading condition of this material world than the spreading of the sankirtan movement in its pristine form. For anyone to have this knowledge but not propagate it is the worst form of violence.

Nonviolence is generally taken to mean not killing or destroying the body, but actually nonviolence means not to put others into distress. People in general are trapped by ignorance in the material concept of life, and they perpetually suffer material pains. So unless one elevates people to spiritual knowledge, one is practicing violence. –Bhagavad-gita 13.8–12p

Therefore ISKCON’s members must be fixed in the teachings and instructions of His Divine Grace to understand his mission and systematically propagate it by harnessing their resources and using all their intelligence. The order of Srila Prabhupada is as clear as the sun. The movement should be propagated on the basis of his teachings, mainly his books; and the remaining 50% of his mission, establishing varnasrama should be carried out.

Book Distribution and Farms : these are our solid programs. They can change the whole world. The whole foundation of animal civilization can be destroyed. If I have hope, for still living, I want to organize the farms, make it perfect. Simple living and high thinking.
–Tamal Krishna Goswami’s Diary, August 9, 1977

The GBC however has the most important responsibility to see that the movement remains effective and pure and is carrying out the mission it was setup for. In the army of Lord Caitanya, the GBC are the commanders. In an army, the commanders should not be normal soldiers but should have exemplary loyalty, dedication, skills, knowledge, resourcefulness, and a clear and deep understanding of the objective and how to attain it.

Srila Prabhupada setup the GBC to govern ISKCON and we are thus duty bound to follow their guidance. But now, if the GBC starts to deviate and insult the mission, mood and culture of this movement then what a tragic and catastrophic state of affairs we are in! If things go wrong in the army the commanders set it right. If things go wrong in ISKCON the GBC should set it right. However if members of the GBC deviate and cease to have the proper mood and attitude of a devotional authority then what is the hope for ISKCON?

It came to light recently that a member of the GBC made some insulting remarks against Indian culture and people. Srila Prabhupada brought his western disciples to learn culture from Indians, and the Indian culture – although not pristine Vedic culture, was mostly accepted by Srila Prabhupada as the modern successor to the divine Vedic culture.

Malati Devi Dasi’s Offensive Comments

The following remarks were made by Malati Devi Dasi, a member of the GBC, on Facebook.

Comments 1 – 6 appeared all in one post, in connection with the case against H.H. Lokanatha Swami. These remarks were also quoted on the ICC resolution demanding her removal from the GBC. Comment number 7 is unrelated to the previous comments yet speaks volumes about the outlook and state of mind of Malati Devi Dasi, which is important to ascertain if someone is going to be on a council which will leads our movement.

Malati Devi Dasi’s comments appear below in bold and my comments appear below each of the numbered quotes. I apologize in advance for causing anguish to ISKCON devotees for having to show them her blasphemous comments here in print.

1. “Sadly, it is true that India, in general, does not have a grip on child abuse.”

Comment: How is it true? On what authority is she speaking. Malati Devi Dasi is propagating these ideas to undermine Indian values, Vedic culture etc. Because as long as Vedic/Indian culture is held in high esteem in ISKCON, it will be followed and then she will not be able to continue her female sannyasi or promoting FDG plans which are not Vedic and will thus be questioned in ISKCON. She is spreading false propaganda about Indian culture to benefit her.

There is a sustained character assassination attempt in Western media (and hijacked Indian media) to malign India’s image as it is the land of dharma. And it is sad that the greatest hope for fighting this and spreading Sanatana Dharma, ISKCON, which includes our own GBC has now joined in the attack on Vedic/Indian culture instead of fighting and preaching in support of it. Srila Prabhupada himself glorified Indian culture so much so that he brought his western disciples to learn culture from karmi Indians.

2. “Sick Indian ‘joke’: What is a virgin? A girl who can outrun her uncle. No, not funny, but about says it all”.

Comment:  Yes it’s a sick joke, made up by Malati Devi Dasi, (actually a repurposed joke about incest in America). She is implying that the incidence of elder male family members raping their own female minor girl relatives is so high and so much a part of Indian culture, that they can only remain virgins, or they can only resist rape by their own male family relatives, if they can run faster than them(!). What a large gap there is between Srila Prabhupada’s and Malati Devi Dasi’s opinion and understanding of Indian culture.

The acaryas who appeared in India such as Ramanuja, Madhava, Shankara, Visnusvami and Nimbarka were probably all uncles also. So is she labeling them as child rapists? What about all the uncles in India who dedicated their lives to ISKCON, and preached the message of Mahaprabhu? They are all now officially being called child rapists. Srila Prabhupada was also an uncle and he was from India, so he is also comes under that category? And what about her fellow GBC men from India?

While describing this statement to many different Indian bodied souls (in ISKCON) we had a difficult time even trying to make them understand the meaning of this statement. They could not imagine such a thing like this could happen within families.

By the way, this is one of our GBC members. The highest managerial body in ISKCON which is supposed to be propagating Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.

3. “So we are trying for decades to deal with this push back mind set and some improvements have occurred but a lot lot lot more to go.”

Comment: Here she is saying that they were trying to deal with sex abuse in ISKCON for years and the Indian leaders have a ‘push back’ mind set in other words they are stopping or postponing justice for abuse victims. Is this really a fact? After this insulting behavior how can we continue to accept the GBC as authorities at all in ISKCON anymore for not reacting to this with sufficient force.

4. “We are dealing with a “culture,” if you will, that is heavily indoctrinated into these men.”

Comment: She claims here that the sex abuse of children is heavily indoctrinated into Indian men (even in ISKCON). On what basis is this claim made? How can such a person be allowed to become a leader anywhere in the world? After saying this she expects to come to India and be served in Vrindavan, Mayapur, and Juhu by Indian bodied devotees?

5. “A few are “getting it,” after time and effort, but it’s generally an up hill battle.”

No Comment.

6. “The Indian Bureau, made up of powerful men who take their strangled views to a new level and up tight hold against it.”

Comment: A member of ISKCON publicly humiliated and slandered members of an official ISKCON body. What will the GBC do about it? They react quite fast when someone says something about the GBC publicly. This is the test to see whether they have the same agenda as her or oppose her thoughts and agenda.

For calling uncles in India rapists directly and saying that a culture of rape is indoctrinated into Indian men, and that India has a big problem with child abuse she has thus insulted all ISKCON India devotees (as the whole discussion was concerning Indian devotees in ISKCON) – we demand that she be removed from the GBC. This is actually the least of the actions to be taken. She should also be barred from any leadership position henceforth in ISKCON. GBC members are meant to elevate not insult ISKCON devotees.

We should note that this is not a racial issue. Some of the biggest supporters of Vedic culture and varnasrama in India are western-bodied devotees. And we found some Indian leaders to be infected with feminism.

7. “I would like to know why in the world a male, Ramananda Ray, had to bathe these young girls? This question has remained unanswered since I heard it in 1967.”

Comment: This is a comment seen on Facebook typed by Malati Devi Dasi. It is in connection with Sri Ramananda Raya’s personally applying oil and bathing the bodies of young attractive girls (Deva-dasis) who were dancers for Lord Jagannatha. The person who showed this comment to me was lamenting how someone of our own movement can make this comment, let alone a GBC leader, and how he felt it so contaminating just to read. If we hear this from people who are not devotees, or people against our movement, then we could understand. But, a GBC member?!

We are not sure if Malati Devi Dasi ever read Caitanya-caritamrta since 1967, when she had these doubts, because the answers are all there. First of all Ramananda Raya is not ‘a male’ of the mundane category whose actions we can judge as one would judge a mundane film star, sports star or politician; and if someone could get this point wrong then we seriously doubt that they have any understanding of Krishna consciousness.

The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (120–24) states that Ramananda Raya was formerly Arjuna. He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopi Lalita, although in the opinion of others he was an incarnation of Visakhadevi. He was a most confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Although I am a sannyasi, My mind is sometimes perturbed when I see a woman. But Ramananda Raya is greater than Me, for he is always undisturbed, even when he touches a woman.
–Caitanya-caritmarta 1.10.134

So Ramananda Raya is a confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya who said that Ramananda Raya was greater than Him. Why are we questioning the behavior of an eternally liberated personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (whose appearance day appears in our Vaisnava calendar) in public forums?

Still if Malati Devi Dasi wants to know about this pastime then we will throw more illumination on it by another quote from Caitanya-caritamrta which reveals Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakuras teachings on this matter,

Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya engaged two such girls, and because they were meant to play the parts of gopīs, he taught them how to awaken thoughts like those of the gopīs. Because the gopīs are worshipable personalities, Rāmānanda Rāya, who considered the two girls gopīs and himself their maidservant, engaged in their service by massaging their bodies with oil to cleanse them completely. Because Rāmānanda Rāya always placed himself in the position of a maidservant of the gopīs, his rehearsal with the girls was actually on the spiritual platform.
–Caitanya-caritmrta 3.5.20

Srila Prabhupada adds to the quote above by stating in the same purport, “Because there was no question of personal sense gratification when Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was serving the girls, his mind was steady and his body untransformed.”

How can someone who is supposed to be in the Gaudiya Sampradaya, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and an ISKCON member blaspheme a direct associate of, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Worse still is how she is accusing Sri Ramananda Raya as if he was a mundane lusty male. This is not the exemplary behavior that Srila Prabhupada said GBC members should have. It is demonic.

The question arises: has Malati devi dasi read the whole Caitanya-caritamrta? Or the Srimad Bhagavatam? Or the Bhagavad-gita?

Guru Aparadha on Srila Prabhupada’s Sri-Vigraha

This offensive attitude towards Vedic culture, scripture etc., is not something recent or new for Malati Devi Dasi. The sri-vigraha of Sri Krsna or of a pure devotee is great mercy upon conditioned souls whereby They can appear in a form that we can see and relate to and offer prayers, bhoga and beg for mercy. Below we see what she did to the sri-vigraha of Srila Prabhupada last year and proudly shared a picture of it on Facebook, perhaps considering that the sri-vigraha was akin to a shop mannequin or normal statue.

She placed a corona mask on Srila Prabhupada and wrote, “Acarya Teaching by example”. This is a mockery of our culture in ISKCON. Guru is saksad Hari, directly a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and we preform his puja daily, to honor him. We sit before Srila Prabhupada praying and begging for a drop of his mercy (sraddha bindu diya) to cross over this material world and we place his form on a suitably raised pedestal, befitting his position for puja and worship him. We are finding it difficult to understand the mind of someone who is motivated to adorn Sri Guru with a face mask instead of the most expensive cloth and jewelry. Srila Prabhupada is the great senapati bhakta of Sri Caitanya Who personally foretold of his appearance. He left his comfortable life in Vrindavan as a renunciate at the age of 69 years to come and with great difficulty picked all of us out of the gutter where we were condemned to rot, and gave us adhikara to do bhakti. So shouldn’t we now spread his name, fame, glory and teachings all over the world and dedicate our lives to him and his mission – rather than using his spiritual form to make a cheap joke on social media?

Srila Prabhupada writes in Bhagavad-gita, “Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life (Bg 4.34).” We can guess that she and those who support and silently watch all this without any protest, are unlikely to get the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, the previous acaryas or Sri Krishna. Maunum samiti laksanam – to the leaders and other devotees of ISKCON including the GBC; you have been informed of these demonic acts and those who remain silent or protective of her still, are complicit.

Trying to block Srila Prabhupada’s teachings

When a book called Women: Mothers or Masters? (later renamed Mothers and Masters) was released by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami – a sannyasi disciple of Srila Prabhupada, a few years ago, Malati Devi Dasi as a member of the NA GBC tried to ban it in North American ISKCON centers even though such an action is not the function of the GBC bodies. She also influenced the GBC to announce that the book was banned in centers all over the world. There was a public outcry by ISKCON members including Prabhupada disciples which made the GBC later backtrack and claim that the book was banned in error. Why were Malati Devi Dasi and feminists in ISKCON so disturbed with the book? When challenged about what was wrong with the book, they (including Malati Devi Dasi) could not give a satisfactory reply even though invited for open debate on the issue. 80% of the book comprises of quotes of Srila Prabhupada on women’s roles in Vedic culture and thus the book outlined the future vision of women’s roles in ISKCON as being traditionalist – based on varnasrama duties. Further the book made a powerful case through Srila Prabhupada’s own quotes, for establishing varnasrama in ISKCON (thus quashing their feminist hopes) and it positively impacted many women in ISKCON swayed by feminism (their testimonies are written in the book) to take up stri-dharma. Further, they (feminists headed by Malati Devi Dasi) were unable to philosophically challenge the message of the book at all and so just tried to ban it. We managed to find this book online for those who want to read it and judge the message of the book. It can be found here and here.

What happened to the GBC? They were supposed to spread this movement all over the world on Srila Prabhupada’s orders. Now members of the GBC are openly deriding Indian culture, humiliating Indian bodied devotees on social media and allowing direct attacks on varnasrama, without doing anything about it. Worst of all was the use of spiritual form of Srila Prabhupada to pass on mundane messages thus damaging the faith of neophyte devotees who saw it and risking the withdrawal of the mercy flow from Srila Prabhupada and the parampara. For what she did, a mere apology from Malati Devi Dasi is not enough. She has to be subjected to disciplinary action. Why isn’t she being removed? The GBC should be acarya-like, commanders of the sankirtan movement and propagate the movement according to Srila Prabhupada’s books with all vigor. Anyone deviating should be replaced.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of course, if someone has a falldown, just like in the past some GBC men have fallen down…

Prabhupāda: He should be replaced.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then he should be replaced. But that’s a serious falldown, not some minor discrepancy.

Prabhupāda: They must be all ideal, ācārya-like. In the beginning we have done for working. Now we should be very cautious. Anyone who is deviating, he can be replaced.

– GBC Meets with Śrīla Prabhupāda; May 28, 1977, Vṛndāvana

In the above quote Srila Prabhupada said that a GBC must be acarya-like, thus he should be like an acarya. But what does it mean to be like an acyara? The definition of acarya in sastras is:

acinoti yam sastrartham
acare sthapayaty api
svayam acarate yasma
acharyas tena kirtitam

An Acharya is one who fully understands the conclusions of the revealed scriptures. His own behavior reflects his deep realization, and thus he is a living example of divine precept. He is therefore known as an Acharya, or one who teaches the meaning of the scriptures both by word and deed.
–Vayu Purana

This of course implies that an acarya is well versed in many sastras. Readers can infer for themselves if the GBC in question is acarya-like by their erudition in our tradition and behaviour.

Even so, Srila Prabhupada did not and would not have allowed a woman to become a GBC, let alone someone who blasphemes Lord Caitanya’s eternal associates and does guru aparadha.

Malati Devi Dasi is one of the founding members of the Women’s Ministry later strategically renamed as the “Vaisnavi” Ministry which has an openly Feminist agenda. She has ‘taken sannyasa’ and wears an orange/saffron sari to show for that even though Srila Prabhupada said many times that women should not take sannyasa (e.g. SB 3.24.40). Yet for some reason, not a single member of our GBC has challenged this direct and open disobedience to Sri Guru even though it is occurring right before them in their meetings. She insists that she be called ‘Prabhu’ even though Srila Prabhupada said that all women should be addressed as mother – mata. Members of the GBC should be exemplary in their roles and at least not openly go against his teachings. Is Malati Devi Dasi following her role as a woman exemplarily according to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions (BG 16.7)? What example is she setting and what will the future women of our movement think by seeing her, a GBC member, divorce her husband, remarry an x-sannayi turned satanist, taking sannyasa, and wearing saffron and then trying to become a guru? Will they not also then follow that pattern leading to adharma and guror avajna?

Srila Prabhupada said though, that feminism is mainly propagated by lusty males in order to remove women from their protective positions so they (lusty males) can enjoy them (subtle or gross sex). We see many men including GBC’s and sannyasis supporting and championing the feminists on. Essentially feminism cannot work with Vedic culture and stri-dharma, which Srila Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to follow. So, they (feminists – females and males) attack and denigrate Indian/Vedic culture and varnasrama in ISKCON in different direct and indirect ways, to undermine it and spread feminism. They (Vaisnavi Ministry members – colleagues of Malati Devi Dasi) also blasphemed Srila Prabhupada to fulfil their agenda, and the GBC did not do anything about it. They have already influenced some of the senior Indian leaders, men, women and sannyasis including – yes, GBC members. Srila Prabhupada also said that modern education (egalitarian and feminist in nature) has devised a ‘puffed-concept’ of womanly life. The result is women want to become gurus, and want equality, position and power whereas Srila Prabhupada said not to appoint them in positions or managerial roles but train them to live and act within family roles as wives, mothers etc. Thus followers of feminism are offensive to Srila Prabhupada and offensive to Vedic culture and varnasrama. It has no place in ISKCON (especially in India) and no place in our future, and should be rejected as should all feminists who refuse to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions for women’s roles or who preach anything different as roles for women.

Malati Devi Dasi and the feminists have taken the path of adharma, poisoning many young women’s minds and ruining marriages, families and society and now deviating the mission of ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada.

GBC men who deviate from duty will be punished severely according to Srila Prabhupada. Maunam samiti laksanam.

There we have created these GBCs. So they should be very responsible men; otherwise, they will be punished. They will be punished to become a sudra. Although Yamaraja is a GBC, but he made a little mistake, he was punished to become a sudra. So those who are GBC, they should be very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the punishment is also very great. That is the difficulty.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.15 – June 4, 1974, Geneva

Malati Devi Dasi is a threat to the social stability, and purity of this movement. The GBC should take the proper decision and dismiss Malati Devi Dasi from office as the ICC wrote in their resolution. She has an agenda different from our founder-acarya. Anything short of removing her from the GBC and any leadership position, will risk a severe reaction from ISKCON India and there will be regret for years to come. Our desire is to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instruction of implementing and spreading the Vedic culture as ordered by Srila Prabhupada (see quotes in Appendix), which is what the GBC members should be working towards. The GBC should take this resolution from ISKCON India very seriously.

However maybe it is too little too late. Shall we in India continue to follow such a GBC? We in India have to make a decision. Some in ISKCON are beginning to call for the dissolving and reconstitution of the entire GBC (as Srila Prabhupada himself did so once before) due to their unlimited contaminations, deviations and errors. In my view after increasingly glaring displays of guror avajna and accommodation of feminists, liberalists and blasphemers of Indian/Vedic culture, this looks like the only way forward. It may be time to stop recognizing the current GBC’s authority and support the increasing calls for reconstituting a GBC who pledge to follow Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Otherwise we do not know what will come next.

If they refuse to take this action then we in India can seriously consider forming a separate governing body. At least in India, the land of dharma we should protect Veda and dharma from contamination by doing this. This is the only movement on the planet for removing the darkness of Kali and the illusion of maya through spreading Krishna consciousness, the Vedic culture and varansrama. We are obligated as members of Gaudiya Sampradaya to protect the siddhanta and mission of Lord Caitanya for future generations. Not doing so is the worst form of violence (Bhagavad-gita 13.8-12).

Appendix

Important Quotes On Vedic Culture:

Evidence that Srila Prabhupada wanted Vedic culture propagated by ISKCON.

Indians, do not neglect your (Vedic) culture.

So bharata-bhumi is punya-bhumi, the land of piety. We should understand this. After many pious activities… I have traveled all over the world. They have got enough money, enough material facilities, but still, the Vedic culture is different. It is so high. And it is taken still in estimation, in adoration, all over the world. So my request, especially to the Indians, that do not neglect your culture, the Vedic culture.
–Srimad-Bhagavatam Preface, Pandal Lecture – January 14, 1973, Bombay

Indians, you must take to Vedic culture

bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara

janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara

[CC 1.9.41]

One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bharata-varsa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.

This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. Anyone who has taken birth in India, he must take the Vedic culture.
–Bhagavad-gita 4.15 – April 4, 1974, Bombay

Americans and Europeans, revive your Vedic culture.

The Europeans and Americans, they belong to Aryan family. They have lost their Vedic culture. Now it is being revived again.
–Room Conversation – November 6, 1970, Bombay

This Krishna consciousness movement is meant for reviving the Vedic culture.

So this Krsna consciousness movement means that we are trying to revive the old Vedic culture throughout the whole world.
–Lecture Engagement – August 5, 1971, London

Therefore this Krsna consciousness movement is spreading Vedic culture outside India, and they are welcoming it, those who are intelligent, they are welcoming it. They are accepting it.
–The Nectar of Devotion – November 6, 1972, Vrndavana

So our this Krsna consciousness movement is to revive the Vedic culture. And the Vedic culture, another name of Vedic culture is sanatana-dharma.
–Srimad-Bhagavatam Preface, Pandal Lecture – January 14, 1973, Bombay

So we have to select persons who can preach the Vedic culture all over the world, and this Krsna consciousness movement means properly training.
–Mayapur Temple Inauguration with Sridhara Maharaja, plus Mahamsa’s Sanyass Initiation – March 17, 1973, Mayapur

So it is only Krsna consciousness movement trying to bring back Vedic culture so that people may be very happy. It is not a business; it is not a religious sentiment. It is a program to make everyone happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is Vedic culture.
–Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.21 – July 11, 1974, Los Angeles

Non-Vedic Society is not Human Society

This is Vedic culture, varnasrama. Any society which is devoid of this Vedic culture, varna and asrama, that is not accepted as human society.
–Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13 – October 24, 1972, Vrndavana

There are so many human beings all over the world. Mostly, they’re like animals — without culture. Because, according to our Vedic culture, unless one takes to the institution of varna and asrama, he’s not a human being. He’s not accepted.
–Bhagavad-gita 7.1 – January 27, 1973, Calcutta

Srila Prabhupada is simply reviving Vedic culture

Prabhupāda: It is not my movement; it is the Vedic culture. Don’t think… If you say “my movement,” I have manufactured something. Not. This is the Vedic culture.

Interviewer (4): No, from the standpoint of this culture…

Prabhupāda: Standpoint is that I am trying to revive the Vedic culture, that’s all. That is my business. I am not manufacturing anything
–Press Interview at Muthilal Rao’s House, August 17, 1976, Hyderabad

My spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, asked me to revive this traditional Vedic culture in the Western world. It is not actually a question of “starting.” This is the world’s traditional, original culture.
–Dirty Illusions, BTG 21-04, 1986

So our this Krsna consciousness movement is to revive the Vedic culture. And the Vedic culture, another name of Vedic culture is sanatana-dharma.
–Pandal Lecture — January 14, 1973, Bombay

One must be guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The society is divided according to the quality he is working, accordingly. So this is the Vedic society. Now it is all lost. But if you revive it, people will be happy, if you can revive it. There is no difficulty.
–Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.66 — September 2, 1975, Vrndavana

Through this Krishna consciousness movement, spread Vedic culture and varnasrama

So actually Vedic culture is not stereotype. It is not stagnant; it is dynamic. So we have to, at the present moment, if we are really serious about our culture through this Krsna consciousness movement, we have to spread this Vedic culture and collect and pick up who is in brahminical qualification, who is in ksatriya qualifications, who is a vaisya.
–Lecture at the home of Mr. Mitra – January 30, 1971, Allahabad

Role of Vedic Culture same in West as in East

Pusta Krsna: Next question, Srila Prabhupada. “Do you envision a different role for the Vedic culture in the Western countries, where the influence of other great religions has been felt for centuries?”

Srila Prabhupada: No. There is no “different role.” God is one. God cannot be two. As Krsna states in the Bhagavad-gita [7.7], mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: “There is no authority superior to Me.” That is God. Now people have to understand that Krsna is God. There is no “different role” for the Vedic culture. The role is the same worldwide. Five thousand years ago, Krsna said, “I am the supreme authority. There is no authority superior to Me.” He is still so. Therefore we are simply attempting to introduce Krsna.
–Civilization And Transcendence 13: The Way to Peace

Women under domination in Vedic Culture

Those who are under the domination of the husband after being married, they’re happy. And those who are under the domination of elderly children, they are happy. So this statement of Manu-samhita… Just like children should not be given freedom, similarly, woman should not be given freedom. They should be given all protection. That is our Vedic culture.
–Lecture – December 8, 1972, Ahmedabad

According to Vedic culture, woman has no independence. Because they cannot keep their independence. It is not possible. A sixteen-year-old boy can go safely all over the world, but a sixteen-year girl cannot. That is not possible.

By nature, they are weak. So they require protection. And until she reaches youthhood, she is protected by the father. As soon as she reaches youthhood, she is given to a young man, her husband, to give protection. And in old age she is protected by the elderly sons. This is the Vedic culture. There are three phases of life: childhood, youthhood and old age. So… Because they are weak. In the Western countries, the women are given freedom like man, but that is unnatural. Unnatural. Therefore these poor souls are being exploited by the other section. It is a great deficiency of the Western sociology.

 

But the Vedic culture is different from this. Woman is not given independence. And generally one man marries more than one wife. That is Vedic culture. Just like see Krsna. Krsna has 16,108. That is allowed. Krsna was Personality of Godhead. He could maintain… Why sixteen? Sixteen millions wife. That is not difficult for Him. But even ordinary man, ksatriyas especially, they used to marry more than one wife. Still. Not only wife, but one wife, one princess is married, and along with her, hundred, two hundred maidservants, they will go with the king. Just like when Vasudeva was married to Devaki, some hundreds of maidservant was given with. So women… The conclusion is that women are weak. They should be given protection. They should not be ill-treated. Just like a father gives protection to the children. It does not mean it is ill-treatment. There is no question of. But protection. Otherwise, abaleva, they can be victimized by any man, powerful, because man is powerful.
–Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.20 – November 30, 1973, Los Angeles