Dear honourable Matajis are the most basic foundation of this whole creation, but still due to some unavoidable reason they cannot act as Diksa Guru as per the instructions of sastras - Part 4
Updated: Jul 3
The modified form of the fourth part on the topics of woman Acharyaship (freshly edited by Srila Baba Maharaj)
All Glories to Śrī Śrī Guru and Gaurāṅga
(Date 03.07.2024)
The note of humble apology by Srila Baba Maharaj – Please don’t try to misunderstand me, because I am bound to give scientific answer to all your questions relating to woman Acharyship, because I have no personal choice except those scriptural evidences.
śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-
pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir
utpātāyaiva kalpate
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.101)
“Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas and Nārada-pañcarātra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in our devotional society.”
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Paramahāṁsa Jagadguru said that— “One who is devoid of ānugatya (śuddha guru–Vaiṣṇava ānugatya) is just like a beast.” Our false argument can take us up to hell very easily.
Very high conception and respect Manu Mahārāj used to preserve inside his heart for those strī–sampradāya as a whole. The following Manu-saṁhitā, ślokas 3/55 -56 are given below for your kind consolation.
pitṛbhirbhrātṛbhiścaitāḥ patibhirdevaraistathā
pūjyā bhūṣayitavyāśca bahukalyāṇamīpsubhiḥ (Manu-saṁhitā 3.55)
They (those mātājīs) must be honoured and adorned by their fathers and brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who are desirous of their own welfare.
yatra nāryastu pūjyante ramante tatra devatāḥ |
yatraitāstu na pūjyante sarvāstatrāphalāḥ kriyāḥ | (Manu-saṁhitā 3.56)
Where women are honoured, there the gods rejoice; where, on the other hand, they are not honoured, there all rites are fruitless.
About woman class as a whole Manu Mahārāj used to preserve a very high conception or respect, because their successful mothership can give us great success as human being. Any country or community or society where mātājīs are worshiped or honoured, surely that country or that community or society can achieve all kind of prosperity leading to the highest goal (self-realization) of human life , but any country or community or society where there is no respect and honour for mātājīs—ultimately that can create a hellish condition or environment in that country or community or society. As a result of ignoring matajis and their due honour—day by day some toxic environment gradually can grasp the whole human civilization. Degradation of humanity is really a matter of great concern for our human civilization—which can lead up to total destruction. Truly speaking at present in our so called civilized societies the woman class as a whole are given external equality and honour, but internally they are being abused by those demon classes as an object or instrument of enjoyment. At present our whole human civilization are completely hypnotized by the illusionary energy of Bhagavad Māyā to develop blindness.
yatra nāryastu pūjyante ramante tatra devatāḥ |
yatraitāstu na pūjyante sarvāstatrāphalāḥ kriyāḥ (Manu-saṁhitā 3.56)
Where women are honoured, there the gods rejoice; where, on the other hand, they are not honoured, there all rites are fruitless.
In that particular heredidical flow—where strī jati (woman class) are worshiped, (there) all demigods (they) become pleased or delighted and naturally when they become delighted then all desired results can be attainted. But in that particular heriditical flow where women are ignored or insulted or tortured, I mean not getting proper dignity—there all ritualistic activities like yajña-vrata if done in the name of any demigod or God itself—all become useless.
Some of Manu Mahāraj’s statements regarding these are given below—
Those very essential objectives which are to be followed in gṛhastha āśrama like dharma-artha and kāma etc. trivarga—all are actually under the control of housewives and their highness. So it is very important for all to show appropriate honour and respect to their respective wife. If housewife is not honoured or cared then those demigods are not pleased at all, and in this way if any gṛhastha become deprived of their blessings, then any ritualistic activities done by them become useless.
Manu Mahāraj further said that in a family if wife, daughter, mother, or daughter-in-law all they become unhappy (or feeling pain due to bad treatment) and lamenting—then that particular family can get destroyed very shortly. Opposite way in any such family where they (women class as a whole) are not unhappy or not lamenting (I mean if they feel comfortable with spiritual mood)—particularly that family life become full of opulence’s (taken from Manu-saṁhitā 3/57). So it is the duty of those who are willing to increase their prosperity or opulences to keep them (those women) very happy.
Manu Mahāraj also speaking in another place that those women are the illumination of the house in gṛhastha life, I mean they are the ornaments of the family; they can help protect family’s heriditical flow in the form of giving birth of pure children. They are very lucky (Mahābhagyavati) and are worshipable for their Idealism as gṛha lakṣmī, that is why in a family life shri and strī these two words are non different from another.
For your kind information the śloka given below—
prajanārthaṃ mahābhāgāḥ pūjārhā gṛhadīptayaḥ
striyaḥ śriyaśca geheṣu na viśeṣo’sti kaścana (Manu-saṁhitā 9/26 śloka)
There is no difference whatever between the goddess of fortune and the women who secure many blessings for the sake of bearing children, who are worthy of worship and who form the glory of their household.
Śrīla Manu Mahāraj said about mātājīs as a whole that marriage ceremony is the first samskar for women, and this marriage ceremony can be treated as their upanayana saṁskāra, after marriage their (for woman class as a whole) svami seva from heart can be treated as their gurukul vasa and their homely seva at pati gṛha (the house of pati devata) can be treated as fire sacrifice or agni hom.
So marriage is the only duty or prescription of shatsra for woman class as a whole. If housewife is a chasty lady, then it is the duty of husband to take very good care of wife and in this way as a result those demigods become very pleased.
devadattāṃ patirbhāryāṃ vindate necchayā’tmanaḥ
tāṃ sādhvīṃ bibhṛyānnityaṃ devānāṃ priyamācaran (Manu-saṁhitā 9/95 śloka)
The husband obtains his wife as a present from the gods, and not by his own fanciful wish; hence he should always support the faithful wife, thereby doing what is favourable to the gods.
Manu Mahāraj thinks it fit for woman to marry—which as per his opinion is the true and best utility for them of their womanship and their mothership can prove their real success. In the creation of human life, this is arranged in such a way where women can bear baby and man can arrange that.
kanyāyāṃ dattaśulkāyāṃ mriyeta yadi śulkadaḥ
devarāya pradātavyā yadi kanyā’numanyate (Manu-saṁhitā 9/97 śloka)
After the nuptial fee for a girl has been paid, if the man who paid the fee dies, the girl should be given to the younger brother-in-law, in case she consents.
But also we should consider the following scriptural evidences to understand from heart those following vichars to protect us from downfall.
We can see the following śloka from Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā spoken by Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself—
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te (Bg. 7.14)
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
Also, we can see the following śloka from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1st canto spoken by Śrīmati Kuntī Devi in front of Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa—
māyā-javanikācchannam
ajñādhokṣajam avyayam
na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā
naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā (ŚB 1.8.19)
Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, You are the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized.
Matri śakti should be utilized in our creation in the best possible way, otherwise we can go to hell, no doubt in it. In the way of protection and preservation of Go-sampada the same rules and regulations are also applicable for Go–Matas. We can give countless scriptural evidences from different śāstras but due to shortage of time and space, only we like to quote the following śloka from Garga-saṁhitā and the other śloka from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—
vedā me vacanaṃ viprā
mukhaṃ gāvas tanur mama
aṅgāni devatā yūyaṃ
sādhavo hy asavo hṛdi (Garga-saṁhitā Goloka Kandam verse 1.3.26)
The Vedas are My instructions. The brāhmaṇas are My mouth. The cows are My body. You demigods are My limbs. My devotees are my life and soul.
tatra go-mithunaṁ rājā
hanyamānam anāthavat
daṇḍa-hastaṁ ca vṛṣalaṁ
dadṛśe nṛpa-lāñchanam (ŚB 1.17.1)
Sūta Gosvāmī said: After reaching that place, Mahārāja Parīkṣit observed that a lower-caste śūdra, dressed like a king, was beating a cow and a bull with a club, as if they had no owner.
Manu Mahārāj wanted to say that the overall success of gṛhastha āśrama depends upon the best possible way of utilization of matri śakti. Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa all those chatur-varga can only be derived by the joint effort of husband and wife, but still very much of this depends upon the highness of mātājīs. The same siddhānta vichar was advocated by Kaśyapa Ṛṣi or Kardama Ṛṣi etc.
Where housewives are not given proper honour and respect, where their dignity going to be ignored or destroyed by those demon classes in our society, I mean where they feel very sad, there all amaṅgals coming down, because in that case all those demigods they become very unpleasant and they like to deprive those miscreants from all types of maṅgal. Both husband and wife must enjoy same right and there should be mutual respect with each other, just like Gauri-Shankar. Gauri Devi—she is known as ardhangini, I mean the half body of Shankar Bhagavan. Even Śrīman Mahāprabhu wanted to establish the unique dignity of strī-sampradāya as a whole. Śrīman Mahāprabhu when wanted to express the līlā of entering into gṛhastha life then He told the following śloka which we can find in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta—
na gṛhaṁ gṛham ity āhur
gṛhiṇī gṛham ucyate
tayā hi sahitaḥ sarvān
puruṣārthān samaśnute (Cc Ādi 15.27)
“Merely a house is not a home, for it is a wife who gives a home it’s real meaning. If one lives at home with his wife together, then they can fulfil all the interests (all puruṣārthas) of human life.”
We know from Mahābhārata Bishma Parvat the advice of Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna to glorify matri śakti Durgā-devī to defeat those enemies just before starting the Kurukṣetra Battle.
Spoken by Śrī Arjuna on the eve of the battle of Kurukṣetra between Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas. (Bhishma Parva Chapter 23 verses 416). This section is the chapter that immediately precedes the Bhagavad-gītā in the Mahabharata.
Lord Kṛṣṇa said to Śrī Arjuna: “Purify yourself, O mighty armed one, on the evening of this great battle and compose a hymn to Durgā for achieving victory over your enemies”.
Sanjaya said: “Thus addressed on the eve of battle by Śrī Vasudeva endued with great intelligence, Pṛthā’s son Arjuna, alighting from his chariot, recited the following hymn with palms pressed together”.
Śrī Arjuna uvaccha - Śrī Arjuna said:
Namaste siddhasenaani aarye mandaravaasini/ Kumaari kaali kaapaali kapile kṛṣṇa pingale //1//
“I bow to you, O foremost of siddhas, O Noble One that dwells in the forest of Mandara, O Virgin, O Kali! O wife of Kapāla! O you of a black and tawny hue.
Bhadrakaali namastubhyam mahāakaali namo’stu te/ Candi cande namastubhyam taarini varavarnini//2//
I bow to you. O beneficent Kali, I bow to you, O Mahākali, O wrathful One. I bow to you. O Tara the saviour, the great boon bestowing one.
Kaatyaayani mahāabhaage karaali vijaye jaye/ Shikhipicchadhvaja dhare naanaabharana bhooshite//3//
O Durgā! Great Being, the fierce bestower of victory! O personification of Victory! O you that bears a banner of peacock plumes, O one decked with every ornament.
Attashoola praharane khadga khetaka dhaarini/ Gopendrasyaanuje jyeshthe nandagopakulodbhave//4//
O you that wields an awful spear, the holder of sword and shield,
O you that were born as the younger sister of the chief of cowherds (Lord Kṛṣṇa), O eldest sibling, born in the family of the cowherd Nanda!
Mahishasrk priye nityam Kaushiki peeta vaasini/ Attahaase kokamukhe namaste’stu ranapriye//5//
O you who are always fond of buffalo’s blood, born of Kusika’s clan, dressed in yellow robes, having assuming the face of a wolf you devoured the Āsuras!
I bow to you who are fond of battle!
Ume shaakambhari shvete krsne kaiṭabhanaashini/ Hiranyaakshi viroopaakshi sudhoomraakshi namo’stu te//6//
O Uma! O Śākambharī! O you that are white in hue, and also black! O slayer of the Āsura Kaiṭabha! O yelloweyed one!
O you that see everything! O you of eyes that have the colour of smoke, I bow to you!
Vedashruti Mahāapunye brahmanye jaatavedasi/ Jambookataka caityeshu nityam sannihitaalaye//7//
You are the Vedas, the śrutis, and the greatest virtue! You are propitious to brāhmaṇas engaged in sacrifice. You are all knowing, you are ever present in the sacred abodes erected to you in cities of Jamvudwipa, I bow to you!
Tvam brahmavidyaa vidyaanaam mahāanidraa ca dehinaam/ Skanda maatar Bhāgavati dure kaantaravaasini//8//
You are the knowledge of the highest truth among sciences, and you are that sleep of creatures from which there is no waking.
O mother of Skanda (Lord Muruga), possessor of the six (highest) attributes of Divinity, O Durgā, that dwells in the most inaccessible regions.
Svaahaakaarah svadhaa caiva kalaa kaashthaa sarasvatee/ Saavitri vedamaataa ca tathaa vedaanta ucyate//9//
You are called Swaha, and Swadha, and the subtle divisions of time such as Kala, and Kashta. You are the goddess of knowledge: Sarasvatī, and the mother of the Vedas, and the personification of Vedanta.
Stutaasi tvam mahāadevi vishuddhenaantaaraatmanaa/ Jayo bhavatu me nityam tvat prasaadaad ranaajire//10//
With inner mind purified, I praise you, O great goddess; let victory always attend me through your grace, on the field of battle.
Kaantaara bhaya durgeshu bhaktaanaam caalayeshu ca/ Nityam vasasi paataale yuddhe jayasi daanavaan//11//
In inaccessible regions, where there is fear, in places of difficulty, in the abodes of your worshippers and in the nether regions (Pātāla), you always dwell. And in battle you always defeat the Danavas (a demon race).
Tvam jambhanee mohinee ca maayaa hreeh shreestathaiva ca/ Samdhyaa prabhaavatee caiva saavitree jananee tathaa//12//
You are the unconsciousness, the sleep, the illusion, the modesty, the beauty of all creatures. You are the twilight, and the radiant light of day! You are Sāvitrī, and you are the mother of all creation.
Tushtih pushtir dhrtir deeptish candraaditya vivardhinee/ Bhootir bhootimataam sanhkye veeksyase siddhacaaranaih//13//
You are contentment, development, fortitude and light. You increase the radiance of the sun and the moon. You are the prosperity of those that prosper. The siddhas and the charanas behold you in deep contemplation!
Sanjaya continued: Knowing the measure of Partha’s devotion, Durgā who is always graciously inclined towards humans, appeared in the space and in the presence of Govinda, said these words.
The Goddess said: “Within a short time you shall surely conquer your foes, O Pāṇḍava.
O invincible one, you have Nārāyaṇa (Lord Kṛṣṇa) as your help. You are incapable of being defeated by foes, even by Indra — the wielder of the thunderbolt himself.”
Having said this, the boongiving Goddess disappeared soon. The son of Kuntī, however, obtaining that boon, regarded himself as successful. He then mounted his own excellent chariot. And then Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, seated together, blew their celestial conches. The person, who recites this hymn rising at dawn, is freed from fear at all times.
Also, from Vālmīki Ramāyāna we can see that Bhagavan Ramchandra Himself wanted to give honour, respect and worship to His own svarūpa śakti Durgā before going to Lanka to kill Rāvaṇa for our lesson—how to honour, respect and worship His svarūpa śakti with the mood already confirmed in Vedānta-sūtra—śakti śakti mator abheda.
Rāvaṇa, the king of Lanka, had a special blessing of Goddess Parvati (an avatar of Durgā) that no enemy of his could defeat him in a battle with the Goddess’s permission. Because of this boon, Lord Ram was unable to slain Rāvaṇa in the war to rescue his wife, Sītā.
When Ram came to know of this boon from Rāvaṇa’s brother (Vibhīṣaṇa), he decided to pray to the Goddess Durgā to seek her blessing in winning the war (just a lila). Hence, despite it being the season of autumn, Ram initiated the ritual of worshiping Goddess Durgā.
Also, usually we can find the following śloka from Bhagavad-gītā quoted from Ṛg Veda
Tvam-Eva Maataa Ca Pitaa Tvam-Eva |
Tvam-Eva Bandhush-Ca Sakhaa Tvam-Eva |
Tvam-Eva Viidyaa Dravinnam Tvam-Eva |
Tvam-Eva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva || (The mantra is from Ṛg Veda)
You truly are my mother and You truly are my father. You truly are my relative and You truly are my friend. You truly are my knowledge and You truly are my wealth. You truly are my all, my God of Gods.
The direct evidence of this śloka was proved by Śrīman Mahāprabhu Śrī Gaurāṅga Deva at Chandra Shekar Bhavan Śrī Dham Māyāpur when he played one drama to dance there in the form of Mahālakṣmī—ultimately to feed breast milk to some of His devotees like Haridas etc.
So, the fighting with these two words man and woman is nothing but one kind of illusion, nothing else, but still, we must follow the restrictions of śāstra to avoid all negative bhavas. Bhakti Devi is always svatantra (independent and neutral) regarding distribution of bhakti irrespective of man or woman—which can give us eternal life.
From Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā we know the following śloka:
ajñaśh chāśhraddadhānaśh cha
sanśhayātmā vinaśhyati
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro
na sukhaṁ sanśhayātmanaḥ (BG 4.40)
“But persons who possess neither faith nor knowledge, and who are of a doubting nature, suffer a downfall. For the skeptical souls, there is no happiness either in this world or the next.”
This is our blunder mistake that we cannot understand that logical interpretation cannot stand in the way of that Absolute Truth. Śrīla Prabhupāda very often use to say— “From argument the Absolute Truth disappears.” Also, from Upaniṣads we know that—
yatho vacho nivarthanthe aprāpya manasā saha (Taittirīya Upaniṣads)
“God is that phenomenon that words cannot describe and the mind cannot fathom.”
From Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Sanātana-sīkṣā we can see the pure siddhānta vichar established by Śrīman Mahāprabhu that— “Pāñcarātra and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam expressing same siddhanta vichar”. That is why Nārada-pañcarātra should be given full honour. As per the above-mentioned śloka (śruti smṛti purāṇa ādi…) all those authentic Śruti, Smṛti, Pāñcarātra etc. should be given full respect & honour.
From Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta M-29/168 śloka the following spectacular comment by Śrī man Mahāprabhu. We can see that both Pāñcarātra and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam leading towards suddha bhakti—
ei ‘shuddha bhakti’— ihā haite ‘premā’ hayapañcaratre, bhāgavate ei lakṣaṇa kaya (Cc Madhya 19.169)
“These activities are called śuddha-bhakti’ , pure devotional service. If one renders such pure devotional service, he develops his original love for Kṛṣṇa in due course of time. In Vedic literatures like the Pañcarātras and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, these symptoms are described.
In Kali Kal purification of jivattma through the process prescribed in Agam shastra is almost impossible, so it is more practical to follow the pañcarātric procedure to reach the purification of jivattma. As per Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s advice though some external differences are visible in the functional procedure between the Bhāgavat mārga and the pancharatrik mārga which is supported by archan mārga still both the margs leading towords the same goal of śuddha Bhāgavat-bhakti, because in both the ways those Vaiṣṇavas can identify themselves as Bhāgavat-bhakta respectively according to the procedure they are following. So, any way we are bound to honour pañcarātrik evidences.
Manusmṛiti given to us all human beings by Śrī Manu Mahārāja—who is the first human being in our creation. All sādhu–mahājanas they honour Manusmṛiti. Nobody can violate his instructions. If we exprees audacity to reject Manusmṛiti, then we are not at all human beings.
Remember that when our honourable Śrī Vallabha Bhatta Gosvāmī wanted to reject the commentary by Śrīla Śrīdhar Swamipad on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam then Śrīman Mahāprabhu Who is the Supreme Lord Himself—could not bear the dishonour expressed by him. Below you can find this example from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (C.c. Antya 7.113-118)
Śrī Vallabha Ācārya wanted to express his audacity in front of Mahāprabhu with false ego that— “In my commentary on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam I was bound to ignore all the siddhānta vichars of Śrīla Śrīdhar Svamipada because I cannot accept his commentary.”
On hearing this kind of dirty remark (audacity expressed) about the great ācārya—Śrīla Śrīdhar Svamipada, Śrīman Mahāprabhu became very angry and replied him heavily— “One who is not going to obey her husband, I count him in the list of those prostitutes, nothing else.”
Śrīmān Mahāprabhu said that—
“svāmī nā māne yei jana veśyāra bhitare tāre kariye gaṇana“.
To ignore previous ācāryas in śrauta pāntha is deadly prohibited, not only that but also this can be considered as a great offense.
After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very grave. All the devotees present derived great satisfaction by hearing this statement.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu descended for the absolute benefit of all the jivas of this Universe, so naturally how Prabhu can allow Vallabha Ācārya to go on with his false ego without rectifiying him by chiding.
Through various procedures of treatment and refutations, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, wanted to rectify Vallabha Bhaṭṭa, exactly as Kṛṣṇa had cut down the false pride of Indra.
Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa also wanted to refer the name of Manu in Gītā.
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt (BG. 4.1)
“The Lord said that: I instructed this eternal science of yoga to the sun-god—Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.”
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the essence of all the Veda and Vedanta. There, Kṛṣṇa said to Uddhava—
kālena naṣṭā pralaye
vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñitā
mayādau brahmaṇe proktād
harmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ (SB 11.14.3)
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: By the influence of time, the transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place again, I spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahmā because I Myself am the religious principles enunciated in the Vedas.”
tena proktā sva-putrāya
manave pūrva-jāya sā
tato bhṛgv-ādayo ’gṛhṇan
sapta brahma-Mahārṣayaḥ (SB 11.14.4)
“Lord Brahmā spoke this Vedic knowledge to his eldest son Manu, and seven great sages headed by Bhṛgu muñi then onward accepted the same knowledge from Manu.”
As per Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmīpad we can see the following quotation by Śrīman Mahāprabhu which is very very important—
kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya (C.c. Madhya 8.128)
“Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra—regardless of what he is—he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa.”
With general conception if we like to approach, then it means that those qualified mātājīs can act as śikṣā guru, but that also depends upon so many factors like time-space and the surrounding situations etc, I mean who all are present there in her proximity etc. etc. Because here also in the above śloka Mahāprabhu did not mention the name of mātājīs clearly, only out of assumption we like to understand it that way. But here as per Sanskrit grammar we know—‘vetta’ means masculine gender and ‘vetti’ means feminine gender, just like in the case of ‘vidyan’ and ‘vidusi’. We know how the absolute behaviour of the Supreme Lord Śrīmān Mahāprabhu was in front of those mātājīs. So maybe any such qualified mātājī can act as śikṣā guru to speak in front of mātājīs ingeneral, which is more practical according to the teachings of Śrīmān Mahāprabhu, otherwise some problem can arise because this is a very very sensitive issue. Some scriptural evidences are given below for your kind information—
mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā
nāviviktāsano bhavet
balavān indriya-grāmo
vidvāṁsam api karṣati (ŚB 9.19.17)
One should not allow oneself to sit on the same seat even with one’s own mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that even one wise personality can be attracted by sex.
strīṇāṁ strī-saṅgināṁ saṅgaṁ
tyaktvā dūrata ātmavān
kṣeme vivikta āsīnaś
cintayen mām atandritaḥ (ŚB 11.14.29)
Being conscious of the eternal self, one should give up association with women and those who intimately associate with women. Sitting fearlessly in a solitary place, one should concentrate the mind on Me with great attention.
na tathāsya bhavet kleśo
bandhaś cānya-prasaṅgataḥ
yoṣit-saṅgād yathā puṁso
yathā tat-saṅgi-saṅgataḥ (ŚB 11.14.30)
Of all kinds of suffering and bondage arising from various attachments, but nothing is greater than the suffering and bondage arising from attachment to women and those who are in intimate contact with women.
dṛṣṭvā striyaṁ deva-māyāṁ
tad-bhāvair ajitendriyaḥ
pralobhitaḥ pataty andhe
tamasy agnau pataṅga-vat (ŚB 11.8.7)
One who has failed to control his senses immediately feels attraction upon seeing a woman’s form, which is created by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. Indeed, when the woman speaks with enticing words, smiles coquettishly and moves her body sensuously, his mind is immediately captured, and thus he falls blindly into the darkness of material existence, just as the moth maddened by the fire rushes blindly into its flames.
nanv agniḥ pramadā nāma
ghṛta-kumbha-samaḥ pumān
sutām api raho jahyād
anyadā yāvad-artha-kṛt (ŚB 7.12.9)
Definitely women are like fire and men are like the pitcher full of ghee. Woman is compared to fire, and man is compared to a butter pot. Therefore a man should avoid associating even with his own daughter in a secluded place. Similarly, he should also avoid association with other women. One should associate with women only for important business and not otherwise.
Even if you go through the last teachings of Śrī Pitamah Bhishma Ji (who is one among those 12 famous Bhāgavata tattva vid gurus or mahājanas) to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja from Mahābhārata Bhishma Parva about ‘Strī-dharma, or even if you go through the teachings of Śrī Nārada Ji Mahārāja to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7th canto about Strī-dharma—then no argument can stand in the way of our hari- bhajan.
strīṇāṁ ca pati-devānāṁ
tac-chuśrūṣānukūlatā
tad-bandhuṣv anuvṛttiś ca
nityaṁ tad-vrata-dhāraṇam (ŚB 7.11.25)
“To render service to the husband, to be always favorably disposed toward the husband, to be equally well disposed toward the husband’s relatives and friends, and to follow the vows of the husband—these are the four principles to be followed by women described as chaste.”
sammārjanopalepābhyāṁ
gṛha-maṇḍana-vartanaiḥ
svayaṁ ca maṇḍitā nityaṁ
parimṛṣṭa-paricchadā
kāmair uccāvacaiḥ sādhvī
praśrayeṇa damena ca
vākyaiḥ satyaiḥ priyaiḥ premṇā
kāle kāle bhajet patim (ŚB 7.11.26-27)
“A chaste woman must dress nicely and decorate herself with golden ornaments for the pleasure of her husband. Always wearing clean and attractive garments, she should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids so that the entire house is always pure and clean. She should collect the household paraphernalia and keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers and must be ready to execute the desires of her husband. Being modest and truthful, controlling her senses, and speaking in sweet words, a chaste woman should engage in the service of her husband with love, according to time and circumstances.”
santuṣṭālolupā dakṣā
dharma-jñā priya-satya-vāk
apramattā śuciḥ snigdhā
patiṁ tv apatitaṁ bhajet (ŚB 7.11.28)
“A chaste woman should not be greedy, but satisfied in all circumstances. She must be very expert in handling household affairs and should be fully conversant with religious principles. She should speak pleasingly and truthfully and should be very careful and always clean and pure. Thus a chaste woman should engage with affection in the service of a husband who is not fallen.”
yā patiṁ hari-bhāvena
bhajet śrīr iva tat-parā
hary-ātmanā harer loke
patyā śrīr iva modate (ŚB 7.11.29)
“The woman who engages in the service of her husband, following strictly in the footsteps of the goddess of fortune, surely returns home, back to Godhead, with her devotee husband, and lives very happily in the Vaikuṇṭha planets.”
We agree with full honour that man and woman both of them have same right, but those women they just cannot say solemnly that we are exactly same like man, because they have some weakness given by the Lord, that is why Manu Mahārāja already told in Manusmṛiti that mātājīs should be under the sweet control of some positive affectionate guidance whole life. Modern society running like a crazy dog. What we can do for that? What is the scientific utility of women in military or police department—that we cannot understand, Bhagavan never advised them to take up such heavy responsibility. Now at present even varṇāśrama dharma is completely in great danger—which was prescribed by The Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself to organise the whole human society in a very very scientific way. From Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā we know the following śloka—
cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam (Bg. 4.13)
“According to the three modes of material nature and the karma saṁskāra associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, still you should know that I am yet free from that, being unchangeable.”
If śūdrā–vaiśya–brahmin according to their ‘guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ’ or division—cannot take up the responsibility—which is only prescribed for those kṣatriyas, then what to speak about those women who all are very soft by nature.
Now our beast like society enjoying the approval of Homo ‘X’ marriage, then what wrong in it—if some mataji like to become a women ācārya or guru forcefully! But those mātājīs they forget that—women ācārya or guru cannot maintain the external purity of the divine nitya vyāsa-āsana due to the acceptance of the share of Brahmā hatyā papā (sin) commited by the king of heaven Indra. So during that period they cannot sit in Vyāsa-āsana to act as ācārya or guru, or even they cannot touch anything relating to Bhāgavat sevā–pūjā, whereas we know that a sad guru must be stainless, I mean always should be untouched by any sinful activities. Suppose at the time of giving dīkṣā to somebody or while speaking hari-kathā by sitting in Vyāsa-āsana if suddenly they become sick, then the whole spiritual process can come to a flop end. Due to false ego never before you wanted to consider those disadvantages in the way of women Ācāryaship. If your honour can consider all those points by standing on the neutral platform, then no problem can arise or no argument can arise in the way of hari-bhajana.
Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa wanted to clarify this point about our individual adhikāra (right) in the way of giving advice to Uddhava Ji Mahārāja, which you can find in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11th canto, your honour can accept—this or not?
sve sve ’dhikāre yā niṣṭhā sa guṇaḥ parikīrtitaḥ
viparyayas tu doṣaḥ syād ubhayor eṣa niścayaḥ (ŚB 11.21.2)
“Being fixed in the position for which one is qualified his virtues while accepting a position for which one is unqualified—is irresponsible and considered impious. (Or) the rishis have defiantly ascertained that steadiness in one’s position is declared to be actual piety, whereas deviation from ones position is considered impiety. In this way the two are definitely ascertained.”
For your kind information below given some comments of Urvaśī to King Purūravā while giving consolation to him by explaining the dirty nature of women, from Śrīmad Bhāgavat Mahāpurāṇa—
mā mṛthāḥ puruṣo ’si tvaṁ
mā sma tvādyur vṛkā ime
kvāpi sakhyaṁ na vai strīṇāṁ
vṛkāṇāṁ hṛdayaṁ yathā (ŚB 9.14.36)
“Urvasi said: My dear King, you are a man, a hero. Don’t be impatient and give up your life. Be sober and don’t allow the senses to overcome you like foxes. Don’t let the foxes eat you. In other words, you should not be controlled by your senses. Rather, you should know that the heart of a woman is like that of a fox. There is no use making friendship with women.”
striyo hy akaruṇāḥ krūrā
durmarṣāḥ priya-sāhasāḥ
ghnanty alpārthe ’pi viśrabdhaṁ
patiṁ bhrātaram apy uta (ŚB 9.14.37)
“Women as a class are merciless and cunning. They cannot tolerate even a slight offense. For their own pleasure they can do anything irreligious, and therefore they do not fear killing even a faithful husband or brother.”
vidhāyālīka-viśrambham
ajñeṣu tyakta-sauhṛdāḥ
navaṁ navam abhīpsantyaḥ
puṁścalyaḥ svaira-vṛttayaḥ (ŚB 9.14.38)
“Women are very easily seduced by men. Therefore, polluted women give up the friendship of a man who is their well-wisher and establish false friendship among fools. Indeed, they seek newer and newer friends, one after another.”
Also we can find from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam the comment of Saubhari muñi after wasting his total power of tapasya donein the past 60,000 years—
sa kadācid upāsīna
ātmāpahnavam ātmanaḥ
dadarśa bahv-ṛcācāryo
mīna-saṅga-samutthitam (ŚB 9.6.49)
“Thereafter, one day while Saubhari muñi, who was expert in chanting mantras, was sitting in a secluded place, he thought to himself about the cause of his falldown, which was simply that he had associated himself with the sexual affairs of the fish.”
aho imaṁ paśyata me vināśaṁ
tapasvinaḥ sac-carita-vratasya
antarjale vāri-cara-prasaṅgāt
pracyāvitaṁ brahma ciraṁ dhṛtaṁ yat (ŚB 9.6.50)
“Alas! While practicing austerity, even within the depths of the water, and while observing all the rules and regulations practiced by saintly persons, I lost the results of my long austerities simply by association with the sexual affairs of fish. Everyone should observe this falldown and learn from it.”
saṅgaṁ tyajeta mithuna-vratīnāṁ mumukṣuḥ
sarvātmanā na visṛjed bahir-indriyāṇi
ekaś caran rahasi cittam ananta īśe
yuñjīta tad-vratiṣu sādhuṣu cet prasaṅgaḥ (ŚB 9.6.51)
“A person desiring liberation from material bondage must give up the association of persons interested in sex life and should not employ his senses externally [in seeing, hearing, talking, walking and so on]. One should always stay in a secluded place, completely fixing his mind at the lotus feet of the unlimited Personality of Godhead, and if one wants any association at all, he should associate with persons similarly engaged.”
ekas tapasvy aham athāmbhasi matsya-saṅgāt
pañcāśad āsam uta pañca-sahasra-sargaḥ
nāntaṁ vrajāmy ubhaya-kṛtya-manorathānāṁ
māyā-guṇair hṛta-matir viṣaye ’rtha-bhāvaḥ (ŚB 9.6.52)
“In the beginning I was alone and engaged in performing the austerities of mystic yoga, but later, because of the association of fish engaged in sex, I desired to marry. Then I became the husband of fifty wives, and in each of them I begot one hundred sons, and thus my family increased to five thousand members. By the influence of the modes of material nature, I became fallen and thought that I would be happy in material life. Thus there is no end to my material desires for enjoyment, in this life and the next.”
evaṁ vasan gṛhe kālaṁ
virakto nyāsam āsthitaḥ
vanaṁ jagāmānuyayus
tat-patnyaḥ pati-devatāḥ (ŚB 9.6.53)
“In this way he passed his life in household affairs for some time, but then he became detached from material enjoyment. To renounce material association, he accepted the vānaprastha order and went to the forest. His devoted wives followed him, for they had no shelter other than their husband.”
Also, we would like to give the comment of Yayāti Mahārāja after losing his complete spiritual potency of life, from Śrīmad Bhāgavat Mahāpurāṇa—
na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām
upabhogena śāṁyati
haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva
bhūya evābhivardhate (ŚB 9.19.14)
“As supplying butter to a fire does not diminish the fire but instead increases it more and more, the endeavor to stop lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful.”
mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā
nāviviktāsano bhavet
balavān indriya-grāmo
vidvāṁsam api karṣati (ŚB 9.19.17)
“One should not allow oneself to sit on the same seat even with one’s own mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that even though one is very advanced in knowledge, he may be attracted by sex.”
Also, from the 11th canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we know—
dṛṣṭvā striyaṁ deva-māyāṁ
tad-bhāvair ajitendriyaḥ
pralobhitaḥ pataty andhe
tamasy agnau pataṅga-vat (ŚB 11.8.7)
“One who has failed to control his senses immediately feels attraction upon seeing a woman’s form, which is created by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. Indeed, when the woman speaks with enticing words, smiles coquettishly and moves her body sensuously, his mind is immediately captured, and thus he falls blindly into the darkness of material existence, just as the moth maddened by the fire rushes blindly into its flames.”
And these are two quotations from Padma Purāṇa Bhāgavata Glorification—
strīṇāṃ naiva tu viśvāsaṃ duṣṭānāṃ kārayet budhaḥ |
viśvāse yaḥ sthito mūḍhaḥ sa duḥkhaiḥ paribhūyate (S.B.1.5.14)
“A wise man as a matter of fact should under no circumstance repose trust in wicked women. The fool who relies on them is assailed by calamities.”
sudhāmayaṃ vaco yāsāṃ kāmināṃ rasavardhanam |
hṛdayaṃ kṣuradhārābhaṃ priyaḥ ko nāma yoṣitām (S.B. 1.5.15)
“None is beloved of women, whose speech is full of nectar and enhances the delight of the concupiscent, while their heart is piercing as the edge of a razor.”
nunam pramoda agni sama
ghrito kumbho sama puman
“Definitely women are like fire and men are like the pitcher full of ghee.”
Actually catur-varṇa and āśrama all those are applicable basically for men and not for women, allthough we can count them (those mātājīs) as brahmin girl or kṣatriya girl or vaisya girl or sudra girl or antaja girl (outcaste) etc. but still they cannot be scientifically classified in true sense, because we know the following śāstra praman that—
janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād dvijaḥ bhaved (Manu-saṁhitā)
By birth all are sudra (even those who are externally taking birth in a high-class Brahmin family), only and only by sāvitrī saṃskāra one can become Brahmin, not before that. From Manu-saṁhitā 2/260 śloka we have the following evidence that—
matur agre adhi jananam, dwitiam mounji bhandane
tritiam yajña dīkṣā yam dwijasya śruti chodanat (Manu-saṁhitā 2/260)
In Manu-saṁhitā it is confirmed that first birth from the womb of mother is the śaukra birth (material birth) for a dvijaḥ, after that at the time of upanayana saṃskāra (while taking gāyatrī mantra) second birth is confirmed, again still after that during the time of yājña-dīkṣā the third birth is confirmed for a man.
So, three different types of births like śaukra, savitrā and dīkṣā can be found in śāstra. Try to think over and again that all those procedures are applicable only for men, not for women. Also only for those brahmacārīs — their staying at Gurukul (gurukul vas) is approved, after that some brahmacārī can go back home for samāvartana (marriage) to marry a suitable matching girl to enter into gṛhastha life, whereas other brahmacārīs can maintain lifelong brahmacārya. Again, those gṛhasthas – some of them after realizing the māyā moye svarūpa of this material saṁsāra—can go away into forest to accept vānaprastha jīvan (with wife or without wife). Yet someone also can enter into the last excellent stage of sannyāsa dharma vrata to serve the Supreme Lord absolutely by the help of body-speech and mind (to serve Mukunda Kṛṣṇa with absolute mood). From Śrīmad Bhagavad–gītā we know the following system of varṇa-āśrama dharma approved by Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself—
chātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛiṣhṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśhaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhyakartāram avyayam (BG 4.13)
The four categories of occupations were created by Me according to saṃskāra and activities. Although I am the Creator of this system, know Me to be not involved in it, though I am eternally present.
Anyway, all those varṇa-dharma or āśrama-dharma all are practically applicable for men, not for women. Those women they are allowed only to enter into gṛhastha-āśrama to get engaged in pati-sevā. Of course, for those paramahāṁsa there is no such hard and fast rule, because they are beyond varṇa-āśrama-dharma. We know the following śloka from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
jnana-niṣṭho virakto vā
mad-bhakto vānapekṣakaḥ
sa-liṅgān āśramāṁs tyaktvā
cared avidhi-gocaraḥ (ŚB 11.18.28)
A wise transcendentalist dedicated to the cultivation of jñāna and thus he who already developed detachment from material attachment, or such My devotee who is detached even from the desire of liberation—both can ignore those duties based on externalruels and regulations prescribed in Vedas. Thus their conduct become beyond the range of any rules and regulations.
In this stage of paramahāṁsa external vichars can come to an end, because in this stage the svarūpa dharma of atma can get manifested to engage her (jīvattma) in continuous loveful sevā of Bhagavan. So here in that stage the conception of man or woman cannot stand. Here bhāgavat prema becomes the driving force. Bhāgavat dharma, vaiṣṇava–dharma, attma-dharma, or jaiva-dharma all are the same. So in the stage of attma-dharma all external judgments become useless in the background of the superfine tattva vichar (sūkṣma tattva vichar). From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we know the following śloka to clarify the point—
sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati (ŚB 1.2.6)
The absolute dharma for all human being is that by which they can attain loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted by which one can attain the completely satisfaction of the self.
In this material world all relationships are build up in relation to this material body, so the apparent relationship between wife and husband is only based on this material body, nothing else. Actually atma (spirit soul) cannot have any such gender, but still since all jīvas are coming from the taṭasthā śakti of Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa, so surely, we can use feminine gender for all jīvas—which is the eternal truth for all jīvas.
From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we know the following śloka—
strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ
trayī na śruti-gocarā
karma-śreyasi mūḍhānāṁ
śreya evaṁ bhaved iha
iti bhāratam ākhyānaṁ
kṛpayā muninā kṛtam (ŚB 1.4.25)
Those strīs, sudras and fallen dwijas—they have no right to go through Veda, or also they have no right in any special ritualistic activities like yajña etc. So out of compassion, the great sage (Śrī Vyasa Deva) thought it wise that this would enable them to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus, he compiled the great historical narration called the Mahābhārata for women, śūdras or for those who are having affinity for karma and also for those fallen Brahmins.
According to the clear conception of those above mentioned śāstra pramans from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is very very clear that though according to the judgment of śāstra there cannot be any chance of partiality, but still according to the divine desire of Bhagavan – Who is the source of all maṅgala (or ultimate maṅgala) all jīvas are bound to follow the result of their previous karmaphal, so according to that – those mātājīs or sudras or fallen Brahmins etc. all they are not qualified to get right in reading Veda or are not qualified to do any maṅgala moye karma like yājña etc. or even it is written in Manu-saṁhitā that any mantra uttered by any woman is not considered effective for any ritualistic activities So according to that it is already proved that they are not at all allowed to act as mantra dīkṣā ācārya guru, I mean they are not at all allowed to sit in ācārya guru āsana.
We should remember the reason for why mātājīs are not given Brahma Gayatri, the same reason or restriction is applicable for mātājīs in the way of their acting as ācārya. Even those mātājīs are not allowed to pronounce the ‘eka aksra brahma mantra om kar.’
Gaura Hari Hari Bol
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