Srila Prabhupada - Vedic Teachings

                            „ Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: Prabhupāda, I've heard that every one of us who are in the movement now has had some association with Lord Caitanya . . . (indistinct) Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: Is it so? Prabhupāda: Yes. He's associating with Lord Caitanya just now. Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: Yes, now. But in some other life, this is what is . . . Prabhupāda: Well, other life may not, but he is associating at the present. That's a fact. Ātreya Ṛṣi: When you first came, Śrīla Prabhupāda, a lot of people probably presented you arguments such as, "If you call the movement 'God consciousness' you'll be more successful. If you not wear tilaka and do not shave your head and do not wear robes and do not go on saṅkīrtana, you will be more successful." And people still tell us things like this, that "You tell us the philosophy. We like the philosophy. But why do you go on saṅkīrtana?" So what were some of ...

  "Prabhupāda: So a crazy man's statement is not accepted. Child's statement, crazy man's statement, unauthorized person's statement, blind man's statement we cannot accept. Ātreya Ṛṣi: A woman's statement? Prabhupāda: Huh? Ātreya Ṛṣi: A woman's statement? Prabhupāda: If a woman is perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . just like Jāhnavā-devī, Lord Nityānanda's wife, she was ācārya. She was ācārya. She was controlling the whole Vaiṣṇava community. Ātreya Ṛṣi: Lord Nityānanda? Prabhupāda: Wife. Jāhnavā-devī. She was controlling the whole Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community. Ātreya Ṛṣi: Do you have references about that in any of your books, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Prabhupāda: I don't think. But there are many ācāryas. Maybe somewhere I might have mentioned. It is not that woman cannot be ācārya. Generally, they do not become. In very special case. But Jāhnavā-devī was accepted as, but she did not declare. Ātreya Ṛṣi: Women today . . . t...

  „ Woman: Swamiji, would you say something about the place of women in your movement? Prabhupāda: There is no distinction between man and woman. That is clearly said in the Bhagavad-gītā . Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpā-yonayaḥ striyo śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ (BG 9.32). The first is mentioned, striya. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. These classes are understood to be less intelligent-woman, śūdra, and the vaiśyas. But Kṛṣṇa says, "No, even for them it is open." Because in the spiritual platform there is no such distinction, man, woman, or black, white, or big or small. No. Everyone is spirit soul. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 9.32) . Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ (BG 9.32) , one who is actually learned, he is sama-darśinaḥ. He does not make any distinction. But so far our material body is concerned, there must be some distinction for keeping the society in order. Woman: The women could become paṇḍitas, then. Prabh...

                             “Suppose I have heard something from my spiritual master, so I speak to you the same thing. So this is paramparä system. You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. Or even if you read some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me. This is called paramparä system. You cannot jump over to the superior guru, I mean to say, neglecting the next acarya, immediate next acarya.”  (Srila Prabhupada Lecture on SB, 1.15.30, 8/12/73) “There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books – in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna’s philosophy – but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately.”  (S...