Sit with Women, Lose Intelligence, and Then Take Decisions: A Guidance for ISKCON Leaders

yoṣito nāvamanyeta na cāsāṁ viśvased-budhaḥ|

na caiverṣyurbhavet tāsu nādhikuryāt-kadācana

yoṣitaḥ—Women; na-avamanyeta—should never insult; na ca—nor should; āsām—on her; viśvased—put faith; budhaḥ—an intelligent man; na ca eva—and nor should; īrṣyuḥ—envious of; bhavet—should become; tāsu—of her; na-adhikuryāt—neither should appoint her; kadācana—at any time

A wise man should never insult women, nor should he  trust  them.  He  should  never  become  jealous  of women, nor should he ever appoint them. (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 11.708)

Commentary by Sanatana Gosvami on this verse:

nādhikuryāt strībhyo ‘dhikāraṁ na dadyād-ityarthaḥ | 

nādhikuryāt here means that one  should  not  give  authority  to  women.

[Note: Above verse is talking about devotee women as Haribhakti-vilasa is meant for the devotees]

Despite such repeated warnings by Sastras like the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and the Manu-samhita; by Sadhus like the other Vaisnava Sampradayas, and the guru, Srila Prabhupada, top leaders of ISKCON nonetheless formed the women’s ministry and instituted the practice of appointing women as temple presidents, GBCs, etc. 

Recently there was a meeting of DEVI (Devotional Empowerment Voluntary Initiative) "with the aim of empowering, connecting, protecting and inspiring women and girls in its community." 

DEVI, through the Temple Council and board of trustees ensures that there are no barriers to women serving in management roles at Bhaktivedanta Manor and monitors this to enable women to serve in any capacity “according to their desire and inclination”. (Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=80723)

Currently there are two women on the GBC and in the GBC college there are now women being trained as GBCs. Some GBC deputies are women. 

Besides that there are female temple presidents: for instance one of the major temples of our movement, the Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, has appointed Her Grace Vishakha Devi Dasi as temple president. 

There are also women who lead the sastric training of devotees and leaders. For instance one of the leaders of Vrindavana Institute of Higher Education (VIHE) is Prashanta Devi Dasi. Chair person of the Sastric Advisory Committee (SAC), which is the sastric advisor of the GBC, is Urmilla Devi Dasi.

Women being appointed in such positions has lead ISKCON to go again and again on the path of adharma by taking adharmic decisions.

By what phenomenon do women, when among leaders, affect dharmic decisions? Let us see...

Sastras say:

• Even though one knows what is right, one still will do wrong due to the effect of lust or rajoguna (BG 3.37, kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna samudbhavah)
• Discrimination is on the platform of intelligence. So loss of intelligence comes before one falls down (BG 2.63, buddhi nasat pranasyati)
• Sitting with women makes even the most intelligent person lose his intelligence (SB 5.19.18, vidvamsam api karsati)
• Thus, in the meetings, decision making committee, and any such posts there should not be any women, otherwise the men who are constantly sitting with them will also lose intelligence and how can one make sastric and dharmic (right) decisions with lost intelligence. (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 11.708, stribhyo adhikaram na dadyat)
• Currently GBC has 2 women members and Sabha has 8 women members. You can now understand why they do not understand that guru-sadhu-sastra should be the basis of our decisions (Vidvamsam-api karsati)
• Indian Bureau, ICC, or IIAC don’t have any female member in them. You can clearly see the difference, at least crystal clear difference in the matter of discussions on Female Diksa Gurus

For Quotes see below:

BG 2.62-63

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ  saṅgas teṣūpajāyate  | 

saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ  kāmāt krodho ‘bhijāyate ||

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ  sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ  |

smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo  buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati||

While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.

SB 5.6.3, purport

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (9.19.17) it is specifically stated:

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā  nāviviktāsano bhavet |

balavān indriya-grāmo  vidvāṁsam api karṣati ||

A gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī and brahmacārī should be very careful when associating with women. One is forbidden to sit down in a solitary place even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement it has been very difficult to disassociate ourselves from women in our society, especially in Western countries.[1] We are therefore sometimes criticized, but nonetheless we are trying to give everyone a chance to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and thus advance spiritually. If we stick to the principle of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly, then, by the grace of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, we may be saved from the allurement of women. However, if we are not very strict in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, we may at any time fall victim to women.[2]

SB 9.19.18

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā  nāviviktāsano bhavet |

balavān indriya-grāmo  vidvāṁsam api karṣati ||

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

Learning the etiquette of how to deal with women does not free one from sexual attraction. As specifically mentioned herewith, such attraction is possible even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. Generally, of course, one is not sexually attracted to his mother, sister or daughter, but if one allows himself to sit very close to such a woman, one may be attracted. This is a psychological fact. It may be said that one is liable to be attracted if he is not very advanced in civilized life; however, as specifically mentioned here, vidvāṁsam api karṣati: even if one is highly advanced, materially or spiritually, he may be attracted by lusty desires. The object of attraction may even be one’s mother, sister or daughter. Therefore, one should be extremely careful in dealings with women. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was most strict in such dealings, especially after He accepted the sannyāsa order. Indeed, no woman could come near Him to offer Him respect. Again, one is warned herewith that one should be extremely careful in dealings with women. A brahmacārī is forbidden even to see the wife of his spiritual master if she happens to be young. The wife of the spiritual master may sometimes take some service from the disciple of her husband, as she would from a son, but if the wife of the spiritual master is young, a brahmacārī is forbidden to render service to her.

---

[1] Note the incapability Srila Prabhupada is expressing in separating sexes although he very much wants that

[2] ISKCON liberals always forget this line; they take just the line before this one. However, in reality this line is in effect today. Top leaders of ISKCON have fallen victim to women and thus their intelligence to make dharmic decisions  is lost