By Brahma prabhu – http://www.swami.org/sanga

Question:      I am interested in learning more about becoming a follower of Lord Krishna. However, my only contact with devotees has been with people from ISKCON. I know that they do many good things and do a service to others in teaching about Krishna, but I do have issues with some aspects with the way they preach. For example, I have heard in their lectures and from Prabhupada's translation of the Gita, that women are not intelligent and should be protected. Also when I tried to ask questions that "challenged" particular views they held, they become hostile and rude. I desperately want to know Lord Krishna better, but I always leave the local temple feeling un-happy and deeply pained about what I had experienced. What can I do to learn about the glory of God in a more positive environment without a temple or teacher near by?

Answer:      Swami Tripurari asked me to reply to your letter.

From your letter I can tell that you are a thoughtful person. Bhagavad Gita is for thoughtful people who are interested in making spiritual advancement. In essence the Bhagavad Gita encourages bhakti (devotion) and reverence for bhaktas (devotees).

Bhagavad Gita tells us that all endeavors in this world are covered by faults. Gita verse 9.30 says that if we perceive a fault in a person on the path of devotion we should try to overlook that fault. Krishna says that a person who is able to overlook the faults of his devotees will eventually become "dharmatma" or a great soul themselves.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the postgraduate study of Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavatam describes this age as an "ocean of faults" but says that we should overlook faults we perceive in literature meant to inspire devotion (bhakti). Our guru Srila Prabhupada created a great new wave of worldwide devotion and established an entirely new generation of devotees in Europe, America, Australia, Africa and other places where previously was found little or no interest in bhakti.

People may find faults in his Bhagavad Gita. Gita itself tells us that in every endeavor there is fault so indeed from various angles there may be faults in his book. Some people express concern over lines in his Gita they consider sexist, but during his lifetime there was little uproar over this issue. This means that the cultural consciousness of the times has changed. Women over the last 20 years have made great inroads in all fields. Many of these fields (before the 1970’s) were the domains of men alone.

Prabhupada wrote his Gita in the Calcutta of the 1950’s. The remarks in his books about women reflect the culture and the times in which he lived. Scripture and religious books of all kinds (Hindu, Christian, Moslem, Buddhist etc.) are full of statements that although in their time were normal and acceptable are considered offensive today. If we were to refrain from reading books that contain sexist or racist comments we would have to eliminate practically all religious books including the Bible, Koran, Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Bhaktivinode Thakur, the 19th century pioneer of the Krishna consciousness movement, taught that not everything spoken by the guru or written in scripture is absolute. Therefore, rather then reject these books he advises that we be concerned with their essence and overlook cultural statements in them that may be unacceptable in our time.

There is much to be gained from reading Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita with an open heart. To do so you may have to harmonize some statements therein by considering that they come from another culture and time. If you can do this you will benefit greatly from reading Prabhupada’s Gita and associating with his devotees. Remember, Krishna says those who overlook the faults of his devotees will eventually become great souls themselves. Keep this in mind when you go to the Iskcon temple or read Prabhupada’s books.

You asked: What can I do to learn about the glory of God in a more positive environment without a temple or teacher near by?

There are other Vaisnava groups independent of Iskcon. Swami Tripurari is not a member of Iskcon and you might find his teachings more attuned to your way of thinking. Please read his Sanga, Women and the Reality of Our Times: http://swami.org/sanga/archives/pages/volume_two/m94.html and search the Sanga archives for more information on this and other spiritual topics. You can become a student of Swami Tripurari via the internet by subscribing to Sanga and asking questions on line. Reading his Bhagavad Gita and listening to his CDs will be very helpful to you as well.

You also might also want to correspond with some of Prabhupada’s and Swami's women disciples to learn their points of view. If you do I can supply you with some email addresses. In general I think you will find the thinking in Swami's group more modern and progressive than in Iskcon. Still I believe you should continue going to the Iskcon temple, especially on Sunday for the program and feast. Chanting Hare Krishna in kirtan is non-sectarian and beyond philosophy. Take advantage of the kirtans there and be as accommodating and friendly as possible to the Iskcon devotees. Bhaktivinode Thakur taught that chanting Hare Krishna and kindness to everyone (jiva daya) was the essence of Vaisnava dharma.