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

Question:     Dear Brahma Das, Your answers give good insights into my problem.I ask for forgiveness becuase i may offend acharyas like prabhupada by asking such doubts. I have some more doubts. Please dispel my childish and illogical doubts. Because of these confusions and doubts i really find it difficult to continue so I pray to you to answer my childish doubts. Prayers from a sinful soul ******

When Prabhupada used to comment upon women and their marriage at a very early age but according to evidences it seems that child marriage was done for protection of women in the Islamic age and not in accordance with scriptural injunctions. Secondly even systems like very strict purdah have emerged due to influences of Islamic era. So what is the need to justify these things by Prabhupada when Vedic age itself doesn’t show that child marriage or strict purdah were practiced. I am not a position to criticize Prabhupada but these doubts come to my mind.

Answer:     The main emphasis of Srila Prabhupada’s preaching was to establish faith in Krishna and the process to attain him (bhakti). Related subjects may have arisen that Srila Prabhupada discussed in the context of preaching about faith in Krsna and Vedic literature in general. Subjects that are related but not essential to the culture of bhakti are called relative issues. These include socio-religious topics like marriage and politics as well as topics of astrology, astronomy, and others that have to do with time, place, and circumstance. Bhaktivinode Thakura the 19th century founder of the modern Krsna consciousness movement taught that opinion in regards to relative issues is not absolute even though it may have been spoken by guru and saint, or found in scripture. For example Manu may have been a saint and his rules as stated in Manu samita may have been wise for his time but that does not mean that all his rules are applicable for all times. Still we can learn something from Manu if we consider the essence of his teachings.

In the case you mentioned you are free to disagree with Srila Prabhupada’s statements regarding marriage or any other relative issue that he discussed. These statements were largely based on his particular cultural background and education. Information may have come to light on these and other issues that he was not aware of. Also in trying to establish the authority of scripture he sometimes spoke in absolute terms on relative issues. In this regard Bhaktivinode Thakura writes that is one is free to disregard his own statements on relative issues if new information proves them incomplete or wrong. He specifically says this in relation to his written opinions on Vedic history and timelines, which is akin to the concern of your question. Sometimes one has to learn to overlook certain relative statements spoken by the guru or found in scripture in order to avoid becoming obsessed with them. In regards to scriptural teachings persons who are overly obsessed with relative details are often unable to apply what is essential for their spiritual progress. Applying the essence of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings is essential for spiritual progress in Krsna Bhakti.

Question:     i had taken my mother to Iskcon temple in Delhi and a devotee giving lecture their spoke about Drapudi's vow to keep her hair open until she washes her hair by the blood of Dushashana. Then he further said earlier keeping hair open or cutting hair were considered a bad thing and only widows or bad character ladies were made to cut their hair. Then he said it doesn’t apply today as it is fashion for ladies today as all of them are character-less. This really hurt my mother although she did not say this in the temple but she told me this when i went home and I myself felt bad when this was said. Keeping hair open or trimming the hair makes a woman character-less then it is a very rigid view in my opinion. And to make widows cut their hair looks like a non essential practice but was it ever practiced in Satya yuga or previous yuga. What is the need to defend such practices in the name of Prabhupada. That really hurt me.

Answer:     Lord Caitanya’s associate Srila Rupa Goswami says that one should do what is favorable for the cultivation of Krsna consciousness. It may be favorable to dress modestly etc. but I agree with your opinion that it is not essential to the practice of Krsna consciousness for a woman to wear her hair in any particular way. This again is a relative issue. In bygone days women were supposed to look and act in a particular way. Things are different now but the essential requirements for practice remain the same. Those requirements are that one should chant Hare Krsna, hear the Gita and Bhagavatam, give up sinful life, and serve the devotees. Any person who can practice these things and overlook problems and harsh statements (like what you related above) will according to the Gita, become a saint. (Read Gita: 9.30-31-32)