By B. V. Tripurari Swami http://www.swami.org/sanga

Question:      I find Krsna Consciousness to be such a perfect spiritual science aesthetically, intellectually, musically, and in many other ways.

The only thing that bothers me is the treatment/attitude towards women by some devotees, often with Prabhupada's purports in hand. I understand there is a difference between a spiritual truth and the cultural details of the material world, but I don't think that the general public who receive Prabhupada's books are readily able to make that distinction. Not only that, but it is obvious a lot of new and old devotees can't either. I wish people reading Prabhupada's books could see his love for his spiritual daughters.

As a Krsna conscious movement how do you see us showing the world what we're really about if we have these transcendental messages littered with Canakya quotes and misused by people with agendas? Sometimes it is painful to feel embarrassed about inviting my quite intelligent and independent female friends to the temple. I know Prabhupada did adapt to suit the times, and that our society has matured since days gone by, but how can we get our movement to bloom to its full potential with cohesive and respectful relationships among its members that will set a standard inspiring society to follow?

Answer:     You will have to join those who are also concerned with these issues. Focus your inspiration to preach, as well as your funds to facilitate preaching, on those who are already involved in the tradition but are carrying around the baggage of nonessentials in the name of Gaudiya Vaisnavism.

While this may alienate some, it will enliven and bring together others who are like-minded, and a new incarnation of the movement will manifest that will be dynamic, alive, and vital. This then will be the movement that progressive people identify with. It should not necessarily be an institution one joins, but rather an essential spiritual ideal of Gaudiya Vaisnavism that people can identify with and form a loose association around its precepts as articulated in contemporary Gaudiya Vaisnava literature. The exclusive purpose of such an association should be to hear and chant about Krsna.