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

Question:      I heard that verse 9.32 of Bhagavad-Gita can be translated in two ways, either as Srila Prabhupada did: "O son of Prtha, those who can take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth - women, vaisyas, sudras - can attain the supreme destination." or "...though they be sinful women, vaisyas or sudras..." Which is true?

Answer:     I don't think the Sanskrit supports the translation in which papayonayah (sinful birth) is used as an adjective to qualify striyah (women). However, Prabhupada himself did interpret this verse differently in one of his purports to Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 1.11.19) where he translated striyah as "prostitutes." Alternately, here is the translation and commentary I use in my upcoming book 'Bhagavad-gita: Its Feeling and Philosophy.'

"It is certain, O Partha, that those who take refuge in me, even the lowborn, women, merchants, as well as the working class, attain the highest goal." Bg. 9.32

Commentary: "In this verse Krsna says that even the lowborn, who due to impiety in their previous life have taken such births, regardless of the seeds of their past and present harvest, can overcome their impiety if they take shelter of him in devotion. The sacred literature cites numerous examples of animal killers and animals themselves being so delivered by the direct and indirect influence of bhakti.

"Women are mentioned in this verse because of the social impediment to their study of the Vedas in times gone by, as well as the fact that a woman's birth can subject one to the kind of repression they have suffered from over the centuries.

"Merchants are notorious for being untruthful, and the laborers for their lack of interest in and qualification for scriptural study. Regardless of the socioreligious position of all of the above, Krsna does not withhold himself from them should they try to love him. Indeed, they will surpass others of greater material qualification who take paths other than bhakti and attain the highest destination."

The spiritual position is that everyone - men and women - should be submissive to Krsna. If, for example, in a married relationship, the wife is more submissive to Krsna, her husband should follow her. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu found that Muknunda's son, Raghunandana, was more Krnsa conscious than his father, he considered Raghunandana the father and Mukunda the son.