“The spirit soul is equal in either a man or woman. One who is actually engaged in the service of Krishna, there is no such distinction as man or woman. In the Bhagavad-gita, 6th Chapter, 1st Verse it is stated anasritah karma-phalam karijam karma karoti yah/ sa sannyasi ca yogi ca na niragnir na cakriyah (BG 6.1). Anyone acting for Krishna, he is a sannyasi or sannyasini. It is also stated: striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te’pi yanti param gatim. So spiritually everyone is equal.”
In our modern vaishnava times we see so many women and girls taking a form of renounced order of life – may it be as brahmarini, the life of vanaprastha or even as grhastha living as a full-time preacher … But it is now also allowed to take Sannyasa !?
Prabhupāda has the answer:
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.40 Purport
Kardama Muni followed the Vedic injunction that no one in sannyasa life can have any kind of relationship with women. But what is the position of a woman who is left by her husband? She is entrusted to the son, and the son promises that he will deliver his mother from entanglement. A WOMAN IS NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE SANNYASA. SO-CALLED SPIRITUAL SOCIETIES CONCOCTED IN MODERN TIMES GIVE SANNYASA EVEN TO WOMEN, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO SANCTION IN THE VEDIC LITERATURE FOR A WOMAN’S ACCEPTING SANNYASA. Otherwise, if it were sanctioned, Kardama Muni could have taken his wife and given her sannyasa.
03-14-67 Letter to Brahmananda:
A female is never awarded the order of Sannyasam. Because a female is never considered independent and Sannyasam was never awarded to any female in the past by the great Acaryas like Sankara, Ramanuja etc. THE FEMALE SANNYASINS ARE TO BE IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD AS PRETENDERS OR PROSTITUTES.
“And he is very innocent boy, and I got him married. His wife is also great devotee, you know, Yamunā. So now Yamunā has taken a very nice path. She has also become sannyāsīnī. Although there is no sannyāsīnī for women, but she has voluntarily taken. She is doing very nice; therefore I advised her husband that “You also take sannyāsa.” Because wife’s affection is very, very tight knot. It is stated, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etad tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8).“
What is the role of a woman?
“You cannot change the different capacities. There is God’s law, nature’s law. Let the man and woman combine together, live peacefully. The woman takes charge of the household affairs, the man may take charge of bringing money, and they meet together, have Deity at home, together chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? That is unity.”
“They avoid that trap, they avoid association of women. But these women are not ordinary women. They are preachers. They are preachers. They are Vaiṣṇava. By their association, one becomes a Vaiṣṇava.”
Women are not independent and need protection
“Your father called me on phone this morning, I could not attend but I was informed by Syamasundara it is something about you. Anyway, take my advice that women, girls, until married, must be under the guidance and protection of the father. That is Vedic civilization. Under the circumstances, I request you both to go back to your father immediately. If there is any disagreement, you can settle up personally, but you cannot disobey your father.”
Letter to Chaya — Calcutta 16 February, 1972
Morning Walk — May 27, 1974, Rome
Conclusion: As they are NO ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS for women in ISKCON TO BECOME DIKSA GURUS, it’s to be conclude Prabhupada didn’t want it at all. There r no special instructions for any devotee in this regard.
