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There are 400,000 forms of human life also-not all the same

The Srimad Bhagavatam verse this morning gave a comparison between an uncontrolled mind and an uncontrolled woman. "An unchaste woman is very easily carried away by paramours, and it sometimes happens that her husband is violently killed by her paramours. If the yogi gives his mind a chance and does not restrain it, his mind will give facility to enemies like lust, anger and greed, and they will doubtlessly kill the yogi." Srila Prabhupada is still suffering from high blood pressure, but despite the discomfort, he is determined to speak every morning, even if only briefly. This morning he had Pradyumna prabhu read out the whole purport. Then he gave us further insights into what, as he knows only too well, is a controversial subject matter, the position of women in society. "So Srimad Bhagavatam, everything threadbare discussed, very practical, and Absolute Truth. There are social, political, religious [matters]. Everything is discussed very scientifically. So here the example is given of the woman, pumscali. There are three kinds of woman: kamini, svairini, and pumscali, according to sastra. So they become [spoiled]. Just like children. They are innocent, and if they are given freedom they will be spoiled. Everyone knows it. If you don't give proper training to the child and allow him to do independently whatever he likes, that means that child is spoiled." To this effect he cited Canakya Pandita and the Hindi poet Tulasi dasa and said that their opinion is the same as the Vedic opinion, that women should not be independent. Prabhupada knows how contentious this is; he had plenty of experience of it last year in America. Still, he dealt with it frankly, as a matter of scriptural principle. Glancing over to his female disciples, he smiled gently and told us, "So this statement will not be very palatable to the Western girls. They want independence. In Chicago, when I was there, they talked about independence of the woman. They asked me question. So I replied, 'No, woman cannot be given independence.' So there was a great agitation against me. In many papers I was very much criticized. But actually it is the fact, because they are innocent, not so intelligent and . . . These are all practical. We may avoid discussing, but Bhagavata is very open for discussing all subject matter. That is fact. We should not hide anything artificially. We must discuss the fact. Not only here; Manu samhita recommends, 'A woman should not be given independence.' For their interest they must be protected by father, husband, and sons, because if they are polluted, they become very dangerous." He again referred to a Canakya Pandita sloka, which lists four kinds of living entities one should avoid. "If you live with a dushta bharya [unchaste wife] and a duplicitous friend and an answer giving servant and a snake, then you are sure to die sometime. You'll be cheated." 

Prabhupada made it clear that this was not an across-the-board condemnation of women but an example for comparison on the theme of this chapter. "So these things are there. The purpose is that our mind is like that, pumscali, unchaste wife. Not that everyone is unchaste. We have got many examples, the character of woman. It is not that. It is not generalization. But there is chance. If they are not controlled, not properly educated, there is chance of becoming pumscali, and there have been many instances that woman, for being attracted by paramour, has killed even one's own son. There are cases." He cited the great mahajana Bhishmadeva who advised that this control means being shy. "If you break that shyness, then there will be disaster. That is the control valve naturally given. And woman's shyness is one [type of] beauty. And command also. We have practical experience in our life. You have seen that my friend came, Dinanath Mishra. They were our neighbors. So one day we were sitting on the corridor of the house. One sweeper woman, she wanted to come within, but very shyful, and with a covering of the head, although with broomstick and bucket, she was waiting because we were sitting both sides. So she was feeling little shy not to enter the house. So we decided to move so that she may come. This example is given. She is a sweeper, not very respectable, maidservant or sweeper, but on account of her shyness we had to welcome, 'Yes, we are moving. You come in.' Just see. This is psychology. Therefore Bhishmadeva, at his dying stage, he advised that woman's shyness is the valve to control. If their shyness is broken, then it will create disaster." Of course, Prabhupada is well versed in modern society's standards and dealings. He has traveled extensively for the last ten years and has thousands of disciples from every culture and status of human society, so he knows on a very practical level how people live and what is their outlook of life. But he also has a very deep understanding of the psyche of the soul, both in its conditioned and in its liberated status. He is not, therefore, adrift in the transitional currents of human behavioral trends. He knows the goal of human life, and he is fixed on it. "So things are changing nowadays everywhere-not only in India; in other countries also. But this is the psychology. So all these examples are given. Why? Just to control the mind. We are not talking of the sociology or politics. The example is given that we should not give freedom to the mind. That is the real purpose. If you give freedom to the mind, then the mind will create so many ideas." He gave another example of the mind's whimsical nature. "I have practically seen in our society. As soon as one is in charge, immediately he invents something new: 'This should be broken, and this should be done.' Then another man comes. He breaks the same thing again. There are practical experiences I have got. Unless there is control over the mind, it will dictate something new: 'Do it like this.' There was a Bengali poet. He also sang a song, ei nutana kichu koro: 'Do something new.' This is mind's business. He is not satisfied with the old things. The whole material world is like that. Ei nutana kichu koro: 'Do something new,' and be implicated. We are not satisfied with old things. 'Old order changes, yields to'-there is an English proverb like that-'yielding to the new.' "But the Vedic civilization is that 'Do not try to invent some order. That will create disturbance. Be satisfied. Whatever you have got by nature's way, be satisfied. Don't spoil your time. Save your time for Krishna consciousness." Tracing out the progress of the soul through the different species of life, Prabhupada told us that this evolution culminates in a birth in India. "There are 400,000 forms of human life also-not all the same: the uncivilized and civilized, the black and white, and so many different grades of men. They have different intelligence. 

In this way, one who has taken birth in India, he is the most fortunate. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, bharata bhumite manushya janma haila yara/ janma sarthaka kari' kara para upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. So unfortunately we are forgetting our culture; otherwise we have got a great mission, Indians, for the others, para upakara. They require the information of this Vedic knowledge, and they are now getting. They are appreciating. Therefore there is movement against it, but it is actual civilization. The Vedic culture is actual civilization, varnasrama dharma. That is the beginning of civilization. Without Vedic culture and varnasrama dharma it is animal civilization." Even then, varnasrama dharma is only the beginning of human life. "Out of the Vedic culture, many are addicted to the fruitive activities, ritualistic ceremony, how to go to the heavenly planet, how to become members of rich family. They are working very hard, karmi. So out of many millions of karmis, one jnani. Jnani means who understands, 'What is the use of this karma, fruitive activities?' So out of many jnanis, one is mukta, liberated. And out of many millions of mukta, kotishv api maha mune [SB 6.14.5], one is a bhakta. This is the gradual development. "So we should be very careful," he concluded. "We have got this opportunity of understanding Krishna consciousness. We should not waste a single moment without Krishna consciousness. Avyartha kalatvam [Cc. Madhya 23.18 19]. That is advised by Rupa Gosvami. Every moment we shall count, 'Whether I have wasted it or utilized it?' This is life."


Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 5 by Hari Sauri Dasa