[Jagannath] Srila

March 24, 2000

Dear Sanjayji,

Jaya Jagannatha!

> As regards Narasimha, let me recount an important incident which took> place in the Jyotish-List in 1996. When someone asked why the name of> Prabhupada was "Srila", nobody could answer it. Not even all the ISKCON or> other followers of the Gaudiya Math. It was then that the brilliant> Narasimha spoke so well. He said "SRILA IS COMPOSED OF TWO PARTS "SRI" AND> "LA". SRI REFERS TO THE LORD HIMSELF AND LA IS FROM LASYANTI OR THE GIVER OF> ENLIGHTENMENT OR KNOWLEDGE. THUS SRILA MEANS "HE WHO GIVES THE KNOWLEDGE OF> VISHNU/KRISHNA" AND HE WHO IS ALSO QUALIFIED TO DO SO."

I have also said previously that Narasimha is very intelligent, learned and successful person and brilliant astrologer and I still stand behind my words. What I object on is that sometimes he gives illogical and contradictory statements that I previously explained, sometimes he talks about ambiguities in Puranas and then he liberally quotes them as if the ambiguities that he was mentioning before have all disappeared.

> Even today I remember how I had called my colleagues in the food> Ministry and had discussed this profound statement made by such a young man.> I was full of admiration for him...the rest you all know. The remaining> parts of the discussions I shall try to answer:-

Yes, I also remember that incident.

> RATH: TRUE, BUT THE STATEMENT OF BHAGAVAN IN THE GITA IS QUALIFIED, AND SO> IS THE EXPLANATION OF SRILA. THUS, A SOUL WHO HAPPENS TO BE BORN IN A FEMALE> BODY CANNOT BE FAULTED FOR SUCH A BIRTH AS IT IS THE DECISION OF BHAGAVAN> WHICH IS AGAIN BASED ON THE PAST LIFE KARMA. SO LONG AS THE SOUL IS AWARE> THAT IT IS IN A BODY OF A FEMALE OR HAS FEMININE FUNCTION OF PROCREATION IT> FALLY IN THE CATEGORY OF STRI. WHEN THE SOUL RISES ABOVE THIS DESIRE AND> SHALL REALISE THAT IT IS THE MEDIUM OF RE-BIRTH THEN IT SHALL CEASE TO BE A> STRI.

I have also wrote the same while we were discussing about Chanakya Pandit and I said that only when we elevate ourselves on the spiritual level shall we come on the common platform, otherwise there always will be differences between male and female.

> THIS EXPLANATION GIVEN BY ME BASED ON MY LITTLE UNDERSTANDING HAS TWO> IMPLICATIONS:-> 1) FOR MANY YEARS ISKCON PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE NOT BEING> ALLOWED TO ENTER THE JAGANNATH TEMPLE. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WERE BORN AS> MLECCHA. NOW THEY HAVE RISEN ABOVE THEIR PAST KARMA BY RECITING THE> MAHAMANTRA FOR A FEW YEARS AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ENTER. THEY GIVE THE> EXAMPLE THAT SOME PEOPLE OF INDIA WHO ARE HINDU'S, ESPECIALLY BENGALI PEOPLE> WHO EAT FISH ARE BEING ALLOWED TO ENTER, AND HENCE THEY SHOULD ALSO BE> ALLOWED.> IF I AGREE WITH YOUR ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS NO HOPE FOR A STRI TO CHANGE> THE FACT OF HER BEING A STRI OR FOR A MAN OF A LOWER CASTE TO IMPROVE, THEN> YOU SHOULD QUIETLY ACCEPT THE FACT OF NOT BEING ALLOWED TO ENTER THE> JAGANNTH TEMPLE.

Please see my message from 19th February number 1341 on Varahamihira archives. I wrote that we can rise above this material level but only with spiritual vision and spiritual knowledge. I wrote it on the very beginning of this discussion and I never said that woman cannot elevate themselves, just like you are saying that westerners born as mlecchas can be elevated and purified by chanting Mahamantra.

>AFTERALL, THESE PEOPLE WHO EAT FLESH HAVE FALLEN AND> THEREAFTER BY ENTERING THE JAGANNATH TEMPLE THEY INCUR FURTHER SIN FOR WHICH> THEY ARE PUNISHED. NOW YOU SEE THE PATHETIC STATE OF AFFAIRS OF ORISSA AND> THE RECENT STORM WARNING...

Yes, I have seen.

> SO DINANATH PRABHU, KINDLY THINK. WHAT WAS SRILA TELLING? WHAT IS THE> REAL MEANING OF THE WORD STRI.

I think that there was some misunderstanding here if you think that I said that woman cannot be elevated. On the spiritual level we are all the same, but when we get material body the differences are there and I clearly wrote that we should rise above material level in the same message (from 19th February number 1341 on Varahamihira archives).

> IN FACT I ALSO LOVE THESE DISCUSSIONS ON VEDANTA (I REALLY BELIEVE IN THE> GITA AND AM CONSTANTLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT). I HAVE REQUESTED SRI> PATRAKA DAS TO START THE SPIRITUAL CLASSES FOR SJVC WHERE WE CAN HAVE ALL> THESE DISCUSSIONS.

That's a very good news.

>THIS IS NECESSARY FOR OUR OWN PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH> AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ON THAT LIST. ROBERT HAS> PROMISED TO START THIS AT THE EARLIEST. BY THE WAY, THIS DISCUSIION IS NOT> OVER AS WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN IS NOT A FINAL STATEMENT, BUT ONLY A SMALL PUSH> FOR EVERYBODY TO START THINKING. I SHALL RESERVE IT FOR THAT LIST, AND STILL> WONDER IF I WILL REALLY BE CORRECT FOR WHO ELSE BUT SRILA HIMSELF CAN> UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPLICATIONS OF SIMPLE WORDS THAT HE USED.

My understanding is as follows: We are pure spirit souls, but when we get in touch with material energy that purity of the soul and gradually soul becomes covered. In material world in human births we take body of a women or a man. Woman are prone to be mislead by men and taken advantage of and that's why Vedic system of varna-ashrama society recommends that woman should always be protected; by father in childhood and youth, father that by husband and if husband dies before her by her sons or relatives. That's why when Krishna was telling Arjuna to fight, one of the first Arjuna's arguments not to fight was: "With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion. When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krishna, the women of the family become polluted, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny." (Bg.1.39 & 40.)

This is why in Vedic society special care was taken about woman. Even today in India every father who has daughter knows that his biggest responsibility is to find suitable husband for his daughter so she can be taken care of nicely and in that way be protected.

In general woman are more soft hearted than man, they are much more emotional and are prone to be mislead and therefore sometimes can act irrationally on the basis of their emotions and feelings, so in this context scriptures sometimes say that they should not be trusted...

But when a person (women or men) decides to get above this bodily platform and come on the transcendental level or the level of the soul than there is no more differences.

Hare Krishna,

Dina-natha Das.