what is the position of a single working women, supporting her family, in vaishnavism. she can't live the life of a subordinate and dependent on the men in the society if she has to fend for herself and her family, as is expected according to most of the texts.
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Shravn Prabhu > chhabi ranu guptaMarch 21, 2011 at 1:42pm
In His Purport to Bhagavad Gita 16.7 Srila Prabhupad states:
Actually, a woman should be given protection at every stage of life. She should be given protection by the father in her younger days, by the husband in her youth, and by the grownup sons in her old age. This is proper social behavior according to the Manu Samhitä. But modern education has artificially devised a puffed-up concept of manly life, and therefore marriage is practically now an imagination in human society. Nor is the moral condition of woman very good now. The demons, therefore, do not accept any instruction which is good for society, and because they do not follow the experience of great sages and the rules and regulations laid down by the sages, the social condition of the demoniac people is very miserable.
We must accept the experience and social injunctions given by the great sages. Women must remain chaste and submissive to their husband. Only when women are of good chaste and submissive character will all of human society become peaceful.
One point here that has to be mentioned is that Srila Prabhupad has made EXCEPTION only in the case where the divorced woman comes to Krishna Consciousness. When one becomes a devotee and is initiated in the chanting that becomes a new life. Therefore, Prabhupad gave some concession. Even the girl may have been married, or had association with other men, once she became a devotee that was considered her past life. Now she was to be trained in chastity and could be married by a devotee man who would accept her. In any other circumstance, however, this is not to be accepted.
(I dont know if widowed women will fall under the same category as divorced here. I would think so, but not 100% sure. Perhaps senior devotees like Sarvopama Dasa Prabhu can answer this)
thanks for taking out time to make me understand things. I agree with all this. but in todays situation nobody wants to support anybody else other than his wife and kids. Srila Prabhupad has also quoted garuda purana when a woman is permitted to stop serving her husband( when he doesn't follow the regulative principles of life.) But again ,the big BUT ; what does she do after that. Do the shastras have any suggestion for this situation and for the widows in todays world.
Shravn Prabhu > chhabi ranu guptaMarch 22, 2011 at 12:12am
Srila Prabhupada did not permit to leave husband or stop serving the husband, but advised to giving the husband a lot of Prasadam so he will be purified and he too will take up Japa and Harinam Sankirtana and the 4 regulative principles.
My practical advice to you is to perform what Prabhupada has asked us to do, 16 round of Mahamantra Japa, Nagar Sankirtana as much as it is possible & 4 regulative principles. Are you already doing that?
If we take the Holy Names of the Lord and develop desire to serve the Lord, Krishna will also communicate with us in different way. Through children, etc.
(Also I would make the question clear, I would change the word single woman to a widowed woman with 2 children. boys or girls and their ages.)
You may find following link helpful to understand position of women in our Vedic Culture and regarding "single working women" in second related topics link,
thanks for your reply. I agree. if men behaved as prescribed in the literature, i dont think many women would want to go out and work for sustenance and the varnashram in its original spirit would still be existing. But i am talking of today when such men are rare if they do exist. What does a women, who has no husband to support her , say a divorcee or a widow, do according to vaishnavism ? none of the discussions deal with this.
Replies
In His Purport to Bhagavad Gita 16.7 Srila Prabhupad states:
Actually, a woman should be given protection at every stage of life. She should be given protection by the father in her younger days, by the husband in her youth, and by the grownup sons in her old age. This is proper social behavior according to the Manu Samhitä. But modern education has artificially devised a puffed-up concept of manly life, and therefore marriage is practically now an imagination in human society. Nor is the moral condition of woman very good now. The demons, therefore, do not accept any instruction which is good for society, and because they do not follow the experience of great sages and the rules and regulations laid down by the sages, the social condition of the demoniac people is very miserable.
We must accept the experience and social injunctions given by the great sages. Women must remain chaste and submissive to their husband. Only when women are of good chaste and submissive character will all of human society become peaceful.
One point here that has to be mentioned is that Srila Prabhupad has made EXCEPTION only in the case where the divorced woman comes to Krishna Consciousness. When one becomes a devotee and is initiated in the chanting that becomes a new life. Therefore, Prabhupad gave some concession. Even the girl may have been married, or had association with other men, once she became a devotee that was considered her past life. Now she was to be trained in chastity and could be married by a devotee man who would accept her. In any other circumstance, however, this is not to be accepted.
(I dont know if widowed women will fall under the same category as divorced here. I would think so, but not 100% sure. Perhaps senior devotees like Sarvopama Dasa Prabhu can answer this)
hare krishna prabhu ji,
thanks for taking out time to make me understand things. I agree with all this. but in todays situation nobody wants to support anybody else other than his wife and kids. Srila Prabhupad has also quoted garuda purana when a woman is permitted to stop serving her husband( when he doesn't follow the regulative principles of life.) But again ,the big BUT ; what does she do after that. Do the shastras have any suggestion for this situation and for the widows in todays world.
Srila Prabhupada did not permit to leave husband or stop serving the husband, but advised to giving the husband a lot of Prasadam so he will be purified and he too will take up Japa and Harinam Sankirtana and the 4 regulative principles.
My practical advice to you is to perform what Prabhupada has asked us to do, 16 round of Mahamantra Japa, Nagar Sankirtana as much as it is possible & 4 regulative principles. Are you already doing that?
If we take the Holy Names of the Lord and develop desire to serve the Lord, Krishna will also communicate with us in different way. Through children, etc.
(Also I would make the question clear, I would change the word single woman to a widowed woman with 2 children. boys or girls and their ages.)
Hare Krishna,
You may find following link helpful to understand position of women in our Vedic Culture and regarding "single working women" in second related topics link,
hare krishna prabhu ji,
thanks for your reply. I agree. if men behaved as prescribed in the literature, i dont think many women would want to go out and work for sustenance and the varnashram in its original spirit would still be existing. But i am talking of today when such men are rare if they do exist. What does a women, who has no husband to support her , say a divorcee or a widow, do according to vaishnavism ? none of the discussions deal with this.
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