it is very painful to see in many scriptures women are condemned and told less intelligent. We all are female as born out of prakriti(Nature).only Krishna is male. then why such differentiation? Also in Srimad Bhagwatam dowry system has been mentioned(father used to give such and such to son in law). My wife is also a servant of Krishna but such discrimination in sastras gives her pain.

I can understand that a sanyasi is forbidden of woman association. Chota Haridas was condemned by mahapravu as he was a sanyasi.Although he was liberated. Attraction to opposite sex may bound us in clutches of maya. but why condemn them and call them less intelligent? Also how the dowry mentioned in sastra be correct ? I am against dowry system.

It is true that women and men have different bodies and accordingly their duties differ from each others'.

Women are physically weak they can not do hard work as like men do. But they are very export in taking care of children. giving birth to children - in these cases they are strong and tolerant.

In this way strength is there in women and in men but in different areas of life.

Women called less intelligent because as we know there are two parts in our brain:

right part and left part.

right side is responsible for intelligence and left is for emotions.

In men at one time works only one part. It means when they become very serious their intelligence is very clear and firm. But when they start some sense gratification right side stops to work starts to work left side. And that time they become childishly emotional. That time wife comes for help.

Because her brain parts work at the same time. Emotions and intelligence work at the same time. In one side it is difficult because emotions disturb intelligence and because of that women usually can make some decisions.

because of that husband helps her with his advices.

And wife helps him to come to the real world when he becomes fully emotional.

In this way both sides are very unique in their own selves.

Because of these emotions for women it is little bit difficult to use their intelligence.

For example, when Narada Muni gave knowledge of Bhagavatam to Prahlada Maharaj and to her mother even while he was in the womb. Prahlada Maharja could memorize it for whole life but mother forgot because she her emotional worries about child and husband made her inattentive.

Or when Bhima wanted to kill the son of their Guru Draupadi told not to kill because of her emotions.

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Dowry was given by father of a daughter as an expression of love to his daughter.

But it is not done by force. But i do not know about these days. i heard that in some families they force to give dowry.

But in ISKCON we do not have such like force.