Srila Prabhupada seems to be very conclusive and exacting as to which terms of
address he deems appropriate for ladies, and "sister" in whichever rendition is
not among them:
Lecture on SB 1.16.10 on January 7, 1974 in Los Angeles:
"From five years old, if a child is trained to call all woman as "Mother,"
naturally his culture is different. Because he has learned to call all woman as
"Mother." He has no other idea. A small child, any woman comes before him, he
knows "(S)He is my mother." So this was the practice. That is not only
religiously, but morally, it is so good, to look upon all woman as mother. That
is the system still in India, any unknown woman who has no introduction with
you, (s)he is addressed "Mataji." Address her. She may be just like daughter or
granddaughter, but one would address, as a respect to the woman, as "Mother,
Mataji." This is Indian system. Now some rascals have introduced "Bhaginiji,
sister." But that is not shastric. In the çästra, all the woman, except one's
wife, should be addressed as "Mother." "
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 on February 16, 1976 in in Mayapur:
"Woman should be looked as mother. Still in India, a unknown woman should be
addressed, "Mother." They have introduced now in the northern India, bahinji
(?). No, this was not the etiquette. "Mataji." This is Indian culture, not
bahinji (?). This has been introduced now. No."
A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Srila Prabhupad
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