Vedic Training:
How To Become A Krishna Conscious Wife For ISKCON Brahmacarinis
"Basic Principles" chapter of the Brahmacarini Training Manual. >Contents
Page
The Basic Principles
Of This Book:
Let us get to the real tough part right now. Not all (modern Western minded) women are
going to like this book. If you find yourself one of them, do yourself and your future
family a big favor. Dont reject it prematurely. Read it from cover to cover. It is
based entirely on Srila Prabhupads teachings. You will find at least something here
that will help in your married life. If just a few can really understand it properly and
this book saves even just one marriage on account of it (along with all the children,
grandchildren and on that may come from that marriage) than our efforts will be more than
fully rewarded.
In presenting this science I take a hard-core stand on the issues from the Vedic
perspective. I present the ideal and strict standards taken from Prabhupads
teachings, based on Vedic scripture. I argue only on from that perspective. I make no or
very little concession or leniency for modern times or Western places. Srila Prabhupad is
Krishna Authorized Representative for his followers, now and for many thousands of years
to come. He has made all of the concessions and all the adjustments that Krishna is
allowing. We are not authorized to make any further concessions. It is now our duty to
understand, implement and follow his teachings. Therefore the basis of this book is to
present only what he has given.
Srila Prabhupad may have got frustrated with all the failures in ISKCON marriages, but
he did not compromise the standard that he wanted us to follow.
To understand these principles we must also understand why they should be followed.
This can be best done only when we see it all put together in one package. What will be
the likely results if we dont follow and what can be the results if we do
follow?
What is presented (to the best of my ability to do so) is what Prabhupad taught and
desired on these matters. We call ourselves the followers of Srila Prabhupad. To follow
means to follow his instructions. We criticize modern Christians for not following the
teachings of Christ. Therefore we must be most careful in our own life. Before we can be
critical of others, first we must be following Prabhupads instructions.
What I am presenting (assembling what Prabhupad presented over the years) are the
injunctions of marriage based on Varnasram-Dharma. Varnasram means that although we
philosophically accept the spiritual equality of all souls, Vedic culture also recognizes
the physical, mental and intellectual differences of the different classes and of the male
and female genders. The Vedic sages recommend different roles and duties for men and
women. Men are to be the providers, the women are to be fully taken care of as mothers and
housewives. Men are dominators, women the dominated. We see this so often in Vedic
literatures. Men are the enjoyers, women the enjoyed. Purusha and prakrti. Srila Prabhupad
instructed that men should take the superior position of master (prabhu), the woman must
take the subordinate position as submissive servant of their husband-master (prabhu).
Husband is to be the protector, provider, instructor husband-guru, the leader, the guide,
and wife is to be the dependent submissive follower, the devotee of her husband (we will
present scriptural references to this as we go along).
The ideas listed above are why many modern minded woman may want to prematurely reject
these things and not want to hear anything further after this point. But you must read
further because these 'controversial' ideas cannot be understood out of context. You have
to see and unederstand the whole ideology to understand why these things are practical and
essential to a peaceful and successful Krishna Consciousn marriages.