Dec 04, 2013 — USA (SUN) — For some reason the Dandavat's editor found my comments too offensive or in some other way unworthy of publication, so I am submitting them to the Sampradaya Sun. This first comment is in reference to the article by Basu Ghosh dasa, "Female Diksha Guru - Some Considerations":
In regards to the question posed in comment #3 and the answer #5 about a senior female devotee who has been cultivating (or canvassing) young women to be her disciples even before she was authorized to do so. It seems a case that she was so sure she would become a FDG that she went ahead and starting lining up candidates ahead of time. And now that it didn't pan out she complains of being treated unfairly.
Also one thing that bothers me is that she says "only because the siksa guru is female?"
She is implying that she was denied guruship because of her gender when in actual fact at that time the GBC was operating on the principle that women could be diksha gurus. So this suggests that there must have been other reasons for why she was not allowed to be a DG, reasons, it seems, that we shall never know.
The above was the sanitized version I submitted to Dandavats that they still didn't publish. But since I am sending this to Sampradaya Sun I can include some links that will explain in more detail who this candidate for FDG is and why she was rejected, and it wasn't because she is female. Please see Urmila dd Rejected by GBC as ISKCON's 1st Female Diksa Guru" by Sugrive dasa and Citralekha Responds to a Letter from Urmila" by Citralekha devi dasi.
This comment is in reference to "Thank You Devaki Mataji!" by Kaunteya das. I don't know what the Dandavats editors found so offensive in it that they would not publish it.
Practically nothing is being said about effects of introducing FDG on our preaching efforts and whatever is said is downplaying possible dangers while extolling possible benefits. I think this should be the most important consideration in the whole debate but it's being avoided.
What are the cost / benefits of creating FDGs in ISKCON?
If ISKCON allows FDG who are not rare exceptional cases as is currently being pushed for by certain factions from the West then we will have effectively caved in to the pressures of external modern secular society
Then potential losses are:
(a) we will no longer be revolutionary (b) no longer offer sincere seekers a different choice from what mundane society already offers [Mormans and Muslims are increasing in numbers by offering something different – but they don't allow women in leadership] (c) seriously risk falling into sahajiyaism as happened in the past (d) undo all the work Bhaktivinode Thakura and BSST and SP none of whom established any FDG (e) create precedents that make it impossible to establish Srila Prabhupada's program of Daiva Varnashrama Dharma. (f) FDGs will behave in ways contradictory to women depicted in the sastras thus they will have to undermine the sastras to protect their position (g) create dissension, division and increasing hostility within ISKCON (which we already see is happening)
Potential gains are:
(a) k(a) karmi media may temporarily note it. (b) ? (c) ?
I do not see any huge gains in creating FDGs but I certainly see what the dangers of going down this path are. Why then take such risks, just to satisfy the personal ambition of a small faction who have embraced non-Vedic ideologies.
