Page 29 - Powerful Feminine Qualities

fanatic doctrinarian. The proof of her elevated consciousness is her steady joy and kind-hearted gestures of sharing
her love by patience, compassion and constant giving of sanctified food (prasadam). Joy is infectious. Everyone wants
to be happy. A blissful mother full of affectionate acts of giving to her loved ones is the strongest example of true love
for Krishna.
When Kardama Muni saw the ardent desire of his wife to have children, he made arrangements to care for his wife so
that her natural attractiveness and healthy vigor was restored. With his mystical powers, he gave her many lady
servants who cared for her so that she was quickly reinvigorated with youthful beauty. Thus, she was blessed to
eventually have the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kapila, as her son. Eventually her son instructed her in all
the details of pure devotional service so that she achieved pure love of God. Lord Caitanya has taught that love of
Godhead, prema pumartho mahan, is the highest achievement of life. Devahuti achieved this pinnacle of human
perfection by her service to her husband and acceptance of the principles of Krishna consciousness culture and life
style. Any woman today can do the same by following Devahuti’s example of patient truthful service to her husband
and eventually to her spiritual master, who will guide her to remain steady in her commitment of faithfulness in
marriage and at the same time quietly engage in humble acts of devotional service in her home to Lord Krishna.
Now compare Devahuti with the lady mentioned above, who is well educated and attractive. She has never been
married. She was materially educated, by which she developed a sense of elitism. Thus, she never found a man who
she thought was as smart as she was or good enough the merit her as his wife. Of course, that does not exist. Plenty of
men are smarter than she is. However, she had that concept in her mind, and it held her back from ever getting
married. In addition, if she did get married, it probably would have ruined her marriage.
Spiritual wisdom and its practical application are necessary to navigate through all the difficult situations in life
without becoming a victim, and without victimizing others. The wife is supposed to create a situation in the home
where the husband feels comfortable and confidant. He shiuld be able to go out every day and come back to his
peaceful home, surcharged with respect and affection, where his wife and children are happy. He provides the
material necessities, and the wife maintains the home while educating their children.
You can have the house, but the wife makes the house into a home. Men can buy thousands of houses, but they never
become a home without the wife and children. It is very important for the husband and wife to understand their
natural roles. If the wife is also working, it puts more pressure on her, because she has to maintain the house, the
harmony of the family, and at the same time maintain her professional career. But the ideal situation would be if the
husband brings home the money, the wife takes care of the house, and is the number one teacher or guru of the
children – at least till the children are old enough to have a bona fide guru.

Arjuna decries his loose familiarity with Lord Krishna
In the 11 chapter of Bhagavad-gita, after Arjuna sees the Universal Form, he suddenly realizes that Krishna is not just
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a cousin and a friend of the family, but He is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, he had
completely underestimated who Krishna was. Of course, he knew who Krishna was. He was just play-acting. He could
never be in illusion about Krishna, because he is an eternal servant of the Lord. Arjuna asked for Krishna’s mercy and
forgiveness, because he acknowledges he had been too intimate with the Lord. He realized that Krishna is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna says something every important.
tasmat pranamya pranidhaya kayam prasadaye tvam aham isham iḍyam|
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh priyah priyayarhasi deva soḍhum ||
“You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful
obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, or a friend tolerates the impertinence
of a friend, or a wife tolerates the familiarity of her partner, please tolerate the wrongs I may have done You.” (Bg
11.44)
In marriage, there is a private life. In addition, the private life can have complications. There is always the possibility of
excessive kama or lust. In addition, that can be uncomfortable for the wife or husband. The husband goes out in the

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