Page 83 - Defending Prabhupada Words - By Harivlas Das
P. 83

Because such fallen persons cannot see anything beyond
            matter,  the  Lord  enters  into  each  and  every  one  of  the
            innumerable  universes  as  the  Garbhodaksayi  Visnu….
            who accepts the arca-vigraha (His transcendental form)
            in different elements, namely, a form within the mind, a
            form made of wood, a form made of earth, a form made
            of metal, a form made of jewel, a form made of paint, a
            form drawn in sand, etc. All such forms of the Lord are
            always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, and there
            should be a soothing atmosphere in the temple of worship
            to attract the burning attention of the non-devotees always
            engaged in material wranglings. The meditators worship a
            form within the mind. Therefore, the Lord is merciful even
            to women, laborers, and fallen sons of priests, provided
            they agree to visit the temple of worship made for them….
            All the great acaryas (gurus) established such temples of
            worship in all places just to favor the less intelligent, and
            one should not pose himself as transcending the stage of
            temple worship while one is actually in the category of the
            laborers, women….” (SB, 1.8.22, purport)

            Srila Prabhupada glorifies women for the easy acceptance
            of the superiority of God and does not single them out as
            uniquely less intelligent. They are one group along with
            sudras (men) and dvija-bandhus (men) who receive the
            special mercy of Lord Krishna who appears through His

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