Page 87 - Defending Prabhupada Words - By Harivlas Das

explanations of a pure devotee to determine if he is strictly
repeating the original statements of Lord Krishna and
bona fide devotees in the disciplic succession.

A final point must be clarified to understand correctly Srila
Prabhupada’s statement “women are less intelligent.” Is
Srila Prabhupada referring to all women or is he speaking
about a particular category of women? I will address this
crucial point by showing alternate translations of the verse
Bg 9.32 given by Srila Prabhupada to help us understand
the specific group of women he indicates.

The text of the verse Bg 9.32 says: “O son of Prtha, those
who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth -
women, vaisyas (merchants) and sudras (workers) – can
attain the supreme destination.” The vaisyas (merchants)
and sudras (workers) are almost all men who work
as farmers and laborers. They are particular classes of
men. By referring to women in this verse, is Prabhupada
pointing to a particular class of women as he has for men?
In the introduction of Bhagavad-gita, Prabhupada gives
an alternate translation of the same verse Bg 9.32.

“Thus the Lord says that even a merchant, a fallen
woman or a laborer or even human beings in the lowest
status of life can attain the Supreme. One does not need

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