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Preface to the Third Edition



           New in this third edition are many favorable reviews by female
           devotees, an additional section (“Spiritually Beneficial Can Be
           Socially Adverse”), and some other additions and alterations
           to the main text. However, the most striking changes are the
           new title and cover design, in response to complaints about
           the former versions.

           The  previous  cover  featured  a  female  soldier,  meant  to
           symbolize how far, and how distastefully, modern woman has
           traveled from her innate femininity – but was deemed by some
           to be overly provocative. The earlier title (Women: Masters or
           Mothers? ) was opined by some to present a false dichotomy,
           for women can be both mothers and masters. In fact, I had
           already acknowledged that in some ways women can indeed
           be masters.* But their defining role is not as a master, as Śrīla
           Prabhupāda explained:
             Woman’s natural position is to remain dependent on man.
             But if some woman artificially tries to become man, or master,
             that is suffering. In India the women voluntarily surrender to
             the subjugation of the husband. But there are many families,
             hundreds and thousands even – they are happy. That’s a fact.
             And in the Western countries they want to remain independent;
             so they are not happy. This is my study, because I have seen the
             Western world and the Eastern world. 1

           Thus, since first being published almost a year ago, this
           book has caused quite an uproar between its supporters and
           detractors. However, it was not intended to stir up unnecessary
           controversy, but to bring to the attention of ISKCON’s members

           * See the section “The Transformation of Women’s Roles” (p. 86).
           1. Lecture, 3 Aug 1974.

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