Page 18 - M&M - Eng
P. 18

xvi                                                  Preface

            half of ISKCON’s members are women and many, if not most,
            come from societies where gender issues are openly discussed. 1

          The divergence is so deep that even a presentation (such as
          this book) that consists of reasoned arguments, backed by
          copious quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda, is likely to be seen
          as derogatory, disturbing, and divisive by devotees who
          maintain a contrary perspective, whereas others are appalled
          by the male-female dynamic that for several years has been
          emanating from ISKCON’s leadership. Clearly, my stating this
          will not please the feministic elements in ISKCON’s leadership.
          Notwithstanding the EC’s claims of negative reports, the book
          sold well in Māyāpur, and seemed to be especially well received
          by many female devotees. Furthermore, a major turnaround in
          ISKCON’s social polity took place just after the book’s release;
          a proposal to bring  varṇāśrama-dharma  onto the  ISKCON
          agenda was almost unanimously accepted by the  GBC.
          Nevertheless, I have chosen to retain within this book much that
          might seem to be anachronized by that decision (for instance,
          the chapter “ISKCON’s Disconnect with Varṇāśrama”), to at
          least underscore the enormous task of reorienting a society
          that has for an entire generation been adrift in this regard.
          Although (in my perhaps not very humble opinion) the f irst
          edition  stated  a  powerful  case, this  second  edition  is  more
          comprehensive, having undergone considerable revision and
          expansion. May it be pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda and his
          faithful followers.











          1. From the introduction (by the editors) to the aforementioned article.
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