Page 39 - M&M - Eng
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Comments on Previous Editions 257
— as it is viewed by many as impractical, too idealistic and
even exploitive. That it is so is perhaps not surprising as this
tendency merely reflects the view of mainstream society that
the role of a mother and wife is, simply put, not very important.
If you want to “be someone,” if you want to be viewed as doing
something valuable for society, you must have an education
and a job. Then only are you viewed as someone contributing
to society. If you merely do your duty as a mother and wife,
you may even be seen as a parasite or a lazy person. Women:
Masters or Mothers? explains nicely and clearly why Śrīla
Prabhupāda spoke and wrote quite often about the important
role women have in society as devoted mothers and wives. The
book makes it clear why strī-dharma is very much relevant for
the women of ISKCON here and now if we want to show the
world a positive example of stable family life, happy children
and harmonious marriages. At the present moment there is
dissonance between the ideals and principles as presented
by Śrīla Prabhupāda on the role of women and the way these
ideals are understood and practiced. As is pointed out in the
book, an immediate change may not be possible, but at least
the ideals should be upheld, strived towards and propagated
so that gradually we will move in the right direction, and the
sooner the better.
Śrī Brajalīlā Devī Dāsī (JPS)
Flight Lieutenant (Retd), Indian Air Force, Bangalore, India
I am very grateful for having come across this book, Women:
Masters or Mothers? but I lament not having come across it
earlier, for I would then have avoided many mistakes in my life.
I was born and brought up in a simple South Indian family.
My mother always dreamt that her daughter should be an
independent woman. It didn’t take much time for me to develop