Parda: The Separation of Men and Women
When I was a youth growing up in America in the early 60's the standard of morality was quite different than it is now. In those days if you got a girl pregnant, you would be a gentleman and marry her. Now in the current so-called days of sexual freedom if someone gets a girl pregnant, they tell her to get an abortion. The result of this new so-called liberal culture is that every year 40 to 50 million children are murdered in the womb on this planet. The karmic result of this ruthless murder of so many millions of children every year is turning this planet into more and more of a hell.
This is one of the reasons why the Vedic culture, which curbs down sex desire as much as possible, is a very practical alternative for the insanity that is going on now. Just as butter is kept away from the fire to keep it from melting, the Vedic culture keeps the men and the women a little separate so that lusty desires are not unnecessarily stimulated. This system of restricted association is called parda and was strictly followed during the time of Lord Krishna. It is described by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.16. For example when Lord Krishna was departing from Hastinapura for Dvarka and the citizens were seeing him off, the ladies did not approach Him on the street where the men were situated. They saw Him off from the rooftops.
To bring sanity and peace back to the human society the Krishna consciousness movement is now reintroducing parda, the separation of men and women, to the human society. Those who are ignorant sometimes label this as exploitation of women, when factually it is for the protection of the women and the children. In Vedic culture there is the highest respect for women so much so that every woman except for one's wife is considered to be one's mother and is also addressed as mother.
Sometimes, even in the Krishna consciousness movement there are those who do not understand the importance of parda, the separation of men and women. These uneducated devotees push for so-called equality between men and women. Even though spiritually there is 100% equality between men and women, as long as we are conditioned by these material bodies some arrangement must be there to curb down our tendency to be lusty and exploit the opposite sex. It is our sincere prayer and hope that by our carefully explaining the importance of parda that the world at large and all devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement will recognize, realize, and celebrate its importance.
$56,000.00 collected with $2,444,000.00 still to go. (2.3% of our goal with 97.7% to go.)
Firstly I'd like to thank you for your wonderful course. As a person new to Krishna consciousness, it is truly deepening my understanding.
My question is: I'm finding that if I feel unhappy or hopeless, I feel very far from Krishna. When I feel this, I feel I have no right to chant as I am too lowly to have a purpose in serving Him. Do you have any advice as to what I can do in these situations?
Many thanks.
A.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
This is one of the reasons why the Vedic culture, which curbs down sex desire as much as possible, is a very practical alternative for the insanity that is going on now. Just as butter is kept away from the fire to keep it from melting, the Vedic culture keeps the men and the women a little separate so that lusty desires are not unnecessarily stimulated. This system of restricted association is called parda and was strictly followed during the time of Lord Krishna. It is described by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.16. For example when Lord Krishna was departing from Hastinapura for Dvarka and the citizens were seeing him off, the ladies did not approach Him on the street where the men were situated. They saw Him off from the rooftops.
To bring sanity and peace back to the human society the Krishna consciousness movement is now reintroducing parda, the separation of men and women, to the human society. Those who are ignorant sometimes label this as exploitation of women, when factually it is for the protection of the women and the children. In Vedic culture there is the highest respect for women so much so that every woman except for one's wife is considered to be one's mother and is also addressed as mother.
Sometimes, even in the Krishna consciousness movement there are those who do not understand the importance of parda, the separation of men and women. These uneducated devotees push for so-called equality between men and women. Even though spiritually there is 100% equality between men and women, as long as we are conditioned by these material bodies some arrangement must be there to curb down our tendency to be lusty and exploit the opposite sex. It is our sincere prayer and hope that by our carefully explaining the importance of parda that the world at large and all devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement will recognize, realize, and celebrate its importance.
The Ladies Witnessed Krishna's Departure from Rooftops
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$56,000.00 collected with $2,444,000.00 still to go. (2.3% of our goal with 97.7% to go.)
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Answers by Citing the Vedic Version
Question: What To Do When I Feel Hopeless?
Good evening,Firstly I'd like to thank you for your wonderful course. As a person new to Krishna consciousness, it is truly deepening my understanding.
My question is: I'm finding that if I feel unhappy or hopeless, I feel very far from Krishna. When I feel this, I feel I have no right to chant as I am too lowly to have a purpose in serving Him. Do you have any advice as to what I can do in these situations?
Many thanks.
A.
Answer: That Is the Best Time for Chanting
The best time to chant is when you are feeling hopeless because then you can chant more feelingly to be rescued from your unhappiness. When a drowning person calls for help it is the most intense plea for someone to be merciful to him. Similarly, when you are miserable you can call out to Krishna like a drowning person begging for help. In this way you will attract the mercy of Krishna.Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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