1. Suprita Radhika Devi Dasi (BVKS), Mysore, India

    Success of any society depends on many factors of which the role of women is one of the most important. Arjuna points out in Bhagavad-gītā that preservation of women’s chastity is essential for the upkeep of civilization. Therefore, it is essential that women’s roles are understood properly. This book is an excellent work on this subject. We should be highly indebted to HH Bhakti Vikāsa Mahārāja for bringing out this book at this crucial juncture.

    Considering how fast the society is hastening away from Vedic culture, this book acts as a beacon of light to bring sanity in our thought process and warns us not to get carried away by modern feministic ethos.

    Women’s liberation is women’s exploitation. This is quite evident in our society today. Śrīla Prabhupāda stressed chastity as a woman’s most important quality. If we go along with so-called women’s liberation movement, we will certainly be exploited in one way or another. How can we maintain our chastity in such a situation?

    Kṛṣṇa has given the duties for women in śāstra. We are supposed to follow Kṛṣṇa’s teachings. We cannot be selective in terms of which parts of śāstra we want to follow and thus be guilty of ardha-kukkuṭi-nyāya. Our ācāryas have provided all necessary details on how to follow and apply śāstra in our lives and Mahārāja has presented them as it is in this book. Rather than coming up with concocted reasons to reject these instructions, we should try to follow them. By following them we will be able to realize them practically.

    After completing my post-graduation, I had loads of opportunities to pursue my corporate career. But after listening to Mahārāja’s lectures and reading this book, I realized how futile the whole endeavor is to work hard like an ass and be exploited by other men (and feministic women). Now I am very happy at home living with my husband, and serving him nicely.

    It is very saddening to see that rather than being appreciated for its thoroughness and wonderful delineation of women’s duties and their extremely crucial contribution towards the success of society at large, this book is being blasphemed and banned at several places. This book is meant ultimately for our well-being, for bringing happiness into our confused lives and not to suppress us.

    I humbly request all women in ISKCON to give this book a thorough read and try to understand the principles and guidelines provided herein as this book is extremely important for all of us women to take guidance from and protect our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.