Few Questions from our preaching group

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From: akshay jalan 
Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Subject: Re: Seeking Your Valuable Guidance on a Few Questions from our preaching group

Dandavat Pranams! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila
Prabhupada.

Opposing Feminism within Vaisnava Society
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAP9hpLNh-E>

Education is Destroying Civilisation
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDG39xSjA4o>

When Devotee Parents are too Materialistic
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3C5oIiv3_8>

I also shared them with a small group I am preaching to, and some of them
have read *A Beginner’s Guide in Krsna Consciousness*. Naturally, a few
questions came up in our discussions, and I would be very grateful for your
kind guidance if possible:

1. Srila Prabhupada has mercifully given us *Bhagavad-gita*,
*Srimad-Bhagavatam* and *Sri Caitanya-caritamrta*. After studying
*Bhagavad-gita*, is it important for one—especially a grhastha—to read
*Ramayana* and *Mahabharata* to better situate oneself in varnasrama, or
is reading *Srimad-Bhagavatam* sufficient?
 

2. Some devotees are naturally more inclined toward kirtana and spend more
time hearing harinam than lectures. Since harinam is the yuga-dharma, is it
alright if one prefers more kirtana than sravana of lectures?

3. Even though devotee-parents desire gurukula or Krsna conscious education
for their children, they sometimes feel fearful—whether their son will get
a suitable livelihood after such education, or whether a daughter trained
in home duties will be able to manage her life if her husband is not
earning sufficiently. How should such doubts be addressed?

4. Regarding stri-dharma, you have mentioned that it is best when a woman
assists her husband. However, today many women also wish to have their own
separate sevas—even within Krsna consciousness. Is it proper for a woman to
have her own temple/centre service, or is it always best for her to focus
on assisting her husband’s service?

5. Is it a good practice to donate sastra—like *Srimad-Bhagavatam* or
*Bhagavad-gita*—during occasions such as Bhadra Purnima or the December
Gita Jayanti marathon?

I beg your blessings and guidance on these points so that I and the
devotees I try to serve may walk more steadily on the path of bhakti.

Your insignificant servant,
Atul Gauranga Das

[BVKS Sanga]

From:	Jay Nityananda Das
Date:	22 September 2025 5:40:53 pm
Subject:	Re: Few Questions from our preaching group

Sri Sri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah

Respected Guru Maharaja, and devotees,

Srimad Guru-caranebhyo Namo Namah

Srimad Vaisnavebhyo Namo namah

Srila Prabhupada-kirtir Vijayatetaram !

For the pleasure of Sri Hari-Guru-Vaisnavas, and for my own purification, let me present my response to these questions.

1. Srila Prabhupada has mercifully given us *Bhagavad-gita*,
*Srimad-Bhagavatam* and *Sri Caitanya-caritamrta*. After studying
*Bhagavad-gita*, is it important for one—especially a grhastha—to read
*Ramayana* and *Mahabharata* to better situate oneself in varnasrama, or
is reading *Srimad-Bhagavatam* sufficient?

While Srimad-Bhagavatam does mention various Varnasrama dharmas in some details, however, to better situate oneself in Varnasrama, at least, dvija member of the society must be aware of dharma-sastras like Manu-samhita (along with commentaries), Yajnavalkya-samhita (along with commentaries) etc. along with the knowledge of itihasas like Ramayana (along with commentaries), Mahabharata (along with commentaries) and (sattvika) puranas like Srimad-Bhagavatam (along with commentaries). 

Women and those who are not having dvija like qualities should also have knowledge of itihasas like Ramayana (along with commentaries), Mahabharata (along with commentaries) and (sattvika) puranas (along with commentaries) through learned brahmana devotees (Women and Sudras are not entitled to study Vedas or other scriptures due to many reasons, however, they are supposed to get that same knowledge through itihasas and puranas. No one is barred from Vedic knowledge in a Vedic society).However, receiving knowledge should be done under expert guidance of learned brahmanas. Self-study of shastras has never been recommended both in shastras and in tradition. Nowadays, anyone can purchase books of knowledge, however, the proper way of approaching shastra-study is to learn them under the guidance of learned brahmanas. 

 

2. Some devotees are naturally more inclined toward kirtana and spend more
time hearing harinam than lectures. Since harinam is the yuga-dharma, is it
alright if one prefers more kirtana than sravana of lectures?

There is a very thin line between spending "less time" for lectures and spending "no time" for lectures. Moreover, lectures contain descriptions of nama, rupa, guna, lilas, parshads of Lord Krsna, thus, it is unusual that one may not be attracted to lectures while having great taste for Harinama. I think a proper balance is needed otherwise there is a strong influence of sahajiyaism within ISKCON (and around) that may deviate us from real attachment to Lord Krsna.

3. Even though devotee-parents desire gurukula or Krsna conscious education
for their children, they sometimes feel fearful—whether their son will get
a suitable livelihood after such education, or whether a daughter trained
in home duties will be able to manage her life if her husband is not
earning sufficiently. How should such doubts be addressed?

Everyone has to take some risk even for material success, what to speak of spiritual success. That said, we can prepare our parents and kids right from the beginning about this potential risk and educate them to manage "said modern situations" as far as possible within the boundaries of their individual dharmas. There are ways to address these challenges. To be safe, one must always seek help of learned brahmana devotees at every step of life.

4. Regarding stri-dharma, you have mentioned that it is best when a woman
assists her husband. However, today many women also wish to have their own
separate sevas—even within Krsna consciousness. Is it proper for a woman to
have her own temple/centre service, or is it always best for her to focus
on assisting her husband’s service?

Women devotees can have Temple services with the permission from their husbands/fathers. That said, Temple service(s) shouldn't be an excuse to not serve family dharmas/duties, fo that would not be pleasing to Guru and Krsna. The direction in Bhagavad-Gita is "mam anusmara yuddhya ca" BG (8.7). 

The most ideal traditional practice for women devotees in this regard is to practice Krsna consciousness at home while performing grhastha-dharmas. The public temples are supposed to be managed by local brahmansas with the financial assistance from wealthy grhastha devotees. Gradually, each grhastha-family should be in a position to have shaligrama or deity worship at their homes thus making their homes into temples of Lord Krsna. However, there should be commitment to worship the Lord at home with proper rules and regulations, a whimsical mode of worship is not allowed.

5. Is it a good practice to donate sastra—like *Srimad-Bhagavatam* or
*Bhagavad-gita*—during occasions such as Bhadra Purnima or the December
Gita Jayanti marathon?

Shastra-dana is always auspicious. SB (12.13.3-21) and BG (18.68- 69) encourage distribution of this divine knowledge by any means.(Side note: Astrologically, the word "jayanti" is a misnomer when used for anything except Krsna-janmastami tithi)

Hope this brings pleasure to Sri Hari-Guru-Vaisnavas,

dasabhasa, jay nityananda das.