This was my very first visit to Sofia/Bulgaria - I had met some Bulgarian brahmacaris in Mayapur, who requested me to visit their community. Now, after touring the Western world for the last two months, it was refreshing to be back in Eastern Europe, where the mood is always more eager in comparison.
The atmosphere very much reminded me of the 'old days' when we started the preaching in Riga/Latvia. The standard of life seems very similar to Ukraine, and even the local language has many similarities with Russian - so much so, that I can understand quite a few things.
I offered the weekly program in the temple, which has a cozy mood and atmosphere centered around Sri Sri Gaur Nitai and Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra. Since the temple room is rather small, it was packed, with people sitting in every little corner, and even on the stairs leading up to the next floor.
I offered the weekly program in the temple, which has a cozy mood and atmosphere centered around Sri Sri Gaur Nitai and Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra. Since the temple room is rather small, it was packed, with people sitting in every little corner, and even on the stairs leading up to the next floor.
Over four extended evening sessions we discussed the theme of "Being in Harmony With the Other Gender" - an always intriguing topic relevant to one and all. The venue was the old temple - another cozy venue, which has a more central location and is easier accessible on working days. Every evening it was packed with eager and enthusiastic devotees who were keen for systematic education - something they had not been so much exposed to before.
Most likely we have all heard this statement, “women are maya.” Of course, women are not maya, they are spirit souls like every other living entity. However, Krishna has given the female form a very powerful energy. He has to give it to somebody in order to make the material world go around and around. So He chose to give it to the women.
Most likely we have all heard this statement, “women are maya.” Of course, women are not maya, they are spirit souls like every other living entity. However, Krishna has given the female form a very powerful energy. He has to give it to somebody in order to make the material world go around and around. So He chose to give it to the women.
A woman can use this powerful energy in two ways — she can either be the auspicious source of energy and inspiration and thus follow in Srimati Radharani’s footsteps, becoming a little Lakshmidevi in the house and within society, or she can use this energy to play around and bewilder everybody, following in the footsteps of Durgadevi, and degrade everyone within society. A woman has these two choices. Chanakya Pandita makes a nice statement:
“Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold and lust eight-fold as compared to men.”
We women are much stronger in everything. We can be twice as hungry; four times as shy; six times more daring; and eight times more lusty than our male counterparts. Lust manifests differently in men and in women. In men it usually manifests on the more gross, physical level — therefore men as a rule are more interested in plain sex life. In women it manifests more on a subtle platform: in stronger envy and competitiveness. And we are more attached to bodily comfort, decorations and beauty. So it simply manifests differently. But nevertheless it is said that women are eight times as lusty as men.
Also the two-fold hunger of women manifests more on a subtle level: women like to enjoy more what they eat — how they eat it, with the right combinations, texture, in the right atmosphere — whereas men can happily shovel a big plate of prasadam into their mouth.
We can find nice examples in the shastras that illustrate the power of the feminine energy. In Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.2.5, Srila Prabhupada explains:
“Another example is Prince Agnidhra, whose attention was drawn to the movements of Purvacitti, the Apsara, simply because he heard the tinkling of her ankle bells. In the same way that Visvamitra Muni was attracted by the tinkling bangles of Menaka, Prince Agnidhra, upon hearing the tinkling bangles of Purvacitti, immediately opened his eyes to see her beautiful movements as she walked.”
We can find many stories of this kind, where a great sage or yogi falls down because of the tinkling ankle bells or bangles worn by a woman. However, it is not the mere tinkling noise that interrupts a yogi’s meditation and bewilders him. If a man takes a set of ankle bells and simply holds them in his hands and tinkles them, it will most likely not bewilder anybody. It is the feminine energy on which the tinkling sound is traveling, which makes a man lose his mind. I don’t think we will find any examples where a woman falls down due to hearing a man’s ankle bells tinkling, because his energy is not as powerful! Only Krishna playing His flute bewilders every living
entity.
There is another very nice example explained in the purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.22.17, the story of Visvavasu:
“The Gandharva Visvavasu, while flying in the sky, could see Devahuti playing ball on the roof of the palace. Ball playing was also current, but aristocratic girls would not play in a public place. Ball playing and other such pleasures were not meant for ordinary women and girls; only princesses like Devahuti could indulge in such sports. It is described here that she was seen from the flying airplane. This indicates that the palace was very high, otherwise how could one see her from an airplane? The vision was so distinct that the Gandharva Visvavasu was bewildered by her beauty and by hearing the sound of her ankle bells, and being captivated by the sound and beauty, he fell down. Kardama Muni mentioned the incident as he had heard it.”
Beautiful, young Devahuti was playing ball in a very innocent way. Her movements and tinkling of her ankle bells was so attractive and bewildering to Visvavasu that he did not only fall down, but he literally fell out of the airplane. Most likely we would not find a similar story the other way around. Even if some handsome fellows only dressed in a gamcha were playing basketball on the rooftop, a woman would not lose her mind and fall out of an airplane. They would not have this effect on a woman, because their energy is not so powerful.
On the 6th of June I flew on to Kharkov/Ukraine.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
“Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold and lust eight-fold as compared to men.”
We women are much stronger in everything. We can be twice as hungry; four times as shy; six times more daring; and eight times more lusty than our male counterparts. Lust manifests differently in men and in women. In men it usually manifests on the more gross, physical level — therefore men as a rule are more interested in plain sex life. In women it manifests more on a subtle platform: in stronger envy and competitiveness. And we are more attached to bodily comfort, decorations and beauty. So it simply manifests differently. But nevertheless it is said that women are eight times as lusty as men.
Also the two-fold hunger of women manifests more on a subtle level: women like to enjoy more what they eat — how they eat it, with the right combinations, texture, in the right atmosphere — whereas men can happily shovel a big plate of prasadam into their mouth.
We can find nice examples in the shastras that illustrate the power of the feminine energy. In Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.2.5, Srila Prabhupada explains:
“Another example is Prince Agnidhra, whose attention was drawn to the movements of Purvacitti, the Apsara, simply because he heard the tinkling of her ankle bells. In the same way that Visvamitra Muni was attracted by the tinkling bangles of Menaka, Prince Agnidhra, upon hearing the tinkling bangles of Purvacitti, immediately opened his eyes to see her beautiful movements as she walked.”
We can find many stories of this kind, where a great sage or yogi falls down because of the tinkling ankle bells or bangles worn by a woman. However, it is not the mere tinkling noise that interrupts a yogi’s meditation and bewilders him. If a man takes a set of ankle bells and simply holds them in his hands and tinkles them, it will most likely not bewilder anybody. It is the feminine energy on which the tinkling sound is traveling, which makes a man lose his mind. I don’t think we will find any examples where a woman falls down due to hearing a man’s ankle bells tinkling, because his energy is not as powerful! Only Krishna playing His flute bewilders every living
entity.
There is another very nice example explained in the purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.22.17, the story of Visvavasu:
“The Gandharva Visvavasu, while flying in the sky, could see Devahuti playing ball on the roof of the palace. Ball playing was also current, but aristocratic girls would not play in a public place. Ball playing and other such pleasures were not meant for ordinary women and girls; only princesses like Devahuti could indulge in such sports. It is described here that she was seen from the flying airplane. This indicates that the palace was very high, otherwise how could one see her from an airplane? The vision was so distinct that the Gandharva Visvavasu was bewildered by her beauty and by hearing the sound of her ankle bells, and being captivated by the sound and beauty, he fell down. Kardama Muni mentioned the incident as he had heard it.”
Beautiful, young Devahuti was playing ball in a very innocent way. Her movements and tinkling of her ankle bells was so attractive and bewildering to Visvavasu that he did not only fall down, but he literally fell out of the airplane. Most likely we would not find a similar story the other way around. Even if some handsome fellows only dressed in a gamcha were playing basketball on the rooftop, a woman would not lose her mind and fall out of an airplane. They would not have this effect on a woman, because their energy is not so powerful.
On the 6th of June I flew on to Kharkov/Ukraine.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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