> February 18, 1999 VNN3088
> Polygamy
> BY PRTHA DEVI DASI
> EDITORIAL, Feb 18 (VNN) — Recently there
> has been a resurge in the interest of
> polygamy. Years ago in this movement it was
> common knowledge that Prabhupada had
> discontinued polygamy.
> Currently that instruction seems to have
> been forgotten, ignored, minimized or
> brushed under the carpet. This needs to be
> straightened out.
> One might see, in the Vedic scriptures,
> polygamy advocated. The instructions of the
> pure devotee jagat guru are more important
> than the Vedic literature because we cannot
> always understand such advanced knowledge
> nor are we always advanced enough to follow
> it. Therefore in his instructions he
> explains various points as well as tells us
> what we should or should not be doing, what
> we are advanced enough to do and not
> advanced enough to do, or alternatives.
> Sometimes his instructions appear to be
> different from the Vedas. In that case one
> must ALWAYS follow the instructions of
> Srila Prabhupada.
> Real polygamy is not possible in this age.
> "Dear Karandhara, Please accept my
> blessings. I have received your letter of
> 1/24/73 concerning polygamy and feel that
> this policy must be strictly prohibited
> within our society. If it is not it shall
> only cause chaos, as what was possible
> under the system of pure Vedic Culture is
> impossible at the present time." SPL,
> Melbourne, 10 February, 1973
> Here, Prabhupada very clearly points out
> that only in a PURE Vedic society did
> polygamy work. No man is that pure anymore.
> Nor is any women truthfully pure enough to
> handle it. These are not criticisms, just a
> facts.
> Prabhupada's real interest in polygamy was
> only in regard to protection,
> Polygamy goes against the instructions of
> Srila Prabhupada.
> "My Dear Satsvarupa, Regarding your various
> questions. First let us understand that
> polygamy cannot be permitted in our
> society. Legally it is impossible and
> neither are there many of our devotees who
> are prepared to assume the responsibility
> for many wives. Therefore as I have
> suggested previously as they do in
> Christian religion they have so many
> convent where the women stay and they
> receive protection. The point is that the
> women must be protected and it is the
> duties of the leaders of our society to see
> that this is carried out." SPL, Melbourne,
> 10 February, 1973
> "My Dear Rupanuga, Please accept my
> blessings. I am in receipt of your letter
> dated 31/1/73. After conferring with my
> various GBC representatives I have
> concluded that polygamy must be strictly
> prohibited in our society. Although it is a
> Vedic institution still there are so many
> legal implications. Neither are many of our
> men fixed up enough to tend for more than
> one wife. Polygamy will simply increase the
> sex life and our philosophy is to gradually
> decrease the sex life till eventually there
> is no sex life. The policy should be that
> all the women are given the utmost
> protection. Women are looking for husbands
> because they feel unprotected so it is up
> to the senior members to give all
> protection to the women. Letter to:
> Rupanuga Sydney 14 February, 1973"
> Many years passed since Srila Prabhupada
> revoked the instruction of polygamy, right
> on up to his disappearance. He had plenty
> of time to add a comment that eventually he
> wanted polygamy to be reinstated and
> practiced at some future date. However, he
> NEVER gave such an instruction. Therefore
> his last instruction on this stands. No
> polygamy, forever.
> Your Servant,
> Prtha devi dasi
---------------------------------------------
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada, May 16, 1975:
Srila Prabhupada: If you can maintain each and every wife you can marry more than one wife.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 15 pg. 251:
Srila Prabhupada: Ksatriyas may marry more than one wife. They can take so that all girls must be married.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada pg. 252 & 253:
Nityananda: Are you saying that our men should have more than one wife?
Srila Prabhupada: I have no objection.
Satsvarupa: That's a difficult proposition.
Srila Prabhupada: Why?
Satsvarupa: It's illegal.
Nityananda: No one knows who is married or unmarried, but if you have...
Srila Prabhupada: That is not very difficult. . . . . If you don't call wife you can have. The law allows you to keep boyfriend, girlfriend. Instead of calling husband, call friend. To keep more than one wife by trained up man is not disallowed. . . . .
Nityananda: The general public does not approve of that.
Srila Prabhupada: We don't care.
---------------------------------------------
Dear Prabhus
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Have I committed any offenses,
taken any quotes out of context,
made any mistakes, and/or
done anything I shouldn't have?
If so, I'm sorry.
Aspiring to be the sincere
servant of the servant,
Yours Truly,
Gauranga Prema Dasa
Hare Krsna