Among pro-FDG arguments there often appears example of Vipina Vihari Goswami’s lineage. There were three women there, not counting Jahnava Mata herself. Should we consider it as bogus and useless because of the presence of these female gurus? The answer might be a precursor of things to come if FDGs are introduced in ISKCON.
First of all, diksa initiation of Bhaktivinoda Thakura certainly wasn’t bogus. In his Svalikita Jivani autobiography he tells us that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself had given him a hint in a dream and a couple of days later Vipina Vihari Goswami wrote him a letter, informing him that he would come and give him initiation. We certainly can’t dismiss this narrative as bogus, nor can we dismiss initiation itself. It was real, divya jnana was transferred, material sufferings were relieved – diksa happened. Without authorized translation of Svalikita Jivani I’m hesitant to definitely state which exactly, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions that certain undesirable propensities disappeared from his heart after initiation.
The case could be made that association with Vipina Vihari brought several other important developments in Thakura’s life, such as bestowal of the title “Bhaktivinoda” itself. Of course it was his own accomplishments that were the primary cause but it was Vipina Vihari’s acceptance, recognition and initiative that had opened him the doors to the vaishnava sanga which awarded the title.
Many different things happened in between but they are not the point of this article – the point is that at the end Vipina vihari Goswami couldn’t recognize Bhaktivinoda Thakura as a genuine vaishnava of the highest caliber. He just didn’t see it, everything else being secondary.
Is this what is going to happen to ISKCON FDG lineages, too? The Earth isn’t going to open up and swallow female gurus and their disciples, spiritual knowledge will be transferred, spiritual progress will be made, but, at the end of the day, these devotees will not develop vision to recognize pure devotees despite numerous and obvious achievements? I’ll leave it to the readers to conclude what level of bhakti it would be and whether we, as a society, can settle for it.
I can’t find any references or mentions of Vipina Vihari Goswami in Srila Prabhupada’s works. Nothing. On the other hand, Jagannatha Dasa Babaji, who appears in our parampara where Vipina Vihari Goswami could have been, did not have any female gurus in his lineage. Correlation doesn’t mean causation and in ISKCON it might turn out completely different, but FDG proponents who cite example of Vipina Vihari Goswami lineage should be prepared to accept the possibility that it would end up the same way, too.
Your servant,