Bhakti Raghava Swami’s Message on Female Diksha Gurus

In a video message published on September 22, 2026 on the YouTube channel Bhakti Raghava Swami Vriksha, HH Bhakti Raghava Swami speaks about the proposal to introduce female (Vaishnavi) diksha gurus in ISKCON, a subject he says has been “raging” within the society for many years.

Srila Prabhupada’s example

Bhakti Raghava Swami says that when the subject first came to his attention he was “quite disturbed,” and more so when the intention became to regularize it “not just a few but in general.”

He points to how Srila Prabhupada organized and spread his mission. According to the Swami, Srila Prabhupada did not:

• make any women GBC members;
• appoint ladies as regional secretaries;
• appoint ladies as temple presidents;
• select ladies to be property trustees;
• select any lady as a ritvik guru in the last months of his physical presence.

A primary injunction

Bhakti Raghava Swami argues that the matter falls in the category of a primary, not a secondary, injunction. He describes chastity and shyness as two fundamental qualities of women in Vedic culture and says women in general should not take on leadership positions. He recalls Srila Prabhupada’s 1974 instruction to establish varnashrama colleges, which he says were meant for men and which have still not been established, and describes the role of women as primarily that of ideal mothers and wives, protected within the family.

Referring to Jahnava Devi, he says she was “a rare exceptional personality” and that her role was an exception “not meant to be the norm.” He also cites Narada Muni’s teachings in the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (chapters 11 to 15) on varnashrama, and Srila Prabhupada’s aim of reestablishing the basic principles of varnashrama in society.

Ladies can be giving instructions to other ladies. They can be in that sense shiksha guru but not diksha guru.

He adds that since women do not receive the brahmana thread, they could not, as diksha gurus, make others brahmanas.

Time, place and circumstance

Bhakti Raghava Swami acknowledges that Srila Prabhupada made adjustments according to time, place and circumstance, allowing women to perform activities not normally regarded as natural in Vedic culture, but says Srila Prabhupada wanted the society to establish Vedic norms as the standard. He connects this with a simpler, agrarian, village-based way of life, in which he says the respective roles of men and women “become clearly observable.”

He further notes that Srila Prabhupada was categorical that women should not take sannyasa, and concludes that becoming a diksha guru is likewise not their natural role. In his view, introducing such a role would be “a great disservice” to devotees, to the society’s own ladies and to society in general.

A request to ISKCON’s leaders

“My humble request is that our leaders give more time to this whole matter. This is very serious.”

He asks that women continue preaching “under protection and direction of senior Vaishnavas,” and requests devotees to take more time on the matter and pray to Srila Prabhupada so that the proper decision can be made.

Source: Message from HH Bhakti Raghava Swami about Female Diksha Guru (YouTube, Bhakti Raghava Swami Vriksha). The video description lists HHBRS.com and MVV.global for more resources.