Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught that anyone – regardless of external qualifications such as birth, gender, or social position – is eligible to act as a guru, provided that person knows the science of Krishna consciousness.
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If the following statements of Srila Prabhupada are read with an open mind, it becomes clear that when he speaks about “guru,” he is referring to both siksa and diksa-guru, not merely one or the other.
Caitanya-Caritamrita Madhya-lila 8.128:
“Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra — regardless of what he is — he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa.”
Srila Prabhupada states in purport:
”It is stated in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that one should not accept initiation from a person who is not in the brahminical order if there is a fit person in the brahminical order present. This instruction is meant for those who are overly dependent on the mundane social order and is suitable for those who want to remain in mundane life. If one understands the truth of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and seriously desires to attain transcendental knowledge for the perfection of life, he can accept a spiritual master from any social status, provided the spiritual master is fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa.” (CC Madhya-lila 8.128 Purport)
Srila Prabhupada clearly says, “any social status.” By saying ”any”, he means stri-sudra-dvijabandhunam (women, laborers, and the friends of a twice born). This includes women. In the same purport Prabhupada states: ”The word guru is equally applicable to the vartma-pradarśaka-guru, śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru…” From this we can clearly understand that women can also become diksa-guru.
”Actually the brāhmaṇa is supposed to be the spiritual master of all other varṇas, or classes, but as far as Kṛṣṇa consciousness is concerned, everyone is capable of becoming a spiritual master because knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is on the platform of the spirit soul. To spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one need only be cognizant of the science of the spirit soul. It does not matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, sannyāsī, gṛhastha or whatever. If one simply understands this science, he can become a spiritual master.” (CC Madhya-lila 8.128 Purport)
Sri Krishna in Bhagavad-gita:
”Those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth – women, vaiśyas and śūdras – can attain the supreme destination.”
Purport: ”It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in devotional service there is no distinction between the lower and higher classes of people. In the material conception of life there are such divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental devotional service to the Lord there are not. Process of devotional service is so strong that the pure devotee of the Supreme Lord can enable people of all the lower classes to attain the highest perfection of life.” (BG 9.32)
By grouping women with sudras in his translations and purport of Gita 9.32, he establishes that ”woman” is a social designation. Therefore, his instruction in CC Madhya 8.128 that ”any social status” can be guru must, by his own definition, include women. If Srila Prabhupada intended to limit the role of Guru to men, he would not have consistently cited Lord Chaitanya’s instruction that ”anyone” (yei) who knows the science of Krishna can be a guru.
It is evident from these instructions that Srila Prabhupada’s intent was that his qualified female followers will take up the service of diksa guru. Srila Prabhupada makes it crystal clear that when Lord Caitanya says ”yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya” He means that ANYONE regardless of social status is eligible to become guru and he defines that it mean also diksa-guru.
”I want that all of my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhaktivedanta, so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations. Those possessing the title of Bhaktivedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples. Maybe by 1975, all of my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the numbers of the generations.” -Letter to: Hansadutta, January 3, 1969, Los Angeles
When Srila Prabhupada says “increase the number of the generations,” he is referring to disciplic succession through diksa, not merely siksa.
In the very same purport for the verse where is stated that anyone can become guru Prabhupada writes:
”The word guru is equally applicable to the vartma-pradarśaka-guru, śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru. Unless we accept the principle enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement cannot spread all over the world.” (CC Madhya-lila 8.128 Purport)
On the authority of this verse, the GBC has already accepted and authorized mlecchas and yavanas to act as diksa-gurus. It would therefore be inconsistent – and indeed hypocritical – to now argue that the same principle applies only to those possessing a male body. If Srila Prabhupada had intended to exclude women from diksa-guru responsibility, he could have stated something to the effect of: “The term guru applies to women only in the sense of siksa-guru, whereas for men it applies in both siksa and diksa.”
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However, he makes no such distinction. Instead, he uses the same term guru with the same definition for anyone (yei) who knows the science of Krishna consciousness and is thus qualified to act as both siksa and diksa-guru. To introduce a restriction that is not present in the text is, in effect, to add to the sastra rather than to faithfully represent it.
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We should not add our own interpretation to Prabhupadas words:
“Those are not my words! They are changing my words! Is my English not good enough? This is the worst thing a disciple can do! Do not become like a leap frog and try to jump over the spiritual master thinking you know better than him. Tell them immediately do not change my words!”