Female Guru in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism

Abstract

This article explores the controversial question of whether a female can be a guru in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. The author argues that, according to the tradition's foundational scriptures (śāstra-pramāṇa), specifically the Bhāgavata Purāṇa and works by prominent ācāryas like Jīva Gosvāmī, there is no explicit prohibition against female gurus. While many scriptural references to guru use the masculine gender, the author contends that this is a grammatical convention in Sanskrit, inclusive of females, unless gender-specific differences are pertinent to the injunction. The article refutes arguments based on selective interpretation of texts like the Bhāradvāja Saṁhitā, which might forbid female gurus but also impose strict brāhmaṇa qualifications that most contemporary male gurus would not meet. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of following the interpretations of the sampradāya's own ācāryas, who adapted scriptural rules to suit the path (adhikāra) and time. Crucially, the article provides historical evidence from various traditional Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava lineages, including those of Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu, showing that numerous women have indeed served as initiating gurus (dīkṣā gurus) throughout history, such as Jāhnavī Devī and Hemalatā Ṭhākurāṇī.