How can women be said to have their own varna when Prabhupada says that the wife’s varna should be identified by the husband’s varna?
Ambika Dasi shared Do women have the same varna as their husbands on Google+ in response to this question:
Do women have the same varna as their husbands?
Woman reporter: Where do women fit into these four classes?
Prabhupada: That I already explained. Women’s position is subordinate to
man. So if the man is first-class, the woman is first-class. If the man is
second-class, the woman is second-class. If the man is third-class, the
woman is third-class. In this… Because woman is meant for assisting man, so
the woman becomes suitable according to the man, her husband. (July 9, ’75
SP TV Interview)
Quotes that women’s varna is determined before marriage:
“According to the Vedic system, the parents would consider the horoscopes of the boy and girl who were to be married. If according to astrological calculations the boy and girl were compatible in every respect, the match was called yotaka and the marriage would be accepted. Even fifty years ago, this system was current in Hindu society. Regardless of the affluence of the boy or the personal beauty of the girl, without this astrological compatibility the marriage would not take place. A person is born in one of three categories, known as deva-gana, manusya-gana and raksasa-gana. In different parts of the universe there are demigods and demons, and in human society also some people resemble demigods whereas others resemble demons. If according to astrological calculations there was conflict between a godly and a demoniac nature, the marriage would not take place. Similarly, there were calculations of pratiloma and anuloma. The central idea is that if the boy and girl were on an equal level the marriage would be happy, whereas inequality would lead to unhappiness. Because care is no longer taken in marriage, we now find many divorces.”