For women to want to live independently is a defect

On 13 January, 1976, Srila Prabhupada wrote to Yamuna and Dinatarini, who
wanted to start an ashram only for women:
“You can attract the fair sex community. Most of them are frustrated being
without any home or husband. If you can organize all these girls they will
get a transcendental engagement and may not be allured to the frustration of
life. Your engagement should be chanting and worship of the Deity Jiva
Goswami advises that in the Kali-yuga sankirtana is the principle worship.
Even if one chants many mantras it must be preceded by glorious sankirtana.
Sankirtana is the maha-mantra.
“Yes, you are right, women are generally after sense gratification. That is
the disease. Chant 24 hours a day and don’t dress nicely to attract men. It
is better that you don’t make a large program. Remain a humble program. In
bhakti there is no grotesque program. A humble program is better. We are
doing all these grotesque programs to allure the masses. My Guru Maharaja
used to say that no one hears from a person coming from a humble, simple
life. You remain always very humble.
“So far as giving loans, I think it won’t be possible because in India we
require a huge amount of money for Bombay and Mayapur. We also have to build
nice Temples at Kuruksetra and Jagannatha Puri. The Americans are accused of
being C.I.A., so counteract this. We want to prove how Americans have
constructed very large temples. Certainly it is not for C.I.A. propaganda.
“Sita Devi, Mother Laksmi, wife of Lord Ramacandra, went to live with
Valmiki Muni in a cottage. Although she was a King’s daughter and a King’s
wife, she preferred to live very humbly in the cottage of Valmiki Muni with
two sons in the absence of Ramacandra. That should be the ideal example.
Women when not with husband must live very very humbly and simple life.”
On the same day, Srila Prabhupada wrote another letter to the GBC man that
area:
“Regarding Yamuna and Dinatarine, they want to live independently, that is
the defect. A woman cannot live independent. According the the Vedic culture
a woman is always to be protected by a man. Why they should purchase a
house? We already have Los Angeles. If they want they can have a separate
asrama supported independently of ISKCON. Every woman in America has money,
so why do they want support? No, the BBT cannot give them loan. You may
check that they are chanting and following the rules but do not get involved
with their management. So far your suggestion that they sew clothes for the
sannyasis Deities it is not possible. Sannyasis may have no connection with
women.”