Text 17] What Prahlāda Learned in the Womb
55
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya 
    ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ 
    striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās 
    te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me—though they be lowborn, women,  vaiśyas  [merchants] or  śūdras  [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.” The word  pāpa-yoni  refers to those who are less than  śūdras , but even though a woman may not be  pāpa-yoni , because of being less intelligent she sometimes forgets devotional instructions. For those who are strong enough, however, there is no question of forgetting. Women are generally attached to material enjoyment, and because of this tendency they sometimes forget devotional instructions. But if even a woman practices devotional service strictly, according to the rules and regulations, the statement by the Lord Himself that she can return to Godhead ( te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim ) is not at all astonishing. One must take shelter of the Lord and rigidly follow the rules and regulations. Then, regardless of what one is, one will return home, back to Godhead. Prahlāda Mahārāja’s mother was more concerned with protecting the child in the womb and was very anxious to see her husband return. Therefore she could not consider very seriously the sublime instructions of Nārada Muni.
TEXT 17
मवतामपि भूयान्मे यदि श्रद्धते वचः । 
    वैशारदीधीः श्रद्धातः स्त्रीबालानां च मे यथा ॥१७॥
bhavatām api bhūyān me 
    yadi śraddadhate vacaḥ 
    vaiśāradī dhīḥ śraddhātaḥ 
    strī-bālānāṁ ca me yathā
bhavatām—of yourselves; api—also; bhūyāt—it may be; me—of me; yadi—if; śraddadhate—you believe in; vacaḥ—the words; vaiśāradī—of the most expert, or in relation with the Supreme Lord;