Dhirendra Krishna Shastri said he had no intention of insulting any deity.

NEW DELHI: Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri apologised after his flippant and ill-considered comparison of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, deities widely believed identical divine forms in Hindusim.In a video message posted on social media from Kenya’s Nairobi, Shastri on Monday said he had no intention of insulting any deity or suggesting that one was superior to the other. He apologised to anyone whose religious sentiments may have been hurt by his comments.The controversy began during a recent Ram Katha in Karera in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district.While speaking about the different forms of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri said Ram stands straight, while Krishna stands bent at three places.He was referring to Lord Krishna’s ‘tribhanga’ posture, in which the body is bent at three points, as well as his flute and association with Vrindavan. Shastri also drew a comparison between Ayodhya, associated with Lord Ram, and Vrindavan, associated with Lord Krishna.A video of the remarks subsequently circulated on social media, prompting objections from seers and devotees in Mathura and Vrindavan. They argued that both deities are equally revered and that comparing them in a manner that suggests one is greater than the other was inappropriate.Responding to the criticism, Shastri said his remarks were made in the context of the devotional traditions and expressions of love associated with Braj, the region linked to Lord Krishna.Shashri, describing himself as a devotee of Lord Krishna, said he also narrates the Bhagavad Katha and has complete faith in Krishna devotion.He added that if anyone had been hurt by his emotional remarks, he offered a humble apology.

Akhilesh Yadav seeks punitive action

Responding to Shastri’s off-the-cuff remark, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded action against the preacher without naming Shastri directly.In a post on X, accompanied by a video of Lord Krishna wielding the Sudarshan Chakra, Yadav described the alleged remarks as “extremely unfortunate and objectionable”.He questioned the reasoning behind comparing the two deities in a way that appeared to place one above the other.“Both the protector of the people and the one who brings them joy are incarnations of the same divine entity. What is the rationale behind such undignified comparisons? This must be clarified,” he said.

Yadav alleged that the remarks “appeared to reflect the designs of someone working behind the scenes” and warned that “failure to check such statements could create an atmosphere of discord and resentment in society”.He said followers of Sanatan traditions revered both Lord Ram and Lord Krishna and that the remarks had hurt members of the community as well as people from other faiths.The SP chief also urged those claiming to represent Sanatan traditions to speak out against such comments, saying people across political parties had united in opposing them.“Any kind of venomous expression against any religion, faith, sect or its revered deities and great figures is absolutely unacceptable. The matter should be taken up at the highest level, and punitive action should be taken,” the former Uttar Pradesh CM said.