20211016 Message to Bangladesh Devotees

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So I was just in Malaysia, to inaugurate the global Dāmodara lamp offering program. And they said that at the end of their program which is now, they will chant Narasiṁha prayers for the Bangladesh devotees. Everyone throughout the worlds is very much affected by this, and I am glad that Māyāpur has arranged this program. This is Kali-yuga. In Kali-yuga without any reason, there are unsettling situations. Without trying for anything, such situations arise. Like when two bamboo trees brush together with the wind, that causes a forest fire. So, in that way, simply the forest fire is created by the situation. This way, in this Kali-yuga, there is no reason, and a quarrel starts. The people, they are agitated by some false rumor. We respect all religions, and we are very much respectful to all the religions. But misuse of social media like Facebook etc. which spread false information, so much trouble is produced. In this way Bangladesh Hindus and Muslims, they live together very peacefully. But due to the influence of Kali-yuga unnecessarily some people are disturbed.

So we are very much concerned that not only in Bangladesh but all over the world, there is a lot of unrest. In Bangladesh the Hindus are in minority so they are subjected to problems. Recently in New Zealand, a mosque was attacked and some terrorist groups in Afghanistan are attacking the Shia mosques. And there many people were killed. This is the Kali-yuga effect. Throughout the world we are seeing wherever minority exists they are being persecuted. Since ISKCON is in different countries throughout the world, they are suffering attacks sometimes. But this is extreme – we have never seen anything like this before. In Bangladesh such mob riots and innocent Hindus are attacked. They have destroyed Hindu temples and pandals. So we are very concerned that our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh are subjected to this atyācāra. We are certain that the religious people, the government they do not want such kind of problems. So we hope that there could be a mass protest against this kind of mindless attack on different religions. So in Malaysia and other countries they are chanting the Narasiṁha mantras. I would like to hear what we are doing in Māyāpur.

I heard that we are doing a yajña and a special pūjā is being offered to Lord Narasiṁhadeva. I also pray that if Kṛṣṇa is pleased, that the devotees in the hospital may be cured and the devotee who was murdered, he may go back to Godhead, that he gave up his life because he was a Kṛṣṇa devotee. We heard in different parts of Bangladesh, different Nāmahaṭṭas and temples were attacked. Some were shot with bullets. Like this we hope everywhere in the world it is peaceful and there will be no such demoniac, terrorist activities. We should have dharma shanti. Peace amongst religions. We are all worshiping the same Supreme Lord. So, even some people are worshiping Durgā devī or other devīs and devas. She is the potency of the Supreme Lord, she is considered like an angel. The ancient system of Durgā Pūjā is that first you offer the things to the śālagrāma-śilā and then Durgā devī. So, even the Koran was revealed to Mohammad, Peace be Upon Him, by an angel. Anyway, we desire that there be love and peace amongst the religions. So, like this, through our emotions, we reach out to the devotees in Bangladesh.

And we heard that the Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena has said that this will not happen again, and we hope that she succeeds in that. And Śrīla Prabhupāda has said in the Kali-yuga, these things will happen. So we hope that the world community will take notice that these things should stop. We were having a festival of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s arrival into the TOVP yesterday. And we did not hear anything yesterday. When I woke up in the morning, I got this sad news. All the GBC members are also very disturbed that these things have happened. They have said, they will try to do everything in their power. So, I think that this march in Māyāpur is a good start, and we should have marches and protests everywhere in the world. And this march, this movement happening in Māyāpur should happen with the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. All the different religious people should protest unitedly. And we hope that this will create unity in diversity. Unity in diversity. I would like to thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare