Baba Bageshwar faced backlash after his remarks comparing Lord Ram and Lord Krishna went viral. Religious leaders in Mathura said his comments were inappropriate and hurt devotee sentiments. Shastri later apologized, saying, “We did not intend to create any distinction between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna,” and clarified his intent.
He then contrasts Krishna’s posture with that of Lord Ram, saying, “Ours stands absolutely straight. His name is straight, he looks straight and walks straight. Yours is crooked, he looks crooked and walks crooked.”
Referring to a flautist on stage, he says, “Playing the flute is a sport, but using the bow is no sport. The flute played by your Thakurji is no big deal. There’s a man on stage playing the flute as well.”
After the video went viral, Shastri faced flak from a host of religious leaders based in Mathura, who said that comparing Lord Ram and Lord Krishna in this manner was inappropriate and could hurt the sentiments of devotees.
They argued that both deities were manifestations of the same divine being and that such comments risked creating divisions among devotees. Some also questioned the language used to describe Lord Krishna’s posture and flute-playing, warning that “religious figures should exercise caution while making public statements about revered deities”.
Shastri said his remarks were part of an explanation of a devotional verse and had been taken out of context. He apologised if his words had hurt the sentiments of devotees.
“Some people have interpreted our words differently and drawn incorrect meanings from them. We humbly want to clarify that we did not intend to create any distinction between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna,” Shastri said.
He cited examples of the gopis speaking playfully to Lord Krishna and saints using similar expressions in their devotional compositions. He said his remarks were made in the same spirit.
“I am not opposed to Lord Krishna. He is our Thakurji. We ourselves have repeatedly raised our voice for Krishna Janmabhoomi. His name is part of my own name. It is because of him that our lives have meaning,” he said.
Shastri also said he considered himself a devotee of Lord Krishna and a part of the Braj tradition. “We did not try to divide society or create a distinction between the gods. Why would we divide God?” he said.