One of ISKCON’s cherished monuments after being demolished to make way for the National Highway. Gour Govinda Swami’s samadhi (left) is still under threat of demolition.
Holy Tirtha Remains Under Threat of Demolition
On August 6th, while the majority of devotees were away from the temple, collecting and preparing for the Sri Krishna Janmastami festival, (only 4 days hence), a number of NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) officers, in full display of arrogance, and disregarding the signed agreement paper and court order, arrived at the temple with 50 armed police, and bulldozers, and proceeded to demolish temple property, razing to the ground the large double entrance gates, the three-roomed stall housing a Prasadam shop, a bookshop and a reception room, as well as the room that Srila Prabhupada stayed in for 17 days in 1977. The few devotees protesting this violence were offering obeisances to the officers’ feet, pleading with them that they wait for the temple authorities and senior devotees to arrive before doing any more damage, but they were paid no heed and the workers were signaled to continue and finish the demolition work. The devotees were earnestly trying to persuade them to postpone the demolition work at least until after the two-day Sri Janmastami celebrations. Instead of softening their stance the NHAI officers allowed the bulldozers to proceed to destroy the newly erected stage and tent-house, especially built for the various cultural programs during Krishna Janmastami. Most importantly Srila Prabhupada’s historic and sacred memorial hut, which was clearly in the area beyond the agreed 3.6 metres of land, was reduced to rubble. Carelessly and arrogantly the NHAI authorities even threatened the devotees that if they did not transfer the sacred samadhi of Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja within three days, they would break the 22 marble stairs leading up to the main temple room, and even threatened to dump the rubble of the staircase over the samadhi site, and have the devotees arrested.
We Cannot Just Stand By
Disciples, followers and admirers of Srila Gour Govinda Swami and His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada around the world have received this shocking news and are experiencing so deep pain in their hearts as this cherished monument and holy tirtha remains under threat of complete annihilation. Although there have been cries for help from the devotees for the leaders of ISKCON to step forward and help in any way they can, to this day they have not responded adequately, if at all, even though to date almost 5500 people have signed the online petition to halt the demolition. We cannot just stand by and allow such spiritual treasures, mercifully left by our Gurus for us to worship and that act as channels of their divine mercy, to be violated and trampled to dust in such a violent manner.
Please sign the petition.
If it hadn’t been for His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami, I wouldn’t have ever come to Orissa. If it hadn’t been for his guru His Divine Grace A.C. Bhakitvedanta Swami’s instruction, this temple wouldn’t have been built. The way he glorified Lord Jagannath/Krishna was like no other. It was His spiritual potency that attracted people from all over the world to come to this Holy land. He was not of this world, but appeared here. Which would make Orissa the place where heaven meets earth. Breaking apart any temple is outrageous, but the ISKCON BBSR Mandir was built by a native saint of your state. How is it possible after 16yrs since His Divine Disappearance we have not yet established who He is?! And instead of teary down what He built with love, sweat and blood, you should be building monuments for this magnanimous personality.
Q.
Is it possible, that Krsna would allow an Acharya to descend, spread such love & tattva and never gain full recognition?! This is a God that doesn’t waste anything, Jesus saves, but Krsna recycles-nothing wasted, nothing lost. Srila Gurudeva’s breath and blood can not be null & void. His suffering can not be in vain. And if we don’t care to remember and glorify Him, who will?!
One who can develop, by the mercy of Sri Guru and Krsna, the symptoms and qualities of such loving devotion and show by their example and words, a deep understanding of tattva, is the complete way to practically glorify the potency and the glories of such an exalted spiritual master. We should aspire for and very seriously cultivate this desire and activity for the pleasure of Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja many times said to us, “If you are not strictly following the words and instructions of you’re spiritual master, then you have no right to preach!”, “It will be ‘blank fire’ only!”, “from the lips only”, etc.
Srila Gurudeva glorified Srila Prabhupada by his ideal vaisnava character and exemplary vaisnava behavior.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.6 — Los Angeles, January 3, 1970;
“If the Bible says that Lord Jesus Christ is the only one son, then how these so many innumerable sons can be adjusted? There is adjustment. There is very nice adjustment. One should know it. He is the only one son means one who can sacrifice his life for God, he is real son. And one who is simply taking from father, “Oh, God, give us our daily bread,” and He is supplying and eating and enjoying sense enjoyment, he is not real son. The real son is he who sacrifices his life for glorifying his father. Similarly, anyone who will sacrifice his life…”
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Jai Srila Prabhupada! Jai Srila Gurudeva!…May they bless us with their unlimited causeless mercy!
Your servant,
Murali Krsna Swami
Very good point!!!
YS npdasa.
Now 6047 signatures.
Please get everyone you know to sign this email.
YS
NPdasa.
Almost 6,000 signatures now.