Dhirendra Krishna Shastri issued a video apology following backlash over his comparison between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.
He clarified his remarks were traditional Braj devotional expressions (madhurya bhava) taken out of context.
Shastri affirmed that both deities represent the same supreme reality and asked for forgiveness if sentiments were hurt.
Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri has apologised after a controversy over his comments on Lord Krishna, saying he did not intend to insult any deity.
In a video message posted on social media from Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday, Shastri said he did not intend to draw any distinction between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna and apologised if his remarks hurt anyone's religious sentiments.
During a Ram Katha held recently in Karera in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district, Shastri had compared the forms of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, saying Ram stands straight while Krishna stands bent in three places. Referring to Lord Krishna’s 'tribhanga' posture, his flute and Vrindavan, he had also compared Ayodhya and Vrindavan.
After a video of his comments circulated on social media, seers and devotees of Lord Krishna from Mathura and Vrindavan objected, saying Lord Ram and Lord Krishna are equally revered and that such a comparison is inappropriate.
Following the controversy, Shastri issued a video message on social media, saying his comments were in the context of the devotional tradition and loving expressions of Braj, and that he did not intend to insult any deity or differentiate between the two.
Lord Rama and Krishna are manifestations of the same supreme being, he stated.
Describing himself as a devotee of Lord Krishna, he said that he also narrates the Bhagavad Katha and has complete faith in Krishna devotion.
He stated that if anyone was offended by his emotional remarks, he humbly apologises for it.
Notably, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, without naming Shastri, on Monday alleged that derogatory comparisons between revered Hindu deities were aimed at undermining the unity of the Sanatan community.
He demanded punitive action, saying the matter should be taken up at the highest level.
