Russian Ambassador Glorifies Krishna

[Guest guest]

Ambassador of Russia in India

at the opening of New Delhi ISKCON

Glory of India Museum

October 2, 2001

Thank you very much Maharaj-ji, Swamiji, sadhon sajjanon aur devyon [saintly

gentlemen and ladies–Hindi], I will say some more words in Hindi but I will

start in English.

On this very auspicious day for your community, for all our dear friends sitting

on the dais, for all of you, brothers and sisters, I am sending to you warmest

greetings from the Russian Embassy in Delhi and from Russia.

We highly value your warmest welcome. We have had many years of very good, very

fruitful, and very close cooperation with ISKCON. Unfortunately, in the past

not everything was so smooth, and even ten years ago one would never imagine

that the Ambassador of the Soviet Union would be speaking here before you.

But now Russia is another country, and for me indeed it is a matter of great

honor, a matter of great privilege, and a matter of pleasure to address you

today, on the auspicious day for you, and the auspicious day for entire India

on October 2, the birthday of the father of the nation and the greatest apostle

of nonviolence in the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi. And this has happened

because of my dear brother and friend Mahamantra Das, who kindly came and

invited me to spend some time with you.

As you know, there is not a single religion in this world, whether it be

Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Animism, any other

faith—there is not a single real faith in the world which would preach

violence or horror. In today's world we have seen how bad it is when people are

driven by horror, when people are driven by a desire to impose something on

others. And in this connection, compassion and peace, harmony and coexistence,

respect for each other's ideas and beliefs, respect for each other's faith has

been a very constant and one of the brilliant features of the ISKCON movement.

We do have very close connections and close cultural, religious, ethical

cooperation with your society. As you know, there are many branches, more than

150 branches throughout Russia and the republics of the former Soviet Union. It

only shows that the message of your religion has attraction for the people. And,

I think, it has attraction for the people, among other things, because this is

the message of peace, of love, and of compassion.

I would like again, dear friends, to thank you for the very warm welcome

extended to me. I will try to convey your hearty and cordial feelings to the

people of Russia. And on my behalf and from my heart, from my own heart I want

to wish you all success, every achievement in all your endeavors in life. I

would like to wish you svastya, satya, shanti. Hare Krishna, Hare Rama. Om

Shanti. Om Ram.

CHAKRA 5 October 2001