Message from HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodara MAharaja

[Guest guest]

Message from HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodara

(Note: As heard and noted by Vrajapati Das while Guru Maharaja was speaking

from a cell phone, which was not very clear there are some gaps due to poor

signal, from the hospital room)

 

Dear Devotees,

 

I pray for Srila Prabhupada’s and Lord Krishna’s blessings upon you.

 

We are sorry for the sad news from ISKCON Manipur incident. It is due to the

unlimited blessings of Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra that the casualities are

relatively less. We sincerely pray for the departed souls and for speedy

recovery of the injured.

 

I was supposed to attend URI Global Council Tele conference call when the

incident happened. I was delaying to attend the call in order to give

company to the important guests and devotees during the Rasalila

Performance. I am sitting together with important guests and devotees when

the hand grenade was exploded in the pandal. Bhojdeva Prabhu was sitting

near to me and he was severely injured. M. M. Singh, and his wife are also

sitting near me and got injured. But their grandson could not survive. Also

a devotee who was initiated as Brahmin yesterday also could not survive. The

child who was playing the role of Lord Krishna was also injured. Liladra

Mataji from New York but presently staying in Vrindavan(yesterday initiated

as ‘Lakshmipriya Devi Dasi’); Kavita Mataji (Indian, staying in Swiss,

yesterday initiated as ‘Kritida Devi Dasi’)and about 30 to 40 local and

visiting devotees also got injured. All of them are getting medical

treatment in the hospitals. I am also still in the hospital. A chunk of

flesh was removed from my hand. About

10:00 AM today, there will be surgery for myself, Bhojdev, Lakshmipriya,

Kritida and others who are injured.

 

It was again by the blessings of the Lord that an earlier attempt (5 minutes

before the blast in pandal) was not successful. A bomb was thrown into the

main temple but did not explode. Had that been exploded inside the temple

the causalities would be hundreds. Ramachandra Das saw some stone-like thing

coming inside the temple with some sparks but he could not understand at

that time.

 

All this reminds us the words of scriptures and the saintly people that this

place is full of danger and we should be serious in pursuing the purpose of

our human life. Please pray for the departed souls, and for the speed

recovery of those who are injured, especially Bhojdeva Prabhu

(by his symptoms we are confident that his life will be saved).

 

Please observe nice Janmastami and Vyasapuja of Srila Prabhupada. Hare

Krishna!

 

Your well-wisher Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami