Kolkata, 18 February (H.S.) : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday attended the 152nd birth anniversary celebrations of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada at the holy town of Mayapur in West Bengal, stating that he was present not in his official capacity but as a devoted follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Addressing a large gathering of saints and devotees, Shah described his visit to Mayapur as a spiritually moving experience, saying the sacred land had awakened his inner consciousness. He noted that the occasion marked a rare confluence, as it combined the sanctity of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s birthplace with the 152nd birth anniversary of Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur.

Several prominent religious leaders attended the ceremony, including heads of Gaudiya Vaishnav institutions and ISKCON affiliates. Senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, and state BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya, were also present.

Shah informed the gathering that he had spoken earlier in the day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who conveyed his greetings of “Hare Krishna” to the devotees attending the event.

In his address, Shah paid homage to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and other revered Vaishnav figures, stating that Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada carried forward the Bhakti movement initiated by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and adapted it to modern times. He highlighted that Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur had taken a vow to chant the holy name of Lord Krishna one billion times during his lifetime and fulfilled that resolve, calling it an unparalleled spiritual achievement.

Shah said the saint reformed religious practices by breaking rigid orthodoxies and asserting that modernity is not an adversary of faith but its ally. Referring to the introduction of printing presses for disseminating spiritual literature, he said Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur termed it the “Brhat Mridanga,” suggesting that printed books could spread devotional teachings far beyond geographical limits.

He also underlined the social reforms initiated by the saint, including efforts to dismantle caste-based barriers and reinterpret renunciation as dedicating worldly resources to the service of Lord Krishna rather than abandoning society altogether.

Praising ISKCON’s global outreach, Shah said the movement has played a significant role in spreading the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita across linguistic and cultural boundaries. He noted that during his travels across Indian states, he encountered editions of the Gita in multiple languages published by ISKCON. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi often presents the Gita as a gift to visiting world leaders, describing it as a universal message of human welfare.

Shah also commended ISKCON’s humanitarian initiatives, including free food distribution during natural disasters, educational and healthcare services, and efforts to revive Indian cultural traditions among the youth.

Concluding his speech, he offered prayers to Lord Narasimha for India’s welfare and expressed confidence that by 2047, India would emerge as a developed nation while carrying the message of Sanatan Dharma to the world. He thanked the Gaudiya Math authorities for inviting him and ended his address with chants of “Hare Krishna” alongside the devotees.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh