Dear devotees of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On Monday, December 19th, in Tomsk, Russia, a historic court case is taking place. Some of our movement's detractors are making a major court case, attempting to establish that Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is is is "extremist literature" and on these grounds have it banned throughout the country. The implications for ISKCON in Russia and even in the former USSR are far reaching.
If the devotees lose this case all Srila Prabhupada's books may be banned because they are full of quotations from the Gita. Seeing all of our activities are based on Bhagavad Gita it could conceivably lead to attempts to close our movement in some places.
The prosecutors are pushing this absurd case with great determination and vigor. There have already been three court hearings, in which the testimony of the so called "experts" gathered by the prosecutors was recognized as being inadequate. However, the prosecutor's office has requested new testimony, not from well-known experts on Hinduism from Moscow, but from some unknown academics from a local Siberian university. This move clearly suggests that a particular court decision is being engineered. Their approach brings to mind the Inquisitions of the Middle Ages, witch hunts, and the burning of books and persecution of dissidents during the Soviet period of Russian history.
Please announce at your Sunday feasts that the programme is being offered to the Lord as an appeal that if He so desires He may help the devotees win this case.
The GBC Executive Committee also hereby requests all ISKCON devotees to sign an online petition which will be presented to the court on Monday, showing international support for Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita. Please sign at: http://www.petitions24.com/gita
It is in both English and Russian. Please pass the link on to your friends, and encourage whoever you can to sign.
We also request all the followers of Srila Prabhupada to pray to Lord Krishna and Lord Nrsimhadeva to protect his movement in Russia, and to help the devotees' efforts in court there to be successful. Hoping this meets you well.
Hare Krishna
Your servants,
The GBC Executive Committee,
Hrdaya Caitanya Dasa (Chairman)
Bhakti Caitanya Swami
Tamohara Dasa
Comments
It's extremely absurd to ban the most Sacred Book of ours (Bhagavad Gita- As It Is). The book in question by Srila Prabhupada Ji contains the True Essence & Purports of Bhagavan's teachings to Mankind. I have read this book by GOD'S Grace and recommend this to each & every Human Being(Whether Hindu, Muslim , Christian etc). This book should be treated as a source of most Confidential Knowledge that is Sacred , Practical & Simple. This book is a showering of boundless Mercy of our Param Bhagavan Sri Radhika-Raman. To make it even better it contains precise & non-polluted purports by Lord's True Devotee Shri AC BhaktiVedanta Srila Prabhupada Ji. It is treat for Senses , Mind , Body & Soul. This is Gita Jayanti month as well which implies that Bhagavan Krishna delivered this most Sacred Sermon during these days. I strongly believe that anyone who starts reading this sacred text will see their life improve as never before. And here's a prayer for people who are attempting to ban it - " Lord Please Forgive them for they don't know what they are doing"
HARI BOL
let us all pray to Sri Arjuna to protect his Lord message to humenity
Whatever the result will be, I believe it is all Krishna's plan to make the Gita even more well known and to increase people eagerness to know what this book ia all about...
No one can stop his plan, though inconcivable to us
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