Bageshwar Dham seer Dhirendra Shastri is facing a growing storm of criticism from saints in Mathura and Vrindavan after a viral video of his remarks on Lord Krishna surfaced from a Shri Ram Katha in Kerera, Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh.

The clip shows Shastri comparing Lord Ram and Lord Krishna during the katha. The reaction was swift. Within hours of the video spreading, saints across the Braj region began speaking in one voice against him, and the anger has not cooled even after his reported apology.

The remark that set off the row

In the video, Shastri is heard saying that when “our gods” stand, they stand straight, and that their dham, Ayodhya, is straight too. He then turned to Lord Krishna, saying that “your Thakur ji” stands bent in three places, with one foot crossed over the other, hips swayed and neck tilted before he plays the flute.

He went further, dismissing the flute as a small feat. “Playing the flute is also a game. But wielding a bow is no game,” he said, adding that devotees of Lord Krishna were being celebrated today while devotees of Lord Ram would be the ones truly feeling proud.

For many listeners in the Braj heartland, where Krishna is worshipped as the central deity, the framing was enough to ignite outrage. The words were not just a comparison of two avatars of Vishnu. To them, it read as a ranking, with Krishna placed beneath Ram.

Dinesh Phalahari Maharaj leads the criticism

The sharpest response has come from Dinesh Phalahari Maharaj, the same seer who made headlines earlier for claiming that cricketer Virat Kohli was asked to pay Rs 5 crore to visit Premanand Maharaj’s ashram. He is also a petitioner in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple-mosque case in Mathura.

Speaking to reporters, he did not hold back. “Lord Shri Krishna is the sustainer of the entire world,” he said. “Making such a comment about our beloved Krishna Kanhaiya is not right. Dhirendra Shastri’s remark on Lord Shri Krishna is highly condemnable. Brajwasis will not tolerate this at all. Drawing a distinction between Lord Ram and Krishna is an insult to Sanatan Dharma. We strongly condemn it.”

“Lord Shri Krishna is the sustainer of the entire world. Making such a comment about our beloved Krishna Kanhaiya is not right. Drawing a distinction between Lord Ram and Krishna is an insult to Sanatan Dharma.” - Dinesh Phalahari Maharaj

His warning that Brajwasis will not accept the remark signals that the protest may not stay confined to statements. In Vrindavan and Mathura, where religious identity runs deep and sadhus carry real local influence, a call of that kind can quickly turn into street-level mobilisation.

Saints unite across Mathura-Vrindavan

Phalahari Maharaj is not alone. Other saints from the Mathura-Vrindavan belt have condemned the remarks in equally strong language. Their message is simple: Shri Krishna is the sovereign deity of Braj, and his honour will not be compromised on that soil.

The saints argue that the statement goes beyond a personal opinion about religious practice. In their view, it targets the core faith of the region. They have stressed that Ram and Krishna are one and the same, a point that has become central to the protest against Shastri.

What makes the reaction notable is its unity. Sadhus in Vrindavan are often divided by sect and lineage, and public disagreements are common. This time, the criticism has come across camps, with the common thread being the defence of Lord Krishna’s place in the faith.

Shastri’s apology and the silence that followed

According to reports, Dhirendra Shastri has apologised for his remarks. However, the apology has not calmed the storm. Critics argue that an expression of regret does not address the substance of the comparison, and the saints continue to call the statement unacceptable.

As of the latest reports, there has been no detailed clarification from Shastri on the fresh row. Neither has there been a response to the specific charges raised by Phalahari Maharaj and the other saints. That silence has left the controversy open, with supporters and critics each reading the situation in their own way.

Shastri is one of the most followed religious speakers in the country, and his katha events draw large crowds. Any remark that touches a major deity during such an event tends to travel fast, especially when clipped and shared on social media. This one has done exactly that.

Why the Krishna-Ram comparison hit a nerve

Hindu devotional traditions have long debated the relative status of Ram and Krishna. Both are avatars of Vishnu, and both are worshipped widely. Yet within individual communities, devotees often hold a strong attachment to one form. In Braj, that attachment is to Krishna, and any suggestion that he is secondary is treated as a direct affront.

Shastri’s choice of words, particularly the description of Krishna’s posture and flute-playing as minor compared to archery, is what angered listeners. Supporters of Ram may see the remark as a celebration of their deity, while devotees of Krishna see it as a dismissal. That split is what has turned a single katha remark into a wider dispute.

The row also highlights how quickly religious speech now moves from a live audience in a small town to a national argument. A video recorded in Shivpuri reached Mathura and Vrindavan within hours, and by the time the saints gathered their response, the story had already become a question of faith and respect.

What comes next

For now, the key questions remain open. Will Shastri offer a fuller explanation or clarify his remarks in a public address? Will the Braj saints move from statements to a formal protest? And will the controversy stay within religious circles, or spill into the political debate in the coming days?

What is certain is that the words spoken in Kerera have touched a deep nerve in Braj. The saints have made their position clear. The question now is how the katha speaker responds, and whether his apology is enough to lower the temperature in Mathura and Vrindavan.