Hansadutta Swami

Hansadutta das
Born May 27, 1941
Brunswick, Germany
Religion Hinduism

Hansadutta Swami until 1984, when he gave up sannyasa and became known simply as Hansadutta Dasa (sometimes spelled Hamsaduta, also known as Hans Kary, alias Jack London, was born in Brunswick, Germany on May 27, 1941), is one of the senior disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and formerly a guru within the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as 'the Hare Krishnas' or ISKCON).

Early disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Hare Krishna Founder-Acharya

Hansadutta became an initiated disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami in March 1967.[1]

He assisted with the pioneering of the Hare Krishna movement, opening centers and preaching in Canada: Montreal and Vancouver; Europe: Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia; in USA: Boston, Berkeley; and in Asia: Turkey, Cairo, Afghanistan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.

He was one of the leaders in publication (printing and distribution) of Bhaktivedanta Swami's books, particularly in European languages, heading up the sales of books in Germany and North Europe,[2] and in 1974 was appointed by Bhaktivedanta Swami to serve as lifetime trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.[3] He was also appointed as a member of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission,[4] and took turns serving as Bhaktivedanta Swami's personal secretary. In 1976 Hansadutta took up the order of sannyasa.[5]

While preaching in Sri Lanka in the year 1977, Hansadutta created a public sensation with his answer to a challenge by Dr. Abraham T. Kovoor, president of the Sri Lanka branch of the Rationalist Association, which exchange was published in the Colombo (Sri Lanka) Sunday Times.[6] Bhaktivedanta Swami approved Hamsadutta's proposal that the exchange be included in the BBT publication titled "Life Comes from Life".[7]

ISKCON Guru

In July 1977, Hansadutta was one of eleven disciples named by Bhaktivedanta Swami to act as ritvik representatives in the matter of initiating new disciples.[8] Four months after the death of Bhaktivedanta Swami on November 14, 1977, it was announced that the eleven disciples had been designated as gurus,[9] and as part of ISKCON's Zonal Acharya system, Hansadutta initiated disciples primarily within zones assigned to him, namely North America, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Philippines.

Expelled from ISKCON

In 1980, Hansadutta was arrested[10] for possession of illegal weapons. On July 8, 1983, the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON passed a resolution demoting Hansadutta from sannyasa and taking away his responsibilities in ISKCON.[11]

Rittvik representative of the Acharya

In 1993, Hansadutta published a collection of essays, letters and articles under the title Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You,[12] in which he presented arguments and evidence in support of continuation of the parampara (disciplic succession) as a "rittvik",[13] or representative, of Bhaktivedanta Swami. At this time Hansadutta redirected all his former "disciples" to regard Bhaktivedanta Swami as their spiritual master, and began to initiate new disciples on behalf of Bhaktivedanta Swami, as "rittvik representative of the Acharya".[14]

BBT courtcase

In 1997, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. and ISKCON of California, Inc. initiated legal action against Hansadutta, seeking court declaration that Bhaktivedanta Swami's Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (California, 1972) was not a legal entity and/or Hansadutta was not a legal trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.[15] On November 13, 1998, Hansadutta agreed to a stipulated court settlement that effectively terminated any claims he might have had to being a trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust conditional upon receipt of an undisclosed cash settlement and license to publish the original, unrevised books of Bhaktivedanta Swami.[16]

Current Status

In 2003, Hansadutta suffered a heart attack.[17] He is living now in Cloverdale, California and continues to practice as a rittvik representative of Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Publications

Books: --

Papers, Compilations of Essays, Letters and Discussions: The following papers by Hansadutta address controversies in ISKCON, namely the rittvik controversy, Hansadutta's own alleged excommunication from ISKCON, and the influence of Narayan Maharaja of the Gaudiya Math on ISKCON members: --

Discography

Hansadutta recorded and produced a number of LPs and singles featuring Hare Krishna songs while in Germany, c. 1974, including the album "KRSNA Meditation" with vocals by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, which was recorded in a makeshift studio at Schloss Rettershof near Frankfurt, Germany. Later, in 1978 he produced an LP cover "Nothing to Lose But All To Gain".[21] The LP cover "Nice but Dead" followed some time in 1981. The title seems to be a reference to the body, described[22] as "nice but dead": according to Krishna teachings, notably Bhagavad Gita As It Is,[23] only the soul is alive, while the body is at best "nice but dead". Production reportedly cost $35,000. The cover has been described as "a collection of guitar accompanied potshots at other gurus".[24] In or around 1982, Hansadutta recorded and produced the LP cover "The Vision".[25][26] The tracks are listed as:

These three covers generally fall into the category of country rock, funk, and folk and were of limited release.[28]

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Vedavyasa das, "A Time of Expansion", Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany, published by Mandir Media Group, 1996 ISBN 84-86883-14-8
  3. ↑ "Letter to: Resolution - Vrindaban 15 September, 1974". Prabhupadaletters.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  4. ↑ "LD 1: Direction of Management, July 28, 1970". Prabhupadabooks.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  5. ↑ Hari Sauri das, A Transcendental Diary - Vol 1, March 16, 1976
  6. ↑ "Back To Godhead | Prove It! | Back To Godhead". Backtogodhead.in. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  7. ↑ Letter to: Hamsaduta, London, September 10, 1977, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Ref SL_771010_C1
  8. ↑ Letter to: All GBC, All Temple Presidents, 9 July 1977, VedaBase Ref 77-07-09 or otherwise known as the Letter of July 9, 1977,
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ Problem of Violence - Hansadutta Arrested Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "GBC Resolutions '98". iskcon.org.
  12. ↑ "Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You | Inside Namhatta". Hansadutta.com. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  13. ↑ Vishoka das. "Srila Prabhupada's usage of the term "ritvik"". Hansadutta.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  14. ↑ "Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You | Inside Namhatta". Hansadutta.com. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  15. ↑ "Complaint for Declaratory Judgment Regarding Validity of Assignment and Existence of Trust", Case No BC170617, p.15," (PDF). Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles. May 5, 1977.
  16. ↑ "BBT Legal Case Ends, Joint Announcement". vnn.org.
  17. ↑ "Heart Attack Report". krishna.org.
  18. ↑ "Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You | Inside Namhatta". Bhaktivedantas.com. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  19. ↑ "Hansadutta Excommunication A Myth Iskcon GBC". Harekrsna.org. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ "Nothing to lose but all to gain". InkMathematics.com.
  22. ↑ Hansadutta. "The Hammer - 4". Hansadutta.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  23. ↑ "Bhagavad Gita As It Is Hardcover". Krishnastore.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  24. ↑ "NOT WHAT KRISHNA HAD IN MIND". The New York Times. 20 Nov 1988.
  25. ↑ "What We Do is Secret: Hansadutta Swami Vision LP Krishna Rock Part 5". Hogspeak.blogspot.com. 2007-02-24. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  26. ↑ "Hansadutta Swami – The Vision". Waxidermy.com. 2006-01-29. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  27. ↑ "Hansadutta Swami - The Vision (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  28. ↑ "Swami Records, LPs, Vinyl and CDs". MusicStack.com. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
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