Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami

Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami (1937-2006) original name Dr. Thoudam Damodar Singh was a scientist, spiritual teacher (Acharya), teacher and poet. He is known for his pioneering efforts for more than thirty years to interface and explore the harmony between both science and religious wisdom and was the international director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute which promotes the study of the relationship between science and Spiritual Wisdom (Vedanta).

He was also a founding member and regional director of United Religions Initiatives, a member of Metanexus Institute and founding rector of University of Bhagavata Culture in the State of Manipur (India) as well as being a leading member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (also known as the "Hare Krishna Movement"). He also authored and edited several books and organized a number of significant conferences and world congresses around the world. [ [http://www.bhaktiswarupadamodara.com/bhagseva/bs097.htm bhaktiswarupadamodara.com] Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005 ]

Biography

Thoudam Damodar was Born in Toubul, part of the Bishnupur district, Manipur, India,on 9th December 1937 to Sri Yogendra Singh and Srimati Kanyahanbi Devi. During World War II on May 10, 1942, the Japanese began bombing Imphal, the Capital of Manipur. Yogendra Singh took his family to shelter in a barrack on the banks of the Yangoi river. In 1944, Yogendra died of typhoid. The war eventually came to end, his uncle poor Thoudam Ibomcha Singh (85 years now) struggled through tough times to support him and shortly thereafter Thoudam Damodar was separated from his mother and younger sister. His elder sister Srimati Ahanbi Devi began to look after him. As a young boy, he learned how to till the land left by his father to help maintain himself and his sister. In 1949, his sister got married and he was left alone. Not wanting to burden anyone, he used to cultivate paddy for his livelihood. Living through hardships, Thoudam Damodar planned to give up schooling. Seeing his adversity, Sri Thokchom Yadav Singh, his primary school teacher, approached his colleague Sri Thoudam Kerani Singh and requested to help Thoudam Damodar. Sri Kerani agreed, and Thoudam Damodar moved into Sri Kerani's home. [ [http://www.bhaktiswarupadamodara.com/bhagseva/bs097.htm bhaktiswarupadamodara.com] Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005 ]

Education

He received his B.Sc. with honors from Gauhati University in 1961, his Master of Technology degree with honors from Calcutta University in 1964, his M.S. in chemistry from Canisius College in Buffalo in 1969, and in 1974 completed his Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry at the University of California at Irvine. Since then he has been involved in dialogues with scientists and religious leaders such as the Dalai Lama in the quest for a scientific understanding of the world through the vedantic paradigm. [ [http://www.bhaktiswarupadamodara.com/bhagseva/bs097.htm bhaktiswarupadamodara.com] Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005 ]

Devotional studies

HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami, then as a student at the university of Irvine(TD Singh) had a very good friend in HG Ray Ramananda prabhu, who became a student of Srila Prabhupada. HG Ray Ramananda Prabhu came from a south Indian background and was a profoundly wise and spirituality advanced personality. HG Ray Ramananda Prabhu inspired TD Singh (HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami) to meet Srila Prabhupada. Thus after coming into contact with Srila Prabhupada and students of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Thoudam Damodar received spiritual initiation from A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at the "Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple" in Los Angeles, on 30 June 1971, and was given the name "Svarupa Damodar das". He studied the philosophy and practice of Vaishnavism for the following 8 years under the guidance of his spirtual master, Prabhupada. Prabhupada appointed Svarupa Damodar das as International Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute in 1974 [Letters to Dravida and Amarendra, Bombay April 2, 1977 - [http://www.bhaktiswarupadamodara.com/bhagseva/bs097.htm bhaktiswarupadamodara.com] Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005 ] and GBC for the Bhaktivedanta Institute in March 1977. [Conversations (1,384 Tape Transcription) Room Conversation with GBC members - March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura]

Science

Dr. T.D. Singh organized five world congresses for a synthesis between science and religion (Vrindavana 1977, Bombay 1986, San Francisco 1991, Calcutta 1997, Rome 2004) where thousands of religious leaders and scientists gathered. His interest in science and spirituality has led to the setting up of a university in Imphal (State of Manipur, India) based on the scientific relevance of Bhagavad Gita and Vedanta. [ [http://www.bhaktiswarupadamodara.com/bhagseva/bs097.htm bhaktiswarupadamodara.com] Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005 ]

Summary of the teachings of Srila Prabhupada as recorded in conversations

*1) Life comes from Life
*2) Matter also comes from Life
*3) God is a Person (Supreme Personality of Godhead)
*4) The living entities are countless and their real constitutional position is that they are eternal servants of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
*5) One must learn the science of God, from a bonafide authority.
*6) The scientists must come to the point of a genuine dialogue with the spiritual conceptions of the world for a deeper understanding about life and its deeper reality.
*7) Absolute is sentient.
*8) Absolute is endowed with multipotencies. (parasya saktih vividhaiva sruyate)
*9) Space and time dimensions are also manifested from the Absolute
*10) Devotees of God, have all good qualities, beginning with knowledge, humility and dedication. They are compassionate to all living entities

Bibliography

* "What is Matter and What is Life?" (1977)
* "Theobiology " (1979)
* "Synthesis of Science and Religion: Critical Essays and Dialogues (1987)"
* "Thoughts on Synthesis of Science and Religion" (2001)
* "Science, Spirituality and the Nature of Reality" (2004)
* "Life and Origin of the Universe" (2004)
* "Essays on Science and Religion" (2005)
* "Life and Spiritual Evolution" (2005)
* "Seven Nobel Laureates on Science and Spirituality" (2005)
* "Savijnanam: Scientific Exploration for a Spiritual Paradigm (first issue)"
* "Savijnanam: Scientific Exploration for a Spiritual Paradigm (second issue)"
* "Savijnanam: Scientific Exploration for a Spiritual Paradigm (third issue)"
* "Towards a Culture of Harmony and Peace" (2005)
* "Life, Matter and Their Interactions" (2006)
* "God is a Person" (2006)

References

* http://www.uri.org/Features/Features_Main/TDSINGH.html United Religion Initiative
* http://www.binstitute.org/ Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata

ee also

*Gaudiya Vaishnavism
*Metanexus Institute
*United Religions Initiative

External links

* [http://www.binstitute.org/ Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata]
* [http://www.uri.org/ United Religion Initiative]
* [http://www.metanexus.net/Institute/ Metanexus]