Jayatirtha Dasa Adhikari

Jayatirtha dasa Adhikari (James Edward Immel, also known as Vijaya, Tirthapada) was born in Saipan, US Trust Territory of the Pacific in November 13th, 1948. He was one of the leading disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and formally a guru within the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as 'the Hare Krishnas' or ISKCON).

Youth

Jayatirtha graduated from High School at the age of 15. Soon after he entered the University of California as a student of Law, but left before receiving diploma in order to discover the truth about the real purpose of life [ [http://www.jayatirtha.com/bio/ Jayatirtha Biography] ] .

ISKCON

In 1969, Jayatirtha was initiated into the Vaishnava tradition by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whereupon he was given the name "Jayatirtha Dasa". He later went on to become a senior leader and preacher within the movement and a member of its management body known as the Governing Body Commission, and the head of ISKCON in Europe. [cite book |title= |last=Snow |first=Robert L. |year=2003 |publisher=Greenwood PublishingGroup |isbn=0275980529 |pages=p. 41 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=75JSQtZLCq0C&pg=PA41&dq=%22James+Edward+Immel%22+OR+%22James+Immel%22&num=100&sig=ereKOQxyciLb6Oi-urCCKVwPwcs#PPA41,M1 |accessdate=2008-05-07]

After Prabhupada's death, Jayatirtha was one of eleven disciples selected to become an initiating guru. [cite book |title=Utopia on the 6th Floor: Work, Death, & Taxes-Part 2 |last=Propp |first=Steven H |year=2004 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=0595337376 |pages=p. 518 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zXX_azObYZwC&pg=PA518&dq=%22James+Edward+Immel%22+OR+%22James+Immel%22&num=100&sig=CrFK9Kt5tpjvcDYiWglIQqL0WKE |accessdate=2008-05-07]

Expelled

In 1982, Jayatirtha was expelled from the GBC and ISKCON for use of LSD [ [http://www.iskcon.com/icj/7_2/72rsd.html Ravinda Svarupa - Pillars of Success] ] .

Death

On November 13th, 1987, Jayatirtha was murdered by his disciple and follower John Tiernan, [cite news |title=HE ADMITS KILLING GURU 'ANTI-CHRIST' BEHEADED, COURT TOLD |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DN&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI|DN&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29B7DE50A095C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=1988-07-21 |accessdate=2008-05-07 ] after leaving his wife for another woman [ [http://www.skepticfiles.org/krish/storyjai.htm Guru Trial] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.jayatirtha.com Website dedicated to Jayatirtha]