Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami
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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 religion 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.[1]
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[edit] 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 10th, 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.[2]
[edit] 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.[3]
[edit] Devotional studies
After coming into contact with members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Thoudam Damodar received 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 7 years under the guidance of his spirtual master, Prabhupada. Prabhupada appointed Svarupa Damodar das as International Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute in 1974[4] and GBC for the Bhaktivedanta Institute in March 1977.[5]
Svarupa Damodar das was initiated into the Vaishnava order of sannyasa (lifelong celibacy) by Kirtanananda Swami on September 3, 1979 (during the dedication of Prabhupada's Palace of Gold at New Vrindaban, West Virginia), and received the name Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami. [6]
[edit] 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.[7]
[edit] 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)
[edit] References
- ^ bhaktiswarupadamodara.com Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005
- ^ bhaktiswarupadamodara.com Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005
- ^ bhaktiswarupadamodara.com Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005
- ^ Letters to Dravida and Amarendra, Bombay April 2, 1977 - bhaktiswarupadamodara.com Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005
- ^ Conversations (1,384 Tape Transcription) Room Conversation with GBC members - March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura
- ^ Taru das, "Srila Prabhupada's Installation Festival," Brijabasi Spirit (November, 1979), p. 12)
- ^ bhaktiswarupadamodara.com Bhagavat Sevarpanam published by University of Bhagavat Culture, Dec 2005
- http://www.uri.org/Features/Features_Main/TDSINGH.html United Religion Initiative
- http://www.binstitute.org/ Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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