ISKCON Bans Preacher Amogh Lila Das For "Derogatory Remarks" On Swami Vivekananda And Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa

After making derogatory comments about Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Amogh Lila Das, a preacher and the vice-president at ISKCON Dwarka, has been banned by ISKCON for a month.

A video showcasing his remarks led to this action.

Amogh Lila Das has gained significant popularity through his YouTube channel, 'Reviving Values', which has amassed over 1.43 lakh followers and nearly 1.3 crore views since its establishment in 2018.

He is part of a new generation of 'spiritual gurus' who have found unprecedented fame through social media.

In his criticism, Das targeted Swami Vivekananda's dietary choices, particularly his consumption of fish. He also dismissed Ramakrishna's teaching of 'joto mot toto poth' (there are as many paths as there are opinions), stating that not all paths lead to the same destination.

Following backlash from their followers, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) released a statement condemning Das and imposed a one-month ban on him.

The ISKCON expressed their disapproval of his comments and took this decisive action in response.

In response, he has committed to a month-long period of atonement in the hills of Govardhan, during which he will completely isolate himself from public life.

A press release by ISKCON Kolkata, highlighted that Das's “derogatory remarks” aimed primarily at the dietary preferences of the revered figures are not only “disrespectful but also showcase a lack of awareness about the diversity of spiritual paths and personal choices.”

His outspoken nature has contributed to his online popularity, although this time his outrageous comments have landed him in trouble.

While most of his videos are in Hindi, Das seamlessly incorporates English words and phrases that his social media audience easily understands. He skillfully blends formal scriptural references with more informal language, effortlessly transitioning from quoting the Upanishads to cracking jokes.

The 43-year-old, originally named Ashish Arora from Lucknow, felt a strong spiritual calling early in life. After completing his B-Tech in computer science from Delhi College of Engineering, now known as Delhi Technological University, he worked for a US-based multinational company until 2010.

At the age of 29, he decided to fully immerse himself in the 'Hare Krishna' movement and left his position as a project manager.

Das, now one of the popular faces of ISKCON, holds the position of vice-president at ISKCON Dwarka. He is known as a "motivational strategist and Indian lifestyle coach" and has gained popularity in the TikTok age. Snippets of his lectures are widely shared on platforms like Instagram reels and YouTube shorts.

Das's videos cover a wide range of topics, including controversial ones like the "morality" of live-in relationships and the need for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

He takes every opportunity to address these hot button issues, and thanks to ISKCON's organisational structure, he is able to freely express his opinions.

According to Yudhistir Govinda Dasa, the director of communications for ISKCON India, the organisation has an internal mechanism in place to train people on how to speak and guidelines on how to present themselves respectfully, both theologically and interpersonally.

This ensures that members of ISKCON are equipped to engage in meaningful discussions, The Indian Express reported.

However, Dasa acknowledges that monitoring every single lecture in such a large organisation is practically impossible.

Nevertheless, he points out that there is already a training process in place that emphasises the importance of being respectful and harmonious in interactions. This expectation helps maintain a positive environment within ISKCON.

Dasa also mentions that ISKCON recognises the need for further improvement. They are actively considering implementing more rigorous training and guidelines in the future.

He emphasises that historically, ISKCON has maintained a respectful relationship with people from other faiths and Hindu denominations.

As a demonstration of their commitment to this, a delegation from ISKCON plans to meet monks of the Ramakrishna Mission to offer apologies and continue fostering an amicable relationship.