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[[Image:Hansadutta.jpg|right|Hansadutta]]'''Hansadutta das''' (sometimes spelled '''Hamsaduta das''', also known as '''Hans Kary''', alias '''Jack London''') was born in [[Braunschweig|Brunswick]], [[Germany]] on [[May 27]], [[1941]]. He is one of the senior disciples of [[A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]] and formerly recognized as a [[guru]] within the [[International Society of Krishna Consciousness]] (commonly known as 'the Hare Krishnas' or ISKCON).
[[Image:Hansadutta.jpg|right|Hansadutta]]'''Hansadutta das''' (sometimes spelled '''Hamsaduta das''', also known as '''Hans Kary''', alias '''Jack London''') was born in [[Braunschweig|Brunswick]], [[Germany]] on [[May 27]], [[1941]]. He is one of the senior disciples of [[A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]] and formerly recognized as 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 Srila Prabhupada in March, 1967<ref>[http://www.hansadutta.com/ART_WSP/hansa.html Hansadutta biographical sketch]</ref>. Hansadutta's first wife, Himavati devi dasi, was also initiated around this time<ref>[http://sangalog.blogspot.com/2004_08_15_sangalog_archive.html Letter to Hansadutta from Srila Prabhupada]</ref>. 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 is one of the leaders in publication (printing and distribution) of Srila Prabhupada's books, particularly in European languages, heading up the sales of books in Germany and North Europe,<ref>Vedavyasa das, "A Time of Expansion", ''Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany'', published by Mandir Media Group, 1996 ISBN 84-86883-14-8</ref> and in 1974 was appointed by Srila Prabhupada to serve as lifetime trustee of the [[Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]].<ref>"Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Resolution", 15 September 1974, Vrindaban, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Ref 74-09-15</ref>

He was also appointed as a member of ISKCON's [[Governing Body Commission]],{{Dead link|date=April 2009}}<ref>"Direction of Management", July 28, 1970, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase, also published online at [http://www.bhaktivedantas.com/ART_NAMHATTA/DOM.php The Bhaktivedantas Inside Nam Hatta] and [http://iskconconstitution.com/node/101 ISKCON Constitution]</ref> and took turns serving as Srila Prabhupada's personal secretary.

In 1976 Hansadutta took up the order of sannyasa.<ref>Hari Sauri das, ''A Transcendental Diary - Vol 1'', March 16th, 1976</ref>

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''.<ref>[http://esotericteaching.org/content/BTG/uncompressed/html/132_1978_13-03.html#5 "Prove It!", ''Back to Godhead Magazine'', Vol 13, No 03, 1978]</ref> Srila Prabhupada requested the exchange be included in his own publication of the title ''Life Comes from Life''. <ref>Letter to: Hamsaduta, London, September 10, 1977, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Ref SL_771010_C1</ref>

==ISKCON Guru==
In July 1977, Hansadutta was one of eleven disciples selected by Srila Prabhupada to become rittvik representatives of the Acharya.<ref>Letter to: All GBC, All Temple Presidents, 9 July 1977, VedaBase Ref 77-07-09 or otherwise known as the [http://www.hansadutta.com/ART_NAMHATTA/SPMAY09.html#Letter Letter of July 9th, 1977]</ref> Shortly after the departure of Srila Prabhupada on November 14, 1977, it was announced that the eleven disciples had been designated as gurus<ref>[http://esotericteaching.org/content/BTG/uncompressed/html/131_1978_13-0102.html#10 "Notes from the Editor", ''Back to Godhead Magazine'', Vol 13, No 0102, 1978]</ref>, and as part of ISKCON's Zonal Acarya system, Hansadutta initiated disciples primarily within zones assigned to him, namely North America, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Philippines.

==Rock Album: Nice but Dead==
==Rock Album: Nice but Dead==
Hansadutta recorded an album called "Nice but Dead." [http://books.google.com/books?id=Dw3-xD05wnoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA68,M1] The title seems to be a reference to the body, described [http://www.hansadutta.com/HAMMER/ham4.html#Nice here] as "nice but dead": according to the Hare Krishna religion, only the soul is alive, while the body is at best "nice but dead". It cost $35,000 dollars to record and has been described as "a collection of guitar accompanied potshots at other gurus". [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DA1530F933A15752C1A96E948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all]
Hansadutta recorded an album called "Nice but Dead." [http://books.google.com/books?id=Dw3-xD05wnoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA68,M1] The title seems to be a reference to the body, described [http://www.hansadutta.com/HAMMER/ham4.html#Nice here] as "nice but dead": according to the Hare Krishna religion, only the soul is alive, while the body is at best "nice but dead". It cost $35,000 dollars to record and has been described as "a collection of guitar accompanied potshots at other gurus". [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DA1530F933A15752C1A96E948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all]
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==Footnotes==
==Footnotes==
<references/>
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.hansadutta.com Hansadutta's website]

{{Caitanya sampradaya‎}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Das, Hansadutta}}
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism]]
[[Category:Former ISKCON religious figures]]
[[Category:Gaudiya religious figures]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Hindu revivalist writers]]
[[Category:Vaishnavite religious figures]]
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:American Hare Krishnas]]
[[Category:German Hare Krishnas]]
[[Category:International Society for Krishna Consciousness]]
[[Category:People from Brunswick]]

Revision as of 18:53, 13 May 2009

Hansadutta
Hansadutta

Hansadutta das (sometimes spelled Hamsaduta das, also known as Hans Kary, alias Jack London) was born in Brunswick, Germany on May 27, 1941. He is one of the senior disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and formerly recognized as 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 Srila Prabhupada in March, 1967[1]. Hansadutta's first wife, Himavati devi dasi, was also initiated around this time[2]. 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 is one of the leaders in publication (printing and distribution) of Srila Prabhupada's books, particularly in European languages, heading up the sales of books in Germany and North Europe,[3] and in 1974 was appointed by Srila Prabhupada to serve as lifetime trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.[4]

He was also appointed as a member of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission,[dead link‍][5] and took turns serving as Srila Prabhupada's personal secretary.

In 1976 Hansadutta took up the order of sannyasa.[6]

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.[7] Srila Prabhupada requested the exchange be included in his own publication of the title Life Comes from Life. [8]

ISKCON Guru

In July 1977, Hansadutta was one of eleven disciples selected by Srila Prabhupada to become rittvik representatives of the Acharya.[9] Shortly after the departure of Srila Prabhupada on November 14, 1977, it was announced that the eleven disciples had been designated as gurus[10], and as part of ISKCON's Zonal Acarya system, Hansadutta initiated disciples primarily within zones assigned to him, namely North America, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Philippines.

Rock Album: Nice but Dead

Hansadutta recorded an album called "Nice but Dead." [1] The title seems to be a reference to the body, described here as "nice but dead": according to the Hare Krishna religion, only the soul is alive, while the body is at best "nice but dead". It cost $35,000 dollars to record and has been described as "a collection of guitar accompanied potshots at other gurus". [2]


Expelled from ISKCON

In 1980, Hansadutta was arrested[11] for possession of illegal weapons.

On July 8, 1983, the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON passed a resolution removing Hansadutta from ISKCON[12].

Rittvik representative of the Acharya

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

In 1997, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. and ISKCON of California, Inc. initiated legal action against Hansadutta, seeking court declaration that Srila Prabhupada's Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (California, 1972) was not a legal entity and/or Hansadutta was not a legal trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.[14] 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 Srila Prabhupada.[unreliable source?][15]

Current Status

In 2003, Hansadutta suffered a heart attack[unreliable source?][16]. He is living now in Cloverdale, California and continues to serve Srila Prabhupada as rittvik representative of the Acharya.

Publications

Books (printed in hard copy, weblinks below for free online versions): --

1983 - The Hammer for Smashing Illusion, based on a translation of "Moha-Mudgara Stotra", more popularly known as "Bhaja Govinda" by Shankaracharya.

1984 - Kirtan: Ancient Medicine for Modern Man.

1985 - Fool's Paradise. ISBN 0-933593-05-8-(pbk)

1985 - The Book: What the Black Sheep Said. ISBN 0-933593-03-1-(pbk)

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: --

1993 - Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You.

1994 - Gopimania.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Hansadutta biographical sketch
  2. ^ Letter to Hansadutta from Srila Prabhupada
  3. ^ Vedavyasa das, "A Time of Expansion", Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany, published by Mandir Media Group, 1996 ISBN 84-86883-14-8
  4. ^ "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Resolution", 15 September 1974, Vrindaban, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Ref 74-09-15
  5. ^ "Direction of Management", July 28, 1970, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase, also published online at The Bhaktivedantas Inside Nam Hatta and ISKCON Constitution
  6. ^ Hari Sauri das, A Transcendental Diary - Vol 1, March 16th, 1976
  7. ^ "Prove It!", Back to Godhead Magazine, Vol 13, No 03, 1978
  8. ^ Letter to: Hamsaduta, London, September 10, 1977, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Ref SL_771010_C1
  9. ^ Letter to: All GBC, All Temple Presidents, 9 July 1977, VedaBase Ref 77-07-09 or otherwise known as the Letter of July 9th, 1977
  10. ^ "Notes from the Editor", Back to Godhead Magazine, Vol 13, No 0102, 1978
  11. ^ Problem of Violence - Hansadutta Arrested
  12. ^ GBC Resolutions '98
  13. ^ Letter to New Initiates
  14. ^ "Complaint for Declaratory Judgment Regarding Validity of Assignment and Existence of Trust", Case No BC170617 in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, p.15, May 5, 1977
  15. ^ BBT Legal Case Ends, Joint Announcement
  16. ^ Heart Attack Report
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