Who Is Monk Amogh Lila Das And Why Has ISKCON Banned Him?

After his controversial remarks about Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahansa, monk Amogh Lila Das from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has been subjected to a one-month ban. ISKCON released a statement on Tuesday, announcing that Das would embark on a period of atonement and seclusion in the hills.

Das triggered a controversy by criticising Swami Vivekananda for consuming fish, claiming that a virtuous person would never harm a living being. He also made sarcastic comments about Ramakrishna's teaching of "Jato Mat Tato Path" (as many opinions, as many paths), suggesting that not all paths lead to the same destination.

A video clip of Das's remarks went viral on social media, leading to widespread backlash.

Kunal Ghosh, TMC state general secretary, shared the clip on Twitter, expressing the need for immediate action against the monk and emphasizing that insults towards Ramakrishna and Vivekananda would not be tolerated.

In response to the online outrage, ISKCON issued a statement, clarifying that Das' views do not reflect the organization's values and teachings. They highlighted the monk's lack of awareness regarding the diversity of spiritual paths and personal choices, condemning disrespect and intolerance towards other religious beliefs and practices.

Considering the severity of Das's mistake, ISKCON decided to impose a one-month ban on him. The organization communicated this decision to the monk, who has sought forgiveness for his comments and acknowledges the magnitude of his error. As part of his atonement, Amogh Lila Das has taken a vow to seclude himself from public life and will spend one month in the hills of Govardhan.

Kunal Ghosh, the TMC leader, shared ISKCON's statement on Twitter, noting that the organization had taken action against Amogh Lila Das for insulting Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. He mentioned that the monk would be exiled to Giri Govardhan for the period of atonement.

Who is Amogh Lila Das?

Amogh Lila Das: From Engineer to Monk to Social Media Star

Amogh Lila Das is a popular figure on social media, where his videos about religion and motivation have garnered millions of views. But before he became a YouTube star, Das was an engineer working for a US-based company.

Das was born Ashish Arora in a religious family in Lucknow, India. He says that he began his spiritual journey at a young age, and even left home in search of God when he was in high school. However, he eventually returned and pursued a degree in software engineering.

After graduating in 2004, Das started working for a multinational corporation. He quickly rose through the ranks, and by 2010 he was a project manager. However, he decided to leave the corporate world to pursue his spiritual calling.

Das joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 2010, and became a dedicated Hare Krishna Brahmachari (celibate). He quickly rose through the ranks of ISKCON, and by 2015 he was the vice-president of the Iskcon temple in Delhi's Dwarka.

However, Das's tenure at ISKCON was not without controversy. In 2018, he was banned from the organisation for making derogatory remarks about Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramhans. Das has since apologised for his remarks, but he remains a controversial figure.

Despite the controversy, Das remains a popular figure on social media. His videos about religion and motivation have garnered millions of views, and he has a large following on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.