ISKCON bans monk for 'derogatory' comments on Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Tuesday said that it has 'banned' a monk who will go for atonement to the hills and seclude himself, after his comments on Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahansa triggered a controversy.

The official statement accessed exclusively by Republic Bangla stated, 'ISKCON is very much pained by his totally inappropriate and unacceptable comments and his lack of understanding about the great teachings of these two personalities.'

The monk, Amogh Lila Das, criticised Swami Vivekananda for eating fish, stating that a virtuous person can never harm a living being. He also made sarcastic remarks about Ramakrishna's teaching of "Jato Mat Tato Path" (as many opinion, as many paths), saying that not every path leads to the same destination.

A video clip of Das's comment went viral on social media, triggering a storm.

Sharing the clip, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, tweeted, "We revere ISKCON. But they should stop him now. Insulting Ramakrishna and Vivekananda will not be tolerated. Immediate action should be taken against this so-called monk." In a statement, ISKCON said the views expressed by Das are not representative of its values and teachings.

"We condemn any form of disrespect and intolerance towards other religious beliefs and practices," it said.

It also said the "derogatory remarks" shows a lack of awareness in Das about the diversity of spiritual paths and personal choices.

"Taking view of this serious mistake committed by him, ISKCON has decided to ban him for 1 month. We have communicated our decision to him. Amogh Lila Das has begged for the forgiveness for his comments, and he is realizing that what a great disservice he has done," the statement said.

The ISKCON in its statement has mentioned that Amogh Lila Das has begged for the forgiveness for his controversial comments, and he has realised what a great disservice he has done. He has taken a vow to go on “prayaschit” (atonement) for 1 month in the hill’s of Govardhan and will completely seclude himself from the public life with immediate effect, it added.

Amogh Lila Prabhu's derogatory remarks towards these esteemed figures, aimed primarily at their dietary preferences, are not only disrespectful but also showcase a lack of awareness about the diversity of spiritual paths and personal choices. These actions undermine the fundamental principles of mutual respect, religious tolerance, and harmony, which are vital for the creation of a peaceful society, the ISKCON statement read.

Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa was a revered saint and mystic who devoted his life to the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. His teachings and practices have had a profound impact on the spiritual landscape of India and the world. It is imperative that we recognize and respect the diversity of spiritual beliefs, practices, and choices. Mutual respect and tolerance are essential for promoting a harmonious society, where people of all faiths and backgrounds can coexist peacefully, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness said. 

The religious organisation also emphasised that the views expressed by Shri Amogh Lila Das are not representative of the values and teachings of ISKCON. 'Our organisation has always promoted harmony, respect and understanding towards all spiritual paths and traditions, and we condemn any form of disrespect or intolerance towards other religious beliefs and practices,' it added.

(With PTI inputs)