Amogh Lila Das is an Indian monk, lifestyle coach, motivational speaker and engineer. He is known for his engaging and insightful presentations, often laced with lighthearted humor. Das serves as the vice-chancellor of the ISKCON temple in Dwarka, Delhi.
Wiki/Biography
Amogh Lila Das, also known as Amogh Lila Prabhu, formerly known as Ashish Arora, was born on July 2, 1980 Born on Wednesday in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (43 years; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Cancer. Das spent part of his childhood in Northeast India due to his father’s job transfer. His spiritual pursuits led him to run away from home in 12th grade, but he later returned. Das then pursued his Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from Delhi Engineering College (now Delhi Technological University).
family
Amogh Lila Das belongs to a Punjabi family.
Parents and siblings
His father is a retired government official; however, not much information is available about his mother.
Amog Leela Das and his father
Amog Leela Das and his mother
Das has a sister who works in a multinational company.
Amog Leela Das and his sister
wife
He is a celibate.
Religions and sects
Amogh Lila Das followed Gaudiya Vaishnava, one of the major sects of Hinduism.
Profession
engineer-turned-monk
In an interview, Das shared his interesting journey as a monk. After leaving home in 12th grade, he went to Delhi’s Laxmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, where he met a group of Marwaris who Invite him to Jaipur. However, due to lack of funds, he chose to explore Hyderabad and Telangana by train while avoiding fare check. Later, he considered visiting Haridwar and Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. In Haridwar, Das met Ankur Vaidya, a spiritual seeker who had given up his technical job. Das also met a group of international Krishna devotees. Deep philosophical discussions with them inspired Das to think about monastic life. To achieve this, he visited the ISKCON temple east of Delhi Kailash and requested to join them as a monk. Initially, the monks asked Das to visit the temple regularly to show his commitment. Undeterred, Das insisted on joining immediately or vowed to live at the temple door. Therefore, they allowed him to live in the temple. In 2000, after spending several months at the ISKCON temple, Das returned home at the insistence of his parents. He started preparing for the Engineering Entrance Examination and graduated from Delhi Engineering College in 2004. He then worked for a software company and had the opportunity to visit the United States, where he interacted with more enthusiasts. This experience strengthened his determination to become a monk after working for several years. During the Janmashtami festival in 2010, Das finally joined the Ishikhang Monastery in eastern Kailash and became a monk. Fifteen days later, he put a saffron robe on Radhastami. Three years later, he was transferred to the ISKCON temple in Dwarka, Delhi and was later appointed Vice President.
dispute
Expelled from ISKCON for controversial remarks
In July 2023, Amogh Lila Das treated Swami Vivekananda and his guru Luo during one of the pravacanas. Ramakrishna Paramhansa sparked controversy by making derogatory remarks. As a result, he was banned from the ISKCON organization for one month. Das reportedly criticized Swami Vivekananda for eating fish, suggesting that good people do not harm animals.
ISKCON has suspended monk Amogh Lila Das for one month for making derogatory and outrageous remarks about Ramkrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda. Monk Amog Das will stay on the hills of Govardhan for a month and stay completely away from public life… pic.twitter.com/hLx1AvPvqg
— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) July 11, 2023
In response to Das’s remarks, ISKCON officials ordered a month-long atonement for Das at Govardhan Hills. In an interview, ISKCON officials addressed the issue and stated:
In view of this serious mistake he made, ISKCON decided to ban him for 1 month. We have communicated our decision to him. Amog Leela Das asked for forgiveness for his words and he was realizing how much harm he had caused. He vowed to perform a month-long ‘prayaschit’ (atonement) on Govardhan Hill and would immediately withdraw from public life completely. “
Press release from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
Facts/Trivia
- In an interview, Das reflected on the childhood introspection that inspired his spiritual pursuits. He described a sense of satisfaction in his own accomplishments and a sense of guilt in taking God’s blessings for granted, feeling like he was giving nothing in return. This emotional tug-of-war led him to seek a deeper connection with God.
- Das said he was surprised by a verse from the Bhagavad Gita that he came across in his seventh-grade NCERT Sanskrit textbook. The poem discussed the nature of the human psyche and resonated deeply with him. Talking about this, he said in an interview that he once asked his teacher how a book could express his inner thoughts so accurately. The teacher responded and told him that this verse was only one of the seven hundred verses of the Bhagavad Gita. This revelation left Das in awe, prompting him to study the Bhagavad Gita more deeply, believing that the remaining verses would provide further introspective insights.
- Amogh Lila Das has spoken at various events including Josh Talks.
Amogh Lila Das at Joshi speaking event in New Delhi
- He has served as an associate faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA).
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education