Bhaktisvarupa, Damodora Swami, Sripada passes away

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Damodora Swami passes away in Kolkata, Governor, others condole ...

KanglaOnline - India

.... 2: Acharya Srila Bhaktisvarupa, Damodora Swami, Sripada Maharaja, the

founder of Manipur branch of the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness, ISKCON ...

 

http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=34144&typeid=1

Damodora Swami passes away in Kolkata, Governor, others condole his death

The Imphal Free Press

 

IMPHAL, Oct 2: Acharya Srila Bhaktisvarupa, Damodora Swami, Sripada Maharaja,

the founder of Manipur branch of the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness, ISKCON, at Airport road, passed away early today at 2.10 am, at

his residence quarter cum administrative building of BhaktiVedanta Institute

Mission, BIM, Manshi building, Kolkata, after suffering a BP stroke.

 

The man of religion was among those injured in the bomb blast on Krishna

Janmasthami, August 16, 2006, at the ISKCON complex.

 

The lifeless body of the Swami was scheduled to arrive at Imphal for onward

journey to his birth place at Toubul village, Bishnupur by a special Zet

Airways flight but deferred till tomorrow. ISKCON authority here have made all

the necessary arrangement to recieve the body.

 

According to information received here, his death occured some days after his

discharge from Apollo hospital where he was treated for injuries caused by the

recent bomb blast at ISKCON complex.

 

It may be recalled that in the blast at least six people including minors lost

their lives which also left around 50 people including Damodora Swami with

splinters injuries.

 

He received injuries at his left hand as also at his left side ear drum.

 

According to ISKCON source, the dead body of Damodora will arrive tomorrow at

1 pm by Zet airways at Imphal airport and last floral tribute will be offered

to the departed soul at ISKCON Sani mandir.

 

>From there the body will be carried to at his native village where people of

the locality will offer floral tribute once again. After that the body will be

brought back to Sani mandir from where it will be transported to Radha Kunda

near Bridaban on the next day (October 4) for his last rites.

 

Damodora Swami was born on December 9, 1937 (sixth day of Sukla Paksha of

Poinu by the Gregorian calendar) at Toubul village of Bishnupur district. He

was the only son of three children of late Thoudam Yogendro Singh and Thoudam

ongbi Keinahanbi Devi. His father was a devout Krishna bhakta and a nata

sankirtan Singer by profession.

 

In 1957, he passed his matriculation examination with first class under

Gauhati University, Assam. He graduated from DM College, Imphal in science. He

completed his M. Sc degree in applied chemistry in 1964 from Culcutta

University. There after Damodora enrolled himself for a doctoral degree in

physical organic chemistry at the University of California, USA under the

guidance of prof. Robert W Taft, eventually earning his Ph. D in 1976.

 

While still pursuing his higher studies Damodora joined Srila Pabhupada`s life

mission as one his humble discipline.

 

In 1974 he became the director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, the scientific

and academic division of ISKCON. Later he was appointed Sripada Maharaja,

minister of higher education for ISKCON in 1976 and become member of the

governing body commission, GBC in 1977 with the responsibility of directing

the activities of ISKCON worldwide. He entered the sannyasa ashram in 1979

from being a naisithika brahmachari where GBC blessed him to the postition of

an initiating spiritual master in 1982.

 

Damodora swami authored quite a few books such as the `Sceintific basis of

Krishna consciousness` which pleased Srila Prabhupada to a great extent, as

also `Theobiology, scientific basis of reincarnation`, `What is matter`?, and

`What is life?`.

 

He was also the co-editor of "Synthesis of Science and Religion critical

essays and dialogues" which is based on the proceeding of the first world

congress for the synthesis of science and religion.

 

Meanwhile, the Governor of Manipur Dr. SS Sidhu has deeply mourned the sudden

demise of Swami Damodara Das of ISKCON. In a condolence message, Dr. Sidhu

said that Swamiji who was born in a small village in Manipur and who was a man

of science accepted the calling of Shri Krishna and devoted his entire life

towards his cause.

 

He was the epitome of peace, love, friendship, forgiveness and understanding

and stood by these principles till his last. Manipur is a pluralistic society

and his call for peace and understanding was made at the most appropriate time

for the state, which is now in turmoil. His sudden demise is a great loss not

only for ISKCON and Manipur but for the entire humanity, Sidhu said.

 

The Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board has also deeply mourned the sudden

demise of Swami Damodara. In a condolence message, the board said around 200

people turned up at the Sanamahi temple located at 1st MR campus today and

observed two minutes silence in the memory of the departed soul.

 

The CPI (M) Manipur state committee has also deeply mourned on the sudden

demise of Swami Damodara.