Dhammunism

In the bustling heart of London, England, in 2021, I found myself at a profound crossroads, ready to embark on a journey unsure of direction. I decided to shed the saffron robes for the second time. It felt like a setback, but in hindsight, it was a significant stride forward—a pivotal moment in my quest for truth and spiritual realization. From my earliest encounters with the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya in 2013 on the bustling streets of Austin, TX, to fully embracing the monastic life in an Ashram in India five years later, every step of the journey brought me closer to the essence of bhakti—the art of spiritual devotion, the object of Sadhana, the science of self-realization, and the heart of Dhammunism.

The initial encounter with the International Society of Krishna Consciousness occurred in 2013 on the bustling streets of Austin, TX, in the form of a monk distributing books. The $5 investment planted the first seed of self-realization. Five years later, I fully embraced the monastic life, immersing myself in the teachings of the Vaishnavas within the serene confines of an Ashram in India. I became a devotee, practicing Bhakti yoga, and my goal was to experience pure love for the creator. I realized that the root of all suffering is forgetting who we are—forgetting everything here is temporary. We forget the creator, and atheism takes root; atheism is the single greatest threat to peace and freedom. The last great Acarya of our movement sought to realign society with the laws of nature outlined in the great Vedic texts so that human beings could return to a state of God-consciousness. I felt my purpose was to aid my great departed spiritual master achieve that goal. 

The Vaishnava philosophy, rooted in Bhakti yoga, offers a comprehensive understanding of existence through its meticulous exploration of the laws of nature. Vaishnavism answers life's fundamental questions by delving into the origins of these laws, the universe's creation, our purpose in life, and societal governance as a means to maintain spiritual consciousness. Passed down through an unbroken line of disciplic succession or parampara, this wisdom, enshrined in Sanskrit texts known as the Vedas, reflects the insights of sages who dedicated centuries to introspection and meditation. Indeed, the Vedas stand as the pinnacle of knowledge, offering profound insights into the nature of reality. The Vaishnava philosophy is the basis of Dhammunism, and Manji Yoga is the doorway to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our purpose. 

After three years, I left the order for the last time. It was an emotionally turbulent experience, and deciding to depart was far from straightforward as I had ascended to an increasingly prominent standing within the organization. I resided with the temple president at the SOHO temple in London, regularly interacting with high-ranking spiritual leaders. The temple entirely catered to my basic needs, including meals, accommodation, and attire, fostering a sense of detachment from worldly concerns. I could travel anywhere worldwide as the organization would secure travel documents and visas for me. I didn't have to worry about taxes, rent, food, etc., yet I felt uncomfortable with the governing body's departure from how the founder envisioned the direction of his movement. 

 I accepted the philosophy as the highest truth. However, I found that in every corner of the organization, there were dark secrets. When one would try to expose those secrets, the organization would almost gaslight you into believing what you saw or heard was untrue. As a result, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, lost its purity. When one loses their purity or becomes compromised, they can no longer stand for the truth. Instead, the organization becomes fixated on preserving the status quo, whether to gain social relevancy or avoid government scrutiny. I deeply love the founder and the philosophy. Still, I had to leave because I could not pretend to respect those responsible for heinous criminal acts against the founder and against the most innocent devotee children. 

I had no desire to reform the organization either. The organization is too far gone. I had already run away in my heart; I spent my last few weeks in London contemplating my direction. I began to consider what creating a community of God-Conscious individuals in the United States would look like. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, envisioned that devotees would incorporate towns on lands independently owned yet affiliated with the society, governed by laws outlined in Vedas, and funded by a shared currency. I had many conversations with devotees who heard Prabhupada speak of a time when society would begin to fall apart and would seek shelter in these communities established by the devotees. To create something new, we would need to rebrand the idea without deviating from the original intent of creating a God-conscious society. Give the philosophy a fresh veneer and band with the scattered devotees worldwide who left ISKCON for the same reasons I did. It would need a new name, and in a moment of divine inspiration, Dhammunism came to me.

Dhammunism is a political philosophy, a banner under which God-Conscious people can take shelter, and a society that allows people to connect with other devotees. The idea was simple: to align society with the laws of nature. The weight of taxation, usury, and social decay will lead the United States to break apart. The goal would be to popularize Dhammunism as a political movement and spread Varnashrama Dharma. We would need to acquire large swaths of land and share a common devotion and currency. A country's essence is a shared geopolitical border, culture, laws, and currency. Such a thing could exist within the confines of the United States Constitution, and only under voluntary conditions would anyone decide to leave or stay. However, the very nature of such a thing could be antithetical to Vedic law itself without the guidance of a Brahman or Guru within the disciplic succession. I feared I lacked the purity to lead such an endeavor. Ultimately, I knew acting without proper guidance would only perpetuate the same issues I sought to escape. I abandoned the idea and returned to wandering in the desert of material existence.

I left London and attempted to reintegrate into my previous life before my transformative journey in India; I ran as fast as possible back to the mundane. Amid a new marriage and the familiarity of old routines, I grappled with the inevitable human inclination to deviate from the spiritual practices that once guided me. It was a humbling realization of how swiftly one can regress into former patterns, even after glimpsing the profound truths of spiritual realization. The return to worldly obligations was more difficult than I expected. Despite my background as a seasoned sales executive and a committed yoga practitioner, with extensive training across three continents under revered mentors, I could not generate any material progress. Financially strained, married, and adrift, I knew I needed to focus on spiritual growth, which is often difficult when not in a spiritual community or the association of devotees.

I had lost touch with my connection to Bhakti yoga, severed from the sacred community and guidance that had sustained me. I felt as if I had forsaken my departed spiritual master and succumbed to the allure of material illusions. Everything after the higher taste of Bhakti yoga seemed like a waste of time. Yet, amid the darkness I was experiencing, I began practicing Hatha yoga again. Yoga means union or to join, and by practicing even basic Hatha yoga, one can reawaken or reunite one's desires to love the creator. The difficulty is how one maintains spiritual discipline and God-consciousness in a world dominated by atheism. The difficulty always brought me back to the seed planted within me as I left London. I resolved that Dhammunism, the spiritual movement envisioned within me, must be actualized. Recognizing the importance of a spiritual community, I became intrigued by another community of devotees despite the warnings from those in ISKCON. I sought out the association of the Gaudiya Math.

I first encountered the Gaudiya Math during my parikrama around Govardhana Hill in India. As I walked, a yatra of Western devotees dressed in pristine white robes passed by in the opposite direction. Intrigued, I asked the monk accompanying me about them, as I had not seen such devotees at the ashram. He explained that they were part of the Gaudiya Math. Still, he cautioned that they had deviated from the teachings of Prabhupada by establishing their group outside the recognized line of disciplic succession. At that time, I believed it crucial to remain within a proper lineage and followed his advice. Only three years later, I discovered these individuals in India were disciples of Narayana Maharaja, a God-brother of Prabhupada and part of the same disciplic succession. It became evident that the entire movement should have taken shelter under Srila Narayana Maharaja, a contemporary and close associate of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada. Instead, the movement took shelter under 11 self-appointed gurus, which ultimately contributed to the downfall of ISKCON.

After months of meditation and practice, the magnetic pull I was feeling led me to attend the morning Aarti at a local Gaudiya Math temple. Upon entering the temple, I could feel a transcendental vibration. The smell of incense and a serene ambiance led me to a solitary figure draped in saffron robes. A dedicated Poojari lovingly conducted the sacred rites at the altar, the atmosphere palpably charged with devotion. The solitary figure was a swami, a humble yet captivating soul adorned with John Lennon-style glasses, mesmerized me with ecstatic chants and rhythmic drumming on a mrdanga during the Aarti. Aside from the swami and the Poojari, my wife and I were the only people there. 

After leading us through the morning program, the swami eagerly engaged me in conversation, prompting me to share an overview of my spiritual journey—from my departure from the International Society of Krishna Consciousness to my spiritual sojourns at Govardhana Hill in India and my encounters with the Maharaja in England. To my astonishment, he said he had faced expulsion from ISKCON almost 40 years prior because he had taken shelter under Narayana Maharaja instead of the 11 self-appointed gurus. He briefly detailed how forged letters gave the 11 the power of the founder, Srila Prabhupada. The swami also shared how Prabhupada initiated him in the 1970s, his journey to the Gaudiya Math, and his second initiation as a Sannyasa by Narayana Maharaja. In that poignant moment, amidst my inner turmoil, I experienced a profound sense of peace, validation, and ecstasy, realizing I had finally found my earthly spiritual master. The synchronicity of our meeting was a divine arrangement. What were the odds that I would walk into the temple at 4:30 am on a random day of the week, and the only two people there were western-bodied and direct disciples of Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja?

I met my future spiritual master, Avadhoot Swami Maharaja, at the precise moment when my journey needed divine guidance the most. Nitai orchestrated our meeting, aligning our paths to fulfill the vision for Dhammunism that had been quietly germinating within my heart for nearly two years. Our encounter's synchronicity underscored our connection's profound significance and illuminated the path forward. Recognizing my search for spiritual grounding and purpose, Gurudeva graciously invited me to visit the farming community in central Texas that he was departing for the next day. 

I accepted, and following my initial trip to the farm, it took several months for me to comprehend and embrace my newfound path fully. I realized that shedding some of the material attachments accumulated over time was essential to embodying the principles of Varnashrama Dharma and advancing the Sankirtan movement in the Western world. Throughout this transformative period, Gurudeva extended his boundless mercy by accepting me as one of his disciples and givingme harinam or a new name Mathuresh Das.

Now, standing at the threshold of a new chapter in my life, I wholeheartedly embrace the responsibility entrusted to me. With unwavering determination and faith, I embark on the profound journey of establishing Dhammunism in the United States of America, guided by the wisdom and grace of my spiritual master.