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Bhagavan Das (
Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...
: भगवान दास) (born Kermit Michael Riggs) is an American
yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297–299, 331 ...
who lived for six years in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
, and
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
. He is a
bhakti ''Bhakti'' (; Pali: ''bhatti'') is a term common in Indian religions which means attachment, fondness for, devotion to, trust, homage, worship, piety, faith, or love.See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. In Indian religions, it ...
yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297–299, 331 ...
,
kirtan Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s) ''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...
singer, spiritual teacher and writer.


History

In 1963, Kermit Riggs was 18 years old and living in
Laguna Beach Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Located in Southern California along the Pacific Ocean, this seaside resort city has a mild year-round climate, scenic coves, and environ ...
as photographer, musician, and surfer. There, he became disillusioned with American imperialism and the American lifestyle. This sentiment increased after
John F. Kennedy's assassination John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Kennedy was in the vehicle with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onas ...
, which led him to feel embarrassed about being an American. Partially in response to these feelings, he planned a solo trip through Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East and Asia. He traveled to Greece in December 1963 before beginning his journey as a wandering
ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...
in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
and
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
. He writes that he received numerous initiations and teachings from various saints and sages. In India he lived and learned about many Indian lifestyles, dialects, music, songs, and traditions, and met many swamis and saints. He became Bhagavan Das and a devotee of
goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...
Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...
. In 1965, Riggs was living with a Swami and practicing
Sādhanā ''Sādhanā'' (; ; ) is an ego-transcending spiritual practice in Indian religions. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives. ...
. After six months in this arrangement, he went on a
Pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
with his Swami to meet the
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
holy man
Neem Karoli Baba Neem Karoli Baba () or Neeb Karori Baba () (born Laksman Narayan Sharma; – 11 September 1973), also known to his followers as Maharaj-ji, was a Hindu guru and a devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman. Biography Early years Lakshman Narayan Sh ...
, whom he subsequently became a devotee of. He developed a pattern of alternately studying with Baba and living as an ascetic for a few months at a time. In 1967, Das was living with two women in his off-ashram time and heard that two Americans were giving
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...
to people in the restaurant Blue Tibetan. He sent
Richard Alpert Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert; April 6, 1931 – December 22, 2019), also known as Baba Ram Dass, was an American spiritual teacher, guru of modern yoga, psychologist, and writer. His best-selling 1971 book '' Be Here Now'', which has been d ...
to retrieve a dose. Alpert stayed with the Americans for five days at the Sewati hotel where they were hosting a seminar. Richard Alpert decided to follow Bhagavan Das instead of traveling to Japan with David Padwa. After three months guiding Alpert, Das decided that Alpert should meet his guru
Neem Karoli Baba Neem Karoli Baba () or Neeb Karori Baba () (born Laksman Narayan Sharma; – 11 September 1973), also known to his followers as Maharaj-ji, was a Hindu guru and a devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman. Biography Early years Lakshman Narayan Sh ...
. Baba became Alpert's guru and gave him the name
Ram Dass Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert; April 6, 1931 – December 22, 2019), also known as Baba Ram Dass, was an American spiritual teacher, guru of modern yoga, psychologist, and writer. His best-selling 1971 book '' Be Here Now'', which has been d ...
. In 1971 Bhagavan Das returned to America. In 1997 he wrote his autobiography, ''It's Here Now (Are You?)''. In 2002, he released his seventh full album, called ''Now'', that was produced and arranged by
Mike D Michael Louis Diamond (born November 20, 1965), better known as Mike D, is an American rapper, musician, and music producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys. Early life Diamond was born in New York City to Har ...
of the
Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
, an East-meets-West musical pairing. Bhagavan Das appeared in Ram Dass' 1971 book '' Be Here Now'', which described Bhagavan Das' role in Ram Dass' spiritual journeys in India.


Personal life

In 1972 in California Bhagavan Das married his girlfriend, Bhavani, who was expecting their child; subsequently their daughter, Soma, was born in New York. In 1974 in
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...
, while still married to Bhavani, he met Usha. Bhagavan Das and Usha had a son, Mikyo, and a daughter, Lalita. Bhagavan Das' marriage to Bhavani ended with her death in 1983. He and Usha separated . Bhagavan Das was married to Sharada Devi for 12 years. In early 2019, Bhagavan Das and his current wife Amulya Maa began singing and teaching together. On October 1, 2020, they were married.


Works


Autobiography

*


Radio plays

*'' The Fourth Tower of Inverness'', 1972, Bhagavan Das's singing is the voice of the Bodhisattva Jukebox. *'' Moon Over Morocco'', 1974, Bhagavan Das's singing is used in Sunny Skies' dream sequence.


Selected discography

*''AH'', 1972 *''Now'' (produced by
Mike D Michael Louis Diamond (born November 20, 1965), better known as Mike D, is an American rapper, musician, and music producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys. Early life Diamond was born in New York City to Har ...
of the
Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
), 2002 *''Holy Ghost Sessions'' (with Richard Sales), 2004 *''Golden Voice'', 2007 *''Love Songs to the Dark Lord'', 2009 *''The Howler at Dawn'', 2009 *''Mother Light'', 2014


Selected video appearances (self)

*''What is Yoga?'' (with David Life, Sharon Ganon, and
Willem Dafoe William James "Willem" Dafoe ( ; born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. Known for his prolific career portraying diverse roles in both mainstream and arthouse films, he is the recipient of various accolades including a Volpi Cup Award for ...
), 1998 *'' Ram Dass, Fierce Grace'', 2001 *'' Crazy Sexy Cancer'', 2007 *''Spiritual Revolution'', 2008 *''One Giant Leap 2: What About Me?'', 2008 *''Karmageddon'', 2011 *''
Kumaré ''Kūmāré'' is a 2011 documentary film directed by and starring American filmmaker Vikram Gandhi, who posed for a time as an Indian guru in Phoenix, Arizona, to satirize the American New Age movement. Synopsis Vikram Gandhi, the child of obser ...
'', 2011


References


Notes


Citations


Works cited

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Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* * * *
Bhagavan Das & Amulya Maa's channel
at
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhagavan Das 1945 births Living people American Hindus Converts to Hinduism Hindu yogis Kirtan performers Ram Dass