Indradyumna Swami Maharaja
Introduction
Early Life
Missionary activities
Festival of India
Polish Woodstock
Vrindavana pilgrimage
Autobiographical essay
Early Life
Born as Brian Tibbitts on May 20th, 1949 in Palo Alto, California, after surviving a struggle with spinal meningitis at age four and the death of a neighborhood dog at age six, he began contemplating existential questions concerning the nature of life and death, happiness and distress, real love and the purpose of the universe. Unable to find the answers within his home community, he left home to find the secret of a "truly satisfying life" at age sixteen. Being an idealist he eventually joined the US Marines to stop the spread of communism in Vietnam. A year later he was honorably discharged as a conscientious objector. Shortly thereafter in 1970 he met members of ISKCON in Detroit, Michigan and became a member, moving into the temple at 8311 East Jefferson. Within a week of joining he was leading congregational chanting (kirtan) and distributing spiritual literature such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. In December 1971 he was awarded initiation by his spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and received the name Indradyumna das after a saintly king described in India's ancient traditions.The following is an autobiographical essay, "Shelter Beyond Duality", published in the 1993 edition of ISKCON’s Back to Godhead Magazine.