Ekalavya Das Brahmachari was born in New York City, USA in 1965, the same year that ISKCON Founder Acarya, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came to New York. His mother’s younger sister would regularly hear Srila Prabhupada’s Kirtans in Tompkins Square Park in 1966.Although living in the capital of Kali Yuga, New York City, Ekalavya expressed his interests in spiritual topics even at a young age. He began chanting Hare Krishna in 1977 at the age of 12. When he was 15 years old, Ekalavya received Bhagavad Gita As It Is from his sister as a birthday present.
Ekalavya was born in an affluent family which encouraged education, culture and the arts. Bouncing on his father’s knee, he began his studies of piano at the age of five. At the age of six, he started guitar lessons. At the age of seven he began trumpet lessons. By the time he entered the Berklee College of Music in Boston, in 1982, he had already learned sixteen different instruments and performed in music groups in prestigious venues across the USA. As a college student, he worked part time as a music producer, composer, recording engineer, and as the Director of Electronic Music at the Aaron Copeland Music and Arts Program. In 1984, he was brought to the Boston Hare Krishna temple by a friend and became a regular visitor there while continuing his studies. In 1987, Ekalavya received his degree from Berklee College of Music in Recording Engineering and Production; a unique science combining acoustic engineering, electrical engineering and music. The next three years were a time of spiritual exploration. After graduating from college in 1987, he traveled as a professional musician and spiritual seeker to more than 25 countries. The culmination of these travels was the realization that service to Lord Krishna and the chanting of His holy names is the highest possible activity.
Ekalavya Das joined ISKCON as a brahmachari in 1991 in Ireland, Europe. He traveled to London to Bhaktivedanta Manor (donated by George Harrison of the Beatles) for deeper understanding of Krishna conscious philosophy. Joining the ISKCON Padayatra, a group of devotees walking from Belfast to Moscow, he traveled by foot through Holland, Belgium, France and Spain, distributing Krishna consciousness. In 1992, during a meeting in Spain with his spiritual master, His Holiness Lokanath Swami Maharaja, he received the instruction to go to India. Today, Ekalavya Das often serves Lokanath Maharaja as his personal secretary. He is currently locked down in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. He has been appointed by the GBC as a member of the newly formed ISKCON Kirtan Ministry. He is the secretary of the ministry. His services include coordinating ISKCON’s Annual International World Holy Name Festival. He is a senior member of the GBC deputies.
He is a candidate for sannyasa, now on the one year list. He is a well known traveling preacher in the world of international ISKCON having visited many countries including USA, Canda, France, England, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Guyana, Trinidad, Mauritius, South Africa, Botswana, Russia, India, Damodardesh, Shyamdesh, Avataridesh, Mathuradesh, etc, etc.
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