Naman Shrestha
In ‘Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness & The Hare Krishnas,’ the focus is on the controversial Hare Krishna Movement and the dark secrets of some of the ISKCON gurus in the 1970s and 1980s. One of the gurus and associates of ISKCON, whose life is explored in the two-part documentary series, is Robert Grant, also known as Ramesvara Swami and Ramesvara Das. Through the insightful interviews of former devotees of the Hare Krishna Movement, the audience is able to grasp more about the gurus.
Robert Grant Held Many Positions Within ISKCON
Named Robert Grant at birth, he was named Ramesvara Swami and then Ramesvara Das, after becoming a disciple of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at an initiation ceremony on April 28, 1971, in Los Angeles, California. He eventually became a guru within the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and a member of its Governing Body Commission (GBC). Given his leadership qualities, Robert was appointed as a trustee/manager of the North American Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in February 1975, after which he was responsible for the printing and distribution of Prabhupada’s books in North America.
According to reports, Robert also served as Prabhupada’s personal secretary in India. After Prabhupada’s demise, he was one of the self-appointed ISKCON zonal acharyas, managing the temples in Denver, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, and San Diego. About a decade later, in 1986, he was allegedly having a relationship with a minor gurukula girl, after which he resigned from all GBC management responsibilities. However, he could not resign from the BBT since its founder, Prabhupada, had appointed him for life. Robert was also suspected of drug trafficking and being involved in the murder of Sulochan and another one in 1977 in Newport Beach.
Robert Grant Continues to Work For ISKCON
After severing ties with ISKCON, Robert Grant reintroduced himself to the business world. He sold real estate for a while and even did condo conversions in New York City, New York. As per reports, he rejoined ISKCON and got himself involved in various activities. In 2008, he even attended the annual Festival of India in Los Angeles, California. Still associated with ISKCON and Hare Krishna Movement, Robert gave a lecture about the “Pastimes of Srila Prabhupada” in the ISKCON Temple of Mumbai, India, in 2019.
Around the beginning of 2020, he reportedly battled pneumonia and managed to recover from it. While dealing with the illness, he opened up about his state, saying, “During my recent illness with pneumonia I had a tiny glimpse of the potentially unlimited miseries of bodily and mental suffering, and how it teaches us to take Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and gifts and mercy so seriously- as if this was to be our last moments in this gross body.”
For several years now, the ISKCON guru has been distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in different cities through the SKP Transcendental Marathon book distribution. On January 14, 2024, he held a lecture on “Srila Prabhupada: The Empowered Representative Of Krsna” at the ISKCON Temple of Mumbai, India. Still a proud member of the Hare Krishna Movement and ISKCON, Robert continues to lead a religious life and spread awareness about Prabhupada’s life and good deeds through his lectures while residing in West Bengal, India.
Read More: James Immel: How Did the ISKCON Guru Die? Who Killed Him?
