In Memoriam: In Honor Of Shyamdas, A Great Vaishnava: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

With the sudden passing of Shyamdas, a well known and charismatic American Vaishnava, we have lost first and foremost a loving friend whose unique blend of devotional mood, scholarly acumen, generosity, humor and style remain indescribable and irreplaceable. The full depth and extent of Shyamdasji’s amazing journey through life only he knew, but I will share here a few of the details he narrated to me during our time together, along with excerpts from his books and unpublished memoirs. We have also lost our Western guide to Shri Vallabhacharya’s Pushtimarga, the “Path of Grace.” I highlight here some of his relationships with teachers, practitioners, and scholars, followed by a summary of his literary study and contributions, which speaks to his life as a practitioner-scholar of the Pushtimarga tradition. Lastly, I address his associates and activities in the Western world of Bhakti Yoga and his charitable aspirations for Braj Bhumi, Shri Krishna’s sacred homeland in India.