Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami is a Vaishnava (devotee of Krishna) in the renounced order of life, following a celibate monastic lifestyle. He has been a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) since 1973 and, since 1974, his chief domicile has been India. A disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami is recognized internationally as an erudite scholar of Vedic studies. Early Life Born as Alan Ross Wexler in February, 1955 in Los Angeles, his parents were actively involved in the field of arts and entertainment - his father Paul Wexler a Hollywood actor and his mother a performer in the theatre. When he was three years of age his mother passed away. His father remarried and in 1961 they all moved to Oregon. Spiritual Life As a young man, Allen developed a keen interest in spiritual life and at 18 years old, just three weeks before his high school graduation, he became a full-time student member of ISKCON. Recognised by the more senior of his peers as a thinker and of high intelligence, on their recommendation Srila Prabhupada formally accepted him as his disciple and renamed him Anirdesya Vapu Dasa Brahmacari in 1974. He then spent some time travelling and teaching in St. Louis, Hong Kong and Bangkok. By 1974 his travels took him to South India and West Bengal, specifically Kolkata and Mayapur, 130km north of Kolkata, in West Bengal. In Mayapur he worked closely with senior members who had taken the vow of renunciation or sannyasa. In 1982, Anirdesya Vapu was asked to assist in developing a school of Vedic studies, or gurukula, in Mayapur and these efforts acted as an impetus for a lifetime of advanced study of Vedic philosophy or Vedanta. In 1987, at the age of 32, he took a vow of lifelong dedication as a celibate monk, entering the renounced order as the sannyasi Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami. Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami is renowned for his knowledge of ancient Vedic scriptures including Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, the Upanisads and the Puranas. Particular fields of expertise include the study of philosophy; Vedic psychology; relationship development; Vedic rites; and importantly the application of Vedic culture in day to day life. Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami leads the simple life of an austere monk in Mayapur, West Bengal, and occasionally travels to the West to present seminars and workshops.
Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami is my (step) son. After he made the transition into ISKCON and began his life in India, we had little contact until after his father's death in 1978. I was with him briefly in San Francisco in 1980. During his summer travels in 2008, he came to visit me in Eugene, Ore., where he grew up. Meeting him again after 28 years, I can say that he is the finest man I ever met. We are in fairly regular communication now, and he is aware that he still has all my love and support. His students are truly fortunate and well blessed.
Carole Hillabrant
Guest
2. 17-06-2011 07:37
This man is still in a position of authority after YEARS of abusing innocent children.
A former student from Mayapura, India recollects: "He [Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami] is notorious for his expertise in lacerating the skin off the back of the children with one single hit of his special, bendy, bamboo cane. He would get the boys to kneel forward and hold their ankles with their hands, so as to form an arch of some sort with their body. He would then hit the boys on the back, causing the tip of the stick to whip around, striking their chest.
"Many boys recall that he preceded his beatings with a sadistic ritual intended to increase the fear of his victims. He would smile and wiggle his eyebrows gleefully, while bending the cane full circle and making whipping sounds with his mouth. Several boys suffered shock after those canings."
