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Ameyatma & Ragalekha's Family:

This is an old picture from 1997.

Ameyatma is me,  my wife, Ragalekha, and our 3 children and there ages as of Sept 2001 :
  Radhika Chandra (far left)  6     Lala Krishna Gopal (center) 7    and  Kalindi = 9 (far right)   

Our family meeting with Indradyumna Swami. He is really great with kids.  He gave them all nicknames; Radhika he called The Golden Deer because of her gold colored (hazel) eyes.   Lal Krsna he called Kirtan-Wala (Kirtan is the singing or Krsna's names and wala means like a family/occupation.   If a family ran a sweet shop, they would be known as the sweet shop-walas), he named his this because of his enthusiasm for kirtan, playing kartals, whompers, etc.   And Kalindi he named the Princes, or Little Princes, or Maharani (which is also my nick name for her)  (taken in the spring of 2001). 

Me:  Ameyatma das

I was born when I was just a real small baby (can't really remember much about it) in Jefferson, Iowa in the US
Found Prabhupad's books in the library in 1970 and immediately on seeing the Krishna Book I accepted Srila Prabhupad in my heart as my spiritual master. Joined the temple in LA in on July 10th, 1973 and was initiated on Dec 10th, 1973. Started working with Baradraj on the Doll Project (FATE) in Sept of 74 and remained with the project until it dissolved in 1985. Since then I have been mostly self-employed at various work, generally around computers, programming, artwork, etc.  In 1993 we moved to Alachua FL (New Raman Reti). We still live here. Currently I am running a Commodity Trade Advisory to earn a living, and also looking into several other businesses.     

(Fall of 2001:  We are now looking to move again, this time to start out own preaching center, and possible Varnashram-Dharma community.   I will write about it on my web site as I get the time)

[Srila Prabhupad gave me the name of the servant (das) of Ameyatma. Meya means to measure, Ameya means that which cannot be measured. Atma means the soul or living force. That soul which cannot be measured is GOD, Krishna. I am His very measurable servant Ameyatma das. ]

My wife: Ragalekha Devi dasi

She is of India-Indian descent. She was also born when she was very young as well, in Durban, South Africa.

Her family is Vaishnav, so she was born a devotee. They understood Vishnu/Krsna to be Supreme, but the family also worshipped Ganesh, Sarasvati, Sita-Ram and her mother worshipped the Sun-God. As a teenager she told her mother that she wanted only to offer prayers to one, not so many, she wanted to know who was that one God. So, she limited her prayers to just Narayan (Vishnu - Krsna). Then, in 1975-6 ISKCON devotees started having programs near their home in Pheonix (suburb of Durban) and she attended then started visiting the new temple. In 1979 she agreed to stay over night for the weekend at the ashram and decided never to leave.

For years she had cut out a picture of Srila Prabhupad from a BTG magazine and placed it on the home altar and worshipped him as her guru. She was shocked when she joined to have found that he had already left this world (and she would have to take initiation from someone else - anyway that is another story).

In 1981 she came to America and we were married (arranged marriage).

Ragalekha is an expert cook. (My extended stomach will attest to that). She is also very strict in keeping the principles of chastity.

Our Children:

I will have to complete this latter,    the following was mostly written back in 97  (except for first paragraph below), and will have to be updated - later : )  

• Kalindi Devi dasi

  Kalindi is the first and oldest. We have been home schooling all the children. Kalindi is good at art, reads well for her age, is learning to cook.  

  I was married for 11 years before she came along. We wanted children since the day we were married, but Krishna had other plans. We prayed, we performed fire yajnas, we chanted so many extra rounds, we wanted these children. We prayed intensly each time we engaged in sex asking Krishna to please send us nice devotee children. He took a while, but Krishna sent us 3 very wonderful and devotional children. We really wanted these children. I guess we still want them, sort of..., I think. Actually, they are running around the house right now making so much noise I can't think straight. Let me think about this for a minute... Nah, I guess they are all right, sort of, I think I still want them. [Hey, quiet down out there. Stop giggling so much. ]

  Lala Krishna Gopal das

• Lala Krishna Gopala das

  31/2 years +

  This guy is absolutely the worst son I've ever had, make no mistake about that.

  He is also definately my favorite son, there is no mistake about that.

  He is also my only son - in case that makes more sense. His favorite activity is to make Kalindi screan. He keeps telling me he wants to be exactly like me. (Poor kid - he just doesn't know).

  He even wants a stomach (large for my size), just like mine, he doesn't want hair on the top of his head, just like me. But, these things make you take devotional life all that more seriously, because if you want your children to be nice devotees, they will, if you are, because kids really want to be just like their parents, and that is what they eventually will become. So, if you want first-class devotee children, well, I guess you know what sort of example you have to set.

  Lalji likes to play his kartals and dancing and jumping in kirtan. He gets right into the middle of it. He likes wearing dhoti (just like mine).

Radhika Chandra Devi dasi

•  

  21/2 years old

  I should have put a close up of her face, everyone really likes her hazel colored eyes.

  She is the 'Baby' of he family. My wife got us all in the habit of calling her 'Baby', so as far as Radhika is concerned that is her name. She likes to smile. She gets very concerned if Lala starts crying. She is very kind and very devoted. She is always folding her hands and offereing obeisances.

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