‘Adventures of a Travelling Monk illustrates a soul’s search for meaning, purpose, and bliss. Everyone’s journey looks different, but this book will give you the courage to walk yours.’
– JAY SHETTY
‘With my time in the Marines behind me, I gradually found myself on a personal quest for answers, a spiritual journey. I had left behind the disciplined life of a soldier and was wandering in search of meaning.’
Deeply affected by the death and misery he witnessed during the Vietnam War, Lance Corporal Brian Tibbitts embarked in pursuit of the real meaning and purpose of life. To his dismay, none of the major spiritual and religious texts he read could answer his questions … until he found Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and met the man who would become his guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON.
At the age of twenty-one, Brian Tibbitts was initiated as Indradyumna Swami and, following the instruction of his spiritual master to ‘preach boldly and have faith in the holy names’, he left the USA in 1971. What followed was a roller coaster journey across the globe. From surviving attacks in post-war Sarajevo to being mistaken as a terror suspect in North America to losing all his clothes and his way to the Kumbh Mela, Swami Ji’s life has been one adventure after another. Inspirational and engrossing, Adventures of a Travelling Monk is a riveting account of the full fifty years of Indradyumna Swami’s active service in the Hare Krishna movement.
Indradyumna Swami says, “Amidst the chaos of the Vietnam War, I found solace in my guru’s teachings and adopted the life of a traveling monk. This book Adventures of a Traveling Monk is not just my memoir; it’s your passport to embrace life’s mysteries. Join me.”
Sachin Sharma, Associate Publisher, HarperCollins says, “Indradyumna Swami’s memoir documenting his journey of more than five decades with ISKCON makes for an unputdownable book. It’s a unique account of how a marine, deeply affected by the Vietnam war, became a disciple of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami and followed his Guru’s instruction to spread Krishna’s message globally for the rest of his life.”
PRAISE FOR THE ADVENTURES OF A TRAVELLING MONK
Indradyumna Swami is one of the most amazing people to be roaming our planet. The places he goes to, the people he meets, and the intriguing experiences he encounters are filled with incredible suspense, hope, and humor. His story reveals the magic of life, wherein joy, faith, and love can be dynamically discovered in a world often defined by confusion, suffering, and conflict. Adventures of a Travelling Monk is a long-awaited publication wherein Indradyumna Swami shares the spiritual treasures of his extraordinary heart. Let us now join him on an unforgettable adventure.
—RADHANATH SWAMI
An intrepid modern-day sadhu takes his readers along for the journey as he carries the wisdom of India to all corners of the globe. I couldn’t put this book down. It is a remarkable story of a remarkable life.
—GAURANGA DAS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Indradyumna Swami is a traveling monk and spiritual teacher in the bhakti yoga tradition. His profound compassion and zest to share the spiritual culture of India has inspired him to traverse the globe for the last fifty years. He is an innovative and visionary leader who has transformed the lives of thousands worldwide, enriching and inspiring people on their spiritual journeys.
ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS INDIA
HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalog of more than 3,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, The Erasmus Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award, and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover, Nosy Crow, and Quarto. HarperCollins India is India’s most awarded publisher seven Publisher of the Year Awards (2015, 2016, 2018, two in 2021, 2022, and 2024). HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers.
