Vadim Tuneev, born in Tashkent in the pre-perestroika USSR, was a scientist seeking the meaning of life when he was handed a copy of the Bhagavad Gita.
The book not only helped him in his inner quest for truth but also gave him the strength to withstand the political realities of an atheistic state that viewed spirituality with suspicion and derision.
Every time obstacles mounted, he found spiritual courage to rise again — to eventually become the first Russian monk in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) order.
Now, 46 years later, he continues to guide many as Bhakti Vijnana Goswami Maharaj. As a global proponent of the Bhagavad Gita, he has been inspiring a growing number of Russians and Central Asians on their spiritual quest to India.
TNIE catches up with the Govardhan-based guru, who is on a visit to Kerala. Excerpts:
How do you look back on your journey from a molecular biologist to a monk?
One filled with happiness. I have seen the USSR transform into a nation where spirituality can breathe. Ultimately, life is a pursuit of happiness. I am happy.
How did you come to Krishna Consciousness?
I was a research scientist after graduating from the chemistry department of Moscow State University. My PhD work gave me many insights, but I was disillusioned because it could not explain the design of life. Around that time, when I was 24, a friend gave me the Bhagavad Gita. I wasn’t immediately convinced, but I found it quite rational. My questions were answered better within the spiritual paradigm. I wanted to explore further. Slowly, one thought led to another, and here I am.
Could you tell us about the USSR you grew up in and the Russia of today?
Those were days when anything theistic was considered illegal. There was no freedom even to possess a philosophical book like the Bhagavad Gita. ISKCON functioned underground. Some followers were imprisoned, tortured and even locked up in psychiatric hospitals. I too went underground. I read the Bhagavad Gita secretly (smiles).
After perestroika (Soviet Union restructuring), however, ISKCON gradually gained recognition from the state. Later, in the 2008-’11 period, there were attempts by some fanatic groups to ban the Gita. Those efforts failed because of a global pushback.
How difficult were the pre-perestroika years for you personally?
I was imprisoned and pressured to testify against my friends. I lost my job as a researcher. They tried to stop me from defending my PhD thesis, though I eventually succeeded. It was a difficult period. I moved from Russia to Sweden in 1988, but was later able to return.
Today, however, Krishna Consciousness has many followers in Russia and other countries that were part of the USSR….
Krishna Consciousness has spread across most of the former Soviet Union — in Russia, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and other Central Asian countries. There are several reasons. People everywhere search for the meaning of life because life, by itself, appears meaningless. They seek answers to existential crisis... why we suffer, and why we are what we are. Every religion offers answers. But the Bhagavad Gita differs here. It does not demand belief as an entry ticket.
Faith is important, but it emerges organically. Krishna explains everything to Arjuna and then asks him to think. He does not say, ‘Believe, or you will go to hell.’
That rational approach is the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. The atheistic Soviet history made people sceptical of dogma. But when they discovered a philosophy that encouraged them to explore and find their own path, they found it convincing.
Yet ISKCON followers continue to face difficulties in some parts of the world…
Well, that’s the nature of this world. The answer is to continue preaching the message of love, counter envy with bhakti, and keep sharing India’s spiritual wisdom. It is unfortunate that we have to pay a price for it.
Are any efforts being made to secure help for Chinmoy Krishna Das, the monk imprisoned in Bangladesh following the regime change there?
It is a delicate matter. We are doing whatever is possible, but we have to be careful because many forces are at play. Any misstep could cause greater harm to him.
How easy is it for foreigners to adapt to an Indian way of life rooted in spirituality?
The masters (led by Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada) made it easy. Those who grow up within the Indian system often do not fully realise the advantages of how this affects our body, mind and soul. Foreigners, however, approach it like a clean slate.
India is also a crucible of diverse schools of thought…
Yes, but the essence is about surrender to the truth. Everyone speaks of oneness, but India gives you the freedom to understand that oneness in your own way. I have realised that the highest state of mind is love. Not merely for another person, but for the entire universe.