Promoting the beauty and rich heritage of Indian Vedic and related Martial Arts

                                       Guru Susanto Das Founder of the KSATRIYA MARTIAL ARTS SANGAM

Susanto Das is Auricular Acupuncturist, Psychotherapist Hypnotherapist NLP, and alternative/complimentary herbal medicine and healing massage therapist and Guru Martial Arts, Raja/Hatha Yoga instructor. He speaks to Abhijit Ganguly.

How did your tryst with martial arts happen?

When I was a youth my father had a business started in a town in England. Unknown to him it was full of racist neonazi fascist gangs who hated Asian people and were very very violent. His business was constantly attacked by these mindless hooligans as was I. However the staff at his business were accomplished martial artists and I started my training under them. However after having tasted death at age 13 at school after I was severely beaten by some racist thugs who didn’t want me, an Indian, at the same school as their children, my martial arts training started in earnest first with karate under Sensie Robin Packman, then Ving Tsun Kung Fu under Sifu Clive Potter, then through the grace of God through sincere earnest prayers some real Gurus of ancient Royal South East Asian martial arts from both Malaysia and Indonesia which everyone knows as the art of Pencak Seni Silat today came into my life, adopted me as a family member and taught me first to defend myself and finally to develop my character and spirituality and to become a true contributing civilized human being of society! While continuing my development in the art of Silat, my journey continued with several masters until I met my true master Guru Paul Whitrod aka Parasurama Das at age 15 years who has been a blessing in my life ever since. He taught me the way of true Vedic Indian Martial Arts and the beauty of Krsna (God) Consciousness as expounded by his Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada.

Martial Arts have spiritual qualities. What is your view regarding this?

Martial art without spirituality is like a dead body without a heart or a religion without spirituality which breeds nothing but ego just like we see in most Abrahamic traditions. Spirituality in martial arts sets the goal of achieving purity as the spiritual basis as Vedic martial arts culture contained in the holy scriptures like the Bagavad Gita, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the Dhanur Veda, etc. are the true origins of martial arts, spirituality and its guidelines, Lord Shiva was the seed originator of all genuine martial arts later passed on by his students Rishi Parasurama and Rishi Agastya amongst others to the first civilization of humanity (India) and over time spread throughout the world into various forms of martial arts like Kung Fu, Karate, etc. The humanistic tradition of Vedic Indian, Asian and Oriental Martial Arts recommends that an adept be humanitarian, honest, noble, modest, and sensitive to the suffering of others. Only when these characteristics are mastered and practised can an adept be called a master or martial artist. This ideology of nobleness of mind and character pervades all true traditional martial arts styles with Guru Parampara.

Could you elaborate the therapeutic use of martial arts?

“Martial arts are a spiritual challenge, not just a physical one. When you learn something, always use the heart”

Martial Arts Masters have been transmitted from generation to generation their metaphysical teachings of what Western psychology refers to as the ‘power within’ each individual.

Evidence of the effectiveness of martial arts in producing affective, cognitive and behavioural benefits has come from a number of studies. Improvements in self-esteem, a more positive response to the physical challenge, greater autonomy, emotional stability and assertiveness and reductions in anxiety and depression have all been associated with martial arts training. There are social benefits of such behavioural change – in particular the relationship between martial arts practice and aggression. Martial arts wisdom has it that after consistent practice one becomes less impulsive and aggressive towards others.

You are involved in a lot of social causes. Could you throw some light?

I am involved with The Shambav NGO in India. SAMBHAV is an effort to create a Single Platform to address Multiple Issues with focus on Basic Health, Basic Education and Basic Economic Security. The projects I am directly connected to and involved within Shambav are its women’s empowerment programme, in essence as a self defence instructor/consultant helping to teach and promote the cause and helping develop anti-rape awareness and eve-teasing programme with a curriculum I have termed as the “Don’t Touch Me” system which is also taught by my official reps in the USA Guru Chris Robinson and Carol Marley www.stactstrong.com and my rep In India Instructor Riddhi Dutta.

Also, I am involved with a charity registered in Finland founded by my good friend Dr Parvez Alam PhD, an exceptional master of martial arts. The charity is named Fighting For Lives www.fightingforlives.com of which I held the first international seminar to raise funds and also promote on a regular basis and hold regular seminars and courses annually of martial arts to continually raise fund . The aim of FFL is to hold and organize martial arts events to raise money for less fortunate children around the world.

However, I consider the greatest social cause that I am involved with is the spreading of Sanatan Dharma, especially the Vaishnava order of the International Society for Krsna Conciousness founded by his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada and my Gurudev’s Mission, Sri Mouni Baba Mission, of which I am the western representative and head of the Sat Chit Ananda Yoga Satsang for the upliftment of global society with the eternal Vedic wisdom especially in the west .

I am the founder of the Ksatriya Martial Arts Sangam in the west where I promote and teach not only the beauty and rich heritage of Indian Vedic and related Martial Arts with the blessings of my Martial arts Guru Paul Whitrod aka Parasurama Das one of the great Vaishnava Martial arts Gurus alive in my humble opinion. I also give lessons, speeches and motivational talks on the rich cultural heritage and the message of Sanatan Dharma and why it is the solution for all of mankind’s problems that we face today collectively and on an individual basis.  I’m also the representative of my Guru Maharaj Jivan Mukhta Guru Das of the Sri Mouni Baba Mission. We have a website www.sriamm.com, He has ordained me to spread the teachings of Sanatan Dharma and head the Sat Chit Ananda Yoga Satsang in the west in cooperation with genuine members/devotees of the International Society of Krsna Consciousness.

You are involved in anti-GM movement. What are your views?

My peaceful activism against the lies, deception and evils of GM began after I read the works of his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupad and my martial arts Guru Paul Whitrod aka Parasurama Das and their pushing for devotees to buy land and form Community Farms all around the world, I wondered why and when GM and the corrupt corporations as Monsanto and their likes that support and promote this enemy of mankind came into the open. I understood why with the death and suicides of hundreds of thousands of farmers alone in India per year due to GM seeds, crops and pesticides and the poor farmers’ plight worldwide and the health risks to those who partake and ingest daily GM foods worldwide.

There are numerous organizations such as the one run by Vandana Shiva and Shambav NGO in India and Kamala Das aka Lua Cheia aka Jamie Allan www.actnaturallyblog.wordpress.com, www.actnaturally.org who have scientifically and socially exposed the dangers of GM foods and crops to society and the environment through their sincere research and hard work. They have dispelled the myths of over-population and the need for GM foods and crops.

Overall, we must stop this GM cultivation, So, Chant Hare Krishna, stop our internal bickering, that’s what these people in power want, so a pure Vedic philosophy cannot reach out. So don’t worry about how you came down. If you want to stay, then stay by becoming a spiritual master to help all mankind and animal- kind. Srila Prabhupada knew past, present and future, and he knew what is going to happen, but he preached this Krishna philosophy regardless of problems that may come. That should be seen as his mercy. Parasurama das Hare Krishna, So please stop fighting. Your real enemies (also your mind) are those who want to control our food and life. And, of course, your own mind will thus be confused.