About me

Greetings !

My name is Ajita Krishna Das, and I am a resident pujari (priest) at the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram in Soquel, California (USA).

I’ve been attempting to practice Krishna Consciousness since 1988. Started in ISKCON Society, then in 1992 moved to the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, when I became a disciple of my Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

In 1993 The Devotees acquired this land that I live on now, 28 acres on a mountain, outside of Soquel, California.

I grew up in the music business, my father being a key player in much of the San Francisco music scene since 1965.

Also grew up on sailboats…. racing them on San Francisco Bay. I also took a sailboat from Italy to San Francsico in ’87-’88. Then to Canada some years later.

I spent most of the 90s in Humboldt County, visiting the Ashram here in Soquel about 5 times a year. I’d always come stay during the visit of my Gurudev who had come from India to nourish us all. He would stay anywhere from 2 weeks to a month, generally, with one visit lasting almost 3 months.

I then moved to Mendocino County n 1998, following a terrible car accident.

The car wreck damaged me greatly, as I had sustained some spine injuries from an assault in 1993. That assault left me unable to stand up for two years.

I have been struggling with chronic pain ever since.

Now I am diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. It’s a painful condition that progresses with time.

I was keeping my own home in Santa Cruz, California, about 15 minutes from the Ashram for 2 years. Frustrated with material life I asked the Devotees if I could stay with them.

They agreed, because of their affection for me. I feel like this is my home, and everyone here is my well-wisher and dear friend !

One of my interests is gardening.

Grew this Garbera daisy this year, 2025.

So, what can I say. I live on donations from people, aside from some internet work and my incense company.

I live in 1 room here at the Ashram, and have many duties here.

I’m primarily a pujari, priest. I serve the Devotees, visitors, and our Deities.

Here they are, wearing garlands I made for Them on Thanksgiving Day, 2025.

Their names are Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Ghandarvika Giridhari Jiu, and on the left is Sriman Gauranga Sundar Jiu.

I am so blessed to be able to call myself Their servant.

I was born in 1969, in San Francisco, California (USA). Stayed there until 1987 after which I moved to Mendocino County.

It was there that I met my Devotee friend and mentor, Sriman Daitananda Prabhu, who shared Krishna Consciousness with me, and saved my life by doing so.

My activity at the Ashram involves making garlands, offering foodstuffs to our Deities, offering Arati worship to our Deities, cleaning and serving out Prasad (blessed food) to visitors and Devotees.

I guess I’ll share an image of myself here.