 Ramba uchiverenga ndima ino - Śivarāma Swami akaberekerwa muBudapest mumhuri yechiJudha yepakati-kati nevabereki vakapona muHolocaust. Amai vake, Magda Létai, vakashanda paUVATERV, kambani inovaka migwagwa nezvitima somutariri wedhipatimendi. Baba vake, Pál Létai, vaiva mugadziri wemachira. Kunyange zvazvo vakarera mwanakomana wavo vachimudzivirira uye vachimuchengetedza, havana kumuudza dzidziso dzechitendero. Muna December 1956, pashure pegore rake rokutanga rechikoro chepuraimari muHungary, mhuri yake yakatamira kuCanada panguva yekukundikana kwe1956 Hungarian revolution. MuMontreal akapfuuridzira dzidzo yake yepuraimari uye akasumwa kurudzidziso kuchechi yePurotesitendi yeHungary yaakapinda paSvondo. Somwana aida kurava, uye akanyora nhetembo dzakawanda nenyaya. Muna 1966, akafuridzirwa nevabereki vake - kunyanya amai vake -Péter Létai akagamuchirwa neMcGill University muMontreal, kwaakadzidza engineering engineering. Nemhaka yokurerwa kwake kwokuomerera pane zvapakuvamba, akashamiswa nomufambiro wavadzidzi navadzidzisi zvakafanana, uye akanzwa kuti mipimo chaiyoiyo nokurovedza hunhu zvakanga zviri kushayikwa. Dzidzo yaingoitirwa kuwana basa uye kunakidzwa nenyika. Kuodzwa mwoyo kwake kwakamuita kuti ave akazaruka kune dzimwe nzira dzokufunga nadzo. Muna 1967, akatanga kuona nhengo dzeISKCON, vamiririri vetsika yeIndia yebhakti, vachidzokorora nokuimba mumusasa weyunivhesiti uye paMontreal Worlds Fair. 