Gopal Krishna Goswami
Encyclopedia
Gopal Krishna Goswami is a religious leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(popularly known as the Hare Krishnas
). He was the first India
n disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to be initiated after the establishment of ISKCON. Gopal Krishna Goswami is currently a member of the Governing Body Commission
and an initiating guru
within the movement.
, India
as Gopal Krishna Khanna. After graduating from the University of Delhi
, he studied Business Management at the Sorbonne University of Paris
on a scholarship
from the French Government, and later studied for a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the McGill University
in Montreal
. After finishing his education, Gopal Krishna Khanna worked as a marketing research
analyst for Pepsi Cola and Bristol-Myers.
Gopal Krishna Khanna was living in Toronto
in May 1968 when he first met with Srila Prabhupada on June 1, 1968. During a three month period where Prabhupada stayed in Montreal, Gopal Krishna regularly heard from him on devotional topics and took instruction regarding his own personal life. Within two weeks of meeting him, Gopal Krishna Khanna decided to accept Srila Prabhupada as his spiritual master. In May 1969 he was initiated as one of Srila Prabhupada's disciples, receiving the name Gopal Krishna Dasa.
Later Gopal Krishna moved into the temple and lived there. He acted as Srila Prabhupada's secretary for several years. In 1970, he entered into an arranged marriage with a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Ekayani Devi Dasi from New York. Gopal continued working for Bristol-Myers until 1975. In 1975, Srila Prabhupada sent Gopal Krishna to India, giving him the responsibility of being a Governing Body Commission
er within the area. Prabhupada also instructed him specifically to print and expand the distribution of his books in India and to translate and print books in Indian languages. Prabhupada was pleased when Gopal Krishna presented him the first copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam translated into Hindi
.
In 1976, Prabhupada appointed Gopal Krishna as Governing Body Commissioner for the Soviet Union
. Gopal Krishna made several trips to Communist Russia at that time to preach and publish the Bhagavad Gita
in Russian
.
In 1981 he took the sannyasa
and was initiated into the monastic order of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. He took sannyasa initiation from Jayapataka Swami
and the name, Tridandi Swami Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. Since then Gopal Krishna Goswami has been traveling extensively all over the world preaching Gaudiya Vaishnavism
, initiating disciples, delivering talks, and overseeing various philanthropic and devotional projects.
Currently Gopal Krishna Goswami is the Governing Body Commission
er of many countries and regions including Delhi
, Vrindavan
, Mumbai
, Mayapur
, Chandigarh
, Kenya
, Canada
and parts of North America
and Russia
.
Gopal Krishna Goswami played a leading role in inspiring and completing several large ISKCON temples, such as the Glory of India temple in New Delhi (inaugurated by then Prime Minister of India
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
) and the Radha-Bankebihari temple in Nairobi
.
Gopal Krishna Goswami has been featured on Radio, Television and Newspaper stories in India and abroad commenting on various issues. He has delivered series of lectures to diverse audiences in the last three decades ranging from the Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai, IIT
students in Delhi, and congregation householder ISKCON devotees to academics, politicians and interfaith communities. He regularly delivers lectures at ISKCON temples, speaking on various Hindu scriptures, such as Bhagavad Gita
and Bhagavata Purana
.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
(popularly known as the Hare Krishnas
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
). He was the first India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to be initiated after the establishment of ISKCON. Gopal Krishna Goswami is currently a member of the Governing Body Commission
Governing Body Commission
The Governing Body Commission is the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness . ISKCON's founder, A.C...
and an initiating guru
ISKCON Guru System
ISKCON guru is permitted to initiate disciples in the system that is being used in International Society for Krishna Consciousness; this ISKCON Guru System has undergone a considerable evolution and reform since its beginnings in 1970s...
within the movement.
Biography
Gopal Krishna Goswami was born on August 14, 1944 in New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as Gopal Krishna Khanna. After graduating from the University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
, he studied Business Management at the Sorbonne University of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
from the French Government, and later studied for a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. After finishing his education, Gopal Krishna Khanna worked as a marketing research
Marketing research
Marketing research is "the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information — information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve...
analyst for Pepsi Cola and Bristol-Myers.
Gopal Krishna Khanna was living in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in May 1968 when he first met with Srila Prabhupada on June 1, 1968. During a three month period where Prabhupada stayed in Montreal, Gopal Krishna regularly heard from him on devotional topics and took instruction regarding his own personal life. Within two weeks of meeting him, Gopal Krishna Khanna decided to accept Srila Prabhupada as his spiritual master. In May 1969 he was initiated as one of Srila Prabhupada's disciples, receiving the name Gopal Krishna Dasa.
Later Gopal Krishna moved into the temple and lived there. He acted as Srila Prabhupada's secretary for several years. In 1970, he entered into an arranged marriage with a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Ekayani Devi Dasi from New York. Gopal continued working for Bristol-Myers until 1975. In 1975, Srila Prabhupada sent Gopal Krishna to India, giving him the responsibility of being a Governing Body Commission
Governing Body Commission
The Governing Body Commission is the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness . ISKCON's founder, A.C...
er within the area. Prabhupada also instructed him specifically to print and expand the distribution of his books in India and to translate and print books in Indian languages. Prabhupada was pleased when Gopal Krishna presented him the first copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam translated into Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
In 1976, Prabhupada appointed Gopal Krishna as Governing Body Commissioner for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Gopal Krishna made several trips to Communist Russia at that time to preach and publish the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
In 1981 he took the sannyasa
Sannyasa
Sannyasa is the order of life of the renouncer within the Hindu scheme of āśramas, or life stages. It is considered the topmost and final stage of the ashram systems and is traditionally taken by men or women at or beyond the age of fifty years old or by young monks who wish to renounce worldly...
and was initiated into the monastic order of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. He took sannyasa initiation from Jayapataka Swami
Jayapataka Swami
Jayapataka Swami is a Vaishnava swami and a religious leader for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness . He is a senior disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
and the name, Tridandi Swami Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. Since then Gopal Krishna Goswami has been traveling extensively all over the world preaching Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in India in the 16th century. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gauḍa region with Vaishnavism meaning "the worship of Vishnu"...
, initiating disciples, delivering talks, and overseeing various philanthropic and devotional projects.
Currently Gopal Krishna Goswami is the Governing Body Commission
Governing Body Commission
The Governing Body Commission is the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness . ISKCON's founder, A.C...
er of many countries and regions including Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan also known as Vraj is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Mayapur
Mayapur
Mayapur is located on the banks of the Ganges river, at the point of its confluence with the Jalangi, near Navadvip, West Bengal, India, 130 km north of Kolkata...
, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and parts of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Gopal Krishna Goswami played a leading role in inspiring and completing several large ISKCON temples, such as the Glory of India temple in New Delhi (inaugurated by then Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
) and the Radha-Bankebihari temple in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
Gopal Krishna Goswami has been featured on Radio, Television and Newspaper stories in India and abroad commenting on various issues. He has delivered series of lectures to diverse audiences in the last three decades ranging from the Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai, IIT
Indian Institutes of Technology
The Indian Institutes of Technology are a group of autonomous engineering and technology-oriented institutes of higher education. The IITs are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 which has declared them as “institutions of national importance”, and lays down their powers, duties,...
students in Delhi, and congregation householder ISKCON devotees to academics, politicians and interfaith communities. He regularly delivers lectures at ISKCON temples, speaking on various Hindu scriptures, such as Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
and Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
.
Notable disciples
- Romapada Dasa (also known as Ramesh KallidaiRamesh KallidaiRamesh Kallidai is the Secretary General of the Hindu Forum of Britain which is the largest umbrella body representing British Hindus. Ramesh Kallidai was the first Secretary General of the organisation and has continued in this role while introducing different projects and raising the profile of...
), Secretary General of the Hindu Forum of BritainHindu Forum of BritainThe Hindu Forum of Britain is an organization that represents over 275 Hindu groups throughout Great Britain with joint annual income of at least £34 million...
and Vice Chair of Hindu Aid