Jayadvaita Swami
Encyclopedia
Jayadvaita Swami is a Gaudiya Vaishnava swami
and an ISKCON guru
. He is an editor, publisher, and a disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
, founder of ISKCON. He has been the seniormost editor for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
for more than forty years and has been described as "one of ISKCON's most independent-minded and respected thinkers".
Jayadvaita Swami was born Jay Israel to a reformed Jewish family. He spent his childhood in Englewood, New Jersey
. In 1968 in New York City he was first introduced to Krishna Consciousness and received initiation
from Srila Prabhupada. Jay shaved his head, received the spiritual name Jayadvaita, and began to study the teachings of Krishna
. Practically the first task assigned to him in ISKCON was to staple booklets. Later he went on to become the editor of dozens of books and magazines. He was engaged in transcribing Srila Prabhupada's dictation for books, and then typesetting, proofreading, managing book production, and editing. Although before joining ISKCON Jayadvaita attended some college classes at Carnegie Institute of Technology
, "he is in the most general sense self-educated and taught himself everything he needed to know in order to become a literary editor".
In 1978 he accepted the order of renounced life, sannyasa
, from Satsvarupa dasa Goswami
. In 1985 and 1986, he spent a year and a half traveling with a party of pilgrims
on padayatra, a journey on foot, through various states of India
, stopping in a different town or village every night. From 1991 through most of 1998 he served as editor in chief of Back to Godhead
magazine, for which he had been an assistant editor for several years. Recently he served as editor for a three-volume translation and commentary for Brihad-bhagavatamrita
, a sixteenth-century Sanskrit
philosophical and devotional work. Jayadvaita Swami has also been involved in debates with the proponents of the "ritvik" doctrine, an unusual notion about discipular succession he regards as contrary both to tradition and to Srila Prabhupada's teachings.
Apart from his services in publishing, Jayadvaita Swami travels widely, teaching and lecturing in over 50 countries.
Swami
A swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
and an ISKCON 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...
. He is an editor, publisher, and a disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a Gaudiya Vaishnava teacher and the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as the "Hare Krishna Movement"...
, founder of ISKCON. He has been the seniormost editor for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
thumb|300px|Books of BBTThe Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is the world's largest publisher of books concerning Krishna and the philosophy, religion, and culture of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of India . It was established in 1972 by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of the...
for more than forty years and has been described as "one of ISKCON's most independent-minded and respected thinkers".
Jayadvaita Swami was born Jay Israel to a reformed Jewish family. He spent his childhood in Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
. In 1968 in New York City he was first introduced to Krishna Consciousness and received initiation
Diksha
Diksa also spelled deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism...
from Srila Prabhupada. Jay shaved his head, received the spiritual name Jayadvaita, and began to study the teachings of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
. Practically the first task assigned to him in ISKCON was to staple booklets. Later he went on to become the editor of dozens of books and magazines. He was engaged in transcribing Srila Prabhupada's dictation for books, and then typesetting, proofreading, managing book production, and editing. Although before joining ISKCON Jayadvaita attended some college classes at Carnegie Institute of Technology
Carnegie Institute of Technology
The Carnegie Institute of Technology , is the name for Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering. It was first called the Carnegie Technical Schools, or Carnegie Tech, when it was founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie who intended to build a “first class technical school” in Pittsburgh,...
, "he is in the most general sense self-educated and taught himself everything he needed to know in order to become a literary editor".
In 1978 he accepted the order of renounced life, 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...
, from Satsvarupa dasa Goswami
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami
Satsvarupa das Goswami is a senior disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness , better known in the West as the Hare Krishna movement...
. In 1985 and 1986, he spent a year and a half traveling with a party of pilgrims
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
on padayatra, a journey on foot, through various states of 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...
, stopping in a different town or village every night. From 1991 through most of 1998 he served as editor in chief of Back to Godhead
Back to Godhead
Back to Godhead, also known as BTG, is the main magazine of the Hare Krishna Movement. It was originally published by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and later by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami and Jayadvaita Swami.-External links:**...
magazine, for which he had been an assistant editor for several years. Recently he served as editor for a three-volume translation and commentary for Brihad-bhagavatamrita
Brihad-bhagavatamrita
Brihad-bhagavatamrita - a sacred text for followers of Hindu tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Along with Hari-bhakti-vilasa it is one of the most important works of Vaishnava theologian Sanatana Goswami...
, a sixteenth-century Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
philosophical and devotional work. Jayadvaita Swami has also been involved in debates with the proponents of the "ritvik" doctrine, an unusual notion about discipular succession he regards as contrary both to tradition and to Srila Prabhupada's teachings.
Apart from his services in publishing, Jayadvaita Swami travels widely, teaching and lecturing in over 50 countries.