Hridayananda Dasa Goswami
Encyclopedia
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami (November 5, 1948) is a senior religious leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(commonly known as Hare Krishnas or ISKCON) and one of the most prominent disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
. Hridayananda Goswami is an initiating guru
within ISKCON and has served as a member of the Governing Body Commission
. He has a Ph.D.
in Sanskrit
and Indian Studies from Harvard University
, and is the author of numerous studies on Vaishnava philosophy. According to Larry Shinn
, Hridayananda Goswami is "famous for his acerbic wit and sermonizing". He's been described as one of the best preachers in ISKCON.
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami was born as Howard J. Resnick. He joined ISKCON in 1969 as a student at University of California at Berkeley and was initiated in Los Angeles, California
, on February 8, 1970 as a disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In 1972, he accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa
), and in 1974 he was named a member of the Governing Body Commission
of ISKCON with responsibility for overseeing the Hare Krishna Movement in Florida
and Latin America
. Under his leadership, ISKCON in Brazil
and other Latin American countries experienced a period of growth and expansion. Many new ISKCON temples were opened in the capitals and other major cities.
After the death of Prabhupada in November 1977, Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, as well as ten other prominent disciples, became initiating gurus
within ISKCON. Hridayananda Dasa Goswami also completed Prabhupada’s translation and commentary of the Bhagavata Purana
, an important classic of Vedic literature. His literary projects have since been a modern spiritual novel and the adaptation of the famous Indian epic, the Mahabharata
, into a historical novel
.
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...
(commonly known as Hare Krishnas or ISKCON) and one of the most prominent disciples 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"...
. Hridayananda Goswami is 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 ISKCON and has served as 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...
. He has a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 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...
and Indian Studies from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and is the author of numerous studies on Vaishnava philosophy. According to Larry Shinn
Larry Shinn
Larry Shinn is president of Berea College, Kentucky. Prior to this appointment he was Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Dean of Humanities and Head of the Religious Studies Department at Bucknell University....
, Hridayananda Goswami is "famous for his acerbic wit and sermonizing". He's been described as one of the best preachers in ISKCON.
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami was born as Howard J. Resnick. He joined ISKCON in 1969 as a student at University of California at Berkeley and was initiated in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, on February 8, 1970 as a disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In 1972, he accepted the renounced order of 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...
), and in 1974 he was named 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...
of ISKCON with responsibility for overseeing the Hare Krishna Movement in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Under his leadership, ISKCON in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and other Latin American countries experienced a period of growth and expansion. Many new ISKCON temples were opened in the capitals and other major cities.
After the death of Prabhupada in November 1977, Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, as well as ten other prominent disciples, became initiating gurus
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 ISKCON. Hridayananda Dasa Goswami also completed Prabhupada’s translation and commentary of the 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...
, an important classic of Vedic literature. His literary projects have since been a modern spiritual novel and the adaptation of the famous Indian epic, the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, into a historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
.