Gopal Krishna Goswami

Gopal Krishna Goswami (IAST: Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī) is a religious leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (popularly known as the Hare Krishnas, ISKCON).[1] He was the first Indian 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[2] and an initiating guru within the movement.[3]

Gopala Krishna Goswami
Other namesGopal Krishna Khanna
Personal
Born (1944-08-14) 14 August 1944
New Delhi, British India
ReligionHinduism
SectGaudiya Vaishnavism
Other namesGopal Krishna Khanna
OrderSannyasa
PhilosophyAchintya Bheda Abheda
Bhakti yoga
Religious career
InitiationDiksa–1969 by Srila prabhupada , Sannyasa–1981by kirtanananda swami bhaktipada
PostISKCON Guru, Sannyasi, Member of the Governing Body Commission, BBT Trustee
Websitehttp://www.gopalkrishna.com http://www.gopalkrishnagoswami.com http://www.gkgoffice.com/
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Biography

Gopal Krishna Goswami was born on 14 August 1944 in New Delhi, India as Gopal Krishna Khanna. After graduating from the University of Delhi, he studied in France, and later studied Business Administration at McGill University in Montreal. After finishing his education, he worked as a marketing research analyst for Pepsi Cola.

He was living in Toronto in May 1968 when he first met with Prabhupada on 1 June 1968. During a three-month period when 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 Prabhupada as his spiritual master. In May 1969 he was initiated as one of Prabhupada's disciples, receiving the name Gopal Krishna Dasa.

He married his wife, Ekayani Devi Dasi, in 1970.[4]

Later Gopal Krishna moved into the temple and lived there. He acted as Prabhupada's secretary for several years. In 1975, Prabhupada sent Gopal Krishna to India, giving him the responsibility of being a Governing Body Commissioner within the area, instructing 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 1981 he took sannyasa and was initiated into the monastic order of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. He took sannyasa initiation from Kirtanananda Swami [5] 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.[6]

Currently Gopal Krishna Goswami is the Governing Body Commissioner[2] of many countries and regions including Delhi, Vrindavan, Mumbai, Mayapur, Chandigarh, Kenya, Canada and parts of North America and Russia.

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. He regularly delivers lectures at ISKCON temples, speaking on various Vaishnava scriptures, such as Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

Footnotes
  1. ISKCON festival on founder's anniversary ISKCON Mumbai website
  2. Society Scenes -- Pune Indian Express
  3. ISKCON chairman in city Times of India, 12 Aug 2003
  4. Back To Godhead, Transcendental Wedding
  5. "According to Brhat Sloka dasa, "In India with Srila Bhaktipada," Brijabasi Spirit (Sept. 1981), page 12: "While in Bombay, Srila Bhaktipada was very busily engaged in preaching. In the evening, he gave class and thousands of Hindus attended. Srila Bhaktipada spoke in English with a translator speaking in Hindi by his side. Gopal Krishna Maharaja received sannyasa initiation from Srila Bhaktipada and Bhaktipada dasa [Hayagriva's son, Samba] was also initiated. His name is now Dharmaraja dasa."
  6. List of Sannyasis in ISKCON April 2008 Archived 21 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry, Retrieved on 5 May 2008 (primary source)

References
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