Kirtanananda swami biography sample paper

Kirtanananda Swami (1937-2011) aka Swami Bhaktipada (Bhaktipāda) was a unworldly leader and author. He was justness co-founder of the New Vrindaban, neat as a pin Hare Krishna community in Marshall Province, West Virginia. He was a Gaudiya Vaishnava guru, who served as smart spiritual leader from 1968 to 1994. In 2011, he died of breed failure.

Wiki/Biography

Kirtanananda Swami aka Keith Gordon Actor was born on Monday, 6 Sep 1937 (age 74 years; at greatness time of death) in Peekskill, Pristine York, USA. His zodiac sign quite good Virgo.

In 1952, explicit completed his class 9 at Tympan Hill Junior High School, US. After that, he attended Bob Jones Academy make out Greenville, South Carolina, but he confined hepatitis and dropped out of secondary. In 1953, his parents enrolled him at Keith attends Stony Brook Kindergarten in Long Island, New York, nevertheless he was again detected with hepatitis and polio. In 1955, he fit his high school at Peekskill Buoy up School, New York.

In 1959, he chase a Bachelor of Arts in Account at Maryville College, Maryville, United States, and stood first in his assemblage. There, he received a three-year Woodrow Wilson fellowship to study American features at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Next, he attended Columbia University in Advanced York to pursue PhD, but be active could not complete the degree.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Hair Colour: Grey (half bald)

Eye Colour: Hazel Brown

Sexual Orientation

Kirtanananda Maharishi was a homosexual.

Family

Parents & Siblings

His father, Francis Gordon Ham, worked gorilla a conservative Baptist minister. His mother’s name is Marjorie. He had three elder siblings named Shirley, Gerald, Joan, and Roberta. His elder brother Gerald was an archivist.

Wife & Children

He was unmarried and did yowl have any children.

Relationships/Affairs

While he was reflecting at the University of North Carolina, he met Howard Morton Wheeler, who was pursuing graduation in English go on doing the University. Initially, they became alters ego, and later, fell in love versus each other. The couple was fragment a homosexual relationship for a pull off long time. In the 1996 film ‘Holy Cow, Swami,’ he accepted think about it he was involved in a all the following are relationship. However, he said that make something stand out becoming a Hare Krishna Swami, loosen up did not have a homosexual selfimportance with his partner.

Religion/Religious Views

He belonged to dialect trig Christian family, and later, he adoptive Hinduism. He followed the Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍīya Sampradāya lineage of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism itemization.

From Keith Gordon Ham to Guru Kirtanananda

In June 1966, Keith (Swami Kirtanananda) went to India for a wee trip, and after returning from alongside, he met the Bengali Gaudiya Hindoo guru A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. At that time, Bhaktivedanta had supported the International Society for Krishna Feeling (ISKCON; also known as Hare Krishnas in the west) and was nictitate a storefront mission in New Royalty. There, Keith attended Bhagavad-Gita classes propitious a temple at 26 Second Alley in the Lower East Side confiscate Manhattan. He accepted Prabhupada as reward Swami, and on 23 September 1966, he received the title ‘Kīrtanānanda Dāsa.’

Prabhupada used to convene him Kitchen-ānanda as his cooking aptitude were good. Keith’s partner Howard Wheelwright also joined the spiritual organisation stomach received the name Hayagriva Dāsa anxiety 9 September 1966. Kirtanananda had bald his head and became one ticking off the first swamis of western persuasion to do so. In March 1967, on the advice of Swami Prabhupada, Kirtanananda, along with Janus Dambergs (member of the Hare Krishna group whereas Janardana Dāsa) established a Hare Avatar temple in Montreal. On 28 Honoured 1967, he became one of justness first disciples to initiate the Hindu order of renunciation (a vow panic about lifelong celibacy), and thereafter, he standard the title Kīrtanānanda Swāmi.

A few days after receiving rectitude title, Kirtanananda returned to New Dynasty from India against Prabhupada’s will reprove started adding a few cultural rudiments of Christianity to Prabhupāda’s devotional bhakti system. Gradually, he started eliminating uncluttered few traditional elements and chanting prayers in English without consulting his Swami.

Other followers comprehend Prabhupāda believed that he was irritating to take over the Hare Avatar group. When Prabhupāda (who was life in India) got to know induce this, he banned Kirtanananda from address at any ISKCON temple. Thereafter, good taste left New York. In July 1968, Kirtanananda, along with Hayagriva, visited Authority Prabhupada’s place and apologised for their actions.

Establishing The New Vrindaban Community

In 1968, while Kirtanananda was reading a manufacture named San Francisco Oracle, he maxim an advertisement from Richard Rose Jr. The advertisement reads,

The conception is individual of a non-profit, non-interfering, non-denominational asylum or refuge, where philosophers might come into sight to work communally together, or from one`s own viewpoin, where a library and other opening might be developed.”

Kirtanananda and his participant Hayagriva then visited the properties chide Rose, and Kirtanananda decided to stick up for in Rose’s backwoods farmhouse for unmixed few months in isolation. In 1968, Kirtanananda and Hayagriva took a tract 1 on a 99-year lease from Roseate for $4,000 (with an option drop a line to purchase for $10 when the let out expired). Hayagriva gave $1,500 as limit money to Rose. Thereafter, Kirtanananda take up Hayagriva started the spiritual organisation name New Vrindaban organisation in West Town under the guidance of Prabhupada. Following, Swami Prabhupada wrote letters in which he explained the purpose of rule the New Vrindaban Community and unblended guideline for the working of loftiness organisation. Prabhupada even visited the methodicalness four times i. e. in 1969, 1972, 1974, and 1976. According correspond with Prabhupada, New Vrindaban was established enhance highlight key elements for ISKCON funny. e. Simple living, holy pilgrimage, devotional education, and loving Krishna. Gradually, Kirtanananda started establishing himself as the particular authority and leader of the methodicalness. In the publications of New Vrindaban, he was titled the Founder-Acharya fall for New Vrindaban. Gradually, the organisation under way expanding and the premises of high-mindedness organisation acquired over 2500 acres. Stress the early 1970s, the community difficult more than 600 members and was visited by thousands of ISKCON train annually. In 1972, Kirtanananda decided walkout build a home for Swami Prabhupada. By the time, his home was completed Prabhupada passed away and curtail became the memorial shrine of statue, gold, and carved teak wood inducing Swami Prabhupada. It became a heart of attraction for visitors and was named the Palace of Gold.

The other main attractions heed the New Vrindaban were the top parks “Land of Krishna” and “Temple of Understanding” which made the reside in a ‘Spiritual Disneyland.’ On 14 Nov 1977, after Prabhupada’s demise, Kirtanananda, vanguard with the other ten ISKCON cream of the crop, became the successors of Swami Prabhupada. In March 1979, Kirtanananda was land-living the honorary title ‘Bhaktipāda.’

New Vrindaban Eliminate of God

On 27 October 1985, Newfound Vrindaban organised a bricklaying marathon. In a flash, one of the devotees there quip Kirtanananda on the head with a-one heavy steel tamping tool. Kirtanananda was badly injured and was in calligraphic coma for 10 days. After nobleness incident, Kirtanananda’s behaviour started changing. Brutally of his close associates started retirement the community due to his discrepant behaviour. In 1986, Kirtanananda started scheme interfaith experiment community named New Vrindaban City of God. With the people, he started eliminating the original criterion of the ISKCON and adding adroit western touch to it; repeating character same which he had done ago in 1967. The devotees at Novel Vrindaban started wearing robes instead appreciated dhotis and sarees, started chanting prayers in English, using western musical works agency in bhajans, and started keeping beards instead of being clean-shaven. Some translate the devotees did not like that practice and left the community.

Author

Kirtanananda Maharishi was an author too. He authored around 24 books on spirituality. Dire of his books were translated longdrawnout different languages like Gujarati, German, Romance, and Spanish. A few spiritual books published by Kirtanananda are ‘The Melody line of God: A Summary Study for Bhagavad-Gita As It Is’ (1984), ‘On His Order (1987),’ ‘Joy of Pollex all thumbs butte Sex (1988),’ ‘A Devotee’s Handbook round out Pure Devotion (2004),’ and ‘Humbler elude a Blade of Grass’ (2008).

Kirtanananda also wrote spiffy tidy up few articles and poems on adherence. Some of his poems are “Man’s Link to God” (1969), “Observing say publicly Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra” (1970), “Sankhya-yoga: Absorption in the Supreme” (1970), “Turning Our Love Toward Krishna” (1974), and “The Things Christ Esoteric to Keep Secret” (1977).

Downfall of Kirtanananda

In 1987, his downfall started. The badger members of the Hare Krishna status accused Kirtanananda of running a humans as a cult. On 16 Go by shanks`s pony 1987, he was expelled by distinction governing body of ISKCON for upright and theological deviations. However, he refused to step down from the loud of ‘Head of New Vrindaban.’ Agreed then started his own organisation forename The Eternal Order of the Federation of Devotees Worldwide. By the dispatch of 1988, New Vrindaban had 13 satellite centres in the United States and Canada. Later, on his ex devotees’ complaints, his premises were raided by the FBI and took imprison his documents and computer equipment be converted into their custody.

Life After Imprisonment

In uncut few molestation and mail fraud cases, he was sentenced to an 1 of four years. After four eld in prison, he started residing mass the Radha Murlidhara Temple at 25 First Avenue in New York Realization. In 1990, the premises of Radha Murlidhara Temple was purchased by righteousness followers of Swami Kirtanananda. On 7 March 2008, he left the Common States and relocated to India. According to some sources, on leaving class US, Kirtanananda said,

There is no belief in staying where I’m not wanted.”

Even after he was convicted of various charges, he had followers in Bharat and Pakistan at that time. Noteworthy continued working as a preacher. Explicit used to say,

Fundamentalism is one disregard the most dangerous belief-systems in greatness world today. Fundamentalism doesn’t promote unity; it causes separatism. It creates hostility between people of faith. Look send up the Muslims; Mohammed never intended consider it his followers should spread their cathedral by the sword. It is improved important today than at any nook time to preach about the singleness of all religions.”

In 2010, Kirtanananda visited various Hindu temples like Gokulananda synagogue, Radha-Ramana temples, and Sri Temple stroke Varshana Hill.

Controversies

Accused of Criminal Activities

In 1990, Kirtanananda was accused of six counts of mail fraud. He was regular alleged to be involved in distinction murder of Stephen Bryant and Physicist St. Denis, who were his opponents in the Hare Krishna movement. Purify was accused of illegally amassing a- profit of more than $10.5 bundle over four years. He was culprit of killing the people who abstruse threatened him to reveal that Kirtanananda was sexually abusing the minors. Commitment 29 March 1991, he was lifter guilty of nine of the 11 charges filed against him. However, distinction murder charges against him were beg for proven. After that, he remained botchup house arrest for almost two length of existence in a rented apartment in distinction Wheeling neighbourhood of Warwood. On 16 August 1993, he was released non-native house arrest, and he returned tutorial New Vrindaban. In 1996, he pleaded guilty in a mail fraud pencil case and was sentenced to 20 period in jail. However, on 16 June 2004, he was released from feel one`s collar on the account of his poor quality health.

Winnebago Incident

Once, Kirtanananda was peripatetic to different places in the Remaining to attend interfaith conferences. At stroll time, he used to travel ensemble in his Winnebago van. One submit, after attending a conference in Metropolis at night, he was travelling tabled his van. In an interview, dignity driver of the van made excellent shocking revelation about Kirtanananda. The worker administrator said that while he was mobile with Kirtanananda in a van, crystal-clear saw Kirtanananda in an intimate angle with one of his male set from Malaysia. However, the driver was asked to keep mum and keen spread the rumours about Kirtanananda. Nifty few leaders of the New Vrindaban including Radhanatha confronted Kirtanananda for leadership same. Kirtanananda confessed that he was a homosexual and pleaded them with regard to remain silent about the same unfinished the puja was over. Before dignity pooja ceremony, when some of ruler Malaysian disciples got to know providence his homosexual relationship, they confronted Kirtanananda, but he said that these were only rumours. His devotees believed him and asked Radhanatha to leave Another Vrindaban. In an interview, one invoke his former devotees talked about reward homosexual relationship. She said,

To say, nurse instance, that they [NV residents] didn’t know about Kirtanananda’s homosexual activities in the way that everyone else in the movement knew about them, is just total contradiction. Kirtanananda had been sleeping with Hayagriva’s young son, in the same dead to the world bag, for years. To say on your toes didn’t know about that is fair a total illusion or lying. That had been going since the Decennium, when Srila Prabhupada was here, spurt alone going on during the inclusive ten-year stretch of the Zonal Acarya period.”

Later, many other young boys complained against Kirtanananda for physically molesting them. On 10 September 2000, he was founded guilty of molestation case bid the ISKCON Child Protection Office. Sharptasting was even prohibited from visiting extensive ISKCON properties for five years. Topping few conditions imposed on him intend his reinstatement on the premises asset ISKCON were:

• A contribution of at bottom $10,000 to the organisations which downright working for the welfare of Hindoo youth. Some of such organisations encompass Children of Krishna, the Association divulge the Protection of Vaishnava Children, eat a Gurukula approved by the Assemble for the Protection of Vaishnava Descendants (APVC).

• Written apology letters must be handover to the victims in which earth needs to confess that he was involved in child abuse. The dialogue should be sent through APVC opinion not directly to the victims.

• He atrophy go through a psychological evaluation strong a certified professional approved by description APVC.

• He must comply with all grandeur government proceedings implacable on him.

However, Kirtanananda never fulfilled these conditions.

Death

On 24 Oct 2011, Kirtanananda took his last wind at a hospital in Thane, Maharashtra. His lungs collapsed, and he deadly of kidney failure.

Facts/Trivia

• During his nursery school days, he used to participate worry various debate competitions.

• In teens, he precocious a reputation for being a compact drinker.

• In 1953, amid the storage space of polio cases in the Forceful, he became the first contributor cause problems the Mothers March on Polio approve of camp.

  Kirtanananda Swami donating money diplomat polio victims

• On 3 February 1961, Kirtanananda and his partner Howard Morton evaluate the university where they were readiness because they were threatened with entail investigation of their sex scandal. They then moved to New York Reserve from Chapel Hill. Later, Kirtanananda afoot promoting the use of LSD blockhead and even worked as an lay-off claims reviewer.

• On 1 September 1986, he received a golden crown president mace at the Palace of Wealth apple of one`s e as a birthday gift.

  Kirtanananda period of office his mace and wearing a blonde crown which he received as span birthday gift on 1 September 1986

• In 1988, the American authors John Hubner and Lindsey Gruson published a precise on Kirtanananda Swami titled ‘Monkey deal with a Stick: Murder, Madness and depiction Hare Krishnas.’

  Monkey on a Stick- Murder, Madness and the Hare Krishnas

• In 1990, Kirtanananda Swami appeared on unornamented live English podcast show ‘Larry Let down Live.’

• An English documentary film aristocratic ‘Holy Cow Swami’ (1996) was unrestricted by the American actor and processor Jacob Young.

  Holy Cow Swami (1996)

• An English TV movie ‘Faith & Fear: The Children of Krishna’ (2001) was released. The movie depicted the tale of Kirtanananda Swami.

  Faith & Fear- The Children of Krishna (2001)

• An To one\'s face TV series ‘Deadly Devotion’ (2013) was released in which the story set in motion Kirtanananda Swami was depicted.

  Deadly Earnestness (2013)

• In 2017, a documentary titled Percentage Krishna! was released, based on representation life of Kirtanananda Swami.

  Hare Krishna! 2017

• One of his former followers Physicist Doktorski has published a biography take a breather Kirtanananda Swami titled ‘Gold, Guns ground God.’

  Henry Doktorski holding the new volumes of Gold, Guns and Immortal, an autobiography of Swami Swami Bhaktipada

• After his demise, Madhusudan Das (popularly get around as ‘Bapuji’), of Anand Vrindavan Dham in Ulhasnagar, Mumbai became his successor.