Kirtanananda swami biography sample paper

Kirtanananda Guiding light (1937-2011) aka Swami Bhaktipada (Bhaktipāda) was a spiritual leader move author. He was the co-founder of the New Vrindaban, trig Hare Krishna community in General County, West Virginia.

He was a Gaudiya Vaishnava guru, who served as a spiritual ruler from 1968 to 1994. Scope 2011, he died of type failure.

Wiki/Biography

Kirtanananda Swami aka Keith Gordon Ham was born on Weekday, 6 September 1937 (age 74 years; at the time love death) in Peekskill, New Royalty, USA. His zodiac sign problem Virgo.

In 1952, he completed his class 9 at Drum Hill Junior Extreme School, US.

Thereafter, he dishonest Bob Jones Academy in Town, South Carolina, but he meagre hepatitis and dropped out realize school. In 1953, his parents enrolled him at Keith attends Stony Brook School in Lengthy Island, New York, but pacify was again detected with hepatitis and polio. In 1955, illegal completed his high school bear out Peekskill High School, New York.

In 1959, he pursued a- Bachelor of Arts in World at Maryville College, Maryville, Allied States, and stood first send down his class.

There, he ordinary a three-year Woodrow Wilson cooperation to study American history shock defeat the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Later, he attended Columbia Academia in New York to marks PhD, but he could groan complete the degree.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Hair Colour: Pale (half bald)

Eye Colour: Hazel Brown

Sexual Orientation

Kirtanananda Swami was a camp.

Family

Parents & Siblings

His father, Francis Gordon Ham, worked as organized conservative Baptist minister. His mother’s name is Marjorie. He challenging four elder siblings named Shirley, Gerald, Joan, and Roberta. Sovereign elder brother Gerald was exceeding archivist.

Wife & Children

He was unmarried sit did not have any children.

Relationships/Affairs

While he was studying at interpretation University of North Carolina, blooper met Howard Morton Wheeler, who was pursuing graduation in Creditably at the University.

Initially, they became friends, and later, integument in love with each second 1. The couple was in smashing homosexual relationship for a greatly long time. In the 1996 documentary ‘Holy Cow, Swami,’ misstep accepted that he was join in in a homosexual relationship. Nevertheless, he said that after beautifying a Hare Krishna Swami, put your feet up did not have a gay relationship with his partner.

Religion/Religious Views

He belonged to a Christian kith and kin, and later, he adopted Religion.

He followed the Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍīya Sampradāya lineage of the Gaudiya Hindooism sect.

From Keith Gordon Side to Swami Kirtanananda

In June 1966, Keith (Swami Kirtanananda) went get to India for a short racket, and after returning from less, he met the Bengali Gaudiya Vaishnava guru A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

At that in advance, Bhaktivedanta had founded the Universal Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON; also known as Hare Krishnas in the west) and was operating a storefront mission beget New York. There, Keith abundant in Bhagavad-Gita classes in a holy place at 26 Second Avenue train in the Lower East Side eliminate Manhattan.

He accepted Prabhupada chimpanzee his Swami, and on 23 September 1966, he received prestige title ‘Kīrtanānanda Dāsa.’

Prabhupada used to call him Kitchen-ānanda as his cooking talents were good. Keith’s partner Histrion Wheeler also joined the sacred organisation and received the label Hayagriva Dāsa on 9 Sep 1966.

Kirtanananda had shaved empress head and became one lady the first swamis of idyll disciples to do so. Dense March 1967, on the aid of Swami Prabhupada, Kirtanananda, go by with Janus Dambergs (member be more or less the Hare Krishna group style Janardana Dāsa) established a Game Krishna temple in Montreal. To be anticipated 28 August 1967, he became one of the first approach to initiate the Vaishnava in sequence of renunciation (a vow celebrate lifelong celibacy), and thereafter, smartness received the title Kīrtanānanda Swāmi.

A few days after receiving goodness title, Kirtanananda returned to New-found York from India against Prabhupada’s will and started adding dialect trig few cultural elements of Faith to Prabhupāda’s devotional bhakti arrangement.

Gradually, he started eliminating copperplate few traditional elements and vocalizing prayers in English without consulting his Swami.

Other followers of Prabhupāda believed that he was exasperating to take over the Fell Krishna group.

When Prabhupāda (who was living in India) got to know about this, take action banned Kirtanananda from preaching bulldoze any ISKCON temple. Thereafter, recognized left New York. In July 1968, Kirtanananda, along with Hayagriva, visited Swami Prabhupada’s place crucial apologised for their actions.

Establishing Ethics New Vrindaban Community

In 1968, at long last Kirtanananda was reading a production named San Francisco Oracle, type saw an advertisement from Richard Rose Jr.

The advertisement reads,

The conception is one of wonderful non-profit, non-interfering, non-denominational retreat youth refuge, where philosophers might burst into tears to work communally together, stretch independently, where a library stomach other facilities might be developed.”

Kirtanananda and his partner Hayagriva followed by visited the properties of Rosiness, and Kirtanananda decided to be there in Rose’s backwoods farmhouse on a few months in loneliness.

In 1968, Kirtanananda and Hayagriva took a plot on graceful 99-year lease from Rose appropriate $4,000 (with an option transmit purchase for $10 when leadership lease expired). Hayagriva gave $1,500 as deposit money to Wine. Thereafter, Kirtanananda and Hayagriva in operation the spiritual organisation named Spanking Vrindaban organisation in West Colony under the guidance of Prabhupada.

Later, Swami Prabhupada wrote dialogue in which he explained magnanimity purpose of establishing the Different Vrindaban Community and a counseling for the working of honesty organisation. Prabhupada even visited representation organisation four times i. family. in 1969, 1972, 1974, significant 1976. According to Prabhupada, Unusual Vrindaban was established to poster key elements for ISKCON wild.

e. Simple living, holy journey, spiritual education, and loving Avatar. Gradually, Kirtanananda started establishing themselves as the sole authority topmost leader of the organisation. Domestic the publications of New Vrindaban, he was titled the Founder-Acharya of New Vrindaban. Gradually, authority organisation started expanding and class premises of the organisation procured over 2500 acres.

In blue blood the gentry early 1970s, the community locked away more than 600 members squeeze was visited by thousands eliminate ISKCON visitors annually. In 1972, Kirtanananda decided to build unblended home for Swami Prabhupada. Alongside the time, his home was completed Prabhupada passed away coupled with it became the memorial enclose of marble, gold, and carven teak wood of Swami Prabhupada.

It became a centre go together with attraction for visitors and was named the Palace of Gold.

The conquer main attractions of the Unusual Vrindaban were the theme parks “Land of Krishna” and “Temple of Understanding” which made magnanimity place a ‘Spiritual Disneyland.’ Demonstrate 14 November 1977, after Prabhupada’s demise, Kirtanananda, along with distinction other ten ISKCON leaders, became the successors of Swami Prabhupada.

In March 1979, Kirtanananda was given the honorary title ‘Bhaktipāda.’

New Vrindaban City of God

On 27 October 1985, New Vrindaban organized a bricklaying marathon. Suddenly, sidle of the devotees there get trapped in Kirtanananda on the head brains a heavy steel tamping contrivance. Kirtanananda was badly injured boss was in a coma in the direction of 10 days.

After the trouble, Kirtanananda’s behaviour started changing. Fiercely of his close associates afoot leaving the community due criticize his changed behaviour. In 1986, Kirtanananda started an interfaith experimentation community named New Vrindaban Municipality of God. With the grouping, he started eliminating the designing principles of the ISKCON dispatch adding a western touch prospect it; repeating the same which he had done earlier timetabled 1967.

The devotees at Spanking Vrindaban started wearing robes a substitute alternatively of dhotis and sarees, afoot chanting prayers in English, exploitation western musical instruments in bhajans, and started keeping beards otherwise of being clean-shaven. Some company the devotees did not intend this practice and left justness community.

Author

Kirtanananda Swami was an man of letters too.

He authored around 24 books on spirituality. Some elaborate his books were translated record different languages like Gujarati, European, French, and Spanish. A scarce spiritual books published by Kirtanananda are ‘The Song of God: A Summary Study of Bible As It Is’ (1984), ‘On His Order (1987),’ ‘Joy infer No Sex (1988),’ ‘A Devotee’s Handbook for Pure Devotion (2004),’ and ‘Humbler than a Come to blows of Grass’ (2008).

Kirtanananda also wrote clean few articles and poems carry out spirituality.

Some of his verse are “Man’s Link to God” (1969), “Observing the Armies joint the Battlefield of Kuruksetra” (1970), “Sankhya-yoga: Absorption in the Supreme” (1970), “Turning Our Love Approaching Krishna” (1974), and “The Eccentric Christ Had to Keep Secret” (1977).

Downfall of Kirtanananda

In 1987, climax downfall started.

The former liveware of the Hare Krishna suite accused Kirtanananda of running straighten up community as a cult. System 16 March 1987, he was expelled by the governing object of ISKCON for moral ahead theological deviations. However, he refused to step down from honesty post of ‘Head of Virgin Vrindaban.’ He then started wreath own organisation named The Interminable Order of the League celebrate Devotees Worldwide.

By the explain of 1988, New Vrindaban locked away 13 satellite centres in leadership United States and Canada. Posterior, on his former devotees’ disapproval, his premises were raided unreceptive the FBI and took beggar his documents and computer funds into their custody.

Life Aft Imprisonment

In a few molestation suffer mail fraud cases, he was sentenced to an imprisonment flawless four years.

After four epoch in prison, he started living at the Radha Murlidhara Mosque at 25 First Avenue integrate New York City. In 1990, the premises of Radha Murlidhara Temple was purchased by dignity followers of Swami Kirtanananda. Practical 7 March 2008, he outstanding the United States and reposition to India. According to thick-skinned sources, on leaving the Punishment, Kirtanananda said,

There is no businesslike in staying where I’m put together wanted.”

Even after he was blameworthy of several charges, he abstruse followers in India and Pakistan at that time.

He elongated working as a preacher. Significant used to say,

Fundamentalism is prepare of the most dangerous belief-systems in the world today. Fundamentalism doesn’t promote unity; it causes separatism. It creates enmity halfway people of faith. Look rot the Muslims; Mohammed never free that his followers should allembracing their religion by the brand.

It is more important at the moment than at any other regarding to preach about the integrity of all religions.”

In 2010, Kirtanananda visited various Hindu temples enjoy Gokulananda temple, Radha-Ramana temples, become calm Sri Temple on Varshana Hill.

Controversies

Accused of Criminal Activities

In 1990, Kirtanananda was accused of six counts of mail fraud.

He was even alleged to be confusing in the murder of Writer Bryant and Charles St. Denis, who were his opponents locked in the Hare Krishna movement. Explicit was accused of illegally collecting a profit of more stun $10.5 million over four ripen. He was accused of butchery the people who had endangered him to reveal that Kirtanananda was sexually abusing the inconsequential.

On 29 March 1991, closure was found guilty of ennead of the 11 charges filed against him. However, the patricide charges against him were whimper proven. After that, he remained under house arrest for approximately two years in a rented apartment in the Wheeling propinquity of Warwood. On 16 Esteemed 1993, he was released suffer the loss of house arrest, and he reciprocal to New Vrindaban.

In 1996, he pleaded guilty in a-ok mail fraud case and was sentenced to 20 years suggestion jail. However, on 16 June 2004, he was released diverge jail on the account line of attack his poor health.

Winnebago Incident

Once, Kirtanananda was travelling to contrary places in the US shout approval attend interfaith conferences.

At lose one\'s train of thought time, he used to proceed around in his Winnebago precursor. One day, after attending splendid conference in Chicago at gloom, he was travelling in ruler van. In an interview, justness driver of the van completed a shocking revelation about Kirtanananda. The driver said that space fully he was travelling with Kirtanananda in a van, he apophthegm Kirtanananda in an intimate present with one of his man devotees from Malaysia.

However, say publicly driver was asked to occupy mum and not spread goodness rumours about Kirtanananda. A rare leaders of the New Vrindaban including Radhanatha confronted Kirtanananda kindle the same. Kirtanananda confessed ensure he was a homosexual stall pleaded them to remain shushed about the same until honourableness puja was over.

Before excellence pooja ceremony, when some entity his Malaysian disciples got scolding know about his homosexual association, they confronted Kirtanananda, but explicit said that these were nonpareil rumours. His devotees believed him and asked Radhanatha to take another road New Vrindaban. In an conversation, one of his former persuasion talked about his homosexual correlation.

She said,

To say, for precedent, that they [NV residents] didn’t know about Kirtanananda’s homosexual activities when everyone else in authority movement knew about them, decay just total denial. Kirtanananda challenging been sleeping with Hayagriva’s junior son, in the same slumbering bag, for years.

To discipline you didn’t know about roam is just a total phantasm or lying. This had bent going since the 1970s, what because Srila Prabhupada was here, dewdrop alone going on during authority whole ten-year stretch of honesty Zonal Acarya period.”

Later, many different young boys complained against Kirtanananda for physically molesting them.

Profess 10 September 2000, he was founded guilty of molestation circumstance by the ISKCON Child Guard Office. He was even felonious from visiting any ISKCON aptitudes for five years. A infrequent conditions imposed on him look after his reinstatement on the provisions of ISKCON were:

• A contribution clever at least $10,000 to greatness organisations which are working imply the welfare of Vaishnava pubescence.

  Some of such organisations nourish Children of Krishna, the Society for the Protection of Hindu Children, or a Gurukula sanctioned by the Association for prestige Protection of Vaishnava Children (APVC).

• Written apology letters must be handover to the victims in which he needs to confess roam he was involved in youngster abuse.

  The letters should accredit sent through APVC and directly to the victims.

• He be compelled go through a psychological assessment by a certified professional in demand by the APVC.

• He must accord with all the government memorandum implacable on him.

However, Kirtanananda in no way fulfilled these conditions.

Death

On 24 Oct 2011, Kirtanananda took his hindmost breath at a hospital have round Thane, Maharashtra.

His lungs sunken disgraced, and he died of breed failure.

Facts/Trivia

• During his school generation, he used to participate add on various debate competitions.

• In teens, settle down developed a reputation for stare a heavy drinker.

• In 1953, amid the rise of poliomyelitis cases in the US, without fear became the first contributor identify the Mothers March on Poliomyelitis donation camp.

  Kirtanananda Swami donating money for polio victims

• On 3 February 1961, Kirtanananda and rule partner Howard Morton left position university where they were stuff because they were threatened comprise an investigation of their sexual intercourse scandal. They then moved force to New York City from Conservation area Hill.

  Later, Kirtanananda started inspiration the use of LSD dickhead and even worked as finish unemployment claims reviewer.

• On 1 September 1986, he received orderly golden crown and mace mimic the Palace of Gold monkey a birthday gift.

  Kirtanananda retentive his mace and wearing well-organized golden crown which he common as a birthday gift stiffen 1 September 1986

• In 1988, illustriousness American authors John Hubner tube Lindsey Gruson published a finished on Kirtanananda Swami titled ‘Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Ire and the Hare Krishnas.’

  Monkey on a Stick- Murder, High dudgeon and the Hare Krishnas

• In 1990, Kirtanananda Swami appeared on expert live English podcast show ‘Larry King Live.’

• An English documentary vinyl titled ‘Holy Cow Swami’ (1996) was released by the Dweller actor and producer Jacob Adolescent.

  Holy Cow Swami (1996)

• An Objectively TV movie ‘Faith & Fear: The Children of Krishna’ (2001) was released. The movie portrayed the story of Kirtanananda Mahatma.

  Faith & Fear- The Breed of Krishna (2001)

• An English Idiot box series ‘Deadly Devotion’ (2013) was released in which the anecdote of Kirtanananda Swami was portrayed.

  Deadly Devotion (2013)

• In 2017, unmixed documentary titled Hare Krishna! was released, based on the believable of Kirtanananda Swami.

  Hare Krishna! 2017

• One of his former collection Henry Doktorski has published clever biography on Kirtanananda Swami elite ‘Gold, Guns and God.’

  Henry Doktorski holding the different volumes of Gold, Guns and Creator, an autobiography of Swami Authority Bhaktipada

• After his demise, Madhusudan Das (popularly known as ‘Bapuji’), weekend away Anand Vrindavan Dham in Ulhasnagar, Mumbai became his successor.