Jayapataka Swami
Jayapataka Swami (born April 9, 1949, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a Vaishnava swami[1] and a religious leader for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).[2][3][4][5] He is a senior disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.[6] Presently he is one of the initiating spiritual masters, (ISKCON Gurus),[5] a member of the Governing Body Commission (GBC),[4][5] and is a divisional trustee for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT).
Biography
Early years
Jayapataka Swami was born as Gordon John Erdman II to Gordon John Erdman and Lorraine Erdman (Golich).[5] At 16, he graduated in the top of his class from St. John's Academy, a college preparatory school. He was offered full scholarship by Brown University.[5] There, as a fresh enrollee, he was influenced by a guest lecture on the life of Buddha that he lost all interest in his studies and began searching for a spiritual teacher.[5] After some time of searching he concluded he would have to go to India to find his teacher.
Before leaving for India, Gordon came across some Hare Krishna devotees, doing kirtan and distributing 'Back To Godhead' magazine. Shortly after he visited the San Francisco ISKCON center, where he met Srila Prabhupada. John took first initiation in Montreal, Canada and was given the name 'Jayapataka Dasa'.[5] Soon after he was awarded 2nd initiation in New York.
While in Montreal, Jayapataka was engaged in the service of printing books and dispatching them to other ISKCON temples around the world. Later, on the instruction of Srila Prabhupada, Jayapataka went to Toronto to open a temple there.[5] When Jagadisha Dasa took over the Toronto center as president he wrote to Srila Prabhupada enquiring about his service and was told by him to go to India.
Preaching in India
At Calcutta, Jayapataka began to learn Bengali by going out to buy fruits and vegetables. Along with the other devotees, he conducted house programs, organized pandal programs, and went out on sankirtan and book distribution.
On Radhashtami (festival for Radharani) in 1970, in Calcutta, Srila Prabhupada gave sannyasa initiation to Jayapataka Dasa, awarding the title "Tridandi Biksu Jayapataka Swami".
When ISKCON got a land in Mayapur, Jayapataka Swami went there on the instruction of Srila Prabhupada. There were 5 other devotees with him. Jayapataka Swami taught modern techniques of agriculture and the farmers taught him Bengali. Jayapataka Swami began to oversee construction work in Mayapur and the lotus building was built.
With the permission of Srila Prabhupada, Jayapataka Swami applied for Indian citizenship. This meant that he could not leave the country. He utilized this time for traveling within Bengal into the villages preaching and distributing books. Srila Prabhupada told him to distribute 10,000 'big books' and 100,000 'small books' every month. Also, Srila Prabhupada instructed Jayapataka Swami to build the congregation. He's been travelling extensively around the world for many years with the desire to fulfill this instruction of his spiritual master.[5]
Mayapur Mandala Parikrama and pilgrimages
In March 1972, the first Gaura Purnima festival was held. Two hundred devotees from North America, [Ireland], England, Europe, Australia, India, and other parts of the world joined in the festival in Mayapur. Coinsiding this event, Jayapataka Swami led groups of devotees on parikrama (pilgrimage) to local holy places. This visit to Mayapur would constitute the first half of the devotees' Indian pilgrimage; after ten days they were scheduled to go to Vrndavana. The Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama has been continuing ever since with the number of devotees participating increasing each year in the thousands.
Jayapataka Swami also has recently introduced the 'Ganges Safari' to visit those holy places connected to Lord Caitanya which are approachable only along the river flow. Similarly he conducts a tour of holy places in India and neighbouring countries.
Namahatta
Jayapataka Swami has developed the system of bhakti-vriksa preaching which assists namahatta preaching by enabling wider preaching and giving intensive and personal training to devotees so that everyone gets the chance to train to be a pure devotee while engaging in preaching activities.
Responsibilities in ISKCON
Jayapataka Swami was one among the eleven named by Srila Prabhupada to give initiation on his behalf when he was seriously ill. After Srila Prabhupada died, Jayapataka Swami began to accept disciples as a spiritual master in the Srila Prabhupada branch of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya.
Jayapataka Swami is the world chairman for 'Food for Life' and ISKCON's Food Relief Programs. A descendant of Advaita Acharya, selected him to be in charge of the annual Santipur mass prasdam distribution program.
On November 5, 1977, Jayapataka Swami went to Vrndavana to meet Srila Prabhupada, who announced creation of Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust and appointed Jayapataka Swami its life chairman. At this time he also got the mandate from Prabhupada to unite the Sarasvat family, preserving the holy dham of Caitanya and serving the pilgrims.
Jayapataka Swami started as GBC secretary in 1976 in East India which includes Bihar, Orissa and Bengal.[5] From 1980 to 1999 he was the GBC for South-East USA, as well as South America.[5] He is also the GBC for Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, the Far East and Assam.[5] He is also the Minister of Congregational Preaching and Minister of Congregational Development, and the Vice-chairman of the World Hindu Federation.[5]
Bibliography
- 'Vaishna ke?'
- 'rtvik-maya-vada-sata dushani'
- 'Spiritual Truths from Cyberspace'.
- 'Prabhupada Remembrance'
- '100 transcribed lectures'
- "Godruma kalpatavi" (commentary on the work of Srila Bhaktivinod thakura)
Notes
- ^ List of Sannyasis in ISKCON April 2008 ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry, Retrieved on 2008-05-05
- ^ White 1994, p. 166
- ^ Mukherjee 2002, pp. 115–118
- ^ a b Police chief flags off Jagannath rath yatra «The Hindu», Saturday, Jan 14, 2006
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Eternal odyssey through people’s hearts The Telegraph, Calcutta, February 16, 2004
- ^ Muster 2001, p. 30
References
- White, Barbara-Sue (1994), Turbans and traders: Hong Kong's Indian communities, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0195852877, http://books.google.com/books?id=gPtwAAAAMAAJ
- Chryssides, George D.; Wilkins, Margaret (2002), A reader in new religious movements, Continuum International Publishing Group, ISBN 0826461670, http://books.google.com/books?id=RwP--c7OV4cC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA287,M1
- Mahamaya Devi Dasi (1999), Ganga Safari: Ganga River Boat Adventure with Jayapataka Swami, Holy Cow Books, ISBN 0970453000, http://books.google.com/books?id=Fw0FAAAACAAJ
- Mukherjee, Manju Mohan (2002), Hippies in India: a study of sub-cultural system, Bibhasa, ISBN 8187337125, http://books.google.com/books?id=Da4oAAAAYAAJ
- Muster, Nori Jean (2001), Betrayal of the spirit: my life behind the headlines of the Hare Krishna movement, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252065662, http://books.google.com/books?id=Dw3-xD05wnoC
- Satsvarūpa Dāsa Gosvāmī (1982), Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta: a biography of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Vol. 4, In Every Town and Village: Around the World 1968-1971, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, ISBN 0892131152, http://books.google.com/books?id=KUUqAAAAYAAJ
- Satsvarūpa Dāsa Gosvāmī (1983), Srīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta: a biography of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Vol. 5, Let There Be a Temple: India/Around the World 1971-1975, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, ISBN 0892131195, http://books.google.com/books?id=cITXAAAAMAAJ
- Satsvarūpa Dāsa Gosvāmī (1983), Srīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta: a biography of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Vol. 6, Uniting Two Worlds: Around the World / Return to Vrindavana 1975-1977, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, ISBN 0892131063, http://books.google.com/books?id=VYzXAAAAMAAJ
- Duva, Jesús (September 5, 1989), "El lider de Hare Krishna acuchillado pide protección porque teme un nuevo atentado", El País, http://www.elpais.com/articulo/madrid/lider/Hare/Krishna/acuchillado/pide/proteccion/teme/nuevo/atentado/elpepuespmad/19890905elpmad_2/Tes
- "Guru brings message of spiritual healing", New Straits Times, May 30, 2000, http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-82542729.html
- "Feed the hungry, is ISKCON motto", The Times of India, December 7, 2001, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/180866797.cms
- "Krishna Consciousness centre delights devotees", New Straits Times, December 21, 2001, http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-82623851.html
- "Janmashtami fete from August 17", The Times of India, July 27, 2003, http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23943302_ITM
- "Mantras, bhajans at Rath yatra", The Indian Express, November 17, 2003, http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=68313
- "March into love, peace and harmony - ‘Hare Ram Hare Krishna’ rents air as Iskcon takes out Rathyatra", The Telegraph, February 7, 2004, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040207/asp/guwahati/story_2869575.asp
- "Eternal odyssey through people’s hearts", The Telegraph, February 16, 2004, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040216/asp/guwahati/story_2897157.asp
- "ISKCON chief for city", The Hindu, March 7, 2004, http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/07/stories/2004030702760300.htm
- "ISKCON followers take out rally", The Hindu, March 11, 2004, http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/11/stories/2004031114250300.htm
- "Krishna temple to be built in Moscow", The Hindu, March 11, 2004, http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/11/stories/2004031114230300.htm
- "Hindu philosophy misunderstood: ISKCON chief", The Hindu, March 12, 2004, http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/03/12/stories/2004031203010300.htm
- "Over 300 foreign delegates to attend ISKCON `utsav'", The Hindu, March 15, 2004, http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/15/stories/2004031503960400.htm
- "Foreign devotees take part in Krishna festival", The Hindu, March 17, 2004, http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/17/stories/2004031703340300.htm
- "Police chief flags off Jagannath rath yatra", The Hindu, January 14, 2006, http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/14/stories/2006011417530400.htm
- "Bhakti transcends racial barriers", The Hindu, March 23, 2006, http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/23/stories/2006032302780200.htm
- "Rath yatra inaugurated", The Hindu, March 31, 2006, http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/31/stories/2006033119730300.htm
- "ISKCON's `Lotus temple' inauguration on Jan. 31", The Hindu, January 19, 2007, http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/01/19/stories/2007011902160200.htm
- "Tirupati Lotus Temple opened", The Hindu, February 1, 2007, http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/01/stories/2007020103600200.htm
- "ISKCON team to spread spiritualism", The Hindu, March 10, 2007, http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/10/stories/2007031004580200.htm
- "ISKCON rath yatra tomorrow", The Hindu, March 21, 2007, http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/21/stories/2007032121360500.htm
- "Nutshell: Rath yatra", The Hindu, December 28, 2007, http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/12/28/stories/2007122850220300.htm
- "Devotees converge on Temple City", The Hindu, February 20, 2008, http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/20/stories/2008022059631100.htm
- "‘Gokulashtami’ celebrated with zeal", The Hindu, August 25, 2008, http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/25/stories/2008082550750200.htm
- "Baca va a la India para rodar un filme espiritual", Telam, February 14, 2009, http://www.telam.com.ar/vernota.php?tipo=N&idPub=134883&id=276287&dis=1&sec=12
- Rangarajan, A.D. (April 3, 2009), "Spellbinding show", The Hindu, http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/04/03/stories/2009040350220200.htm
External links
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After the Founding of
ISKCON
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Pre-ISKCON
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Persondata |
Name |
Swami, Jayapataka |
Alternative names |
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Short description |
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Date of birth |
April 9, 1949 |
Place of birth |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Date of death |
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Place of death |
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