Radhanath Swami

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Radhanath Swami
Radhanath Swami at Santiago de Compostela.JPG
Radhanath Swami at Santiago de Compostela
on August 23, 2012
Religion
Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism
Order Sannyasa
Personal
Born
Richard Slavin
7 December 1950 (age 64)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Senior posting
Predecessor
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Religious career
Initiation
Diksa 1973, Sannyasa 1982
Post
GBC 1994
Website
http://www.radhanathswami.com
Radhanath Swami singing kirtan at Radha Gopinath Temple.
Radhanath Swami (born December 7, 1950)[1] is a guide, community builder, activi
st, and acclaimed author. He has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner and spiritual t
eacher for more than 40 years.[2] He is the inspiration behind ISKCON's free mid
-day meal for 1.2 million school kids across India,[3] and he has been instrumen
tal in founding the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai.[4] He works largely from M
umbai in India, and travels extensively throughout Europe and America.[4][5] In
the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), he serves as a mem
ber of the Governing Body Commission. Steven J. Rosen described Radhanath Swami
as a "saintly person respected by the mass of ISKCON devotees today."[6]
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Contents
1 Biography
2 Projects
2.1 Radha Gopinath Temple
2.2 Devotee Care and Relations Program
2.3 Annamrita
2.4 Bhaktivedanta Hospital
2.5 Govardhan Ecovillage
3 Writings
3.1 The Journey Home
3.2 Other Books

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5
6
7
8

Global Outreach
See also
Footnotes
References
External links

Biography
Born as Richard Slavin in a Jewish family,[7] he studied a number of religious p
aths such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. At the age of 19, he began traveli
ng through Europe and the Middle-East, aiming for India and eventually settling
for over a year in the Himalayas. He was living as a sannyasi (monk) in India wh
en he first met with Krishna devotees near Delhi. Through contact with the devot
ees in Vrindavan, and after receiving the name Ratim Krishna from Swami Bon, Rad
hanath Swami began to focus exclusively on his spiritual path in Krishna Conscio
usness. In 1971, Radhanath Swami observed A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada d
uring the Cross Maidan festival in Mumbai. After leaving India, Radhanath Swami
returned to the United States, where he joined the New Vrindaban ISKCON farm com
munity in West Virginia during July 1972. There he accepted initiation from Prab
hupada in February 1973 receiving the name Radhanath das, later to receive the n
ame Radhanath Swami, when he received sannyasa initiation from Kirtananda Swami
in 1981.
Projects
Radha Gopinath Temple
Radha Gopinath Temple in Nov. 2004
Radhanath Swami has been instrumental in establishing the Radha Gopinath Temple,
[8] which "expanded beyond anyone's wildest dreams"[9] and is particularly renow
ned for its "empowered preaching and teaching".[10] Also known as Sri Sri Radha
Gopinath Mandir, the temple was founded in 1986 and joined ISKCON in 1994.[11][1
2] The temple is situated in the elite area of Bombay
Chowpatty Beach
and enjoys
great popularity.[13] The congregation comprises several thousands of Bombay's
elite.[14] A prerequisite for those wishing to become monks and live in the temp
le is completion of university education and at least one year of work experienc
e.[13] The monks from the temple of Radha-Gopinath regularly conduct more than 3
0 cultural programs in University of Bombay.[15] Under Radhanath Swami's initiat
ive, the temple and its congregation has been breeding ground for many successfu
l projects.[16] The temple has in-house design studio and embroidery unit, where
artisans meticulously work with clockwork precision, following briefs by design
ers, to dress up the deities in the choicest of regal attires.[17]