Mahanidhi Swami
Mahanidhi Swami | |
|---|---|
 on 18 November 2015 | |
| Other names | Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das |
| Personal | |
| Born | 6 February 1951 |
| Resting place | 27°31′31″N 77°29′29″E / 27.525278°N 77.491389°ECoordinates: 27°31′31″N 77°29′29″E / 27.525278°N 77.491389°E ⧼validator-fatal-error⧽ } |
| Religion | Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Lineage | Sri Advaita Prabhu Parivar |
| Education | Medicine |
| Other names | Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das |
| Order | Sannyasa |
| Institute | Rutgers University |
| Senior posting | |
| Website | http://www.MahanidhiSwami.com |
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Mahanidhi Swami (born 6 February 1951) is a Gaudiya Vaisnava Babaji Sannyasi, teacher of bhakti yoga (Siddhanta, Sadhana, Sadhya). He has been practicing bhakti yoga since 1974 and is the author of spiritual books about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Radha Krishna and their holy abodes, mantras, gayatri mantra and biographies. He is an Indian citizen, living for 30 years continually in India at Sri Radha Kund, Govardhana.[1][2]
Biography[edit]
The Early Years[edit]
Mahanidhi Swami grew up in New Jersey, United States on the countryside. He studied medicine at Rutgers University (1969-1973) and moved to Los Angeles, California for further studies. Ever since becoming a vegetarian at the age of 18, he studied various metaphysical books to find God, including the Bhagavad-gita, Ishopanishad, and teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In 1975, A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (founder of the Hare Krishna movement) accepted him as a student, giving him the name Mahanidhi Das.[3] After ten years of brahmacharya (celibacy) and preaching Krishna consciousness, he took sannyasa in 1985 as Mahanidhi Swami.[4]
Service in the United States[edit]
In 1981, Mahanidhi Swami organized and presented ISKCON’s first Jagannatha Ratha-yatra in Washington D.C., United States., still going on to this day. He served his Guru for 12 years in the United States in various ways, including Sri Gita and Bhagavata book distribution leader (1975-1981); Ratha Yatra; and Baltimore Temple President (1982-1986).[5] It was at the time there was a growing concern for cults in the United States. The Baltimore Sun interviewed him on this topic as a representative of the Hare Krishna Movement.[6]
Bhajan Life in Vrindavana[edit]
In 1977, Mahanidhi first visited India’s holy places Sri Navadvipa Dhama, Jagannatha Puri Dhama and Sri Vrindavana. When he visited Radha Kund for the first time, he immediately knew he wanted to live there one day. In 1987 he moved to Vrindavana. From 1989 to 1992 Mahanidhi Swami served in Srila Prabhupada’s Bhajana Kutir in Seva Kunj within the medieval temple of Radha Damodar. In 1998 he obtained Indian citizenship. After living for 15 years in Vrindavana, he moved to Sri Radha Kunda in 2002. Since then he has been living in his Bhajana Kutir in Radha Kund.
In 2014, Pandita Sri Krishna Dasa Babaji Maharaja, a Guru in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition from the Advaita Parivāra lineage, living since 1939 in Vrindavana, initiated Mahanidhi in the traditional renounced order of a Gaudiya Vaisnava Babaji, and gave him the name Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das Babaji.
Activities[edit]
Mahanidhi Swami gives regular talks on spiritual topics[7] and has written many books on Gaudiya Vaishnavism philosophy. One of the most important contributions of Mahanidhi Swami is that through his studies and inquiries, he has found out the exact time of appearance of Radhakund from the commentary of Jiva Goswami on Srimad Bhagavatam. There is a popular belief that Bahulastami is the appearance day of Radhakund, but there is no known reference to this in any book, nor is there consensus on the meaning of the word Bahulastami.[8]
Graham Dwyer, a researcher on various topics related to Hinduism, is editor of Hare Krishna in the Modern World. This book recognizes the contribution of Mahanidhi Swami on the introduction of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition to the Western audience, through his books and translations, even though he resides in Radhakund, India, and does not travel.[9]
Pravachan[edit]
- Yearly Kartik (month) Gaura Govinda Katha[10]
In Radha Kund, every year during the Kartika Month (October-November), since 1994, Mahanidhi Swami speaks daily on the pastimes and manjari sevas of Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Often there is a second class on the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
- Adhik Maas “Leap Year” Katha[11]
Every three years when the Adhika Month (also known as Purusottama Month) appears, Mahanidhi Swami speaks daily about the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10th Canto Rasa Lila. The Adhika Month Katha of 2012 on the topic of “Rasa Lila” was seen by 150 million people worldwide via India’s Sadhna TV channel.[12]
- Sunday Satsanga
Mahanidhi Swami holds weekly “Sunday Satsanga” programmes at his ashram (4-7 pm).
Bibliography[edit]
Mahanidhi Swami wrote 28 books, which have been translated into many languages including Russian, Persian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Chinese, Marathi, Hindi and Bengali.[13]
- Krsnahnika Kaumudi
- Prabhupada at Radha Damodara
- Radha Kunda Mahima Madhuri
- Ananda Vrndavana Campu
- Gauranga Gita
- Sarartha Darsini
- A Tribute of Love
- 64 Super Excellent Qualities of Sri Krisna
- Sri Sri Radha Govinda’s Lotus Feet and Divine Meditations
- Bhavanasara Sangraha
- Sri Sankalpa Kalpadruma
- Appreciating Navadvipa Dhama
- Art of Chanting Hare Krisna
- Sri Caitanya Mangala
- Seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannatha Puri
- Sri Madhava Mahotsava
- Nama Aparadha
- Gaudiya Vaisnava Biographies and Samadhis in Vrndavana
- Radha-Krpa-Kataksa
- Sweet Notes - Volume 1
- Sweet Notes - Volume 2
- Jagannatha Puri Guidebook
- Prayers to Lord Nrsimhadeva
- Appreciating Sri Vrndavana Dhama
- O Krishna, I Surrender!
- Radha Krishna Pastimes at Radha Kunda
References[edit]
- ↑ "Biography – Mahanidhi Swami". www.mahanidhiswami.com.
- ↑ "Mahanidhi Swami". iskcondesiretree.com.
- ↑ "On your recommendation, I am accepting the following devotees for initiation: 1st. Initiation: Dhrti devi dasi, Krsnastuta devi dasi, Pusti devi dasi, Kulapriya devi dasi, Mahanidhi das, Yuvati devi dasi, Ksamabhudi das - Vaniquotes". vaniquotes.org.
- ↑ "@1985: GBC RESOLUTIONS 1985". www.dandavats.com.
- ↑ "The Best People in the World by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami – Back To Godhead". www.backtogodhead.in.
- ↑ "'Cult' foes admit tolerance is rising".
- ↑ "Audio – Mahanidhi Swami". www.mahanidhiswami.com.
- ↑ "Chaitra Purnima is the real appearance day of Radha Kund - Vrindavan Today". 27 March 2018.
- ↑ Dwyer, Graham; Cole, Richard J. (2013). 8. Interview with Dr Edith Best - Hare Krishna in the Modern World. ISBN 9781907166471. Search this book on
- ↑ "Radha Rasa Sudha Nidhi Kartik 2017". SoundCloud.
- ↑ "Rasa Lila Katha Part 1". SoundCloud.
- ↑ MeraEvents. "Purushotamma Month - Rasa Lila Katha & Kirtan Program - Other - MeraEvents.com". MeraEvents.com.
- ↑ "Books – Mahanidhi Swami". www.mahanidhiswami.com.
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