Hridayananda das(a) Goswami (IAST: Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Gosvāmī; title: Acaryadeva IAST: Ācāryadeva; birth name: Howard J. Resnick;[1] date of birth: November 5, 1948, Los Angeles, California) is an American Vaishnava leader and preacher, one of the leading spiritual leaders of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)[2][3][4][5] and one of the most distinguished disciples and close friend[6] of ISKCON founder Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who appointed him as preacher.[6] H.D. Goswami is a guru[7] and member of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission since 1974.[8]
His Holiness
Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Gosvāmī
Ācāryadeva
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Guru | |
| In office July 9, 1977–present | |
| Founder of Krishna West | |
| In office 2013–present | |
| Member of ISKCON Governing Body Commission | |
| In office 1972–present | |
| Personal | |
| Born | Howard J. Resnick November 5, 1948 (age 75) |
| Religion | Vaishnavism |
| Lineage | Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍīya Sampradāya |
| Sect | Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavavāda |
| Monastic name | Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Gosvāmī |
| Senior posting | |
| Predecessor | Prabhupada |
| Initiation | Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Dikṣa |
| Website | www |
Scholars have described Hridayananda das Goswami as one of the best Gaudiya Vaishnava preachers, known for his sermons and sharp wit.[9]
Howard Resnick was born on November 5, 1948, in Los Angeles. His maternal grandmother was from Vilnius. He entered the University of California at Berkeley in 1967.
Resnick was first introduced to Gaudiya Vaishnavism in 1969 when he attended a lecture by ISKCON founder Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Thereupon, he left his education and settled in the Hare Krishna ashram in Berkeley and joined the formation. He received initiation from Prabhupada on February 8, 1970, and given his Sanskrit name "Hridayananda Dasa". He became a sannyasi in 1972 and received the title "Goswami".
In 1974, Prabhupada appointed H.D. Goswami to the ISKCON GBC.[10] He was subsequently appointed to the ministry in charge of preaching in Latin America and Florida. Under H.D. Goswami's leadership, ISKCON in Brazil and other Latin American countries experienced a period of rapid growth, with Vaishnava temples opening in many major cities. He became a guru in July 1977.
In the early 1980s, H.D. Goswami completed the Sanskrit translation and commentary of the Hindu scripture Srimad Bhagavadam, initiated by Prabhupada. He later adapted the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata into a historical novel. His book "A Comprehensive Guide to Bhagavad-Gita With Literal Translation" was published in 2015.
In 1992, H.D. Goswami earned a bachelor's degreeinreligious studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. He completed his doctorate in Sanskrit and Indology from Harvard University in 1996.[1] H.D. Goswami has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Florida, and the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley. He has published many works on Vaishnava philosophy.[1]
English books