Born in October 1949, Bir Krishna Goswami spent his childhood in Long Island, New York. As an academically gifted student at North Western University, he began reading the Vedic literatures translated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Impressed by Srila Prabhupada’s scholarship and saintliness, Bir Krishna Goswami became a member of the Krishna conscious community in Gainesville, Florida in 1971. Shortly thereafter, he was initiated as Srila Prabhupada’s disciple.
From the beginning, Bir Krishna Goswami distinguished himself by his oratorical skills, his spiritual dedication, and his devotion to studying the writings of his spiritual master, through which he acquired a deep knowledge of the process of Krishna consciousness. In 1972 he began traveling throughout the United States, distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books and lecturing at colleges and universities. This continued until 1974, when Bir Krishna Goswami became directly involved in the publication of Srila Prabhupada’s books in English and Spanish. He also spoke widely on the science of Krishna consciousness in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
In early 1978 Bir Krishna Goswami entered the renounced order of life (sannyasa) in Lima, Peru. In 1982 he came to North Carolina and opened its first permanent Krishna conscious center.
In 1985 or thereabout, he began to work as a GBC. At present his zone includes Fiji, the Southeastern United States, Serbia and Slovenia. He served as Chair of the North American GBC in the 1990s and was executive officer for the GBC EC from 2000 to 2005.
A member of the Devotee Care Committee, Bir Krishna Goswami is most concerned about developing the culture of empathy within ISKCON through the medium of courses in relationships. Regarding the relationship of the GBC body with the ISKCON members at large, Maharaja thinks that the GBC needs to communicate more broadly and precisely what it is doing and what each of its members are doing on an ongoing basis.
In modern times, the most essential task of Krishna conscious spiritual masters is to publish the Vedic scriptures of ancient India and distribute them throughout the world. Bir Krishna Goswami has made this mission his life and soul. He has published two books: “You Are Not That Body,” and “Encounters.”
Bir Krishna Goswami has made his home base in Govardhana, India. More on Bir Krishna Goswami on his web site: http://www.bkgoswami.com