Bhagavat Life: Connecting to Lord Krsna and His Devotees Via Integrative Life Learning

Sacinandana Swami

Sacinandana Swami was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1971, in Germany. He has helped establish several spiritual projects all over Europe. He has also participated and is still engaged in educational development for the members of ISKCON, including conducting classes at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education, the Bhaktivedanta College and Bhagavat Life.

In the last ten years Sacinandana Swami has traveled the road within, seeking inspiration and higher guidance on extended pilgrimages and spiritual retreats. He developed the unique format for the Japa Retreats, which he facilitated in Europe, India and the USA. Sacinandana Swami is the author of The Nectarean Ocean of the Holy Name, The Way of the Great Departure, The Gayatri Book, The Art of Transformation.

At present Sacinandana Swami is focusing on writing and teaching. He is also working on establishing an international spiritual academy with the aim to present the Vedic spiritual path in a convincing, non-dogmatic, and experiential way to a broad spectrum of people. "Higher existence means the higher connection."

Giriraj Swami

Giriraj Swami first met Srila Prabhupada in 1969, while studying at Brandeis University in Boston. After graduating cum laude, he took formal initiation from Srila Prabhupada and fully dedicated himself to Prabhupada's service. Giriraj Swami quickly became a leading member of the Boston center, and in appreciation, he was given the opportunity to go to India with Srila Prabhupada, helping to spread his mission there.

In 1972 Giriraj Swami was appointed President of ISKCON Bombay and was made a Trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. In the intervening years between then and now, Giriraj Swami has made significant contributions to Srila Prabhupada's mission, most notably, overseeing all aspects of the development of Hare Krishna land in Juhu, Bombay. He has also served as the President of ISKCON's Board of Trustees in India and as a member of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission.

Giriraj Swami has toured extensively throughout India and several other countries. As an ISKCON GBC, he has been responsible for the society's activities in Bombay, Mauritius, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Although health considerations have recently obliged Giriraj Swami to minimize his traveling, he has taken this as an opportunity to focus on one of Srila Prabhupada's personal instructions: to write. Giriraj Swami is now based in Southern California where he is working on several publications, including a small volume about his early years in the Boston temple, an account of his travels with Srila Prabhupada in India from 1970 to 1972, and two volumes about Srila Prabhupada's monumental struggle to acquire land and build the temple complex in Juhu, Bombay. Giriraj Swami has been teaching at Bhagavat Life's Japa Workshops and Retreats since 2007.

Mahatma Das

Mahatma Das joined Iskcon in 1969 and has served as Temple President, book distributor, sankirtana leader, college preacher, membership director, and VIHE teacher and co-director. He is especially known in ISKCON for his music.

He is the founder of Touchstone Training, a company that teaches the practices of devotional service through interactive seminars and workshops. He lives in Alachua, FL with his wife Jahnava and daughter Brajasundari.

Ravindra Svarupa Das

Ravindra Svarupa Das (Dr. William Deadwyler) joined ISKCON in 1969 and has been at the forefront of the Hare Krishna movement for over 30 years. Having dedicated his life for the spiritual well-being of others, his obligations as a member of ISCKONS's Governing Body Commission, ISCKON Philadelphia Temple President, and initiating Spiritual Master, scarcely impede him from traveling the globe to enliven people in their practice of Krishna consciousness. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy (University of Pennsylvania, 1966), an M.A. in Religion (Temple University, 1977) and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies (awarded "With Distinction", Temple University 1980), Ravindra Svarupa Das has become much sought-after as a guest lecturer on science and religion at academic conferences worldwide. Even more sought-after in devotional communities, he also regularly travels the globe sharing his unique realizations of the practical spiritual philosophy of Krsna consciousness through seminars and workshops.

Among his articles and publications are Charismatic Gurus and Managing Directors: Leadership Issues Arising in Retrofitting a Medieval Tradition for the Modern World, (Association for the Sociology of Religion, 1995); "Cleaning House and Cleaning Hearts: Reform and Renewal in ISKCON" (ISKCON Communications Journal, No's. 3 & 4); "The Religions of Others in ISKCON's Eyes" (In Attitudes of Religion and Ideologies Toward the Outsider: The Other . Lewiston: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1990.) Encounter with the Lord of the Universe: Collected Essays 1978-1983 (Washington: The Gita-nagari Press, 1984).

Dravida Das

Dravida Dasa, a disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada since 1974, began his career as an English editor for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in 1975 and has continued up to the present, except for a year at ISKCON's scientific branch, the Bhaktivedanta Institute, from 1978 to 1979. From 1983 to 1989 he was part of the team that produced the last six 1,000-page volumes of Srila Prabhupada's magnum opus: a commentated English translation of India's jewel of Vedic wisdom, the 18,000-verse Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also helped produce the revised version of Srila Prabhupada's nine-volume Caitanya-caritamrita during 1995-96 and his Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead during 1994-95. In addition to his editing work, he has recorded many selections from Vaisnava scripture in Sanskrit and English, and he also teaches Bhakti Yoga classes at the Los Angeles and San Diego ISKCON centers.

Bada Haridas

Bada Haridas Prabhu, a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, received a Bachelor's degree in music composition from the University of Southern California and pursued a career as a professional musician before becoming a full-time member of ISKCON. Upon his return to Southern California following two years in Europe, Bada Haridas joined the Krishna Consciousness movement in Los Angeles, in 1975. The next year he was transferred to the ISKCON temple in Laguna Beach, CA where he performed a variety of services, including nearly ten years serving as the Temple President.

In 1996 he and his wife and two children moved to Alachua, FL. Since that time, Bada Haridas has been teaching devotional music in the Vaishnava Academy for Girls and has offered numerous seminars on Vaishnava devotional songs in places as far distant as the Ukraine. Bada Haridas Prabhu has produced several recordings of devotional music that include his own performances of Vaishnava songs in traditional and original arrangements. He also produces recordings for other devotee musicians.

Yadubara Das

Yadubara Das met Srila Prabhupada in India in 1970 while working on his masters degree in photography on the subject of the origins of Krishna consciousness. He received initiation from His Divine Grace in 1971 and stayed in India with his wife Visakha Dasi helping develop ISKCON centers in Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi. In 1973 they returned to the US to begin production of ISKCON's first documentary film "The Hare Krishna People" and went on to produce 8 more documentaries. Yadubara Das has continued working in film and video and is currently producing the 11 part DVD series "Following Srila Prabhupada" which contains all the films of Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON activities from 1965 to 1977 with commentary by those who were there. Yadubara das was inspired by the kirtans organized by Tamal Krishna Goswami in Mayapur in March of 2003 and has since been leading kirtan in his home community of Saranagati and wherever he travels.

Yajna Purusha Das

Yajna Purusha Das joined ISKCON in 1987 in New York City. For over fifteen years he has served as a Sankirtana Leader on both local and national levels. In 1998 Yajna Purusha established the Bhaktivedanta Brahmacari Ashram in New York. Since that time, he has been instrumental in strengthening many aspects of congregational outreach, including harinam sankirtana, book distribution and college preaching programs. Yajna Purusha has been serving as the Temple President of the Bhaktivedanta Ashram - also known as "26 Second Avenue" - since 2005.

Yajna Purusha Das has several years of experience teaching Bhakti-sastri. He is also known as a gifted mentor for book distributors. Presently, Yajna is focusing on facilitating Japa Workshops for the congregation at 26 Second Avenue, and Japa Retreats for Bhagavat Life.

Vrajalila Devi Dasi

Since joining ISKCON in 1979, Vrajalila Devi Dasi has served ISKCON in temples all over the United States - including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and the Gita Nagari farm community in western Pennsylvania - as well as temples all over the world, including West Africa and Central America. Vrajalila Devi Dasi is a natural leader and a born educator, and these gifts have been well used in the service of her spiritual master, Bhakti Tirtha Swam

Vrajalila assisted Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja in pioneering new frontiers in Krishna consciousness, helping him to open temples in West Africa, and later serving as Temple President in various ISKCON centers. Vrajalila served in many other ways as well. She played an instrumental role in the formation and development of the Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology, and she was one of Bhakti Tirtha Swami's primary caregivers during his last days.

Vrajalila Devi Dasi has a Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration from New York University. She has over 12 years experience as a professional consultant in Conflict Resolution and Mediation, and she has facilitated Conflict Resolution workshops all over North America, as well as places so far afield as Belgium, Croatia, India, Mexico, Ukraine and Russia.Vrajalila is currently committed to her services as a caregiver and educator, teaching people how to apply the ancient Vaishnava philosophy, and to utilize the techniques of conflict resolution in their everyday lives.