Born on the auspicious day of Annada Ekadashi, August 14, 1944, in New Delhi, Maharaj’s original name, Gopal Krishna, was retained by Srila Prabhupada after his Harinama initiation.
Maharaj spent his early years in India, graduating from the University of Delhi. He then pursued further studies abroad, securing a scholarship from the French Government to study Business Management at Sorbonne University in Paris. Later, he earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from McGill University in Montreal.
Maharaj was always a keen student of spirituality. In his youth, he explored various paths, visited churches, and gurudwaras, and listened to many spiritual discourses in India as well as in the West. Being a sincere student of spirituality, maharaja quickly grasped the unique guru-shishya relationship when he met Srila Prabhupada for the first time.
When he met His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the founder-Acharya of ISKCON, at an ISKCON temple in Montreal. In a humble yet significant beginning, he cleaned Srila Prabhupada’s apartment as his first service. He soon accepted Srila Prabhupada as his spiritual master, becoming a surrendered soul at the lotus feet of a pure devotee. The relationship between him and Srila Prabhupada deepened over time as Srila Prabhupada guided him through letters to grow on his spiritual journey.
In 1975, Srila Prabhupada appointed Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaj as the General Body Commissioner (GBC) of India and entrusted him with critical projects to expand book distribution in the country. Srila Prabhupada encouraged Maharaj to utilize his marketing knowledge in the service of Lord Krishna. With unwavering determination and firm faith in Guru Maharaj’s words, Maharaj made India a leading hub for book distribution.
Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaj was also entrusted with the pivotal task of preaching in the communist Soviet Union, where he risked his safety to spread the message of Krishna and distribute books in difficult times.
In 1981, Gopal Krishna Goswami took the sannyasa order, and a year later, he became a ‘diksha’ guru, accepting disciples worldwide.With over 50 years of relentless efforts to promote the culture of Krishna consciousness in cities, towns, and villages, Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaj serves as the GBC for various regions, including Mumbai, Northern India, Mayapur, Kenya, Canada, and parts of the United States. He also chairs the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of Vedic literature.
Temples are spiritual sanctuaries that nurture our souls, making us better individuals. Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaj is deeply committed to temple construction, and under his guidance, numerous grand temples have been completed in India and in west.
ISKCON at its core is an institution that promotes pure devotional service towards Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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