Bhakti Charu Swami facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami |
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| Religion | Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism |
| Personal | |
| Born | 17 September 1945 Kuti, Brahmanbaria District, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh) |
| Died | 4 July 2020 (aged 74) Florida, United States |
| Senior posting | |
| Predecessor | A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada |
| Religious career | |
| Initiation | Harinama, Brahmana and Sannyasa Diksha (1977) |
| Post | ISKCON Guru, Sannyasi, Member of the Governing Body Commission |
| Website | http://www.bhakticharuswami.com/ |
Bhakti Charu Swami (IAST: Bhakti Cāru Svāmī, 17 September 1945 – 4 July 2020) was an important spiritual leader. He was part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He was also a student of ISKCON's founder, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Early Life and Studies
Bhakti Charu Swami was born in 1945. He grew up in a wealthy family in Kolkata, India. In 1970, he left India to study Chemistry at a university in Germany. While there, he became very interested in ancient Indian texts called the Vedas.
Spiritual Journey and Work
Joining ISKCON
Bhakti Charu Swami read a book called The Nectar of Devotion. It was written by Srila Prabhupada. After reading it, he joined ISKCON in Mayapur, West Bengal, India.
He first met Srila Prabhupada in January 1977. This meeting happened during a big festival called 'Maha' Kumbha Mela. Srila Prabhupada asked him to translate all his books into Bengali. He also became Prabhupada's secretary for Indian affairs.
In March 1977, he received his first spiritual initiations. Soon after, he became a sannyasi. This means he took a vow to live a life of renunciation.
Leadership and Translations
Bhakti Charu Swami became the Chairman of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) in 1989. He held this position again in 2017. He continued translating Srila Prabhupada's books into Bengali. He finished this huge task in 1996. This was a special year, marking 100 years since Srila Prabhupada was born.
Sharing Knowledge Through Media
After translating the books, he worked on a video series. It was called 'Abhay Charan'. This series had over 100 episodes. It showed the life and achievements of Srila Prabhupada. The show was broadcast on Indian National Television. Millions of people watched it.
Building Temples and Helping Others
He helped develop an ISKCON project in Ujjain, India. This place is special because Lord Sri Krishna studied there long ago. Under Bhakti Charu Swami's guidance, a beautiful marble temple was built. It was finished in less than a year, opening in February 2006. He continued to guide the project and spiritual programs in that area.
Feeding School Children
The ISKCON temple in Ujjain helps feed many school children. More than 23,000 children get a meal every day. To do this, Bhakti Charu Swami built a very large kitchen. He was also the Chairman of the Annamrita Foundation. This program provides midday meals to 1.7 million children across India.
Creating Spiritual Art
He also started a department in Ujjain. This department makes decorated altars, statues (murtis), and deity dresses. These are used by devotees and ISKCON temples around the world.
New Temples and Health Centers
In 2013, he oversaw the building of a new ISKCON temple in Panihati, West Bengal. This is a holy place in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. In 2014, he opened Arogya Niketan. This was a traditional Ayurvedic health clinic in Ujjain.
Global Outreach
In 2014, he started giving speeches to business leaders worldwide. He spoke about spirituality through the Artha Forum. He also founded I-Foundation. This is a Hindu charity organization in the United Kingdom.
Writing and Recognition
In 2016, Bhakti Charu Swami wrote a memoir. It was called "Ocean of Mercy – A Search Fulfilled". This book shares his personal experiences with Srila Prabhupada. It explains how his deep love for Prabhupada grew.
On November 17, 2016, he received an award. The Institute of International Social Development – New York honored him. This was for his important work with ISKCON.
New Projects
He started a new project called 'Veda Foundation and Cow Sanctuary'. It is located in Florida, USA, on a large piece of land. His goal was to share Vedic culture and wisdom in the West. He planned to do this by setting up farm communities and using visual media.
Passing Away
Bhakti Charu Swami became sick with COVID-19. He passed away a few days later, on July 4, 2020. He was 74 years old.
See also
- List of ISKCON members and patrons
