Religion Gaudiya Vaishnavism Name Romapada Swami Website Romapada Swami | Period in office 1986–present Title ISKCON Guru | |
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Born Brian Rumbaugh
December 27, 1948 (age 75)
Utica, New York, United States ( 1948-12-27 ) Present post Sannyasi
Member of the Governing Body Commission
Temple president Profiles | ||
Based in United States of America | ||
Lecture romapada swami sb 10 2 15 dealing with reversals
Romapada Swami (born Brian Rumbaugh, December 27, 1948) is a Vaishnava sannyasi, initiating guru and a governing body commissioner of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as the Hare Krishnas or ISKCON).
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He is currently based in New York, but travels frequently giving invited presentations and workshops at Universities, corporates, communities, yoga and cultural centers. He has lectured on Eastern and Western Philosophies at universities in the United States, India and Europe. He is the advisor for Quintessence Magazine, a quarterly publication distributed in college campuses across North America.
He served as a plaintiff in the ISKCON and Brian Rumbaugh v. Walter Lee and The New York Port Authority case that was decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1992. The case was argued before the U. S. Supreme Court against a regulation that prohibited distribution of literature in airport terminals.
The youngest of five children, Romapada was born as Brian Rumbaugh and raised in a middle-class Christian family in Utica, New York. He attended the State University of New York, Buffalo, where he was a pre-med student. It was here, in 1969, that Brian met A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Shortly after being accepted to Medical school, Brian joined ISKCON. He decided, that by dedicating himself to the spiritual life he would be more useful to the society. Brian became an initiated disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in July 1971, receiving the name Romapada Das (Das meaning the servant of the Lord). He accepted the renounced order of sannyasa in 1983 (whence he was given the title of "Swami").
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Romapada Swami served in ISKCON as associate director of public affairs (1972-76), as a spokesman, and as a New York ISKCON temple president.
Since 1978, Romapada Swami has traveled worldwide, presenting the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. Since 1986, Romapada Swami has served as an ISKCON diksa guru.
In March 1992, he was appointed Governing Body Commissioner for New York and New Jersey. In 1994 he accepted the same responsibility for the Midwestern United States. Currently he is based in New York, and frequently travels to India and Asia on preaching missions.