Romapada Swami

Romapada Swami (IAST: Roma-pāda Svāmī; born Brian Rumbaugh,[1] December 27, 1948) is a Vaishnava sannyasi,[2] initiating guru[3] and is currently on leave as a governing body commissioner of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as the Hare Krishnas or ISKCON).[4][5]

Romapada Swami
Personal
Born
Brian Rumbaugh

(1948-12-27) December 27, 1948
Utica, New York, United States
ReligionHinduism
Religious career
Based inUnited States
Period in office1986–2018
Previous postMember of the Governing Body Commission
Temple president
Present postSannyasi
WebsiteRomapada Swami
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Vaishnavism
Closeup of Vishnu, seated in the lotus position on a lotus. From depiction of the poet Jayadeva bowing to Vishnu, Gouache on paper Pahari, The very picture of devotion, bare-bodied, head bowed, legs crossed and hands folded, Jayadeva stands at left, with the implements of worship placed before the lotus-seat of Vishnu who sits there, blessing the poet.
Supreme deity
Vishnu / Krishna / Rama
Important deities
Dashavatara
Other forms
Consorts
Related
Holy scriptures
Puranas
Sampradayas
Others
Teachers—acharyas
Related traditions
Romapada's jurisdiction as the ISKCON zonal secretary of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin.

Life and career

Romapada Swami is an initiating guru in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and one of the leading disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON. He has been a bhakti-yoga practitioner for over 50 years. He travels extensively across the continental United States and Asia giving invited presentations and workshops at universities, corporates, communities, yoga and cultural centers.[4] He has lectured on Eastern and Western philosophies at universities in the United States, India and Europe.[6]

The youngest of five children, Romapada was born as Brian Rumbaugh and raised in a middle-class Christian family in (Skaneateles,New York) Utica, New York.[1] He attended the State University of New York, Buffalo,[5] where he was a pre-med student.[1] It was here, in 1969, that Brian met A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).[1] Shortly after being accepted to Medical school, Brian joined ISKCON.[1] He decided, that by dedicating himself to the spiritual life he would be more useful to the society.[1] 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).[1] He accepted the renounced order of sannyasa in 1983 (whence he was given the title of "Swami").[5][7][8]

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Romapada Swami served in ISKCON as associate director of public affairs (1972–76),[9] as a spokesman,[10][11] and as a New York ISKCON temple president.[12][13]

Since 1978, Romapada Swami has traveled worldwide, presenting the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy.[5] 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.[5] In 1994 he accepted the same responsibility for the Midwestern United States.[5] Currently he is based in New York, and frequently travels to India and Asia on preaching missions.[5]

Since the past 20 years, he has been taking groups of bhakti practitioners annually to various holy places spread across the entire Indian subcontinent.

Footnotes
  1. Santos 1978, p. 71
  2. Last Week at Tufts...
  3. Comments From the Vaishnava Devotional Community
  4. Currency of Relationships: A Special Presentation
  5. HH Romapada Swami's Biography
  6. Penn State Vedic Society
  7. GBC resolutions 1983
  8. List of Sannyasis in ISKCON April 2008 Archived July 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry, Retrieved on 2008-05-05
  9. Monroe 1976, p. 12D
  10. Goldman 1976a, p. 1A
  11. Goldman 1976b, p. 31
  12. Yinger 1984, p. 244
  13. Battaile 1978, p. 12

References
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