The Departure of HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami

"First African-American Vaishnava Hindu Guru Passes Away"

From ISKCON Communications

His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami, a guru and Governing Body Commissioner of the worldwide Hare Krishna movement, passed away of complications from melanoma cancer on June 27, 2005, at Gita Nagari, the Krishna community in Pennsylvania. He was 55 years old.

Bhakti Tirtha Swami was the world¹s first African-American Vaishnava Hindu guru. Born as John E. Favors to an evangelical Baptist family in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 25, 1950, Swami took part in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.¹s civil rights movement during his youth. After earning his psychology degree from Princeton University in 1972, he began studying the 5,000-year-old Bhagavad Gita and other ancient Hindu scriptures. He soon became a disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and brought the ancient Vaishnava tradition to the West in 1965.

Bhakti Tirtha Swami lectured and wrote extensively on topics ranging from mysticism and bhakti-yoga to leadership for the modern age. Ken Shelton, editor of the professional journal Executive Excellence said of Swami, his "work on leadership sets a new standard, expressly because it explores the spiritual dimension in ways that popular gurus like Stephen R. Covey, Kevin Cashman, and Ken Blanchard have not done." The Honorable Pierre Admossama, retired Director of the International Labor Organization for the United Nations, called Swami "an example in the truest sense of global principle-centered leadership."

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In the 1970s, as a representative of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, said to be the world¹s largest publisher of Vedic literature, Swami traveled behind the Iron Curtain at great personal risk to meet with scholars throughout Eastern Europe. In 1979, he took formal vows of sannyasa, dedicating himself to the service of God and humanity as a celibate monk. Later, as an ISKCON leader, he headed community development projects in the United States and around the world, and founded the Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology.

Swami traveled internationally, meeting and sharing his spiritual perspective on contemporary issues with world leaders and scholars, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nelson Mandela. In 1990, Bhakti Tirtha Swami was coronated as a High Chief in Warri, Nigeria, in recognition of his outstanding work in Africa. He was regularly featured on television and radio programs around the globe, and hosted his own weekly cable show in Washington, D.C.

Swami authored over fifteen critically acclaimed books, including the popular Spiritual Warrior and Beggar series. Many of his books have been translated for international distribution.

In August 2004, Swami was diagnosed with melanoma cancer. In the months that followed he continued to teach, drawing upon his condition to address the fears, struggles, and pains associated with facing death. At the same time, he began what would be his last book, a treatise on viewing death as an opportunity for spiritual growth, entitled Die Before Dying. On June 27, 2005, Bhakti Tirtha Swami passed away, surrounded by friends and followers and the chanting of God¹s names.

For more information on the life and teachings of about Bhakti Tirtha Swami please go to www.BTSwami.com

BIOGRAPHY

Swami Bhakti Tirtha was born John E. Favors in a Christian, God-fearing family. As a child evangelist appeared regularly on television. As a young man he was leader in Dr. Martin Luther King's civil rights movement. At Princeton University he became president of the student council and also served as chairman of the Third World Coalition. Although his main degree is in psychology, he has received accolades in many other fields, including politics, African studies, Indology and international law.

His Holiness has served as Assistant Coordinator for penal programs in the State of New Jersey, Office of Public Defender, and as a director of several drug abuse clinics in the United States. In addition, he has been a special consultant for Educational Testing Services in the U.S.A. and has managed campaigns for politicians. Swami Krishnapada gained international recognition as a representative of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, particularly for his outstanding work with scholars in the formerly communist countries.

Swami Krishnapada directly oversees projects in the United States (particularly Washington, D.C., Detroit and Pennsylvania), the Caribbean, West Africa and South Africa. He also serves as the director of the American Federation of Vaishnava Colleges and Schools.

In the United States, Swami Krishnapada is the founder and director of the Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology, director of the International Committee for Urban Spiritual Development and one of the international coordinators of the Seventh Pan African Congress. Reflecting his wide range of interests, he is also a member of the Institute for Noetic Sciences, the Centre for Defence Information, the United Nations Association for America, the National Peace Institute Foundation, the World Future Society and the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders.

A specialist in international relations and conflict resolution, Swami Krishnapada constantly travels around the and has become a spiritual consultant to many high ranking members of the United Nations, to various celebrities an several chiefs, kings and high court justices. In 1990 Holiness was coronated as a high chief in Warri, Nigeria in recognition of his outstanding work in Africa and the World. In recent years, he has met several times with President Mandela of South Africa to share visions and strategies for world peace.

In addition to encouraging self-sufficiency through development of schools, clinics, farm projects and industries, Swami Krishnapada conducts seminars on spiritual development, interpersonal relationships, stress a management and other pertinent topics. He is also acknowledged as a valuable participant in the resolution of global conflict.

Maharaja in Sydney ISKCONnection Newsletter June 2001

His Holiness Bhakti-Tirtha Swami visits Sydney Temple and Milton Cafe

Sydney devotees were blessed to receive His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Krishnapada last month during his visit to Australia. Having joined ISKCON in 1972 and taken to the sannyasa order in 1979, Maharaja is the founder and director of the Institute of Applied Spiritual Technology and director of the International Committee for Urban Spiritual Development in America.

Maharaja spent a few days at Sydney Temple, inspiring the devotees with lucid classes and lively kirtans. He also hosted a program at the ŒKafebhakti¹ cafe and art gallery, run by devotees in Milton, which was well attended and featured in the local newspaper. See inside for more details on His Holiness¹ visit...

His Holiness Bhakti-Tirtha Swami Krishnapada was born into a pious family in Cleveland, Ohio. In his early years, he appeared regularly on television as a child evangelist. As a young man, he became a leader in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights movement. Later, he served as president of the student council at Princeton University, from which he graduated with a degree in psychology. He served as an international coordinator of the Seventh Pan African Congress, and in 1990 he was coronated as a high chief in Warri, Nigeria in recognition of his outstanding missionary work in developing self-sufficient farm communities there.

His Holiness has been consulted internationally for his unique insight and expertise in politics, African studies, Indology and international law. After graduating from Princeton, Bhakti-Tirtha Swami served as an assistant coordinator for penal reform programs in the state of New Jersey's Office of the Public Defender, and directed several drug abuse clinics in other areas of the United States. He also worked as a political campaign manager and was a special consultant for Educational Testing Services in New Jersey. He gained international recognition as a representative of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust for his outstanding work with scholars of then-communist countries.

Bhakti-Tirtha Swami's books have been acclaimed around the world for their universal appeal and their straightforward, insightful treatment of issues that face us on the global, national, community, family and individual levels. He shares with us his own practical applications of "spiritual solutions for material problems" from several different angles and teaches us to address the roots of issues and interactions without being deceived or distracted by the temporary and external pitfalls that so often cause us to fall short of our goals.

Milton Local Newspaper article