Giriraja Swami
{{Short description|American hindu author and high-ranking member of ISKCON}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| background = #FFA07A
| name = Giriraj Swami
| sanskrit =
| image = Giriraj Swami 2.jpg
| religion = Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism
| alias = Glenn Phillip Teton
| location =
| title =
| period =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| initiation = Diksa–1969, Sannyasa–1978
| post = ISKCON Guru, Sannyasi, Member of the Governing Body Commission
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|09|13}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, United States
| website = http://www.girirajswami.com
}}
{{Vaishnavism}}
Giriraj Swami ({{IAST3| Giri-rāja Svāmī}}; born Glenn Phillip Teton September 13, 1947) is an American hindu author and an initiating guru, with very highly respected position in International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).{{cite book|last=Bryant|first=Edwin Francis|title=The Hare Krishna movement: the post charismatic fate of a religious transplant|year=2004|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=0-231-12256-X|pages=175|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBMxPdgrBhoC|author2=Maria Ekstrand}}
Background
Glenn P. Teton is the only son of Alfred B. Teton, a Chicago lawyer who was later appointed judge. In March 1969, while studying at Brandeis University in Boston, he met A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder and original acharya of the ISKCON. After graduating, he accepted formal initiation from Prabhupada and received the spiritual name Giriraj Das.{{cite book |last=Rosen |first=Steven J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-WKuYt0MogC&pg=PR121 |title=Holy cow: the Hare Krishna contribution to vegetarianism and animal rights |publisher=Lantern Books |year=2004 |isbn=1-59056-066-3 |pages=121}}
In 1972, Giriraj was appointed by Prabhupada as president of ISKCON Bombay and trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.{{Cite book| first = Dasa Goswami | last = Satsvarupa | author-link = Satsvarupa dasa Goswami| title = Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta Vol 1| publisher = BBT| orig-date = 1980-82 |date=2002 |edition=Second | pages = vol.1 1133 chapter: India: Dancing White Elephants | isbn = 0-89213-357-0 }} He subsequently oversaw the development of Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, Bombay. He was also involved in the acquisition and development of Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Govardhan, as well as projects such as the Kirtan Ashram for women,[http://www.kirtanashram.com/bcgr.htm Kirtan Ashram] Kirtan Ashram Background the Bhaktivedanta Hospice, and the Vrindavan Institute of Palliative Care.{{Reference needed|date=April 2025}} Giriraj Swami has also taught at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education.[http://vihe.org/audio_lectures.html VIHE course list] Scroll to "Giriraja Swami"
In 1978, Giriraj took sannyasa (the renounced order of life) and was appointed president of ISKCON's board of trustees in India.
In 1982, he was appointed to ISKCON's Governing Body Commission and oversaw ISKCON activities in areas such as Bombay, Mauritius, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.{{Cite web |last=Website |first=G. B. C. |title=Giriraj Swami – International Society for Krishna Consciousness – Website of the Governing Body Commission |url=https://gbc.iskcon.org/giriraj-swami/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |language=en-US}}
Books
- Watering the Seed, Giriraj Swami, Publisher: Mountain King (2000), ASIN: B000K9PRVS.
- Watering the Seed – With Teachings from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (revised and expanded), Giriraj Swami, Publisher: Torchlight (2012), {{ISBN|978-0-9817273-3-2}}.
- Many Moons: Reflections on Departed Vaishnavas, Giriraj Swami, Publisher: Torchlight (2012), {{ISBN|978-1-937731-01-4}}.
- Life's Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective, edited by Giriraj Swami, Publisher: Torchlight (2013), {{ISBN|978-1937731120}}.
- I'll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story, Giriraj Swami, Publisher: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (2020), {{ISBN|978-1-925850-01-7}}.
- Dancing White Elephants: Traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India, August 1970–March 1972, Giriraj Swami, Publisher: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (2023), {{ISBN|978-1-925850-03-1}}.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.girirajswami.com Website of Giriraja Swami]
{{Modern Gaudiya Vaishnavas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swami, Giriraja}}
Category:Bhaktivedanta College
Category:International Society for Krishna Consciousness religious figures
Category:American Hare Krishnas
Category:20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians