H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami

H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami is a religious leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He was the first Indian disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to be initiated after the establishment of ISKCON. He is currently a member of the Governing Body Commission and an initiating guru within the movement.

Wish you a very happy birthday. 70 years in service of the Nation and humanity! May Lord Krishna bestow His choicest blessings on you. May you continue to be inspired to walk the trails of dharma, never giving up the shelter of our glorious Vedic tradition and the Bhagavad Gita. The entire family of devotees from ISKCON, pray for your overall well-being  and prosperity, so that you could lead the nation for many more years as the true statesman and humble public servant that you have eminently proved yourself to be! 

Under your aegis our country has been significantly able to make the world take cognisance of our rich heritage, and turn towards it as a noteworthy opinion and decision leader for the resolution and perspective development on Modern day life and issues of globally strategic relevance.  

Due to your deep connect with the Bhagavad Gita, you had gifted to several Heads of State, making the global community sit up and take notice of what India has to offer. Your legendary remark of there being nothing greater than the  Bhagavad Gita to receive or donate as a gift, speaks volumes of your uncompromising faith in the Timeless Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita. In the Bhagavad Gita 3.21, Lord Krishna says: 

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ 

sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate 

“Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues” 

People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behaviour and he must follow the principles of shastra(scripture) to teach the common man. The leader cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures and his teachings and vision should be based on the principles of standard shastras like the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana. The Shrimad-Bhagavatam also affirms that one should follow in the footsteps of great personalities and that is the way to progress on the path of success in life. The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the schoolteacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general. All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependents; therefore they must be conversant with standard books of moral and spiritual codes. 

It’s a matter of proud privilege for us that you had kindly inaugurated the Astounding Bhagavad Gita As It Is at ISKCON Delhi in February 2019. You had mentioned at that time that:  

The Gita has shown the Way to Perform Action on the Path of Welfare for Mankind to the leaders of the world right down to the common man. You had also mentioned that the Gita is of course a religious book, but it is also a book of life. Srila Prabhupada the Founder Acarya of ISKCON, in your words, had dedicated himself to the Bhagavad Gita. 

Your commitment to ensuring the implementation of spiritually relevant  policies with regard to Cow protection, promotion of Indian culture and history in education, indigenous systems of medicine, public hygiene, protection of heritage sites and the recent Bhumi Poojan of Lord Ramachandra’s temple in Ayodhya Dhama has made the entire nation confident of your noble intentions to present a Bharata Varsha that is equally bold in foreign policy, science and technology as well as its youth and the unparalleled culture and history of the nation. Your tenure has been embellished with many such efforts to re-establish the glory of Sanatana dharma. 

On this special day, marking your 70th birth anniversary, we wish to offer our prayers for you, at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. We wish you good health, ever increasing conviction to tread the path of Dharma, and boundless strength to aid your goals and mission. As the world looks up to you for direction, we pray that the Lord may Himself be your guide, making you an instrument in building the colossal future of India. 

We are fortunate to have a benefactor in you, supporting us in our endeavours. We wish to take this opportunity to offer our sincere wishes and benedictions for you. May you be blessed with a long, healthy life punctuated with success and magnificence. Hare Krishna.