BHANU SWAMI
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj is one of the senior disciples of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. His Holiness Bhanu Swami Maharaj was born in Canada on 26th December 1948 to the most fortunate Japanese parents. He holds a BA Degree in Oriental Fine Arts history from the University of British Colombia. While studying fine arts in Japan, and at the same time interested in meditation and searching something fulfilling for the soul, he met the devotees and joined the Hare Krishna movement in Tokyo in 1970. After six months, finally he met his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, and then his exemplary spiritual journey began. Srila Prabhupada was about to set on his India tour with his western disciples and HH Bhanu Maharaj joined with them, and came to India with him, travelled and did campaigning in different places in India, as one of the white elephants of Srila Prabhupada and went to Kumbh Mela from Delhi, where he got initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1971. When Mayapur land was purchased and was under first phase of development, Maharaj was present there with HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj and other devotees.
Bhanu Swami was personally instructed in the art of Deity worship by Srila Prabhupada, and within ISKCON he has become an authority on the topic. By 1972, His Holiness Bhanu Swami Maharaj already earned credit from Srila Prabhupada for his exact Sanskrit pronunciation, expertise in cooking and excellence in deity worship. He also began to translate Srila Prabhupada’s books into Japanese. After 1980, he started staying in India, Mayapur where he served as a Secretary for HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj for 5 Years. Then he took sannyasa vows in 1984. He is also a member of the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON. He became a great inspiration for many devotees around the world and he preached Krishna consciousness in Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Australia, Canada, U.S, U.K and India. Bhanu Swami has been a GBC member since 2003. His zonal assignments cover South India, and he is co-GBC for Japan. His history in management is as a regional secretary for South India since 1986. Having spent the last few decades as a resident in Chennai, he has a clear understanding of the region. His GBC committee responsibilities include past chairmanship and, currently, participation in the Parallel Lines of Authority Committee for the Strategic Planning Initiative.
A scholar in Sanskrit and olden Bengali, tremendously working days and nights together, focusing one pointedly on the instructions of his Spiritual Master, diving deeper into Gaudiya philosophy, deeply touched by the commentaries of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, he has translated one hundred and sixty three significant works of the Gaudiya Vaishnava canon, in one hundred and thirty three books with still work in progress.
Many of these works are commentaries of Previous Acharyas of the Gaudiya sampradaya on Bhagavad-gita, Sri-Isopanishad, and Srimad Bhagavatam. Thus, His Holiness’s contribution is a lasting one. He continues with this translation service to this day, giving us the nectar from the Bengali and Sanskrit works of the previous Vaishnava acharyas to enhance our understanding of the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj’s depth of scholarship has enabled him to create presentations on topics like karma and astrology, mysteries of sound, vedic cosmology, structure of the universe, energetic universe, Vedic culture, easy journey to other planets, beyond birth and death, the power of mind, develop spiritual taste, transforming disfunctional relationships, reincarnation, yoga and many more, and he presents these as wonderful seminars as he travels to different parts of the world, enlightening those he meets with heartfelt spiritual intellectualism.
Not only is he translating these invaluable works, he is also enlightening us by giving enlivening seminars on these books like Harinama Cintamani, Tattva Sandarbha, Paramatma Sandarbha, Bhagavat Sandarbha, Krishna Sandarbha, Bhakti Sandarbha, Priti Sandarbha, Madhurya Kadambini, Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Brhad Bhagavatamrita, Caitanya Caritamrita, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Jaiva Dharma, Guru Tattva, Siksastakam, Brahma Samhita, Upadesamrita etc.
Bhanu Swami is a quiet achiever and has studied a variety of disciplines including martial arts, Reiki healing, Karnatic music (specifically vina). He is a reputed astrologer. His current efforts in spreading Krishna consciousness include completing the construction of a temple in Chennai and stabilizing the new temple in Tokyo.
Maharaj’s daily Sadhana is Perfect and very Steady . His daily routine is attending the early morning programs and then answering the emails and spends most of the time translating the previous acharyas works.
When questioned about his enthusiastic everyday steady Sadhana, Maharaj answered that, when the same spiritual activities are repeated again and again everyday, at the same timings, then that is the best way to easily develop our Bhakti. When our day-to-day Bhakti activities are Sincere, Serious and Repeatedly done, it is the easiest technique, to advance quickly in our Bhakti process. Once again when questioned as why the normal devotees find it very difficult to follow this method and not able to do the same activities everyday at the same timings, Maharaj very clearly answered that this is generally because ,the devotees are not very clear about their goal, and because of that, their daily practice is also not sincere & steady & serious. Sometimes the devotees want to live in this material world, and sometimes they want to worship Krishna. And in this way, their goal is getting distracted in many things and collide with one another, because of which they are confused of their one pointed targeted single goal . So the only method is to offer yourself completely to Krishna, and forget about this material world. Then you can practice your Sadhana Steadily, Seriously & Sincerely. "
Just by following HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj's this one instruction we all can be very easily delivered.
When asked as what makes him so much interested in diving deep into the Sastras? Maharaj answers, "It is because of my passion to search & find out the answers for all the philosophical questions.
Maharaj is very deeply touched by the works of the Previous Acharyas, especially Srila Visvanatha Chakravarthy Thakura and he says that Sripada's works are his most favorite ones because his explanations are very simple and the way he explains the lilas are very sweet and charming.
He believes that the key for remaining stable in Krsna Consciouness is that the devotee should devote himself completely to Krsna.
Maharaj feels that the moments he lived with his Spiritual Master, Srila Prabhupada, are the most memorable moments in his devotional life.
