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Hagiography

Satsvarupa das Goswami is a disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami, the founder of ISKCON (Hare Krishna movement), and he is known for his talents as a writer, poet, and artist. He authored the authorized biography of Bhaktivedanta Swami, called Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, and has written over a hundred books based on Vaishnava scriptures.

Satsvarupa das Goswami was one of the first few Westerners to be ordained by Bhaktivedanta Swami in September 1966. He was originally named Stephen Guarino and grew up in Staten Island, New York, with Italian Roman Catholic parents. After meeting Bhaktivedanta Swami, he began working for him and eventually became a disciple.

After the death of Bhaktivedanta Swami, Satsvarupa das Goswami was selected to be one of the eleven disciples who could initiate future disciples. He has had a long history with ISKCON and has played various roles in managing the organization, preaching and traveling, and dealing with challenges within the movement.

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Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was a disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Satsvarupa dasa Goswami served as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami&#39;s personal typist and secretary during the early days of ISKCON and went on to manage ISKCON Boston and ISKCON Press. He became a member of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) and was one of the original members appointed by Bhaktivedanta Swami in 1970 to take over the management of ISKCON. He was also a trustee in Bhaktivedanta&#39;s will for the management of ISKCON.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was a prolific author, and his books include a biography of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada-Lilamrta, He Lives Forever, and five volumes of Prabhupada Nectar. He also wrote With Srila Prabhupada in the Early Days, which covers the early years of ISKCON, and Life With the Perfect Master, which describes his time serving as Bhaktivedanta Swami&#39;s personal servant.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was asked by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust to complete a number of works started by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, and his writings were translated into over forty languages. He was appointed as a ritvik (representative) by his preceptor and became the most senior member of the movement. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was also involved in preaching and traveling, and he led the BBT Library Party in the mid-1970s to establish a distribution network to universities in the United States and Eastern Europe.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was also the editor-in-chief and one of the main contributors to Back to Godhead magazine, which was a project that required a lot of contribution and supervision from the early days of ISKCON. In accordance with ISKCON GBC resolutions in March 1978, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami and eleven other Governing Body Commissioners assumed the duties and services of initiating disciples in assigned zones after the death of Bhaktivedanta Swami. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami became a zonal acharya in the United States, Caribbean, and Ireland.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami took part in a controversial zonal acarya system in the years 1978-1985, in a position of an Acharya, while initiating reform of a high standard of worship. He attempted to reform the system by assuming a more humble and appropriate role of a guru as per recorded instructions of the &quot;Founder-Acarya.&quot;

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