vancchitam amrtam yattu sri rupa-raghunathayoh
taddane truti lesam yah sahate no nrsimhakah
pracar karye siddhanta-sarasvati-samah ksamah
bhaktivedanta sisyah sa vande svami nrsimhakah
"Our obeisances unto Swami Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja,
disciple of Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who,
in the same mood as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura,
does not tolerate even the slightest deviation in the distribution
of that sublime nectar which is aspired for by Srila Rupa and Srila
Raghunatha Goswamis."
Sripad Narasingha Maharaja first came in contact with his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in the summer of 1967 in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California, but it was not until 1970 that he took hari-nama initiation from Srila Prabhupada in Los Angeles, thus becoming his duly initiated disciple. At his initiation ceremony Narasingha Maharaja received the brahmachari name; Jagat Guru dasa. At the time of Srila Prabhupada giving Maharaja his brahmachari name many devotees were present who cheered with loud cries of Jai and Haribol! Maharaja engaged himself in the process of studying Srila Prabhupada's books, sankirtana,and book distribution as his life and soul.
In 1971 Maharaja received mantra-diksa (gayatri initiation). In 1972 Maharaja was requested by Srila Prabhupada to go to Africa for preaching. After two years of preaching in East Africa, Maharaja went to South Africa and thereafter Maharaja went to North Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Emirates preaching the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Due to the many dangerous risks that Maharaja took on repeated occasions to serve Srila Prabhupada in African and Saudi Arabia, Maharaja became known amongst Srila Prabhupada's disciples as a fearless preacher of Krishna consciousness.
In 1976 Maharaja traveled to Sri Dhama Mayapur, the birth
site of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, where Srila Prabhupada
awarded him the status of sannyasa and the
title of Swami. In the year that followed Maharaja's
taking sannyasa he was in close association
with Srila Prabhupada in Mayapur, Hyderabad, Kumbha
Mela, and Vrindavana. In the last days of Srila
Prabhupada's manifest pastimes on the earth Maharaja
took every opportunity to serve Srila Prabhupada
and on many occasions Maharaja stayed at Srila Prabhupada's
bedside throughout the night. After the departure
of Srila Prabhupada from this mortal world in November
1977 Maharaja remained in Vrindavana for four years.
In
1982 Narasingha Maharaja went to the United States
for preaching at universities and colleges. In 1987
Sripad Narasingha Maharaja traveled to Mayapura,
Navadwip Dham where he took specific instruction
in the matter of Krishna consciousness from Srila
Bhaktirakshaka Sridhara Deva Goswami Maharaja, the
renowned saint and preceptor of the line of Srila
Rupa Goswami Prabhupada. During May of 1988 Sripad
Narasingha Maharaja received the title and name
Bhaktigaurava Narasingha from Srila Sridhar Maharaja
who also conferred his blessings upon Maharaja and
requested him to continue to preach Krishna consciousness
throughout the world.
In October of 1988 Sripad Narasingha Maharaja went to Vrindavana accompanied by his dear Godbrother Sripad Bhaktibhavana Vishnu Maharaja and together they established the Rupanuga Bhajan Ashrama. In 1992 Maharaja established the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Ashrama at Trivandram and in 1995 he and Sripad Vishnu Maharaja established the Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Matha at Sri Rangapatna, Mysore. In 1998 Maharaja went to Vermont, U.S.A. where he established the Sri Sri Gaura Gadadhara Ashrama under the banner of the Guardian of Devotion Mission.
Over
the years Sripad Narasingha Maharaja has written
many Krishna conscious articles for such spiritual
journals as Back to Godhead, Clarion Call, and
Gaudiya Vedanta. Articles are distributed regularly
via the Krsna Talk emailing subscription list. Maharaja
has also authored several books such as Vaishnava
India, Kumbha Mela, Evolution of Theism, The Authorized
Sri Caitanya-Saraswata Parampara, The Meaning of
Sannyasa, Sri Gayatri Mantrartha Dipika and
Prakrta-Rasa Aranya Chedini.
In addition to these literary contributions of his own, Maharaja has edited and arranged for the publication of In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life by Srila Prabhupada, Words from the Guardian of Devotion and Follow the Angels by Srila Sridhara Maharja and the title Prabhupada Saraswati Thakura, describing the life and precepts of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura.
Additionally Maharaja has been the inspiration behind Devavision Video Production Studio, producing the titles Kumbha Mela, Himalayan Pilgrimage, Gayatri and Absolute Harmony by Srila B. R. Sridhara Maharaja and Art of Sadhana series by Srila B. P. Puri Maharaja. These videos are available from Mandala Publishing.
Due
to his straight forward and affectionate dealings
with all the devotees Sripad Narasingha Maharaja
is held in high regard by Senior Vaishnavas, sannyasis,
Godbrothers, Godsisters, and disciples alike.
At the age of fifty-seven Sripad Narasingha Maharaja
continues to preach Krishna consciousness enthusiastically
and enliven all those who come into his holy association.
At present Maharaja resides at Sri Narasingha Caitanya
Matha on the banks of the sacred river Kaveri in
South India.
Swami Narasingha top