Appreciation for the Life and Work of Tamal Krishna Goswami

7/26/2019 Appreciation for the Life and Work of Tamal Krishna Goswami

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Appreciation for the Life and Work of Tamal Krishna Goswami

You Can Know a Tree By Its Fruitsy !atyara"a #asa

Sannyasa Initiation in Jaipur 1972

The devotional life of Tamal Krishna Goswami

"My spiritual master knew that I alone could not do this great work. Therefore, he has verykindly sent you all to help me in this task. I accept you therefore as representatives of my Guru

Maharaja, playing as my aectionate disciples."(Srila Prabhupada, letter to Los Angelesdevotees, August 2, 1972!

"#$%$ &$%$ '$%"AI things only he )ould do,* said Pradyu+na asa-

Pradyu+na (or *Pundit.i,* as Prabhupada a/e)tionately )alled hi+! traveled 0ith SrilaPrabhupada or a portion o the 197s- #e 0as a talented Sans3ritist, and as they .ourneyed

throughout +u)h o the 0orld, #is ivine 4ra)e instru)ted hi+ on ho0 to translate 5edi) te6ts- Atrst, I thought Pradyu+na 0as tal3ing about Prabhupada hi+sel- 8ut then it be)a+e )lear-
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*Prabhupada put a lot o sto)3 in "a+al rishna 4os0a+i,* he said- *I a situation arose thatre:uired e6pert +anage+ent s3ills or .ust good, )lear thin3ing 0herever 0e happened to be,

any0here in the 0orld Prabhupada 0ould say, ;4et "a+al, and this inti+ate relationship had intensied in re)entyears, or no0, +ore than ever beore, our servi)e overlapped? #e 0as pursuing his Ph-- at the

@niversity o 'a+bridge, and I 0as the ounder and senior editor o The ournal of !aishnavatudies, an a)ade+i) :uarterly that has been in )ir)ulation or over a de)ade- In short, 0e 0ere

both interested in bringing rsna )ons)iousness to the a)ade+i) arena-

"he the+e o "4;s do)toral dissertation 0as Srila Prabhupada;s )ontribution to the 0orld otheology, and "4 li3ed to boun)e ideas o/ 4odbrothers- So it 0as not un)o++on or hi+ to )all-

n this parti)ular o))asion, ho0ever, it 0as not his dissertation that he 0anted to dis)uss butrather an arti)le he 0as 0riting or an a)ade+i) volu+e on #hakti, or devotion to rsna, 4od- "hearti)le 0as to be )alled *ying the 4ood eath? "he "ransgurative Po0er o 8ha3ti,* and it 0ouldo)us on ho0 to a)e death 0ith a spiritual outloo3- aturally, he 0ould be 0riting +ainly ro+ a

5aisnava perspe)tive, though he did 0ant it to be so+e0hat )o+parative in approa)h-

&e dis)ussed the +edieval 'hristian )on)ept o memento mori, a Latin phrase +eaning,*%e+e+ber, you +ust die


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I re)eived a )all on Car)h 1G- "4 had passed a0ay in a )ar a))ident outside 'al)utta-H "he)ar toppled in the region o Phuliyagra+a, a sa)red area asso)iated 0ith the great saint #aridasa"ha3ura? =ive hundred years ago #aridasa lived there in a )ave, )hanting the holy na+e ,

ti+es a day- It is also said that #aridasa )on:uered Cayadevi, illusion personied, at this pla)e-

Perhaps "4 0as thin3ing o these things as he passed by- "he )ar a))ident o))urred on theholy disappearan)e day o both 4aura3isora asa 8aba.i and %asi3ananda Prabhu, t0o

i+portant spiritual +asters in the line o Lord 'aitanya, and it 0as around G? A-C-, anauspi)ious ti+e o day- It 0as as i the Lord #i+sel had or)hestrated a suitable pla)e and ti+eor his servant to pass ro+ this 0orld- *ying the 4ood eath* 0ould be "4;s nal pro.e)t 0hile

in his bodily or+- "hough he hadn;t nished 0riting it, he had )learly a)hieved it-

A Tree Grows In ISKCON

"he 5aisnava te6t ri $aitanya%caritamrta (&di9! spea3s o the gurative *plant o #hakti.* Itenvisions 'aitanya Cahaprabhu, the )o+bined or+ o %adha and rsna, as the gardener o thisplant, though #e is also the essential tree itsel, in)luding the trun3- "he bran)hes are the +anygreat devotees and asso)iates o the Lord, 0ho e6tend the rea)h o this tree throughout India

and, as 0e shall see, the rest o the 0orld-

"he e6tension o the +etaphor, and o the bran)hes as 0ell, is parti)ularly evident in the lieand 0or3 o #is ivine 4ra)e A- '- 8ha3tivedanta S0a+i Prabhupada- #e brought the tree o

#haktito to0ns and villages around the 0orld- A+ong his +any a)hieve+ents, he nourished oneparti)ular seed that sprouted into a beautiul "a+al tree- (rsna is said to be the )olor o the

tamaltreeK hen)e #is na+e *"a+al rsna-*! "he leaves and ruits o this tree 0ould be a+ong the+ost )olorul and su))ulent that Prabhupada;s bran)hes had to o/er-

8orn "ho+as #erEig in 19>, "a+al rishna, the *tree* in :uestion, blosso+ed as a )hild othe si6ties, and the spiritual :uest soon be)a+e his pri+ary o))upation- "his :uest led hi+ to

#aightAshbury in San =ran)is)o, 0here his se)ond birth too3 pla)e on $aster Sunday in 19? nthat day he be)a+e Srila Prabhupada;s initiated dis)iple- *Dou are no0 "a+al rishna asa-*

Dears later, Prabhupada 0rote hi+ a letter 0ith inor+ation about his ne0 na+e? *Perhapsyou 3no0 "a+al is a ni)e tree in 5rndavana, and be)ause the )olor o the tree e6a)tly rese+bles

that o rsna, thereore Sri+ati %adharani al0ays used to ta3e rest underneath the "a+al tree0hen she 0as eeling separation ro+ rsna-* (Cay 1, 197!

As the si6ties )a+e to a )lose, "a+al rishna be)a+e an indispensable ally in Prabhupada;s+ission in the &est? #e introdu)ed street )hanting (sankirtana! and 8"4 distribution to the

Fedgling #are rsna +ove+ent on the &est 'oast- Along 0ith his )lose riend 5isnu.ana asa


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and the tens o doEens o devotees Fo0ing into the +ove+ent he helped )reate a #are rsnae6plosion heard throughout the 0orld-

In )tober 199, Srila Prabhupada re)ogniEed his dis)iple;s ingenuity and dedi)ation andas3ed hi+ to go to London to organiEe si+ilar a)tivities there- &or3ing 0ith the three devotee

)ouples Prabhupada had already sent to London, "a+al rishna helped develop the rsna)ons)iousness +ove+ent there- Prabhupada sa0 in hi+ a +an o singular deter+ination,

)o+pletely given over to his spiritual +aster;s +ission- So, he sent "a+al rishna to #a+burgand Paris to repeat the or+ula o street )hanting and distribution o 8"4, a)tivities that "a+al(as Prabhupada )alled hi+! 0ould personally oversee until the +iddle o 197-

At that ti+e, seeing "a+al rishna;s distin)t )o+peten)e, Prabhupada +ade hi+ a 4overning8ody 'o++issioner (48'!, a leading +anagerial authority or the +ove+ent- #is Eone o

responsibility 0as India, the ho+eland o rsna )ons)iousness- &hile in the sub)ontinent, "a+alrishna developed Srila Prabhupada;s +ain pro.e)ts there, in)luding te+ple )onstru)tion in5rndavana, 8o+bay, and Cayapur- In a)t, 0hen no one else 0as able to pro)ure the land

ne)essary or IS' Cayapur, "a+al rishna undergoing serious )hallenges that +ade thepur)hase see+ i+possible su))essully se)ured the land and o/ered it at Prabhupada;s lotus eet-

Ater traveling 0ith Srila Prabhupada to the holy land o Jaipur, "a+al rishna 0as a0ardedsannyasa, the renoun)ed order o lie, in 1972- &hile this or+aliEed his )o+plete dedi)ation tohis spiritual +aster, it +eant he 0ould have to travel and prea)h, 0hi)h in turn +eant he 0ould

have to te+porarily give up his position as 48' in India- Prabhupada 0anted his 48' leaders tobe householders, +arried people, or .ust this reason- 8ut no0, as a renoun)ed travelingprea)her, "a+al rishna *4os0a+i* 0ould leave his post- (&hen one ta3es sannyasa,he

be)o+es a *s0a+i* or a *gos0a+i,* both 0ords indi)ating that one has gained +astery overone;s senses-! =or a short ti+e, he traveled through India as a +endi)ant 0ithout a +anagerialposition in IS'- 8ut Prabhupada :ui)3ly de)ided to reinstate hi+ as 48'- "4;s s3ills as a

leader de+anded it-

48' or not, his passion or prea)hing soon too3 hi+ to the +ost ertile o prea)hing lands?A+eri)a- As Prabhupada had 0ritten to hi+ in an early letter, *"his prea)hing spirit 0ill +a3e youre)ogniEed by rsna-* (e)e+ber 2, 197>!- #is training in India, in a)t, +ade hi+ pree+inently:ualied or his return to &estern shores- #e had i+bibed Indian )ulture in a 0ay e0 &esterners)an, living the traditional lie o a sadhu, or holy person, under Prabhupada;s dire)t guidan)e- In

uture years, 0hen he 0ould assu+e the +antle o guru, this inti+ate )onne)tion 0ith Indian

)ulture 0ould serve hi+ 0ell, leading to visionary and strategi) +oves or Prabhupada;s +ission?In pla)es li3e =i.i and #ouston, by strong prea)hing, "4 en)ouraged hundreds o Indian devoteesto )o+e or0ard or initiation and to be)o+e te+ple presidents, head priests, and a)tive leaders

0ithin IS'-


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Prabhupada had personally taught hi+ all aspe)ts o 5aisnava )ulture, ro+ )oo3ing tobusiness +anage+ent, ro+ philosophy to the subtle art o ho0 to love rsna- "hus, 0ith the

sa/ron )loth o a renun)iant and the sta/ that sy+boliEes a lie dedi)ated to 4od, "a+al rishna4os0a+i started or the )ountry o his birth- 8ut he 0as not going e+ptyhanded- #e 0as going

0ith the spe)ial seed o love o 4od, the #hakti%lata%#ija,or the seed o devotion a seedPrabhupada had i+planted in his heart and had taught hi+ ho0 to i+plant in the hearts o

others-

And so it 0as that in 197>, ater a ull our years in India, "4 returned to the @nited States tolaun)h a traveling sankirtanaparty 0ith his old riend 5isnu.ana, 0ho had also ta3ensannyasa

and 0as no0 3no0n as 5isnu.ana S0a+i- "ogether they devised a progra+ in 0hi)h they)onverted buses into traveling te+ples- Soon ater the pur)hase o the rst bus 0hi)h )ontinued

as the +ain te+ple or the duration o their progra+ they organiEed a Feet o these te+plebuses- $ntering one o these +obile shrines 0as li3e entering sa)red ground, the at+osphere

thi)3 0ith devotion- $a)h bus 0as )o+plete 0ith deities and +a3eshit 3it)hens- %adhaa+odara, the or+s o %adha and rsna +ost dear to "4, 0ere on the +ain busK the otherbuses housed deities o Lord 'aitanya and #is )o+rade ityananda- In this 0ay, they 0ouldtraverse the States, +ainly ro+ one )ollege )a+pus to another, spreading the holy na+e orsna to all 0ho 0ould listen- "his they did by )hanting, distributing 8"4s and Prabhupada;s

boo3s, and holding outdoor estivals sho0ing the ri)hness o the rsna )ons)ious tradition- "heparty 0as a grand su))ess hundreds o devotees .oined the +ove+ent, and the 'aitanya tree,

0ith its arrea)hing bran)hes, e6panded throughout A+eri)a-

Ater three years, Srila Prabhupada )alled "4 to be his personal se)retary, and he served assu)h ro+ the beginning o 1977 to #is ivine 4ra)e;s passing in ove+ber o that year- "he

details o his servi)e to Srila Prabhupada at this )riti)al ti+e are preserved in T'G(s )iary,a boo3)o+piled ro+ e6tensive notes hand0ritten as he traveled 0ith Srila Prabhupada- $lse0here,

"4 0rites o his spiritual +aster;s departure ro+ this 0orld, but these )ould easily be the 0ordsand senti+ents o his o0n dis)iples no0 that he has passed on?

"0o +onths ater I learned o +y ather;s de+ise Prabhupada departedro+ this 0orld- 5aisnavas spea3 not o death, but o the departure o

the soul- or do they )onsider that the body itsel has lieK it is thesoul;s presen)e 0hi)h ani+ates the body and gives it apparent lie- "hesoul leaves, then enters another body appropriate to its )ons)iousness-8ut Prabhupada, a pure devotee, had no need to ta3e another birthK his

pure )ons)iousness )arried hi+ ba)3 to 4odhead-

In a +ore e+otional se)tion o the sa+e dis)ourse, "4 )ontinues?

Det MthisNOdoes not +itigate the grie one eels in separation- A yearago, as I 0as 0al3ing in the hills o Santa 8arbara, I suddenly be)a+eover0hel+ed 0ith intense eelings o separation ro+ Prabhupada- I0as *0eeping0al3ing,* as 4ri+es Ma pro+inent s)holarN )alls it, and0hen I returned to that very spot the ne6t day the 0eeping began

again- A Food o hot tears poured ro+ +y eyes, the 3ind a )hild )ries0hen it eels totally abandoned- I 3ne0 intelle)tually that this 0as not

ho0 it 0as, but no thought 0as able to )onsole +e at that ti+e- As+u)h as I had Prabhupada;s 0ords a 0hole library o the+ at +y rea)h

they )ould not repla)e hi+ in e6a)tly the sa+e 0ay his physi)al

presen)e had been or +e- 'rying eased the pain o separation,s+oothed its .agged edges so it did not hurt so +u)h- =ro+& *are'rishna at outhern Methodist +niversity

The Tree Bears Fruit

Soon ater Prabhupada;s departure, the )olle)tive 48' announ)ed that so+e o Prabhupada;ssenior +en 0ould )ontinue the lineage by initiating ne0 dis)iples o their o0n- aturally, "4, asone o Prabhupada;s nearest and dearest servants, 0ould be one o these people- 8et0een 197and 22 he initiated over a thousand dis)iples ro+ around the 0orld, and he labored to trainthe+ in the 0ay Prabhupada had trained hi+- #e spo3e o this oten? As Srila Prabhupada, in


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pioneering a 0orld0ide spiritual +ove+ent, de+anded +u)h o his )entral leaders espe)ially"4, 0ho had a pro+inent role a+ong the+ he elt he had to be e:ually de+anding on others,

but never as +u)h as he 0as on hi+sel-

"4 0as not a spiritual +aster 0ho sat on his laurels 0hile giving instru)tion to others- #isa)hieve+ents 0ould have +ade his spiritual +aster proud- =or e6a+ple, he e/e)tively

transor+ed portions o the South0est Sun 8elt region o the @nited States, 3no0n or its'hristian unda+entalis+, into an area 0here rsna )ons)iousness is deeply appre)iated- #is

vision too3 hi+ to the heart o "e6as, 0here 0ith the help o 4odbrothers and dis)iples hedeveloped the e6isting IS' )enter in allas into so+ething uni:ue and other0orldly an oasisthat reFe)ted his o0n ini+itable style- #is inspiration )a+e ro+ Srila Prabhupada, and ro+ the

beautiul deities o %adhaala)hand.i, 0ho reside there-

Allo0ing this inspiration to ta3e hi+ urther, he soon opened ala)hand.i;s %estaurant,serving pure vegetarian ood that has been o/ered to rsna (prasadam!- "his attra)ted )ollegestudents ro+ neighboring areas, and other religious groups )a+e as 0ell ("4 had a pen)hantor interreligious prea)hing!- "he result 0as that the te+ple 0as re:uented by legions o youngpeople and religionists o every deno+ination- "he deli)ious vegetarian )uisine, o )ourse, 0as

the +ain attra)tion? =avorably revie0ed by pro+inent ne0spapers and +agaEines, this elegantand stylish restaurant soon 0on a))olades ro+ top ood )riti)s and lo)al )onnoisseurs, 0ho )a+e

to )onsider it one o the nest restaurants in "e6as- In a)t,!egetarian Times de)lared it one othe top ten vegetarian restaurants in the )ountry-

Apropos o his genius, "4 strategi)ally pla)ed the restaurant in the )enter o the %adhaala)hand.i te+ple, so that patrons 0ould see the deities or other0ise en.oy a spiritually upliting

e6perien)e- Cagni)ently )onstru)ted, the inner te+ple loo3s as though it 0ere +ysti)allytransplanted ro+ regal India- "4 )reated an at+osphere there that )ould easily evo3e rsna)ons)iousness 0ith original 0or3s o art and an elaborate de)or that )a+e to be the envy o

0ealthy patrons in the area- "he restaurant is in an outdoor garden so that guests )an dine in the+idst o plants and ragrant Fo0ers- "he )enterpie)e o the garden is a holly tree, en)ir)led by a

ountain set in the +iddle o a stone tile Foor- $n)losing the garden are stu))o 0alls- "heirstainedglass 0indo0s glitter li3e pre)ious .e0els as they lter the evening sunlight alling on the

area 0here people relish the best ood in "e6as- "his 0as "4? #e did everything 0ith style andgra)e, but, +ore, he 0as relentlessly thorough, leaving no details unattended to-

"he allas pro.e)t 0as a great su))ess, and so he 0ent or0ard 0ith a si+ilar venture in#ouston, 0here, again, the IS' )enter is highly regarded by lo)al people and the +edia- "his+ulti+illiondollar pro.e)t, in)luding a huge hall or inter)ultural events, is no0 one o IS';s

leading te+ples- At )enter stage are the beautiul deities o %adhailaCadhava, a+ong thetallest or+s o %adharsna in the 0orld-

"4;s pro.e)ts in the 8ible 8elt have be)o+e +odel householder )o++unities or IS'devotees in general- allas and #ouston are but t0o e6a+ples o ho0 +arried rsna )ons)ious


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)ouples, 0ho )enter their lives on the deities, )an earn a livelihood or their a+ilies 0hileadhering to the pra)ti)es o rsna )ons)iousness- "4;s beautiul te+ples, +eti)ulous +ethods,

and +ature dis)iples are e6e+plary, e+bodying not only the ri)hness o the rsna )ons)ioustradition but the heights that a sin)ere devotee )an attain-

"4 be)a+e 3no0n throughout the +ove+ent as a superlativesannyasi, both be)ause here+ained a )elibate +on3 or a solid thirty years ()ut short only by his death! prea)hing and

traveling on behal o Lord 'aitanya;s +ission and be)ause he 0as earless, as sannyasisaretraditionally supposed to be- "here are +any e6a+ples o his earlessness- "o )ite only t0o? In thesa+e 0ay that Prabhupada let India to start the +ove+ent in the &est, not 3no0ing 0hat toe6pe)t 0hen he arrived here, in 197 "4 let or the rient on Prabhupada;s order 0ith little

a))o+pani+ent and e0 resour)es, and began )hanting beneath a tree- Soon hundreds o lo)alpeople )a+e and too3 part in IS' there, +a3ing it a boo+ing )enter or rsna )ons)iousness-

8y the ti+e he passed a0ay, +any Asians had ta3en to rsna )ons)iousness, their presen)eelt at +any o IS';s estivals- In Cayapur this year, thirty brighta)ed "ai0anese devoteesattended "4;s spe)ially translated ectar of )evotion )lasses and s0a+ daily 0ith hi+ in the

4anga- "heir presen)e 0as a s+all sa+ple o the ruit o his t0entyve years o dedi)atedprea)hing in #ong ong, "ai0an, and other parts o Asia- ot that this 0as his only prea)hingeld? #e 0as )o48' or South 'entral @SA ("e6as, 3laho+a, and Ar3ansas!, as 0ell as or

Cayapur, 'al)utta, the Philippines, and orth and South orea- #e gave his pre)ious ti+e notonly to dis)iples but to 4odbrothers and others he see+s to have tou)hed nearly everyone in or

around the +ove+ent-

"he se)ond e6a+ple o his earlessness and )ourage as a )uttingedge prea)her 0as hisreturn to a)ade+ia- Al0ays ready to +eet a )hallenge, he de)ided to enroll in Southern Cethodist

@niversity (S-C-@-! in allas, "e6as, at ty years o age- #e )ould have gone any0here, butbe)ause his servi)e too3 hi+ to "e6as, he opted or *the #arvard o the South,* a prestigious

s)hool 0ith a di)ult regi+en- #e 0anted to *bring rsna to the university* in a 0ay that hadn;tbeen tried beore- And so he arrived in the a)ade+y o the 8ible 8elt, 0ith shaven head and thetraditional robes o a sannyasi, 0ith bright yello0 tilaka on his orehead and a tut o hair in the

ba)3 #are rsna style!-

*rsna is the riginal 'o0herd 8oy,* intervie0, ack to Godhead, 5ol- 19, o- 1 ()tober

19>!-

*ra+a in the 5edi) "radition,* intervie0, ack to Godhead, 5ol- 2, o- > (April 19!-

*"he Perils o Su))ession? #eresies o Authority and 'ontinuity in the #are rsna Cove+ent,*in I'$4 $ommunications ournal,5ol- G, o- 1 (June 1997!-


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*"ransor+ation and 'ontinuity? "he 'o++entaries o A- '- 8ha3tivedanta S0a+iPrabhupada,* in The ournal of !aishnava tudies, 5ol- , o- 2 (Spring 199!-

Boo!s

ervant of the ervant (192! An inti+ate a))ount o the early days o IS', ro+ 19 to197G- It )ontains +any o the letters 0ritten by Srila Prabhupada to "a+al rishna 4os0a+i, as

Srila Prabhupada guides his dis)iple to be)o+e a leader in the pioneering days o the #are rsna+ove+ent-

The )rama of 5ord agannatha (agannatha%0riya atakam! (19G! A )lassi) Sans3rit dra+athat tells the Purani) story o the ounding o the deity o Jagannatha and the great

Jagannatha "e+ple at Puri, India- 'o+posed in $nglish in the ri)h tradition o )lassi)alSans3rit dra+a, this rare poeti) 0or3 )o+es in t0o parts? the rst part is the dra+a itsel, and

the se)ond part introdu)es the reader to the )rat o Sans3rit dra+a and analyEes the)onstru)tion and or+ o the present 0or3 itsel-

The 3inal 0astimes of rila 0ra#hupada (0ra#hupada &ntya%lila! (19! A deeply +ovingdra+a that, li3e The )rama of 5ord agannatha,is 0ritten in $nglish 0hile adhering to rules o

)lassi)al Sans3rit dra+a- It is an absorbing and authenti) a))ount o the nal e0 +onthsbeore Srila Prabhupada;s passing in ove+ber o 1977, 0ith nu+erous lie lessons shared orthe benet o all readers-

1oga for the 67st $entury/ The tory of 5i 'uang hi (199! A )aptivating novel that+asterully )onveys the deep tea)hings o the hagavad%gita &s It Is 0ithin the lie story o aPh-- s)ien)e )andidate ro+ 'hina 0ho lives, studies, and goes through a )ultural a0a3ening

in e0 Dor3 'ity- (o0 published as 1oga for the ew Millennium.!

-eason 8 elief/ 0ro#lem olving in the 0hilosophy of -eligion(1997! A )olle)tion o tenessays 0ritten during "4;s a0ard0inning years at Southern Cethodist @niversity- #e

)o+pares )onte+porary &estern thought 0ith the 'aitanya 5aisnava tradition, bringingIS' into )onversation 0ith the 0ider )o++unity o religions

T'G(s )iary/ 0ra#hupada(s 3inal )ays (199! A +oving biographi)al a))ount o SrilaPrabhupada- "a+al rishna 4os0a+i reprodu)es his personal notes, 3ept 0hen he served asse)retary and assistant to Prabhupada in the last nine +onths beore his passing in 1977-

& *are 'rishna at outhern Methodist +niversity (199!

A )olle)tion o eighteen a0ard0inning essays 0ritten by "a+al rishna 4os0a+i as a studentat Southern Cethodist @niversity, allas, "e6as, in 199G1997- "he boo3 )overs a 0ide range o

sub.e)ts and o/ers intriguing reading or all levels o interest in rsna )ons)iousness-

Appreciation for the Life and Work of Tamal Krishna Goswami

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Transcript of Appreciation for the Life and Work of Tamal Krishna Goswami