Shrila Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Swami

Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāj appeared on August 23rd, 1946 in the USA. In his youth he practiced haṭha-yoga and in 1967, he met his guru, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda, and became his direct disciple in 1970 receiving the name Jagat-Guru dāsa brahmacārī. In 1972 he was requested by Śrīla Prabhupāda to go to and open centres in Africa. After spending two years in East Africa, he helped establish preaching centres in South Africa and later went to North Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Emirates. During this period, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāj went through many hardships and dangerous situations in order to fulfil the instructions of Śrīla Prabhupāda and spread the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In recognition of his dedication and service, Śrīla Prabhupāda awarded him the renounced order of sannyāsa in 1976 and requested him to stay in India. After Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance from this world, Mahārāj stayed mostly in Vṛndāvana and continued to travel throughout India, visiting many holy places, and writing about his experiences for Back To Godhead magazine. In 1986, Narasiṅgha Mahārāj took śikṣā (spiritual instruction) from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beloved godbrother, Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī, and in the later 1990’s studied under another renowned disciple of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī. For over 50 years, Swami Narasingha travelled extensively throughout India, Mexico, USA and Europe, spreading the teachings of his guardians. On January 2nd, 2020, he left this world at the age of 73 surrounded by his dear disciples, friends and well-wishers. During his lifetime, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāj wrote many articles for spiritual journals such as Back To Godhead, Clarion Call, Gauḍīya Vedānta, Gauḍīya Touchstone and Kṛṣṇa-Talk. He published works by his gurus such as In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life by Śrīla Prabhupāda, Follow the Angels, Encounters with Divinity, Divine Harmony and Upadeśāmṛta by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāj. Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāj also wrote over 200 articles and authored several books such as Vaiṣṇava India, Kumbha-Mela, Evolution of Theism, The Authorized Śrī Caitanya-Sārasvata Paramparā, Prakṛta-rasa Āraṇya-chediṇī, Prabhupāda Vijaya, The Meaning of Sannyāsa, Śrī Dāmodara-kathā, Śrī Gāyatrī Mantrārtha Dīpikā, a commentary on Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Prakṛta-rasa Śata-duṣanī, a translation and commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā, and Yoga-Vicāra – A Brief Deliberation on the Yoga System.