Gurus in America

GURUS IN AMERICA

GURUS IN AMERICA Edited by Thomas A. Forsthoefel and Cynthia Ann Humes S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W Y O R K P R E S S Published by STAT E UN I V E R S I T Y O F NE W YO R K PR E S S ALBANY© 2005 State University of NewYork All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of NewYork Press, 194 Washington Avenue, Suite 305,Albany, NY 12210-23 Production, Laurie Searl Marketing, Fran Keneston Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Gurus in America / edited by Thomas A. Forsthoefel and Cynthia Ann Humes. p. cm. (SUNY series in Hindu studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-6573-X (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-6574-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Gurus—United States. 2. Spiritual life—Hinduism. I. Forsthoefel,Thomas A. II. Humes, Cynthia Ann, 1958– II. Series. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 84 In memory of Tamal Krishna Goswami disciple, guru, teacher, scholar, friend you are dearly missed Time is running out. I have perhaps another twenty years to serve. I must seriously consider how I can best utilize this remaining time. Our movement is now firmly established. Hare Krishna is a household word around the world.Yet I think that we are still largely misunderstood by others. Rooted in their own cultures and traditions, they often find our ways strange. To help them understand, we must first seek to know them better—their history, their mores, their faiths.To transmit the finer aspects of Krishna consciousness, we must first educate our own members. An intelligent learned clergy with broad educational backgrounds will then be able to relate our teachings and traditions to those of other persuasions. Both will be benefited. Tamal Krishna Goswami A Hare Krishna at Southern Methodist University (Dallas: Pundits Press, 1998), 26–27. ...