Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj
Srila Gour Govinda Swami made his appearance into an ancient Oriya Vaishnava family famed for their devotional kirtans. He grew up surrounded by devotees, worshipping Sri Sri Radha Gopaljiu, chanting the holy names and reading Srimad Bhagavatam. Later in life, after becoming a wandering sadhu, he met ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada and instantly surrendered at his lotus feet, recognizing him to be the topmost of Lord Krishna’s dear devotees. Srila Prabhupada offered to award Maharaja the order of sannyasa at their first meeting and later commented about his disciple Srila Gour Govinda Swami, stating that ‘Krishna has sent him’.
Srila Gour Govinda Swami fully dedicated his life to fulfilling his revered Guru Maharaja’s instructions – vigorously preaching the Gaudiya Siddhanta around the world; translating Srila Prabhupada’s books from English into the Oriya language, also preaching widely throughout Orissa State: and building the stunning Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Temple in Bhubaneswar. Following Srila Prabhpada’s orders he also travelled the world preaching the message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and accepted disciples, continuing the line of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupadaji Maharaja.
He left his body spontaneously in 1996 while in Mayapur, during a discussion about topics on Lord Jagannath, during which he was greatly ecstatic. His body was brought to the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir in Bhubaneswar where he was placed in samadhi in the small mud hut that had served as his bhajana-kutira for many years.