View source for Bhakti Tirtha Swami

{{Short description|American Hindu writer (1950–2005)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2015}} 
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| background     = #FFA07A
| image= Bhakti Tirtha Swami.jpg
| name           = Bhakti Tirtha Swami
|honorific-suffix = Krishnapada
| religion       = [[Hinduism]]
| sect           = [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] 
| philosophy     = [[Achintya Bheda Abheda]]<br />[[Bhakti yoga]] 
| order          = [[Sannyasa]] 
| alias          =  John E. Favors, Toshombe Abdul, Ghanasyama Dasa (pre-sannyasa), Swami Krishnapada
| Predecessor    =[[A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]]
| post           = [[ISKCON Guru System|ISKCON Guru]], [[Sannyasi]]
| birth_date  = February 25, 1950
| death_date  = June 27, 2005
| website        = [http://www.btswami.com/ Official Site]
}}
{{Vaishnavism}}
{{Hindu philosophy}}
'''Bhakti Tirtha Swami''' ({{IAST3|Bhakti-tīrtha Svāmī}}; February 25, 1950 – June 27, 2005), previously called '''John Favors''' and '''Toshombe Abdul'''<ref>''From slogans to mantras: social protest and religious conversion in the late Vietnam War era'' by Stephen A. Kent - Syracuse University Press 2001, [https://books.google.com/books?id=TGhXkMR2SbEC&pg=PA66 p.66.]</ref> and also known by the honorific '''Krishnapada''' ({{IAST|Kṛṣṇapāda}}), was a [[ISKCON Guru System|guru]]<ref name = Princeton1 >{{Harvnb|The Class of 1972|2005|p=}}</ref><ref name = Muster101 /> and governing body commissioner<ref name = Princeton1 /><ref name = Bryant253 >{{Harvnb|Bryant|Ekstrand|2004|p=253}}</ref> of the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] (commonly known as the ''[[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|Hare Krishnas]]'' or ISKCON).<ref name = Princeton1 /> He was the highest-ranking African American in ISKCON.<ref name = Princeton1 /><ref name = Bhardwaj73 >{{Harvnb|Bhardwaj|1980|p=73}}</ref>

He wrote 17 books on religious topics and led community development projects in the United States and other countries.<ref name = hawken /> He was the founder and director of the Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology<ref name = hawken /> in [[Washington, DC]], "a nonprofit, nondenominational organization whose membership represents a variety of spiritual paths and professional backgrounds".<ref name = Council1502 /> He traveled frequently and served as a spiritual consultant.<ref name = hawken /> He also served as chairman of the Third World Coalition.<ref name = hawken /> On February 7, 2006, the [[Council of the District of Columbia]] recognized him for dedication to social change for residents in the [[District of Columbia]].<ref name = Council1502 >{{Harvnb|Council of the District of Columbia|2006|pp=1502–1503}}</ref>

==Early life==
Bhakti Tirtha Swami was born John Edwin Favors on February 25, 1950, into a [[Christians|Christian]] family living in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], US.<ref name = Princeton1 /><ref name = Council1502 /><ref name = Kent66 >{{Harvnb|Kent|2001|p=66}}</ref> His parents instilled in him the values of self-confidence, [[religiosity]] and a spirit of [[generosity]] demonstrated by giving to persons less fortunate than oneself.<ref name = Council1502 /> As a child, John Favors appeared on television to preach [[Christianity]].<ref name = hawken />

==Education==

Favors excelled in his academic achievements while attending [[East Technical High School]] in Cleveland<ref name = Council1502 /> and received a [[scholarship]] to attend the prestigious [[Hawken School]],<ref name = Council1502 /> where he spent an additional year of college preparation in [[philosophy]] and [[political science]].<ref name = hawken /> While at Hawken, he was a member of the [[American football|football]] and [[wrestling]] teams.<ref name = hawken />

In 1968 he came to [[Princeton University]].<ref name = Princeton1 /> While at Princeton, he partook as a leader in [[Martin Luther King Jr.]]'s civil rights movement<ref name=hawken>[http://www.hawken.edu/pdf/review_W06_classnotes.pdf In Memoriam Bhakti Tirtha Swami “JohnFavors” ’68] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023003643/http://www.hawken.edu/pdf/review_W06_classnotes.pdf |date=October 23, 2007 }}</ref><ref name = Council1502 /> being "at the forefront of political activism on [[campus]], a leader of the Association of Black Collegians (ABC)<ref name = Muster101 /><ref name = Kent66/> and a founder of the [[Brown Center for Students of Color|Third World Center]]".<ref name = Princeton1 /> He also served as a president of the student council.<ref name = hawken /><ref name = Council1502 /> In 1972, he earned a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[psychology]] and [[African American studies]].<ref name = Princeton1 /><ref name = hawken /><ref name = Council1502 /> Attending lectures at the university and reading books on different subjects, "he began feeling the futility of acquiring knowledge which would become obsolete very soon".<ref name = Bhardwaj73 />

==International Society for Krishna Consciousness==

After Princeton, he joined the [[Hare Krishna movement|Hare Krishna]] Movement and "began a career of worldwide travel, study, teaching, lecturing, and writing".<ref name = Princeton1 /> On February 16, 1973, in [[Los Angeles]] he was [[diksha|initiated]] into the [[Gaudiya Vaishnava]] tradition by [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|ISKCON]]'s founder [[A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]], whereupon he was given the name ''Ghanashyam Dasa''<ref>[http://www.prabhupada.com/disciple.php?letter=G Srila Prabhupada Disciple Database] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026145609/http://www.prabhupada.com/disciple.php?letter=G |date=October 26, 2007 }}</ref> (meaning servant of [[Krishna]]). In the 1970s, Ghanashyam Dasa preached [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] in [[Eastern Europe]] by distributing religious books and working with scholars.<ref name = hawken />

On March 13, 1979, during [[Gaura-purnima]] festival at [[New Vrindaban]], he was initiated into the [[Vaishnava]] [[sannyasa]] order of [[Sannyasa|renunciation]] by [[Kirtanananda Swami]] and given the name ''Bhakti Tirtha Swami''. In the same year, he visited [[Nigeria]] and to assist Brahmananda Swami in preaching in West Africa. In 1990, he was crowned as high chief in Warri, Nigeria.<ref name = Ezekwugo117 >{{Harvnb|Ezekwugo|1992|p=117}}</ref> Later he went on to become a senior leader and one of the most prominent preachers<ref name = Muster101 >{{Harvnb|Muster|2001|pp=100–101}}</ref> within ISKCON and a member of its management body known as the Governing Body Commission.<ref name = hawken />

He was the first person of [[Ethnic groups of Africa|African]] descent to become an initiating guru in the disciplic succession of the ancient [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism|Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya]].<ref name = Council1502 /> As a religious leader, Bhakti-tirtha Swami made a friendship with celebrities and served as a spiritual consultant, specializing in international relations and conflict resolution to high-ranking members of the [[United Nations]] and world leaders, including former President of [[South Africa]] [[Nelson Mandela]] and Zambia's president [[Kenneth Kaunda]]<ref name = Princeton1 /><ref name = hawken /><ref name = Council1502 />

Nori Muster (Ex-member of ISKCON) whom worked for ten years as a public relations secretary and editor of ISKCON's newspaper, the ''ISKCON World Review'', recalls in her book:

{{Blockquote|By design, the ISKCON World Review was limited to pro-ISKCON good news from GBC zones around the world. We also printed profiles and covered activities of preachers in the movement. One of our favorites was Bhakti-tirtha, a Princeton graduate who once called himself Toshombe Abdul, president of his university's Association of Black Collegians. Bhakti-tirtha had a way of striking up a spontaneous friendship with celebrieties such as [[Muhammad Ali]]. In one issue we reported Bhakti-tirtha's visit to the [[Zambia]]n statehouse, where he had dinner with the country's president, Dr. [[Kenneth Kaunda]]. He met the president through a judge, Aiyadurai Sivanandan, who had become a devotee. We also printed a photo of Justice Sivanandan, dressed in his black judge's robes and powdered wig, with [[tilak]] on his forehead. The judge resigned his post in Zambia to serve ISKCON temple in [[India]]. One of ISKCON predecessors had predicted that in the dawning of Lord [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu|Chaitanya]]'s golden age judges would wear tilak and become devotees.<ref name = Muster101 />}}

In 1990, Bhakti Tirtha Swami was crowned High Chief in [[Warri]], [[Nigeria]], [[West Africa]] in recognition of the reputable work he performed there.<ref name = hawken /><ref name = Council1502 />

==Works==
Swami published more than 17 books and was frequently interviewed in the media.

===Bibliography===
Bhakti Tirtha Swami wrote more than 17 books, among them can be named the following:
{{refbegin}}
* Leadership for an Age of Higher Consciousness I: Administration from a Metaphysical Perspective. — 1st ed. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 1996. — 324 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-02-1}}
* Leadership for an Age of Higher Consciousness II: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 2002. — 162 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-11-0}}
* Reflections on Sacred Teachings Volume I: Sri Siksastaka. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2002. — 247 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-13-7}}
*Reflections on Sacred Teachings Volume II: Madhurya-Kadambini. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2003. — 196 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-14-5}}
*Reflections on Sacred Teachings Volume III: Harinama Cintamani. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2004. — 283 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-15-3}}
*Reflections on Sacred Teachings Volume IV: Sri Isopanisad. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2005. — 320 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-19-6}}
*Reflections on Sacred Teachings Volume V: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's Sixty-four Principles for Community. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2007. — 235 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-21-8}}
*Reflections on Sacred Teachings Volume VI: Radha-Sunya: Missing Mercy. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press. — 147 p.
*Spiritual Warrior I: Uncovering Spiritual Truths in Psychic Phenomena. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 1996. — 201 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-01-3}}
*Spiritual Warrior II: Transforming Lust into Love. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 1998. — 238 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-03-X}}
*Spiritual Warrior III: Solace for the Heart in Difficult Times. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 2000. — 296 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-06-4}}
*Spiritual Warrior IV: Conquering the Enemies of the Mind. — 1st ed. — Washington, DC: Hari-Nama Press, 2004. — 285 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-16-1}}
*Spiritual Warrior V: Making the Mind Your Best Friend. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 2003. — 275 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-17-X}}
*Spiritual Warrior VI: Beyond Fanaticism, Terrorism, and War: Discover the Peace Solution. — Largo, MD: Hari-Nama Press, 2006. — 306 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-18-8}}
*The Beggar I: Meditations and Prayers on the Supreme Lord. — 1st ed. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 1994. — 160 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-00-5}}
*The Beggar II: Crying Out for the Mercy. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 1998. — 162 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-04-8}}
*The Beggar III: False Ego: The Greatest Enemy of the Spiritual Leader. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2002. — 194 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-10-2}}
*The Beggar IV, Die Before Dying. — Washington, D.C.: Hari-Nama Press, 2005. — 155 p. — {{ISBN|1-885414-22-6}}
{{refend}}

=== Films ===
Bhakti Tirtha Swami took part in many documentaries, television shows and was frequently interviewed in the media.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-yXA4V9Mk8 | title=Bhakti Tirtha Swami on Common Ground Television Show -- 1080p HD - YouTube | website=[[YouTube]] | date=February 15, 2022 }}</ref> B.T. Swami Vault was created to preserve his filmed memory<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSJculW0ZZE | title=Readiness for Leaving the Body &#124; Bhakti Tirtha Swami - YouTube | website=[[YouTube]] | date=July 12, 2021 }}</ref> B. T. Swami was interviewed in [[One: The Movie]]<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493155/fullcredits?ref_=ttpl_ql_dt_1 {{User-generated source|date=May 2022}}</ref>

==Death==

Bhakti Tirtha Swami died following complications from melanoma cancer on June 27, 2005, 3:35pm at Gita Nagari, the Gaudiya Vaishnava Krishna community in central Pennsylvania.<ref name="harekrsna.org">[http://www.harekrsna.org/gbc/black/bhaktitirtha4.htm] quoting Iskcon homepage at the time</ref>
<ref name = Princeton1 /> Bhakti Tirtha Swami is survived by four sisters, Bernadette Satterfield, Julia Henderson, Frances Myers, and Marguerite Brooks; a brother, Paul Favors; and numerous nieces and nephews.<ref name = Princeton1 /><ref name="harekrsna.org"/>

==Honors==

On February 7, 2006, the [[Council of the District of Columbia]] adopted ceremonial resolution, in which it "recognized His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Krishnapada for dedication to social change that has impacted civil and human rights for residents in the District of Columbia".<ref name = Council1502 />

==In popular culture==

===''Black Lotus'' biography===

In 2007, his biography was released, entitled ''Black Lotus: The Spiritual Journey of an Urban Mystic,''<ref name = Princetonbooks /> the 410-page book is complete with full-color pictures, interviews with loved ones, and comprehensive Index. The author, [[Satyaraja Dasa|Steven J. Rosen]] is senior editor of the ''[[Journal of Vaishnava Studies]]'' and associate editor of ''[[Back to Godhead]]'', the magazine of the Hare Krishna movement.<ref name = Princetonbooks /> According to [[Princeton University]] website, the book "explores the life and mission of His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami (1950-2005), an African-American seeker who rose from impoverished conditions in the [[Cleveland]] [[ghetto]] to become a global spiritual leader of the Hare Krishna movement".<ref name = Princetonbooks >[https://www.princeton.edu/~paw/web_exclusives/books/books0607.html#about Books Received 2006-07]</ref>

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
{{refbegin|30em}}
*{{Citation 
 |last=Council of the District of Columbia 
 |title=ACR 16-183, His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Krishnapada Ceremonial Recognition Resolution of 2006 
 |journal=[[Council of the District of Columbia|District of Columbia Register]] 
 |volume=53 
 |issue=9 
 |year=2006 
 |pages=1502–1503 
 |url=http://dcregisterarchives.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/OS/release_content/attachments/13468/03-03-06_4-5.pdf 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073133/http://dcregisterarchives.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/OS/release_content/attachments/13468/03-03-06_4-5.pdf 
 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 
 |df=mdy 
 }}
*{{Citation | last=Bhardwaj | first=P. | title=The Man From Hare Krishna | journal=Viva | volume=6-7 | year=1980 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qAKyAAAAIAAJ }}
* {{Citation
 | last1=Bryant
 | first1=Edwin
 | last2=Ekstrand
 | first2=Maria
 | author-link=Edwin Bryant (author)
 | year=2004
 | title=The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant
 | publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBMxPdgrBhoC
 | isbn=0-231-12256-X
 }}
* {{Citation
 |last1     = Dwyer
 |first1    = Graham
 |last2     = Cole
 |first2    = Richard J.
 |year      = 2007
 |title     = The Hare Krishna Movement: Forty Years of Chant and Change
 |publisher = [[I.B.Tauris]]
 |url       = https://books.google.com/books?id=l4cE-nzXLx8C
 |isbn      = 978-1-84511-407-7
}}
* {{Citation
 | last=Ezekwugo
 | first=Charles Maduabuchukwu
 | year=1992
 | title=Philosophical concepts: esotericism, religiosity, metaphysics, the stolen legacy of African heritage
 | publisher=Agatha Series Publishers
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eCIvAAAAYAAJ
 | isbn=978-31622-0-9
 }}
* {{Citation
 | last=Kent
 | first=Stephen A.
 | year=2001
 | title=From slogans to mantras: social protest and religious conversion in the late Vietnam War era
 | publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]]
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ORO7AAAAIAAJ
 | isbn=0-8156-2923-0
 }}
* {{Citation
 | last=Muster
 | first=Nori Jean
 | year=2001
 | title=Betrayal of the spirit: my life behind the headlines of the Hare Krishna movement
 | publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dw3-xD05wnoC
 | isbn=0-252-06566-2
 }}
* {{Citation
 | last=Yahya
 | first=M. T.
 | year=2006
 | title=Issues in the practice of religion in Nigeria
 | publisher=Nigerian Association for the Study of Religions
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GtUQAQAAIAAJ
 | isbn=978-2331-01-5
 }}
* {{Citation
 |last      = Rosen
 |first     = Steven J.
 |year      = 2007
 |title     = Black Lotus: The Spiritual Journey of an Urban Mystic
 |publisher = Hari-Nama Press
 |url       = https://books.google.com/books?id=SKDCHgAACAAJ
 |isbn      = 978-1-885414-23-6
}}
*{{Citation 
 |last=The Class of 1972 
 |title=John Edward Favors '72 
 |newspaper=[[Princeton Alumni Weekly]] 
 |date=2 November 2005 
 |url=http://paw.princeton.edu/memorials/13/39/index.xml 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531184353/http://paw.princeton.edu/memorials/13/39/index.xml 
 |archive-date=May 31, 2010 
 |df=mdy 
 }}
*{{Citation
 | last=McCray
 | first=Melvin R.
 | title=The Two Lives of John Favors: A Political Activist becomes a monk in the Hare Krsna Movement
 | newspaper=[[Princeton Alumni Weekly]]
 | year=1983
 | url=http://www.btswami.com/?id=236
 | access-date=August 19, 2009
 | archive-date=March 30, 2022
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330031231/https://btswami.com/?id=236
 | url-status=dead
 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bhakti Tirtha Swami}}
{{Wikiquote|Bhakti Tirtha Swami}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160628083411/http://www.btswami.com/ Bhakti Tirtha Swami's Official Website]
*[http://www.harinamapress.org/ Harinama Press, the publishers of Bhakti Tirtha Swami's books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217190323/http://www.harinamapress.org/ |date=February 17, 2020 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091024140731/http://www.ikologiks.org/directory/restributes2.html Reflections by Adisajion the Life & Times of Bhakti Tirtha Swami]

{{Modern Gaudiya Vaishnavas}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swami, Bhakti Tirtha}}
[[Category:International Society for Krishna Consciousness religious figures]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:American Hindus]]
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism]]
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism from Christianity]]
[[Category:American Hare Krishnas]]
[[Category:African-American religious leaders]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Princeton University alumni]]
[[Category:Vaishnava saints]]