The year 2021 marks the centennial celebration, the 100th appearance anniversary, of  Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja. A disciple of Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Maharaja—himself one of the foremost disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur—Narayana Maharaja served the Gaudiya Vaishnava community as a sannyasi for fifty-eight years. From 1996 to 2010 when Narayana Maharaja left this world, he circled the globe many times sharing the teachings of bhakti-yoga.

Narayana Maharaja first met Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya, in 1947. He was the officiating priest during Srila Prabhupada’s sannyas ceremony in 1959. Later in 1977, at the request of Srila Prabhupada, Narayana Maharaja performed his samadhi ceremony in Vrindavan, India.

In honor of Narayana Maharaja’s centennial celebration, his devotees around the world organized festivals, performed harinam sankirtan and distributed prasadam. A 55-hour global glorification event was broadcast live on social media featuring memories by disciples and well-wishers. ISKCON’s Radhanatha Maharaja also spoke and offered words of appreciation. In addition, the Mayor of the city of Houston declared February 11th, 2021 as ‘His Holiness B.V. Narayana Goswami Maharaja Day.’

“ISKCON is grateful for the support and service that Narayana Maharaja offered to Srila Prabhupada over the years,” said Anuttama dasa, ISKCON’s Minister of Communications. “We offer our respects and humble obeisances to His Holiness Narayana Maharaja and his followers on the auspicious occasion of his centennial celebration.”