About Śrīla Prabhupāda

1896 – Early Life

Birth and Upbringing

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Śrīla Prabhupāda was born in Calcutta, India in 1896 with the name Abhay Charan De. From childhood he was raised in a devotional Vaiṣṇava family and developed deep faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa.

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As a young man he studied chemistry at university and was influenced by the independence movement of Mahatma Gandhi. As a sign of support, he chose to wear hand-woven Indian cloth and even declined to formally accept his university degree.

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Later he married and started a small pharmaceutical business to support his family.

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1922 – Meeting His Spiritual Master

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī

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In 1922 Abhay first met Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, a great Vaiṣṇava ācārya and preacher.

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During their first meeting, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī requested him to spread the message of Lord Caitanya to the English-speaking world.

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This instruction deeply affected Abhay and became the guiding mission of his life.

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In 1932, he formally accepted initiation from his spiritual master, receiving both harināma and mantra-dīkṣā.

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1944 – Beginning the Literary Mission

Back to Godhead Magazine

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During the difficult years of the Second World War, when paper was scarce and resources were limited, Śrīla Prabhupāda began publishing a spiritual magazine titled Back to Godhead.

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He personally wrote, edited, proofread, printed, and distributed the magazine himself.

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This publication continues today and has become one of the most widely distributed spiritual magazines in the world.

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1950–1959 – Renounced Life and Writing

Vrindavan Years

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In 1950 Śrīla Prabhupāda entered the vānaprastha stage of life, gradually withdrawing from family responsibilities in order to dedicate himself fully to spiritual study and writing.

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He later moved to Vṛndāvana, where he lived very simply in the historic Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple.

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In 1959 he accepted sannyāsa, the renounced order of life.

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During this period he began translating and writing commentaries on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in English, laying the foundation for his future global mission.

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1965 – Journey to the West

Arrival in America

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At the age of 69, Śrīla Prabhupāda traveled alone to the United States aboard the cargo ship Jaladuta.

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The voyage was extremely difficult and he suffered two heart attacks during the journey.

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When he arrived in New York City, he had almost no money and no support network. Yet he began preaching by holding kīrtanas, lectures, and distributing prasāda.

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Gradually sincere seekers began to gather around him.

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1966 – Establishment of ISKCON

International Society for Krishna Consciousness

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In July 1966, Śrīla Prabhupāda formally established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York.

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From that small beginning the movement rapidly expanded. His disciples began opening temples and preaching centers across the world, including cities such as:

• New York

• San Francisco

• Montreal

• London

• Berlin

• many others

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Major temples were also established in Vṛndāvana, Mumbai, and Māyāpur in India.

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Literary Contributions

Spiritual Books for the World

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Despite constant travel and preaching, Śrīla Prabhupāda maintained a rigorous writing schedule. He would often rise shortly after midnight and write for several hours each day.

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His books include:

• Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

• Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

• Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta

• The Nectar of Devotion

• Teachings of Lord Caitanya

• Śrī Īśopaniṣad

• Kṛṣṇa – The Supreme Personality of Godhead

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These works have been translated into more than fifty languages and continue to guide spiritual seekers worldwide.

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To publish and distribute these works, he founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, now the largest publisher of books on Indian religion and philosophy.

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Global Mission

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Within just twelve years, Śrīla Prabhupāda traveled around the world fourteen times, establishing temples, communities, and educational institutions dedicated to bhakti-yoga.

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He trained thousands of disciples and established the spiritual standards that form the foundation of ISKCON today.

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These include:

• chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra daily

• following the four regulative principles

• participating in daily temple worship and kīrtana

• studying the sacred scriptures of bhakti-yoga

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1977 – Departure

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Śrīla Prabhupāda continued writing, traveling, and guiding his disciples until the final days of his life.

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He departed from this world on November 14, 1977, in Vṛndāvana, India.

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• During his lifetime he:

• established 108 temples worldwide

• wrote over sixty volumes of spiritual literature

• initiated thousands of disciples

• created a global movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness

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His Legacy

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The title “Prabhupāda” is traditionally used for great spiritual masters who have made extraordinary contributions to the world through spiritual literature and preaching.

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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda occupies a unique place in the history of Vaiṣṇavism for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the world.

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His books, teachings, and institutions continue to guide millions of people on the path of bhakti-yoga.

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