His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
When His Divine Grace (who later became known as Srila Prabhupada) entered the port of New York City on September 17, 1965, few Americans took notice — but he was not merely another immigrant. He was on a mission to transplant the ancient spiritual culture of India into mainstream America and re-spiritualize the world.
Before Srila Prabhupada passed away on November 14, 1977, at the age of 81, his mission had proved successful. He had founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and saw it grow into a worldwide confederation of temples, ashrams, farm communities, and cultural centers. He had also established the publishing arm of his movement, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), which had become the world’s largest publisher of books on the Vedic literature.
Srila Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896 in a Calcutta family, followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is accepted in India as an incarnation of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It was Sri Krishna who five thousand years before spoke the Bhagavad-gita, the essence of the Vedic literatures and which is sometimes known as the “Bible of India.”
As a youth growing up in British-controlled India, Abhay became involved with Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement to secure independence for his nation.
A 1922 meeting with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada – the latest link at that time in the line of bona fide world acaryas, teachers by example, descending from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself – proved most influential on Abhay’s future calling. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was the founder of the Gaudiya Matha, a pure Vaishnava denomination in the line of Madhvacaraya, whose spiritual authority descends from Sri Krishna Himself through Lord Brahma, who, according to the Vedas, is the original created living being in this universe.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta asked Abhay to take the teachings of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the English-speaking world. Abhay became his initiated disciple in 1933 and resolved to carry out his spiritual master’s request.
Abhay spent the next 32 years preparing for his journey to the Western world. After preaching and establishing the Back to Godhead magazine 1944 as a householder, he renounced family life in 1954, living alone in holy places, especially Vrindavan, and publishing various Krishna conscious literatures. He officially accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) in 1959 when the title Swami was added to his name.
In 1965, at the age of 69, Bhaktivedanta Swami travelled to New York City aboard a cargo ship. The journey was treacherous and the elderly spiritual teacher suffered two heart attacks onboard. Arriving in the United States with just 7 dollars-worth of Indian rupees and 200 three-volume sets of his translation of and commentary to the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the essence of all sacred Sanskrit texts, Bhaktivedanta Swami began to spread the teachings of Krishna consciousness in the Western world.
His spiritual message resonated with many young people, some of whom came forward to become serious students of Lord Caitanya’s movement. With the help of these students, Srila Prabhupada rented a small storefront on New York’s Lower East Side to use as a temple.
On July 11, 1966, he officially registered his organization in the state of New York, formally founding the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
In the 11 years that followed, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times on lecture tours, bringing the teachings of Lord Krishna and the sankirana movment of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the people of 6 continents. Thousands of men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life came forward to accept his message and become full-time initiated devotees. With their help Srila Prabhupada established 108 ISKCON centres and projects throughout the world.
Under his inspiration, Krishna devotees – in addition to establishing temples, rural communities, and educational institutions – started what would become the world’s largest vegetarian food relief program.
With the desire to nourish the roots of Krishna consciousness in his motherland, Srila Prabhupada returned to India several times to spark a revival in the pure monotheistic Vaishnava tradition. In India, he opened dozens of temples, including large centers in the holy towns of Vrindavana and Mayapur plus one of the largest and most beautiful temples in India at Juhu, Bombay.
Srila Prabhupada’s books, however, were his most significant contribution. He authored over 70 volumes of authorized revealed scripture in the line of authority coming directly from Sri Krishna, books which are highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth, clarity, and fidelity to the pure Vaisnava tradition. Several of his works are used as textbooks in university courses. His writings have been translated into 76 languages. His most prominent works include: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and the multi-volume sets of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. Altogether, during his 12-year preaching mission, Srila Prabhupada published and distributed through the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) and his International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), more than 55 million pieces of transcendental literature throughout the world.
And finally, as a tribute to Srila Prabhupada’s lasting spiritual influence, after he departed his sincere disciples and followers have published and distributed more than 445 million more books and established more than 600 hundred more temples, farm communities, ashrams, and cultural centres throughout the world.
