 A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a brief life sketch Childhood A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness was born on September 1,1896, in Calcutta. His father Gour Mohan De and mother Rajani Devi were Vaishnavas. They belonged to one of the very respectable aaristocratic families of gold merchants in Calcutta. His father Gour Mohan De named him Abhay Charan. His father's only wish was that Abhay should become a devotee of Srimati Radharani. Youth and married life Abhay studied under the British colonial rule in Scottish Churches' College and finally went to the university to learn chemistry. At the university, he became a supporter of Gandhi's movement to gain independence for India. In support of this, he would only dress in white handloom cloth woven in India. Furthermore, to show solidarity for his country, he declined to accept his degree from the university under the British rule.  In 1936, Srila Prabhupada wrote to his spiritual master requesting for any particular service that he could render. In response he received a reply containing the same instruction that he had received in 1922: 'Preach Krishna consciousness to the English speaking world. His spiritual master passed away from this world two weeks later thus leaving these final instructions engraved in Srila Prabhupada's heart. These instructions were to form the focus of Srila Prabhupada's life. Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and assisted the Gaudiya Matha in its work. In 1944, during the Second World War, when paper was scarce and people had little money to spend, Srila Prabhupada began a magazine called Back to Godhead. Single-handedly he wrote, edited, oversaw the layout, proof-read and sold the copies himself. This magazine is still being published today. Retired Life In 1950, Srila Prabhupada accepted vanaprastha (retired) life, thus retiring from home and family life in order to devote more time to his spiritual studies. In 1953, he received the title “Bhaktivedanta” from his God brothers. He traveled to Vrindavana where he lived very humbly at the Radha-Damodara temple. He spent several years there studying the scriptures and writing. Renounced order of life  He now felt ready to carry out his spiritual master's orders. He decided to start by taking the message of Krishna consciousness to America, convinced that other countries would follow suit. Obtaining free passage on a freight ship called the Jaladuta, he finally arrived in New York in 1965. He was 69 and practically penniless. All he possessed were a few copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam and forty rupees. He had a very difficult voyage, suffering two heart attacks. Arriving in New York, he didn't know which way to turn. After a difficult six months, preaching here and there, his few followers rented a storefront and apartment in Manhattan where he regularly gave lectures, held kirtanas and distributed prasadam. People from all walks of life, including hippies were drawn to this place in search of that missing element from their lives. Many became 'Swamiji's' followers. These followers began to hold regular kirtanas in the parks. The lectures and Sunday feast days became renowned. The young followers eventually took initiation from Srila Prabhupada, promising to follow the four regulative principles namely no meat eating, no gambling, no alcohol and no illicit sex. They also took a vow to chant the Hare Krishna mantra on 108 sacred beads 16 times over everyday. Srila Prabhupada also reinstated the Back to Godhead magazine. Establishment of ISKCON  Srila Prabhupada produced all his books, barring the three written in India, within the next eleven years. He slept little and spent the early morning hours writing. He wrote almost daily between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m. He dictated his text which his disciples then typed and edited. Srila Prabhupada translated the original texts from Sanskrit or Bengali, word by word, and gave a complete commentary. His work The body of work included Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the multi-volume Srimad Bhagavatam, the multi-volume Chaitanya Charitamrita, The Nectar of Devotion, Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Teachings of Lord Kapila, Teachings of Queen Kunti, Sri Isopanishad, The Nectar of Instruction, and dozens of small books.  Despite his heavy literary schedule, Srila Prabhupada did not let his writing stand in the way of his preaching. In just twelve years, in his advanced age, he travelled across the world fourteen times on lecture tours that took him to six continents. He was unstoppable. His days were filled with writing, teaching his followers, addressing the public until the day he departed from this world. But before his departure on November 14, 1977, Srila Prabhupada gave many instructions to his disciples to follow in his footsteps and to continue the preaching and spreading of Krishna consciousness all over the world. In the short time he spent in the West, he preached continuously, established 108 temples, wrote more than sixty volumes of transcendental literature, initiated five thousand disciples, founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, and began a scientific academy (the Bhaktivedanta Institute) and other trusts related to ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada was an extraordinary author, teacher, and saint. He brought to fruition his Guru’s wish to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world through his writing and preaching. His writings comprise many volumes and are the basis of Krishna consciousness for all his disciples and for the public at large.  |
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