Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) is widely regarded as the foremost Vedic scholar, translator, and teacher of the modern era. He is especially respected as the world's most prominent contemporary authority on Bhakti-Yoga, devotional service to the Supreme Person, Krishna, as taught by the ancient Indian Vedic scriptures. He is also the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON).
Srila Prabhupada, as he's known to his followers, translated and commented on over eighty volumes of the Vedas' most important sacred bhakti texts, including the Bhagavad Gita — a concise handbook for understanding the purpose and goal of human life and the multi volume Srimad-Bhagavatam — an epic biography of Lord Krishna, Krishna's avatars, and His many devotees throughout the history of the universe. His translation of and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, titled "Bhagavad-Gita As It Is', is considered by ISKCON adherents and many Vedic scholars as one of the finest translations into the English Language of Vaishnavism literary works.
Swami Prabhupada was born in Kolkata (then called Calcutta) in 1896. He was educated at the Scottish Church College under the colonial rule and finally went to University in Calcutta where he studied English, Sanskrit, philosophy, and economics. Before adopting the life of a novice renunciate he was married with children and owned a small pharmaceutical business.
He met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, in Calcutta in 1922 and took initiation from him in 1932. Swami Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, was the leading proponent of Krishna consciousness in India during the early part of the twentieth century. He specifically taught the philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the divine avatar who revived Krishna-bhakti all over India in the 16th Century. Swami Bhaktisiddhanta urged Prabhupada to preach Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's message of Krishna consciousness throughout the English speaking world. This instruction made a great impression on Srila Prabhupada and formed the focus for the rest of his life.
Subsequently, Srila Prabhupada wrote an English commentary on Bhagavad-gita and assisted Bhaktisiddhanta’s mission (the Gaudiya Matha) in its work. In 1944, during WWII, Srila Prabhupada began a magazine called Back to Godhead. Single-handedly he wrote, edited, oversaw the layout, proofread, and sold copies of the magazine. In 1950 Srila Prabhupada retired from business in order to devote himself full time to his studies and writing.
In 1959 he entered the renounced order of life (Sannyasa) and began his masterpiece – an English translation and commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam. Working alone he bought paper, gathered funds, and arranged for the printing. Within a few years, he had completed the first of the 12 cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam in three volumes. He sold the books himself and through agents in the larger Indian cities.
After forty years of struggling within India to carry out his guru's order, while maintaining family and business responsibilities, Srila Prabhupada boarded a steamship bound from Calcutta to New York City in 1965. At age sixty-nine, with forty rupees and a trunk of his Bhagavatam commentaries - the first ever in English - his aim was to introduce "India's message of peace and goodwill" to the western world.
In 1966 Swami Prabhupada founded the 'International Society for Krishna Consciousness' (ISKCON) in New York City, popularly known as the "Hare Krishna" movement, due to its members' widespread practice of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra in public. After a group of devotees and a temple had been established in New York, another centre was started in San Francisco in 1967. From there he travelled throughout America with his disciples, popularizing the movement through street chanting (Sankirtana), book distribution and public speeches. The first Ratha-yatra, a traditional Indian festival that Srila Prabhupada had copied as a child, was held in 1967 in San Francisco.
The charismatic personality of Swami Prabhupada, his teachings and writings, played a significant role in the immense popularity of 'Hare Krishna movement'. It was the first time the western world came so close to the Hindu Vedic philosophy. People from different walks and fashions of life came forward to accept his message of love and universal brotherhood. Hundreds and thousands of Westerners took to streets wearing saffron robes, chanting and singing the mantra of "Hare Krishna".
Once ISKCON was more established in San Francisco, a small number of devotees from the San Francisco temple were sent to London, England where they came into contact with The Beatles. George Harrison took the greatest interest, spending a significant amount of time speaking with him and producing a record with members of what became the London Radha Krishna Temple. He recorded several tracks with the Hare Krishnas and included the Mahamantra in his hit track "My Sweet Lord".
During the last twelve years of his life, Srila Prabhupada would inspire thousands of Westerners and Indians to devote their lives to Krishna consciousness, launching one of the fastest-growing spiritual movements in the history of the world. During this period Swami Prabhupada:
- circled the globe fourteen times on lecture tours that took him to six continents.
- initiated thousands of disciples, awarding sannyasa initiations.
- introduced Vedic gurukul education to a Western audience.
- founded the religious colony New Vrindavan in West Virginia.
- authored more than eighty books on Vedantic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
- introduced international celebrations such as Jagannatha Ratha yatras.
- watched ISKCON grow to more than 108 temples, various institutes, and farm communities.
- started by Srila Prabhupada ‘The Hare Krishna-Food for life’ is the world’s largest vegetarian food relief program.
Through his mission, he followed and communicated the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and introduced bhakti yoga to an international audience. Within Gaudiya Vaishnavism this was viewed as the fulfilment of a long time mission to introduce Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings to the world. In his discussion with historian Arnold J. Toynbee in London, he is quoted as saying: "I have started this Krishna Conscious Movement among the Indians and Americans and for the next ten thousand years it will increase."
Bhaktivedanta Swami died on 14 November 1977 in Vrindavan, India, and his body was buried in Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan.
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