Who was A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Indian Celebrities Born In September

Also Known As: Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Died At Age: 81

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Radharani Devi

Spiritual & Religious Leaders Indian Men

Died on: November 14, 1977

place of death: Vrindavan

City: Kolkata, India

Founder/Co-Founder: Governing Body Commission, International Society for Krishna Consciousness

More Facts

education: University of Calcutta, Scottish Church College

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1

What is the significance of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings?

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings focus on the practice of Bhakti Yoga, emphasizing devotion to Krishna as the path to spiritual realization and liberation.
2

How did A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada establish the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)?

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded ISKCON in 1966 in New York City, with the aim of spreading the teachings of Bhagavad Gita and promoting Krishna consciousness worldwide.
3

What is the significance of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's translation of sacred texts?

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's translations of ancient Vedic texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, have made these spiritual teachings accessible to a global audience.
4

How did A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada contribute to the promotion of vegetarianism?

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada advocated for a vegetarian diet as part of a spiritual lifestyle, promoting compassion towards all living beings and the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa).
5

What is the impact of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings on contemporary society?

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings continue to inspire individuals worldwide to lead a life of spiritual dedication, service to others, and ethical living based on the principles of Bhakti Yoga.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born as Abhay Charan, on 1 September 1896, in Calcutta, India. His parents, Sriman Gour Mohan De and Srimati Rajani De, were devout Vaishnavas (devotees of Vishnu).

He became a devotee of Lord Krishna at a young age and loved to visit temples. In fact he was so devoted that he preferred to pray to the lord instead of playing with his friends.

He went to the Scottish Church College where he received a European led education. He was a good student and graduated in 1920 with majors in English, philosophy and economics. However, he refused to take his diploma as a protest against the British in response to the budding Indian independence movement.

In 1922, he first met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, a prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four branches of Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes). Gosvami took a liking towards the devout young man and asked him on their very first meeting to spread Vedic knowledge through the English language in the West.

Abhay Charan became the great scholar’s pupil and several years later, his formally initiated disciple at Allahabad, in 1933.

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Later Life

In 1944, he started the publication called ‘Back to Godhead’ from his home in Calcutta. The magazine, which aimed at spreading Krishna consciousness, was published and distributed by him single-handedly during the initial days. He was the magazine’s sole writer, designer, publisher, editor, copy editor and distributor.

For three years he toiled to spread knowledge about the benign grace of Lord Krishna through his magazine and suffered several physical hardships in his quest to popularize the publication. His efforts were recognized by the Gaudiya Vaishnava Society in 1947 and he was awarded the title ‘Bhaktivedanta’, meaning "one who has realised that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the end of all knowledge”.

A married man with a family by now, Srila Prabhupada retired from married life at the age of 54 in 1950. After four years, he adopted the ‘vanaprastha’ (retired) order to devote more time to his divine purpose.

He then travelled to the holy city of Vrindavana where he became involved in years of deep study and writing. He lived a very humble life and in 1959 he renounced all his worldly ties and took the order of ‘sannyasa’. The same year, he began working on what would become his masterpiece: a multivolume translation and commentary on the 18,000-verse Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana).

The next six years of his life were spent in intense Krishna bhakti. He took darshan of Madana Mohana, Govindaji, Gopinatha, and Radha Ramana regularly and performed intensive Krishna bhajana. During bhajana he received the blessings and guidance from Sri Rupa Gosvami.

He finally got the chance to travel to the west in 1965 when he boarded a steamship bound from Calcutta to New York City. He was 69 at that time, but was determined to spread the Krishna consciousness to the people of the west.

He founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, in 1966 in New York City. The founding of this organization launched one of the fastest-growing spiritual movements in the history of the world.

Addressed as Srila Prabhupada from the late 1960s, he proceeded to inspire thousands of people, both Westerners and Indians, to devote their lives to Krishna consciousness. Once ISKCON was well established in the US, he started working towards spreading the organization’s mission to other countries.

In spite of his advancing age he was deeply devoted to his cause and spent the 1970s travelling around the world establishing over a 100 Radha-Krishna temples in all the major cities of the Americas, Europe, Africa, India, Asia, and Australia. He also gained a huge following of disciples hailing from different countries and initiated a total of 5,000 sincere disciples.

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He was also a prolific writer who translated and authored several books. Over the last two decades of his life he translated over sixty volumes of classic Vedic scriptures into the English language. His books are popular all over the world and have been translated into several different languages.

Major Works

Srila Prabhupada is best remembered as the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York City. The society which he initially struggled to establish soon became a fast-growing spiritual movement and today is a worldwide confederation of more than 550 centers, including 60 farm communities, 50 schools and 90 restaurants.

Persona Life & Legacy

He was married and had a family. He later on renounced his family life in order to focus on the spiritual purpose of spreading awareness about Krishna consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada died on 14 November 1977, at the age of 81.

A number of memorial samadhis or shrines were constructed all over the world by the followers of ISKCON in his remembrance.

Facts About A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) at the age of 70, bringing the teachings of Bhagavad Gita and the practice of chanting Hare Krishna to the Western world.

Swami Prabhupada was known for his simple and austere lifestyle, often residing in humble temples and subsisting on a diet of fruits and vegetables.

He taught by example the principles of renunciation and devotion.

Swami Prabhupada's teachings and spiritual guidance continue to inspire millions of followers around the world, emphasizing the importance of love, compassion, and devotion in leading a meaningful and fulfilling life.

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Biography

You wanted to know

What is the significance of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings?

How did A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada establish the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)?

What is the significance of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's translation of sacred texts?

How did A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada contribute to the promotion of vegetarianism?

What is the impact of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings on contemporary society?