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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) is the founder-acharya of the ‘International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)’.

1896

Birth

Śrīla Prabhupāda was born Abhay Charan De on 1st September 1896 in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, at around 4 p.m., to his father Gaura Mohan De and mother Rajani Devi.

1901

Conducts First Ratha Yatra
of his Life

Srila Prabhupada conducted a Ratha Yatra festival in a suburb of Calcutta.

1902

Begins worshiping Radha-Krishna

Srila Prabhupada began worshiping Radha-Krishna.

1918

Marriage

Enters married life with Radharani Datta

1922

Meets his future spiritual master

Meets Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura for the first time—his future initiating spiritual master—who instructs him to preach Lord Chaitanya’s mission in the Western countries.

1925

Visits his spiritual master

Visits Vṛndāvana (the holy land where Lord Krishna spent His childhood) for the first time and hears more from Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī.

1933

Receives initiation

Receives formal initiation from his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami.

1935

Visits his spiritual master

Travelled to Vrindavan to see his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, who gave him two essential instructions: print books and build temples.

1936

Receives Final Order from his spiritual master

A final order from his spiritual master to preach in the West.

1944

Publishes ‘Back to Godhead’ magazine

Starts writing and publishing ‘Back to Godhead’ magazine.

1947

Honoured with the title “Bhaktivedanta”

Receives the honorary title of ‘Bhaktivedanta’ from his God-brothers in the Gaudiya Math.

1959

Awarded sannyasa

Awarded renounced order of life (sannyasa) in Mathura by one of his God-brothers, His Holiness B.P. Kesava Maharaj.

1965

Voyage to the USA

Voyage to the USA aboard the Jaladuta ship lasting one month, during which time he suffers two heart attacks.

1965

Arrives in America

Historic arrival in America. The ship Jaladuta docks at Commonwealth Pier, Boston.

1966

Incorporates the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

Established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

1968

Published “Bhagavad-gita As It Is”

“Bhagavad-gita As It Is” abridged edition published by Macmillan Company.

1970

Establishes the Governing Body Commission (GBC)

Srila Prabhupada establishes the Governing Body Commission, the ultimate managing authority of ISKCON.

1972

Establishes the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT)

Established the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) for publishing his books.

1974

Completes the translation of Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita into English

Completed translation of and published Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita in 17 volumes.

1975

Opens Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Temple in Vrindavan

Later to be his final resting place.

1977

Departure from the material world

At the age of 81, Srila Prahupada left the material world in Vrindavan, India.

Other Key Facts About His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

  1. Srila Prabhupada travelled the world 12 times to spread the message of Lord Sri Krishna and love for Godhead.
  2. Srila Prabhupada established more than 108 ISKCON temples around the world.
  3. Srila Prabhupada instructed his disciples that no one should go hungry within 10 miles of an ISKCON temple.
  4. He envisioned God-centered farm communities based on the principles of Simple Living and High Thinking.

Offering by Vaishali Agarwal

Hare Krishna Prabhupad, please accept my humble obeisances.

I bow down at your lotus feet. On this auspicious day of your Vyas Puja, I beg for your mercy and blessings, so that I could be able to accomplish this great spiritual feast. Your transcendental books are the basis of this movement and is transforming the entire world. Your hard work for writing books in a very short span of time always give encouragement to read your books whenever I am feeling lack of interest.

You have given us a reason to live and that reason is knowledge of our purpose in life.

Srila Prabhupad please allow me to remain eternally at your Lotus feet.

Your Servant,
Vaishali Agarwal

Offering by Abhai Anand

Hare Krishna Prabhupad, I offer my obeisances at your Lotus feet.

Thank you Prabhupad for your causeless mercy that you have bestow on me by giving this Krishna Conscious community in the form of ISKCON movement. Through this ISKCON, I am able to understand Krishna and holy places like Vrindavan, Jaganath Puri & Mayapur etc. Within this ISKCON family I am able to connect with different devotees and can do some seva.

Because of you only, I am able to take the name of Hari by performing my chanting. Thank you for giving us a huge ISKCON family, you have created for us to serve together with over journey back home.

I pray that someday I become a proper servant of the servant. Thank you for changing our lives dearest Prabhupad. I am forever indebted to your divine grace.

Your Servant,
Abhai Anand

Offering by Aishwarya J Srivastava

Hare Krishna,

Dear Prabhupad, please accept my humble obeisance unto your lotus feet.

I am a very menial and insignificant soldier in your huge army of learned, devoted and enthusiastic soldiers.

I am awestruck every time I read or hear about your journey to west. It is difficult to believe that an old age person was so fearless and so confident on the mercy of God that he went to an unknown country for the first time without any proper arrangements of survival.

Moreover, all these efforts were put just to fulfill the wish of his Spiritual Master. 

In this era of kaliyuga when many bogus gurus are cheating the innocent people’s emotions for selfish reasons, you stand out to be like a savior for the mankind. You are not only giving them highest knowledge, which is the only and only way for living entities to go back to the spiritual world but you are also transforming their lives in many ways and making them a good human being in this material world. 

I was struggling in the battle of life when suddenly your soldiers came as a savior and made me realize the value of this life. You added lot of value to my life, which I thought to be of no use until your books made me realize how fortunate I am to get this human form of life.

I have definitely done some good karma in my previous life that I got connected to you and your ISKCON family. I can't thank you enough for what you have given to me.

Your Servent
Aishwarya J Srivastava