His Divine Grace A.C. 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 most-prominent contemporary authority on Bhakti Yoga both for his devotional service to Sri Krishna and also for making devotion, or Krishna Consciousness, a path for others to walk on. This, by way of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), popularly known as the Hare Krishna Movement, of which he is the Founder Acharya.
In 1965, at age sixty-nine, with forty rupees and a trunk of his Bhagavatam commentaries – the first ever in English – he made his way to New York with but one aim, “introduce India’s message of peace and goodwill” to the western world. Only a year later, in 1966, he established ISKCON by way of a humble store-front presence in New York and thereon went on to inspire thousands to devote their lives to Krishna consciousness, launching one of the fastest-growing spiritual movements in the history of the world.
Men and women from all backgrounds came forward and with their help, Srila Prabhupad, as he is known by his followers, established temples, farm communities, a publishing house and educational institutions around the world. Simultaneously he began what has now become the world’s largest vegetarian food relief programme, Food for Life, AnnaDaan.
With the desire to nourish the roots of Krishna Consciousness in it’s home, Srila Prabhupada returned to India several times, where he sparked a revival in the Vaishnav tradition. In India, he opened dozens of temples, including large centres in the holy towns of Vrindavan and Mayapur.
Srila Prabhupad’s most significant contributions, perhaps, are his books. He authored over 70 volumes on the Krishna tradition, which are highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth and clarity. Several of his works are used as textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into 76 languages. His most prominent works include: Bhagavad Gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya Caritamrita.
Srila Prabhupada passed away on November 14, 1977, in the holy town of Vrindavan, surrounded by his loving disciples who carry on his mission today.
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Basu Ghosh prabhu is a senior leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and a dedicated disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON.
