About Srila Prabhupada
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON. Today, ISKCON temples are found in nearly every major city worldwide and throughout India. This remarkable achievement is solely due to the mercy and dedication of Srila Prabhupada. ISKCON has become a unique place where ancient Vedic teachings are explained scientifically, free from dogmatic beliefs.
Srila Prabhupada was born on 1st September 1896 into a Hindu family in British-ruled India. While studying at Scottish Church College, he joined Mahatma Gandhi’s civil non-cooperation movement. In 1922, he met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, a pivotal moment that transformed his life. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta instructed Abhay Charan (Srila Prabhupada’s former name) to spread the teachings of Lord Krishna to the West. In 1933, he was formally initiated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta.
At the age of 70, Srila Prabhupada boarded the steamship Jaladuta. During the journey, as the ship passed through the Red Sea, he endured severe sea-sickness and two heart attacks within two days. Despite this, he remained fearless. On the second night, he had a divine dream in which Lord Krishna, in multiple forms, reassured him to continue his mission without fear. On 17th September 1965, Srila Prabhupada arrived at New York City’s port, initiating a spiritual revolution that would change the world forever.
He began his mission humbly by giving Bhagavad-gita classes in lofts on New York’s Bowery and leading kirtans in Tompkins Square Park. His message of peace and goodwill resonated deeply with the hippie generation, some of whom became serious students of Bhakti-yoga (loving devotion to God). With their support, he rented a small space and officially registered ISKCON on 11th July 1966.
Over the next 11 years, Srila Prabhupada travelled the globe 14 times, sharing Lord Krishna’s teachings with countless people across six continents. Men and women from diverse backgrounds were drawn to him, becoming his dedicated followers. Together, they established numerous ISKCON centres, temples, educational institutions, and rural communities. Srila Prabhupada also initiated the largest vegetarian food relief programme in the world.
With the desire to strengthen Lord Krishna’s presence in India, Srila Prabhupada returned and established grand ISKCON centres in holy towns such as Mayapur and Vrindavana.
Achievements of Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada’s accomplishments are both extraordinary and immeasurable. Here are just a few highlights:
- Authored over 70 volumes of books, comprising 22,000 pages of text. Reading one book per month would take 170 years to complete!
- Travelled to 24 countries and circled the globe 14 times.
- Personally initiated over 5,000 disciples from all over the world.
- Wrote 7,000 letters to his disciples.
- Established the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, which continues to publish his works.
- Delivered over 2,200 recorded lectures and conversations.
- His Bhagavad-gita As It Is has sold over 58 million copies in more than 90 languages.
- Under his leadership, ISKCON grew to over 700 temples, 66 ecological farms, 110 vegetarian restaurants, and millions of devotees worldwide.
- In just 9 years, between the ages of 70 and 80, he established 108 temples globally.
Srila Prabhupada’s contributions remain a source of inspiration for millions, and his legacy continues to spread the teachings of Lord Krishna around the world.