Srila Prabhupada: A Brief Biography
In the last ten years of his life, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was born in 1896 in Calcutta, India. He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four branches of Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge in the Western world. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad, he became his formally initiated disciple.
At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and in 1944, without assistance, started an English fortnightly magazine.
Recognizing Srila Prabhupada’s philosophical learning and devotion, the Gaudiya Vaisnava Society honored him in 1947 with the title “Bhaktivedanta.” In 1950, at the age of fifty-four, Srila Prabhupada retired from married life, and four years later he adopted the vanaprastha (retired) order to devote more time to his studies and writing. Srila Prabhupada traveled to the holy city of Vrndavana, where he lived in very humble circumstances in the historic medieval temple of Radha-Damodara. There he engaged for several years in deep study and writing. He accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) in 1959. At Radha-Damodara, Srila Prabhupada began work on his life’s masterpiece: a multivolume translation and commentary on the 18,000-verse Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also wrote Easy Journey to Other Planets.
After publishing three volumes of Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada came to the United States, in 1965, to fulfill the mission of his spiritual master. Since that time, His Divine Grace has written over sixty volumes of authoritative translations, commentaries and summary studies of the philosophical and religious classics of India.
In 1965, when he first arrived by freighter in New York City, Srila Prabhupada was practically penniless. It was after almost a year of great difficulty that he established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in July of 1966. Under his careful guidance, the Society has grew within a decade to a worldwide confederation of almost one hundred asramas, schools, temples, institutes and farm communities.
In 1968, Srila Prabhupada created New Vrndavana, an experimental Vedic community in the hills of West Virginia.
Inspired by the success of New Vrndavana, then a thriving farm community of more than one thousand acres, his students founded several similar communities in the United States and abroad.
In 1972, His Divine Grace introduced the Vedic system of primary and secondary education in the West by founding the Gurukula school in Dallas, Texas.
The school began with three children in 1972, and by the beginning of 1975 the enrollment had grown to one hundred fifty.
Srila Prabhupada also inspired the construction of a large international center at Sridhama Mayapur in West Bengal, India, which is also the site for a planned Institute of Vedic Studies. A similar project is the magnificent Krsna-Balarama Temple and International Guest House in Vrndavana, India. These are centers where Westerners can live to gain firsthand experience of Vedic culture.
Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contribution, however, is his books. Highly respected by the academic community for their authoritativeness, depth and clarity, they are used as standard textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into eleven languages. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, established in 1972 exclusively to publish the works of His Divine Grace, has thus become the world’s largest publisher of books in the field of Indian religion and philosophy.
In the last ten years of his life, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
About the Author
Related Posts
Who is Krishna? →
Following the Path of the Gopis →
Srila Prabhupada Addresses The World Health Organization →
Please send me the life story of Srila Prabhupada ji in detail, I am interested to share in Odia with my friends.
Life story of Srila Prabhupada is not so important.
Prabhupada, when asked about writing a biography about him, said, “It is not necessary.” “It is already there.” Prabhupada is person Bhagavata. So Prabhupada’s life is Bhagavatam. So if you want to know about Srila Prabhupda READ HIS BOOKS. That is his life. Prabhupada is person Bhagavata, so you can learn about his life by reading the book Bhagavata. There is no difference between the person Bhagavata and the book Bhagavatam.
https://krishnastore.com/srimad-bhagavatam-set-original-first-edition-30-volume-h-krishna-502.html
tis is love this is love from me to the this dreams world is so disturbed so im with his mercy try to make krishna back in this world but krishna n praphupad jii when my dreams cm true and all ways i love u .please stay in our hearts .. in loudly chanting ……… here krishna here krishna krishna here here here ram here ram ram ram here here …..
I really loved this whole story. It along with the Bhagavad Gita inspires me so much and I look forward to studying more and cultivating Vedic Knowledge. I have met so many nice people up at New Vrndavana, and I actually have a few friends living up there. Whoever is Krishna Conscious I highly advise them to visit the Palace and their Temple in West Virginia. I actually live fairly close to it and it’s a drive of about 20 minutes for me, so I frequently go up there. Have a great day to whoever reads this.
Hare Krishna! 🙂
Hare Krishna All Glories to Srila Prabhupad..
haribol
oh my sweet krishna I surrender to you
hara krishna prabu
why did prabupada leave his children ?what happened to them ?did they also join iskcon?what are they doing now?
regards
utsav
The Vedic culture is that one takes sannyasa at the end of life and leaves the wife and family in the care of the elder sons.
That is what Srila Prabhupada did.
His family members are devotees but as Prabhupada puts it “not very advanced.”
His sons would be very old now. I do not know what they are doing. None of them took to Krishna consciousness in the sense of joining ISKCON and becoming preachers for example, but they were devotees obviously.
Hare Krsna
HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA
KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE
HARE RAM HARE RAM
RAM RAM HARE HARE
HARIBOL..
harekrishna harekrishna krishna krishna hare hare
harerama harerama rama rama hare hare
Harekrishna to all and all glories to srila Prabhupada.I came to know that srila Prabhupada was tortured and poisened to death by tamala Krishna Goswami.It is very bad and great sin to do such kind of work.Still due to the mercy of Srila prabhupada all are getting the mercy and grace of Krishna .here I would like to request all the members of ISKCon to propagate the true love of Krishna and Exact vedic literature to the society.this is Kali yuga.It is very hard to get the spiritually inclined people.So atleast do not pollute the vedic literature and do not do any politics in ISKCON centres present all over the world.It must be in the hand of true and pure devotees and not in the hands of demons like Ravan.If the medicine is incorrect then it will not come in the help of the paitent.All ISKCON centres must be autherised and follow the principles very strictly.Then only we can expect the society will be peaceful.We will love to Krishna sincerely.Harekrishna
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Unfortunately the demons are very well situated in ISKCON now, you are right of course, it will not be successful unless it is run according to the principles of pure devotional service as taught to us by Srila Prabhupada. But it is not being run by these principles and has not been being run by these principles for many, many years now and there is no sign that the leaders of ISKCON intend to go back to the principles of pure devotional service as taught by Srila Prabhupada.
So it is best if we, in our own lives, imbibe the spirit and mood of Srila Prabhupada and become pure devotees of Krishna ourselves and preach and spread the actual movement of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. There is no point at all in moaning about ISKCON. Better to become a pure devotee of Krishna yourself by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy and do something practical and positive to help Srila Prabhupada achieve his mission and spread real pure Krishna consciousness all over the world.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna, Madhudvisa dasa ji
Is it true Swami Prabhupadaji was poisoned? I visited this website http://www.harekrsna.org/gurupoison/index.html
It talks about the video recordings and how Swami Prabhupada ji was saying someone has poisoned him. You have known Swami Prabhupada ji for more than a decade I think..so I just want to know what is the truth.
It is really sad to think someone will poison such a great devotee of God and that too by his own disciples. But this claim never went to court or nobody ever seriously talked about it…I think it is important to know how your spiritual master left his material body. If he was poisoned it is really sad.
Thank you for your time,
Your Servant
Tushar
I do not know for sure but Prabhupada thought someone was poisoning him and he showed the symptoms of a man being poisoned so there is a good chance he was poisoned by some of his ambitious disciples… But really no one knows for sure. But there are a lot of suspicious circumstances.
Hare Krsna Madhudvisa dasa prabhuji. You say these disciples were ambitious. I don’t think these disciples are really in the true sense of the word ambitious. True disciples would give their lives Serving Srila Prabhupada sincerely to their best ability. If not they are not disciples. And poisoning Srila Prabhupada is even worse than just or only being truly a disciple.
The only things these so called disciples would be ambitious would be as you have said which is to be famous(fame), fortune or profit and adoration or maybe they don’t like Prabhupada to really kill him or some other evil or impious reason.
I think these disciples were the opposite of being ambitious. these disciples wanted to go to hell
I don’t think you know what the word ambitious means…
First of all,I respect to all Krishna lovers and ISCON,They have spread the true knowledge about Lord Krishna,I do not have word to say about Shri Srila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Mahprabhuji,Shreemad Vallabhacharyaji,and other.they all my gurus, simply the Tears comes out from my eyes
srila prabhupada was graet.
his techings really had great influence on me.
hare krishna prabhu ji
hare krishna hare krishna
krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
srila prabhupada ki jai
prabhupad is a great man ………….
hare krishna hare krishna
krishna krishna hare hare
hare ram hare ram
ram ram hare hare……jai shri krishna
Hare krishna hare krishna
Krishna Krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
Hare Krishna,
Really I feeling great to read the biography of Swami Prabhupada
Haribol
Like Srila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji, Shreemad Vallabhacharyaji, Shree Gosaiji and others such a great devoter of God Krishna and great Gurudev who has given the true knowledge about God Krishna and about Bhagwadgita. Realy we are missing their pravachana. But they had given us a easiest a real way to get more close to our God Krishna that way for this kalyug is just Chanting the Mahamantra and read BhadvadGita. But in this Kalyug if we want to talk with the God or want to play or want to do a “Shakshat Darsan” of our God Kishna then what to do ?
Just leave behind every thing which are not ours. Like Gopi’s are doing. And u know God always call u by fluting his flute.
But it is very difficult in our social life which we are living now. And its very diffcult to get out of it. So in this kalyug life we never here the flute of our God Krishna. Still try our level best to get good birth in our next life and how that we knw it very well.
Dear kids of Bhoomi mata and Lord Vishnu God,
Right now it is kaliyug. You can be saved yourself from bad elements by going to God. In which ever religion you believe in, seek the blessings of your God. Go to temple if you are Hindu and Perform namaz and chant 99 names of Allah if you are Muslim, and go to Church if your are Christan and go to Gurudwara if you are Sikh and follow Buddhism if you are Buddhist and Jainism if you are Jain. And say the Mahamantra of Srila PrabhuPada as
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
As much as you can and it will protect you from bad elements of Kaliyug.
On top of it Respect your Parents, Love your Kids, and Respect Old People.
Because Old age people are the one who show us direction.
Love you all and God Bless you all.
Jai Shree Krishna.
Well said. GOD is only one…the paths are different.
HARE KRSNA
To worship God is very good thing but it is not necessary to devote full time in doing Artificial worship like offering flowers,Chanting a Garland for the whole day and doing nothing. Its very shameful. Because God( Shri Krishna) himself says to work. We can devote our work to God. God is present in every human being to serve human beings who are in need without any interest is true worship of God. DO YOUR WORK FIRST AND ALWAYS REMEMBER GOD. HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG.Don’t indulge yourself in wrong activities.Serve humanity by using your profession and find new ways to serve humans thru your profession. VIVEKANAND has said ” I AM SERVANT OF THAT GOD WHO ARE SAID AS HUMAN BY FOOLS” Because he see God in all human beings. SO ALWAYS REMEMBER GOD BUT DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME CHANTING THE WHOLE DAY AND DOING NO WORK.PRACICALLY SERVE THE GOD BY DOING WORK DEVOTED TO GOD BY SERVING HUMANITY AS MOST AS YOU CAN. THEN FEEL THE DIFFERENCE. BY HELPING OTHERS YOU ARE NEAR TO GOD OR BY JUST DOING CHANTING. THINK WHY GOD HAS SENT YOU ON EARTH TO PROMOTE LOVE AND HAPPINESS,BROTHERHOOD.
I respect you and your ideas…..but the person who are less intelligent they are thinking like this…why you thinking that the people who are chanting,offering flowers,ghee lamps,food to the the LORD they are doing NOTHING or ARTIFICIALLY….THEY ARE DIRECTLY SERVING GOD….Its my very humble request to you PLEASE read Bhagavat-Gita written by Srila Prabhupada then you will understand the ultimate truth…chanting the holy name of lord or any devotional service is not a sentimental thing..and those people who are very poor or….they are in this position because of their past life KARMAS…TIT FOR TAT…it does not mean that just neglect them…but do not think that devotional service means wasting of time….as you say that GOD is there in every ones heart so serve directly GOD if he is satisfied EVERYONE will satisfied….whats probleme,even the plants,demigods,the whole world will satisfied!!!!!!!!!! after-all POURING WATER IN ROOT OF TREE IS MUCH BETTER THAN POURING WATER IN EVERY LEAF,BRANCH AND FLOWER,AND FRUIT…..and many great great sages and KINGS they left everything and they started devotional services….what you think ARE THEY FOOLS…..NNNOOO BECAUSE THEY REALLY KNOW THAT WHY THEY CAME IN THIS WORLD…
[…] my silent fast the last few days, I did a quick read of a pamphlet book written by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder of […]
Hare krishna
jai srila prabhupada ki jai
Thank god for giving himself in the form of guru (prabhupada)
jai jai prabhu pad, prabhu pad
jai jai prabhu pad, prabhu pad
jai jai prabhu pad, prabhu pad
jai jai prabhu pad, prabhu pad
jai jai prabhu pad, prabhu pad
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAM HARE RAM
RAM RAM HARE HARE
JAY JAGANNATH, BHAKTI IS THE ONLY WAY THAT HELP TO MAKES CLOSER TO PRAVU JAGANNATH.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his entire movement. I am in ISKCON from last 3yrs, now i have came to realization that nothing is more powerful than Prabhupada Books, Association of Devotees and Holy Name(the most pleasing thing in this entire world). ALL GLORIES TO THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFULL AND PLEASING MOVEMENT “ISKCON”. HARE KRISHNA
GREAT EFFORT FOR GREAT KNOWLEDGE
INDIA IS GREAT
hare krisna hare krisna
parnam Srila Prabhupada ji
HARI OM