His
Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
“We
think that we have met Your Goodness by the will of providence, just so that we
may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the
difficult ocean of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human
being.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.22)
On
the order of his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada began translating and writing Vedic literature in the English
language to bring the message of Lord Krsna to the Western countries. After
decades of struggle in India, he came to the West and started the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness. Later on he created the Bhaktivedanta Book
Trust, to publish his writings and recordings of his lectures, conversations,
etc. The VedaBase has been created so that this great treasurehouse of knowledge
may be preserved and propagated and so that all may take advantage of the wisdom
and association of the pure devotee of Lord Krishna.
His
Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appeared in this world in 1896
in Calcutta, India. He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent
religious scholar and the founder of sixty-four Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic
institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his
life to teaching Vedic knowledge. 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, assisted the Gaudiya Matha in its work and, in 1944, started Back
to Godhead, an English fortnightly magazine. Maintaining the publication was a
struggle. Single-handedly, Srila Prabhupada edited it, typed the manuscripts,
checked the galley proofs, and even distributed the individual copies. Once
begun, the magazine never stopped; it is now being continued by his disciples in
the West and is published in over thirty languages.
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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, adopting
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 annotated translation of the
eighteen-thousand-verse Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also wrote Easy
Journey to Other Planets.
After
publishing three volumes of the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada came to the United
States of America, in September 1965, to fulfill the mission of his spiritual
master. Subsequently, His Divine Grace wrote more than sixty volumes of
authoritative annotated translations and summary studies of the philosophical
and religious classics of India.
When
he first arrived by freighter in New York City, Srila Prabhupada was practically
penniless. Only after almost a year of great difficulty did he establish the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in July of 1966. Before his
passing away on November 14, 1977, he guided the Society and saw it grow to a
worldwide confederation of more than one hundred asramas, schools, temples,
institutes and farm communities.
In
1968, Srila Prabhupada created New Vrindaban, an experimental Vedic community in
the hills of West Virginia. Inspired by the success of New Vrindaban, which
became a thriving farm community of more than two thousand acres, his students
have since 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. Since
then, under his supervision, his disciples have established children's schools
throughout the United States and the rest of the world, with the principal
educational center now located in Vrndavana, India.
Srila
Prabhupada also inspired the construction of several large international
cultural centers in India. The center at Sridhama Mayapur in West Bengal is the
site for a planned spiritual city, an ambitious project for which construction
will extend over many years to come. In Vrndavana, India, are the magnificent
Krsna-Balarama Temple and International Guesthouse, and Srila Prabhupada
Memorial and Museum. There is also a major cultural and educational center in
Bombay. Other centers are planned in a dozen important locations on the Indian
subcontinent.
Srila
Prabhupada's most significant contribution, however, is his books. Highly
respected by the academic community for their authority, depth and clarity, they
are used as standard textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have
been translated into over fifty languages. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust,
established in 1972 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
just twelve years, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the
globe fourteen times on lecture tours that 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.
yasya
prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi dhyayan stuvams tasya
yasas tri-sandhyam vande guroh sri-caranaravindam By the mercy of the spiritual
master one receives the benediction of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual
master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and
praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my
respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.