ISKCON Founder

The Prophecy

nama-guna-sankirtana vaisnavera shakti
prakasa karibe ami nija prema-bhakti
ei mate kali-papa karibe sanhara
sabe cala age pache na kara vichara
ebe nama sankirtana tikshna khadga laiya
antara asura jivera phelibe katiya
yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya
mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya

Chanting of the name & qualities of Krsna is the life & energy of the Vaisnavas. I will reveal these activities & rejuvenate pure devotional service unto Myself. In this way, I will destroy all the sins in Kali Yuga. So all of you, My associates, go ahead and take birth on the earthly planet before My advent and don't remain behind. Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out & destroy the demoniac mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls. If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far-off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them Krsna consciousness. (senapati - a military field commander, bhakta - a devotee.) Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna Consciousness around the world.

- Caitanya Mangala (Sutra-khanda, song 12, texts 562-565)
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The Senapati Bhakta

In the final two decades of his life, Srila Prabhupada undertook the translation of more than sixty volumes of classical Vedic scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, into the English language. His books received acclaim for their authority, depth, and clarity, earning praise from professors at prestigious universities like Harvard and Oxford. Notably, Macmillan Publishers published his Bhagavad-Gita As It Is in 1968, with an unabridged edition in 1972. This masterpiece is now accessible in over sixty languages worldwide. Additionally, Srila Prabhupada's other works are available in more than eighty languages, and over 500 million copies of his books have been distributed to date.

In 1972, Srila Prabhupada established The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) to facilitate the publication of his works. The BBT also produced his multi-volume biography, Srila Prabhupada-Lilamrta, which renowned scholar of religion Larry Shinn described as "undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive records of the life and accomplishments of any modern religious figure." Before his departure, Srila Prabhupada assured his devotees that he would endure through his writings, serving as an eternal spiritual master and guru. He instilled in his followers an appreciation for the significance of writing and publishing, not only concerning his own works but also their own initiatives.

Qualities of Srila Prabhupada: An Exemplary Personality.

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SELF REALISED

Acting on the platform of his spiritual identity, Srila Prabhupada completely dedicated his life to serve God. He was able to produce phenomenal accomplishments and transform the consciousness of people only because he was on the highest state of self-realisation and therefore divinely empowered. Such self-realised souls in the world are very rare.

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FEARLESS

Srila Prabhupada was named Abhay Charan at birth, which means ‘one who is fearless having taken shelter at the feet of God’. The significance of this name was revealed in his bold mission with unflinching trust in God, despite great personal hardship. He explained that fear is due to a lack of understanding of the illusory nature of the material world.

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BONAFIDE

Srila Prabhupada was an authorised spiritual teacher in an unbroken succession that can be traced back to God Himself – and his appearance was predicted. Sages in this line have learned and taught the pure wisdom of God’s original instructions for millennia, and include Vyasa, the author of the sacred scriptures, and Chaitanya, the propagator of the holy names of the Lord.

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SIMPLE

Humble, meek, truthful and pure – in his character, in his lifestyle and in the message he taught. Srila Prabhupada lived to serve mankind and inspired others to follow ‘simple living, high thinking’, a return to an uncomplicated lifestyle. Despite the success of his movement, Srila Prabhupada always remained modest and detached and gave credit to others.

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REVOLUTIONARY

Srila Prabhupada created a worldwide spiritual and cultural revolution that encouraged many people to seriously take to the process of god consciousness. He started this revolution in New York, because he felt that America was where he would find intelligent young people that would be receptive to the timeless, authoritative spiritual instruction of the Vedic scriptures.

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TEACHER

Srila Prabhupada was not just a teacher, but also a teacher of teachers for the modern age. He translated more than 70 Vedic books into English and was honoured by many leading scholars. He taught and led by example, embodying the knowledge that he conveyed. He is recognised as ‘Prabhupada’ – one at whose feet the other masters sit.

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COMPASSIONATE

Srila Prabhupada had selfless concern for the welfare of all living beings. He wanted to relieve our suffering, but explained that compassion for the material body alone does not provide a lasting solution. He saw suffering as a symptom of a deeper problem: our misidentification with the temporary material body. He enlightened us about our real identity: the soul.

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DEVOTIONAL

Srila Prabhupada epitomised and taught bhakti yoga: pure, absolute and unconditional love of the Supreme Lord. Giving up household life and adopting the renounced order, he became a travelling monk whose affection and compassion now extended to the whole of society. He circled the globe twelve times, spreading the message of pure devotion everywhere.

Timeline Of Major Events

1896 - Srila Prabhupada appeared on this material world
1922 - Met his spiritual master for the first time
1932 - Received initiation
1939 - Was bestowed the title "Bhaktivedanta"
1944 - Started "Back to Godhead" magazine
1953 - Started League of devotees in Jhansi
1956 - Moved to Vrindavan
1959 - Received Sanyasa Initiation
1960 - Published his first book "Easy Journey to other planets"
1965 - Started for America on Jaladuta
1966 - Incorporated ISKCON
1967 - Took his first flight to San Francisco
1967 - Inspired the first Ratha Yatra in the West (in SF)
1968 - Macmillan published his Bhagavad-Gita translation and commentary
1969 - Established the first Radha Krishna temple in the West (Los Angeles)
1969 - Established Radha-Londonishvara temple in London
1970 - Established BBT - Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, which went on to become the largest publisher in the world of Vedic literature.
1971 - Established the first ISKCON temple in India at Kolkata
1972 - Conducted 'Bhoomi pujan' ceremony for a magnificent temple in Mayapur
1974 - Published Chaitanya Charitamrita in 17 volumes
1975 - He conducted grand opening of the temple in Vrindavan
1977 - Disappearance from this material world

His Literary Contributions To Humanity

Srila Prabhupada had authored and published more than eighty volumes of Spiritual Literature. This was his greatest contribution to mankind. He was at his old age, had a huge pressure of establishing and managing a worldwide movement which is not just in a gross way but also ensuring the proper Vedic standards are followed in every temple. Despite this, he used to rise early every day at 2:00 AM to write these books. He took great care while translating the original texts so as to retain the exact same meanings. In his purports, he made an effort to give us a practical relevance to the verses. Due to the clear and transparent representation of the Vedic Knowledge as it is without twisting its meaning, His books carry the potency. This is why His books have been translated to over sixty languages and sold in thousands of millions. His books are acclaimed by scholars and students alike. Everyone should take advantage of this timeless literature, tightly packed with Spiritual Knowledge and Potency.

Some of the list of books by Srila Prabhupada.

  • Bhagavad-gita As It Is
  • Srimad-Bhagavatam, cantos 1-10, (29 vols.)
  • Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (17 vols.)
  • Teachings of Lord Caitanya
  • The Nectar of Devotion
  • Sri Isopanisad
  • Easy Journey to Other Planets
  • Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System
  • Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (3 vols.)
  • Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers
  • Dialectical Spiritualism—A Vedic View of Western Philosophy
  • Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti
  • Transcendental Teachings of Prahlad Maharaja
  • Teachings of Queen Kunti
  • Krsna, the Reservoir of Pleasure
  • The Science of Self-Realization
  • The Path of Perfection
  • Life Comes From Life
  • The Perfection of Yoga
  • Beyond Birth and Death
  • On the Way to Krsna
  • Raja-vidya: The King of Knowledge
  • Elevation to Krsna Consciousness
  • Krsna Consciousness: The Matchless Gift
  • Back to Godhead magazine (founder)

Memories of Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada Audios
Srila Prabhupada Transcriptions
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