Born in Calcutta, India, in 1896 as Abhay Charan De, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was the spiritual visionary who brought the timeless teachings of Krishna consciousness to the Western world. He met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, in 1922, who requested him to present the Vedic wisdom in the English language. In 1965, at the age of sixty-nine, Srila Prabhupada famously journeyed to the United States on a cargo ship with just seven dollars in Indian rupees and his translations of sacred texts.​

 

His unwavering determination against formidable odds led to the founding of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York City in 1966. Over the next eleven years, he circled the globe fourteen times on lecture tours, inspiring thousands of people from all walks of life to embrace the teachings of Lord Krishna.

 

His most significant contributions are his books, including his translations and elaborate commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, which are highly respected by scholars and translated into dozens of languages. Today, ISKCON is a worldwide confederation of hundreds of temples, ashrams, and cultural centers. 

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"In this Age of Kali, the Holy Name of the Lord, the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krishna. Simply by chanting the Holy Name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered."

 

(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta 17.22)​

 

- A. C. Bhaktivedanta  Swami Prabhupada​​

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