A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (popularly known as the "Hare Krishnas"). Born as Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He studied at the Scottish Churches College, Calcutta, which was then administered by the British. Before adopting the life of a vanaprastha, or pious renunciant, in 1950, he was married with children and owned a small pharmaceutical business. He later took sannyasa (a vow of renunciation) in 1959. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (498x694, 50 KB) Image courtesy of Nityananda dasa adhikari. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (498x694, 50 KB) Image courtesy of Nityananda dasa adhikari. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Founder of ISKCON: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ... Hare Krishna Mantra in Devanagari. ... , “Calcutta” redirects here. ... , West Bengal (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... Scottish Church College at 175 The Scottish Church College, which is located at 1 & 3 Urquhart Square, Calcutta 700006 is the oldest continuing Missionary administered liberal arts and sciences academy in India. ... A vanaprastha (from Sanskrit vana, forest, and prus, dwelling) is a person who is living in the forest as a hermit after partially giving up material desires. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Samnyasa (IAST , also spelled , Sannyasa) in Hinduism symbolizes the conception of the life of a monk, a person is now integrated into the spiritual world after wholly giving up material life. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In his later years, as a Vaishnava sadhu, he became an influential communicator of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology to India and specifically to the West through his leadership of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded in 1966. In respects to this achievement, religious leaders from other Gaudiya Vaishnava movements have given the praise: Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... In Hinduism, sadhu is a common term for an ascetic or practitioner of yoga (yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Hindu goals of life: kama (pleasure), artha (wealth and power) and even dharma (duty). ... Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology, is a type of Vaishnava Theology that began with Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534), a Bengali Vaishnava sadhu. ... The term Western world, the West or the Occident (Latin occidens -sunset, -west, as distinct from the Orient) [1] can have multiple meanings dependent on its context (e. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ...

Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja surprised the entire world as well as his godbrothers with his outstanding achievements. He single handedly fulfilled the prediction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: "The Holy Names of Krishna will be sung in every town and village in the world."^[1] 59. ...

He has been described as a charismatic leader (in the sense used by sociologist Max Weber), and was successful in acquiring followers in the United States, Europe, India and elsewhere.^[2][3] Jesus is considered by historians such as Weber to be an example of a charismatic religious leader; The sociologist Max Weber defined charismatic authority as resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained... For the painter, see Max Weber (artist). ...

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

In 1922, when Prabhupada first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (1874–1937), Srila Bhaktisiddhanta requested that Prabhupada spread the message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the English language^[4]. Later in 1932 Prabhupada became a formally initiated disciple^[5] of Bhaktisiddhanta and in 1944 started the publication Back to Godhead, an English language fortnightly, for which he acted as publisher, editor, copy editor and distributer. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, founder-acharya of the Gaudiya Math Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada (1874-1937), the well-known preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, was born Bimal Prasad Dutta in the seaside pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri, Orissa, India. ... 59. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A fortnight is a unit of time equal to two weeks: that is 14 days, or literally 14 nights. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... Editing may also refer to audio editing or film editing. ... Copy editing is the process by which an editor makes formatting changes and other improvements to text. ...

In 1947 the Gaudiya Vaisnava Society recognised Prabhupada's scholarship with the honorific title Bhaktivedanta, meaning "one who has realised that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the end of all knowledge"^[6] (with Bhakti, indicating devotion and Vedanta indicating conclusive knowledge). His later name of Prabhupada, literally meaning "he who has taken the position of the Lord" ^[7] (i.e one who is representing Krishna) was given later on by Prabhupada's disciples in America after he had been promoting Krishna Consciousness there for some time. An honorific is a word or expression that conveys esteem or respect and is used in addressing or referring to a person. ... Bhakti - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

From 1950 onwards Prabhupada lived at the medieval temple of Radha-Damodara in the holy city of Vrindavan, where he began his translation work on the Sanskrit epic Srimad Bhagavatam. His guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had always encouraged Prabhupada, "If you have any money, print books!", referring to Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, Chaitanya Charitamrita, and other fundamental works.^[8] The Gopuram of temples, in south India, are adorned with colourful icons depicting a particular story surrounding the temples deity. ... A Rajastani style painting of Sri Radha Radha (Devanagari: राधा) is a famous female personality from Hindu, (Vedic) tradition, also known as Radharani, prefixed with the respectful term Srimati by devout followers. ... The 367th name of Krishna in the Vishnu sahasranama is Daamodarah (also spelled Damodar and Damodara). Several purports exist. ... , Vrindavan   (alternate spellings Vrindaban or Brindavan), or Vraj in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India is a town on the site of an ancient forest which is believed to have been the region where the famous cowherd boy, Krishna, from Hindu scriptures spent his childhood days. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... The Chaitanya Charitamrita is the biography written by Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a pivotal figure of the Hindu sect Gaudiya Vaishnavism. ...

Sannyasa

He took sannyasa (renunciant) vows in 1959 from his godbrother Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Maharaja at Mathura, following which he singlehandedly published the first three volumes of his thirty-volume translation of the 18,000-verse Bhagavata Purana with detailed commentary. He then left India, obtaining free passage on a freight ship called the Jaladuta, with the aim of fulfilling his spiritual master's instruction to spread the message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu around the world. In his possession were a suitcase, an umbrella, a supply of dry cereal, about seven dollars worth of Indian currency, and several boxes of books. Samnyasa (IAST , also spelled , Sannyasa) in Hinduism symbolizes the conception of the life of a monk, a person is now integrated into the spiritual world after wholly giving up material life. ... , Mathura   (Hindi: मथुरा, Urdu: متھرا) is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... 59. ... ISO 4217 Code INR User(s) India Inflation 5. ...

Mission to the West

Swami Prabhupada speaking at a gathering in America in 1975.

Prabhupada sailed to New York City in 1965. By July 1966 he had brought "Hare Krishna" to the West, founding the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York City. Prabhupada spent much of the last decade of his life setting up the institution of ISKCON. Since he was the Society's leader, his personality and management were responsible for much of ISKCON's growth and the reach of his mission. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Founder of ISKCON: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

After a group of devotees and temple had been established in New York another center was started in San Francisco. From here Prabhupada travelled throughout America with his disciples, popularising the movement through street chanting, book distribution (Sankirtana) and public speeches. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Sankirtana (sankirtan, from Sanskrit san - together, and kirtana - singing of the names of God) is a congregational singing of the holy names of God, especially in public, as an expression of Bhakti typical for Bhakti movements. ...

Once ISKCON was more established in America a small number of devotees from the San Francisco temple were sent to London, England. After a short time of being in London they came into contact with The Beatles, of whom George Harrison took the greatest interest, spending a significant time speaking with Prabhupada and producing a record with members of the later London Radha Krsna Temple. Over the following years Prabhupada's continuing leadership role took him around the world some several times setting up temples and communities in all of the major continents. By the time of his death in Vrindavan eleven years later (1977), ISKCON was a widely known expression of Vaishnavism on an international basis. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943[1][2] – 29 November 2001[3]) was an Academy Award and Grammy Award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, author and sitarist best known as the lead guitarist of The Beatles. ... The Radha Krsna Temple was the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in London from the late 1960s. ... , Vrindavan   (alternate spellings Vrindaban or Brindavan), or Vraj in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India is a town on the site of an ancient forest which is believed to have been the region where the famous cowherd boy, Krishna, from Hindu scriptures spent his childhood days. ... Temple dedicated to the worship of Vishnu as Venkateswara. ...

In the twelve years from his arrival in New York until his final days he:

• circled the globe fourteen times on lecture tours that took him to six continents.
• introduced Vedic gurukul education to a Western audience.
• directed the founding of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, which clams to be the world's largest publisher of ancient and classical Vaishnava religious texts.^[9]
• founded the religious colony New Vrindavan in West Virginia
• authored sixty books (many available online here) on Vedantic philosophy, religion, literature and culture (including four in Bengali)
• watched ISKCON grow to a confederation of more than 100 schools, temples, institutes, farm communities, and ashrams.

Through his mission, Prabhupada followed and communicated the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and introduced bhakti yoga to an international audience. Within Gaudiya Vaishnavism this was viewed as the fulfillment of a long time mission to introduce Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings to the world.^[10] A Gurukul (Guru refers to teacher or master; Kul refers to his domain, from the Sanskrit word kula, meaning extended family. ... The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) is the worlds largest publisher of books concerning Krishna and the philosophy, religion, and culture of the Vedic tradition of India. ... New Vrindaban was originally an ISKCON (Hare Krishna) intentional community located in Moundsville, West Virginia[1]. Its main function is now pilgrimage center, mainly because of economical necessity. ... Bengali or Bangla (IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit languages. ... A confederation is an association of sovereign states or communities, usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution. ... An Ashram (Pronounced aashram) in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages (See Rishi) lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. ... 59. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ...

In his discussion with historian Arnold Toynbee in London Prabhupada is quoted as saying: "I have started this Krishna Conscious Movement among the Indians and Americans and for the next ten thousand years it will increase"^[11] Arnold Joseph Toynbee (April 14, 1889 - October 22, 1975) was a British historian whose twelve-volume analysis of the rise and fall of civilizations, A Study of History, 1934-1961, was a synthesis of world history, a metahistory based on universal rhythms of rise, flowering and decline. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

'Books are the basis'

Srila Prabhupada's literary contribution.

Prabhupada's most significant contribution, it has been said, are his books.^[12] Within the final twenty years of his life Prabhupada translated over sixty volumes of classic Vedic scriptures (such as Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam) into the English language. For their authority, depth, and clarity, his books have won praise from professors at colleges and universities like Harvard, Oxford, Cornell, Columbia, Syracuse, Oberlin, and Edinburgh.^[13] His writings have been translated into seventy languages.^[14] The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust was established in 1972 to publish his works. Image File history File links 7Books. ... Image File history File links 7Books. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: वेद) are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) is the worlds largest publisher of books concerning Krishna and the philosophy, religion, and culture of the Vedic tradition of India. ...

Views on other religious traditions

Prabhupada considered Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed to be empowered representatives of God, describing them within his writings as pioneers of the same essential message of dedication to God with love and devotion. Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ...

• "Actually, it doesn't matter – Krishna or Christ – the name is the same. The main point is to follow the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures that recommend chanting the name of God in this age." (from The Science of Self-Realization, ISBN 91-7149-447-2)

In line with traditional Vaishnava theology (which focuses largely on dualism), Prabhupada was somewhat critical of the monist philosophies of Hinduism. Although the Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy he followed was neither fully dualistic or monist (Achintya Bheda Abheda), still, as a devotional path, Gaudiya Vaishnavism has much more in common with the Dvaita, as opposed the Advaita schools, especially as it branches from the disciplic succession of Madhvacharya (a leading proponent of dualism). This article is about the Hindu deity. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit: वेद) are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Monism is the metaphysical position that all is of one essential essence, substance or energy. ... Achintya-Bheda-Abheda is the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and difference, in relation to the individual soul (jiva) and God (Krishna) within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. ... Dvaita (Devanagari:द्बैत, Kannada:ದ್ವೈತ) (also known as Tattvavada and Bheda-vada), a school of Vedanta (the most widespread Hindu philosophy) founded by Madhvacharya, stresses a strict distinction between God (Vishnu) and the individual living beings (jivas). ... Advaita Vedanta is probably the best known of all Vedanta schools of Hinduism, the others being Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Within India

The ISKCON temple, in New Delhi, India

ISKCON has become a recognised religious organization within India. Srila Prabhupada has been honored by the Government and praised by the highest leaders of the country. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 271 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) ISKCON temple in Delhi, India. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 271 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) ISKCON temple in Delhi, India. ...

In 1996 the Government of India recognized Srila Prabhupada's accomplishments by issuing a commemorative stamp in his honor.^[15]

Speaking at the inauguration of ISKCON's cultural center in New Delhi in 1998, Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee, then India's prime minister, said: This biographical article does not cite any references or sources. ...

"If the Bhagavad Gita, the holy text of the Hindu traditions, is printed in millions of copies and scores of languages and distributed in all nooks and corners of the world, the credit for this great sacred service goes chiefly to ISKCON. For this accomplishment alone, Indians should be eternally grateful to the devoted spiritual army of Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, and to his followers. . . .

"The arrival of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in the United States in 1965 and the particular popularity his movement gained in a very short span of twelve years must be regarded as one of the greatest spiritual events of the century."^[16]

Bibliography

Translations with commentary

1. Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is (1968)
2. Śrī Īśopanishad (1969)
3. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1972-77) (multiple volumes)
4. Caitanya-caritāmrta (1974) (multiple volumes)
5. The Nectar of Instruction (1975)

Original front cover. ... The Isha Upanishad () or Ishopanishad (), also known as the Ishavasya Upanishad (), is a Sanskrit poem (or sequence of mantras) from the Upanishads and is considered Åšruti by followers of a number of diverse traditions within Hinduism. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... The Chaitanya Charitamrita is the biography written by Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a pivotal figure of the Hindu sect Gaudiya Vaishnavism. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Summary studies

1. Teachings of Lord Caitanya (1969)
2. Krishņa: The Supreme Personality of Godhead (1970)
3. The Nectar of Devotion (1970)

Deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (right) and Sri Nityananda (left) at Radha-Krishna temple in Radhadesh, Belgium Caitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Chaitanya) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Hindu monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal, India (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh). ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ...

Other works published within Prabhupada's lifetime

1. Beyond Illusion and Doubt (1967)
2. Easy Journey to Other Planets (1970)
3. Krishņa Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System (1970)
4. Beyond Birth and Death (1972)
5. The Perfection of Yoga (1972)
6. On The Way to Krishnņa (1973)
7. Rāja-vidyā: The King of Knowledge (1973)
8. Elevation to Krishnņa Consciousness (1973)
9. Krishņa Consciousness: The Matchless Gift (1974)
10. Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers (1977)
11. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūtī (1977)
12. The Science of Self-Realization (1977)
13. Back to Godhead magazine (founder)

Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Bengali writings

1. Geetār-gan
2. Vairāgya-vidyā
3. Buddhi-yoga
4. Bhakti-ratna-boli

Published posthumously

1. Light of the Bhāgavata (1977?)
2. Teachings of Queen Kuntī (1978)
3. Life Comes From Life (1978)
4. Krishņa, The Reservoir of Pleasure (1979?)
5. Chant and Be Happy (1982)
6. Coming Back (1983?)
7. Nārada-bhakti-sūtra (1989?)
8. Path of Perfection (1989?)
9. Mukunda-mālā-stotra (1989)
10. A Second Chance (1991)
11. Journey of Self Discovery (1991)
12. Laws of Nature: An Infallible Justice (1991)
13. Renunciation Through Wisdom (1992)
14. Quest for Enlightenment (1993?)
15. The Path of Yoga (1995)
16. Message of Godhead (1996?)
17. Civilization and Transcendence (1998)
18. Dharma: The Way of Transcendence (1998)
19. Introduction to Bhagavad-gītā (2005)

Queen Kunti is the mother of the eldest three of the Pandava brothers from the Indian epic Mahabharata. ... Narada (Sanskrit: नारद, nārada) is the Hindu divine sage, who is an enduring chanter of the names Hari and Narayana which other names for Vishnu, considered to be the supreme God by Vaishnavites and many other Hindus. ... Bhakti - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... SÅ«tra (sex) (Sanskrit) or Sutta (Pāli) literally means a rope or thread that holds things together, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. ...   (Sanskrit) (Devnagari: धर्म) or Dhamma (Pali) is the underlying order in nature and human life and behaviour considered to be in accord with that order. ...

Footnotes

Dr George D. Chryssides is the senior lecturer in Religious Studies at the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences of the University of Wolverhampton. ... CESNUR is a center for studies on new religions, based in Turin, Italy. ... Bhaktivinode Thakur (1838-1914), a prominent figure among the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, was born Kedarnath Datta in the town of Birangara, Bengal, India. ... Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, founder-acharya of the Gaudiya Math Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada (1874-1937), the well-known preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, was born Bimal Prasad Dutta in the seaside pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri, Orissa, India. ...

See also

• Gaudiya Vaishnavism
• International Society for Krishna Consciousness
• Bhagavad-Gita As It Is
• Hare Krishna
• Bhakti Yoga
• Krishnology

Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... Founder of ISKCON: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ... Original front cover. ... Hare Krishna Mantra in Devanagari. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... Krishnology (also spelled Krishnaology) is an academic neo-logism for Krishna Theology. ...

External links

• ISKCON - About Srila Prabhupada
• The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
• Krishna.com - Online Book Library (PDF and HTML)
• Bhaktivedanta Archives
• Lectures by Srila Prabhupada
• Letters by Srila Prabhupada
• Srila Prabhupada's books online (HTML)
• Photos of Srila Prabhupada
• BBTI Company Site