About Srila Prabhupada
ISKCON is a non-profit organization that works for social welfare. Srila Prabhupada was a genuine holy person with enormous integrity and compassion. He never claimed authority for himself; everything he did was in the name of Krishna.” – Dr. Thomas J. Hopkins.
Early Life
Born on 1st September 1896, Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada lived a life devoted to God. In 1922, he met his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur who instructed him to preach Krishna consciousness in the west — a turning point in his life.
By 1933, Srila Prabhupada became a committed disciple and spent the next 32 years preparing for his mission to spread Krishna’s teachings globally.
Expanding Boundaries
At the age of 69, he arrived in New York with only Rs. 40, a trunk of books, and no support. Enduring many hardships, he humbly began preaching in the Bowery and chanting kirtan in Tompkins Square Park.
His Message to Society
His message deeply touched the youth, especially the hippie movement. On 11th July 1966, Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Over the next 11 years, he circled the globe 14 times, spreading Krishna’s teachings across six continents.
His Achievements
He returned to India to establish temples in Mayapur and Vrindavana. His books — over 70 volumes — have been translated into 76 languages and are used in universities worldwide. His works reflect clarity, faithfulness, and depth of the Bhakti tradition.
- 22,000+ pages of dictated text
- 700 verses of Gita and 18,000 of Srimad Bhagavatam with translations and purports
- 147 published books
- 7000+ letters to disciples
- Lectures and conversations compiled in 40+ volumes
- Started global preaching at age 70, created 108 ISKCON temples, and over 5000 devotees in just 9 years