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Srila Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896, to a pious Hindu family in Calcutta. As a youth growing up in British-controlled India, Abhay became involved with Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement to secure independence for his nation. It was, however, a 1922 meeting with a prominent scholar and religious leader, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, which proved most influential on Abhay’s future calling. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was a leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnava denomination, a monotheistic tradition within the broad Hindu culture, and asked Abhay to bring the teachings of Lord Krishna to the English-speaking world. Abhay became a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta in 1933, and resolved to carry out his mentor’s request. Abhay, later known by the honorific A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, spent the next 32 years preparing for his journey west. In 1965, at the age of sixty-nine, Srila Prabhupada traveled to New York City aboard a cargo ship. The journey was treacherous, and the elderly spiritual teacher suffered two heart attacks aboard ship. Arriving in the United States with just seven dollars in Indian rupees and his translations of sacred Sanskrit texts, Srila Prabhupada began to share the timeless wisdom of Krishna consciousness. His message of peace and goodwill resonated with many young people, some of whom came forward to become serious students of the Krishna tradition. With the help of these students, Srila Prabhupada rented a small storefront on New York’s Lower East Side to use as a temple. On July 11, 1966, he officially registered his organization in the state of New York, formally founding the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. In the eleven years that followed, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times on lecture tours, bringing the teachings of Lord Krishna to thousands of people on six continents. Men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life came forward to accept his message, and with their help, Srila Prabhupada established ISKCON centers and projects throughout the world. Under his inspiration, Krishna devotees established temples, rural communities, educational institutions, and started what would become the world’s largest vegetarian food relief program. With the desire to nourish the roots of Krishna consciousness in its home, Srila Prabhupada returned to India several times, where he sparked a revival in the Vaishnava tradition. In India, he opened dozens of temples, including large centers in the holy towns of Vrindavana and Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada's most significant contributions, perhaps, are his books. He authored over 70 volumes on the Krishna tradition, which are highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth, fidelity to the tradition, and clarity. Several of his works are used as textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into 76 languages. His most prominent works include: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.
- Dr. Thomas J. Hopkins
More about Prabhupada.............
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent religious scholar and the founder of sixty-four Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes) in India, liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge. Srila Prabhupada became his student and, in 1933, his formally initiated disciple. At their first meeting Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge in English. 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. Single-handedly, Srila Prabhupada edited it, typed the manuscripts, checked the galley proofs, and even distributed the individual copies. The magazine is now being continued by his disciples in the West. In 1950 Srila Prabhupada retired from married life, adopting the vanaprastha (retired) order to devote more time to his studies and writing. He traveled to the holy city of Vrndavana, where he lived in humble circumstances in the historic temple of Radha- Damodara. There he engaged for several years in deep study and writing. He accepted the renounced order of life (sanyasa) in 1959. At Radha-Damodara, Srila Prabhupada began work on his life's masterpiece: a multivolume commentated 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, in September 1965, to fulfill the mission of his spiritual master. Subsequently, His Divine Grace wrote more than fifty volumes of authoritative commentated translations and summary studies of the philosophical and religious classics of India. When he first arrived by freighter in New York City at his age of 69, 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 he passed away on November 14, 1977, he had guided the Society and seen it grow to a worldwide confederation of more than one hundred asramas, schools, temples, institutes, and farm communities. 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 his disciples have established similar schools throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Srila Prabhupada also inspired the construction of several large international cultural centers in India. The center at Sridhama Mayapur is the site for a planned spiritual city, an ambitious project for which construction will extend over many years to come. In Vrndavana are the magnificent Krsna-Balarama Temple and International Guesthouse, gurukula school, and Srila Prabhupada Memorial and Museum. There is also a major cultural and educational center in Bombay. Major centers are planned in Delhi and in a dozen other important locations on the Indian subcontinent. Srila Prabhupada's most significant contribution, however, is his books. Highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth, and clarity, they are used as 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, despite his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe fourteen times on lecture tours that took him to six continents. Yet this vigorous schedule did not slow his prolific literary output. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature, and culture. In this century, Srila Prabhupada is the foremost proponent of Vaishnava philosophy, represented by the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. This unbroken line of disciplic succession boasts the names of great spiritual Acharyas such as Lord Brahma, Vyasadeva (compiler of the four Vedas, Vedanta-sutras, 18 Puranas, Upanishads, Mahabharata ), Sri Madhvacharya, Sri Krishna Chaitanya and many others. Apart from popularising the Hare Krishna maha-mantra as the supremely sublime meditation method, Srila Prabhupada translated and wrote purports to 18,000 verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 700 verses of Bhagavad-gita and 17 volumes of Chaitanya-charitamrita. He created a monthly magazine, Back to Godhead, which at one point was distributed in excess of one million copies per month. His published books total more than 160. Millions of copies have been distributed around the world in all major languages. He also established 108 temples, several with guest houses and farm communities. He produced phonograph records. He gave lectures daily to his students and to capacity crowds at universities and festivals. Under his direction hundreds of artful illustrations were created for his books, and his disciples held exhibitions of sculptures and puppets depicting Vedic science. All the while, Srila Prabhupada was constantly travelling, circling the globe at least 12 times from the age of 70 until 80 years. He recruited more than 5,000 disciples from countries all over the world. Srila Prabhupada has opened up the storehouse of Vedic knowledge for all humanity. No other personality or group has accomplished as much in 100 years or even 500 or 1,000 years as Srila Prabhupada accomplished in the last 12 years of his physical presence. His disciples and followers proclaim him to be the Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya Acharya and most worshipable spiritual personality. The Krishna consciousness movement is presenting a scientific program for the respiritualization of all of human society. Although man has made rapid material progress, there is a need for a spiritual method by which all men can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity through a common cause. The greatest cause for all men is devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this is being introduced all over the world by the disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhatkivedanta Swami Prabhupada in a simple, practical and universal way that can be accepted by men of any race, religion or nationality.  Some of Srila Prabhupada's Unparalleled Achievements :
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"I realized later on that he was much more incredible than what you could see on the surface.
The thing that always stays is his saying, "I am the servant of the servant of the servant." I like that.... I liked Prabhupada's humbleness. I always liked his humility and his simplicity The servant of the servant of the servant is really what it is, you know. None of us are God--just His servants. That was the thing about Prabhupada, you see. He didn't just talk about loving Krishna and getting
out of this place, but he was the perfect example.... He was a perfect example of everything he preached. I think Prabhupada's accomplishments are very
significant; they're huge. Even compared to someone like William Shakespeare, the amount of literature Prabhupada produced is truly amazing. It boggles the mind. He sometimes went for days with only a few hours sleep.
Srila Prabhupada has already had an amazing effect on the world. There's no way of measuring it.One day I just realized, "God, this man is amazing!" His contribution has obviously been enormous from the literary point of view, because he's brought the Supreme Person, Krishna, more into focus.
Well, Prabhupada's definitely affected the world in an absolute way.What he was giving us was the highest literature, the highest knowledge. I mean there just isn't anything higher.
---- GEORGE HARRISON
1968 Interview with Srila Prabhupada
Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles
Interviewer: I think the first question is kind of basic, is why is everything always taped at all the...
Prabhupada: Because we have got so many branches, they want to hear me, my singing, my speech, therefore they record it and send it to different branches. We have got thirteen, fourteen
branches: one in New York, one in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Buffalo, Boston, Montreal, Vancouver, London, Hamburg. We have got so many branches.
Interviewer: What are the basic beliefs of the Krsna religion?
Prabhupada: Krsna means God. So God, this word, does not explain the nomenclature of God. Now this Krsna is Sanskrit word, and it conveys the full meaning of God. Krsna means all-attractive. All-attractive means He is full of all opulences. In this world we are attracted by one who is very rich, we are attracted by one who is very famous, we are attracted by one who is very highly educated, we are attracted by someone who is very beautiful. Similarly, these are features of attraction. And when all these attractions are reposed in one place without any rivalry, He is God. That is the conception of God. So Krsna means all these six opulences in fullness together. That is the full definition of God.
Interviewer: What effect to the followers does chanting give? I heard from one that it transports them to a utopian type situation. I wondered if you could elaborate on that a little more.
Prabhupada: Which situation?
Interviewer: Utopian-like, where there is no harm, no..., all is good, and...
Prabhupada: Yes. Now, this our process is chanting. It is very innocent. If you sit down and chant with us, you have no loss, no harm, but there is great gain. You see? By chanting, you gradually cleanse your heart and you can realize what is God. That is the greatest gain. Human life is meant for knowing God. The animals, they cannot know, although the bodily demands of the animal and the human being are the same. The animals, they sleep; man also sleeps. Animal, they eat; man also eats. The animal, they are also afraid of some enemy; man is also afraid of some enemy. The animals, they mate with the opposite sex, and men also do that. But what is the special significance of man? He can understand about God, but the animal cannot. Therefore if a man does not take to this understanding, he is no better than animal. A man who has no God consciousness or Krsna consciousness, he is no better than animal because he has no other business than the four principles of bodily demands. So that is also prevalent in animal kingdom. Therefore this is a privilege for human being, to understand about God, and as such, in every human society there is some sort of religious principle. This religious principle means to understand God. Either you take it, Christianity or Judaism or Hinduism, every religion is trying to understand God according to their capacity. So without this understanding, means Krsna consciousness, human life is as good as animal life.
Interviewer: Do you believe that other religions have some truth to them because they all are...
Prabhupada: I have already told that religion means searching after God, every religion. The process may be different. The audience may be different. Just like in Christianity there is conception of God, "God created this world." So this is a fact. We also say. But we say in very lucid explanation from the Vedas. We don't stop, simply saying, "God created," but how created, how things developed, these descriptions are there in the Vedic literature. That is the difference. Otherwise there is no difference of opinion. The Christians accept God created this world; the Jewish religion, they also accept God created this world; the Muslims they also accept God created this world; we also accept God created this world. So "God is the supreme; God is great," that is accepted by everyone. But the only difference is that we give details so that modern mind, who are advanced in education and scientific knowledge, they can understand, whereas others, they cannot give in detail. Therefore they are deviating gradually because the modern, advanced, educated persons they want to know how God created this world, and that description is lacking. But we can give that. That is the difference. Otherwise the primary principle, to understand God--God is great; we are small, tiny; we are subordinate; we are maintained by God--this idea is everywhere.
Interviewer: Yes, well, what is your explanation of the creation of the world?
Prabhupada: That is a huge thing. That we have to see to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that God expanded Himself first of all in Maha-Visnu, He lied down on the Causal Ocean. And while He was in sleeping mood, from His breathing, innumerable universes came into existence. Then each and every universe, Maha-Visnu entered. Then again He lied down there, and from Him the first creature, Brahma, generated. Then Brahma created other planets. First there was creation of sound. From the sound, the sky came into existence. From the sky, air came into existence. From air, fire came into existence. From fire, water came into existence, and from water, this land developed. In this way, there are very detailed description in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we have to take it that way.
Interviewer: Were you born in this country or were you born in...
Prabhupada: No. I was born in India, Calcutta. My birthplace is Calcutta.
Interviewer: When did you come to this country?
Prabhupada: I came here in September, 1965.
Interviewer: Did you come with the purpose of spreading Krsna consciousness?
Prabhupada: Yes. I am an ordained minister for preaching these missionary activities. So I came here in September, 1965. Then, for one year, I was traveling in many parts of your country. In the beginning I was in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, and then I went to Philadelphia. Then I came to New York. And in this way I was traveling, not very much. And in 1966, in July 1st, I started my class in New York at 26 Second Avenue. That is my first starting. Then the younger generation began to come to me, and they started the San Francisco branch, Montreal branch. In this way the institution is going. And we have sent our students to Europe also. They have already started one branch in London, one in Hamburg. And we have sent our students in Honolulu. They have started a branch there. So our program is to start several..., as many branches as possible to spread this Krsna consciousness movement. And it is very easy. We simply invite persons to come and chant with us. It doesn't matter what he is, what is his language, what is his religion. We don't take into account all these things. And this Hare Krsna is so easy to utter, that any man can utter. That we have experienced. Any part of the world, we chant Hare Krsna, and they can very easily imitate and chant. Even child, they also. So by chanting, he gradually becomes Krsna conscious. His heart becomes cleansed and he can understand what is science of Krsna, what is science of God. Then he automatically offers himself for initiation. Then we initiate him and guide him in different ways. But our students are strictly forbidden to have illicit sex life or meat-eating or intoxication or gambling. These four things are strictly forbidden for our students. And they take it seriously. We get our... In your country boys and girls, they live as friend. I don't allow that. If there is such friendship, I immediately ask them, if they become my student, I immediately ask them to be married. And this experiment has proved very successful. I got these young boys and girls married, and they are very happily living, and husband and wife, they are preaching. All my students in London-- there are six boys and girls--they were married by me, and they are doing very nicely. So the Krsna consciousness movement is very nice in everywhere, especially in this country. That is my opinion. And people will be benefited, especially the younger section who were feeling frustration in every respect, and they are now happy. It is practical. Just ask any one of my students how they are happy. You have seen in our temple how happily they are living and dancing from their face. Face is the index of mind. You will understand from their face how happy they are feeling. They are not smoking. They are not taking marijuana or are taking... No. This nonsense we don't allow. Simple food and chanting. That makes them happy. Simple thing.
Interviewer: I notice that most of your followers, at least in this temple, are young, like in the college age or in the teenage. Is it because Krsna doesn't attract the older generation, I mean, yourself excluded?
Prabhupada: No. Krsna attracts everyone. Just like magnetic stone attracts iron. But the iron is covered with too much muddy things--the magnetic force does not work. This younger generation, they are not too much dirty; therefore they are very easily attracted. You see? It is like a magnetic force. The same example, that magnetic force attracts iron. That is natural. But if the iron is too much rusty and covered with muddy things, then it does not act. So older generation means they are convinced in some way. They cannot accept any new thing. You see? They are in the last stage of life. Whatever they have understood, they cannot forget. But younger generation, they have got capacity to take new things. Just like nobody goes... No old man goes to school because they are unable to receive education. But younger generation, they go. So there is a age to receive. So this age is recipient. Therefore naturally--it is nice thing--they are receiving.
Interviewer: You spoke of initiation. What is that initiation?
Prabhupada: Initiation means formally acceptance of the line of activities in Krsna consciousness. Before that, before initiation, we invite everyone to come and sit down with us, chant, dance, take prasadam, hear philosophy. And if he understands, "Oh, this is very nice," then he offers himself to be initiated. Then we accept. Then we impose this restriction that "If you want to be initiated..." We get hundreds of letters by everyone who has attended our classes. Daily we are getting some married couples or boys and girls, but most of them are younger. My students are within thirties. The oldest student I have got at the present moment, he is twenty-eight years. No, Kirtanananda is about thirty years old. That's all. So, of course, I do not get any older people. That is nice, hopeful, because younger section, if they take it very seriously, then I have hopes that they will preach in future, even in my absence. And old people, if a man becomes too much accustomed to a certain limited habits, in old age it is very difficult to give it up unless one is extraordinarily intelligent.
Interviewer: What is the purpose of the robes and having your head shaved?
Prabhupada: That is not very difficult to understand. Just like you dress in a certain way, I dress in certain way. So we have got this dressing system in our Krsna consciousness movement, and this is taken from Vedic literature. A brahmacari should dress like that. And that is very economical. Our dress is saffron dress. It does not become dirty very quickly, and we... (break) This dress is not very important thing, but when one is initiated, he accepts the regulations which I give them. So it is not that if you do not come in that dress in our temple you will not understand our philosophy. That is not... We don't mean that. But it is convenient. But anyone who does not want to change this dress, that does not matter. We don't insist. These brahmacaris, they voluntarily change. Otherwise there are many students, just like we have got two, three students, they are working. They come just like ordinary American gentlemen. So there is no objection in that way. Dress is not very important thing.
Interviewer: Do you have a name that you call... are they called students? Like, would he be called a student or a...?
Devotee: Brahmacari.
Prabhupada: Brahmacari. We have got four divisions. Those who are not married, they are called brahmacaris. And those who are married, they are called grhasthas. And those who are retired, they are called vanaprasthas. And those who are renounced, they have no connection with anything worldly, they are called sannyasa. Just like I am a sannyasi. Sannyasi mean I have got my family, I have got my wife, children, grandchildren in India, but I have no connection with them. I live alone.
Interviewer: Could I ask for a spelling on those?
Prabhupada: Sannya... Yes, brahmacari: b-r-a-h-m-a-c-h-a-r-y, this is brahmacari. Then grhastha: g-r-i-h-a-s-t-h-a, grhastha. H-a-s-t-h-a, grhastha. G-r-i-h-a-s-t-h-a. Is that clear? Grhastha. Then vanaprastha: v-a-n-a-p-r-a-s-t-h-a, vanaprastha. Then sannyasi: s-n-n-y-a-s-i, sannyasi. Four divisions. These four divisions, and there are other four orders of social system. That is according to work, division according to work and quality. Just like the brahmanas, b-r-a-h-m-a-i-n-s, brahmanas. Brahmanas means the most intelligent class of the society. The ksatriyas, k-s-h-a-t-r-y-a-s, ksatriyas. Ksatriyas means persons who are interested in politics, in the management of the country, political affairs. They are called ksatriyas. Similarly, there is the vaisyas, v-a-i-s-y-a-s. Vaisyas means the mercantile, productive class. Those who are engaged in producing grains or trade, milk, and in industry. Of course, industry, artisans, they are called, artists, sudras. Anyway, any person engaged in producing for the needs of the society, they are called vaisyas. And the worker class is called sudra. So according to Vedic system, these are eight divisions. Unless the human society is divided into these eight divisions in terms of material and spiritual progress of life, that is not accepted as human society.
Interviewer: Have they encountered any problems in, like out on the Hollywood Boulevard? Police action or telling them to move or...?
Prabhupada: Yes. Only that depends on the whims of the police. Sometimes they say, "You are blocking our roads." Sometimes, "Oh, you are doing nice." So that depends on their temperament.
Interviewer: How about from the crowd?
Prabhupada: Crowd, of course, whenever there is crowd, it is natural--police do not like it. So we don't create crowd. But generally, people, out of inquisitiveness they gather together and see how they are chanting. They are sympathetic. They contribute. They purchase our books and literature. The people, public is sympathetic. The police are also sympathetic. They don't object when we go at night, but during busy hours, they object. So one of our students was arrested by the police. So he was taken to the court, and I gave them $315 for what is called? Bail. But he was not convicted. He was immediately liberated, and now our money was returned. So it is not a problem.
Interviewer: Were there any followers before you came to this country?
Prabhupada: No. In this country, of this Krsna consciousness movement, there was none. It is the first time. I have introduced. But in India it is very, very old, since the advent of Krsna, and at least since last five thousand years. So Krsna is very popular in India. In every home, Krsna is worshiped, and there are many millions of temples of Krsna in India and followers also. Followers means almost all Hindus are followers of Krsna. They read this Bhagavad-gita. So I have recently published Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It is published by Macmillan Company, and this book is very nicely being received. It is being reviewed by several papers. I have got many others books. They are being gradually introduced. Perhaps you have seen in our counter. We have got books, magazines, calendar, and other literatures. So it is a very scientific movement. It is not a sentiment, bogus hoax. Anyone who wants to understand this movement philosophically, scientifically, they will be very much satisfied with this. The idea is that any religious movement without philosophical basis, it is simply sentiment or fanaticism. And philosophy without idea of God is simply mental speculation. Therefore religious principles combined with philosophy, that is perfect. So the younger section become attracted to this movement because we are giving some religious principle based on philosophy.
Interviewer: About how many followers would you say there are in the United States?
Prabhupada: Initiated members, there are about one hundred or little more, but sympathizers, admirers, there are many. Those who come, those who contribute, take sympathy, they help, and in that way there are many followers. But actually initiated members, there are about a little more than one hundred.
Interviewer: What is the significance of... Right after the chanting, everyone bows, and that I don't understand, what they're doing.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is offering respect. The whole, our Krsna consciousness movement, is to ask people to surrender to God. They have rebelled against God. Somebody says, "There is no God." Somebody says that "I am God." These nonsense things are to be eradicated from human society. So they should be trained to submit. So the submission is symbolized by bowing down: "Yes, you are great; I am humble." This should be taught. Otherwise, whimsically somebody is thinking that "I am God." They do not know what is God. It is most foolish proposal if somebody claims that he is God. He is dog. We very much hate this proposal, when a man claims that he is God. It is most blasphemous.
Interviewer: Have you... Did you... Well, you've only been over here about four years. But have there been dropouts, out of the movement, of the hundred that were initiated?
Prabhupada: They are doing nicely. They are making progress. They are understanding the philosophy. They are working for it. Now I am the only man who came from India, and still, I am one. I have no... There are many Indians, but I have no Indian follower here. Of course, in India we have got. That's a different thing. But these, all these American boys, they are cooperating with me. That means they are taking this movement very seriously. We have got two great papers, magazines, already, Back to Godhead. One is published from New York, and the other is published from Montreal. (break) In French language. Montreal it is published in French language, and they are well received. Recently I have received one letter from my disciple, Janardana. He is Janus Dambergs, M.A., he is the editor of that paper. He is a very good scholar in French language. His wife is also good scholar, Muna. She is also very good scholar in French language. So they are publishing, and the magazine is well received by the French-speaking people there. And we have contemplation to publish the same magazine in German language also from Germany.
Interviewer: I was talking to one the other day, and he said his name was Tamul.
Prabhupada: Tamala, yes. Tamala Krsna.
Interviewer: Tamala? And he was from Manhattan. Now, I assume when you join, do you assume a name? Do you change your name?
Prabhupada: Yes, when one is initiated, I give him a name which means remembrance of Krsna.
Interviewer: Is it necessary to know of the Indian language when you join? Because I noticed that when your...
Prabhupada: This is not Indian name. This is Sanskrit name.
Interviewer: It's what?
Prabhupada: Sanskrit. Sanskrit is a language which is mother of all languages. Sanskrit, S-a-n-s-k-r-i-t, Sanskrit language. So this is the original language of this..., not only of this planet. In other planets also, this language is spoken. So the names are in Sanskrit. They do not belong to any community or any section. It is universal. We have no information. Just like this word, Krsna. It is universally known: "all-attractive." The exact English translation is "all-attractive." So there cannot be any proper nomenclature for God than this "all-attractive." Unless God is all-attractive, how He can be God? This is the perfect nomenclature. Similarly, anything Sanskritically named, that is all perfect. Yes.
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When His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila
Prabhupada entered the port of New York City on September 17, 1965,
few Americans took notice — but he was not merely another
immigrant. He was on a mission to introduce an ancient religion, which
originated in India, into mainstream America. Before Srila Prabhupada
passed away on November 14, 1977, at the age of 81, his mission
proved successful. He had founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and
saw it grow into a worldwide confederation of more than 100 temples, ashrams and cultural centers.
In 1965, at seventy years of age, he ventured outside India for the first time to fulfill the order of his spiritual master. During his voyage at sea, he suffered two severe heart attacks. He reached the shores of America with the equivalent of seven dollars to his name.
When all these attractions are reposed in one place without any rivalry, He is God. That is the conception of God. So Krsna means all these six opulences in fullness together. That is the full definition of God. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (10-18-08)