His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada is considered the greatest ambassador of Vedic culture in the modern age. In the year 1965, at the advanced age of 69, Srila Prabhupada travelled to the United States of America in a cargo ship to spread the divine message of Lord Sri Krishna on the order of his Spiritual Master. After a year, he registered the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in a storefront in Manhattan, New York. He successfully introduced thousands of westerners to the path of self-realization explained in Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad-gita. In the next 11 years, he went on to establish over 100 Krishna temples, farm communities and authored more than 60 volumes of Vedic literature. He introduced the "Hare Krishna' mantra to the world and also travelled the globe 14 times.
An excerpt from Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa's address from the "Sing, Dance and Pray-the inspirational story of Srila Prabhupada book event in Kerala in the presence of Hon'ble Governar Shri Arif Mohammed Khan and Her Highness Smt. Aswathy Thinanal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi
As a compassionate saint and Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada felt a strong need for re-spiritualisation to correct this situation. He wanted to bring about a janatagha-viplavah, or a spiritual revolution, and unite human society with the Vedic ideals of universal love and compassion for every living being. He wanted to demonstrate that all of us could become one in peace, friendship and prosperity. He desired to spread Lord Krishna's teachings and attract the world's thinkers, leaders, and other enquiring minds to know more about His snothing and healing message for a harried world.
Srila Prabhupada travelled to New York City aboard a cargo ship in 1965 at the advanced age of 69 to fulfil his mission. Arriving in America with just a few rupees and his translations of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada began to share the timeless wisdom of Krishna Consciousness. In the eleven years that followed, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times, bringing the teachings of Lord Krishna to millions of people throughout the world. He established more than 100 ISKCON temples on six continents.
Srila Prabhupada rationally and authoritatively preached that there is God or the Almighty One, from whom everything emanates, by whom everything is maintained and in whom everything is merged to rest as codified in the Vedic aphorism janmadyasya yatal?. Based on the Gita, he taught sarva-yoni?u kaunteya aham bija-pradas pita God is the original father of all living entities, and we are all His children. He gave us the knowledge that our ultimate goal is to return home to the spiritual world, where we can experience eternal freedom.
Srila Prabhupada came from an unbroken, authentic disciplic succession originating from Bhagavan Krishna Himself. About 500 years ago, Sri Krishna appeared on this planet to distribute the love of God in His golden incarnation as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
He inaugurated the Sankirtan movement through the chanting of:
He revealed the glories of chanting the Holy Name and said
God has millions of names. And He has invested all His transcendental energies in His Holy Names. These names can be chanted without any hard and fast rules.
He predicted that Krishna's Holy Names would be heard in every town and village. Srila Prabhupada fulfilled this divine prophecy by undertaking his voyage of compassion to the West