Our Founder

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896, in Calcutta. Born into a pious family, he showed early signs of spiritual inclination and devotion to Lord Krishna.

In 1922 he met His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakur, Founder of Gaudiya Math, who requested Abhay to broadcast Vedic knowledge in the English medium, setting the course for his life's mission.

At Allahabad, Abhay was formally initiated and made it his life ambition to expound the Vedic conclusion that real freedom means liberation from material miseries through awakening pure love for God, Krishna-prema.

He started the Back to Godhead magazine in 1944 and received the title 'Bhaktivedanta' in 1947 from the Gaudiya Vaishnava Society in recognition of his philosophical knowledge and devotion.

At age 69, when others think of retirement, he courageously traveled to the United States to fulfill his spiritual master's mission, founding ISKCON in 1966 and bringing Lord Caitanya's teachings to the Western world.

Srila Prabhupada taught that every living being is an eternal servant of Lord Krishna with a dormant natural propensity to experience the eternal bliss of pure love of God through the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra.