A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Difference between revisions

| honorific-suffix = {{IAST|Prabhupāda}}

| death_date      = {{death date and age|1977|11|8|1896|09|01|df=yes}}

'''Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami''' ({{IAST3|Abhaya Caraṇāravinda Bhakti-vedānta Svāmī}}; 1 September 1896 – 14 November 1977<ref name="Info"/>), born '''Abhay Charan De''' and called ''[[Prabhupāda|Prabhupada]]'' in the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] (ISKCON), was an Indian [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism|Gaudiya Vaishnava]] guru who founded ISKCON,<ref name="Srivatsa" /> commonly known as the "Hare Krishna movement".<ref name="Info" /><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinreligio0000unse |title=Who's Who in Religion |edition=2nd |location=Chicago, Illinois |publisher=[[Marquis Who's Who]] |year=1977 |page=[https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinreligio0000unse/page/531/mode/1up 531] |isbn=0-8379-1602-X |quote=Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, leader, Hare Krishna Movement. Founder, Internat. Soc. for Krishna Consciousness, 1965.}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Britannica|255215|Hare Krishna|J. Gordon Melton}}</ref> Members of ISKCON view Bhaktivedanta Swami as a representative and messenger of [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]].<ref>{{Cite book|author=Satsvarupa dasa Goswami|author-link=Satsvarupa dasa Goswami|year=1968|title=Prabhupada: Messenger of The Supreme Lord|location=India|publisher=[[Bhaktivedanta Book Trust|Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Publications]]|pages=vi|isbn=978-8189574307}}</ref>

Born in Calcutta (now [[Kolkata]]), he was educated at the [[Scottish Church College]].<ref name="Info">{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Constance|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|year=2007|publisher=Infobase Publishing|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8160-5458-9|pages=77–78}}</ref> While working at a small [[pharmaceutical]] business,<ref name="Rodes">{{Harvnb|Rhodes|2001|p=178}}</ref> he met and became a follower of [[Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati]]. In 1959, after his retirement, he left his family to become a ''[[sannyasa|sannyasi]]'' and started writing commentaries on Vaishnava scriptures.<ref name="SDG9">{{Harvnb|Goswami|2002|loc=Vol.1 Chapter 9}}</ref> As a travelling Vaishnava monk, he became an influential communicator of Gaudiya Vaishnavite theology to India and specifically to the [[Western world]] through his leadership of ISKCON, founded in 1966.<ref name = kk2>{{Harvnb|Klostermaier|2007|p=217}}</ref><ref name="ex23">{{Harvnb|Ekstrand|Bryant|2004|p=23}}</ref> He was criticized by [[Anti-cult movement|anti-cult groups]], but was appreciated by several American [[religious scholar]]s.<ref name="Vasan2">{{Harvnb|Vasan|Lewis|2005|p=129}}</ref>

He has been described as a [[Charismatic authority|charismatic leader]] who was successful in acquiring followers in many countries including the United States, Europe and India.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 24579924|title = Unrecognized charisma? A study and comparison of five charismatic leaders: Charles Taze Russell, Joseph Smith, L Ron Hubbard, Swami Prabhupada and Sun Myung Moon|journal = Max Weber Studies|volume = 12|issue = 2|pages = 185–204|last1 = Chryssides|first1 = George D.|year = 2012|doi = 10.15543/MWS/2012/2/4}}</ref><ref>"in an evaluation of the nature of the [[guru]], [[Larry Shinn]], a scholar of religions, utilised [[Max Weber]]'s analysis of charisma in order to understand Prabhupada and the issue of leadership in [[ISKCON]]..."status as charismatic leader" {{Harvnb|Knott|1997|loc=Chapter: Prabhupada and role of guru}}</ref><ref name="Shinn87">{{Harvnb|Shinn|1987|p=49}}</ref> After his death in 1977, ISKCON, the society he founded based on a form of Hindu [[Krishnaism]] using the ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' as a central scripture, continued to grow. In February 2014, ISKCON's news agency reported reaching a milestone of distributing over half a billion of his books since 1965.<ref name="Smullen">{{cite web | url = http://iskconnews.org/bbt-reaches-half-a-billion-books-distributed-since-1965,4286/ | title = BBT reaches half a billion books distributed since 1965 | access-date = 27 February 2014 | last = Smullen | first = Madhava | date = 12 February 2014 | website = ISKCON News}}</ref>

Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan on 1 September 1896 in Calcutta.<ref name="Info" /> He was also called Nandulāl. His parents, Gour Mohan De and Rajani De, were devout [[Vaishnava]]s and resided at 6 Sitakanta Banerjee Lane, Calcutta.<ref name = "SDG2">{{Harvnb|Goswami|2002|loc=Vol.1 Chapter 2}}</ref>

Abhay Charan studied at the [[Scottish Church College]]. He is said to have refused his degree in response to [[Non-cooperation movement|Gandhi's calls]] to challenge British rule.<ref name="Info" /> At the age of 22, he was married in 1919 to Radharani Devi, who was then 11 years old, in a [[Arranged marriage|marriage arranged]] by their parents. At 14, Radharani Devi gave birth to their first son.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prabhupada.org.uk/articles1/48_53/48.htm |title=Srila Prabhupada's marriage |access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>

In 1922, he met his [[parampara|spiritual master]], [[Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura]], in Prayagraj. He was asked to spread the message of [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] in the English language.<ref name="SDGPRA">{{Harvnb|Goswami|1984|loc=page xv}}</ref> In 1933 he became a formally initiated disciple of Bhaktisiddhānta. In 1944, he started the publication called ''[[Back to Godhead]]'',<ref name = hk34/><ref name="SDGPRA1">{{Harvnb|Goswami|1984|loc=page xviii}}</ref> for which he was writer, designer, publisher, editor, copy editor and distributor.<ref name="SDG5">{{Harvnb|Goswami|2002|loc=Vol. 1 Chapter 5}}</ref>

In 1947, the Gaudiya Vaishnava Society gave him the title ''Bhaktivedanta,'' (''{{IAST|[[bhakti]]-[[vedānta]]}}'').<ref>A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, [[Satsvarupa dasa Goswami]] (1998) ''The secrets of transcendental love'', {{ISBN|0-89213-273-6}}, p. 73: "The spiritual harmony of knowledge and devotion is well expressed in the phrase ''bhakti-vedānta''"</ref> He is well known by the honorific ''{{IAST|[[Prabhupāda]]}}''<ref>{{cite book |author=Aparna Chattopadhyay |title=Pearls of Spiritual Wisdom |publisher=Pustak Mahal, India |year=2004 |page=37 |isbn=81-223-0858-9 }}</ref>

From 1950 onwards, he lived at the medieval Radha-Damodar [[mandir]] in the holy town of [[Vrindavan]], where he began his commentary and translation work of the [[Sanskrit]] work [[Bhagavata Purana]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Charles S. J. White |title=A Catalogue of Vaishnava Literature on Microfilms in the Adyar Library |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |year=2004 |isbn=81-208-2067-3}}</ref> His [[guru]], [[Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura]], had always encouraged him to print books.<ref name="SDG4RK">{{Harvnb|Goswami|2002|loc=Vol.1 Chapter 4}} "''{{IAST|Āmār icchā chila kichu bai karānā}}: ''"Standing by [[Rādhā-kuṇḍa|{{IAST|Rādhā-kuṇḍa}}]] and beholding his spiritual master, Abhay felt the words deeply enter his own life – "If you ever get money, print books."</ref> referring to the need for the literary presentation of the Vaishnava culture.<ref name="SDG4">{{Harvnb|Goswami|2002|loc=Vol.1 Chapter 4}}</ref>

Prabhupada also lived at [[Gaudiya Matha]] at [[Mathura]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], where he wrote and edited the ''{{IAST|Gauḍīya Patrikā}}'' magazine. There he also donated the statue of [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] which stands on the altar beside those of [[Radha Krishna]] (named ''Śrī Śrī Rādhā Vinodavihārījī''). In September 1959, he was initiated as a ''[[sannyasa|sannyasi]]'' by his friend [[Bhakti Prajnana Keshava]] and was given the title of ''[[Swami]]''. He published the first book of ''Bhagavata Purana''.<ref name="SDGm">{{Harvnb|Goswami|2002|loc=Vol.1 Chapter ''This momentous hour of need''}}</ref>

Prabhupada was the first Hindu preacher to take advantage of the removal of [[National Origins Formula|national quotas]] by the [[Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965|1965 Immigration Act]] of the United States.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2017|p=xxxvi}}</ref> In July 1966, he founded the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] (ISKCON) in [[New York City]].<ref name="Srivatsa" /> He defended the name, arguing that ''Krishna'' included all other forms and concepts of God.<ref name="ex122">{{Harvnb|Ekstrand|Bryant|2004|pp=120–122}}</ref> In 1967, a centre was started in [[San Francisco]].<ref name="Vasan">{{Harvnb|Vasan|Lewis|2005|p=128}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=22}}</ref> He travelled throughout America with his disciples, popularising the movement through street chanting (''[[sankirtana]]''), book distribution and public speeches. [[George Harrison]] of [[The Beatles]] produced a recording with some of the devotees in London and helped establish the [[Radha Krisna Temple]] there.<ref>{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=23}}</ref>

Over the following years, his role as preacher and leader of Krishna consciousness movement took him around the world several times setting up temples and communities in other continents.<ref name="Smith">{{cite book|title=Hinduism and modernity|publisher=Blackwell Pub|year=2003|isbn=0-631-20862-3|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|page=178|author=Smith, David Nichol}}</ref> By the time of his death in [[Vrindavan]] in 1977, ISKCON had become an internationally known expression of [[Vaishnavism]].<ref name="Vasan" />

Beginning his public preaching mission in India, he founded the League of Devotees in [[Jhansi]] in 1953.<ref>[http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/League_of_Devotees.html League of Devotees article] prabhupadaconnect.com</ref> On his return to India in 1971, he oversaw the construction of temples in [[Mumbai]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=27}}</ref> [[Mayapur]] and [[Vrindavan]]. To promote the vedic education within the modern Indian education structure, he started a chain of [[ISKCON schools]]. The [[Government of India]] has issued commemorative stamp<ref>

A number of ''[[Samādhi#Samadhi as mausoleum|samadhi]]s'' or shrines to Bhaktivedanta Swami were constructed by the members of ISKCON, with those in Mayapur and Vrindavan in India  being notable. [[Prabhupada's Palace of Gold]], built by the [[New Vrindavan]] community in 1979, was intended to be a residence for Bhaktivedanta Swami, but grew into a tourist attraction.<ref name="ShinnBrom1987q">{{Harvnb|Shinn|Bromley|1987|p=124}}</ref>

[[File:Srila Prabhupada Room at Radha Damodar Mandir in Vrindavan.jpg|alt=Srila Prabhupada Room at Radha Damodar Mandir in Vrindavan|thumb|Srila Prabhupada Room at Radha Damodar Mandir in [[Vrindavan]]|left]]Bhaktivedanta Swami's books are considered one of his most significant contributions.<ref>{{Harvnb|Sharma|1981|p=971}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.acbspn.com/reviews.htm| title=Scholars reviews of Srila Prabhupada's books| website=www.acbspn.com| access-date=31 May 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515205053/http://www.acbspn.com/reviews.htm| archive-date=15 May 2008|url-status = dead| df=dmy-all}}</ref> During the final twelve years of his life, Bhaktivedanta Swami translated over sixty volumes of classic [[Hindu texts|Hindu]] scriptures (e.g. ''[[Bhagavad Gita]], [[Chaitanya Charitamrita]]'' and ''[[Srimad Bhagavatam]]'') into the English language.<ref name="Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=25">{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=25}}</ref>  His ''[[Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is|Bhagavad-gītā As It Is]]'' was published by [[Macmillan Publishers]] in 1968 with an unabridged edition in 1972.<ref>[[Maheswar Neog]] [https://books.google.com/books?ei=Ks9DSJ3YH6a4iQHiq8yIBQ&id=LhB4AAAAIAAJ&dq=Macmillan+Bhagavad+Gita&q=Macmillan&pgis=1#search Professor Maheswar Neog Felicitation Volume] (1990)</ref><ref>Bhaktivedanta Swami, A. C. (1968). ''The Bhagavad-gita As It Is'', first edition. [[New York City|New York]]: [[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]].</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://btg.krishna.com/macmillan-miracle|title=The Macmillan Miracle

Other typical expressions present a different perspective, where he would point out that "today I may be a [[Hindu]], but tomorrow I may become a [[Christians|Christian]] or [[Muslim]]. In this way faiths can be changed, but [[dharma]] is a natural sequence, a natural occupation or a connection and it can not be changed, because it is permanent, according to him".<ref name="Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=25"/> While the [[ISKCON]] theology of [[personal god]] is close to Christian theology, both personal and monotheistic, being a preacher of [[bhakti]] and a missionary he sometimes would add that "already many Christians have tasted the nectar of divine love of the holy name and are dancing with ''[[karatalas]]'' (hand-cymbals) and ''[[mridanga]]s'' (drums)".<ref>{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=6}}</ref>

His approach to modern knowledge is similar to that of sectarian [[Orthodox Judaism]], where the skills and technical knowledge of modernity are encouraged, but the values rejected. "Whatever our engagement is, by offering the result to Krishna we become Krishna conscious".<ref name="char">{{cite web |url=http://www.iskcon.com/icj/contributors.html#Selengut |title=Charisma and Religious Innovation: Prabhupada and the Founding of ISKCON |publisher=[[ISKCON Communications Journal]] |access-date=31 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516204151/http://www.iskcon.com/icj/4_2/4_2charisma.html#Selengut |archive-date=16 May 2008 |url-status = dead}} (self published)</ref> Bhaktivedanta Swami himself taught a dualism of body and soul and that of the genders. Similar to many traditional religions he considered sexuality and spirituality as conflicting opposites.<ref>{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=224}}</ref> Among some liberal male followers there is a positive recognition of his example in applying the spirit of the law according to time, place, person and circumstance, rather than literal tracing of the tradition.<ref>{{Harvnb|Cole|Dwayer|2007|p=223}}</ref>

: A collection of his early Bengali essays, which were originally printed in a monthly magazine that he edited called {{IAST|Gauḍīya Patrika}}. Starting in 1976, [[Bhakti Charu Swami]] reprinted these essays into Bengali booklets called {{IAST|Bhagavāner Kathā}} (Knowledge of the Supreme) [from 1948 & 1949 issues], {{IAST|Bhakti Kathā}} (The Science of Devotion), {{IAST|Jñāna Kathā}} (Topics of Spiritual Science), {{IAST|Muni-gānera Mati-bhrama}} (The Deluded Thinkers), and ''Buddhi-yoga'' (The Highest Use of Intelligence), which he later combined into ''Vairāgya-vidyā''. In 1992, an English translation was published called ''Renunciation Through Wisdom''.<ref>{{cite book|author=His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada|date=1992|title=Renunciation Through Wisdom|url=https://archive.org/details/renunciationthro0000acbh/page/n8/mode/1up|translator=Bhakti Charu Swami|translator-link=Bhakti Charu Swami|trans-title={{IAST|Vairagya Vidyā}}|publisher=[[Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]]|isbn=0-947259-04-X|lccn=95120622|oclc=30848069|pages=vii-viii}}</ref>

==Sources==

{{Wikiquote}}{{Commons category|Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada}}

* {{BNF|118918976}} – Bhaktivedanta Swami, A. C. (1896-1977)

* {{Worldcat author|lccn-n79133133}}