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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) was a spiritual teacher and the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement. He was born in Calcutta, India and grew up in a family of Vaisnava devotees.

Prabhupada was initiated into the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition and began his career as a teacher and author of spiritual texts. In 1965, at the age of 69, he traveled to the United States to spread the message of Krishna consciousness. He arrived in New York City with just $7 in his pocket and began teaching the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita and the practices of devotional service to Krishna.
With his teachings and personal example, Prabhupada attracted a following of young people who were seeking spiritual meaning in their lives. He established the first ISKCON center in New York City in 1966 and by the time of his passing in 1977, he had established more than 100 temples and centers around the world.


Prabhupada is known for his translations and commentaries on the ancient Vedic texts, including the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. His teachings emphasize the importance of surrendering to Krishna, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, and living a simple, austere life focused on spiritual advancement.
Srila Prabhupada’s teachings are not appreciated exclusively by a limited circle of disciples or followers of Krishna. Numerous scholars, professors, linguists and scientists from various fields admire him for his expert grasp on the ancient Vedic knowledge, and proclaim him to be the true ambassador of the original Indian culture. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise to find Srila Prabhupada’s scholarly translations practically in every major university and college on the planet. In fact, the teachers in many of these institutions use them as standard textbooks. The following is just a small sample of what prominent scholars wrote about Srila Prabhupada’s most popular Bhagavad-gita As It Is:

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