Srila Prabhupada was born in 1896 in Calcutta, India and was raised in a family of Vaishnava devotees. As a young man, he became a disciple of the prominent spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who instructed him to spread the message of Krishna consciousness in the Western world. In 1965, at the age of 69, Srila Prabhupada arrived in New York city with only a few dollars in his pocket and a trunk full of books. He began to teach the ancient teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and other Vaishnava texts to a small group of followers, and soon his message began to spread. Srila Prabhupada’s teachings emphasized the importance of surrendering to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the practice of bhakti yoga. He stressed the need for a simple and austere lifestyle, centered on the principles of devotion, compassion, and service to others.
Srila Prabhupada, born as Abhay Charan De, is the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which is also known as the Hare Krishna Movement. He is widely recognised as one of the most important spiritual leaders of the 20th century and his teachings have had a profound impact on millions of people around the world.
