A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Abhay Charan De, affectionately known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda (1896-1977), was a renowned Indian spiritual leader, philosopher, and Vedic scholar.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on September 1, 1896, in Kolkata, India, he passed away on November 14, 1977, at the age of 81.
Nationality and Profession(s)
A devout Hindu by birth and a Vaishnava by spiritual inclination, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda was a polymath who excelled in various fields: spirituality, philosophy, literature, education, and business management.
Early Life and Background
Abhay Charan De grew up in a traditional Bengali family in Kolkata, India. His father, Gaura Govinda Das, was an accountant for the Indian Railway Company, and his mother, Shiroma Devi, was known for her exemplary devotion to Lord Krishna. Prabhupāda's early life was marked by a deep interest in spirituality and devotional service (bhakti). He would often spend hours listening to spiritual discourses from visiting sadhus and sages.
Major Accomplishments
In 1918, at the age of 22, Prabhupāda founded his first institution, the Gaura-Govinda Sabha in Calcutta. This marked the beginning of his lifelong endeavor to spread Krishna consciousness worldwide.
In 1965, he established ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), which became a global organization with branches in over 100 countries.
Prabhupāda translated and commented on the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, a comprehensive commentary on the ancient Hindu scripture.Notable Works or Actions
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's works include:
1. Bhagavad Gita As It Is: A verse-by-verse translation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita.
2. Srimad-Bhagavatam: A comprehensive commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, one of Hinduism's most revered texts.
3. Chaitanya Charitamrita: A biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a 15th-century Bengali saint and founder of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
Prabhupāda was also known for his charismatic preaching tours across India and the world, where he delivered hundreds of lectures and initiated thousands of disciples into Krishna consciousness.
Impact and Legacy
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's impact on modern spirituality is unparalleled. His efforts to revive traditional Hindu practices and spread Krishna consciousness have inspired millions worldwide.
Under his guidance, ISKCON grew from a small group of devotees in the 1960s to a global organization with thousands of members.
Prabhupāda's translations and commentaries on ancient Hindu scriptures have made these texts accessible to readers worldwide.
His emphasis on devotional service (bhakti) has inspired a new generation of spiritual seekers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's quotes are widely sought after for their depth, simplicity, and profound insights into the human condition. His teachings emphasize the importance of love, compassion, and self-realization in achieving spiritual growth.
"Krishna is the source of all sources, the ultimate goal of all goals."
"The purpose of human life is to realize Krishna consciousness and to know oneself as a spirit soul."
* "One should engage himself in activities directed towards rendering loving service to the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, Krishna."
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's remarkable life serves as an inspiration to seekers of truth from all walks of life.
Quotes by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's insights on:
Don't Feel Yourself To Be Alone Because GOD is always with you.
Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation.
What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.
...only a fool would believe in miracles because - let us say you are a child and an adult lifts this table. That's a miracle. Or you're a chemist and you combine acid and base and you make smoke, an explosion or whatever. To somebody ignorant, that's a miracle. But for everything there is a process, and so when you see a miracle, it's just ignorance of the process. So that only a fool would believe in miracles...
Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.
As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.
![His [Vyāsadeva's] son was a great devotee, an equibalanced monist, whose mind was always concentrated in monism. He was transcendental to mundane activities, but being unexposed, he appeared like an ignorant person.](https://lakl0ama8n6qbptj.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/quotes/quote-248391.png)
His [Vyāsadeva's] son was a great devotee, an equibalanced monist, whose mind was always concentrated in monism. He was transcendental to mundane activities, but being unexposed, he appeared like an ignorant person.
Concerning Concealment as a symptom of love for Krsna:"It has been stated, 'although Srimati Radharani developed a deep loving affection for Krsna, She hid Her attitude in the core of Her heart so that others could not detect Her actual condition.
Anyone who is steady in his determination for the advanced stage of spiritual realization and can equally tolerate the onslaughts of distress and happiness is certainly a person eligible for liberation.