The divine life history of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, affectionately called ‘Srila Prabhupada’ is extensive and voluminous. Knowing Srila Prabhupada is paramount to understanding his personal effort in building the worldwide Hare Krishna Movement in just 12 years. Not just the growing years but his preparation for the same before he reached New York city in 1965. They could even bring tears to your eyes if you were to know them in detail. Below are the milestones of Srila Prabhupada before you know him in detail –
1896 CE: Appearance of Srila Prabhupada in the Tollygunge suburb of Kolkata (Calcutta). Prabhupada was born to Srimati Rajani De and Sri Gour Mohan De beneath a mango tree and named Abhay Charan De. Called Nandulal affectionately.
1901 CE: Srila Prabhupada conducted his first ratha-yatra festival as a child gathering the neighborhood children. The ratha was a small one matching his size.
1902 CE: Srila Prabhupada started worshiping Radha-Krishna Deities inspired by his father Sri Gour Mohan De.
1916 CE: Srila Prabhupada enrolls in India’s prestigious Scottish Churches’ College, Calcutta as a student of philosophy.
1918 CE: Srila Prabhupada enters the Grihasthashram i.e. marries Srimati Radharani Devi.
1920 CE: Srila Prabhupada appeared for his BA exam and graduated from the prestigious Scottish Churches’ College of Calcutta.
1921 CE: Srila Prabhupada was appointed as the manager of Bose Laboratory in Calcutta. He joined the Indian independence movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.
1922 CE: A major turnaround happens in the life of Srila Prabhupada. He met his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada, which deeply influenced him.
1925 CE: Srila Prabhupada visited Vrindavana dham for the very first time. This was a very important phase in the life of Srila Prabhupada.
1928 CE: Srila Prabhupada helped set up the Gaudiya Matha in Prayagraj.
1932 CE: Srila Prabhupada receives spiritual initiation from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada and becomes his disciple.
1934 CE: Srila Prabhupada helps establish the Gowalia Tank center of the Gaudiya Matha.
1935 CE: Srila Prabhupada is instructed by his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada on the topics of temple construction and book publishing.
1936 CE: Srila Prabhupada receives the final order from his spiritual master on the importance of preaching in the west. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada enters samadhi shortly.
1939 CE: The Gaudiya Vaishnava Society honors Srila Prabhupada with the title of ‘Bhaktivedanta’ which implies devotion with Vedic learning.
1944 CE: Srila Prabhupada single-handedly started the world famous ‘Back to Godhead’ magazine. He handled the writing, proof-reading and editing all by himself.
1953 CE: Srila Prabhupada starts the ‘League of Devotees’ in Jhansi as part of his spiritual master’s orders. He initiated Acharya Prabhakar as his first disciple.
1954 CE: Srila Prabhupada retires from Grihasthashram i.e., family life and adopts the Vanaprastha Ashrama i.e. retired order of life.
1959 CE: Srila Prabhupada is initiated into the Sanyasa i.e. renounced order by Sri Bhakti Prajna Keshava Swami.
1960 CE: Srila Prabhupada publishes his first book ‘Easy Journey to Other Planets’.
1962 CE: Srila Prabhupada publishes volume 1 of the 1st Canto of ‘Srimad Bhagavatam’.
1965 CE: Srila Prabhupada travels to the USA aboard the ship ‘Jaladuta’. He boards the ship at Calcutta in August and makes stopovers at various other ports such as Colombo, Cochin, etc., before disembarking at New York in September.
1966 CE: Srila Prabhupada established ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) in New York city with the help of a few hippie followers and well-wishers.
1967 CE: Srila Prabhupada completed the translation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita As-It-Is, which is today the most authentic and sought after edition of the Bhagavad Gita. The world famous Ratha Yatra was introduced to the outside world this year in San Francisco, USA.
1968 CE: The world-famous book publisher Macmillan Company publishes the Bhagavad Gita As-It-Is by Srila Prabhupada
1972 CE: Srila Prabhupada established the BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) to publish all his books and teachings. The unabridged edition of the Bhagavad Gita As-It-Is was published too.
1975 CE: Srila Prabhupada completes the translation and purports of Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. It was published by the BBT in 17 volumes.
1976 CE: Srila Prabhupada establishes the Bhaktivedanta Institute to preach Krishna Consciousness in a scientific way.
1977 CE: Srila Prabhupada attains samadhi in Vrindavana dham encircled by his disciples.
Kindly watch the biography of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada below:
Watch the detailed biography of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: