His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896, in Calcutta, India. During the British colonial rule, he attended university to read chemistry. There, he became a supporter of Gandhi's movement to gain independence for India, dressing only in white handloom cloth and declining to accept his degree as a measure of his support.
Abhay married and entered business, establishing a small pharmaceutical firm to support his family. In 1922, he met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami, for the first time in Calcutta. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati took an immediate liking to Abhay and instructed him to devote his life to teaching Vedic knowledge, specifically to preach Lord Caitanya's message to the English-speaking world.
In 1932, Abhay received formal initiation, taking the name Abhay Caranaravinda Dasa. In 1936, shortly before his spiritual master's passing, he received a final letter reiterating the instruction to preach Krishna consciousness in English. These instructions became the singular focus of his life. In 1944, despite the scarcity of the Second World War, he began the magazine Back to Godhead, which he handled entirely alone—writing, editing, proofreading, and even distributing copies.
In 1950, Srila Prabhupada adopted the retired life (vanaprastha), and in 1959, he took sannyasa, the renounced order. While staying at the Radha-Damodara temple in Vrindavana, he began his life's masterpiece: the translation and commentary of the Srimad-Bhagavatam in English. He also authored Easy Journey to Other Planets during this period.
In 1965, at the age of 69 and virtually penniless, he secured passage on a freight ship, the Jaladuta, to carry the message of Krishna to America. The journey was harrowing; he suffered two heart attacks during the crossing. Arriving in New York with only 40 rupees and a few copies of his books, he spent six difficult months preaching wherever possible before establishing a humble storefront in Manhattan.
In July 1966, he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Growing from that single storefront, the movement spread rapidly. He initiated thousands of disciples and established over 100 temples, farm communities, and schools globally. He founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, which became the world's largest publisher of Vedic literature.
Despite his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe fourteen times in just twelve years, lecturing on six continents. His literary legacy is staggering, comprising over 60 volumes of transcendental literature, including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the multi-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Caitanya-caritamrta. His works have been translated into over fifty languages, providing the philosophical foundation for the modern Bhakti movement.
He departed from this world on November 14, 1977, in Vrindavana, leaving behind a legacy that continues to transform lives through the timeless wisdom of the Vedas and the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.