The International Society for Krishna Consciousness was established by His Divine Grace Abhay Caranarvinda Bhaktivedanta Swami, affectionately known to his disciples as Srila Prabhupada. Born on September 1st 1896 in an orthodox Vaishnava family in Calcutta, India, he was named Abhay Caran by his doting parents. His father, Gour Mohan De, particularly wanted Abhay to become a great devotee of Sri Krishna, and worked hard to develop his natural affection for Krishna since childhood. Before Abhay was five, inspired by the famous Ratha yatra held in Jagannath Puri, Abhay was organizing and holding his own ratha yatra festivals with the help of the neighborhood boys. When he was six, he got his first Radha-Krishna deities and was regularly performing arati, offering prasadam and worshipping Them like his father had taught him.

In school and college Abhay was the natural leader of the boys of his age and excelled academically. While in college, he was married to Radharani Datta, who also came from a pious Vaishnava family. Inspired by the struggle for independence against the British, he registered his protest by refusing to accept his college degree even though he had successfully cleared all the exams.

It was at this time in 1922 that Abhay, quite by accident, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, his spiritual master. A little skeptical of the many so-called sadhus, Abhay went rather reluctantly on the urgings of his friend. However, the few minute meeting turned out to be a two hour marathon, in which Abhay first tried to test, then challenge - but all his arguments were defeated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur using the impeccable knowledge of the scriptures. Even though it would be more than ten years before Abhay would approach and formally become a disciple of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, at that time he knew in his heart that he had met his preceptor.

Abhay returned home carrying an indelible impression of the instructions of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura to preach the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the English speaking part of the world. He began associating with the members of the Gaudiya Matha, to which Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura belonged. He eagerly read the scriptures and commentaries on them. Even though he was born in a Vaishnava family, reading the works of these great acarya's bought him many fresh realizations of Lord Caitanaya"s mission. He was discovering the depth of his own heritage and its efficacy in bringing about the highest welfare for people in the present troubled age.

For business purpose Abhay moved to Allahabad with his wife. Here, he again established his association with the members of Gaudiya Matha and began to actively participate in their activities as a Grahastha (householder). In 1932 he was initiated by His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. Much to the surprise of every one he received both his first (Harinam) and second (Brahman) initiation at the same time, and received his spiritual name Abhay Caranarvinda (fearless at the feet of God).

The next thirty years were one of struggle for Abhay. His business in Calcutta briefly prospered, but with Abhay spending more time preaching and writing, it did not sustain. His second attempt in Lucknow, was also initially very successful, but again suffered due to the lack of personal attention from Abhay, who preferred to spend his time writing, reading and preaching. Finally, as Srila Prabhupada would later put it, by the mercy of Krishna, he lost everything. His business was burglarized and closed down. His wife, who had been mostly indifferent to his spirituality, committed a serious mistake of trading his Bhagavatam for a pack of tea biscuits. Abhay was shocked and the incident pushed him to leave the family and his business.

Over this thirty year period, Abhay had only a few, but deep conversations with his Guru Maharaja. Earlier as a young disciple, he was indulged and groomed by his Guru Maharaja and other senior Godbrothers. As he matured, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura would confide in him, revealing his innermost desires of spreading the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in every corner of the world. In response to an earlier letter by Abhay, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had requested him to preach Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words to the West, and Abhay was struck by the identical instructions he had received on their first meeting more than 20 years ago. In his last meeting with his Guru Maharaja, on the banks of the sacred Radha kind of Vrindavan, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura specifically requested Abhay - "if you ever have any money, print some books" .

With these two instructions in his heart, Abhay began the second phase of his life, that of a renunciant preacher. Appreciating his erudition he was given the title Bhaktivedanta by his Godbrothers. Without a fixed place of residence, he traveled extensively preaching the words of Krishna. On the recommendation of his Godbrothers, Abhay took the renounced order of life and became a Sannyasi in a formal ceremony in Vrindavan.

He was now Abhay Caranarvinda Bhaktivedanta Swami.. It was here, living in the famous Radha Damodar temple that Abhay would perfect his reading and writing of the scriptures. He began an ambitious project to translate the 17,000 verses of the Srimad Bhagavatam to English. His fame as a writer and spiritual philosopher grew, to the point that he was given personal audience by the President of India and his books were purchased by leading libraries in India as well as abroad. But Abhay constantly yearned to fulfill the instructions of his spiritual master, to bring Krishna consciousness to the West.

The worldwide success of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, later known as Srila Prabhupada, was to come after 1965, after he arrived in America. Before leaving India he had written three books, in the next twelve years he was to write more than sixty. Before he had left India, he had initiated one disciple, in the next twelve years he was to initiate more than four thousand. Before he had left India, hardly anyone believed that he would fulfill his vision of a worldwide society of Krishna devotees; but in the next decade he would form and maintain the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and open more than a hundred centers all over the world. Before sailing for America, he had never set foot outside India; but in the next twelve years he could circle the globe several times, propagating the Krishna consciousness movement.

Although the life contributions may appear to have come in a late burst of revolutionary spiritual achievements, the first sixty-nine years of his life were a preparation for those achievements. And although to Americans Prabhupada and his teachings were an unknown sudden appearance, he was the stalwart representation of a timeless tradition and philosophy.

Having published three volumes of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Prabhupada was rapidly achieving fame and recognition. However the instructions of his spiritual master to preach Krishna consciousness to the Western world remained prominent in his heart. By an odd series of coincidences Prabhupada was able to obtain support sponsorship in the United States from the son of a passing acquaintance. He was also able to convince the owner of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, Sumati Morarji, to give him free passage. In the port of Calcutta on August 13, 1965, carrying only a small suitcase, an umbrella, and a bag of dry cereal, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, climbed up the steep gangway onto a cargo ship named the Jaladuta. The ensuing journey presented considerable hardship. Srila Prabhupada, on the thirteenth day of the voyage suffered a massive heart attack. He was concerned that he might pass away, but in his uneasy sleep that night he had a dream, a vision in which Lord Krishna appeared rowing him to safety. After the crisis, Srila Prabhupada regained his strength. On September 18, 1965 Srila Prabhupada disembarked onto a lonely Brooklyn pier to begin his mission in the West.

The early years of Prabhupada are a remarkable testimony of his perseverance and faith in the blessings of his Spiritual Master. Having come to the most materialistic country in the world at a time when the younger generation were experimenting with freedom, drugs and sex, it was very difficult to talk to them about the four regulative principles of no meat eating, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication. While people were getting more and more obsessed with the material bodily concept of life in a narcissistic way, it was difficult to convince them about surrender to Krishna in the mood of servitude without expecting anything in return. When some one suggested that Prabhupada relax his strict approach, he refused saying that Krishna is not a cheap commodity that can be easily obtained.

However, when Krishna wills, His instruments deliver. Prabhupada, having faced the challenges of living with a drug addict who finally drove him out in a frenzy of drug induced hallucinations, having lived with a person who kept meat for his cat in the same refrigerator where he kept prasadam, he was finally able to get a tenuous lease on a small store front called Matchless Gifts, in 26th Second Ave. of New York. The helper sent by Krishna, Michael Grant, would soon be amongst his first set of disciples in the West, and be initiated as Mukunda. He was also the first to be married by Prabhupada to his wife Janaki. Those coming to the ISKCON Potomac temple in the past have hopefully had the privilege of meeting this close associate of Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada used the power of chanting to attract the people to Krishna. So powerful were his kirtans that even complete outsiders without any knowledge of Krishna were spontaneously attracted to participate. He distributed free prasadam (sanctified food offered to Sri Krishna) and though many people came with the intention of getting a free meal, the potency of prasadam made them devotees. However Prabhupada was very insistent on giving a solid understanding of the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. Though kirtan and prasadam were blissful, he regularly held Gita classes in which he explained the position of Krishna and that of the living entity. Initially people were attracted by the singing, dancing and food but they stayed because they understood that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they are His eternal servitors.

After the early struggle, success seemed to come quick and fast. But Prabhupada never for a moment thought of taking any credit. He simply became the perfect instrument to carry out the desire of his spiritual master. Following the temple in New York, another was setup in San Francisco. Prabhupada also started the tradition of Rath Yatra, much like the famous cart festival held in Puri, India. He then sent his disciples all over the world to establish preaching centers and temples. He now went back to India, and with the help of his western devotees, money from book distribution and local contacts built several magnificent temples there like in Bombay and Vrindavan. In his mission, there were many hurdles both in United States and India, posed by envious and deceitful people, but Srila Prabhupada was astute and consummate in his dealings, and in the end victory always went to the camp of Sri Krishna.

Prabhupada gave his final instruction on November 14, 1977, at 7:30p.m. In his room at the Krishna-Balaram temple in Vrindavan, Srila Prabhupada left the material world and returned to Godhead. His departure was exemplary because his whole life was exemplary. Till the end he remained in perfect Krishna consciousness, completely unafraid but using this opportunity to preach to his dear disciples and teach by example. He passed away peacefully in the holiest dhama of Vrindavan, hearing the names of Krishna and inundated by the love of his disciples.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya ! All glories to Srila Prabhupada !!