About The Founder-Acharya

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Spiritual Master and Founder-Acharya

The Hare Krishna movement has been brought to the Western world by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

In this century, Srila Prabhupada is the foremost proponent of Vaishnava philosophy, represented by the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. This unbroken line of disciplic succession boasts the names of great spiritual Acharyas such as Lord Brahma, Vyasadeva (compiler of the four Vedas, Vedanta-sutras, 18 Puranas, Upanishads, Mahabharata ), Sri Madhvacharya, Sri Krishna Chaitanya and many others.

Apart from popularising the Hare Krishna maha-mantra as the supremely sublime meditation method, Srila Prabhupada translated and wrote purports to 18,000 verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 700 verses of Bhagavad-gita and 17 volumes of Chaitanya-charitamrita. He created a monthly magazine, Back to Godhead, which at one point was distributed in excess of one million copies per month. His published books total more than 160. Millions of copies have been distributed around the world in all major languages. He also established 108 temples, several with guest houses and farm communities. He produced phonograph records. He gave lectures daily to his students and to capacity crowds at universities and festivals. Under his direction hundreds of artful illustrations were created for his books, and his disciples held exhibitions of sculptures and puppets depicting Vedic science. All the while, Srila Prabhupada was constantly travelling, circling the globe at least 12 times from the age of 70 until 80 years. He recruited more than 5,000 disciples from countries all over the world. Srila Prabhupada has opened up the storehouse of Vedic knowledge for all humanity. No other personality or group has accomplished as much in 100 years or even 500 or 1,000 years as Srila Prabhupada accomplished in the last 12 years of his physical presence. His disciples and followers proclaim him to be the Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya Acharya and most worshipable spiritual personality.

The Krishna consciousness movement is presenting a scientific program for the respiritualization of all of human society. Although man has made rapid material progress, there is a need for a spiritual method by which all men can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity through a common cause. The greatest cause for all men is devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this is being introduced all over the world by the disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhatkivedanta Swami Prabhupada in a simple, practical and universal way that can be accepted by men of any race, religion or nationality.