The Author

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
appeared in this world in 1896 in Calcutta, India. He first
met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a
prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four
Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young
man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic
knowledge. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and
eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad he became his for-
mally initiated disciple.

At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast
Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years
that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the
Bhagavad-gitd, assisted the Gaudiya Matha in its work and,
in 1944, without assistance, started an English fortnightly
magazine, edited it, typed the manuscripts and checked the
galley proofs. He even distributed the individual copies
freely and struggled to maintain the publication. Once
begun, the magazine never stopped; it is now being con-
tinued by his disciples in the West.

Recognizing Srila Prabhupada’s philosophical learning
and devotion, the Gaudiya Vaisnava Society honored him in
1947 with the title “Bhaktivedanta.” In 1950, at the age of
fifty-four, Srila Prabhupada retired from married life, and
four years later he adopted the vdnaprastha (retired) order

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