Iskcon founder Srila Prabhupada in 10 years had covered 12 times the world and translated 80 Indian Shastras into English. His devotee, philosopher, preacher, international Iskcon guru Srimad Bhakti Swarup Damodar Swami started Srikhetra Dham Mahanagar Sankirtan Padayatra for world peace and harmony on the eve of 1st day of 21 century at Srikshetra Dham, Puri.
Swami Prabhupad was born on September 1, 1896 (Nandotsav Tithi) in a traditional Baishnav family in Kolkata. His social name was Abhay Chandra Dey. His mother’s aim was he would be an advocate and earn a good name by visiting foreign country. His father wanted that he would be a nice devotee. He graduated from Kolkata University but he had refused to receive his degree certificate from the university. After graduation he was appointed as manager in Dr Bose Chemical Institute. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur is his guru.
Founder of Goudiya Math, Maha Bhagabat, scholar Bhakti SiddhantaSaraswati Thakur was identified as a dynamic spirit, who had the capacity and power to spread the Hare Krishna movement all over the world and preach Mahaprabhu’s Bani. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave so many advices about BhagabatTatwa and AtmaTatwa on his maiden meeting with Srila Prabhupad. The Gurudev advised him to spread the Bhagabat Tatwa in English medium in West and all over the world. Srila Prabhupad followed his Gurudev and prepared himself by reading Bhagabat, Gita and various religious books for around 11 years. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave initiation to Abhay Chandra Dey in 1933 and his name became AC Bhaktivedanta Swami. In the Vyasa Puja of Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur on 1935 Prabhupad wrote a poem in his Gurudev’s glorification by which Gurudev’s was pleased with Srila Prabhupad.
Srila Prabhupad started a weekly spiritual magazine Back to Godhead in 1944. He said unless the leaders of the society became Krishna conscious no peace would prevail in the country though it was independent. Back to Godhead published talks between
Gandhiji and Jinnah. Prabhupad opined that as long as the people are worried for their personal benefit, war would continue among them. The people avail real peace and unity only when they serve for the pleasure of Krishna, supreme personality of Godhead, he said. He wrote a letter to Gandhiji on December 7, 1947 saying if he did not propagate the value of Bhagabat Gita then he would lose everything what he earned.
Now, Back to Godhead sells more than 1 lakh copies every month all over the world in many languages. Its Odia version is Bhagabat Darshan. After spending four years at Vrindaban, he engaged himself on Bhagabatseva at the Radha Damodar Temple. There he deeply read the sashtras. He translated Gita, Bhagabat, Chaitanya Charitamrita, etc., into English. By the time he had translated 700 slokas of Bhagabat Gita and 18,000 Slokas of Bhagabat into English.
In Boston (US), he performed kirtan. In 1966, he established Krishna Consciousness Society Centre in the US. He got opposition from the public. He proceeded ahead without caring and fearing this. During the 10 years, he had established 100 ashrams, Gurukuls, temples and farmhouses in Western countries.