“He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die, When thou art living still in sound! The Vaishnavas die to live, and living tryto spread the holy name around!”
– Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
By Mukunda Goswami
Some say that Srila Prabhupada came directly from the spiritual world. Others may disagree, but almost all of his followers regard him as being beyond just a saintly person. He singlehandedly took Krishna consciousness to the western world and with the help of enthusiastic young disciples, in a very short time grew his seedling movement into the worldwide, thriving International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
Srila Prabhupada (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami), the Founder-Acharyaof ISKCON, often referred to his movement, ISKCON, as an institution. He insisted that ISKCON be incorporated, initially in the US, England and India. All this goes to show that he was keenly conscious of the ‘culture of succession’. He knew he wouldn’t physically be in this world forever. He even established, during his time with us, what he named the ‘Governing Body Commission’ (GBC) to manage ISKCON internationally.
Thirty-three years after his passing from this world on 14 November 1977, a prominent worldly publication (Newsweekmagazine) recognised him by saying this:
“A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual journey began early in life, but it wasn’t until he went to New York from India in 1965 that the Hare Krishna phenomenon went global. Prabhupada, 69 years old at the time and holding about $7 to his name, made the trip alone from India to America on an ocean freighter. Soon after, he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the organization through which he recruited more followers to the denomination known as the Hare Krishna Movement. The movement was rooted in Hindu culture but embraced the idea of a single God. Prabhupada began touring the world on lecture tours, circling the globe 14 times in 11 years. He eventually wrote more than 70 books before he died in 1977 at 81.” Srila Prabhupada has left an indelible mark on our psyche and our hearts, and he has extended his mercy to not only his direct disciples but to his grand disciples and great grand disciples. Although we are left inconsolable at the loss of seeing his divine form, we understand that Prabhupada lives forever in his instructions and in his many books.