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A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Biography: Age, Career, Family &

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 3, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1 September 1896

Age81 (at time of death)

BirthplaceTollygunge, Kolkata, India

ProfessionSpiritual teacher, founder of ISKCON

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRadharani Devi

FamilyFather: Gour Mohan De; Mother: Rajani De; Brother: Krishna Charan; Sisters: Rajesvari, Bhavatarini Devi; Children: Vrindavan Chandra De, Prayag Raj, Mathura Mohan De, Sulakshman

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Biography

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (born Abhay Charanaravinda De) was an Indian spiritual teacher who founded the International Society for Krishna Consc

Early life and background
Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was born on 1 September 1896 in the Tollygunge suburb of Kolkata into a Bengali Vaishnava family. He was given the name Abhay Charan and was also known as Nandulal. His parents were Gour Mohan De and Rajani De; his siblings included a brother, Krishna Charan, and sisters Rajesvari and Bhavatarini Devi. He received his early schooling in Kolkata and later attended Scottish Church College, where he studied subjects such as English, economics, and philosophy and participated in the college’s English and Sanskrit society. He graduated in 1920.

Marriage and family life
In 1918 his parents arranged his marriage to Radharani Devi. The couple had four children: three sons—Vrindavan Chandra De, Prayag Raj, and Mathura Mohan De—and a daughter, Sulakshman. During his married life he ran a small pharmaceutical business. In the 1950s he adopted the vanaprastha lifestyle and later accepted the renounced order of sannyasa.

Spiritual formation and early work
Prabhupada’s father taught him the principles of Krishna worship from childhood, and he showed a strong inclination toward devotional life. In 1922 he met Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a leading Gaudiya Vaishnava scholar and teacher, who urged him to spread Vedic knowledge in English and to carry the teachings of Lord Chaitanya to Western countries. He took initiation from Bhaktisiddhanta in 1933 and later received the title Bhaktivedanta from the Gaudiya Vaishnava Society. He began publishing an English fortnightly magazine, Back to Godhead, in 1944, handling much of the editorial and distribution work himself.

Work in India and manuscript study
Throughout the 1950s he remained active in teaching and institution building in India. He founded the League of Devotees in Jhansi in 1953, served at various temples including the Vamsi Gopal and Radha-Damodara temples in Vrindavan, and devoted time to studying, editing, and translating classical Gaudiya Vaishnava texts. While at Vrindavan he worked with many historic manuscripts and began the translation with commentary of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. He published his first book, Easy Journey to Other Planets, in 1960.

Founding ISKCON and international mission
In 1965 he traveled to New York City with a small collection of personal effects, English translations of the Bhagavata Purana, and very limited funds. He began his outreach with public kirtana and book distribution in Tompkins Square Park and later established a small storefront on the Lower East Side that became the movement’s first temple. The storefront was formally registered on July 11, 1966, as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Another center was opened in San Francisco in 1967.

Growth and institutional achievements
Prabhupada traveled widely to propagate Krishna consciousness, using sankirtana, public lectures, and book distribution. His movement attracted followers in the United States and abroad; in the late 1960s and early 1970s the movement became widely known, and he traveled the world on multiple occasions. He founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in 1972 as a publishing arm for his writings. He established gurukula schools beginning in Dallas, Texas, introduced Jagannatha chariot processions to Western audiences, and helped create communities such as New Vrindavan in West Virginia. He also returned to India several times to establish temples, notably in Vrindavan and Mayapur.

Writings and legacy
Prabhupada produced a substantial body of work, authoring more than eighty books, many of them multi-volume translations and commentaries of foundational Vedic texts. Major publications attributed to him include Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (1968), Śrī Īśopanishad (1969), a multi-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam (published 1972–77), Sri Caitanya-Caritamrita (17 volumes, 1974), and The Nectar of Instruction (1975). His books were translated into numerous languages and became central to ISKCON’s teaching and outreach; the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust grew into a major publisher of Vedic literature.

Public profile
Prabhupada’s work brought him into contact with public figures and cultural movements of his time. Devotees who traveled from the United States to Europe connected with musicians and others who supported the movement’s cultural projects. Governments and institutions later recognized aspects of his legacy; commemorative stamps honoring him were issued, and ISKCON reported widespread distribution of books and educational initiatives stemming from his efforts.

Final years and remembrance
Prabhupada laid organizational foundations for the continuation of his movement, including a governing framework, trusts for temple properties, publishing arrangements, and initiation procedures. He died on 14 November 1977 in Vrindavan, where his samadhi is located at Krishna Balaram Mandir. Shrines and memorials in his memory have been established in several places significant to the movement.

Latest updates
By 2014 ISKCON’s news agency reported that about half a billion books connected to the movement had been distributed since his arrival in the United States in 1965. His institutional initiatives and writings continue to shape ISKCON’s global presence.
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Recent Work

Bhagavad-Gita As It Is

Major English translation and commentary published 1968

1968
Srimad-Bhagavatam (30-volume)

Translation and commentary published 1972–77

1972–1977
Sri Caitanya-Caritamrita (17-volume)

Multi-volume work published 1974

1974
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Career Highlights

  1. Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
  2. Authored over eighty books including Bhagavad-Gita As It Is and multi-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam
  3. Founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972
  4. Established gurukula education and international temples in Vrindavan and Mayapur
  5. Introduced Jagannatha processions and founded New Vrindavan community
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada born?

1 September 1896

What is A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada known for?

Spiritual teacher, founder of ISKCON

What is A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s marital status?

Married

Who is A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada married to?

Radharani Devi