Autobiography of Srila Prabhupada (in his own words).

Autobiography of Srila Prabhupada (in his own words).

Letter to Mr. Nakano - Delhi 18 April, 1961.

Srila Prabhupada -"Regarding my personal history I beg to state it shortly as follows:

I was born 1st September 1896 in Calcutta as the third son of my father Late Gaura Mohon Dev and mother late Rajani Devi in the family of one of very respectable Gold merchant aristocracy of Calcutta.

I was educated in the Scottish Churches College (B.A. 1920) and Netaji Subhas Candra was my college mate.

I left education influenced by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 and joined for some time in the national liberation and other social service movements.

I was secretary of the Social Union movement of which Late Mr. J. Choudhury Bar-at-law was the president.

In this movement there was a great stir for intercaste marriage in favor of Patel's (Vithalbhai) bill.

I was married during my student life in 1918 with Radharani Devi and she is in Calcutta with her sons and daughters five children and a few grand children also.

After my education I was appointed (1921) as the Asst. Manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd of Calcutta and then engaged myself in my personal business in the chemical line.

I was a research student in chemical and medicinal composition and for the first time in India, I introduced Gadine preparation in the medical profession.

I met my spiritual master Late Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in 1922 and he desired me to preach in the foreign countries the spiritual movement started by Lord Caitanya for enlightenment of all materialistic men all over the world.

He gradually turned my mind from matter to spirit and I was accepted as his disciple in 1933 after full association of ten years.

He left this world in 1936 and insisted to explain the mission in English.

I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954.

Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work".

Interview on September 24, 1968, Seattle.

Interviewer - "Would you tell me something of your own background? That is, where you were educated, how you became a disciple of Kṛṣṇa".

Srila Prabhupāda - "I was born and educated in Calcutta. Calcutta is my home place.

I was born in 1896, and I was my father's pet child, so my education began a little late, and still, I was educated in higher secondary, high school for eight years.

In primary school four years, higher secondary school, eight years, in college, four years. Then I joined Gandhi's movement, national movement.

But by good chance I met my Guru Mahārāja, my spiritual master, in 1922. And since then, I was attracted in this line, and gradually I gave up my household life.

I was married in 1918 when I was still a third year student. And so I got my children. I was doing business. Then I retired from my family life in 1954.

For four years I was alone, without any family. Then I took regularly renounced order of life in 1959.

Then I devoted myself in writing books. My first publication came out in 1962, and when there were three books, then I started for your country in 1965 and I reached here in September, 1965.

Since then, I am trying to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness in America, Canada, in European countries.

And gradually the centers are developing. The disciples are also increasing. Let me see what is going to be done.

Interviewer - "How did you become a disciple yourself? What were you, or what did you follow before you became a disciple?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Same principle as I told you, faith. One of my friend, he dragged me forcibly to my spiritual master.

And when I talked with my spiritual master, I was induced. And since then, the seedling began.