Jaya Om Visnupad Paramahamsa Astotara Sata [108] His Divine Grace Srila Srimad
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad
Founder/Acharya of the
International Society for Krishna Consiousness


Information and Photo Gallery
[All photos are copyrighted by Ameyatma das 2004 - these were taken by myself ~ 1975. You must get written permission to copy or use - private personal use is granted (like using for backdrops or screen savers on your computer) ]

You will find much more information on Srila Prabhupad at other ISKCON devotee sites. I originally put this page up when there was very little out on the internet about Prabhupad or ISKCON. I used to have links to other sites that give more informtion on who Srila Prabhupad is, his life, etc., and on ISKCON, but those links go out of date and so many new links came up, I never had time to keep them current. So, best thing is to use some good search engines like Google.com, or Yahoo.com or Excite.com and do a search.

All of the photos I took were taken with an old Realist 3-D camera. It takes 2 frames at one time spaced about 2 1/4 inches apart. These images are not posted as 3D, someday i will make a 3D gallery or 3D CD available.

This photo was taken in the new LA temple room. The boy is Parikshit's son, Tulsi das. Hrdayananda Swami is standing to the left. Behind him, i cannot make out or recall who they are. The devotee in the middle, I can't recall his name either, due to bad memory, but should. If anyone knows his name, please email me, I'll put it up. Several things I remember about him. One is that he was trying to learn to play the Sarod, and was able to play for the Srila Prabhupad in his room once The other thing is, this devotee must posses the most rare and valuable set of Srila Prabhupad's books. When Srila Prabhupad would come to LA this devotee would take the latest books that had just been published and go to Prabhupad's room and Prabhupad would sign them. He had a number of Bhagavatams personally signed by the author, Srila Prabhupad. (Wished I had done that)

And, to his right, behind him, but the onyx pillra is Amala Bhakta. Amala Bhakta is most known in ISKCON for his narrative tapes of Srila Prabhupad's books.

(and me, I'm behind the camera, like I was in all the pictures I took, so you can't see me)

 

His Divine Grace. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad.
My beloved Spiritual Master.
 
All Glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. 
The master at whose Lotus like Feet all other masters sit.  All Glories unto he who has saved this one life which was totally lost and useless, and who has saved so many others like me. You are our Life. Our savior. Our Guru Maharaj. The captain of the ship called ISKCON. 

 

This photo was taken at the FATE Doll Studios, when the studios were located on Venice Blvd across from the temple.
The girl in the middle, to the left, that is Brahmakarika. She seemed to be sincere, but lost control when Srila Prabhupad departed. She left ISKCON in a bit of a disgrace. We pray that she has found her way back. The girl in the actual middle, again, I can't recall who that is. I can't quite make her out. The girl on the right, partially blocked by Srila Prabhupad, is Madhavi. And, you can see part of Baradraj's face just behind, to the left, of Srila Prabhupad. Srila Prabhupad had been looking at the figures on the table, which were used in the LA museum in the Dasa-Avatar exhibit. The orangish glow across some of the fugures was a light streak on the film. That could have been from openting the camera not knowing there was film inside..

Srila Prabhupad, as we affectionately call him, was born in Calcutta, India in 1896 - 100 years ago. He is a life-long Vaishnav, devotee of Lord Krishna and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (note, I will later give links to info on terms like Vaishnav, or who is Lord Caitanya, but no time now. For now see the links to Krishna Consiousness ). He met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in the early 1920's and took initiation from him in 1933. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta asked all his disciples to come to West and preach, but he specifically encouarged our Srila Prabhupad to do so, as he had been educated in a Brittish - Scottish college (in Calcutta). In 1959 Srila Prabhupad took formal Sannyas and was given the title Bhaktivedanta Swami. Bhakti means love of Krishna, and Vedanta means one who understands the conclusions of all religious scripture.

As a sannyasi he renounced the worldly things of this world and lived for some time in Vrndavan, the Holy place of Lord Krishna's childhood pastimes in India. At the advanced age of 69, with only a few Rupees in his pocket and a trunk of books - the first 3 volumes of the Srimad Bhagavatam he had been translating - he was given free passage on a frieghtliner and came to America. After a year, penniless and winding up in the Bowery of New York's Lower East Side, he officially founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and opened ISKCON's first temple out of an old store front (it was previously names "Matchless Gifts", and the sign still hung above the store).

His preaching of Lord Krishna's teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, and Srimad Bhagavatam, his chanting and signing and dancing to the Holy Names of Krishna attracted many young people. The second temple was at the conner of Haight and Ashbury in San Fransisco. Krishna Consciousness took root in the West. In a few more years he had temples in London and other places in Europe, and LA became the world headquarters.

In 1977 Srila Prabhupad physically passed away from this world. During the 11 short years from the time he founded ISKCON until his departure he opened 108 temples world-wide, traveled around the globe (I am writing this from memory for

now, I think it was 13 times). And translated volumes of books, the Srimad Bhagatam, Caitanya Caritamrta, Gita, etc., initiated over 5,000 disciples and so many countless things.

Above all, he imparted to his followers and admirers true Love of God. Bhakti, devotional service. He introduced us to the Chanting of God's Holy Names. He taught us how to worship God properly.

Srila Prabhupad is not God. He would never promot himself as such, nor did he allow anyone to promote such false ideas. ISKCON was not known as the Bhaktivedanta movement. It is known as God's movement, or the Hare Krishna movement. This is in sharp contrast to the many other so-called gurus who came from India at the same time.  They, themselves, were promoted. This swami, that swami movement.

COOKIE TIME. Come and take your cookies. They are just soo good.
Prabhupad Mercy!
The devotee in the back, middle, is Mahatma
The devotee with the Chamara - I know his name, but just can't get it right now. I have a bad memory for names. (something Rishi? But just can't recall - email me if you know)
The devotee on the far right, holding the tray, that is Chandan-Acharya.

Same day, different angle.
Srila Prabhupad dishing out the mercy.
Hrdayananda Maharaj holding the plate on the left.
Email me if you recognize the devotee behind the peacock fan

I have a number of other photos, never got them up. Someday.

BTW, the BBT Archives do not have these photos. Here's why.

Taken at the FATE Studios. Yadubar is seen behind, he was filming. Srila Prabhupad had just been shown his "doll". The sculpture by Locan das of Srila Prabhupad sitting in his room in Vrndaban. This figure was also used after Srila Prabhupad's disappearance as the basis of the full sized Prabhupad Murtis that sit on the Vyasasans in ISKCON temples around the world.

The uniqueness of this first Prabhupad murti was that it was animated. The head raised up and down. First, Srila Prabhupad was very pleased to see the quality of the work of his own doll, then he happily surprised when he saw his figure move. Previously he had told Baradraj that he did not like animated dolls and told them not to have such dolls. The animated figures in India were a bit crude. Locan, however, convienced Baradraj to let him make this doll of Prabhupad animated and used rubber for the head and neck so that it would look more real. The result: After seeing this, Srila Prabhupad immediately said, "A little animation here and there is not bad".

Not long after Srila Prabhupad's disappearance the BBT requested all devotees who had photos or letters of Srila Prabhupad to give them to the BBT so that they archive them. They promised to keep them better then we could individually, in controlled climate storage. Because i was brahmcari it wasn't that safe keeping them, someone may steal them, accidently destroy them. So, I handed them over to Murlivadana, who ran the BBT photo department at that time, with the condition that the BBT would make be the highest quality copies that can be made, and that the BBT would not publish or use them without my permission. He verbally agreed and I gave them to the BBT. Months went by and I kept asking for my copies. Murlivadana kept promising as soon as he had time. Then, a year went by. He again said, as soon as he could. Then, almost 2 years passed, and I demanded copies or the originals back. Murlivadana told me as soon as he 'could find them'. What? You don't know where they are? Ah, no. So, he and I went to the photo archives and we searched all day. Finally, he found them. He handed them back, and I kept them ever since.

I have not given them to the BBT, or copies, since, because of some bad experiences with the BBT over copyright issues. For now, I am keeping them and the rights to them.

Unfortunately, I have run out of time. Putting together this WEB site has taken me much longer then I anticipated.

Enjoy the photos, but if you are going to use them for anyother then private or personal use, you must first get my written permission.

Thank you for your mercy Srila Prabhupad.

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