Srila Prabhupada

Interview with His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
– 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 Krishna.

Prabhupada: 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 Maharaja, 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. I was doing business. I retired from my family life in 1954. For four years I was alone, without any family. I took to the renounced order of life in 1959. Then I devoted myself in writing books. My first publication was in 1962, and when there were three books, I started for your country and I reached here in September, 1965. Since then, I am trying to preach this Krishna 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.