Swami Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada (1896-1977) was a Hindu religious teacher who at the age of 69 came to the United States where he taught the practice of devotion to Krishna and founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Abhay Charan De was born in Calcutta, India, in 1896 to a family strongly committed to devotion to Krishna. Although some considered Krishna one among numerous Hindu deities, for Abhay and his family Krishna was the supreme Lord of the Universe. Abhay entered Scottish Churches' College in 1916 and in 1920 passed his B.A. examination. He rejected his diploma in response to Gandhi's independence movement. In deference to his father he married Radharani Datta. He had one son by this marriage. His householder's life would present a constant conflict with his urge to devote himself completely to preaching Krishna consciousness.

Abhay became associated with the Gaudiya Vaisnava movement and took Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati as his...