Srila Prabhupada conferred with title 'Vishwa Guru' during Maha Kumbh

New Delhi, February 11, 2025: During the auspicious event of Maha Kumbh Mela, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON and Worldwide Hare Krishna Movement, was honoured with the title of Vishwa Guru by the Akhila Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. Srila Prabhupada is the first and only personality to receive this title in history.

HH Mahant Ravindra Puri Ji Maharaj, President of the Akhara Parishad, Swami Kailashanand Giri Ji Maharaj, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Niranjani Akhara, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avadhoot Arun Giri Ji Maharaj of Awahan Akhara, other Mahamandaleshwars from various Akharas, secretaries, senior saints and thousands of devotees participated in the programme. Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman and Mentor, Global Hare Krishna Movement and President of ISKCON Bangalore and Shri Chanchalapathi Dasa, Vice Chairman and Co-Mentor of Global Hare Krishna Movement and Senior Vice President of ISKCON Bangalore presided over the event.

The deity of Srila Prabhupada was offered an elaborate abhisheka, pushpa vrishti (showering of flowers), a grand arati and auspicious paraphernalia accompanied by sacred chants. 

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa said, "It brings me and the entire ISKCON community immense joy and happiness to see that Srila Prabhupada, our Acharya, has been offered the title of Vishwa Guru on the auspicious occasion of Sri Nityananda Trayodashi, in the divine atmosphere of Maha Kumbh Mela. It is a matter of pride for us that Srila  Prabhupada has been recognised and honoured for making people accept Sanatana Dharma, our timeless ancient wisdom, Bharatiya culture and way of life beyond the shores of India. His pioneering efforts to propagate the message of Lord Krishna have transformed lakhs of people all over the world.

I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Akhila Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, HH Mahant Ravindra Puri Ji Maharaj, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri Ji Maharaj and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avadhoot Arun Giri Ji Maharaj for organising this wonderful event and honouring Srila Prabhupada. I also thank all the sadhus, pilgrims and devotees for participating in this momentous event. I pray to Lord Krishna to bless us with the strength and ability to continue our services to humanity and preserve Sanatana Dharma."

Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri Ji Maharaj said, "Undoubtedly, taking the Sanatana tradition to every household could have been possible only for a personality like  Srila Prabhupada who was sent by Lord Krishna Himself. The significance of the title Vishwa Guru has increased due to being bestowed upon Srila Prabhupada. I truly feel that the preaching of Krishna's pastimes, discussions, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, and Upanishads by Pujya Maharaj Srila Prabhupada is nothing but a result of Lord Krishna's divine grace.  This honour should have been conferred much earlier, ideally when  Srila Prabhupada went to the West and established ISKCON, but it was destined to be awarded at this sacred confluence of Triveni today. It is our good fortune that we have been blessed with the opportunity to confer the title upon him. Clearly, today, not only the ISKCON community but Sanatanis across the world are rejoicing and celebrating. We appreciate the great work being done by Sri Madhu Pandit Das Ji and Sri Chanchalapathi Das Ji. I wholeheartedly congratulate them and all the dedicated members of ISKCON Bangalore for their immense commitment."

HH Mahant Ravindra Puri Ji Maharaj said, "Srila Prabhupada, Bharat's spiritual philosopher and religious teacher, whom we have honoured today, is so great that giving him the title of Vishwa Guru is like offering a lamp to the sun. Following his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's instructions, he made the message of the Bhagavad Gita and the glories of Vedanta accessible to everyone. 

I urge the youth to join this institution in spreading the message of the Gita across the world. It was Swamiji's unwavering determination that led him to reach America in 1965 without any resources or assistance. Today, ISKCON has more than 450 temples worldwide.  

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Honouring someone as great as Srila Prabhupada with the title of Vishwa Guru is a matter of pride, not just for me, not just for us, but for everyone present here."

Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avadhoot Arun Giri Ji Maharaj said, "Srila Prabhupada spread Sanatana Dharma across the world at a time when our country was facing various challenges. It is truly incredible that he went abroad to propagate Sanatan Dharma despite such a situation. 

We are honoured to confer the title of Vishwa Guru to Srila Prabhupada under the guidance of Niranjani Peethadheeshwar, Swami Kailashanand Giri Maharaj and in the presence of the Akhara Parishad President Mahant Ravindra Puri Ji Maharaj."

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About Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada was born into a pious family of great devotees in Calcutta in 1896. He led an ideal grihastha life, always preaching the glories of Lord Krishna in many places. Later, he accepted the sannyasa ashrama as the 32nd Acharya in the sacred Gaudiya Vaishnava parampara. He was then engaged in devotional service residing in Vrindavan, the divine abode of Lord Krishna. Despite these favourable conditions, he sacrificed his personal interests to carry out the instructions of his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, to spread the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Western world. He received the inspiration and blessings of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan to take their teachings and preach Krishna consciousness all over the world. He set out on an arduous journey to the West at the advanced age of 69 to propagate India's spirituality, culture and heritage.

Srila Prabhupada attracted people from all walks of life towards Krishna - even from places where no one had any idea about India or spirituality. He fulfilled the divine prophecy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that Lord Krishna's Holy Names would be heard in every town and village of the world.

Srila Prabhupada was an embodiment of Bhakti (devotion) and Vedanta (knowledge) and thus received the honorific title 'Bhaktivedanta'. As a scholar par excellence and a bonafide Acharya coming in the line of Brahma Madhwa Gaudiya Sampradaya, he wrote elaborate devotional commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam to present Lord Krishna's words in their most authentic and pure form. His books are being read and appreciated by people all over the world, even today. 

He built more than a hundred ISKCON temples, installed the Deities of Sri Radha and Krishna and introduced the culture of elaborate deity worship. He made everyone participate in the yuga dharma of Harinam Sankirtan Yajna and showed them the path to eternal knowledge and bliss. He also initiated the practice of Annadaan by distributing sumptuous Krishna prasadam every day from his temples and ensuring that no one went hungry. In this way, Srila Prabhupada showered the mercy of Lord Krishna generously on every soul till his glorious disappearance in 1977.

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