BOOKS by
His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Cantos 1 — 10 (30 Vols.)
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (17 Vols.)
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
The Nectar of Devotion
The Nectar of Instruction
Śrī Īśopanisad
Easy Journey to Other Planets
Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (3 Vols.)
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers
Dialectic Spiritualism—A Vedic View of Western Philosophy (3 Vols.)
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlād Mahārāja
Kṛṣṇa, the Reservoir of Pleasure
Life Comes from Life
The Perfection of Yoga
Beyond Birth and Death
On the Way to Kṛṣṇa
Rāja-vidyā: The King of Knowledge
Elevation to Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Matchless Gift
Back to Godhead Magazine (Founder)
Śrīla Prabhupāda and His Books
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OTHER MAJOR WRITINGS BY HIS DIVINE GRACE
"Teachings of Lord Caitanya is an authentic and lucid account, in English, of the life and philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The spiritual movement initiated by ‘the Great Master’ five hundred years ago has profoundly influenced millions of men and women in India ever since, and is presently making its mark throughout the world.
“Śrī A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the present spiritual master of the movement in disciplic succession, has done a great service to the English- speaking world by making this spiritual treasure available in English.”
Dr. K. L. Seshagiri Rao
Professor of Religious Studies, University of Virginia
"Kṛṣṇa is an important book both for the new student of the history of religions and for the professional scholar. It is a helpful and significant contribution to the growing phenomenon of interest in the religions of Asia.”
William A. Johnson
Professor of Philosophy, Brandeis University
“These books are not only beautiful, but also relevant to our times, as we as a nation search for new cultural patterns for our way of life.”
Dr. C. L. Spreadbury
Professor of Sociology, Stephen F. Austin State University
Scholars Praise Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) adheres strictly to the principles of India’s ancient Vedic culture, whose goal is the spiritual perfection of man. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is firmly based upon the conclusive truths found in Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, which contain the essence of Vedic knowledge. These three major texts, translated into the English language by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and replete with his erudite commentation, provide the philosophical and practical foundation for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
His Divine Grace Śrila Prabhupāda is uniquely qualified to translate and teach Vedic knowledge. He is the representative of a well-documented disciplic succession of Vedic authorities. By providing guidelines for the practical implementation of the sublime Vedic teachings, Śrila Prabhupāda has for the first time successfully implanted genuine Vedic culture in the West.
The books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda are highly respected by students, scholars and laymen alike. His works are now widely used in college courses and seminars in diverse subjects, including philosophy, religion, world literature, history, and the social sciences. The following reviews, written by scholars renowned in their fields, give graphic testimony to the scholarship and authenticity of the books of Śrila Prabhupāda, the founder-ācārya of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Cantos 1 — 10 (30 Vols.)
ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM
“This is a work to be treasured. No one of whatever faith or philosophical persuasion who reads these books with an open mind can fail to be both moved and impressed....”
Dr. Garry Gelade Professor of Psychology Oxford University
“It has been my great pleasure recently to have read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the superb edition authorized by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. ... I am sure this monumental work will go far to bring the sublime message of the Bhāgavatam to numerous Westerners who otherwise would miss this opportunity.”
Dr. Alex Wayman
Professor of Sanskrit, Columbia University
“The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is extremely useful for all those interested in ancient India, whether their interest be that of the philosopher, the student of religion, the historian, the linguist, the sociologist or the political scientist. ... I truly hope that Śrīla Prabhupāda will complete his translation of the entire Bhāgavata and continue to translate other eminent Sanskrit works as well. Undoubtedly, this work of Swamiji’s is a great contribution to the troubled human society of today’s world.”
Dr. Sooda L. Bhatt
Professor of Indian Languages, Boston University
“The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust editions of famous religious classics of India, with new translations and commentaries, are an important addition to our expanding knowledge of spiritual India. The new edition of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is particularly welcome."
Dr. John L. Mish
Chief, Oriental Division, New York Public Library
“... A commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra by Śrīla Vyāsadeva divided into twelve ‘cantos’ of which four are presented here in eight beautifully produced volumes. These lavish volumes, obviously the product of devotional effort, contain many lovely full-color illustrations....”
Choice magazine, June, 1975
“In the diversity of religious approaches offered by the yogis of India, the most significant, of course, is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is amazing to see how Śrī Bhaktivedanta Swami has in less than ten years succeeded, by his personal devotion, untiring energy and efficient direction, in organizing the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Now, he has undertaken the stupendous project of rendering the entire Bhāgavata, the great devotional classic of India, into English. His edition is learning blended with devotional feeling and inspired by a definite purpose of communicating the intense lyrical and devotional quality of the Bhāgavata. Śrila Prabhupāda has done an excellent service by his able rendition of ‘the abode of divine joy’ that the Bhāgavata is.”
Dr. Mahesh Mehta, Professor of Asian Studies
University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
“It is axiomatic that no book can be expected entirely to satisfy all its potential readers. Here is one, however, which can be said to come remarkably close to that ideal. ... we have here the ideal of what an edition of a Sanskrit text for a Western audience should be.”
Dr. R. E. Asher
Professor of Linguistics, University of Edinburgh
.. For those who have no access to the Sanskrit language, these books convey, in superb manner, the message of the Bhāgavatam. In addition to being a scholarly work, it directly reflects the spiritual aspirations of a religious community which has gained considerable popularity in modern America.”
Dr. Alaka Hejib
Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies, Harvard University
“Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is a valuable source material and cannot but be attractive to serious students and scholars of religion and philosophy. I recommend this series, to anyone, as an important and useful reference work.”
Dr. C. P. Agrawal, Chairwoman
Department of Humanities, University of Michigan
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (17 Vols.)
ŚRĪ CAITANYA-CARITĀMṚTA
“I am most happy to have these handsomely printed volumes which embody the work of so learned and sincere a believer in the message of the Caritāmṛta. I thank you.”
Dr. Daniel H. H. Ingalls Chairman
Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies
Harvard University
“The appearance of an English translation of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta by A. C. Bhaktivedanta [Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness] is a cause for celebration among both scholars in Indian studies and lay-people seeking to enrich their knowledge of Indian spirituality. ... It will fill a most serious lacuna in our libraries and in our courses on the religious traditions of India.
.. For the first time we possess a readily accessible edition for this great religious classic that will provide opportunity for scholars in Indian literature and followers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness tradition alike to compare the original text with a modern English translation and become acquainted with the deeper spiritual meaning of this work through the learned commentary of Śrī Bhaktivedanta.
“. . . Anyone who gives a close reading to the commentary will sense that here, as in his other works, Śrī Bhaktivedanta has combined a healthy mixture of the fervent devotion and aesthetic sensitivity of a devotee and the intellectual rigor of a textual scholar. At no point does the author allow the intended meaning of the text to be eclipsed by the promotion of a particular doctrinal persuasion.
“. . . These exquisitely wrought volumes will be a welcome addition to the libraries of all persons who are committed to the study of Indian spirituality and religious literature, whether their interests are sparked by the motivations of the scholar, the devotee or the general reader.”
Dr. J. Bruce Long
Department of Asian Studies, Cornell University
“It is a remarkable document of great historical and sociological importance, giving a picturesque presentation of the socio-religious climate in the India of Śrī Caitanya’s times and the far- reaching social and religious changes wrought by him. As a literary piece, it is regarded as a work of great merit, having no parallel in the whole of Bengali literature. As a religious text, its sanctity is comparable to that of the Bhagavad-gītā.
“This English edition translated by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is superb. It contains the original Sanskrit and Bengali verses with their English transliteration, synonyms, translation and elaborate purports, easily bearing testimony to the author’s profound knowledge of the subject.”
Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor, Emeritus Chairman and Professor, Department of Philosophy
Government Postgraduate College, Gyanpur, India
“It is a genuine joy to have this momentous biographical work on the life of Bengal’s great saint Caitanya, prepared by his best-known modern interpreter, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.”
Dr. Mark Juergensmeyer, Associate Professor of Ethics
and the Phenomenology of Religions
Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California
“Year by year, interest in Eastern religious thought and philosophy grows in America. The editing and translating of the important Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta will make a substantial contribution to those who seek information about Indian concepts....”
Dr. Gerald A. Larue
Professor of Religion, University of Southern California
“I can recommend Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta as a source of rich insights for every serious student of consciousness.”
Dr. Rory O’Day, Department of Human Relations
University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is -- Macmillan Edition 1972
BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ AS IT IS
“... If truth is what works, as Pierce and the pragmatists insist, there must be a kind of truth in the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, since those who follow its teachings display a joyous serenity usually missing in the bleak and strident lives of contemporary people.”
Dr. Elwin H. Powell Professor of Sociology
State University of New York, Buffalo
“There is little question that this edition is one of the best books available on the Gītā and devotion. Prabhupāda’s translation is an ideal blend of literal accuracy and religious insight.”
Dr. Thomas J. Hopkins
Professor of Religion, Franklin and Marshall College
“The Bhagavad-gītā, one of the great spiritual texts, is not as yet a common part of our cultural milieu. This is probably less because it is alien per se than because we have lacked just the kind of close interpretative commentary upon it that Swami Bhaktivedanta has here provided, a commentary written from not only a scholar’s but a practitioner’s, a dedicated lifelong devotee’s point of view.”
“The Bhagavad-gītā, one of the great spiritual texts, is not as yet a common part of our cultural milieu. This is probably less because it is alien per se than because we have lacked just the kind of close interpretative commentary upon it that Swami Bhaktivedanta has here provided, a commentary written from not only a scholar’s but a practitioner’s, a dedicated lifelong devotee’s point of view.”
“The Bhagavad-gītā, one of the great spiritual texts, is not as yet a common part of our cultural milieu. This is probably less because it is alien per se than because we have lacked just the kind of close interpretative commentary upon it that Swami Bhaktivedanta has here provided, a commentary written from not only a scholar’s but a practitioner’s, a dedicated lifelong devotee’s point of view.”
Denise Levertov, Poet
“The increasing numbers of Western readers interested in classical Vedic thought have been done a service by Swami Bhaktivedanta. By bringing us a new and living interpretation of a text already known to many, he has increased our understanding manyfold.”
Dr. Edward C. Dimock, Jr.
Department of South Asian Languages and Civilization University of Chicago
“The scholarly world is again indebted to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Although Bhagavad-gītā has been translated many times, Prabhupāda adds a translation of singular importance with his commentary....”
Dr. J. Stillson Judah, Professor of the History of Religions and
Director of Libraries Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California
“Śrīla Prabhupada’s edition thus fills a sensitive gap in France, where many hope to become familiar with traditional Indian thought, beyond the commercial East-West hodgepodge that has arisen since the time Europeans first penetrated India.
“Whether the reader be an adept of Indian spiritualism or not, a reading of the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is will be extremely profitable. For many this will be the first contact with the true India, the ancient India, the eternal India.”
Francois Chenique, Professor of Religious Sciences
Institute of Political Studies, Paris, France
“As a native of India now living in the West, it has given me much grief to see so many of my fellow countrymen coming to the West in the role of gurus and spiritual Jeaders. For this reason, I am very excited to see the publication of Bhagavad-gitā As It Is by Śrī A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. It will help to stop the terrible cheating of false and unauthorized 'gurus' and 'yogīs' and will give an opportunity to all people to understand the actual meaning of Oriental culture.”
Dr. Kailash Vajpeye, Director of Indian Studies
Center for Oriental Studies, The University of Mexico
.. It is a deeply felt, powerfully conceived and beautifully explained work. I don’t know whether to praise more this translation of the Bhagavad-gītā, its daring method of explanation, or the endless fertility of its ideas. I have never seen any other work on the Gītā with such an important voice and style.... It will occupy a significant place in the intellectual and ethical life of modern man for a long time to come.”
Dr. Shaligram Shukla
Professor of Linguistics, Georgetown University
“I can say that in the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is I have found explanations and answers to questions I had always posed regarding the interpretations of this sacred work, whose spiritual discipline I greatly admire. If the asceticism and ideal of the apostles which form the message of the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is were more widespread and more respected, the world in which we live would be transformed into a better, more fraternal place.”
Dr. Paul Lesourd, Author
Professeur Honoraire, Catholic University of Paris