Srimad-Bhagavatam Travels West

In September 1959, Srila Prabhupada entered the sannyasa (renounced) order of life. Renunciation for him, however, didn’t mean retirement. Having taken this step, Srila Prabhupada was free to pursue his missionary dreams on the order of his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. That year, he took up residence in a tiny stone room in Radha Damodara temple, Vrindavana, where his saintly predecessors had resided centuries ago. He focused on writing, knowing that this would be his greatest gift to the world.

Srila Prabhupada began meticulously translating Srimad-Bhagavatam into English, verse-by-verse. It was a painstaking effort, but an incredibly blissful one too. On one particular day he encountered his spiritual master in a dream. Srila Prabhupada recalled: “He encouraged me, saying I should write. I have received my guru’s mercy. He blessed me and gave me the power. I was too much anxious for the Bhagavatam commentary!” Reassured and inspired, Srila Prabhupada continued writing, and then went on to produce, proofread and publish his type-written manuscript. It was a victory: one-thousand volumes of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto One, Volume One, were printed.

Srila Prabhupada’s next venture was to take the Srimad-Bhagavatam further than it had ever gone before. To assist, Sumati Morarji, the wealthy director of Scindia Steamship Lines, reluctantly offered him free passage on a cargo ship bound for America. Apprehensive about his health, well-being and safety, she much preferred he stay in India and complete his translation of Srimad- Bhagavatam. She had already financed the printing of the initial volumes, and relished the saintly sannyasi’s lectures on the timeless words of the sages. Srila Prabhupada, however, had a bigger vision in mind. One day, early in 1965, he excitedly arrived at the Scindia offices and showed everyone the ‘hot-off-the-press’ third (and final) volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto One. “Now I am ready to go!” Srila Prabhupada announced, feeling the full conviction to embark on his mission to the western world.

Srila Prabhupada was utterly convinced of the relevance of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He knew these teachings were the timeless, perennial science of God consciousness. A well-intentioned person questioned him: “Why present this work, which has a very small audience? Why not something else, easier and more popular?” Srila Prabhupada had a different opinion. He called the Srimad- Bhagavatam “India’s message of peace and goodwill,” and carried five trunks of those transcendental volumes with him to America. These were the secret weapons in his adventure to activate a worldwide revolution of consciousness.