Birth of Abhay Charan
Srila Prabhupada was born on 1 September 1896 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, to a deeply devotional Vaishnava family. His father, Gour Mohan De, was a cloth merchant and a sincere devotee of Lord Krishna, and his mother, Rajani Devi, was also very pious. They named their son Abhay Charan, which means “one who is fearless because he has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.”
From early childhood, Abhay grew up in a spiritual atmosphere filled with kirtan, deity worship, and devotion to Krishna. His father especially encouraged his devotional nature and hoped that his son would one day become a pure devotee who would spread the message of Lord Krishna to others.
A Devotional Childhood
Abhay grew up in a deeply spiritual Vaishnava family where devotion to Lord Krishna was a natural part of daily life. His father, Gour Mohan De, would regularly invite sadhus and Vaishnavas to their home, serving them with great respect. He often prayed that his son would grow up to become a pure devotee of Krishna and spread devotion throughout the world.
From a very young age, Abhay showed a natural attraction to Radha and Krishna. He loved performing kirtan, offering prayers, and worshipping the Deities. These early devotional activities revealed the deep spiritual inclination that would later blossom into his mission of spreading Krishna consciousness across the world.
Early Kirtan and Childhood Ratha-Yatra
From a young age, Abhay received devotional training from his father, Gour Mohan De. He was taught how to play the mridanga, chant the Hare Krishna mantra, and participate in kirtan and worship of the Lord. These early spiritual lessons filled his childhood with devotion and planted the seeds for the global kirtan movement he would later inspire across the world.
Inspired by the grand Jagannath Ratha-Yatra festival, young Abhay once organized his own mini Ratha-Yatra in Calcutta. He gathered the neighborhood children and happily pulled a small chariot of Lord Jagannath through the streets. Even as a child, he showed enthusiasm for sharing devotion and engaging others in Krishna’s service.