I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944

Expressions researched:
"1944 I started my paper" |"1944 when I started my" |"Back to Godhead was started" |"I have started my paper" |"I started Back to Godhead" |"I started magazine, Back to Godhead" |"I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944" |"I started this Back to Godhead"

Festival Lectures

Then there were other Godbrothers. I consulted him that "Guru Mahārāja said like this. What can I do?" So they also encouraged me. I was writing. There was a paper, Harmonist. Then, by their desires, I started this Back to Godhead in 1944.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

But officially, I was initiated in 1933, although from 1922 to 1933 I was always thinking of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. So in 1936, he was to pass away by 31st December. So I do not know... Out of my own accord, I wrote him one letter that "Guru Mahārāja, you have got many disciples. Some of them are directly serving you. I could not do so. I am a householder. So if you give me some direct service to you, it will be very kind of you." So he replied that letter, that "You try to preach in English language. Then the persons who will be instructed by you and both yourself will be benefited." Again, he said the same thing which he ordered me in 1922 at the first sight. Then there... He passed away 1936, 31st December.

Then there were other Godbrothers. I consulted him that "Guru Mahārāja said like this. What can I do?" So they also encouraged me. I was writing. There was a paper, Harmonist. Then, by their desires, I started this Back to Godhead in 1944. That was also started on his advent day, this advent day. Back to Godhead was started. Yes. There was a meeting, and many friends came, and we first started this Back to Godhead on his advent day, this advent day, 1944. So our paper, Back to Godhead, the advent day is also today.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

I was trying to get out of family life. It took some time. But I was trying my best to carry out his order. In 1944 I started magazine, Back to Godhead, when I was gṛhastha.

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: Yes. When I was twenty-five years old I met him first. On the first meeting he ordered me to this. So at that time I was married man. I had two children. So I thought, "I shall do it later on." But I was trying to get out of family life. It took some time. But I was trying my best to carry out his order. In 1944 I started magazine, Back to Godhead, when I was gṛhastha. Then I started writing books in 1958 or '59. In this way in 1965 I came to your country.

Woman: You have said that you are very small and that you are not God, and yet it appears to me as an outsider that the devotees treat you as if you were God.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is devotee's duty. Just like a government officer. Personally he is not very important, but so long he executes government order, he should be respected as government. That is the way. Even a ordinary policeman comes, you have to respect him because he is government man. But that does not mean he is government. He is respected. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. If that man thinks that "I have become government. People are respecting me," then he is foolish. So... But it is the etiquette. If the government man comes, you should respect him as government.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

This Back to Godhead was started in 1944, when I was still a family man.

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: And also he was writing transcendental or spiritual books even at that time.

Bali-mardana: 1944.

Rāmeśvara: It's not that he has adopted a new occupation now.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: He has always been Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Prabhupāda: This Back to Godhead was started in 1944, when I was still a family man.

Interviewer: You started that in India.

Prabhupāda: India. The first copy is here, some copy?

Hari-śauri: The first copy is in the Library of Congress in Washington.

Interviewer: Your family, your blood family, are they Kṛṣṇa conscious as well?

Prabhupāda: Not very much. Therefore I had to leave them and create another family. (laughter)

Interviewer: How many children do you have.

Prabhupāda: I have got two daughters and two sons. My wife is also still living.

Interviewer: Is she Kṛṣṇa conscious?

Prabhupāda: Not very much. Naturally women are after worldly opulence.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

He's a very good typist. He'll type very swiftly and correctly. Then I started this Back to Godhead, Hayagrīva and Rāyarāma, editors. And I purchased two machines.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hayagrīva was eating also. (laughter) And he was typing. He's a very good typist. He'll type very swiftly and correctly. Then I started this Back to Godhead, Hayagrīva and Rāyarāma, editors. And I purchased two machines. What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mimeograph machine.

Prabhupāda: There was advertisement. So I went to Long Island. That two machines... I asked, "What is the price?" "$150 each." Then he wanted to take away the machines. Machine was all right. And then I told him that "I have got $150 only. If you want to give us, give those two machines." So "All right, you take these all." (laughter) So I gave him $150, whatever I had, and I took the machine. In that machine was printed Back to Godhead. So five hundred copies... How many copies you were selling?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, by the time we were selling, you were printing about three thousand, and we were selling twenty-five hundred.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Then I asked Brahmānanda that "Why not print it nicely?" So he said that "Unless we print twenty thousand, nobody will take this work." And "All right, order twenty thousand." Now, from twenty thousand or five hundred, what is the quantity now we are printing?

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Believe me or not, I have got the clue of going "Back to Godhead" just after leaving my present material body and in order to take along with me all my contemporary men and women of the world, I have started my paper "Back to Godhead" as one of the means to the way.

Letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Indian Union -- Delhi 21 November, 1956:

Please therefore save them from the great falldown. Believe me or not, I have got the clue of going "Back to Godhead" just after leaving my present material body and in order to take along with me all my contemporary men and women of the world, I have started my paper "Back to Godhead" as one of the means to the way.

Please do not think of me as an wonderful or a mad man when I say that I shall go "Back to Godhead" after leaving my present material body! It is quite possible for everyone and all of us.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said very clearly that whosoever may adopt the specific principle of accepting Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead, he will be able to achieve the highest transcendental goal of life,—never mind what he is either a born untouchable, a fallen woman, a laborer or a man dealing in rupees annas pies. His being so, what is there difficulty for a pious "Brahmin" and devoted king for going "Back to Godhead"? Everyone should therefore adopt this principle of going "Back to Godhead" in order to get released from the world of miseries, with temporary existence.

I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954. Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work.

Letter to Mr. Nakano -- Delhi 18 April, 1961:

In this movement there was a great stir for intercaste marriage in favor of Patel's (Vithalbhai) bill. I was married during my student life in 1918 with Radharani Devi and she is in Calcutta with her sons and daughters five children and a few grand children also. After my education I was appointed (1921) as the Asst. Manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd of Calcutta and then engaged myself in my personal business in the chemical line. I was a research student in chemical and medicinal composition and for the first time in India, I introduced Gadine preparation in the medical profession. I met my spiritual master Late Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in 1922 and he desired me to preach in the foreign countries the spiritual movement started by Lord Caitanya for enlightenment of all materialistic men all over the world. He gradually turned my mind from matter to spirit and I was accepted as his disciple in 1933 after full association of ten years. He left this world in 1936 and insisted to explain the mission in English. I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954. Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work.

1968 Correspondence

When I started Back to Godhead, it was my intention that your academic career and Rayarama's sincere service would be a good combination; unfortunately, I do not know why, you do not agree with one another.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

Regarding the manuscript: It is very difficult for me to see it again, but I inquired from Brahmananda whether the manuscript is already delivered to MacMillan Company or not. If it is not delivered then I shall try to see it again. Your fear that the entire society will be in danger by Raymond's editing of the Gita is not very suitable remark. Rayarama may not be as qualified as you are, but his one qualification that he is fully surrendered to Krishna and his Spiritual Master is the first class recommendation for his editing any one of our literatures, because editing of Vedic literatures does not depend on academic education. It is clearly stated in the Upanisads that one who has implicit faith in God as well as in the Spiritual Master, to him only the import of Vedic literature is revealed. I think Rayarama is doing work in that spirit and his recent publication of several booklets and Back to Godhead and a calendar are all first class proof of his sincerity of service. Anyway, when I started Back to Godhead, it was my intention that your academic career and Rayarama's sincere service would be a good combination; unfortunately, I do not know why, you do not agree with one another. To me, English language is undoubtedly a foreign language, and I thought your combination of editorship will help me a great deal. Anyway, whatever is done is done. I wish that the misunderstanding created at the present moment may be mitigated by mutual cooperation and we can start fresh with renewed energy for service of the Supreme Lord. I think you will agree with me.

1970 Correspondence

I was thinking very seriously, and then, as late as 1944 I started my paper, "Back to Godhead." Gradually, in 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban.

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

In this way, I passed on as a householder, but, by the causeless mercy of my Divine Master, that order of preaching was impressed on my heart. I was initiated regularly in 1933 at Allahabad, when Sir Malcolm Haley, the then Governor of U.P., opened our Gaudiya Math branch there. Then, in 1936, my Spiritual Master left this world leaving a message for me that it would be better for me to preach in English language.

So I was thinking very seriously, and then, as late as 1944 I started my paper, "Back to Godhead." Gradually, in 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban. In 1959, I was awarded Sannyas by one of my Godbrothers, His Holiness B.P. Kesava Maharaja.

Then I began translating Srimad-Bhagavatam in 1960; and, perhaps in 1961, I was your guest in the Gita Bagicha. You were very kind to help me partially for publishing my first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam through the Dalmia Charitable Trust. With great difficulty, I then published the second and third volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam until 1965, when I prepared myself to come to this country with some books.

I am so glad to note that you remember the auspicious day sometimes in 1944 when I started my "Back to Godhead" magazine. I think in the first issue you wrote some article also, and you took the trouble of going several times to the Sarasvati Press for supervising the printing work.

Letter to Govinda Maharaja -- Los Angeles 24 May, 1970:

When I was staying in a hotel of Tokyo I immediately sent my arrival news to Sripada Tirtha Maharaja offering my respects therein to you, but on my return to San Francisco from Tokyo I did not receive any letter from you although my return address was given in the letter which I wrote from Tokyo. Anyway that is a long distant topic. I am very pleased to receive your letter as I was expecting at every moment. I hope by the grace of Srila Prabhupada you are doing well.

I am so glad to note that you remember the auspicious day sometimes in 1944 when I started my "Back to Godhead" magazine. I think in the first issue you wrote some article also, and you took the trouble of going several times to the Sarasvati Press for supervising the printing work. It is a great pleasure to remember those days of cooperation. You rightly remember that His Holiness Bhakti Saranga Goswami presided over the meeting in which our revered Kesav Maharaja also participated.

But at that time on account of my selecting Goswami Maharaja to preside over the meeting, Sripada Tirtha Maharaja (then Kunjada) and Bon Maharaja also refused to accept my invitation. Anyway, by your blessings "Back to Godhead" although passed through many difficulties is doing well. First of all it was published in Calcutta, than in Allahabad, then at Delhi. In this way at last it has come to U.S.A. and my American disciples are taking care of this transcendental magazine. You will be glad to know that we are printing now 125,000 copies English edition, and 15,000 copies each of French and German editions. These are coming out every month, and very soon, maybe from the next month, we will issue a similar quantity in Japanese language.