For the first time in the history of planet Earth!

At the Maha Kumbha Mela, where 400 million sages and pilgrims gathered, for the first time in history, the title of “Vishwa Guru” (universal guru) was conferred on His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. No spiritual leader has ever been officially awarded this title.

Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, went to the West in 1965, at the age of almost 70, to spread the message of sanatana dharma. Today its mission embraces the whole world and ISKCON has more than 450 temples.

As they said during the ceremony, “Offering a title to Prabhupada is like offering a lamp to the sun.” This event marks the consolidation of the Golden Age foretold in the Vedic scriptures.

I would like to clarify that the title Jagad Guru, Guru of the Universe, was sometime conferred to one’s own Guru by his disciples in the past but this time this title has been conferred officially because it is recognized by all the various groups of religious world in India, every sampradaya and institution.