Bhaktivedanta Research Centre

The Bhaktivedanta Research Center is a global academic institute dedicated to reviving the preservation, research, and education of ancient Indian knowledge systems in collaboration with various esteemed universities and scholars worldwide As early as 1972, He had instructed his disciples to make film records of the writings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura at Bir Nagar which were found at his childh

ood home. At this time, Srila Prabhupada expressed a strong desire to preserve the ancient manuscripts and writings of our previous acaryas. He described it as very important work and stating his willingness to spend substantially to achieve this purpose. In August 1976, Srila Prabhupada told his disciples in Bombay temple to create a Vedic library. He said it should contain all his own books, those of all the acaryas, as well as the Upanisads and other bona fide Vedic texts. This wish was unfortunately never fulfilled. In 1975, Srila Prabhupada had discussed with one of his early Phd. Disciples, Ravindra Svarupa prabhu, the possibility of opening a Vedic University in Sri Mayapur. A preliminary requisite for that would be a first class library. Again, this project went on hold for more than thirty years. Srila Prabhupada had also discussed in great detail and at length about the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) that he envisioned in Sri Mayapur. He began a strong push to start this largest project in 1977, shortly before his departure. This planetarium also was delayed for many years but currently is scheduled for completion within the next few years. Prabhupad made it clear that a comprehensive library containing all the works on Puranic and Siddhantic Cosmography and Astronomy would be required to supplement the planetarium. In 2008 the Vedic Cosmology team, including BRC's current librarian, Acyuta prabhu, became aware of a five storey building in central Kolkata, which had been donated to ISKCON Mayapur in 2000 by Sri Madan Chand Shamsukha. He kindly agreed to facilitate the library in the building. At that time Pranava prabhu, who would later become BRS's Academic Director, had conceived of a major center for the study of all aspects of Vaisnava culture and philosophy. The time for Srila Prabhupad's visions to become ripe had come. BRC took birth as the combination of the preservation project, the Vedic Library, the TOVP Cosmology Library, and the Vaishnava Studies Centre. After six months of hard work, the library was officially opened by HH Jayapataka Maharaja and HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja on 30 June 2009. The guesthouse was completed several months later and is for scholars, students, and BRC members.