What is "prabhupada"

Prabhupad (প্রভুপাদ) is a Bengali word which means a title of honour. Literally the word Prabhupad means "Lord's Feet" or "Lotus Feet"; see Prabhupāda.

Prabhupad also the name of the following Hindu religious teachers:-

• Rupa Goswami Prabhupada (1489–1564), Pre-ISKCON
• Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada (1874–1937), Pre-ISKCON and the spiritual master of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), the founder of ISKCON

Prabhupāda, (alternative spelling: Prabhupada, Prabhupad) (eng) প্রভুপাদ (ben) is a Bengali word originating from the language Sanskrit meaning, an honorary title or, a title used before or after the name of Vaishnava religious teachers. Since Medieval Bengali Literature period "prabhu-pāda" denotes lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Its figurative meaning is "one who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord" where prabhu literally means "Lord", and pāda means "taking shelter of." It also means "he who sits at the master's feet".

Prabhupāda is a joined word by the words 'prabhu' and 'pāda', where the word prabhu literally means master or lord, God, saint, person with high spiritual esteem, or leader and the word pāda literally means feet or leg, root.

E.g. প্রভু (Prabhu) + পাদ (pāda) = প্রভুপাদ (Prabhupāda) = বৈষ্ণবদের ধর্মগুরুর নামের আগে ব্যবহৃত উপাধিবিশেষ (title used before the name of Vaishnava Religious Teachers), সম্মানসূচক উপাধিবিশেষ (honorary title);