International Society For Krishna Consciousness
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also popularly known
as the Hare Krishna movement is a spiritual society founded by His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in July 1966 in New
York. ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaya, a monotheistic
tradition within Vedic culture. Today ISKCON comprises of more than 400
temples, 40 rural communities and over 100 vegetarian restaurants. It
also conducts special projects throughout the world, such as “Food for
Life”, the only free vegetarian relief program in the world.
The aim of ISKCON is to acquaint all people of world with universal
principles of self-realization and God consciousness so that they may
derive the highest benefit of spiritual understanding, unity and peace.
The Vedic literature recommend that in the present age of Kali-yuga the
most effective means of achieving self-realization is always hear about,
glorify, and remember the all-attractive Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.
Therefore, it recommends the chanting of the Holy Names: Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama
Hare Hare. This sublime chanting puts the chanter directly in touch with
the Supreme Lord through the sound vibration of His Holy Name.
ISKCON follows the teachings of the Vedas and Vedic scriptures,
including the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam which teach
Vaishnavism or devotion to God (Krishna) in His Supreme Personal aspect
of Sri Sri Radha Krishna.
These teachings are received through the preceptorial line known as
the Brahma-Madhav-Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. ISKCON is part of the
disciplic succession which started with Lord Krishna Himself and
continued with Srila Vyasadeva, Srila Madhavacharya, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and in the present day His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada and his followers.
ISKCON’s teachings are non-sectarian, following the principle of
sanatana dharma or eternal religion, which denotes the eternal activity
of all living beings – loving devotional service (bhakti-yoga) to
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When Prabhupada began the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (in New York City in 1966), he formulated a clear mission
statement. Thus the 7 Purposes of ISKCON are as follows:
01) To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at
large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in
order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity
and peace in the world.
02) To propagate a consciousness of Krishna (God), as it is
revealed in the great scriptures of India, Bhagavad-gita and
Srimad-Bhagavatam.
03) To bring the members of the Society together with each other
and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus developing the idea within
the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel
of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
04) To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational
chanting of the holy name of God, as revealed in the teachings of Lord
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
05) To erect for the members and for society at large a holy place
of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the personality of Krishna.
06) To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, natural way of life.
07) With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to
publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.