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Iskcon

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a branch of the monotheistic Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition within Hinduism dating back 5000 years to Lord Krishna Himself. ISKCON was established in the West in 1966 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada) and has since developed into a worldwide confederation of over 500 temples, centers, communities, schools, and restaurants with some 250,000 devotees.

The mission of this nonsectarian, monotheistic movement is to promote the well being of society by teaching the science of Krishna consciousness according to Bhagavad Gita and other ancient scriptures.

History of the Hare Krishna Movement

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known in the West as the Hare Krishna movement, is a monotheistic branch of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition within Hinduism that dates back to Lord Krishna Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared on Earth and spoke the Bhagavad Gita over five thousand years ago. ISKCON follows the teachings of Lord Krishna as revealed in the sacred Vedas, including Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam (aka Bhagavata Purana). Essential practices involve the chanting of God’s holy names among several processes of devotional service to bring about lasting happiness and peace in society by reviving our loving relationships with God.

525 years ago Lord Krishna appeared as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the form of His own devotee to establish the congregational chanting of God’s holy names, sankirtana, as the easiest and most sublime spiritual practice for this age. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu popularized the chanting of the maha mantra, comprised of sacred names of God: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In 1965, the prominent emissary of India’s spiritual teachings, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) brought Sri Chaitanya’s movement to the West and founded ISKCON in New York City under seemingly humble circumstances. Here’s a brief time line of ISKCON’s recent history.

(1) In 1965, at the advanced age of 69, on the order of his spiritual master, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left the holy land of Vrindavan, India, to spread Lord Krishna’s message in the West. He arrived in Boston by freight ship, carrying $7 in change and a trunk of books about Krishna. For the first year he struggled alone, booking speaking engagements at yoga studios, YMCAs, and bohemian artists’ lofts, while living in the homes of people he met who sympathized with his cause and would give him temporary residence. He would often take a small bongo drum and sit under a tree in a public park to chant the holy names of Krishna. Curious onlookers would gather. Some joined in the chanting. Some began to take an active interest in his mission.
(2) By 1966 Srila Prabhupada was living in New York City, in Manhattan’s impoverished Lower East Side, and had begun regular weekly lectures on Bhagavad Gita, along with public chanting sessions, kirtan, in Tompkins Square Park. That same year, he incorporated ISKCON in New York City, envisioning that soon there would be centers around the world.
(3) From 1966 to 1968, as more and more spiritual seekers became attracted to Krishna consciousness, he opened ISKCON temples in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Montreal, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
(4) In 1967, the first Ratha Yatra festival outside of India was held in San Francisco. Ratha Yatra is one of the oldest and largest annual religious festivals in the world, performed each year in the holy city of Jagannatha Puri on the East Coast of India. Several million people line the streets to pull giant 3-story chariots carrying deity forms of Lord Krishna through the streets, accompanied by festive chanting of His names. This festival is now held by members of ISKCON in cities around the world.
(5) From 1969 to 1973, temples opened in Europe, Canada, South America, Mexico, Africa, and India. In 1970, the Governing Body Commission, ISKCON’s managerial body, was established to oversee the growing society.
(6) From 1970 to 1977, ISKCON built major centers at the holy pilgrimage sites of Mayapur and Vrindavana, India, and a large temple in Mumbai.

(7) In 1972, Srila Prabhupada founded the publishing house Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), now the world’s foremost publisher of books on Krishna consciousness, or bhakti yoga. Krishna.com is a website project of the BBT. From 1966 through 1977, Srila Prabhupada translated more than 40 volumes of the great classics of Krishna conscious literature from Sanskrit into English, giving elaborate commentaries synthesizing the realizations of previous masters along with his own. These books include Bhagavad Gita As It Is, the definitive presentation of Lord Krishna’s teachings, Srimad Bhagavatam(Bhagavata Purana), the 18-volume history of Lord Krishna’s incarnations, pastimes and devotees, and Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, the 9 volume biography and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. These books have been published by the BBT in more than 50 languages, with several million copies sold and distributed by members of ISKCON to people all over the world.
(8) In 1973, the Bhaktivedanta Institute was formed to promote the teachings of the Vedas in scientific terms.
(9) Since 1974, ISKCON Food for Life has run karma free vegetarian food relief programs in disaster areas and cities around the world.
(10) In November 1977, Srila Prabhupada passed from this world. By that time, ISKCON had established more than 108 temples, centers, schools farm communities, with more than 10,000 initiated members.
(11) In 1989, the Hare Krishna movement came out from the underground in the Soviet Union, as glasnost brought an end to persecution. By 1991, more than one million copies of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is had been sold in the former Soviet Union.
(12) In the early 1990s, various Internet web projects were launched, including Krishna.com, ISKCON.com and other Hare Krishna websites.
(13) Today, ISKCON has about 500 centers around the world, with a worldwide congregation in the hundreds of thousands from all walks of life. Note on “Hinduism”: Just as the sun is known by many names in different parts of the world, “ISKCON,” “Krishna consciousness,” and “Krishna” Himself are non-sectarian and non-denominational terms which refer to the worship of God, the Supreme Person.

Although “Krishna consciousness” is culturally recognizable as coming from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition within (what’s commonly known as) Hinduism, it refers to the eternal function of the soul, sanatana dharma. As such, it transcends the limitations of temporary material bodies and their associated designations.

Anyone, anywhere can practice Krishna consciousness and become a “fan” or member of ISKCON. You do not need to change your religion to adopt the practices of Krishna consciousness such as chanting God’s names.

Seven Purposes of ISKCON

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada incorporated the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in 1966 with seven explicit purposes.

This list of purposes (below) was one of the official documents incorporating ISKCON as a charitable organization. At the time, the movement had few followers in the West and was operating out of a rented storefront in New York City. One of the pressing needs at the time was to facilitate donors who wanted to give tax-deductible donations to establish a temple for Lord Krishna in New York City.

In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada expanded ISKCON’s mission and activities beyond some of the details listed in the incorporation documents, while remaining consistent with its principles. For example, ISKCON has established many more than one “holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the personality of Krishna”, with temples in major cities around the world. “To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life”has inspired the development of self-sufficient farm communities, ashramsand spiritual retreat centers.

Srila Prabhupada’s plan to re-spiritualize society through the distribution of sanctified food is not mentioned in the original incorporation documents. Yet he established Food For Life and Govinda’s vegetarian restaurants, and the Sunday Feast has become the weekly happening at every ISKCON center.

1) 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.

2) To propagate a consciousness of Krishna (God), as it is revealed in the great scriptures of India, Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

3) 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).

4) 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.

5) To erect for the members and for society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the personality of Krishna.

6) To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life.

7) With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.

Srila Prabhupada

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appeared in this world in 1896 in Calcutta, India. He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent religious scholar and the founder of sixty-four Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad he became his formally initiated disciple.

   At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita, assisted the Gaudiya Matha in its work and, in 1944, started Back to Godhead, an English fortnightly magazine. Maintaining the publication was a struggle. Single-handedly, Srila Prabhupada edited it, typed the manuscripts, checked the galley proofs, and even distributed the individual copies. Once begun, the magazine never stopped; it is now being continued by his disciples in the West and is published in over thirty languages.

   Recognizing Srila Prabhupada’s philosophical learning and devotion, the Gaudiya Vaisnava Society honor him in 1947 with the title “Bhaktivedanta.” In 1950, at the age of fifty-four, Srila Prabhupada retired from married life, adopting the vanaprastha (retired) order to devote more time to his studies and writing. Srila Prabhupada traveled to the holy city of Vrndavana, where he lived in very humble circumstances in the historic medieval temple of Radha-Damodara. There he engaged for several years in deep study and writing. He accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) in 1959. At Radha-Damodara, Srila Prabhupada began work on his life’s masterpiece: a multivolume annotated translation of the eighteen-thousand-verse Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also wrote Easy Journey to Other Planets.

   After publishing three volumes of the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada came to the United States, in September 1965, to fulfill the mission of his spiritual master. Subsequently, His Divine Grace wrote more than sixty volumes of authoritative annotated translations and summary studies of the philosophical and religious classics of India.

   When he first arrived by freighter in New York City, Srila Prabhupada was practically penniless. Only after almost a year of great difficulty did he establish the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in July of 1966. Before his passing away on November 14, 1977, he guided the Society and saw it grow to a worldwide confederation of more than one hundred asramas, schools, temples, institutes and farm communities.

   In 1968, Srila Prabhupada created New Vrindaban, an experimental Vedic community in the hills of West Virginia. Inspired by the success of New Vrindaban, which became a thriving farm community of more than two thousand acres, his students have since founded several similar communities in the United States and abroad.

   In 1972, His Divine Grace introduced the Vedic system of primary and secondary education in the West by founding the Gurukula school in Dallas, Texas. Since then, under his supervision, his disciples have established children’s schools throughout the United States and the rest of the world, with the principal educational center now located in Vrndavana, India.

   Srila Prabhupada also inspired the construction of several large international cultural centers in India. The center at Sridhama Mayapur in West Bengal is the site for a planned spiritual city, an ambitious project for which construction will extend over many years to come. In Vrndavana, India, are the magnificent Krsna-Balarama Temple and International Guesthouse, and Srila Prabhupada Memorial and Museum. There is also a major cultural and educational center in Bombay. Other centers are planned in a dozen important locations on the Indian subcontinent.

   Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contribution, however, is his books. Highly respected by the academic community for their authority, depth and clarity, they are used as standard textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into over fifty languages. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, established in 1972 to publish the works of His Divine Grace, has thus become the world’s largest publisher of books in the field of Indian religion and philosophy.

   In just twelve years, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe fourteen times on lecture tours that took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture

Radheshyam Prabhu

President of the Pune branch of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) that has over 600 centres worldwide

• Director of Vedic Oasis for Inspiration, Culture & Education (VOICE)
• Holds an M.Tech from IIT-Bombay
• has been a top ranker during his DME, BE.Mech Engg and M.Tech.
• worked with CECRI, THERMAX and MATHER AND PLATT
• has been a Junior Research Fellow and Senior Design Executive.
• youth counselor and Corporate Advisor
• has authored a series of 5 books ‘Spirituality for the Modern Youth’
• has compiled many pocket books on topics relevant to corporate circle like ‘Art of Mind control’  ‘Practical tips to Mind control’  ‘Stress Management’  etc.
• has published a five volume series on ‘spirituality for modern youth’ – ‘Discover your self’, ‘Your best friend’ etc.
• His famous five volume series on ‘Essence of Bhagavad gita’ is internationally used in reaching out the message of Bhagavad gita to educated community
• offers seminars on Stress Management, Proactive Leadership, Time Management, Self Management etc in companies and colleges.
• offered a one semester course at ISQUAREIT (International Institute for Information Technology) on the topic of ‘Effective Leadership and Time Management’.
• ISKCON conferred upon him the ‘Global Excellency Award’ for the year 2004 for his valuable contribution to youth preaching.

 

VOICE (Vedic Oasis for Inspiration Culture and Education)

• is a cultural and educational group that trains college youth, corporates and children in principle-centered living and leadership.
• has a faculty of  120  engineers and doctors
• offers several systematic seminars and courses on Personality development, Character build up, Team playing, Public speaking, Group discussions, Drama, Music etc
• sends Mentors all over India and overseas to many top ranking institutes like IIT Kharagpur, IT BHU Varanasi, NIT Jamshedpur, NIT Warangal, NIT Suratkal etc
• has over 20 branches connected to many of the leading educational institutes and companies.

Madhav Prabhu

A native of Mauritius, Madhava was given his first drum at the age of 5. At 18, he moved to Vrindavan, a place of pilgrimage in India where kirtan has been practised continuously for centuries. He spent the next seven years living in an ashram, doing kirtan daily with the Krishna Balarama 24 Hour Kirtan Mandali, under the direction of legendary 24-hour kirtan leader, Aindra Dasa. While there he played the mrdanga drum for hours on end, day after day, honing his rhythmic skill and sensitivity. Unbeknownst to him, through bootleg recordings he was also becoming an influential figure in the global kirtan scene, all while sitting on the dusty floor of a small temple in a village in India. When Madhava left to return to the West, his mentor Aindra impressed on him that he had to take the kirtan back with him from Vrndavan – telling him: “Now it is you who must lead the kirtan“. Based in Switzerland, Madhava travels extensively through Europe and the US with his wife Radhika and his band Gaura Prema, enlivening audiences with the power of devotional kirtan. He fuses his Mauritian roots with the influences of India to produce a unique style of kirtan, but one in which the main ingredient is the heartfelt bhakti.

Chaitanya Charan Prabhu

Chaitanya Charan Das is a celibate spiritual teacher (brahmachari) at ISKCON, Pune.  He has done his Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering from the Govt College of Engg, Pune. He subsequently served as a software engineer in a multinational software company, Patni Computer Systems. He also secured 2350 out of 2400 in the GRE exam, bagging the top rank in Maharashtra. Seeing the prevalent problems of stress, depression, addiction and overall misdirection – all caused by a lack of spirituality, he felt inspired to dedicate his life to the cause of jnana daan, offering systematic spiritual education, under the aegis of VOICE / ISKCON.

He is a member of ISKCON’s topmost intellectual body, the Shastric Advisory Council, which offers scriptural advise to the GBC (Governing Body Commissioner). He is the associate-editor of ISKCON’s global magazine, Back to Godhead. Presently he conducts seminars at various reputed educational institutes all over India including IITs and NITs as well as leading MNCs like Tech Mahindra. He serves as the spokesperson for ISKCON, Pune. He has presented papers on the interface of science and spirituality as an invited ISKCON delegate at national and international conferences, including World Peace Conference, 2006 and World Peace Congress, 2008.

He runs an international cyber magazine called ‘The Spiritual Scientist’, in which he has written over two hundred articles that give a scientific and logical presentation of Vedic philosophy. He is the author of the world’s only Gita-daily feature, wherein he writes daily a 300-word inspirational reflection on a verse from the Bhagavad-Gita. Till now he has written over 600 Gita meditations that are posted daily on his website and are read through daily feeds by thousands from all over the world.

He website www.thespiritualscientist.com is among the most popular spiritual sites for intellectually oriented spiritual seekers. He has answered over 900 questions from people all over the world on the site. His writings have been published in newspapers like Times of India, Indian Express, Economic Times, Hindustan Times, and Sakaal Times as well as global spiritual magazines including Back to Godhead. His writings in English have been translated into several foreign languages including German, Chinese and Romanian and several Indian languages including Kannada, Telgu, Bengali, Hindi and Marathi.

He is the author of eleven books:

ENERGY – Your Sutra for Positive Thinking, Science and Spirituality
‘The Spiritual Scientist’ series, volume 1
‘The Spiritual Scientist’ series, volume 2.
Recession – Adversity or Opportunity?
Why do we need a temple?
Frequently Unanswered Questions
Idol Worship or Ideal Worship?
The Gita for Daily Enrichment
Oh My God! Re-answering the Questions
My Little Bhakti Companion

Aindra Prabhu

H.G. Aindra Prabhu received Harinama Diksa on Nityananda Trayodasi in 1974 from A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Washington D.C. For many years, he was serving as a pujari at the temple and was regularly going out on Harinama Sankirtana and book distribution in that area. After several visits to Sri Vrindavan Dhama, he then got the inspiration within his heart to re-inaugurate the 24 hour kirtana which had originally been established by Srila Prabhupada in 1975 at the Krishna Balarama Mandir. In 1986, Aindra Prabhu decided to settle down in Vrindavan dhama and was coordinating and guiding the 24 hour kirtana for 24 entire years! Not only did he inspire the local devotees and numerous visitors with his daily kirtanas, but his wonderful recordings and his most pure katha will eternally spread the mellows of Sri Vrindavan Dhama all over the universe. He left his body in the holy land of Vrindavan at the lotus feet of his Deities in his room beside Krishna Balarama Mandir on evening 16th July, 2010. He is leaving behind thousands of devotees who are crying in separation from him.

 

Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj

Tamal Krishna Goswami began his association with the Krishna Consciousness movement in 1968 where he was soon accepted as a disciple by A C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. From 1975 until 1979, Tamal Krishna Goswami headed the “Radha-Damodara Party”, a fleet of buses carrying disciples of Swami Prabhupada, who traveled around America distributing his books.

Srila Prabhupada, created the GBC in 1972 and since that time it has met on an annual basis. Tamal Krishna Goswami was a member of this body since its beginnings. Tamal Krishna Goswami has served on ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission since its inception in 1970. In January 1972, he accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) from his spiritual master, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Jaipur, India. He served as ISKCON’s first GBC Secretary for India from 1970 – 1974 and was appointed trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, responsible for U.S. sales. In 1977, he served as Srila Prabhupada’s last personal secretary. Since that time, he has served as the GBC Secretary for Texas and a large number of countries in the Orient

Tamal Krishna Goswami is the author of several books on various religious subjects, including two classical dramas. His publications include: Reason and Belief: Problem solving in the Philosophy of Religion (Pundits Press, 1997); Yoga for the 21st Century (1991); Prabhupada Antya-lila: The final Pastimes of Srila Prabhupada (Washington, D.C.: Institute for Vaishnava Studies, 1988); Jagannatha Priya Natakam: The Drama of Lord Jagannatha (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Bhaktivedanta Institute of Religion and Culture, 1985); and Servant of the Servant (Hong Kong: BBT, 1984). He was also doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, under Dr. Julius J Lipner. His thesis was on the theology of ISKCON’s founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. At the time of his death, he had completed all but the conclusion. Dr. Lipner’s intention is to publish this dissertation in Tamala Krishna Goswami’s name. He also studied at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and received a bachelor’s degree in religious studies

According to the coroner’s report, Tamal Krishna Goswami passed away shortly prior to a vehicular accident in March 2002, at Phulgya within the Holy Dham, in West Bengal. He had been attending the Gaur Purnima festival/GBC meetings after not attending for a few years. His samadhi is placed beside Srila Prabhupada’s in ISKCON Sri Mayapur Dhama.

 

Satsvarupa Das Goswami Maharaj

Satsvarupa Das Goswami is a senior disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), better known in the west as the Hare Krishna movement. Serving as a writer, poet, and artist, Satsvarupa Das Goswami is the author of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s authorized biography,Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta. After Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s disappearance, Satsvarupa Das Goswami was one of eleven disciples selected to become an initiating guru in ISKCON.Satsvarupa dasa Goswami is one of the first few westerners ordained by Prabhupada in September 1966. He has been since established as a most prolific Vaishnava writer and poet. While traveling, lecturing on Krishna consciousness, and instructing disciples worldwide, he has published over 150 books including poems, memoirs, essays, novels, and studies based on the Vaishnava scriptures. In the recent years, he has created hundreds of paintings, drawings, and sculptures that attempt to capture and express his absorption in the culture of Krishna consciousness.

 

Radhanath Swami Maharaj

Radhanath Swami was born in Chicago, USA. In his teenage years, he embarked on a journey of discovery of the world and religion that ultimately led him to India where he met Srila Prabhupada in 1971 and embraced his teachings. Initially serving in India, Radhanath Swami returned to the USA where he served at a West Virginia farming community and was initiated by Srila Prabhupada (1973).

In 1979, he left his pujari service and caring for cows at the farming community to pioneer educational programs in colleges and universities in the United States.Radhanath Swami took the vows of sannyasa in 1986 and returned to India. His major efforts in India have resulted in the large community and Temple in Chowpatty, Mumbai, and ISKCON Belgaum temple. Other programs of sharing Krishna consciousness are currently faring successfully in Kolhapur, Nasik, Aurangabad, Nigdi and other centers in the Maharastra state of India .

Radhanath Swami became a member of the GBC in 1996, and is responsible for the following zones: Villa Vrindavana, Firenze area, Centro Studio Bhaktivedanta, Bologna area, and Venice area Italy; and in India; Chowpatty, Mumbai, and Maharastra. In his role as co-zonal secretary he supports Goa, Daman, Diu, Maharashtra, and Calcutta in West Bengal.

Radhanath Swami has a special interest in the holy places in India and leads thousands of devotees on pilgrimage each year. Radhanath Swami is a trustee of Bhaktivedanta College, Belgium, by providing his spiritual support and encouragement.For the past twenty-five years, besides guiding the development of the ISKCON Chowpatty community in Mumbai, Radhanath Swami has directed a number of acclaimed social action projects including Midday Meals, daily serving over 250,000 plates of pure vegetarian food to the children in the slums of Mumbai. He has also worked to establish missionary hospitals and eye camps, eco-friendly farms, schools and ashrams, an orphanage, and a number of emergency relief programs throughout India.

Radhanath Swami is the author of The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami, and the title has been received well by the mainstream audience as well as ISKCON members. The Huffington Post and ISKCON News regularly post articles by Radhanath Swami.