“You have the right to perform your prescribed duties,
but
you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.” —
Bhagavad Gita 2.47
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 to provide a
systematic worshipping platform.
ISKCON belongs to the
Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaya, a monotheistic tradition within
Vedic culture.
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.
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. We all are part and
parcels of Supreme Lord Krishna and we join the devotees to
serve Krishna.
In 1965, His Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda left Vrindavan behind for spreading the message of Lord Krishna in Western countries. He entered Boston with a trunk full of Lord Krishna’s books and a negligible amount of money in his pocket.
Initially, he struggled a lot, but within a few days, people started noticing him. Some curious people joined him in his chanting and lectures, while some started to acquire serious concern about his holy mission. He lived in New York until the year 1966.
He had started giving lectures on the sacred Bhagavad Gita weekly. In 1966, he established ISKCON in New York City successfully.
During the period 1966-1968, more followers joined the sacred mission. As a result, he inaugurated temples in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Montreal, and New Mexico.
Rath-Yatra festival is the largest and oldest yearly festival celebrated in India. The first Rath-Yatra festival was organized in San Francisco. However, at present, this Rath-Yatra festival is celebrated in different corners of the world by the devotees of the ISKCON.
Between 1969-and 1973, several temples were inaugurated in Canada, Europe, Mexico, Africa, South America, and India. A supervisory body was also established in the year 1970 to supervise society’s overall growth.
From 1970-to 1977, ISKCON created several major pilgrimage centers and sites at the Vrndavana and Mayapur in India. The largest temple in Mumbai was also built by the same name.
Srila Prabhupada established BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust), a publishing house, in 1972. They are one of the biggest publishers of Lord Krishna’s books in the contemporary. Srila Prabhupada converted over 40-volumes of Krishna literature from Sanskrit to English within 1966-to 1977. Books like ‘Srimad Bhagavatam’ or ‘Bhagavata Purana,’ the ’18-volumes of Lord Krishna’s incarnation’s history’, ‘pastimes and devotees,’ ‘Sri Caitanya Caritamrita,’ the ‘9-volumes of biography and teaching methods of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’ have been issued by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in over 50 languages.
Around 525 years back, Lord Krishna descended Himself on this earth to preach the recitation of the Holy
Names and how to become a devotee in this Kali-yuga – by presenting Himself as a devotee of Lord. This devotee form was none other than the great Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a combined form of Srimati Radha and Sri Krishna.
Later, He popularized the sacred mantra: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
Known as the Hare Krishna movement on the western side, ISKCON is better recognized as a monotheistic subdivision of the famous Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition. Mainly, ISKCON believes in the teachings of Lord Krishna.
Dedicated to: Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada