What is ISKCON?
The 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 the 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.
The Beginning
In 1965, His Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami ลrฤซla Prabhupฤda 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.
Expansion of ISKCON
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.
1974 was a crucial year for ISKCON. They started relief programs like food in disaster areas globally. In 1977, before Srila Prabhupada left his material body, ISKCON had successfully established around 108 temples, educational communities, centers, and over 10,000 members.
The whole ‘Hare Krishna Movement’ appeared as a revolutionary change in the former Soviet Union in 1989. At present, ISKCON has more than 500 centers globally.
Establishment of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
From 1970 to 1977, ISKCON created several major pilgrimage centers and sites at Vrindavana and Mayapur in India. The largest temple in Mumbai was also built during this period.
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.
Srila Prabhupada published the monthly magazine, Back to Godhead, which he called the backbone of his movement. At the height of its circulation in the mid seventies, over a million copies per issue were sold.
Srila Prabhupada set up farm communities to teach “simple living and high thinking”, emphasizing cow protection and dependence on God and nature. Bhaktivedanta Institute was created in 1973 to support the Vedas teachings.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
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.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu