Page added on January 10, 2010

About ISKCON

58,987 views

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), popularly known as the Hare Krsna movement, is a worldwideIskcon Mayapur association of devotees of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is known by many names, according to His different qualities and activities. In the Bible he is know as Jehovah (“the almighty one”), in the Koran as Allah (“the great one”), and in the Bhagavad-gita as Krsna, a Sanskrit name meaning “the all-attractive one.”

The movement’s main purpose is to promote the wellbeing of human society by teaching the science of God conciousness (Krsna conciousness) accourding to the timeless Vedic scriptures of India

Many leading figures in the international religious and academic community have affirmed the movement’s authenticity. Diana L. Eck, professor of comparative religion and Indian studies at Harvard University, describes the movement as “a tradition that commands a respected place in the religious life of humankind.”

In 1965, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, known to his followers as Srila Prabhupada, brought Krsna conciousness to America. On the day he landed in Boston, on his way to New York City, he penned these words in his diary: “My dear Lord Krsna, I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates [the hearts of the westerners], they will certainly feel gladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.” He was sixty-nine years old, alone and with few resources, but the wealth of spiritual knowledge and devotion he possessed was an unwavering source of strength and inspiration.

“At a very advanced age, when most people would be resting on their laurels,” writes Harvey Cox, Harvard University
theologian and author, “Srila Prabhupada harkened to the mandate of his own spiritual teacher and set out on the difficult and demanding voyage to America. Srila Prabhupada is, of course, only one of thausands of teachers. But in anothersense, he is one in a thousand, maybe one in a million.”
In 1966, Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Conciousness, which became the formal name for the Hare Krsna movement.
 

Astonishing Growth

Iskcon astonishing growthIn the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada gradually attracted tens of thousands of followers, started more than a hundred temples and ashrams, and published scores of books. His achievement is remarkable in that he transplanted India’s ancient spiritual culture to the twentieth-century Western world.

New devotees of Krsna soon became highly visible in all the major cities around the world by their public chanting and their distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books of Vedic knowledge. They began staging joyous cultural festivals throughout the year and serving millions of plates of delicious vegetarian food offered to Krsna (known as prasadam). As a result, ISKCON has significantly influenced the lives of millions of people. In the early 1980’s the late A. L. Basham, one of the world’s leading authorities on Indian history and culture, wrote, “The Hare Krsna movement arose out of next to nothing in less than twenty years and has become known all over the West. This is an important fact in the history of the Western World.”




FEATURES, VIEWS & REVIEWS

The Ill Effects Of Non-Vaisnava Foods

The Ill Effects Of Non-Vaisnava Foods
We all know about avoiding prohibited foods, but may not know why, or what effects they produce

The Vedas Say They MUST be Shared With Everyone

The Vedas Say They MUST be Shared With Everyone
This is the message of the Vedas, and of Lord Krishna. Any follower of Sanatana-dharma, should take this seriously

  Importance of the Yuga-Dharma Nama-Sankirtana

Importance of the Yuga-Dharma Nama-Sankirtana
The best sadhu-sanga is when you come into the association of pure devotees engaging in the performance of nama-sankirtana




  • Most Users Ever Online Is 341 On May 11, 2023 @ 2:23 pm

LATEST NEWS HEADLINES

ALSO IN THE NEWS

Cooking for the London Rathayatra 16th June 2019 thumbnail Cooking for the London Rathayatra 16th June 2019

Parasuram das: We are looking for volunteers to help cook the greatest feast ever for the pleasure of Lord Jagannath and his devotees. Volunteers are needed all day Saturday chopping veg and all night cooking Saturday night/Sunday morning. There is a special gift for all those who help, Srila Prabhupada’s blessings! The Narada Purana (uttara […]

MORE STORIES

The View Of An Irish Hare Krishna On “What It’s All About” thumbnail The View Of An Irish Hare Krishna On “What It’s All About”

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING Click here to see advertised ISKCON projects and devotee business on this site

Vaishnava Calendar Reminder Service

Vaishnava Calendar Reminder Service Reminders sent to your email about upcoming events - Ekadasi, Festivals, etc. Click to subscribe.

MORE NEWS HEADLINES