{"id":23,"date":"2009-12-09T01:57:48","date_gmt":"2009-12-09T09:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.citrakadasa.com\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2022-05-05T16:27:42","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T16:27:42","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/?page_id=23","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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What is the Hare Krishna Movement?<\/a>  (summary)
\n Who started ISKCON?<\/a>
\n What is the purpose of ISKCON?<\/a>
\n Where do the teachings come from?<\/a>
\n Hare Krishna and Hinduism<\/a>
\n What are the teachings?<\/a>
\n What is reincarnation?<\/a>
\n Do you meditate?<\/a>
\n What is the Hare Krishna <\/em>chant?<\/a>
\n What are the Practices?<\/a>
\n Why are you vegetarian?<\/a>
\n Why do some Hare Krishnas look like Buddhist monks?<\/a>
\n What do you do all day?<\/a>
\n Why do you chant in the streets?<\/a>
\n What else do you do?<\/a>
\n I’m Interested in finding out more. What should I do?<\/a>
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

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What is the Hare Krishna Movement?<\/h2>\n

The Hare Krishna movement is the popular name for the International Society
\n for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).  Founded in 1966 by His Divine
\n Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON carries on in the modern
\n world a great ancient tradition rooted in the Bhagavad-Gita<\/em> ,
\n the teachings Lord Krishna spoke five thousand years ago.  The Gita
\n and the other Vedic scriptures declare Krishna to be the original person,
\n God Himself, who appears periodically in this world to liberate all living
\n beings.<\/p>\n

Only five hundred years ago, Krishna descended as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
\n to teach the most sublime and effective means of meditation for the present
\n day: the chanting of the names of God, especially as found in the Hare
\n Krishna mantra.<\/p>\n

Today, members of ISKCON continue Lord Caitanya’s movement by distributing
\n the teachings of Lord Krishna and the Hare Krishna mantra all over the
\n world.<\/p>\n

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Who started ISKCON?<\/h2>\n

In 1965, an elderly monk, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
\n (1896-1977), traveled alone from India to establish the culture of Krishna
\n consciousness in the Western world. He single-handedly began a world-wide
\n confederation of over one hundred temples, farm communities, and institutes.<\/p>\n

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What is the purpose of ISKCON?<\/h2>\n

When Srila Prabhupada began ISKCON, he defined seven purposes:\n <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large
    \n and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order
    \n to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and
    \n peace in the world.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in Bhagavad-Gita
    \n and Srimad Bhagavatam.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer
    \n to Krishna, the prime entity, thus developing the idea within the members
    \n and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality
    \n of Godhead (Krishna).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  4. To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting
    \n of the holy names of God, as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Caitanya
    \n Mahaprabhu.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  5. To erect for the members and for society at large, a holy place of
    \n transcendental pastimes dedicated to the personality of Krishna.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a
    \n simpler, more natural way of life.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  7. With a view toward achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish
    \n and distribute periodicals, books and other writings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    ISKCON Belfast has published a very good commentary<\/a>
    \n on these seven purposes by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.<\/p>\n

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    Where do the teachings come from?<\/h2>\n

    Although the Hare Krishna movement has only been established in the
    \n West since 1966, its roots extend thousands of years into India’s past.
    \n The lifestyle and philosophical beliefs are based on ancient scriptures
    \n known as the Vedas. Originally preserved in the spoken word, the Vedas
    \n were written down in the Sanskrit language 5000 years ago.<\/p>\n

    \"Sanskrit<\/p>\n

    Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Vedas<\/i><\/p>\n

    Their compiler, Srila Vyasadeva, divided the work into various departments
    \n of material and spiritual knowledge, entrusting his disciples with particular
    \n sections. In this way, the scriptures developed into four principal Vedas,
    \n including the Vedan<\/i>ta Sutra, 108 Upanishads, <\/i>and 18 Puranas,
    \n <\/i>collectively known as the “fifth Veda.” <\/i>The final Purana,
    \n <\/i>the Bhagavat Purana <\/i>or Srimad Bhagavatam, <\/i>contains the
    \n essence of the Vedic wisdom in 18,000 verses. A further work was the Mahabharata,
    \n <\/i>which includes the well-known Bhagavad-Gita<\/em>. The process described
    \n in the Vedas is one of gradual elevation to the platform of God-realisation.
    \n Vedic wisdom was then carefully preserved and passed down for centuries
    \n through the tutorial vehicle of guru-parampara, <\/i>a disciplic succession
    \n of self-realised teachers.<\/p>\n

    In the early 16th century, a remarkable spiritual renaissance took place
    \n within India. This was led by a brilliant philosopher, mystic and saint,
    \n Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534). <\/i>He challenged the religious
    \n leaders of his day whom he felt were stifling the teachings of Vedic knowledge.
    \n Caste-conscious priests alone had access to the Vedas and considered spiritual
    \n life the prerogative of an educated minority. Taking religion out of the
    \n temples and amongst the people, regardless of their caste, Sri Caitanya
    \n Mahaprabhu propagated devotion to Lord Krishna and pioneered a massive
    \n movement which swept the subcontinent, gaining a following of millions.<\/p>\n

    The ancient wisdom of the Puranas <\/i>and Upanishads, <\/i>through
    \n the practical teachings of Sri Caitanya are now finding expression outside
    \n India in the Hare Krishna movement.<\/i><\/p>\n

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    Hare Krishna and Hinduism<\/h2>\n

    The terms Hare Krishna<\/b> and Hinduism<\/b> are intimately connected,
    \n yet not synonymous.<\/p>\n

    The word ‘Hindu’ was first used by Persians to denote ‘those South of
    \n the Indus river’. It has come to include the many diverse strands of Indian
    \n and Vedic culture which make up Hinduism, the world’s third largest religion,
    \n with over 600 million practitioners worldwide. As such, ‘Hinduism’ describes
    \n not a single, monolithic religion, but a vast spectrum of spiritual paths,
    \n many tracing their origins to particular branches of the Vedas.<\/p>\n

    The word ‘Veda<\/b>‘ literally means knowledge, and refers to the original
    \n Vedic Shastra (scriptures) and civilization, dating back many thousands
    \n of years. Several of these shastras, in particular the Bhagavad Gita<\/i>
    \n and Srimad Bhagavatam<\/i>, form the philosophical and theological basis
    \n of the the Hare Krishna Movement; the Bhagavad Gita<\/i> is often referred
    \n to as ‘The Bible of Hinduism’.<\/p>\n

    Hare Krishna is a major monotheistic tradition, known academically as
    \n vaishnavism or sanatana dharma<\/i>, ‘the eternal religion’. The core
    \n practice is bhakti<\/i> (devotion) to Krishna, the Supreme Personality
    \n of Godhead, particularly through the chanting of His names. Although seen
    \n as a major strand of Hinduism, it is a transcendental and non-sectarian
    \n process of devotional yoga that can be harmonised with any theistic religious
    \n practice.<\/p>\n

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    What are the teachings?<\/h2>\n

    It is often assumed that the final goal of Indian spirituality is nirvana
    \n – <\/i>the extinguishing of individual existence and the simultaneous absorption
    \n into an amorphous Absolute. Bhagavad-Gita <\/i>reveals that this is
    \n only the preliminary stage of self-realisation. Beyond this is the awakening
    \n of the soul’s eternal consciousness of Krishna, the personal form of the
    \n Absolute Truth.<\/p>\n

    In brief, the Gita explains as follows:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. We are not our bodies, but eternal spirit souls (atma), parts <\/i>and
      \n parcels of God (Krishna). Although we are essentially spiritual (brahman),
      \n <\/i>we have temporarily forgotten our true identity.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    2. Having lost touch with our original, pure consciousness we are trying
      \n to achieve permanent happiness within a temporary world. Our attempts
      \n produce karmic reactions which cause us to remain within this world
      \n for repeated lifetimes (samsara).<\/i><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    3. By sincerely learning and following a genuine spiritual science (dharma)
      \n <\/i>under the guidance of a self-realised teacher, we can be free from
      \n anxiety and come to a state of pure, blissful enlightenment in this
      \n lifetime.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    4. Krishna is eternal, all-knowing, omni-present, all-powerful and all-attractive.
      \n He is the seed-giving father of all living beings and He is the sustaining
      \n energy of the entire cosmic creation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    5. Our dormant relationship with Krishna can be reawakened by the practice
      \n of bhakti-yoga, <\/i>the science of spiritualising all human activities
      \n by dedicating them to the Supreme. This ancient yoga <\/i>system gradually
      \n frees us from the entanglement of karma, <\/i>and thereby the cycle
      \n of birth and death.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      What is reincarnation?<\/h2>\n

      The Bhagavad-Gita <\/i>states that life does not begin at birth nor
      \n end with death. It is eternal. The soul is constantly transmigrating from
      \n one body to another according to its desires and quality of activities
      \n (karma). <\/i>The Vedas further explain that the soul in the material
      \n world moves through a cycle of 8,400,000 forms of life. The human form,
      \n however, is the only birth which affords one the chance for self-realisation.
      \n Lower-than-human species are not endowed with sufficient intelligence
      \n to understand the self as different from the body.<\/p>\n

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      Do you meditate?<\/h2>\n

      <\/i>Members of the Hare Krishna movement practise mantra <\/i>meditation.
      \n In Sanskrit, manah <\/i>means “mind” and tra <\/i>means “freeing”.
      \n So a mantra <\/i>is a combination of words that is meant to relieve
      \n the mind of anxieties arising from worldly entanglement. Vedic literature
      \n compares the mind to a mirror, and our present state of spiritual forgetfulness
      \n to a mirror which has accumulated dust. Mantra <\/i>meditation clears
      \n the dust from the mirror of the mind so that we can see our original self.
      \n When our spiritual nature is inwardly perceived, then the anxieties caused
      \n by illusion cease, and we experience spiritual happiness.<\/p>\n

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      What is the Hare Krishna <\/em>chant?<\/h2>\n

      Devotees of Krishna chant the Hare Krishna mantra:\n <\/p>\n

      Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
      \n Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare<\/i><\/p>\n

      – because the Vedas refer to it as the maha – mantra <\/i>or “Great
      \n Mantra”. This sixteen-word mantra is especially recommended as the easiest
      \n method for self-realization in the present age.\n <\/p>\n

      Krishna is a Sanskrit name of God meaning “all attractive”, and Rama
      \n <\/i>is another name meaning “reservoir of pleasure”. The divine energy
      \n of God is addressed as Hare. <\/i>Vedic knowledge teaches that since
      \n we are all constitutionally servants of God, the chanting of His names
      \n is not an artificial imposition on the mind but is as natural as a child
      \n calling for its mother. There are two ways to chant the maha mantra<\/i>:
      \n <\/i>group chanting (kirtan) <\/i>and softly saying the mantra <\/i>to
      \n oneself (japa).<\/i> The latter is done by using a string of 108 wooden
      \n prayer beads to enhance concentration. In both methods there are no hard
      \n and fast rules, and anyone can chant with good results.<\/p>\n

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      What are the Practices?<\/h2>\n

      There are four simple practices in Krishna consciousness.<\/p>\n

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Page last updated
\n
\n 17 January, 2008
\n \n <\/p>\n

\n \u00c2\u00a9 2005 International
\n Society for Krishna Consciousness
\n Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada<\/p>\n

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\"Top\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the Hare Krishna Movement?  (summary) Who started ISKCON? What is the purpose of ISKCON? Where do the teachings come from? Hare Krishna and Hinduism What are the teachings? What is reincarnation? Do you meditate? What is the Hare Krishna chant? What are the Practices? Why are you vegetarian? Why do some Hare Krishnas […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/iskconuk.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}