Bhaktivedanta Ashram ISKCON Adelaide

Donate

The History of Iskcon


The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also more famously known as the “Hare Krishna movement” is a global spiritual society founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in July of 1966 in New York. 

 

ISKCON belongs to the Brahma-Madhava-Gaudiya-Vaishnava lineage, an authentic monotheistic lineage within the Vedic culture. Today ISKCON comprises of more than 800 temples, rural communities, educational institutions and vegetarian restaurants worldwide. The Society is also at the forefront in humanitarian efforts internationally, particularly through its charitable food distribution operation known as “Food for Life”, which is the largest plant-based food relief program in the world.

The aim of ISKCON is to acquaint people from all walks of life with the universal principles of self-realization and God consciousness so that they may derive the highest benefit of spiritual understanding, unity and peace. The Vedic literature recommends that in the present age known as Kali-yuga, the most effective means of achieving spiritual success is to always hear about, glorify, and remember the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Therefore, it recommends the chanting of the Holy Names of God, particularly through the maha or great mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna KrishnaKrishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare. This sublime chanting puts the chanter directly in touch with the Supreme Lord through the transcendental sound vibration of His Holy Name.

ISKCON follows the essential teachings of the Vedas and Vedic scriptures, including the Bhagavad-gita as well as the cream of Vedanta philosophy, the Srimad Bhagavatam, which teaches pure, unalloyed devotion to God in His Supreme Personal aspect of Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

These teachings are received through the preceptorial line known as the Brahma-Madhav-Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. ISKCON is part of the disciplic succession which started with Lord Krishna Himself and continued with Brahma, Srila Vyasadeva, Srila Madhavacharya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and in the present day His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his followers.

ISKCON’s teachings are non-sectarian, following the principle of sanatana dharma or eternal religion, which denotes the eternal activity of all living beings – loving devotional service (bhakti-yoga) to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Mission:-

 

Srila Prabhupada gave a clear mission statement for ISKCON which is outlined in the following seven points.

The Seven Purposes of ISKCON

  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.