The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna Movement, was established in 1966 in New York City by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a pure devotee and scholar in the disciplic line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ISKCON represents the modern-day continuation of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which traces its philosophical and devotional roots back over 5,000 years, to Lord Krishna Himself.
The Founder – Srila Prabhupada
Born in 1896 in Kolkata, India, Srila Prabhupada was a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, who instructed him to spread Krishna consciousness to the Western world. After decades of preparation and spiritual practice, Srila Prabhupada journeyed alone to America in 1965, at the age of 69, aboard a cargo ship called the Jaladuta. Despite suffering two heart attacks on the voyage and arriving with little money and no support, he remained fixed in his divine mission.
The Beginning in the West
Srila Prabhupada began his mission in the heart of New York City, teaching bhakti-yoga, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In July 1966, he formally registered ISKCON as a non-profit religious organization. His simple yet profound teachings and the joyful practice of congregational chanting (sankirtan) soon attracted a dedicated group of young followers.
Global Expansion
Within a few years, ISKCON spread rapidly across the United States and internationally. Srila Prabhupada personally traveled around the world 14 times, establishing over 108 temples, farms, schools, and communities. He initiated thousands of disciples, trained them in deity worship, Vedic education, kirtan, and publishing, and set up the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, which has since become the world’s largest publisher of Vedic literature.
Literary Contribution
Prabhupada translated and wrote purports to over 80 volumes of authoritative Vedic texts, including the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. His books have been translated into more than 90 languages and distributed in the millions worldwide. These texts serve as the philosophical foundation of ISKCON’s spiritual teachings.
Life After Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada left this world on 14 November 1977 in Vrindavan, India, entrusting the future of ISKCON to his disciples. Since then, ISKCON has continued to grow under the guidance of the Governing Body Commission (GBC), which Prabhupada established to ensure the society’s smooth functioning.
ISKCON now includes:
- Over 850 temples and centers worldwide
- Dozens of eco-villages and farm communities
- Educational institutions like Bhaktivedanta Institute and Gurukulas
- Massive food distribution efforts like Food for Life, serving millions of free vegetarian meals annually
- Rath Yatra festivals held in major cities across the globe
Mission and Purpose
The purpose of ISKCON, as outlined by Srila Prabhupada, is to promote the well-being of society by teaching the science of Krishna consciousness through:
- Spiritual education and scripture study
- Chanting of the holy names of God (sankirtan)
- Deity worship (archana)
- Distribution of sanctified food (prasadam)
- Promoting a lifestyle of simplicity, compassion, and devotion
Legacy
Today, ISKCON stands as a vibrant global spiritual movement, offering people from all backgrounds a path to spiritual realization, inner peace, and love of God. It remains firmly rooted in the vision of Srila Prabhupada—to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to reconnect with Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.