Welcome to the Wonderful World of Krishna Consciousness

Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, plays His flute in Vrindavan

What is Krishna Consciousness

Krishna consciousness is the orignal natural energy of every single living being. Each and every one of us is part and parcel of Krishna or God, He has got many expansions. There are His personal expansiona and His separated expansions. The personal expansion are the many different incarnations of God, and the separated expansions are the many living beings such as ourselves. Being part and parcel of Him each of us naturally has a very intimate relationship with Him. But somehow or other since time immemorail we have forgotten about our relationships with Him and are thus suffering like anything here in this material world in the cycle of repeated birth and death. The factual purpose of our human form of life is to revive our dormant Krishna consciousness and thus qualify ourselves to regain our original positions in the spiritual world where life is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss.

Krishna consciousness has flourished for many thousands of years in India, and now by the valient efforts of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his dedicated followers the Krishna consciousness movement is flourishing all over the world in the form of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousnes, with millions of followers and hundreds of centers all over the world.

Our Founder-Acharya

ISKCON Founder-Acharya:
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

For millennia the teachings and the rich culture of bhakti-yoga, or Krishna Consciousness, had been hidden within the borders of India. Today, millions around the globe express their gratitude to Srila Prabhupada for revealing the timeless wisdom of bhakti to a world. Born as Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896, in Calcutta, as a young man he joined Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement. In 1922, a meeting with the prominent scholar and spiritual leader, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, proved to be most influential on young Abhay’s future calling.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was a leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnava community, a monotheistic tradition within the broader Hindu culture. At their very first meeting, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta asked Abhay to bring the teachings of Lord Krishna to the English-speaking world. Deeply moved by his devotion and wisdom, Abhay became a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta in 1933, and resolved to carry out his mentor’s request. Abhay, later known by the honorific A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, spent the next 32 years preparing for his journey west.

In 1965, at the age of sixty-nine, Srila Prabhupada begged a free passage and boarded a cargo ship, the Jaladhuta, to New York. The journey proved to be treacherous and he suffered two heart attacks aboard. After 35 days at sea, he first arrived at a lonely Brooklyn pier with just seven dollars in Indian rupees and a crate of his translations of sacred Sanskrit texts.

In New York, he faced great hardships and began his mission humbly by giving classes on the Bhagavad-gita in lofts on the Bowery and leading kirtan (traditional devotional chants) in Tompkins Square Park. His message of peace and goodwill resonated with many young people, some of whom came forward to become serious students of the Krishna-bhakti tradition. With the help of these students, Bhaktivedanta Swami rented a small storefront on New York’s Lower East Side to use as a temple.

In July of 1966, Bhaktivedanta Swami established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) for the purpose he stated of “checking the imbalance of values in the world and working for real unity and peace”.

In the eleven years that followed, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times on lecture tours spreading the teachings of Lord Krishna. Men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life came forward to accept his message. With their help, Srila Prabhupada established temples, farm communities, a publishing house, and educational institutions around the world. And, he began what has now become the world’s largest vegetarian food relief program, Hare Krishna Food for Life.

With the desire to nourish the roots of Krishna consciousness in its home, Srila Prabhupada returned to India several times, where he sparked a revival in the Vaishnava tradition. In India, he opened dozens of temples, including large centers in the holy towns of Vrindavana and Mayapura.

Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contributions, perhaps, are his books. He authored over 70 volumes on the Krishna tradition, which are highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth, fidelity to the tradition, and clarity. Several of his works are used as textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into 76 languages. His most prominent works include: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada passed away on November 14, 1977, in the holy town of Vrindavana, surrounded by his loving disciples who carry on his mission today.

My Memories of Srila Prabhupada

Gallery

ISKCON Devotees Chanting in London

George Harrison Chants with ISKCON Devotees

ISKCON Devotees Chanting Hare Krishna in Boston