ISKCON Temple PDF

Compiled by Dr Uday Dokras, PhD SWEDEN
" One who builds or helps to build a BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE for the Lord will be
freed from all sinful reactions and will enter the Vaikuntha planets."
---- Narasimha Purana ----
Second Largest ISKCON Temple in the World to Open in Kanpur

By: Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on April 17, 2014
This planned new 100,000 square foot temple in Kanpur will be the second largest in ISKCON
The second-largest ISKCON temple in the world, after ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur, is set to
open in Kanpur on October 3rd, 2014. The festival is expected to draw over 100,000 people including over
500 ISKCON devotees.
Construction on the temple began in October 2011 and will conclude this August, 2020. Set on a fifteen-
acre site, the elaborate 100,000 square-foot temple, with its majestic towers, will include an open-sky
courtyard and large temple hall.
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On the temple’s three altars devotees will worship Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Madhava, and Sri Sri
Sita Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman. And wrapping around the building will be a Parikrama marg, or
pilgrimage path.
In its first phase of construction, the project will also include a 60,000 square-foot Vedic Ashram, a guest
house, Food For Life center, community hall, Bhaktivedanta Youth Academy, gift shop, Govinda’s
restaurant, a Goshala housing sixty cows, and a Bhaktivedanta Book Library with a conference hall.
Architect's drawing of the new Kanpur temple complex, aerial view
In front of the complex will be two beautifully landscaped gardens filled with trees, pathways, fountains
and a large “Dvaja Stambha,” from which Garuda will invite all the demigods to take Darshan of the
Lord. The whole project is designed by renowned Mumbai architect Prem Nathji.Kanpur may have taken
until now to fully fructify, but it’s always been on ISKCON’s radar.In 1968, Srila Prabhupada wrote to
Brahmananda, “Kanpur is the next important city after Calcutta and Bombay. Therefore his decision to
start immediately one center at Kanpur is acceptable.” He followed this up with several other letters along
the same lines throughout the 1970s.ISKCON guru Lokanath Swami was the first to preach in Kanpur,
taking his Padayatra bullock cart program there on Srila Prabhupada’s direct order. Over the years, many
devotees commuted there from Vrindavana to preach.
Finally, in 2004, devotees rented a small one bedroom flat in Kanpur, and then started their first center in
an office building in the city. They moved to a rented house in 2005, where they began some outreach
activities and worship of small Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava.But there were some hardships to come.
“In May 2006, we shifted to a one-story building that had three rooms, a kitchen and a temporary temple
room without a roof,” says Kanpur temple opening coordinator Priyank Krishnatre. “The place was like a
village and a home for snakes.”The devotees continued spreading Krishna consciousness undaunted,
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however – that same year, Radha Govinda Swami gave a week-long seminar on the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
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and the first ever ISKCON Kanpur Rathayatra drew many people from the city.

“Meanwhile, a bigger structure was made for the large Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, on the same
five-acre piece of land that Srila Prabhupada had his eye on in the 1970s,” says Priyank. “It was opened
on January 31st, 2009.”
layout of the new Kanpur temple complex, showing the main temple, Vedic Ashram, Goshala and gardens
Later that year, Kanpur was flooded, and devotees conducted an effective Food For Life program, feeding
5,000 people two meals a day for a full month.“The temple itself was also flooded, but we took our
temple on the road with our Deities and continued serving Radha Madhava and their devotees,” Priyank
says.
Today, about 54 devotees reside at ISKCON Kanpur, with 300 to 500 people visiting weekly and 8,000 to
10,000 on festival days.
Once the mega new temple opens on the eve of Vijayadashmi in October of this year, devotees are
expecting around 2,000 visitors on weekdays and 3,000 on weekends, with crowds expected to swell
beyond 30,000 on festivals.
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Devotees are already doing a variety of outreach projects, and these will expand when the new temple
opens. Youth preaching programs at universities like IIT Kanpur, HBTI Kanpur, IIM Lucknow and NIT
Allahabad, for instance, have already connected 200 youths to the temple, and fifty are practicing Krishna
consciousness daily.“Some of the premier educational institutes of India are situated in and around
Kanpur, and therefore Kanpur has great potential in reforming the future generation and thus attracting
hundreds and thousands of young educated enthusiastic devotees to the mission of Srila Prabhupada,”
Priyank says.
According to instructions Srila Prabhupada himself gave, devotees will venture out from the new temple
on bullock cart to neighboring villages to chant the Holy Name and distribute prasadam. They’ll also
focus on congregational preaching, cow protection, Food For Life, and values education at nearby
schools.As Kanpur is a business city, devotees feel there is a lot of potential there to create life patrons.
When Srila Prabhupada first began trying to establish a temple in New York, in fact, he sought funding
from Kanpur businessman Padampat Singhania.
For many different reasons, Kanpur is an all-round prime candidate for second-largest temple in
ISKCON. Besides Srila Prabhupada’s desire to have a temple there, it’s one of the industrial and
educational hubs of North India; has a population of two and a half million; and is home to some of the
most aristocratic families in India.It’s also the site of several key holy places, such as the ashram of
Ramayana author Valmiki Muni, who was a highway robber before being instructed to chant the name of
Sri Rama by the sage Narada; and the place where Ajamila died and was taken to the spiritual world after
chanting his son’s name “Narayan.”“The Kanpur temple will be ISKCON’s Uttar Pradesh headquarters,”
says Priyank. “As Lord Chaitanya wanted, this temple will be a hospital for people’s spiritual amnesia, an
embassy of Goloka Vrindavan with Radha and Krishna in the center. And it will disseminate spiritual
knowledge, and will inspire people in the science of Krishna consciousness through culture, education
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and training.”
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ISKCON Temples: A Religious Organization Dedicated to Lord Krishna
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more popularly known as ISKCON,
is a Hindu religious organization with temples established across India as well as abroad.
Also called the Hare Krishna movement, the organization follows the line of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism, a monotheistic tradition within the Hindu culture. The beautiful ISKCON
temples spread across the county serve as great attractions for devotees and travelers who
want some time away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
HISTORY OF ISKCON
Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a 15th century Indian saint and founder of Achintya
Bheda Abheda. Devotees consider him an incarnation of the god Krishna. Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna with ecstatic song and dance had a profound effect
on Vaishnavism in Bengal. He was also the chief proponent of the Vedantic philosophy
of Achintya Bheda Abheda. Mahaprabhu founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism (a.k.a. Brahma-
Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya). He expounded Bhakti yoga and popularized the chanting of
the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra.[1] He composed the Shikshashtakam (eight devotional prayers).
He is sometimes called Gauranga or Gaura due to his molten gold like fair complexion. His
birthday is celebrated as Gaura-purnima. He is also called Nimai due to him being born
underneath a Neem tree
Achintya-Bheda-Abheda (अचिन्त्यभे दाभे द, acintyabhedābheda in IAST) is a school
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of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and

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difference. In Sanskrit achintya means 'inconceivable', bheda translates as 'difference',

and abheda translates as 'non-difference'.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534 CE), the founder of Achintya Bheda Abheda school
and Gaudiya Vaishnavism
The Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition employs the term in relation to the relationship of
creation and creator (Krishna, Svayam Bhagavan), between God and his energies. It is believed
that this philosophy was taught by the movement's theological founder Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) and differentiates the Gaudiya tradition from the other Vaishnava
Sampradayas. It can be understood as an integration of the strict dualist (dvaita) theology
of Madhvacharya and the qualified monism (vishishtadvaita) of Ramanuja.
Historically within Hinduism there are two conflicting philosophies regarding the relationship
between living beings (jiva or atma) and God (Ishvara, Brahman or Bhagavan). Advaita schools
assert the monistic view that the individual soul and God are one and the
same,[7] whereas Dvaita schools give the dualistic argument that the individual soul and God are
eternally separate.[8] The philosophy of Achintya-bheda-abheda includes elements of both
viewpoints. The living soul is intrinsically linked with the Supreme Lord, and yet at the same
time is not the same as God - the exact nature of this relationship being inconceivable to the
human mind. The Soul is considered to be part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Same in quality
but not in quantity. God having all opulence in fullness, the spirit soul however, having only a
partial expression of His divine opulence. God in this context is compared to a fire and the souls
as sparks coming off of the flame.
The theological tenet of achintya-bheda-abheda tattva reconciles the mystery that God is
simultaneously "one with and different from His creation". In this
sense Vaishnava theology is panentheistic as in no way does it deny the separate existence of
God (Vishnu) in His own personal form. However, at the same time, creation (or what is termed
in Vaishnava theology as the 'cosmic manifestation') is never separated from God. He always
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exercises supreme control over his creation. Sometimes directly, but most of the time indirectly
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through his different potencies or energies (Prakrti). Examples are given of a spider and its web;
earth and plants that come forth and hair on the body of human being.
"One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are
simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya
established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda-and-abheda-tattva -- simultaneous oneness and
difference." (A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) The analogy often used as an explanation
in this context in the relationship between the Sun and the Sunshine. [10] For example, both
the sun and sunshine are part of the same reality, but there is a great difference between having a
beam of sunshine in your room, and being in close proximity to the sun itself. Qualitatively the
Sun and the Sunshine are not different, but as quantities they are very different. This analogy is
applied to the living beings and God - the Jiva being of a similar quality to the Supreme being,
but not sharing the qualities to an infinite extent, as would the Personality of Godhead
himself Thus there is a difference between the souls and the Supreme Lord.
It is clearly distinguished from the concept of anirvacaniya (inexpressible) of Advaita Vedanta.
There is a clear difference between the two concepts as the two ideas arise for different
reasons. Advaita concept is related to the ontological status of the world, whereas both Svayam
bhagavan and his shaktis (in Lord himself and his powers) are empirically real, and they are
different from each other, but at the same time they are the same. But that does not negate the
reality of both.
While it applied to relations between Purusha (the Lord) and Prakriti (be it material, marginal, or
spiritual powers), in the theology of the concept there are areas of exceptions. Jiva Goswami also
accepts that any object and its energy are non-different, such as fire and power of burning. While
some maintain that its only a secondary extension of the principle that it is primarily applied
to Svayam bhagavan and His energies. It does not, however, apply to differences
between Avatars of Svayam bhagavan and Lord Himself, so the difference between Vishnu and
His origin, is not covered by the concept of acintya bhedabheda, i.e. it cannot be applied in cases
where different levels of Purusha are compared.
The phrase is used as the chorus line in Kula Shaker's 1996 hit song Tattva. "Achintya-bheda-
abheda-tattva".
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as

the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious
organisation.[1] ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada. Its core beliefs are based on the Vedic scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad
Gita and the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which has had adherents
in India since the late 15th century and American and European devotees since the early 1900s.
The organization was formed to spread the practice of Bhakti yoga, the practice of love of God in
which those involved (bhaktas) dedicate their thoughts and actions towards pleasing Krishna,
the Supreme Lord.[4] Its most rapid expansions in membership as of 2007 have been within India
and especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in Russia, Ukraine, and the rest of the ex-
Soviet aligned states of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
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Today, it has around a million congregational members worldwide including 15,000 in

the United Kingdom as of June 2019 and despite the "relatively small number of followers in the
West (around a few thousand fulltime practitioners)", it has been described as influential.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism known as Bengali Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Vaishnavism (Caitanya

Vaiṣṇavism) or the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, is a Vaishnava Hindu religious movement
inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gauda
region of Bengal, with Vaishnavism meaning "the worship of Vishnu". Its theological basis is
primarily that of the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana (known within the tradition as
the Srimad Bhagavatam), as interpreted by early followers of Chaitanya, such as Sanatana
Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Jiva Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami and others.[3][4]
The focus of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is the devotional worship (known as bhakti yoga)
of Radha and Krishna, and their many divine incarnations as the supreme forms of God, Svayam
Bhagavan. Most popularly, this worship takes the form of singing Radha and Krishna's holy
names, such as "Hare", "Krishna" and "Rama", most commonly in the form of the Hare Krishna
(mantra), also known as kirtan and dancing along with it. The movement is sometimes referred
to as the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, referring to its belief in the succession of
spiritual masters (gurus) believed to originate from Brahma.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is the spiritual and philosophical foundation of the International Society
for Krishna Consciousness, or "Hare Krishna movement".
It classifies itself as a monotheistic tradition, seeing the many forms of Vishnu or Krishna as
expansions or incarnations of the one Supreme God, adipurusha Sri Krishna. Philosophy:
Living beings
According to Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy, consciousness is not a product of matter, but is
instead a symptom of the soul. All living beings (jivas), including animals and trees, have a soul.
That soul is distinct from their current physical body - the nature of the soul being eternal,
immutable, and indestructible without any particular birth or death. The soul does not die when
the body dies, but it is transmigrated into another new body and takes new birth in a new body.
Souls which are captivated by the illusory nature of the world (Maya) are
repeatedly reborn among the various 8,400,000 number of species of life on this planet and in
other worlds in accordance to the laws of karma and individual desire. This is consistent with the
concept of samsara found throughout Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.
Release from the process of samsara (known as moksha) is believed to be achievable through a
variety of spiritual practices. However, within Gaudiya Vaishnavism, it is bhakti in its purest
state (or "pure love of God") which is given as the ultimate aim, rather than liberation from the
cycle of rebirth. Gaudiya Vaishnav tradition asserts that in the current yuga, which is Kali Yuga,
singing and chanting the various sacred names of God are sufficient for spiritual liberation.
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Supreme Person (God)

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One of the defining aspects of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is that Shri Krishna is worshiped
specifically as the source of all Avataric incarnations of God. This is based on quotations from
the Bhagavata Purana, such as "krsnāstu bhagavan svayam", literally "Krishna is God Himself".
Inconceivable oneness and difference
A particularly distinct part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy espoused by Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu is the concept of Achintya Bheda Abheda, which translates to "inconceivable
oneness and difference" in the context of the soul's relationship with Krishna, and also Krishna's
relationship with his other energies (i.e. the material world).[8]
In quality, the soul (jiva) is described as being identical to God, but in terms
of quantity, individual jivas are said to be infinitesimal in comparison to the unlimited Supreme
Being. The exact nature of this relationship (being simultaneously one and different with
Krishna) is inconceivable to the human mind but can be experienced through the process
of Bhakti yoga.
This philosophy serves as a meeting of two opposing schools of Hindu philosophy,
pure monism (God and the soul as one entity) and pure dualism (God and the soul as absolutely
separate). This philosophy largely recapitulates the concepts of qualified nondualism practiced
by the older Vedantic school Vishishtadvaita, but emphasizes the figure of Krishna over
Narayana and holy sites in and around Bengal over sites in Tamil Nadu. In practice, Gaudiya
Vaishnava philosophy has much more in common with the dualistic schools especially closely
following theological traditions established by Madhvacharya's Dvaita Vedanta.
Bhakti Yoga
The practical process of devotional life is described as bhakti or bhakti-yoga. The two main
elements of the bhakti-yoga process are vaidhi bhakti, which is devotional service through
practice of rules and regulations (sadhana) and raganuga bhakti, which is taken as a higher stage
of more spontaneous devotional service based on a selfless desire to please one's chosen Ishta-
deva of Krishna or his associated expansions and avatars. Practicing vaidhi-bhakti with a view to
cultivate prema creates eligibility for raganuga-sadhana. Both vaidhi and raganuga bhakti are
based on the chanting or singing of Krishna's names. Attainment of the raganuga stage means
that rules of lifestyle are no longer important and that emotions or any material activities for
Krishna should not be repressed. Vaidhi-bhakti's purpose is to elevate the devotee to raganuga;
something which generally takes a long time.
Within his Siksastaka prayers, Chaitanya compares the process of bhakti-yoga to that of
cleansing a dirty place of dust, wherein our consciousness is the object in need of
purification. This purification takes place largely through the chanting and singing of Radha and
Krishna's names. Specifically, the Hare Krishna (mantra) is chanted and sung by practitioners on
a daily basis, sometimes for many hours each day. Famously within the tradition, one of
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's close associates, Haridasa Thakur, is reported to have chanted 300,000
holy names of God each day.
Diet and lifestyle
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Gaudiya Vaishnavas follow a lacto vegetarian (or stricter) diet, abstaining from all types of
animal flesh, including fish and eggs. Onions and garlic are also avoided as they are believed to
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promote a more tamasic form of consciousness in the eater when taken in large quantities.

Gaudiya Vaishnavas also avoid the intake of caffeine, as they believe it is addictive and an
intoxicant.
Many Gaudiya Vaishnavas will live for at least some time in their life as monks (brahmacharya).
A murti of Chaitanya in ISKCON temple, Mayapur/Pancha-Tattva deities: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita Acharya, Gadadhara and Srivasa, installed in a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST Caitanya Mahāprabhu; 18 February
1486 – 14 June 1534[13]) was a Bengali spiritual teacher who founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He
is believed by his devotees to be Krishna himself who appeared in the form of His own devotee
in order to teach the people of this world the process of Bhakti and how to attain the perfection
of life. He is considered as the most merciful manifestation of Krishna. Chaitanya was the
proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning loving devotion to God), based
on Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita. Of various incarnations of Vishnu, he is revered as
Krishna, popularised the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra[15] and composed
the Siksastakam (eight devotional prayers) in Sanskrit. His followers, Gaudiya Vaishnavas,
revere him as a Krishna with the mood and complexion of his source of inspiration Radha.
Early growth
Over the three centuries following the disappearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Gaudiya
Vaishnava tradition evolved into the form in which we largely find it today in contemporary
India. In the early years of the tradition, the followers of Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita
Acharya and other companions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu educated and initiated people, each in
their own locales across Bengal.
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Chaitanya Mahaprabhu requested a select few among his followers, who later came to be known
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as the Six Gosvamis of Vrindavan, to systematically present his theology of bhakti in their

writings. This theology emphasized the devotee's relationship to the Divine Couple, Radha and
Krishna, and looked to Chaitanya as the embodiment of both Radha and Krishna. The six
were Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta
Goswami, Raghunatha dasa Goswami and Jiva Goswami. In the second generation of the
tradition, Narottama, Srinivasa and Shyamananda, three students of Jiva Goswami, the youngest
among the six Goswamis, were instrumental in spreading the theology across Bengal and Orissa.
The festival of Kheturi (approx 1574), presided over by Jahnava Thakurani, the wife
of Nityananda Rama, was the first time the leaders of the various branches of Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu's followers assembled together. Through such festivals, members of the loosely
organized tradition became acquainted with other branches along with their respective
theological and practical nuances. That notwithstanding, the tradition has maintained its plural
nature, having no central authority to preside over its matters. The festival of Kheturi allowed for
the systemization of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology as a distinct branch of Vaishnava theology.
17th-18th century
Gaudiya Matha historians assert that in the 17th–18th century, there was a period of general
decline in the movement's strength and popularity characterized by decreased public preaching
and the rise of persons following and promoting degraded teachings and practices. [18] These
groups are called apasampradayas.
In the 17th century, Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur held great merit in clarifying core doctrinal
issues over the practice of raganuga-bhakti through works such as Raga-vartma-chandrika. His
student Baladeva Vidyabhushan wrote a famous commentary on the Vedanta-
sutra called Govinda Bhashya.
The 18th century saw a number of luminaries headed by Siddha Jayakrishna Das Babaji of
Kamyavan and Siddha Krishnadas Babaji of Govardhan. The latter, a widely renowned teacher
of the mode of internal worship (raga-bhajan) practiced in the tradition, is largely responsible
for the current form of devotional practice embraced by some of the traditions based
in Vrindavan.
From the very beginning of Chaitanya's bhakti movement in Bengal, Haridasa Thakur and
others Muslim by birth were the participants. This openness received a boost from Bhaktivinoda
Thakur's broad-minded vision in the late 19th century and was institutionalized
by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur in his Gaudiya Matha in the 20th century.[20]
20th century renaissance
Sri Gaudiya Math (Kolkata, estd. 1930) is formed headquarter of Gaudiya Math, now headquarter of Gaudiya
Mission.BELOW
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This period was followed by a renaissance which began at the start of the 20th century. This
change is believed to have happened largely due to the efforts of a particularly adept preacher
known as Bhaktivinoda Thakur, who also held the position of a deputy magistrate with the
British government. Bhaktivinoda Thakur's son grew up to be both an eminent scholar and
highly influential Vaishnava preacher, known in his later life as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakur. In total, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur founded in 1918 Gaudiya Math and later
sixty-four Gaudiya Matha monasteries in India, Burma and Europe. The first European preaching
center was established in London in 1933 (London Glouster House, Cornwall Garden, W7 South
Kensington) under the name 'Gaudiya Mission Society of London'.
Soon after the Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's death (1 January 1937), a dispute began and the
original Gaudiya Math mission divided into two administrative bodies which continued
preaching on their own, up to the present day. In a settlement they divided the 64 Gaudiya Math
centers into two groups. Sri Chaitanya Math Branch were headed by Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha
Maharaj. Gaudiya Mission were headed by Ananta Vasudev Prabhu, who became known as Srila
Bhakti Prasad Puri Maharaj after accepting sannyasa for short duration.
Many of the disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati did not agree with the spirit of these
newly created two fractions, or were simply inspired to expand the mission of their guru on their
own enthusiasm, started their own missions. His disciple Srila Prabhupada went to the west in
order to spread Gaudiya-Vaishnavism. The society he established, the 'International Society for
Krishna Consciousness' (ISKCON) still functions today and continues its preaching mission.
Differences: Although sharing a common set of core beliefs, there are a number of philosophical
differences which distinguish Gaudiya Vaishnavism from other Vaishnava schools:
 In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Krishna is seen as the original form of God, i.e. the source of
Vishnu and not as His avatar. This is based primarily on verse 1.3.28 of the Bhagavata
Purana (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) and other scriptures. This belief is shared by
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the Nimbarka and Vallabha sampradayas, but not by the Ramanuja and Madhva schools,
who view Krishna as an avatar of Vishnu.
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 As Krishna's consort, Radha is similarly viewed as the source of all other Shaktis,
including Lakshmi and Sita.
 Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is worshiped as the most recent Avatar of Krishna to descend in the
current yuga, or age. Other sampradayas view Chaitanya as a devotee of Krishna only, and
not Krishna himself or a form of avatar. According to his biographies, Chaitanya did not
display himself as Krishna in public, and would, in fact, avoid being addressed as such. In
this regard A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami states, "[When] addressed as Lord Krishna, He
denied it. Indeed, He sometimes placed His hands over His ears, protesting that one should
not be addressed as the Supreme Lord".However at times Chaitanya would exhibit a different
mood and would welcome worship of himself as the Supreme Lord, and at a few occasions,
is said to have exhibited his Universal form. Rupa Goswami, when first meeting with
Chaitanya, composed the following verse showing his belief in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's
divinity:
"O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely
distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.”
Although this viewpoint outside of the Gaudiya tradition was disputed, Chaitanya's followers
prove it by pointing at verses throughout the Puranic literatures as evidence to support this claim.
Theological sources
Gaudiya Vaishnava theology is prominently expounded by Jiva Goswami in his Sat-sandarbhas,
six elaborate treatises on various aspects of God. Other prominent Gaudiya Vaishnava
theologians are his uncles, Rupa Gosvami author of Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and Sanatana
Gosvami, author of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Visvanatha Chakravarti author of Sri Camatkara-
candrika and Baladeva Vidyabhushana, author of Govinda Bhashya, a famous commentary
on Vedanta Sutra.
 Gaudiya Mission established by Ananta Vasudev Prabhu alias Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri
(1940)
 International Society for Krishna Consciousness established by A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada (1966)
 Science of Identity Foundation established by Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa (Chris
Butler) (1977)
 Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Trust established by Bhakti Hridaya Bon (1979)
Many of them (not all) are autonomous branches of the tree of the Gaudiya Math and members
of the World Vaisnava Association – Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha (WVA—VVRS) which had
been established in 1994
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Pancha-Tattva deities: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita

Acharya, Gadadhara and Srivasa, installed in a Gaudiya Vaishnava
temple/ISKCON's Bhajan during Navratri Golu at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
ISKCON devotees follow a disciplic line of Gaudiya Bhagavata Vaishnavas and are the largest
branch of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Vaishnavism means 'worship of Vishnu', and Gauḍa refers to
the area where this particular branch of Vaishnavism originated, in the Gauda region of West
Bengal. Gaudiya Vaishnavism has had a following in India, especially West Bengal and Odisha,
for the past five hundred years. Gaudiya Vaishnavism was founded by the saint Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu who rapidly spread his form of ecstatic bhakti (devotion) throughout Bengal. He
established Sankirtan, the practice of publicly expressing devotion to Lord Krishna, the Supreme
God, through dance and song. This form of communal worship responded to rigid caste
structures by engaging all people in worship regardless of caste and creed. Chaitanya emphasized
chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (the 'great mantra'). He is considered by Gaudiya
Vaishnavas to be an incarnation of Krishna himself.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brought Chaitanya's Gaudiya Vaishnavism to the West in
1965. At 69 years old, he landed in New York without any money. Instead of preaching to New
York's elite, he tapped into the 1960s countercultural spirit by preaching and chanting in public
parks and attracting hippies and the youth. His movement, then known as the "Hare Krishna
Movement", grew even larger when he relocated to San Francisco a year later. [10] When it spread
to England, it gained publicity and financial backing from the Beatles' George Harrison. He
recorded several tracks with the Hare Krishnas and included the Mahamantra in his hit track "My
Sweet Lord".The first Hare Krishna commune, New Vrindavan (West Virginia), was established
by Prabhupada in 1968. Since then, ISKCON has established more than 600 centers all over the
world and has millions of followers.
Key to the spread of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology in the Western world was Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada's extensive writings and translations, including the Bhagavad Gita As It
Is, Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), Chaitanya Charitamrita, and other scriptures.
These works are now available in more than seventy languages and serve as the scriptures of
ISKCON.
ISKCON describes Krishna as the source of all the avatars of God. Thus ISKCON devotees
worship Krishna as the highest form of God, svayam bhagavan, and often refer to him as the
15
Supreme Personality of Godhead in writing, which was a phrase coined by Prabhupada in his
books on the subject. To devotees, Radha represents Krishna's divine female counterpart, the
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original spiritual potency, and the embodiment of divine love. The individual soul is an eternal

personal identity which does not ultimately merge into a non-dual consciousness (Brahman) as
believed by the monistic (Advaita) schools of Hinduism. Prabhupada most frequently
offers Sanatana-dharma and Varnashrama dharma as more accurate names for the religious
system which accepts Vedic authority. It is a monotheistic tradition which has its roots in the
theistic Vedanta traditions.
.
The most famous and publicly recognizable ISKCON practice is kirtan, a congregational
chanting or singing of the Hare Krishna mantra. It's both a way to express devotion to God and a
way to attract newcomers to the movement. Devotees gather in public, in streets and parks, to
sing the mantra accompanied by instruments like the mridanga, hand cymbals, and the
harmonium. During the 1970s ISKCON entered the public eye because of this practice. Devotees
would sing, distribute books, and proselytize in airports and other public areas, often obtrusively.
Sankirtan continues throughout the world today, but in a less confrontational manner.
Other important religious practice within ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnavism is japa, or the
meditative practice of repeatedly chanting the names of Krishna on a rosary. It's considered the
only way for salvation for people in the current age. Prabhupada established a standard for
initiated devotees to chant sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna a day. [18] Each round requires
chanting the mahamantra 108 times on prayer beads, with sixteen rounds being 1728 repetitions
and taking around two hours.
Another important practice in ISKCON is arati (also called puja). In arati, devotees offer water,
incense, a fire lamp, and flowers to a murti, a sacred statue or image of Krishna. This is
accompanied by prayers and devotional songs called bhajans. Practitioners may perform arati at
their own home or congregate at a temple to join in the ceremony. Along with this worship,
devotees will bathe the murti, dress it, offer it food, and even put it to sleep. By doing arati and
serving the murti, devotees aim to deepen their relationship with Krishna.
ISKCON devotees meet regularly (typically on Sunday at a program known as the Sunday
Feast)[20] to worship deities, listen to discourses by senior devotees, participate in kirtan and eat
sanctified offered food.
Four Regulative Principles
During initiation (diksha) ISKCON devotees vow to follow four basic rules and regulations.
They are-
 to follow a lacto-vegetarian krishna prasadam diet

 not to consume any intoxicants (alcohol, cigarettes or drugs)
 not to gamble
 not to engage in 'illicit sex'
Festivals
Besides weekly gatherings, devotees within the ISKCON movement celebrate a diverse array of
Hindu festivals, including Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Diwali, Gaura
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Purnima, Ekadasi, Holi, Rama Navami, and Gita Jayanti.

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The Ratha Yatra Festival of Chariots is an annual parade whereby devotees chant and dance on
the street, pulling a chariot with the deities of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra behind
them. This public procession is typically followed by performances and free vegetarian food.
Preaching
ISKCON advocates preaching. Members try to spread Krishna consciousness primarily by
singing the Hare Krishna mantra in public places and by selling books written by the founder. [24]
A study conducted by E. Burke Rochford Jr. at the University of California found that there are
four types of contact between those in ISKCON and prospective members. Those are
individually motivated contact, contact made with members in public areas, contact made
through personal connections, and contact with sympathizers of the movement who strongly
encourage people to join.
According to the doctrine of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one does not need to be born in
a Hindu family to take up the practice. There are ISKCON communities around the world with
schools, restaurants, and farms.
Across the World
A Russian Hare Krishna girl

India
India has the highest density of ISKCON centers in the world, with over 150 temples, 12 state-
recognized educational institutions, 25 affiliated and non-affiliated restaurants, and a number of
tourist and pilgrimage hotels.[26] It is also home to Govardhan Eco-Village, an ayurvedic
treatment and retreat center near Mumbai ISKCON India has been known to espouse more
traditional orthodox Vedic values than its Western counterparts.
Shri Mayapur Chandroya Mandir Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur
Set to be completed in 2022, the Sri Mayapur Chandroya Mandir in West Bengal is built in the
birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of the Gaudiya-Vaishnava lineage of
Hinduism. The temple itself currently sits at 425 000 square feet and is 340 feet tall, and is
surrounded by accompanying lodges, shops, residences, educational centers, and gardens. The
project cost an estimated $75 million, with its’ major investor being Alfred B. Ford, the great-
grandson of Henry Ford. The complex ‘s main attraction is a planetarium based on Vedic
cosmology as well as exhibitions about the Vedic arts, sciences, and culture as described in
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the Srimad Bhagavatam. After completion, the temple will be the biggest in the world, second
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to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir, Vrindavan

Located in the Raman Reti area of Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, the temple was built in the original
village where the spiritual figures Krishna and Balarama are said to have resided in the Vedic
period of Indian history. It is built in close proximity to other holy sites such as the village of
Gokul, Govardhana Hill, the Mathura palace, and various holy lakes. As a result, ISKCON
Vrindavan is a common pilgrimage site for followers of the Krishna Conscious movement. The
complex is home to a guesthouse, a museum, gift shops, a restaurant, a bakery, a broadcast
studio as well as a marble temple hall. The temple is also affiliated with the Vrindavan Institute
of Higher Education.
Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, Bangalore
One of the ISKCON temples in Bengaluru, India. RIGHT Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium
Overseen by ISKCON Bangalore, the VCM is currently under construction and slated to be the
tallest religious monument in the world, featuring a helipad, theme park, museum,
accommodation, wooded, and park area, and temple.
Sri Sri Parthasarathi Mandir, New Delhi
The temple complex houses the Glory of India Vedic Cultural center, which is a set of interactive
educational exhibits, as well as the world’s largest printed religious book, known as the
“Astounding Bhagavad Gita”
Sri Sri Radha Madhav Sundar Mandir, Siliguri
This temple is located at Siligur and known as Gupta Nabadweep Dham.
Europe
There are over 135 ISKCON-affiliated temples and cultural centers in Europe. The ISKCON
movement in Europe is home to a number of rural and farming communities, including Nueva
Vrajamandala in Spain, La Nouvelle Mayapura in France, and Villa Vrindavan in Italy.
Radhadesh, Belgium
The Radhadesh temple in Durbuy, Belgium, is home to Bhaktivedanta College, which opened in
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2002 to provide ministerial and spiritual education for students, offering degrees and certificates
online and on-campus in Vaishnava theology externally validated by the University of Chester.
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The Radhadesh temple is also home to Radhadesh Mellows, an annual kirtan retreat. [39]
Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford
A landscaped property featuring gardens, lakes, a school, farm, numerous temple and housing
buildings, accommodations, and a bakery, the property for Bhaktivedanta Manor was donated
by George Harrison of the Beatles and is on the National Heritage List for England. The houses
on the property, including the temple, are built in the mock-Tudor mansion style of the 1800s.
Bhaktivedanta Manor is also home to the London College of Vedic Studies, [41] and is the
birthplace of the Avanti Schools Trust, a sponsor of state-funded primary and secondary schools
that provides both non-denominational and Hindu-faith education throughout the UK.
Demographically, devotees in Europe are majority of ethnic Europeans. An exception can be
made with the demographics of devotees in the United Kingdom, which caters to the Indian
immigrant population, mirroring the demographics of most North American centers.
North and South America
There are 56 formally affiliated ISKCON centers in the United States. Notable centers include
New Raman Reti in Alachua, FL and The Radha Kalachandji Temple in Dallas, TX. Hare
Krishna-affiliated full-time communities include New Vrindaban in West Virginia and Gita
Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary in Pennsylvania. There are various other centers in the United
States that promote Krishna Conscious culture without being formally affiliated with ISKCON,
including The Bhakti Center in New York City. The ISKCON Dallas temple is affiliated with the
nearby TKG Academy, which provides private school academic education with additional
Vedic-based courses.
There are 12 ISKCON centers in Canada, including the self-sustaining Saranagati Eco Village in
BC There are 5 formally affiliated ISKCON centers in Mexico.
There are 60 affiliated ISKCON temples in South America, with most congregations located in
Argentina and Brazil. There are also a number of devotee-run farming communities throughout
Latin America.
Asia, Africa, and Australasia
Asia is home to over 80 ISKCON affiliated centers, with most being located in Indonesia,
Malaysia, and the Philippines. There are 31 additional centers in Russia, as Vaishnava Hinduism
represents one of the largest denominations of faith in the country.
There are 69 affiliated ISKCON centers in Africa, four of which are rural farming communities
and three of which are educational centers. ISKCON Durban hosts the world's largest Ratha
Yatra Chariot Festival outside of India.
There are six ISKCON centers, including one farming village in Australia and four temple
centers in New Zealand. The Hare Krishna Temple in Christchurch, New Zealand, distributed
free meals to mourners and the local Muslim community after a mosque shooting in March 2019.
Kirtan & Music:The practice of mantra meditation, also known as kirtan, is prominent in the
ISKCON movement. Dedicated kirtan festivals are held annually around the world, such as the
19
Sadhu Sanga Retreat in Boone, North Carolina, Kirtan 50 in Dallas, Texas, and Radhadesh
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Mellows, in Durbuy, Belgium. Notable kirtaneers include Jahnavi Harrison, Gaura Vani, and the
Mayapuris, who have all released kirtan albums. Kirtan sessions are also held outside of temple

settings, including at a local university “Bhakti Clubs”, mantra lounges, and at a yoga and
wellness festivals.
Full theatrical performances have been produced based on the Vedic theologies. Prominent
performance companies include Viva Kultura and Vande Arts.
Vegetarianism is one of the four tenets of ISKCON
With respect to AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's focus on food distribution, many
ISKCON devotees have opened vegan and vegetarian eateries based on the Vedic non-violent
eating principles. These include the informal “Govindas’” food chain, Doughnut Plant, Divya’s
Kitchen NYC and OmNom Enlightened Eating.
Not all restaurants opened by ISKCON members are officially affiliated with ISKCON, although
many Govindas’ restaurants or catering businesses operate out of the main temple center.
Cow Protection and ISCOWP
ISCOWP (International Society for Cow Protection) was designed to “present alternatives to
agricultural and dietary practices that support and depend upon the meat and dairy industries’
slaughter of innocent animals, specifically the cow”. Their philosophy of “compassionate cow
protection” stems from the Hindu Vedic value of ahimsa, or non-violence, and the deity
Krishna's affection for cows and butter. ISCOWP believes that “the tenets of cow protection are
universal and non-sectarian, available to all regardless of race, creed, or nationality”.
ISKCON has a number of cow protection farms and centers known as “goshalas” around the
world in farming communities and temples. In 2018, Gita Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary was
the only USDA-Certified slaughter-free dairy production facility in the United States.
ISKCON Tribal Care Trust
ISKCON Tribal Care Trust (ITCT) is an ISKCON affiliate which aims at providing socio-
economic development to the tribal people. The trust has set up schools and potable water
sources for the tribal people.They also distribute blankets and study materials to the tribal
communities.
Food For Life Global
Managed by ISKCON devotees but ultimately unaffiliated with the ISKCON movement, Food
For Life Global is a not-for-profit vegan food relief organization with 211 international affiliates.
The organization predicts Food for Life volunteers distribute 2,000,000 free meals daily through
outreach to the homeless, school lunch programs, orphanages and for victims of natural disasters.
Notable missions include food distribution during the Chechen Wars and during the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina. There is internal debate as to whether food distribution efforts should be
required to include religious preaching, prayer or book distribution, but as of 2020 this is not
mandated by the organization. However, food distributed in these missions, as per customs of the
ISKCON movement, is often offered to temple deities prior to distribution.
Management
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Hare Krishna devotee. ISKCON Mayapur Main Gate

Bhaktivedanta Swami spent much of the last decade of his life setting up the institution of
ISKCON.
The Governing Body Commission (or GBC) was created by him in 1970. In a
document Direction of Management written on 28 July 1970 Prabhupada appointed twelve
members to the commission, all of them non-sannyasi, including Satsvarupa dasa
Goswami, Hansadutta Swami, and Tamala Krishna Goswami. The letter outlined the purposes of
the commission: improving the standard of temple management, the spread of Krishna
consciousness, the distribution of books and literature, the opening of new centers and the
education of the devotees. GBC has since grown in size to include 48 senior members from the
movement who make decisions based on consensus of opinion.
ISKCON guru system
Chanting beads, normally of tulsi wood given by an ISKCON Guru at the initiation to
an ISKCON devotee of Krishna.
ISKCON's founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada claimed to belong to the traditional
21
system of paramparā, or disciplic succession, in which teachings upheld by scriptures are handed
down from master to disciple, generation after generation.
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Youth Ministry
Most ISKCON temples offer Sunday School services for children of devotees during the weekly
program. The curriculum of these classes may vary by location.
ISKCON Pandava Sena
Based out of Bhaktivedanta Manor of Watford UK, ISKCON Pandava Sena is a youth
organization that aims to “connect like-minded souls to the timeless philosophy of the Vedas”.
The organization started in 1994 and is now composed of a variety of professionals and
university students that host annual international mentorship and reunion retreats and weekly
social gatherings.
Pandava Sena has also established “KCSocs” or “Krishna Conscious Societies” across 30
universities in the UK, bringing spirituality-based programming to students and working
professionals. Many universities have similar student groups featuring youth from local ISKCON
temples congregating for yoga, vegan food, or mantra meditation based on the KCSoc model.
The Sanga Initiative is a similar organization that is based in the United States and hosts an
annual youth retreat and camping trip for ISKCON children called Camp Ignite.
Youth Bus Tour
Also known as the Krishna Culture Festival Tours, these tours occur multiple times a year and
invite students and young professionals in the bhakti tradition to take cultural performances and
services to various locations, including Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, China,
Scandinavia, and Canada. There are various age and gender-specific groups available for tour
participation
ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry
Women's roles are a controversial issue within ISKCON, and its members have strongly
divergent opinions regarding the interpretation of Srila Prabhupada's teachings on gender roles.
While some of its leaders advocate that women should take public leadership roles, other leaders
disagree, and maintain that "traditional" roles for women are more appropriate. They fear an
undesirable influence of secular feminism within ISKCON.
According to the essay "Women in ISKCON in Prabhupada's times" written by Jyotirmayi Devi
Dasi, women are renowned within ISKCON and regarded as completely equal in regards to
spirituality. Prabhupada in his original writings encouraged the complete equality of women in
the eye of Krishna based on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita that soul does not have any gender
and everybody is eligible for spiritual liberation.
Since mother is the most respected position in Vedic culture, women within the Hare Krishna
community are all viewed as mothers, especially by celibate male members brahmacharis.
"Mother is a term of respect for women in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), and is often prefixed to the Sanskrit name they receive in initiation. Even unmarried
women are referred to as mothers".
After years of discussion and reforms, a general consensus emerged to accept women as leaders
22
and initiators in ISKCON. In 1998 Malati Devi Dasi became the first woman appointed to the
GBC. The second woman leader, Dina Sharana, was selected in 2009.
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An updated document was released by the GBC in 2019 stating that it was permissible for
women to become initiating gurus within the ISKCON movement.
The Ministry was developed to account for the growing interest of female devotees to partake in
temple practices and ensure representation in decision making.
ISKCON Child Protection Office
A suit for $900 million was filed in Texas State Court by alleged victims of abuse in the temples'
schools in the 1970s and 1980s.ISKCON had to later file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection.[97] Known as the Turley Case, the eventual 2008 settlement was $15 million.
In 1998, ISKCON published an exposé of widespread physical, emotional and sexual abuse of
children in the group's boarding schools in the United States and India. The Hare Krishna monks
and young devotees caring for the children had no training in the task and often resented having
to perform it, the report said. At a meeting in 1996, former Krishna pupils testified that they had
been regularly beaten at school, denied medical care, and sexually molested and raped.
The ISKCON Central Office of Child Protection was established by the GBC in 1997, and in
2005, released its first official Child Protection Policy and Procedure Guidelines. The CPO has
provided Child Protection Information Training to over 500 child care providers within the
organization internationally and continues to file and review reports on local Child Protection
Teams. The Child Protection Policy and Procedure Guidelines was revised and ratified by the
GBC in June 2018.
Significant Organizations
 The Grihastha Vision Team provides premarital, parenting and family counselling services
to members of any Vaishnava community. The team is made up of volunteers who are
mental health and/or educational professionals outside of the religious community.
 The Bhaktivedanta Medical Associations’ mission is to ”connect and inspire all devotees
within the medical profession; to improve our practice of Krishna consciousness; to assist
one another to improve our service to Srila Prabhupada: and the expand Krishna
consciousness among medical professionals.”[101] Based in the US, the BMA hosts an annual
medical conference for physicians and medical students with accredited North American
hospitals and medical schools. Areas of interest include ayurvedic and natural health, mental
health, physician burnout, meditation research, and dietary research.
 Started in 2002, ISKCON Resolve is a “neutral, confidential and informal” conflict-
resolution service for ISKCON congregation members and leaders. Services provided
include ombudsman services, conflict mediation services, and self-help tools.
 The ISKCON Domestic Abuse Coalition's mission is "to raise awareness of [domestic
abuse] within ISKCON and provide valuable resources for victims, leadership and the
community at large." The group formed in 2019 to release a statement denouncing all forms
of domestic violence and mistreatment of women within the ISKCON movement.
ISKCON has a friendly relationship with other Religious societies seeing them as contributing
in inculcating spiritual values in people.
23
In a historic first, ISKCON brought together the four Vaishnava Sampradayas for a Sankirtan
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festival in the year 2015.

It also has been organizing Vaishnava-Christian dialogues in the West for over 30 years to
explore common ground between the two personalistic faiths. In India they have been organized
from 2015 onwards.
ISKCON has experienced a number of significant internal problems, the majority of which
occurred from the late seventies onwards, and especially within the decade following
Prabhupada's death. ISKCON has also been scrutinised by some anti-cult movements.
Jharkhand
 In a landmark 1976 case, People vs. Murphy, the Supreme Court of New York found that
"'the Hare Krishna religion is a bona fide religion with roots in India that go back thousands
of years." Although the parents of two Hare Krishna members claimed ISKCON had
brainwashed their children, the court found they had not and that their children had freely
followed the tenets of their chosen faith.
 A brainwashing lawsuit filed by an Orange County mother and daughter, Robin George, in
1977 led to numerous appeals reaching the Supreme Court. In a long-awaited ruling on
religious liberty, the state appeals court dismissed a claim that the Hare Krishna sect
brainwashed a 15-year-old girl. In addition to the brainwashing claim, the 4th District Court
of Appeal dismissed claims that they intentionally caused Robin George emotional distress
and libeled her.
 Kirtanananda Swami, or Swami Bhaktipada, a leader of ISKCON, was expelled from the
organisation in 1987 for various deviations; he pleaded guilty before his 1996 retrial to one
count of racketeering and after serving 8 years of a 20-year prison sentence was subsequently
released in 2004. Previously in 1991 the jury found him not guilty on charges of conspiracy
to commit the murders-for-hire of two devotees, but found him guilty of racketeering and
mail fraud. These convictions were later overturned on appeal, only to result in the later
retrial. Kirtanananda is no longer considered a bonafide ISKCON initiating guru by the
movement. The case placed a spotlight on New Vrindaban, which by then had nearly 500
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members, making it the largest and most famous Hare Krishna community in the United
States at that time.
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Kanpur
 In the 1990s ISKCON faced accusations of child abuse, and its leaders acknowledged
physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children who were sent to live in the movement's
boarding schools in the United States and India in the 1970s and 1980s. Several safety
regulations and subcommittees, such as ISKCON Resolve and the ISKCON Child Protection
Office, have been developed since these allegations to ensure that legal rights as well as the
health and safety of devotees It has also been called for banning in Bangladesh by
the Hefazat-e-Islam organisation.
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A bad
 From 1971-1989, ISKCON devotees were jailed and beaten for performing their faith in
public by the KGB. Details of the struggle of devotees to maintain their religious practices
amidst Soviet policies have been fictionalized in the play "A Taste of Salted Bread"
 In 2006, a bomb blast occurred in the Iskcon Imphal in Manipur. In the bomb blast 5
devotees died and a further 50 were injured.
 In 2007, the Kazakhstan government authorities demolished 25 homes belonging to the
ISKCON members in Sri Vrindavan Dham commune in Almaty, on the grounds that they
were illegal constructions.
 In 2009, an orphanage run by the ISKCON Chittagong (Sri Sri Radha Madhava Mandir) in
Bangladesh was attacked by unknown men. The gang vandalised furniture and a statue in the
orphanage and beat the devotees. They also tried to take control of the temple and the
orphanage..
 In 2015, the ISKCON Dinajpur in Bangladesh was attacked by Jama'atul Mujahideen of
Bangladesh terrorists.The terrorists opened fire and at least two people were injured in the
attack.
 In 2016, the ISKCON Sylhet in Bangladesh was attacked by Muslims and at least ten people
were injured in that attack.
 In 2018, the gate of the ISKCON Temple in Curitiba, Brazil was targeted by unknown
perpetrators. The painting of Krishna with his mother Yashoda was defaced.
 In 2018, Rath yatra organised by ISKCON Dhaka in Bangladesh was attacked by a group of
people, leaving six devotees injured.
 In 2020, the banned terrorist organisation Ansar al-Islam planned an attack on the ISKCON
Dhaka but police arrested them.
The Hare Krishna mantra appears in some famous songs, such as former Beatle George
26
Harrison's 1970 hit "My Sweet Lord". John Lennon included the phrase "Hare Krishna" in his
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lyrics to "Give Peace a Chance" and the Beatles' 1967 track "I Am the Walrus". The backing

vocalists also sing the phrase in Ringo Starr's 1971 hit "It Don't Come Easy", written with the
help of Harrison, although the words were mixed low on the released version.
Of the four Beatles, only Harrison fully embraced Krishna Consciousness. He also provided
financial support for ISKCON's UK branch and in 1973 purchased Bhaktivedanta Manor as their
training center.[138] Harrison enjoyed a warm friendship with Swami Prabhupada, who provided
the inspiration for Harrison songs such as "Living in the Material World".
Known as the Hare Krishna movement on the western side, ISKCON is better recognized as a
monotheistic subdivision of the famous Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition. Mainly, ISKCON
believes in the teaching of Lord Krishna.
Chanting the sacred names of God is an essential practice in the Krishna Consciousness. It is one
of the major processes of the spiritual service. It is helpful in bringing peace and happiness by
enlivening the relationship of humans with God.
Around 525 years back, Lord Krishna descended on this earth to preach the recitation of the
Holy Names and to teach the people of the Kaliyuga how to become a devotee ,by Himself
taking the form of a devotee. This devotee form was none other than great Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu,who is a combine form of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna. Later, He popularized the
sacred mantra: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ,Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare”.
In the year 1965, the famous envoy of the spiritual teachings in India, His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada (1896-1977) carried the movement further and
established ISKCON in the New York. Let’s have a look at the brief history of the ISKCON:
 During 1965, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada ,left Vrndavan behind for spreading the
message of Lord Krishna in the Western countries. After that, he entered Boston with a trunk full
of Lord Krishna’s books and just 40 rs. in his pocket. Initially, he struggled a lot but within a few
days, people started noticing him. Some curious people joined him in his chanting while some
started to acquire serious concern in his holy mission.
 He lived in the New York until the year 1966. He had started giving lectures on the sacred
Bhagavad Gita weekly. In 1966, he established ISKCON in the NYC successfully.
 During the time period of 1966-1968, more followers joined the sacred mission. As a result, he
inaugurated temples in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Montreal and
New Mexico as well.
 The first Rath-Yatra festival was organized in the San Francisco. Rath-Yatra festival is the
largest and oldest yearly festivals, celebrated in India. However, at present, this Rath-Yatra
festival is also celebrated in the different corners of the world as well, by the devotees of the
ISKCON.
 Between 1969-1973, several temples were inaugurated in Canada, Europe, Mexico, Africa,
South America and India. A supervisory body was also established in the year 1970 to supervise
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the overall growth of the society.

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 During the time of 1970-1977, ISKCON created several major pilgrimage centers and sites at the
Vrndavana and Mayapur in India. A largest temple in the Mumbai was also built by the same
name.
 Srila Prabhupada established BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust), a publishing house in 1972. In
the contemporary, they are one of the biggest publishers of Lord Krishna’s books. Srila
Prabhupada converted over 40-volumes of Krishna Literatures from Sanskrit to English in the
span of 1966-1977. Books like ‘Srimad Bhagavatam’ or ‘Bhagavata Purana’, the ‘18-volumes of
Lord Krishna's incarnation’s history’, ‘pastimes and devotees’, ‘Sri Caitanya Caritamrita’, the ‘9-
volumes of biography and teaching methods of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’ have been issued by
the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in over 50 languages.
 Bhaktivedanta Institute created in 1973 to support the Vedas teachings.
 1974 is a crucial year for ISKCON. They started the relief programs of food in the disaster areas
globally.
 It was November 1977, when Srila Prabhupada left his devotees alone. As of now, ISKCON had
successfully established around 108 temples, educational communities, centers and over 10,000
members.
 The whole ‘Hare Krishna Movement’ appeared as a revolutionary change in the former Soviet
Union during 1989. As a result, around 1-million copies had been vended in the country by the
1991.
 Several internet projects like ISKCON.com, Krishna.com and more Krishna websites were
launched in the beginning of the 90’s.
 In the present, ISKCON has more than 500 centers globally.
Just like the sun, ISKCON has different names in the different corners of the globe. You can also
practice consciousness of Lord Krishna and turn out to be a part of ISKCON. For this, you don’t
have to leave your religion. You just need to take on the practices. Even though, it is ethically a
part of the ‘Gaudiya Vaishnava’ institution within Hinduism, the Krishna consciousness is all
about going beyond the boundaries of material bodies also related designations and relate with
the ultimate power.
ISKCON Temples Information:
 Name of Foundation: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness

 Also Known as: Hare Krishna Movement
 Location: Worldwide
 Type: Religious Organization
 Founder: C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 Year of Establishment: 13 th July 1966 in New York City, USA
28
 Headquarters: Mayapur, West Bengal


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Affiliations: Gaudiya Vaishnavism

 Largest ISKCON Complex: ISKCON Bangalore

 Architecture of ISKCON Temples: Neo-Vedic and Classical Indian with a touch
of modern elements
ISKCON: History
ISKCON was founded by Abhaya Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami (born Abhay

Charan De) in New York City, USA, in the year 1966. He is considered as the spiritual
guru of the organization. ISKCON was founded with the objective of encouraging the
practice of Bhakti Yoga or Krishna Consciousness. The members of ISKCON dedicate
their words and deeds towards pleasing Lord Krishna, whom they consider to be the
Supreme One.
ISKCON: Today
In the last 53 years, the organization has opened hundreds of temples, centers, and rural
communities across the world. ISKCON has also established over a hundred vegetarian
restaurants, several local meeting groups, and a number of community projects including
free food distribution programs (Food for Life Project) and eco -villages, to mention a few.
They have also founded a scientific research branch in 1976, named Bhaktivedanta Institute
(BI), which encourages the study of the origin of life and nature by making use of Vedic
insights.
Architecture of ISKCON Temples
Many of the ISKCON temples in India and abroad showcase features of neo-Vedic and
traditional forms of architecture. For instance, the temple established in Spanish Fork,
United States is designed like a 15 th-century Indian palace complete with elaborate arches,
verandas, and columns. The temple in West Virginia, which has been called the Taj of
America, features a splendid gold dome. Many ISKCON temples in India are also designed
using classic architectural styles.
Core Beliefs of ISKCON
The members of ISKCON follow the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, a Vaishnava religious
movement that has been prevalent in India since the latter part of the 15 thcentury. ISKCON
followers form the largest branch of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Bhaktivedanta Swami took this
tradition to the Western world and spread it through his write-ups and translations of Hindu
Holy Scriptures like the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, and Chaitanya
Charitamrita among others. These works are now regarded as the scriptures of ISKCON
and are available in many languages.
The ISKCON theology upholds Lord Krishna as the ultimate God and the source of all
29
avatars of the Almighty. Radha is regarded as the female counterpart of Krishna and the
Page
epitome of divine love.

Preaching is a major element of the ISKCON movement. Followers of this organization

spread consciousness about Lord Krishna mainly through the singing of Hare Krishna
songs and mantras in public places and distributing books written by the founder -guru.
These activities are called Sankirtan within the organization.
Major ISKCON Temples in India
ISKCON has a huge following of devotees in India. Several cities and towns have
elaborately designed temples where Lord Krishna is worshipped and glorified. Here is a list
of the major ISKCON temples in India:
Temple Name Location
ISKCON Mayapur Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple Mayapur, West Bengal
ISKCON Bangalore Sri Radha Krishna Temple Rajajinagar, Bangalore
ISKCON Vrindavan Sri Krishna Balaram Temple Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
Sri Sri Radhikaraman-Krishna

ISKCON New Delhi East of Kailash, New Delhi
Balaram Temple
ISKCON Mumbai Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple Chowpatty, Mumbai
Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchandra

ISKCON Pune Camp, Pune
Temple
ISKCON Hyderabad Sri Sri Radha-Madanmohan Mandir Abids, Hyderabad
ISKCON Noida Sri Sri Radha Govind Mandir Sector 33, Noida
Sarkhej – Gandhinagar
ISKCON Ahmedabad Sri Sri Radha Govind Dham
Highway, Ahmedabad
ISKCON Chennai Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple Sholinganallur, Chennai
Sri Sri Radha Madhav Sundar

ISKCON Siliguri Siliguri, West Bengal
Mandir
ISKCON Guwahati Sri Sri Rukmini Krishna South Sarania, Guwahati
ISKCON
Shri Krishna Balaram Temple Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
30
ISKCON Surat Sri Sri Radha Damodar Mandir Jahangir Pura, Surat
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ISKCON Anantapur Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Temple Somaladoddi, Andhra Pradesh
ISKCON Chandigarh Sri Sri Radha Madhav Temple Sector-36B, Chandigarh
Lesser-known Facts about ISKCON Temples
 The ISKCON temple in Bangalore is touted to be the largest ISKCON complex in

the world. It features a gold-plated flag post that is 56 feet high.
 The ISKCON temple in Delhi is known for its Bhagavad Gita Animatronics,
Mahabharata Light and Sound Show, and a Ramayana Art Gallery.
 The ISKCON temple in Delhi also houses the Astounding Bhagavad Gita, which is
arguably the largest religious book ever printed. The book weighs over 800
kilograms.
 George Harrison, one of the members of the Beatles, was a follower of the Krishna
Consciousness. He is believed to have provided financial support to the ISKCON
temple in the UK.
 Abhaya Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami, the founder of ISKCON, was a family
man running a small pharmaceutical business before he renounced the worldly
pleasures and took the religious path.
The ISKCON temples serve as major tourist place in most cities across India. Whether you
follow the religious beliefs propagated by the organization or not, you can always walk into
these elaborate temples and immerse in the spiritual vibe, architectural grandeur, and
serenity of the place. So next time when you are in any of these cities, don’t forget to
include the ISKCON temple in your itinerary.
ISKCON Temple, Mumbai officially known as Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari ji Temple is a
temple in Juhu area in Mumbai in India. It is set upon four acres of land and a stone throw away
from Juhu Beach. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya
of ISKCON (also known as the Hare Krishna Movement) inspired the construction of one of
India's most beautiful temple of Lord Krishna in Mumbai. The presiding Deities at the temple,
Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari and Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman were
personally installed by the founder of ISKCON. The temple is visited by thousands of people and
devotees during festive occasions.
31
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Sri Radha Rasabihariji -ISKCON Juhu

In the early 1970s, Srila Prabhupada acquired the Juhu property and promised Sri Sri Radha
Rasabihari Deities who were then housed in small shack. The temple complex opened in 1978
and includes a spacious marble temple, an auditorium, restaurant and a twin towered seven-
storey guest house where visitors can stay and participate in the daily spiritual programs of the
temple. ISKCON is regular destination of visit for many eminent celebrities. Many Indian and
International movies have shown the Hare Krishna culture. [1]
Daily Free Prasadam Distribution at ISKCON Juhu

ISKCON Juhu is also a hub of research and education starting from its scientific research to
school education (Bhaktivedanta Swami Mission School) with I.C.S.E curriculum. It also holds
daily discourses on various Vedic scriptures along with many regular seminar and courses. The
‘Heaven on Earth’ complex houses a spacious library which not only has an extensive collection
of spiritual books but also a multi media section. One can watch ISKCON's many international
videos and relish hundreds of lectures, kirtans and bhajans. Membership is free and all are
welcome to avail of the excellent facilities. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) is the world's
largest publisher of books concerning Krishna and the philosophy, religion, and culture of the
Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of India. Bhakti Kala Kshetra is the cultural wing, consisting an
auditorium, is a center for many cultural festival starring Ravi Shankar, Jagjit Singh, Protima
Bedi, Vyajayantimala, Hema Malini, Anup Jalota and many others.
Every Sunday, Youth Program "Self Excellence" is held at ISKCON Juhu. The program is
mostly held at Chakra Hall, 2nd Floor, Above Govinda's Restaurant. Timings for the program at
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Sumptuous dinner prasadam is served to the attendees after the program.
32
Page

The Daan Paatra Foundation is one initiative started by members of the temple, which has
received wide spread praise for raising funds for various charitable causes.
33
Page

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Compiled by Dr Uday Dokras, PhD SWEDEN

Second Largest ISKCON Temple in the World to Open in Kanpur

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Architect's drawing of the new Kanpur temple complex, aerial view

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

ISKCON Temples: A Religious Organization Dedicated to Lord Krishna

of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

difference. In Sanskrit achintya means 'inconceivable', bheda translates as 'difference',

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Today, it has around a million congregational members worldwide including 15,000 in

Gaudiya Vaishnavism known as Bengali Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Vaishnavism (Caitanya

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Supreme Person (God)

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Pancha-Tattva deities: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

 to follow a lacto-vegetarian krishna prasadam diet

Purnima, Ekadasi, Holi, Rama Navami, and Gita Jayanti.

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

A Russian Hare Krishna girl

to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir, Vrindavan

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Hare Krishna devotee. ISKCON Mayapur Main Gate

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

festival in the year 2015.

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

the overall growth of the society.

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

ISKCON Temples Information:

 Name of Foundation: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness

 Headquarters: Mayapur, West Bengal

Affiliations: Gaudiya Vaishnavism

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

 Largest ISKCON Complex: ISKCON Bangalore

ISKCON was founded by Abhaya Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami (born Abhay

Architecture of ISKCON Temples

Core Beliefs of ISKCON

epitome of divine love.

Journal of the Indo Nordic Author’s Collective, Tampere,FINLAND,Stockholm,SWEDEN and Nagpur-INDIA

Preaching is a major element of the ISKCON movement. Followers of this organization

Major ISKCON Temples in India

Temple Name Location

ISKCON Mayapur Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple Mayapur, West Bengal

ISKCON Bangalore Sri Radha Krishna Temple Rajajinagar, Bangalore

ISKCON Vrindavan Sri Krishna Balaram Temple Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh