Iskcon

• Menu Toggle • Latest Postings • News and Updates • Menu Toggle • GBC Members Menu Toggle • GBC Emeritus • Ministries • Submit a proposal • GBC Resolutions • Translated GBC Resolutions • Papers and Manuals • Initiating Gurus in ISKCON • Founder-Acharya Website • • Menu Toggle • Facebook • Youtube Channel • Videos • The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is the spiritual institution founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in July 1966 as a continuation of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya. ISKCON was personally directed by its Founder-Acarya Srila Prabhupada until his departure on November 14, 1977. According to Srila Prabhupada’s will, ISKCON continued thereafter under the ultimate managing authority of the Governing Body Commission (GBC). In ISKCON’s incorporating document, Srila Prabhupada imparts the “Seven Purposes of ISKCON”: 1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples 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 as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. 3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, and thus to develop 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...

The most important rite of an ISKCON devotee is that of initiation, the ritual by which a person becomes a devotee of Krishna. Initiation takes two forms. The first initiation, or harinamadiksa (bestowing of the holy name of Krishna), functions as initial entrance into the movement. The initiate must first answer a series of creedal questions, and after receiving approval from the guru, may engage in the ceremony of initiation. The ritual involves a yajna, an ancient fire sacrifice modeled on a Vedic ceremony. As part of the ceremony the initiate makes several vows. The vows include the positive prescription to chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra and the negative proscriptions against gambling, meat-eating, illicit sex, and intoxicants. The initiate also receives a new name from his or her guru. This new name, always Sanskrit, represents a symbolic rebirth. The name takes the form of a name, quality, or identity of the divine, followed by the suffix "Dasa" (for males) or "Dasi" (for females) meaning "servant of." For example, an initiate might receive the name Balarama Dasa, meaning the Servant of Balarama, the brother of Krishna. (Some male ISKCON members use the shortened version of the suffix, Das, and some female members use the longer suffix "Devi Dasi.") The second initiation marks full admission into ISKCON, again functioning as a symbolic rebirth. The ceremony draws on the traditional Hindu rite by which members of the three highest castes become "twice-born." In kee...

Although our temple has numerous departments performing various different services, the main focus is on the deity worship, prasadam distribution, studying and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, goshala, devotee care and 24 hour kirtan of the holy names of the Lord, and all other functions carried out in the temple are all meant to support and encourage the betterment and success of these key services. The Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, situated in the Raman Reti area of Vrindavan, holds a special significance for devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This grand temple represents the fulfilled dream of Srila Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of ISKCON, who wished to construct a temple of unparalleled beauty for the worship of the transcendental brothers Krishna and Balaram in the same village where They played more than five thousand years ago. Srila Prabhupada directly oversaw all aspects of design and construction and personally called the Lord to come and accept the worship of His devotees from around the world. He said, “Lord Balaram is the source of spiritual strength, and I have built this temple just to give strength to the devotees”. Now the scientists are trying to reach the moon planet, but it is very difficult for them to gain entrance, because they do not have a suitable body. But if we enter into the higher planets by this yoga system, then we will get a body suitable for those planets. For every planet there is a suitable body. Other...