INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Founder Acharya: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Known popularly as the Hare Krishna Movement, ISKCON is a global confederation comprising over 600 temples and centers, 110 vegetarian restaurants, and a diverse range of community initiatives. ISKCON is part of the Gaudiya-Vaishnava tradition, a monotheistic lineage within the broader Vedic and Hindu cultural framework.
ISKCON has its spiritual lineage directly from Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as depicted in all Vedic Sriptures like Bhagavad-Gita & Srimad Bhagavatam. ISKCON teaches that life's ultimate purpose is to cultivate love for God, or Krishna, through the practice of Bhakti-Yoga, the discipline of Devotional Service. In the late 15th century, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu played a pivotal role in the revival of the bhakti-yoga tradition, launching a widespread spiritual movement across India. At the heart of this renaissance was the profound significance of chanting Krishna's Holy Name, based upon a profound, rational, and intellectually comprehensive theology.
This nonsectarian and monotheistic movement is dedicated to advancing societal well-being by disseminating the spiritual science of Krishna consciousness.