ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaisnava Sampradaya, a monotheistic tradition within broad Hindu culture. It is based, in a scriptural way, on the Bhagavad-gita, or Song of God, a 5,000-year-old Sanskrit text. ISKCON traces its lineage directly from Lord Krishna, the speaker of the holy book, revered as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of God in 16th century India, who emphasized chanting the Hare Krishna mantra as the most effective means of achieving self-realization and love for God in this era.
FOUNDER :
In 1965, at the age of 69, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanata Swami Prabhupada traveled alone from India to America to bring the teachings of Krishna to the West. On July 11, 1966, Srila Prabhupada officially registered the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York, and thus began the Hare Krishna Movement in America. Srila Prabhupada passed away in 1977.
MISSION :
The non-sectarian mission of this monotheistic movement is to develop the well-being of society by promoting the science of Krishna Consciousness. To this end, Srila Prabhupada established ISKCON's mission statement into seven purposes.
SACRED TEXTS :
ISKCON's philosophy is based on ancient Vedic texts. These include the Bhagavad-gita, the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Caitanya-Charitamrita. Study of these scriptures takes place in ISKCON temples daily, and special narrations, or lectures, are often part of weekly community gatherings and festivals.