Krishna Consciousness

Krishna consciousness is a direct process of linking ourselves with the Supreme Lord by engaging in His loving devotional service with the proper understanding of His position and His relationship with us.

“Religion without philosophy is sentiment and philosophy without religion is speculation.” Therefore, in order to establish relationship with the Lord one must have proper philosophical understanding of the Lord based on the bona fide Vedic scriptures and one must engage in practical religious actions as taught by the scriptures and great acharyas. Knowledge guides us in proper action and action helps us in realizing the spiritual knowledge. Krishna consciousness stands on these two fundamental principles and thus, is an authorized process of yoga.

Krishna consciousness was spread all over India in the sixteenth century by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who taught that bhakti-yoga is the essence of all religion and the most important point taught in all scripture. He radically challenged the established religious views of the time and convinced Hindus, Muslims, and impersonalists alike to embrace the non-sectarian principles of Krishna consciousness; that anyone, from any social status or background, has equal access to God by practicing devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada established Hare Krishna Movement or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 1966. He travelled around the world to established more than 100 temples of Krishna and initiated more than 10000 disciples into Krishna consciousness.

Why not “God” Consciousness?

“We shall call our society ‘ISKCON.’” Prabhupada laughed playfully when he first coined the acronym.

He had initiated the legal work of incorporation that spring, while still living on the Bowery. But even before its legal beginning, Prabhupada had been talking about his “International Society for Krishna Consciousness,” and so it had appeared in letters to India and in The Village Voice. A friend had suggested a title that would sound more familiar to Westerners, “International Society for God Consciousness,” but Prabhupada had insisted: “Krishna Consciousness.” “God” was a vague term, whereas “Krishna” was exact and scientific; “God consciousness” was spiritually weaker, less personal. And if Westerners didn’t know that Krishna was God, then the International Society for Krishna Consciousness would tell them, by spreading His glories “in every town and village.”

“Krishna consciousness” was Prabhupada’s own rendering of a phrase from Srila Rupa Goswami’s Padyavali, written in the sixteenth century. Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita,“ to be absorbed in the mellow taste of executing devotional service to Krishna.”