ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization founded in New York City in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Rooted in the bhakti tradition, it presents Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and emphasizes a life centered on loving devotional service to Him. Often known as the Hare Krishna movement, it seeks to make the practice of devotion to Krishna accessible to people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds. Its theological foundation rests especially on the Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, studied through the lens of Swami Prabhupada’s translations and commentaries.

The heart of ISKCON’s spiritual practice is the cultivation of “Krishna consciousness,” understood as awakening the soul’s original, eternal relationship with Krishna. This is pursued primarily through bhakti-yoga, with a special stress on the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra, both individually (japa) and congregationally (kīrtana). Alongside this, adherents engage in deity worship, temple services, and regular study of sacred texts, all intended to orient daily life toward remembrance and service of Krishna. The movement teaches that such devotional engagement is the path to spiritual perfection and genuine inner fulfillment.

Ethical discipline plays a central role in ISKCON’s way of life. Practitioners are encouraged to follow four regulative principles: abstaining from meat-eating, intoxication, illicit sex, and gambling. These guidelines are seen not merely as moral rules but as supports for clarity of consciousness and steady devotion. Vegetarianism, in particular, is closely linked with the ideal of offering food to Krishna in a spirit of gratitude and service, then honoring it as prasāda, sanctified food.

Organizationally, ISKCON functions as a global religious society with temples, ashrams, schools, farms, and various communities. Its outreach includes public chanting, festivals, distribution of Krishna conscious literature, and educational programs designed to share its teachings widely. All of these activities are oriented toward the same central mission: to propagate Krishna consciousness throughout the world and to foster unity on the basis of love of God, as articulated by Swami Prabhupada.