Within the ISKCON tradition, the heart of spiritual study is a set of core scriptures that articulate the theology and practice of Krishna consciousness in a systematic way. Foremost among these is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is*, his translation and commentary on the *Bhagavad-gītā*, which functions as a foundational guide to devotional life and philosophy. Alongside it stands the multivolume *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (Bhāgavata Purāṇa), especially revered for its detailed narration of Krishna’s pastimes and its presentation of pure bhakti as the ultimate spiritual path. Complementing these is *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, the principal biography and theological exposition of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whose life and teachings form the living model of the devotional mood ISKCON seeks to embody.

Surrounding this central triad is a constellation of texts that deepen and refine the understanding of devotional service. *The Nectar of Devotion*, Prabhupāda’s summary study of Rūpa Gosvāmī’s *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*, lays out the “science of devotional service” in a structured manner, guiding practitioners through stages and nuances of bhakti. *The Nectar of Instruction*, his presentation of Rūpa Gosvāmī’s *Upadeśāmṛta*, offers concise yet profound guidance on conduct, association, and inner cultivation for serious aspirants. The book *Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead* serves as a narrative doorway into the Tenth Canto of the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, allowing readers to enter more personally into Krishna’s pastimes and thus deepen their devotional sentiment.

In addition to these, certain works occupy a special place as authoritative complements to the primary canon. *Śrī Īśopaniṣad* is honored as a principal Upaniṣad that frames the personal nature of the Absolute within the broader Vedic revelation. Texts such as *Teachings of Lord Caitanya* and *Teachings of Queen Kuntī* distill and organize key scriptural teachings, making them more accessible while remaining firmly rooted in the original sources. Underlying all of this is the conviction that Prabhupāda’s translations and purports to the *Bhagavad-gītā*, *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, and *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* constitute the definitive presentation of these scriptures for ISKCON, and thus form the central axis around which study, practice, and preaching revolve.