What is ISKCON?

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a worldwide nonsectarian association which promotes the well-being of human society by teaching the science of Krishna consciousness (Bhakti-yoga), and originates in the authentic 5000-year-old spiritual tradition known as Vaisnavism. Its teachings, found in the ancient Vedic scriptures of India, have been handed down through a successive line of authorized spiritual teachers.

The main purpose of ISKCON is to educate the society at large in these techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.

Members of ISKCON are people of all walks of life – educated professionals, farmers, housewives, mothers, students, workers, artists… The great majority of them live in their own homes, maintain their own families. What unites them all is their practice of bhakti yoga.

ISKCON is also well known as one of the greatest vegetarian food relief organizations – Its program Food for Life has, for the last two decades, served more than 90 million hot, nutritious vegetarian meals throughout America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe – in many cities special food distribution vehicles deliver free meals to low-income areas as well as provide relief programs at times of natural disasters. These are not ordinary meals – all food is first sanctified to provide complete nourishment for the body and soul.