About ISKCON

ISKCON, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is a spiritual organization that emerged from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Eastern India, influenced by the 16th-century teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Founded in 1966 by Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON was created to promote world peace and unity through the teachings of Lord Krishna. Over eleven years, Prabhupada traveled the world, lecturing and setting up temples, educational institutions, and the Hare Krishna Food for Life program, the largest vegetarian food relief effort globally. Currently it has over 800 centers all over the world.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), otherwise known as the Hare Krishna movement, includes five hundred major centers, temples and rural communities, nearly one hundred affiliated vegetarian restaurants, thousands of namahattas or local meeting groups, a wide variety of community projects, and millions of congregational members worldwide. Although less than fifty years on the global stage, ISKCON has expanded widely since its founding by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda in New York City in 1966.

ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradāya, a monotheistic tradition within the Vedic or Hindu culture. Philosophically it is based on the Sanskrit texts Bhagavad-gītā and the Bhagavat Purana, or Srimad Bhagavatam. These are the historic texts of the devotional bhakti yoga tradition, which teaches that the ultimate goal for all living beings is to reawaken their love for God, or Lord Krishna, the “all-attractive one”.

God is known across the world by many names including Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Rama, etc. ISKCON devotees chant God’s names in the form of the maha-mantra, or the great prayer for deliverance: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The Satsang activities of ISKCON began in the early 1990s, starting with a small group of devotees led by Dhananjay Das in 1993. By mid-1995, this group evolved into a weekly Satsang in Vrindavan Society, guided by Dayalchandra Das. Around the same time, Paramhamsa Das initiated a youth program which later sustained under the support of Anupam Das.

Eventually in the past 25 years, under the guidance of Jagannath Priya Das, various programs for youth, children, and the general congregation were developed all across Thane. ISKCON Thane has now metamorphosed and grown to become a beautiful platform

for devotional service, spiritual discourses, spiritual functions,soul stirring kirtans, spiritual retreats and much more.

Meanwhile in 2011, a well-know industrialist Mr. Ajay Piramal offered to donate 4 acres of land for a temple in Thane in honor of his late mother, Lalita Sakhi Devi’s desire. This led to the unveiling of the current Sri Sri Radha Govind Dev temple on March 17, 2024 under the aegis of His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj.

The temple is meticulously carved out in Indian pink sandstone. The main hall has 18 intricately carved pillars along with a marble altar which seats Srila Prabhupada and the main deity altar in the garbh griha (sanctum sanctorum). There are 3 levels of pastimes carved around the parikrama path. The lower level has the Dashavatars, the middle has pastimes of Krishna Lila and other pastimes from Srimad Bhagwatam while the upper level has pastimes of Lord Ram. The temple is fondly attributed as mini-Ayodhya by visitors.

About Founder

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Born on September 1, 1896, as Abhay Charan De, Prabhupada was initially involved in India’s independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. A significant turning point came in 1922 after meeting Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a revered scholar and spiritual leader, who inspired him to dedicate his life to spreading Krishna’s teachings to the English-speaking world. At 69, Prabhupada traveled to New York aboard a cargo ship, overcoming severe hardships including two heart attacks. After 35 days at sea, he first arrived at a lonely Brooklyn pier with just seven dollars in Indian rupees and a crate of his translations of sacred Sanskrit texts. 

In New York, he faced great hardships and began his mission humbly by giving classes on the Bhagavad-gita in lofts on the Bowery and leading kirtan (traditional devotional chants) in Tompkins Square Park. His teachings attracted many followers, allowing him to establish a temple and expand his activities.

Prabhupada revitalized the Vaishnava tradition and opened many temples. His literary contributions include over 70 volumes on the Krishna tradition, translated into 76 languages, with some used as textbooks in college courses. Prabhupada’s most noted works are Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. To spread the teachings he established The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), which is the world’s largest publisher of books concerning Krishna and the philosophy, religion, and culture of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of India having distributed over half a billion books. 

He passed away in 1977 in Vrindavana, India, leaving a lasting global impact.

ISKCON Thane

The Satsang activities of ISKCON began in the early 1990s, starting with a small group of devotees led by Dhananjay Das in 1993. By mid-1995, this group evolved into a weekly Satsang in Vrindavan Society, guided by Dayalchandra Das. Around the same time, Paramhamsa Das initiated a youth program which later sustained under the support of Anupam Das.

Eventually in the past 25 years, under the guidance of Jagannath Priya Das, various programs for youth, children, and the general congregation were developed all across Thane. ISKCON Thane has now metamorphosed and grown to become a beautiful platform for devotional service, spiritual discourses, spiritual functions,soul stirring kirtans, spiritual retreats and much more.

Meanwhile in 2011, a well-know industrialist Mr. Ajay Piramal offered to donate 4 acres of land for a temple in Thane in honor of his late mother, Lalita Sakhi Devi’s desire. This led to the unveiling of the current Sri Sri Radha Govind Dev temple on March 17, 2024 under the aegis of His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj.

The temple is meticulously carved out in Indian pink sandstone. The main hall has 18 intricately carved pillars along with a marble altar which seats Srila Prabhupada and the main deity altar in the garbh griha (sanctum sanctorum). There are 3 levels of pastimes carved around the parikrama path. The lower level has the Dashavatars, the middle has pastimes of Krishna Lila and other pastimes from Srimad Bhagwatam while the upper level has pastimes of Lord Ram. The temple is fondly attributed as mini-Ayodhya by visitors.

ISKCON Thane

The Satsang activities of ISKCON began in the early 1990s, starting with a small group of devotees led by Dhananjay Das in 1993. By mid-1995, this group evolved into a weekly Satsang in Vrindavan Society, guided by Dayalchandra Das. Around the same time, Paramhamsa Das initiated a youth program which later sustained under the support of Anupam Das.

Eventually in the past 25 years, under the guidance of Jagannath Priya Das, various programs for youth, children, and the general congregation were developed all across Thane. ISKCON Thane has now metamorphosed and grown to become a beautiful platform for devotional service, spiritual discourses, spiritual functions,soul stirring kirtans, spiritual retreats and much more. 

 

Our Mission

When Prabhupada began the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (in New York City in 1966), he formulated a clear mission. Thus the Purposes of ISKCON are as follows:

The goal is to spread spiritual wisdom widely, educating people in the ways of spiritual living to restore balance and foster genuine unity and peace globally. This includes promoting an awareness of Krishna, as elucidated in India’s revered scriptures like the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Additionally, it aims to unite Society members with each other and with Krishna, emphasizing that every soul is inherently linked to the divine. The sankirtana movement, centred on communal chanting of God’s holy name according to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings, is encouraged. Creating a sacred space dedicated to Krishna’s transcendental pastimes is part of this vision, as is fostering a simpler, more natural lifestyle among members. The Society publishes and distributes periodicals, magazines, books, and other literature to achieve these objectives.

Our Beliefs

Karma
Ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Why do we suffer? Why are some days awesome and others morose? If God exists, why does He keep quiet about it? The answer to all the above questions is karma. Karma is one of those topics that many people know about, but few understand the intricacies of it.
Bhakti Yoga
Yoga is more than just a physical exercise. The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root Yuj which means to link up with, or combine. Bhakti is derived from the Sanskrit word bhaj, which means – loving service. Bhakti-yoga means to connect to the Supreme by means of loving devotional service.
Mantra Meditation
In this age of quarrel and anxiety (Kali-yuga), Krishna incarnates as His Holy Name. The Vedic scripture Kali-Santarana Upanisad mentions that the best mantra recommended for this age is the Hare Krishna mantra : Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Reincarnation
Everyone at some time in life wonders what happens after death. Throughout history, some of the most thoughtful minds have advocated that life does not end with the death of our body, but continues on via a process known as reincarnation. In the Western world, followers of the Orphic religion in ancient Greece were the first known exponents of reincarnation.
Vegetarianism
Sometimes referred to as the “kitchen religion,” ISKCON, or the Hare Krishna Movement, believes the art of cooking is a sacred experience. The preparation and eating of food should be based on principles of compassion, non-violence and balanced living. Thus, Krishna devotees advocate a lacto-vegetarian diet, strictly avoiding meat, fish and eggs.

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But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure.