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International Society for Krishna Consciousness

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The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is the best-known organization of the religious movement popularly known as Hare Krishna. It is a sect of Vaishnava Hinduism which practices bhakti yoga in the worship of Lord Krishna who is popularly known as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and, according to ISKCON beliefs, his highest form ("the supreme personality of Godhead").

The teachings of ISKCON and its form of bhakti yoga (literally, "path of devotion") dates back to the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in present-day West Bengal in the 1500s. It was revived in the 20th century in India, and introduced to the Western world by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who incorporated ISKCON in New York in 1966 and subsequently published translations of the Bhagavad Gita and many other scriptures in English, as well as other Western languages, Hindi, and all Indian dialects, Chinese, Japanese, and African languages too. In fact his books are now published in over 60 languages all over the world.

Shortly before Swami Prabhupada's departure from this material world, eleven of his disciples were named administrators on his behalf. They were ordered to continue spreading the Hare Krishna movement on behalf of Prabhupada.

There are now groups of people within and connected to ISKCON who are working to revise the original teachings of Swami Prabhupada and remove philosophical inaccuracies that may have crept into the movement's literature.

The nickname "Hare Krishnas" for devotees of this movement comes from the maha-mantra (great chant) they recite:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Devotees are well known for their chanting and dancing with drums and cymbals in the streets of capital cities of the world: the ladies in saris, the men in white or saffron (signifying celibacy) robes.

ISKCON has absorbed many western influences and maintains mandirs (temples) in more countries of the world than any other Hindu sect. Unlike other branches of Hinduism, it is actively evangelical, seeking to help anyone throughout the world irrespective of their "designated religion or faith", in development of love of God.

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