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ISKCON: The Experience

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Upon walking into the ISCKON temple, one is struck by the humble architecture outside and the small stature of the ground floor. However, upon ascending the staircase, one realizes the true size of the temple. It reaches up multiple floors and contains many rooms, including a basement, kitchen, worship area, and gathering room. Walking up the stairs, I noticed the disparity between the men and women in the movement. Every woman we passed was cleaning, and the women were the only ones working behind the counter at the kitchen. This serves as a microcosm for the history of women in the movement. Women have been marginalized in the Hare Krishna movement since its inception, however, they have since been allowed to become full members.

Once we reached the locker room, we removed our shoes and ascended further to a room where we watched a PowerPoint presentation about the origins and beliefs of the ISKCON movement. ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was founded by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, who traveled from India to the United States to spread his word. The movement itself utilized a group form of devotional singing and chanting called sankirtana, which dates back to Gaudiya Vaishnavism of the 16th century (Hopkins, 172). The production of devotional materials in the first twelve years of the ISKCON movement was vital, and the movement likely would not have survived without Prabhupad’s guidance (Hopkins, 175-175). Prabhupad also made Kirtanananda, one of the first devotees, a sannyasi, which “created a leadership cadre” that would legitimize and promoted the longevity of the organization (Hopkins, 175). However, the path to becoming a Guru was much shorter, highlighting the urgency of spreading the ISKCON word while paving the way for the movement to take a turn away from the original teachings of Prabhupad. Hence, the Hare Krishna movement was demonized as a cult in the early years of existence. However, the movement is still very much alive today, with hundreds of temples across the world. This can be attributed to the variety of writings Prabhupad published late in his life, with the sense that written word would be the best vessel to carry on the knowledge necessary to break the constraints of the mind.

We engaged in a worship ceremony to the deities, and there was much singing and dancing or sankirtana. It was a lively ceremony, and the individuals participating were becoming visibly emotional. This alone likely plays a role in an individual’s willingness to convert. Reaching a higher plane of understanding is also one of the reasons the Hare Krishna movement has attracted so many followers, especially during the time of the counter culture movements in which Prabhupad’s teachings gained much traction.

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