About Hare Krishnas
Hare Krishna is an organization based on the fundamentals of the Vishnu form of Hindu. They have an extensive network of temples and communes that aid them in spreading their belief in the God Krishna. Their founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a prolific writer that helped establish a system of nutritional aid to starving populations called Food for Life. Today, Krishna is widely recognized but has come under scrutiny for allegations of abuse.
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Features
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The International Society for Krishna Consciousness was established in New York City in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The Hare Krishna movement is based on 2000-year-old scripture in the Gaudiva Vaishnava tradition, a Hindu form of religion that worships Vishnu or one of his avatars. The Hare Krisha worship Krishna which they consider "the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
The principle belief of Krishna is that one's soul is a personal identity and does not become joined with a light or a void as traditional Hindu religions state. Krishna also believe in eternal love, as represented by Radha, Krishna's female counterpart.
Prabhupada wrote an extensive amount of literature regarding the Krishna movement, establishing it as one of the fastest growing religions in the world. His books are available in seventy different languages. After his death in 1977, the religion has gained worldwide recognition, gathering many new members from India and Eastern Europe.
Identification
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Krishna are recognized by their mantra which pays homage to the Gods Krishna and Rama. Known as the Maha Mantra, members believe that repeating the names of God connects them to a state of pure consciousness.
The members spread their message in public places with the practice of Sankirtan. They repeat their mantra in public to draw attention to the movement as well as selling books by Prabhupada. Funds derived from this process are funneled back into the organization and used to promote the mission of spreading Krishna.
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Function
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Hare Krishna has a variety of goals, most notably the seven purposes laid out by Prabhupada when he created the religion. These establish the groundwork for the expansion of Krishna, focusing on community, the creation of mandir temples and the spreading of the religion. They achieve these goals with outreach programs like street festivals and Sankirtan.
Prabhupada also laid the foundations for the Food for Life program that has brought worldwide attention to the movement. He stated in 1974 that the Hare Krisha would spread vegetarian meals to the world and that no one within ten miles of a temple would starve. This has been a major focus of the religion over the past two decades.
There are four main principles by which Krishna live their life. They are forbidden meats, illicit sex, gambling and intoxication.
Size
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The Krishna movement has established itself as a worldwide phenomenon. It now has over 400 mandir temples in dozens of countries. They've also expanded to nonprofit enterprises like restaurants and self-sufficient communes. These organizations have been pivotal in their Food for Life programs. At this point, it operates in 60 countries and has been reported to give out over a half million meals a day.
Forty-eight senior members of the Governing Body Commission oversee the operations of the temple networks, the Food for Life programs, as well as the publication and distribution of Prabhupada's 60 books.
Considerations
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After Prabhupada's death, there have been many controversies surrounding Krishna. There have been procedural differences between the Governing Body Commission and a revival movement on the issue of disciples and their place within Krishna.
Perhaps the most poignant controversy is that of brainwashing and abuse. During the 1980s, various stories of sexual and emotional abuse began to come out from the organization's boarding schools. This prompted investigations by authorities, who found there had indeed been abuses, and approximately 430 people have been identified as victims.
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