Incorporation of ISKCON 

From Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, Volume 1, Chapter 18 [https://vedabase.io/en/library/spl/1/18/] 

“We shall call our society ISKCON.” Prabhupāda had laughed playfully when he first coined the acronym. 

He had initiated the legal work of incorporation that spring [1966], while still living on the Bowery. But even before its legal beginning, he had been talking about his “International Society for Krishna Consciousness,” and so it had appeared in letters to India and in The Village Voice. A friend had suggested a title that would sound more familiar to Westerners, “International Society for God Consciousness,” but Prabhupāda had insisted: “Krishna Consciousness.” “God” was a vague term, whereas “Krishna” was exact and scientific; “God consciousness” was spiritually weaker, less personal. And if Westerners didn’t know that Kṛṣṇa was God, then the International Society for Krishna Consciousness would tell them, by spreading His glories “in every town and village.” 

“Kṛṣṇa consciousness” was Prabhupāda’s own rendering of a phrase from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Padyāvalī, written in the sixteenth century. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvita: “to be absorbed in the mellow taste of executing devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.”

But to register ISKCON legally as a nonprofit, tax-exempt religion required money and a lawyer. Carl Yeargens had already gained some experience in forming religious, political, and social welfare groups, and when he had met Prabhupāda on the Bowery he had agreed to help. He had contacted his lawyer, Stephen Goldsmith. 

The purposes stated within ISKCON’s articles of incorporation reveal Prabhupāda’s thinking. They were seven points, similar to those given in the Prospectus for the League of Devotees he formed in Jhansi, India, in 1953. That attempt had been unsuccessful, yet his purposes remained unchanged. 

Seven Purposes of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world. 

2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. 

3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna). 

4. To teach and encourage the sankirtan movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

5. To erect for the members and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the Personality of Krishna. 

6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life. 

7. With a view towards achieving the aforementioned Purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings. 

Regardless of what ISKCON’s charter members thought of the society’s purposes, Prabhupāda saw them as imminent realities. As Mr. Ruben, the subway conductor who had met Prabhupāda on a Manhattan Park bench in 1965, had noted: “He seemed to know that he would have temples filled up with devotees. ‘There are temples and books,’ he said. ‘They are existing, they are there, but the time is separating us from them.’ ” 

The first purpose mentioned in the charter was propagation. “Preaching” was the word Prabhupāda most often used. For him, preaching had a much broader significance than mere sermonizing. Preaching meant glorious, selfless adventures on behalf of the Supreme Lord. Lord Caitanya had preached by walking all over southern India and causing thousands of people to chant and dance with Him in ecstasy. Lord Kṛṣṇa had preached the Bhagavad-gītā while standing with Arjuna in his chariot on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Lord Buddha had preached, Lord Jesus had preached, and all pure devotees preach. 

ISKCON’s preaching would achieve what the League of Nations and the United Nations had failed to achieve – “real unity and peace in the world.” ISKCON workers would bring peace to a world deeply afflicted by materialism and strife. They would “systematically propagate spiritual knowledge,” knowledge of the nonsectarian science of God. It was not that a new religion was being born in July of 1966; rather, the eternal preaching of Godhead, known as saṅkīrtana, was being transplanted from East to West. 

The society’s members would join together, and by hearing the teachings of Bhagavadgītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they would come to realize that each was a spirit soul, eternally related to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They would then preach this to “humanity at large,” especially through saṅkīrtana, the chanting of the holy name of God. 

ISKCON would also erect “a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the Personality of Krishna.” Was this something beyond the storefront? Yes, certainly. He never thought small: “He seemed to know that he would have temples filled up with devotees.” 

He wanted ISKCON to demonstrate “a simple, more natural way of life.” Such a life (Prabhupāda thought of the villages of India, where people lived just as Kṛṣṇa had lived) was most conducive to developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 

And all six of these purposes would be achieved by the seventh: ISKCON would publish and distribute literature. This was the special instruction Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had given to Śrīla Prabhupāda. He had specifically told him one day in 1932 at Rādhā-kuṇḍa in Vṛndāvana, “If you ever get any money, publish books.” 

Learnings from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mood while incorporating ISKCON

1. When we have a clear idea what the purposes are then we can be inspired to participate. Moreover, a clear idea of our purposes enables us to make informed decisions and prioritize our efforts. It helps us channel our energy and resources towards actions that align with our goals, avoiding distractions or dilution of focus.

2. Assume it can be done and work backwards from there. The reason we can assume it can be done is because we are not the doers. Every time we set a goal and ask Lord Caitanya to help, he provides us the spiritual capital needed to fulfill our goals. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 2.81, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a wealthy capitalist possessing the touchstone of love of God. Not considering whether one is a proper or improper recipient, He gives His treasure to anyone and everyone. Thus He is the most munificent.” Lord Caitanya is ready to back us. 

3. ISKCON serves as a tangible expression of Śrīla Prabhupāda's heart. Whatever exists within the heart eventually manifests in the external world. When someone holds pure and unwavering devotion in their heart, the presence of Kṛṣṇa becomes apparent to the world. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira says in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.10: 

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās 

tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho 

tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni 

svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā

“My lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage.”

4. When we put forth a proposal, initially it may not gain traction. However, if we meticulously document and systematically present it, while exploring various approaches, Kṛṣṇa creates an opportunity where we can place that idea. 

Lectures about ISKCON and the seven purposes