Q. What religion is the Hare Krishna movement from?
A. It's modeled after a Hindu sect that originated in the area around Calcutta.
Q. When did it start?
A. In 1965, Srila Prabhupada, an elderly holy man from Calcutta, sailed to America on a steamship and founded ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna CONsciousness, in New York in 1966. From there, ISKCON spread to California, Canada and then all over the world. The organization had a parent organization in India called the "Gaudiya Math," which started around the turn of the last century. Before that, the roots of this sect are more vague, although ISKCON members say they can trace their lineage back to the beginning of creation.
Q. What are the different clothing and markings devotees wear?
A. The mark on the nose-forehead area is called "tilak" and is a religious marking particular to that sect. It denotes a worshiper of Vishnu, or Krishna. They also wear bead chokers that are made of a sacred plant called "tulasi." The men shave their heads, leaving a pony tail in the back called a "sikha." The women do not shave their heads, but let their hair grow long and cover it with the cloth of the sari. The dress for a man is a "kurta" top and "dhoti" skirt, which is a piece of cloth wrapped and folded like pants.
Q. What are their rituals?
A. Chanting the "maha-mantra" (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare) is the main ritual. It's an ancient mantra, but was popularized in the 1500s by Lord Chaitanya, an incarnation of Krishna. Devotees chant on beads, "japa," and with music, "kirtan." They also read aloud from the scriptures, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. These books are part of the Vedas, or books of knowledge in the Hindu religion. The Hare Krishnas use editions that were translated by their guru, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Q. Why do we see them in the airport selling books and asking for donations?
A. This practice started in the early 1970s as a way to make money and spread the word. It has caused untold public relations damage, beginning with unfavorable news articles and irreverrent spoofs against them in movies like Paul Simon's "One Trick Pony" and the great all-star comedy "Airplane!" The practice of solicting in public caused controversy and break down of credibility within the organization and between ISKCON and the public. Nevertheless, they still do it.
Q. Is it safe to go to a temple for the Sunday feast, or to eat in a Hare Krishna restaurant?
A. There have been numerous crimes and scandals within ISKCON. Always use caution when visiting a Hare Krishna center. While many "ordinary" devotees are innocent of the organization's crimes, they still operate under the auspices of the "GBC" (Governing Body Commission) and must obey the GBC members, sannyasis and gurus (the highest ranks of leaders). If you want to visit because you like the food and chanting, establish healthy boundaries and be aware if anyone crosses your boundaries. (For a list of healthy boundaries, click here.) If they try to tell you that the material world is a bad place, and that only their group/their guru can offer relief, you are in danger of being recruited into a dangerous situation. Resist the brainwashing and get away from those people who try to convince you that ISKCON is a religious paradise. Be aware that there is a lot of tension throughout the entire ISKCON organization, due to uncertainties about the lawsuits and widespread internal problems.
Q. My relative joined a temple and now I don't know how to relate to this person anymore. I feel like my relative may as well be dead.
A. One of the worst things about ISKCON is the way they divert people from their real lives. Family, friends and work are generally the most sacred things in life, but ISKCON gurus convince potential followers that these things are "material." Even though ISKCON puts out a lot of hype about developing "congregational members," most of their gurus demand "total surrender," which means giving up school or career, joining an ISKCON community, serving a guru full-time (often through fund raising), and turning over one's children to the organization.
If you read my book, you'll see that my father went out of his way to stay in contact with me throughout my years of involvement. He visited the temple, met the people I worked for and struck up friendships with them. This connection with my previous life helped me eventually leave the organization. You can be a lifeline for your relative, as my father was for me. It involves a lot of work. Here's another page on that subject: click here.
