ISKCON Philosophy: The Science of the Soul

Understanding Our Spiritual Nature

At the heart of ISKCON's philosophy is the understanding that we are not our physical bodies, but eternal spiritual beings (souls) temporarily residing in material bodies. This fundamental concept forms the basis of all Vedic wisdom and is explained in detail in the Bhagavad-gita, where Lord Krishna states: "As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, surrendering the old and useless ones."

Unlike the temporary material body, which undergoes six changes—birth, growth, maintenance, production of by-products, dwindling, and death—the soul is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. This understanding of our spiritual nature encourages us to look beyond temporary bodily designations and recognize our true identity as servants of Krishna.

The Supreme Person: Krishna

ISKCON philosophy recognizes Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead—the original source of all spiritual and material worlds. While many spiritual traditions acknowledge an impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth, ISKCON teaches that the personal feature of God is the complete manifestation of divinity.

Krishna possesses all attractive qualities in their fullness: beauty, wealth, strength, fame, knowledge, and renunciation. As the supreme controller, He maintains His creation through His various energies, yet remains aloof and independent of the material world.

The relationship between the soul and Krishna is eternal. Just as a spark contains the qualities of fire in minute quantity, we as spiritual beings share qualities with Krishna, though in infinitesimally small measure. Our natural function is to engage in loving service to Krishna, and this relationship brings the highest happiness.

Bhakti-Yoga: The Path of Devotion

ISKCON teaches that bhakti-yoga—the path of loving devotion—is the most direct means to reawaken our natural love for Krishna. Unlike other spiritual paths that may emphasize empirical knowledge or mysticism, bhakti-yoga centers on developing a loving relationship with God through practical devotional activities.

The practice of bhakti-yoga includes:

• Shravanam: Hearing about Krishna from authentic sources
• Kirtanam: Chanting Krishna's holy names and glories
• Smaranam: Remembering Krishna throughout daily activities
• Pada-sevanam: Serving Krishna's lotus feet
• Archanam: Deity worship
• Vandanam: Offering prayers
• Dasyam: Acting as Krishna's servant
• Sakhyam: Cultivating friendship with Krishna
• Atma-nivedanam: Complete surrender of the self

Of these nine processes, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) is considered most essential and powerful for spiritual advancement in the current age of Kali.

Four Regulative Principles

ISKCON philosophy emphasizes that spiritual advancement requires a lifestyle aligned with principles of purity and compassion. Initiated devotees follow four regulative principles:

1. No meat-eating: Adhering to a lacto-vegetarian diet out of compassion for animals and to avoid the karma of violence
2. No intoxication: Abstaining from substances that cloud consciousness, including alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
3. No gambling: Avoiding speculative activities that create anxiety and greed
4. No illicit sex: Restricting sexual activity to within marriage for procreation

These principles create a foundation for spiritual practice by reducing harmful activities that obstruct spiritual consciousness and create negative karma.

The Vedic Worldview

ISKCON's philosophy presents a comprehensive understanding of the cosmos based on Vedic literature. Unlike modern materialistic worldviews, it recognizes multiple dimensions of existence beyond our observable universe:

• The Material World: Consisting of countless universes, each controlled by demigods (elevated beings with specific cosmic functions), this realm is temporary and characterized by birth, death, old age, and disease.
• The Spiritual World: The eternal abode of Krishna, free from the limitations of time and space, where every living entity exists in their original spiritual form in loving relationship with Krishna.

The material world is divided into 14 planetary systems, including higher realms of increased pleasure and lower realms of increased suffering. Human life represents a rare opportunity to break free from the cycle of birth and death (samsara) through spiritual practice.

The Goal of Life

According to ISKCON philosophy, the ultimate goal of human existence is to awaken our dormant love for Krishna and return to our natural position in the spiritual world. This state of pure love (prema-bhakti) transcends liberation from material existence and offers the soul eternal, blissful engagement in Krishna's service.

Unlike temporary material happiness, which inevitably transforms into suffering, spiritual happiness is eternal and ever-increasing. By engaging in bhakti-yoga under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, we can gradually purify our consciousness, free ourselves from material conditioning, and rediscover our eternal relationship with Krishna.

Through this philosophical foundation, ISKCON offers a profound, time-tested approach to understanding existence and achieving the highest spiritual fulfillment, accessible to anyone regardless of background, nationality, or previous belief system.