"The art of focusing one's attention on the Supreme
and giving one's love to Him is called Krishna consciousness."
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada (1896-1977) is widely regarded as the world's pre-eminent exponent of the teachings and practices of Bhakti-yoga to the Western world. Born Abhay Charan De to devout Gaudiya Vaishnavas, his given name Abhay Charan meaning “one who is fearless in the shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna”, Prabhupada was raised across the street from a Radha-Krishna temple and his early childhood pastimes included performing Ratha-yatra in his neighbourhood at the age of six. Educated at Scottish Church College, he became involved in Mahatma Gandhi's civil disobedience movement. A pivotal moment in his life was meeting Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who urged him to spread the teachings of Krishna to the English-speaking world.
In 1965, at the age of seventy, Prabhupada embarked on a mission to the West, arriving in New York with just seven dollars and a crate of sacred texts. Despite hardships, he established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 1966, popularising Krishna-bhakti through street chanting, book distribution, and public speeches. He circled the globe fourteen times, setting up 108 temples, rural communities, and educational institutions, and his books on Bhakti-yoga, translated into seventy-six languages, are highly respected. Prabhupada passed away in 1977 in Vrindavan, leaving a global legacy through ISKCON, which continues to spread the Glories of Krishna to every town and every village.
Established by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966; ISKCON, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is a movement in the Gaudiya Vaisnava family branch of Vaishnavism. We are a familial society made up of over 500 interconnected, autonomous centres across the world. In almost every major location you can expect to feel welcome and be treated with respect at one of our temples.
As an organisation ISKCON is open to all comers, regardless of backgrounds or beliefs. The aim of ISKCON devotees is to live a life in line with the guidance of one’s spiritual master to develop pure, unadulterated, love for Krishna, purifying oneself and setting an example for all.ISKCON is intentionally as approachable as possible, with various works of literature from both our founding Acharya Srila Prabhupada and our litany of spiritual and scientific expert devotees. ISKCON also has a generalised outline for Vedic living for newcomers to begin setting their life in line with Krishna Consciousness before they have reached the stage of knowing their guru.
ISKCON West Sydney, Hare Krishna Community and Cultural Centre (HKCCC) is an initiative by ISKCON Sydney to expand the teachings of Krishna Consciousness in the Western Sydney region. This project includes the ongoing construction of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda temple at 217 Windsor Road, Vineyard NSW, which addresses the growing needs of the congregation in the western suburbs. As we anticipate the completion of the temple, there are currently six preaching centres across Western Sydney that offer a variety of Bhagavad Gita, Gurukul, and cultural programs, allowing devotees to gather and engage in spiritual practices.
HKCCC represents a unique and valuable opportunity for devotees to contribute to the mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness. Under the leadership of Vijay Gopikesh Prabhu, a long-serving ISKCON leader, the centre marks a significant milestone in creating a larger, more accessible place of worship and community engagement for devotees in greater Western Sydney. As construction progresses from plans to reality, HKCCC is set to become a spiritual home where devotees can come together to serve and worship Sri Krishna, fulfilling the vision of Srila Prabhupada to disseminate the teachings of Lord Krishna widely.
