Hare Krishnas

(här`ē krĭsh`nəz), communalistic religious movement, officially known as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Founded in New York City (1966) by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), the movement was based upon the philosophy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). He taught that the Hindu god KrishnaKrishna
[Sanskrit,=black], one of the most popular deities in Hinduism, the eighth avatar, or incarnation of Vishnu. Krishna appears in the Mahabharata epic as a prince of the Yadava tribe and the friend and counselor of the Pandava princes.
..... Click the link for more information. is the supreme personal God. The movement practices an ascetic lifestyle, vegetarianism, and devotion to the Hindu god Krishna as a means of attaining spiritual enlightenment, particularly through the practice of chanting the mantramantra
, in Hinduism and Buddhism, mystic words used in ritual and meditation. A mantra is believed to be the sound form of reality, having the power to bring into being the reality it represents. There are several types of mantras.
..... Click the link for more information. Hare Krishna [O Lord Krishna]. The movement has spread to other U.S. cities and to England, Australia, Latin America, and India.

Bibliography

See E. B. Rochford, Hare Krishna in America (1985); L. Shinn, The Dark Lord (1987); D. G. Bromley and L. D. Shinn, ed., Krishna Consciousness: The West (1989).