ISKCON – THE PHILOSOPHY

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  1. The conscious living entity (jiva or atman) is distinct from the body made of inert matter (Prakriti).
  2. The Jivas are the eternally subordinate fragmental parts of God (Ishvara). Both the soul and the Supreme are spirit (Brahman).
  3. Prakriti, consisting of the three qualities (gunas), is completely subordinate to the will of the Lord.
  4. Some jivas forgetting their relationship with the Supreme Lord, became entangled in prakriti and are confined indefinitely to the process of transmigration under the law of karma.
  5. All the Lord’s unlimited potencies, both spiritual and mundane, are non-different from the Lord and yet, inconceivably, He simultaneously retains His personal identity, distinct from them.
  6. There is only one Supreme Lord who has many names including, Hari (the Almighty) and Krishna (the All-attractive); all others, including the demigods, are His servants.
  7. Each jiva has an eternal constitutional position (svarupa) as servant to the Lord in one of five loving relationships (rasas).
  8. The jiva can gain liberation (mukti), or release from illusion (maya), by re-establishing his dormant relationship with the Lord through the practice of devotional service (bhakti-yoga). In this way, he escapes the wheel of birth and death (samsara) and returns to the spiritual realm.
  9. Such love of God (Krishna prema) can be re-awakened through the grace of a genuine spiritual master (guru) appearing in disciplic succession (parampara).
  10. The process especially recommended for this age, the age of quarrel (Kali-yuga) is the offence-less chanting of the holy names of the Lord, especially in the form of the Maha-Mantra:  

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.