Goals
- To bring Krishna consciousness to prisons around the world, to provide opportunities for inmates to practice Krishna consciousness, and to guide inmates in their spiritual life.
- In 1962 Srila Prabhupada wrote as one of the goals in the prospectus for his League of Devotees (the precursor to ISKCON): 'To take charge of moral upliftment by spiritual process even for the criminals and prisoners of state, and to accept all kinds of help and facilities from the police and government concerned'.
Details
- ISKCON Prison Ministries continues the work of ISKCON devotees who have been helping inmates for many years. Devotees worldwide are writing to inmates and visiting prisons. IPM is trying to expand and co-ordinate this work in North America and beyond.
- The Ministries' preachers counsel and inspire inmates trying to become Krishna conscious. IPM has been successful in getting Srila Prabhupada's books to inmates who want them. The Ministries' programs in prisons feature chanting, sharing prasadam, and studying and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. Some inmates quickly become vegetarian and understand that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As inmates refer other inmates to Krsna consciousness, the work expands.
Plans
- To place Srila Prabhupada's books in prison libraries worldwide; to start The Freedom Journal, a newspaper for inmates; to provide inmates a correspondence course on Krishna consciousness; and to find devotees in each state in the US to place books in prison libraries in their state.
Contact
- Bhakti-lata devi dasi
Director of IPM / Volunteer Coordinator
P.O. Box 2676
Alachua, FL 32616, Phone: 386-418-3828
IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com or
bhakti888@gmail.com
- Chandrasekar das
Book Distribution / Volunteer Coordinator
532 Murari Lane Mulberry, TN 37359
chandra16108@yahoo.com
- Bhakta David Ehler
Book Distribution / Volunteer Coordinator
10736 Jefferson Blvd. #153, Culver City, CA, 90230
Phone: 310-202-9054
davidehler@hotmail.com
- Hari Priya Vishaka devi dasi
Book Distribution / Volunteer Coordinator
P.O. Box 42424
Tucson, Arizona 85733, Phone: 520-664-8793
bhaktinheather@yahoo.com
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IPM is actively arranging for leading preachers to visit prisons and lead prison preaching programs. We encourage inmates to organize these programs with at least five to ten people attending. Please give us sufficient notice and instructions on how to co-ordinate such a program and we will be delighted and eager to hold a Krishna consciousness sat-sanga program.
Param vijayate Sri Krishna sankirtanam
Contact bhakta Jerry with details. If any inmates need a copy of Tirtha Prabhu's The Definitive Guide to Practicing Krishna Consciousness in Prison, or, if you are in need of Srila Prabhupada's books in Spanish, or, if you are in need of CDs or cassette tapes of lectures and bhajans, please contact bhakta Jerry. IPM is now offering deity altar pictures for those inmates who are willing to take on the responsibility of deity worship within their facility. This nice altar set comes compliments of Candramauli Swami and has all the altar pictures necessary on a nice 8.5 by 11 inch cardstock paper. We are also providing descriptions and prayers to help inmates properly worship their deities. For an altar set please contact bhakta Jerry.
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ISKCON Prison Ministries Freedom Newsletters
Selected articles & artwork from recent IPM Newsletters. Click here to read these newsletters as online-books.
Srila Prabhupada:
"The whole Hindu society is absorbed in this worship of demigods business, so unless our preaching work is very vigorous it is very difficult to stop them."
Essays from Devotees behind Bars
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