OUR HISTORY
The Hare Krishnas first arrived in Gainesville in 1970. By 1971 students from the University of Florida had established the city’s first ISKCON center. Srila Prabhupada personally visited Gainesville in July of that year, further inspiring his students to distribute prasadam (karma-free food) and perform kirtan (musical mantra meditation) at the university. Since then, Krishna Lunch has continued on UF campus without interruption.
“So do something wonderful there in Gainesville. Wonderful means simply you chant loudly and distribute prasadam. That is not very difficult. It is very easy. Simply if you do it enthusiastically and sincerely, then success will be there.”
–Srila Prabhupada, June 29, 1971
In 1989 Ritadhvaja Swami arranged the purchase of a former fraternity house with an adjoining duplex three blocks from campus to serve as ‘Krishna House,’ a permanent center for practicing and teaching Krishna consciousness. In time Krishna House expanded to include two adjoining lots with residences for more students.
In 2008 Krishna House leaders established the Bhakti Academy, a live-in school for students wanting to learn and practice bhakti-yoga, in many cases while completing their academic degrees. Since then, more than 250 students have participated in the Bhakti Academy. Many have made a formal commitment to spiritual life (initiation). Many have graduated from college with honors and gone on to start successful careers. Many are working actively part- or full-time, to spread the Krishna consciousness movement in America, South America, Europe, and South and East Asia.
Srila Prabhupada, founder of the Hare Krishna movement also known as the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), speaks at the UF Plaza of the Americas in 1971.
OUR HISTORY
The Hare Krishnas first arrived in Gainesville in 1970. By 1971 students from the University of Florida had established the city’s first ISKCON center. Srila Prabhupada personally visited Gainesville in July of that year, further inspiring his students to distribute prasadam (karma-free food) and perform kirtan (musical mantra meditation) at the university. Since then, Krishna Lunch has continued on UF campus without interruption.
“So do something wonderful there in Gainesville. Wonderful means simply you chant loudly and distribute prasadam. That is not very difficult. It is very easy. Simply if you do it enthusiastically and sincerely, then success will be there.”
-Srila Prabhupada, June 29, 1971
Srila Prabhupada, founder of the Hare Krishna movement also known as the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), speaks at the UF Plaza of the Americas in 1971.
In 1989 Ritadhvaja Swami arranged the purchase of a former fraternity house with an adjoining duplex three blocks from campus to serve as ‘Krishna House,’ a permanent center for practicing and teaching Krishna consciousness. In time Krishna House expanded to include two adjoining lots with residences for more students.
In 2008 Krishna House leaders established the Bhakti Academy, a live-in school for students wanting to learn and practice bhakti-yoga, in many cases while completing their academic degrees. Since then, more than 250 students have participated in the Bhakti Academy. Many have made a formal commitment to spiritual life (initiation). Many have graduated from college with honors and gone on to start successful careers. Many are working actively part- or full-time, to spread the Krishna consciousness movement in America, South America, Europe, and South and East Asia.
KRISHNA LUNCH VALUES
Upliftment
Give everyone the opportunity to uplift their consciousness by experiencing Krishna Lunch.
Relationships
Develop positive relationships with the UF community through a mood of giving, open and honest communications, and respect.
Teamwork
Ensure the quality of Krishna Lunch while cultivating a teamwork attitude and maintaining integrity in all of its actions.
Kindness
Sustain and develop Krishna Lunch in order to continue Srila Prabhupada’s legacy of loving kindness.
Service
Provide UF students and the Gainesville community with wholesome service opportunities to complement their spiritual growth.
KRISHNA HOUSE
Our Mission
To share the spiritual values and practices of Krishna Consciousness.
Our Vision
Enriching lives with sustainable insight and joy.
Our Spiritual Values
• Equal vision
• Choice
• Without harm
• Teaching
by example
• Humility
• Affection
Our Mission
To share the spiritual values and practices of Krishna Consciousness.
Our Vision
Enriching lives with sustainable insight and joy.
Our Spiritual Values
• Equal vision
• Choice
• Without harm
• Teaching by example
• Humility
• Affection
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask a server at Krishna Lunch, visit Krishna House, or contact us via the form at the bottom.
Meat production devastates the Earth. Animals are fellow living entities. Eating meat degrades both the body and the spirit. Why not vegetarian? It is healthy, inexpensive, sustainable, and sumptuously delicious when properly prepared. Along with its other benefits, Krishna Lunch demonstrates how one can live a healthier life for oneself, others, and the planet without meat.
Karma is a daily application of Newton’s 3rd Law: “Every action produces an equal and opposite reaction.” Having academic/legal/relationship/financial/health problems? That is karma, a direct reaction to something in your past. ‘Karma-free’ means action without any reaction. In terms of food, karma-free fare is bought, prepared, and served as an offering to God. Eating such food is spiritually uplifting.
Krishna consciousness means making one’s entire life karma-free by doing everything for God’s pleasure. We in the Krishna consciousness movement are presenting the teachings of Bhagavad-gita that there is one God, who we happen to call Krishna. Krishna means “all-attractive,” as is any concept of the Divine. In Krishna consciousness, everything and anything can become a devotional meditation. Striving for Krishna consciousness, or God consciousness, opens the door to a life of purpose, value, happiness, and satisfaction.
There are many ways to answer this question as the chanting of Hare Krishna is a simple yet dynamic process.
Chanting Hare Krishna is a sacred sound meditation. What we chant is called the Hare Krishna mahamantra. There are many mantras found in the ancient texts, and all mantras have the power to transform. ‘Maha’ means great. In the word mantra, ‘man’ means mind and ‘tra’ means to free or to deliver. In sum total, the Hare Krishna mahamantra is the great mantra to help free the mind. In this day in age especially, the mind seems to be wandering constantly. Simply by chanting Hare Krishna, we can limit the mind’s chatter and focus on what is really important.
Through the power of sound vibration, which scientifically has subtle effects in all arenas of life, the mahamantra is purifying. Leading to a decrease in stress and an increase in happiness, chanting is a natural meditation that engages the senses and the mind and helps reveal our true spiritual identity.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
The revealed texts from the world traditions describe the chanting of God’s names. Hare, Krishna, and Rama are all names for the same Source.
Hare: Divine compassion
Krishna: all-attractive
Rama: the source of all spiritual happiness
The unlimited nature of the Divine also means Divine names are unlimited. Chanting Hare Krishna is a non-sectarian practice. Whether chanting Allah, Buddha, Jesus, Jehovah, Yahweh, Rama, or Krishna, the purpose is to develop love and connection. We find connection in chanting Hare Krishna and wish to share that with all.
Clothes do not make the transcendentalist, but some Krishna devotees choose to wear traditional, folded robes because they are simple, comfortable, and always in style. As for the salad dressing, that stays on our plates or in our mouths. The mark you sometimes see on devotee’s forehead is called tilak, clay from a sacred Indian river that marks the body as a temple for the soul that resides within. It is a tradition similar to a Christian wearing a cross: a mark of devotion and dedication that inspires others.
