09/02/2026
As Srila Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, taught us, “We are not this body.”
We have no nationality—we are eternal souls devoted to Krishna.
Nationalism and political divisions stem from attachment to the material body, an illusion clearly described in the Vedic scriptures.
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.84.13) we read:
yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit
janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ
One who identifies the self with this inert body—made of mucus, bile, and air—and regards family, homeland, or material ties as sacred is compared to a cow or an ass for lacking true spiritual wisdom.
Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport that such false identifications lead to illusory conflicts and material attachment, while the mature devotee rises above them and stands firmly on the spiritual platform.
For this reason, the ISKCON Temple in Athens upholds complete neutrality and does not endorse any political conflict or national cause.
Our temple welcomes everyone equally, inviting all who wish to explore Krishna consciousness, regardless of background, culture, or origin.
As Srila Prabhupada clearly stated in 1976 during a morning walk conversation in Bombay:
The thing is that this nationalism is… We have to go beyond that.
We are in a different platform, Kṛṣṇa-ism.
That is our platform.
Krishna consciousness therefore operates on a transcendental level, above nationalism and material divisions.
Our mission is pure Krishna consciousness—beyond any political ideology or national identity.
In harmony with this vision, programs like Food for Life and all temple activities are offered to every living being, sharing prasādam and spiritual knowledge without preference or exclusion.
We kindly and respectfully ask that you refrain from linking our publications, the temple, or ISKCON activities to personal political initiatives, so we may preserve the purity of Krishna consciousness and faithfully honor Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.
Hare Krishna
