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2000 years ago, the Greek ambassador to India “Megasthenes” travelled throughout India recording his observations. The following are extracts taken from his book “Indica”.
 

 
“India has many huge mountains, abounding in fruit trees of every kind, and many vast plains of great fertility, beautiful, very much alike, and intersected by a multitude of rivers. The greater part of the soil is under irrigation, and consequently bears two crops in the course of a year. It teems with animals of all sorts, beasts of the fields and fowls of the air, all of differing degrees of size and strength.
 
It is prolific besides in elephants which are of monsterous bulk, as its soil supplies food in unsparing profusion, making these animals far exceed in strength those which are bred in Libya. The inhabitants in like manner, having abundant means of subsistence, exceed the ordinary stature, distinguished by their proud bearing. They are also found to be well skilled in the arts, as might be expected of men who inhale pure air and drink the very finest water. And while the soil bears on its surface all kinds of fruits, underground, it also has all kinds of metals, for it contains much gold, silver, copper and iron in large quantities.
 

 
In addition to cereal, there grows throughout India, much millet, which is kept well watered by the profusion of river streams, and much pulse of different kinds, as well as rice, and many other plants, useful for feed which grows almost spontaneously. It is accordingly affirmed that famine has never visited India, and there has never been a scarcity in the supply of nourishing food. For since there is a double rainfall in the course of each year, one in the winter season, when the sowing of wheat takes place, and the second at the time of the summer solstice, which is the proper time for sowing rice, sesame and millet, the inhabitants of India almost always gather in two harvests annually, and even if one crop fails, they are always sure of the second crop.
 
The fruits are of spontaneous growth, and the esculent roots which grow in marshy places and are of varied sweetness, afford abundant sustenance for man. The fact is almost all the plains of the country have a moisture which is alike congenial, whether derived from the rivers, or from the rains of the summer season, which are want to fall every year at a stated period, with surprising regularity, while the great heat which prevails, ripens the roots which grow in the marshes, espescially those of the tall reeds.
 

What is ISKCON? ISKCON is the followers of Srila Prabhupada. So that his followers could associate together and realize his teachings, Srila Prabhupada created the legal entity known and registered as ISKCON. But it was never about creating a corporate entity to which people surrendered. ISKCON was and is meant as a shelter for those who have faith and love for Srila Prabhupada and the path of transcendental life that he taught with such enthusiasm. Put simply, ISKCON is the devotees of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krsna. The external form comprising the legal documents, meetings, title deeds, property, etc., are all subordinate to the goal of providing an association of spirit souls who want to collectively hear and chant the glories of Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Krsna and Their devotees. ISKCON is the society of devotees, not the bricks and mortar and legal documents. Thus ISKCON is the actual devotees. You are ISKCON. Where you go, ISKCON goes.

Vaisnavism is the ultimate in personalism. The Vaisnavas know that the highest aspect of the Absolute Truth is the Personality of Godhead. The personal aspect reigns Supreme, bestowing nectarine bliss. The whole creation is an expression of Sri Krsna’s personality. The Bhagavatam informs us that the birds with their wondrous plumage are created out of the artistic flair of the Supreme Personality. In the Gita, Sri Krsna explains to Arjuna that he should understand that all beautiful and mighty creations are created out of a single spark of His splendor. The message is clear, but easily forgotten in this material creation, that the personal reigns Supreme over the impersonal.

Sri Krsna explains that he is equal to all, and yet he is personally inclined to those who render him service. To those that render Him dedicated loving service, He personally carries what they lack and personally preserves what they have. He instructs Arjuna to declare it boldly that His devotees will never perish because He personally protects them. To those that surrender to Him, He assures that He will personally subdue all pending sinful reactions, finally emphasizing, “Do not fear.”