The Mayapur Institute's revised VTE Bhakti-sastri course curriculum, to be piloted in Mayapur this November 9th, deals with the main subjects of Bhakti-sastri in seven distinct units. These seven units reflect the fundamental principles of learning presented in ISKCON's first purpose and in the VTE (Vaisnava Training and Education) approach to education, wherein students progressively learn knowledge ("spiritual knowledge"), skills ("techniques of spiritual life") and values ("check the imbalance of values...") in a systematic manner.When Srila Prabhupada incorporated the first ISKCON temple in 1966, he stated the first purpose of ISKCON as follows: "To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world."
The Mayapur Institute's revised VTE Bhakti-sastri course curriculum, to be piloted in Mayapur this November 9th, deals with the main subjects of Bhakti-sastri in seven distinct units. These seven units reflect the fundamental principles of learning presented in ISKCON's first purpose and in the VTE (Vaisnava Training and Education) approach to education, wherein students progressively learn knowledge ("spiritual knowledge"), skills
("techniques of spiritual life") and values ("check the imbalance of values...") in a systematic manner.
It is no coincidence that the Mayapur Institute's Curriculum Development Team is enthusiastically utilizing the vision Srila Prabhupada so intelligently imparted during ISKCON's infancy to develop this Bhakti-sastri curriculum. Senior ISKCON educators feel this curriculum will revolutionize the study of the Bhakti-sastras and maximize the preaching empowerment of the Bhakti-sastri graduates.
Benefits
This approach will benefit our students on the practical and educational levels and will improve the quality of their overall experience in the course:
* Practical Level:
The course can be taken on either a full or part-time schedule. Students have the option of completing the course over an extended period of time, if they cannot complete all the units within one 13-week session. They can simply start the next year with the unit after the one that they have completed.
* Educational Level:
Information is categorized, filed and accessed in our brains in terms of subjects. Learning new information is easier when it is categorized in terms of subjects. Dividing the content of Bhakti-sastri material into seven specific subjects utilizes this natural approach to learning.
* Qualitative Level:
Separately assessing the respective units of the course facilitate more frequent assessment, thus making the assessment more relevant to the day-to-day learning experiences of our students and less stressful than assessment that is less frequent.
Section 1: Understanding of the Bhakti-sastras
Facilitators will focus on subjects, such as varnasrama-dharma, yoga ladder, dharma and pure Krsna-bhakti in the beginning of the course. In this section the students’ learning emphasis will be on understanding the Bhakti-sastras. This first section of two units draws from the Bhagavad-gita, Chapters 1 through 6.
* Orientation ( November 9 )
* Unit 1 ( November 10 - 21 )
Topic: Dharma in Bhagavad-gita
Contents: Bhagavad-gita, Chapters 1 - 2
* Unit 2 ( November 24 - December 5 )
Topic: Yoga ladder & Jnana in Bhagavad-gita
Contents: Bhagavad-gita, Chapters 3 - 6
Section 2: Application of the bhakti-sastras
After students have sufficiently explored and understood the basic philosophical subjects, they will progress into the units dealing with personal application with subjects such as pure Krsna-bhakti, sadhana-bhakti and elevation through the modes. Students will also study preaching applications such as defeating Mayavada philosophy and addressing inappropriate worship of the devatas. This section draws material from Bhagavad-gita, Chapters 7-18, The Nectar of Devotion, Introduction through Chapters 19, The Nectar of Instruction and Sri Isopanisad.
* Unit 3 ( December 8 - 26 )
Topic: Pure Krsna Bhakti
Contents: The Nectar of Devotion, Intro - Chapter 5, Bhagavad-gita, Chapters 7 - 12
* Unit 4 ( December 29 - January 9 )
Topic: Sadhana-bhakti
Contents: The Nectar of Devotion, Chapters 6-19, The Nectar of Instructions
* Break (Ganga Sagara Mela)
* Unit 5 ( January 12 - 30 )
Topic: Preaching from Bhakti-sastras
Contents: Sri Isopanisad, Various Bhakti-sastri materials
* Unit 6 ( February 2 - 6 )
Topic: Elevation through Modes of Nature
Contents: Bhagavad-gita, Chapters 13-18
Section 3: Values in the Bhakti-sastras
In the final section of this course, facilitators will address appropriate attitudes for a Bhakti-sastri graduate. Students will thoroughly explore topics such as guru-tattva, perpetuating Srila Prabhupada’s mood and mission, the mood of a Bhakti-sastri preacher, and cooperation within ISKCON. This section draws from various materials throughout the Bhakti-sastras and, in addition to exploring appropriate attitudes, consolidates the learning achieved in the previous units.
* Unit 7 ( February 8 – 11 )
Topic: Qualities of a Bhakti-sastri
Contents: The Nectar of Devotion, Intro - Chapter 5, Various Bhakti-sastri materials
Bhakti-sastri Assessment
Facilitators will assess students in each of the seven course units and will give students ongoing reports of their progress. This style of frequent and transparent assessment will reduce students' anxieties regarding assessment. Students who are unable to complete all seven units at once, due to other commitments, can complete the course over two or more years, as successfully completed units remain credited.
Please Register as Soon as Possible
Due to the unprecedented stature of our teachers and the piloting of this revolutionary and student friendly curriculum, the Mayapur Institute administration expects many more devotees than usual to enroll in the Bhakti-sastri course this year. Devotees should, therefore, register online at http://www.mihet.org/ enroll as soon as possible to secure seats on the course.
We look forward to serving you in such a way that you will receive the optimum spiritual benefit during your studies in Mayapur.
We hope this meets you in good health and enlivened Krsna consciousness.
Your servant,
Atul Krishna Dasa
The MAYAPUR INSTITUTE for Higher Education and Training
Systematic Sastric Study
November 9, 2008 - February 11, 2009
Bhakti-sastri Course Graduation Ceremonies - February 22, 2009
VTE Bhakti-sastri Course*
Separate Sections for Men and Women
Bhakti Charu Swami Atul Krishna Dasa
Jayadvaita Swami Brhat-mrdanga Dasa
Purnacandra Goswami Sankarshan Nitai Dasa
B.V.V. Narasimha Maharaja
Laxmimoni Devi Dasi Nanda Devi Dasi
Shyamala Sakhi Devi Dasi Su-gita Vani Devi Dasi
VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course, Module 1**
Srimad-Bhagavatam, cantos 1-3
Bhakti Charu Swami Brhat-mrdanga Dasa
Bhanu Swami Janmastami Dasa
Jayadvaita Swami Krsna Balarama Dasa
B.V.V. Narasimha Maharaja Madhavananda Dasa
Atul Krishna Dasa Praneshwar Dasa
VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course, Module 2**
Srimad-Bhagavatam, cantos 4-6
Bhakti Charu Swami Govindabhakta Dasa
B.V.V. Narasimha Maharaja Madhavananda Dasa
Jayadvaita Swami Praneshwar Dasa
Atul Krishna Dasa Sankirtana Dasa
Devamrita Dasa Sri Gauranga Dasa
*This is a pilot version of the new VTE Bhakti-sastri Course, developed by the Mayapur Institute's Curriculum Development Team. Students should download course materials from the Mayapur Institute's website to prepare in advance for the course.
**Before entering one of these modules, students will complete a 13-week Preliminary Home Self-study Unit available on http://www.mihet.org.
"Everything is in my books."
-Srila Prabhupada
2009 Gaura Purnima Courses
Feb 12-23 GBC Meetings
Feb 15-20 VTE Teacher Training Course 1 Atul Krishna Dasa
Vamsi Vadana Dasa
Feb 22- VTE Teacher Training Course 2*** Atul Krishna Dasa
Mar 2 Vamsi Vadana Dasa
Feb 24 Gaura Purnima Festival Begins
Feb 25 Sri Panca-tattva Maha-Abhiseka
(5th Installation Anniversary)
Feb 24-27 Varnasrama Mission - Bhakti Raghava Swami
Make Vrndavana Villages**** Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami
Varnasrama Research Team
Feb 24-27 Yoga Therapy Introduction: Prananatha Dasa
Being Fit to Serve Krishna Better
(This course is for men only)****
Feb 26- VTE Leadership/Management Course Anuttama Dasa
Mar 3
Feb 28- Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama
Mar 6
Feb 28 - Yoga Therapy Practices: Prananatha Dasa
Mar 10 Being Fit to Serve Krishna Better
(This course is for men only)*****
Mar 7-10 VTE Sastric Study Atul Krishna Dasa
Teacher Training Course
Mar 7-10 Ayurvedic Self-healing Dr. Liladhar Gupta
Mar 7-10 Tools for Mending Vrajalila Devi Dasi
Broken Relationships
Mar 11 Gaura Purnima
*** Feb 25 & 26 will be a day off for this course.
**** No Classes on Feb 25 morning due to Sri Panca-tattva Maha-Abhiseka.
No service charges, but the Mayapur Institute encourages students to give facilitators daksina.
*****No service charges, but the Mayapur Institute encourages students to
give facilitators daksina.
Please visit http://www.mihet.org for details.