class

[Guest guest]

> I heard it said that Satsvarupa Maharaja once asked Srila Prabhupada if

> temple classes could be held in a more structured academic fashion but

> that Srila Prabhupada replied that they should go on in the still

> continuing format of a daily talk on consecutive verses of SB and Bg. Can

> anyone confirm this or elaborate on it?

 

>From Transcendental Diary Vol 1

February 3, 1976 -- Mayapur

 

Satsvar™pa Mah€r€ja wrote to ask whether the devotees should be allotted

more time to study. He said this would mean less time on sa‰k…rtana and

other engagements, like cooking, building, managing, and so forth.

Satsvar™pa Mah€r€ja suggested that we could establish a more structured,

college-curriculum style approach to the morning and evening classes which

are held in the temples. "My question," he asked, "is whether the one-verse

per class format which you have established could be changed in order to

cover more material in a regular outlined way, in preparation for the

examinations. I would like to try such an outlined presentation myself, and

even suggest it to the GBC for introduction to the whole society, but I am

in doubt whether it is your desire and whether I may have the wrong idea on

this."

Prabhup€da informed him that the exams are for those who want some academic

qualification. "Just like a br€hmaŠa with €stric knowledge and a br€hmaŠa

without. It is optional; one who wants may take. The real purpose is that

our men should not be neglectful of the philosophy."

Since the exams are not to be held until next year on Gaura P™rŠim€,

Prabhup€da sees no need for the devotees to give up their normal engagements

to do more study. And as far as his idea for teaching classes, he wrote,

"This should be discussed at the GBC meeting. If it does not hamper our

normal procedure then it is welcome."

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa