Bhagavata-pravesa study program 2005-06 in Sri Mayapura

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An intense study of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is and the

First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

Learning basic Sanskrit to help in preaching Krsna consciousness.

 

If you are interested in these, consider joining the Bhagavata-pravesa

study program organized by BBT's Srimad-Bhagavata Vidyapitham in

Lord Caitanya's generous holy dhama Sri Mayapura!

 

Srimad-Bhagavata Vidyapitham, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust's new school for

training Sanskrit translators and editors, is located in Sri

Govardhana-dhama and is led by the BBT's senior Sanskrit editor

Gopiparanadhana Prabhu. The Vidyapitham is offering a three-year

Bhagavata-sastri study program starting this October. The students of this

program will learn the Sanskrit grammar of Sri Jiva Gosvami, acquire the

skills to read and speak Sanskrit fluently, and will be immersed in study of

the major Bhagavatam commentaries of our line along with Srila Prabhupada's

purports. The main strength of the Vidyapitham, its assurance of

faithfulness to the mission of Srila Prabhupada, is its insistent focus on

the study and propagation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

The Vidyapitham is now organizing a coordinate study program in Sri Mayapura

dhama. This Bhagavata-pravesa program will offer its students an intense

study of Srila Prabhupada's presentation of Bhagavad-gita and the First

Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and also take them through a course in

introductory Sanskrit. The program will be conducted in English. There will

be two semesters, each four months long, with a two-month break in between.

Graduates of this course will be well prepared for the three-year

Bhagavata-sastri study program conducted by the Vidyapitham in Govardhana

and will be better equipped for knowledgeable preaching of the Gita and

Bhagavatam.

 

Those who have been accepted as students for the Bhagavata-pravesa study

program should expect a very challenging and disciplined course of study.

Competition will be deemphasized, and students will be provided

individualized tuition and help as needed.

 

The courses on Bhagavad-gita and the First Canto will be focused on Srila

Prabhupada's purports, and will prepare the students to:

 

1. understand, defend and apply Srila Prabhupada's presentation of the

teachings of his predecessor-acaryas and the Vaisnava sastra

2. develop a well-rounded understanding of Srila Prabhupada's teachings

as reflected in his mood, mission, emphasis and balance, and

3. assure that their understanding and practice of Krsna consciousness,

and their desires and beliefs are properly aligned with

Srila Prabhupada's teachings as presented in his writings.

 

The course Introduction to Sanskrit (parts 1 and 2) will prepare the

students to:

 

1. recognize the devanagari script and be able to produce accurate roman

transliteration

2. translate simple texts from Sanskrit to English and vice versa, and

3. become to a good extent capable of understanding the Sanskrit text of

the Bhagavad-gita and the First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

The Bhagavata-pravesa study program is in session for eight months of the

year, according to this schedule:

 

First semester: November 1 to February 28

Break: March 1 to April 30

Second semester: May 1 to August 31

 

At the beginning of November each year, the Bhagavata-pravesa study program

will recommence with new students.

 

Students will be required to attend the temple's early morning program and

attend the morning Srimad-Bhagavatam class in the temple. The program will

usually have three classes daily, five days a week. Each class will be for

one hour and group discussions will feature in most of the classes. All

classes will include homework assignments. The classes on Bhagavad-gita and

First Canto will additionally include reading assignments. Homework and

reading assignments for each class may take one hour or more.

 

A tentative daily schedule for the first semester, taking into account Sri

Mayapura-dhama's winter climate, is as follows:

 

11:30 to 12:30 pm: Bhagavad-gita

1:00 to 2:00 pm: Bhagavad-gita

4:30 to 5:30 pm: Introduction to Sanskrit (part 1)

 

The first semester will additionally include classes on the nine essential

teachings of Lord Caitanya as presented by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana

(Nava-prameya).

 

A tentative daily schedule for the second semester, taking into account

Mayapura's summer climate, is as follows:

 

6:00 to 7:00 am: First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam

5:00 to 6:00 pm: First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam

6:30 to 7:30 pm: Introduction to Sanskrit (part 2)

 

The second semester will additionally include classes on the ten essential

teachings of Lord Caitanya as presented by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

(Dasa-mula).

 

During the first semester, students will be assessed thrice; and during the

second semester, four times. Assessment for Bhagavad-gita and First Canto

will be based on "open-book" essay writing and "closed-book" examinations.

Students will also have to memorize a certain number of slokas and know

their meaning. Sloka memorization drills will be integrated into the classes

to help the students. Those who enroll in the Introduction to Sanskrit

courses will be required to memorize additional slokas, know their meaning

and be able to explain some of the Sanskrit grammar in the slokas they have

memorized. Assessment for Introduction to Sanskrit courses will be based on

"open-book" examinations only. The assessments will not have numerical or

alphabetical grading. We will try to provide those who do not pass in the

assessments remedial help and opportunities to prepare for retesting.

 

Students can choose to attend any combination of courses as provided for in

these options:

 

1. Bhagavad-gita

 

2. First Canto

 

3. Bhagavad-gita,

First Canto

 

4. Bhagavad-gita,

Introduction to Sanskrit (part 1)

 

5. First Canto,

Introduction to Sanskrit (part 2)

 

6. Bhagavad-gita,

Introduction to Sanskrit (part 1),

First Canto,

Introduction to Sanskrit (part 2)

 

Students should keep in mind that only after attending the Bhagavad-gita

course and passing all of its assessments will they be eligible to attend

the First Canto course. Similarly, only after attending the Introduction to

Sanskrit (part 1) course and passing all of its assessments will they be

eligible to attend the Introduction to Sanskrit (part 2) course. Therefore,

options 2 and 5 will not be available this first academic year (2005-06).

 

Those who attend any course and pass all of its assessments will be awarded

a certificate for that course. Those who have attended the First Canto and

Introduction to Sanskrit (part 2) courses and passed all of the assessments

pertaining to these two courses will receive the Bhagavata-pravesa

certificate.

 

The courses contained in Bhagavata-pravesa study program for the academic

year 2005-06 will be taught and assessed by Vidvan-Gauranga dasa.

 

Those who want to be admitted as students of the Bhagavata-pravesa study

program should fill out our application form, in which they are asked about

their background and service history in ISKCON. Candidates are requested to

provide recommendations from authorities they have served under in ISKCON.

Selected candidates will be invited to become students in this study

program, and their tuition will be free. However, they will have to arrange

for all other expenses including their travel to and from Mayapura, visas,

and accommodation and prasadam in Mayapura; they will also have to purchase

the relevant textbooks, which will be available for purchase from us.

 

Those who are interested can contact Vidvan-Gauranga dasa at

vidvan.gauranga.jps (AT) pamho (DOT) net for further details and an application form.