From Mahatma Prabhu: VIHE programs in Vrindavan

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

The following is information about the 1999 VIHE Bhakti Sastri courses for

men and women in Vrindavana. This information has been sent by mail to all

ISKCON temples.

 

The VIHE Men and Women’s 1999 Bhakti Sastri Courses

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* Study Srila Prabhupada’s Books in Depth

* Earn a Bhakti Sastri Degree

 

The VIHE Bhakti Sastri Course teaches Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion,

Nectar of Instruction, and Sri Isopanisad. Classes are given by devotees who

have a deep understanding of the subject based on a well-prepared curriculum

and study guide from the Ministry of Education. Men and women’s classes are

taught separately.

 

Students can attend the Kartika semester of the VIHE.

 

Dates: August 2 - November 30, 1999 in Sri Vrindavan Dhama

 

Requirements: Good sadhana, brahminical tendencies, and a proficiency in

English. You also must have a recommendation from a senior devotee or

authority who knows you well.

 

Fees: The cost of the entire course including classes, materials and

parikramas is Rs. 10,000 (approximately $US 240). This does not include

room, prasadam, or Kartika courses.

 

To apply: Prospective students are required to register and must be approved

by the VIHE administration. Registration deadline is June 30.

 

For more information contact us at:

VIHE c/o Krishna Balarama Mandira, Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg, Raman Reti,

Mathura Dist. 281124, U.P., India

Phone: (0565) 445-002, (0565) 445-053 E-mail: vihe (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se

Web site: www.Iskcon.net/vihe

 

Thank you.

 

Your servant

Sundarananda dasa

(VIHE Administration)

 

PS. I am including our brochure in case you want more detailed information

now.

 

Men and Women's 1999 Bhakti Sastri Courses and Kartika Semester

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Please note that some of our policies have changed since our advertisement

appeared in the January/February 1999 issue of BTG)

 

What is the VIHE?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) in Vrindavan was

established to fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire for an educational

institute in Vrindavan. The VIHE in the holy dhama provides an ideal

facility and atmosphere for you to improve your sadhana, develop your

devotional qualities, engage in serious study, associate with senior

devotees and receive training in practical skills relevant to management and

preaching.

 

The VIHE also aims to preserve and disseminate standards Srila Prabhupada

set for acting in Krishna consciousness and to deepen devotees'

understanding, realization and appreciation of Srila Prabhupada's teachings

and movement. Thus, the Krishna conscious culture and values that Srila

Prabhupada gave us can be passed on to successive generations.

 

All courses are well researched and taught by senior devotees who have a

deep understanding of the subject.

 

Where Are We Located?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The VIHE main office is located in room 31 of the gurukula building at the

Krishna Balarama Mandir in Vrindavan, India. Office hours are 10:00 a.m. to

2:00 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays.

 

Semester Dates

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Men and Women's Bhakti Sastri courses are from August 2 to November 30.

Classes are held 5 to 6 days a week. Men and women's classes are held in

separate rooms.

 

The Kartika semester is from October 11 to November 5.

 

There is no Gaura Purnima semester in 1999 but short seminars will be held

in conjunction with the Vrindavan temple during the Gaura Purnima Festival.

Classes will be held from March 7 to March 13, (except on the 10th) from

4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

 

Classes

~~~~~~~

* Bhakti Sastri

Bhagavad-gita (all 18 chapters) - 15 weeks

Nectar of Devotion (first 19 chapters) - 5 weeks

Isopanisad - 2 weeks

Nectar of Instruction - 2 weeks

Optional classes on preaching are sometimes taught.

 

* Kartika semester

Courses vary from year to year. We offer courses on sastra, preaching,

communication, Deity worship, management, teaching, music, and more. Courses

are finalized in August 1999. Contact us or visit our web site at that time

to get complete course listings and descriptions.

 

Vaisnava Training and Education (VTE) courses are often taught during the

Kartika VIHE semester.

 

Required Classes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Bhakti Sastri

All Bhakti Sastri classes listed above are mandatory for Bhakti Sastri

students. Preaching related classes and Kartika semester classes are

optional.

 

* Kartika semester

Students attending only the Kartika semester can take as few or as many

classes as they wish and pay accordingly.

 

Registration Procedures and Deadlines

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Bhakti Sastri

We must receive your request to attend no later than June 30, 1999. Written

approval by your guru or authority must accompany your request. Acceptance

in the Bhakti Sastri course is dependent on approval by the VIHE

administration. Those applying after June 30 are not guaranteed acceptance

and must pay a late registration fee of Rs.500 if accepted. Fees are paid in

Vrindavan in room 31 at any time during the year before the deadline of July

31. Fees will only be accepted once you are approved.

 

* Kartika semester

You must confirm at least two weeks in advance that you will be attending.

This can be done by letter, e-mail, phone or in person. Include your course

choices at this time. We recommend that you do not take more than a 7½ hour

per day workload (total hours of classes and homework). See Course

Descriptions on our web site or request a copy from us for the length of

each class and the amount of homework. You can add or drop classes until the

third day of classes. Fees are paid when you register in Vrindavan.

 

Registration is done for 3 days before classes begin from 10:00 a.m. to 2

p.m. in room 31. Students who miss this deadline must pay a late

registration fee of Rs. 300.

 

Fees

~~~~

* Bhakti Sastri

Rs. 10,000 (approximately US $240). Includes classes, course books and

materials, two parikramas and a 30 % discount on selected VIHE books and

tapes. This does not include room and board or classes offered at the

Kartika VIHE semester.

 

* Kartika semester

Registration fees: Rs. 550

Two-week courses: Rs. 750 each

One-month courses: Rs. 1400 each

3 parikramas and two feasts: Rs. 550

 

Full schedule: Rs. 6500 (approximately US $160). This includes the

registration fee, 4 or more classes, course books and materials, 3

parikramas, two feasts, and a 30% discount on selected VIHE books and tapes.

 

Bhakti Sastri students who wish to take Kartika semester classes must pay

for those courses, parikramas and feasts separately, but will not be charged

the registration fee.

 

Discounts

~~~~~~~~~

Discounts are available in special circumstances for devotees from

economically depressed countries or temples, and are considered on an

individual basis. They should be arranged for you by an ISKCON authority

when you apply (not at the time of registration).

 

Refund Policy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No refunds are given but payment can be applied to another devotee or

another semester.

 

Requirements

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A proficiency in English, an inclination to learn and study, and good

sadhana. Minors must have notarized parental approval.

 

Grading

~~~~~~~

* Bhakti Sastri

Bhakti Sastri students who wish to get a Bhakti Sastri degree take an ISKCON

Ministry of Education approved Bhakti Sastri exam. 50% of this grade will be

derived from tests taken during the course.

 

* Kartika semester

Grading is an option the teacher may choose to use. These grades are only

for assessment and not for degrees. See Kartika semester Course Descriptions

pamphlet for details.

 

Wheelchair Accessibility

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Classrooms are on the first floor. There is no wheelchair accessibility but

we have carried disabled devotees up the stairs and can provide this

facility if needed. Please confirm with us before coming if you require this

service.

 

Weather

~~~~~~~

Very hot: mid April to early October

Very cold: mid December to mid February

Mild: mid October to early December and late February to April

 

Keep in mind that the temple is outdoors, so bring sufficient warm clothing

if you plan to be here during the cold season.

 

What You May Want to Bring

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Computer (optional). A computer is useful for having course books on disk,

taking notes, writing essays, access to the folio, etc. We have one computer

in the library with the folio (all of Prabhupada's books, conversations and

lectures) and a word processor (Word for Windows 2.0). If you wish to bring

your own computer, you will need to purchase a step down or Constant Voltage

Transformer (CVT) at a cost of about Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000 ($12 to $24) to

protect your computer from being damaged by the alternating voltage that is

common in Vrindavan. We have 2 CVT connections in the library that you can

use.

 

Basic amenities are available in India, but quality and variety can vary

considerably from what is available in the west. Keep this in mind when

deciding what to take, especially if you require certain medications. If you

have questions about what to bring, please contact us.

 

Where to Stay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Bhakti Sastri

Rooms are available in the gurukula building for 15 male Bhakti Sastri

students by reservation or on a first come, first served basis. The cost is

Rs. 50 per man per day and three men occupy each room. Desk and chairs are

provided. For those who do not get a room here, we will help you find other

ashrams in the area where you can live with other students. This also

applies to the women. We strongly suggest that Bhakti Sastri students live

together. Varying facilities near the temple are available at both lower and

higher prices.

 

* Kartika semester

Depending on the number of Bhakti Sastri students enrolled, the VIHE may

have the above mentioned accommodations available for a limited number of

male Kartika students. Accommodations are available by reservation or on a

first come, first served basis. Otherwise, there are many rooms and

apartments available near the temple ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 850 per day.

Contact us or visit our web site for a list of such rooms and apartments.

 

Most ashrams are adequate but simple. Bedding is often not supplied.

 

The VIHE also has the above mentioned accommodations available for 15 men

from December through July. Accommodations are available by reservation or

on a first come, first served basis.

 

It is compulsory by Indian law that all foreigners fill out a "C-Form" at

the ashram where they are staying within 24 hours of their arrival and that

they register with immigration if they will be staying in India for 6 months

or longer.

 

Where to Eat

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Temple prasadam is available at Rs. 40 per day (prices are subject to

change). The temple also runs a restaurant and snack bar. For those who wish

to cook for themselves, all required ingredients are available in the temple

vicinity.

 

Classes in Foreign Languages

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If your temple, country or zone has a sufficient number of non English

speaking devotees wishing to attend the VIHE, please contact us about

arranging special classes translated into your language.

 

Become Part of the VIHE

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If you are interested in becoming part of the VIHE, either in Vrindavan or

starting one in your country, please contact us.