Whatever books we have got, it should be studied. Bhakti-śāstrī means Nectar of Devotion, Bhagavad-gītā, Nectar of Instruction, Beyond [Birth and] Death—in this way we select some ten books. That is Bhakti-śāstrī.
-- Srila Prabhupada on a morning walk in Nellore on 6 January 1976
Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE 2023-24 is an intensive version of Bhakti-śāstrī as per the above instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda. It will include a study of the source books utilized by Śrīla Prabhupāda for the Bhakti-śāstrī textbooks as well as selected writings of the previous ācāryas. It contains a study of:
There will be six hours of classes a day, six days a week, for fourteen weeks. The medium of instruction will be English. The sessions will be interactive -- students' questions will be answered promptly during the classes. As per ISKCON's Board of Examinations, there will be closed-book assessments, open-book assessments and śloka assessments, all of which will take place every seventh day. There will also be viva voce for the open-book assessments and a final assessment that matches Prabhupāda's rigorous criteria for a Bhakti-śāstrī exam. Students have to pass in all of these assessments. Those who don't will be given three opportunities for reassessment.
The course will also be a good refresher for those who have already completed the standard Bhakti-śāstrī and who want to teach it systematically and confidently. (Students want their teachers to know and understand the subject thoroughly.) Consider Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE to be a philosophical teacher training course for Bhakti-śāstrī. The course comes with an experience that is as air-tight as we can to make it derive the effect of tīvra-bhakti-yoga.
VENUE: Rameswaram
DURATION: From 2 November 2023 to 16 February 2024
TEACHERS: Vidvān Gaurāṅga dāsa, Dharmātmā Nimāi dāsa, Abhinava dāsa and others
FEE: Pay what you want
ACCOMMODATION: We will provide, but those who so desire can make their own arrangements at their own cost
PRASĀDA: We will provide, but those who so desire can make their own arrangements at their own cost
LAST DATE FOR REGISTRATION: 2 October 2023
According to ISKCON Board of Examinations, the candidate for Bhakti-śāstrī should be chanting 16 rounds, following 4 regulative principles and be recommended by an ISKCON authority who knows the candidate well, certifying that the candidate is favorably engaged in the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu for at least the previous twelve months.
The candidate should be at least 18 years old.
Those who have fulfilled the above criteria and are interested in taking up Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE should fill up this form.
Those who had been tentatively accepted for the study program will then be notified via e-mail after which they will be called for an interview. After the interview, those whose acceptance has been confirmed will be notified of the same.
We will only accept five to nine students. First come, first served.
This batch is for male candidates. Interested female candidates should contact Padmamukha Nimāi Prabhu at www.catuspathi.com since he is coordinating a similar effort in which lady teachers will teach lady students in Mayapur.
Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE is the first part of a larger scheme of study of the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda, his predecessor authorities and the scriptures. This study program is offered by Vidvān Gaurāṅga dāsa, a translator serving in Rūpa Raghunātha Vāṇī Publications, under the auspices of his catuṣpāṭhī named Gaurahari Catuṣpāṭhī.
-- Srila Prabhupada on a morning walk in Nellore on 6 January 1976
Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE 2023-24 is an intensive version of Bhakti-śāstrī as per the above instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda. It will include a study of the source books utilized by Śrīla Prabhupāda for the Bhakti-śāstrī textbooks as well as selected writings of the previous ācāryas. It contains a study of:
- Bhagavad-gītā As It Is with the commentaries of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Vidvad-rañjana), and selections from the commentary of Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
- Īśopaniṣad with the commentaries of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Madhvācārya, and Summary of Īśopaniṣad by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
- The Nectar of Instruction with the commentaries of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
- Part 1 of The Nectar of Devotion with Part 1 of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, and selections from the commentaries of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī
- Śrīla Prabhupāda's Beyond birth and death, Easy journey to other planets, Kṛṣṇa consciousness: The topmost yoga system, Rāja-vidyā: The king of knowledge; Message of Godhead; The path of perfection.
- Selected writings of the previous ācāryas:
- Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
- Śikṣāṣṭaka with his commentary
- An excerpt from Gauḍīya-kaṇṭha-hāra
- Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
- Introduction to Daśamūla: Āmnāya Daśamūla, Bhagavad-gītā Daśamūla, Bhāgavata Daśamūla and Caitanya-caritāmṛta Daśamūla
- Caitanya Upaniṣad and his commentary on it
- An excerpt from Āmnāya-sūtra and his commentary on it
- A rendition of Chapters 1 to 3 of Bhāgavatārka-marīci-mālā and his Marīci-prabhā paraphrase of it with notes from Tattva-sandarbha (Pramāṇa-khaṇḍa)
- An excerpt from Caitanya Mahāprabhu: His Life and Precepts
- Śaraṇāgati
- Bhaktyāloka
- Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa: Vedānta-syamantaka with his gloss
- Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura: Excerpts from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu-bindu
- Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
There will be six hours of classes a day, six days a week, for fourteen weeks. The medium of instruction will be English. The sessions will be interactive -- students' questions will be answered promptly during the classes. As per ISKCON's Board of Examinations, there will be closed-book assessments, open-book assessments and śloka assessments, all of which will take place every seventh day. There will also be viva voce for the open-book assessments and a final assessment that matches Prabhupāda's rigorous criteria for a Bhakti-śāstrī exam. Students have to pass in all of these assessments. Those who don't will be given three opportunities for reassessment.
The course will also be a good refresher for those who have already completed the standard Bhakti-śāstrī and who want to teach it systematically and confidently. (Students want their teachers to know and understand the subject thoroughly.) Consider Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE to be a philosophical teacher training course for Bhakti-śāstrī. The course comes with an experience that is as air-tight as we can to make it derive the effect of tīvra-bhakti-yoga.
VENUE: Rameswaram
DURATION: From 2 November 2023 to 16 February 2024
TEACHERS: Vidvān Gaurāṅga dāsa, Dharmātmā Nimāi dāsa, Abhinava dāsa and others
FEE: Pay what you want
ACCOMMODATION: We will provide, but those who so desire can make their own arrangements at their own cost
PRASĀDA: We will provide, but those who so desire can make their own arrangements at their own cost
LAST DATE FOR REGISTRATION: 2 October 2023
According to ISKCON Board of Examinations, the candidate for Bhakti-śāstrī should be chanting 16 rounds, following 4 regulative principles and be recommended by an ISKCON authority who knows the candidate well, certifying that the candidate is favorably engaged in the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu for at least the previous twelve months.
The candidate should be at least 18 years old.
Those who have fulfilled the above criteria and are interested in taking up Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE should fill up this form.
Those who had been tentatively accepted for the study program will then be notified via e-mail after which they will be called for an interview. After the interview, those whose acceptance has been confirmed will be notified of the same.
We will only accept five to nine students. First come, first served.
This batch is for male candidates. Interested female candidates should contact Padmamukha Nimāi Prabhu at www.catuspathi.com since he is coordinating a similar effort in which lady teachers will teach lady students in Mayapur.
Bhakti-śāstrī DELUXE is the first part of a larger scheme of study of the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda, his predecessor authorities and the scriptures. This study program is offered by Vidvān Gaurāṅga dāsa, a translator serving in Rūpa Raghunātha Vāṇī Publications, under the auspices of his catuṣpāṭhī named Gaurahari Catuṣpāṭhī.
