Cultivating Bhaava
The best respect we can offer to our Creator is to have a calm body — dama, and a quiet mind — shama. Our scriptures sometimes compare how and where we are living to a Bhava-atavi. Atavi means a jungle and Bhava means to…
Category Weekly Courses
Ramayana Class Review 2
Shri Vijayji started by explaining difficult (क्लिष्ट) laws governing the complex Anushtup chand (अनुष्टुप छंद), the poetry composition of Geeta and Bhagvatam. Then he proceeded to explain the meanings of the shlokas of the Mangalcharanam (मंगलाचरण). Sholka 2 is about Faith and Trust.…
What is Sin
Class Notes by Shruti Introduction In the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Krishna shares an analysis of seekers. All are seekers; the difference is in what they are seeking. There are four types of seekers, from lowest to highest: 4. Arthi: Seekers who seek…
Week 2: Just Be! The Active and The Contemplative
Stillness within, permeates to the outside. To become still within, one must learn to let go.
DDV: Verse 1
Class notes by Sharmila Our attitude should never be that ‘we don’t care if we don’t gain’ or that ‘we are not interested if there is no utility for me’. The danger of this mind set is that it makes…
Anushasana Priya — One who loves discipline
Notes by Vastavi Choudhari Review of last week: Om Aniketaya Namah: the one who has no home, which means try to be comfortable anywhere you go and stop trying to be so possessive over things, try thinking that you are just…
Anushasana Priya – One who loves discipline
Notes by Om Shreejay Review of last class We reviewed the virtue of Aniketa (Being comfortable everywhere) that we studied in last week’s class. We learned that you should be comfortable in any place in any situation. We can do this by…
Why does Bhagavan Manifest?
In the Ramayana, Rishi Bharadwaja asks Bhagavan Rama, “What is the phala or fruit of Bhagavad Darshan?” Bhagavan Rama doesn’t respond, or maybe doesn’t know the answer and then Rishi Bharadwaja responds saying it is Bhakta darshan — to see devotees of…
Ramayana Class Review
After a short break Shri Vijayji resumed with Ramcharitmanas discourse. He started by explaining the meaning of Mangalacharan and Ramayan. Ram represents the Supreme Reality and Ayanam (अयनम) stands for two meanings: Goal or Path. He further explored the four questions of Vedanta and…
What is Peace
Class Notes by Rita Introduction In Srimad Bhagavatam, in a dialogue between Bhagavati Lakshmi and Bhagavan Narayana, Bhagavati Lakshmi asks Him, “The whole world bows down and prays to You and says Your name, but their minds are on me.…