Bhagavad Gita - Karma Yoga (Ch. 1 - 6) - Jan 4 - Feb 28 2021
The time is 5000 years ago; the place: Kuruksetra; the circumstance: the biggest battle the world has ever known. So the stage is set, and Lord Krishna has arranged a most dramatic build-up so everyone's attention is on what happens next. And when all eyes and ears are ready, Lord Krishna arranges that an intimate friend falls under the influence of His internal energy to act as a conditioned soul, bewildered by the most basic questions: 'Who am I?' 'What am I meant to do?' Lord Krishna , in response, explains to Arjuna the process of yoga and the basic transcendental knowledge needed to act in spiritual consciousness.
Bhagavad Gita - Bhakti Yoga (Ch. 7 - 12) - March 1 - April 25 2021
Tradition describes the Bhagavad-gita as a treasure chest. The middle chapters (7-12) are where the treasure is kept. This part of Bhagavad-gita is its essence, hidden and specially protected by the Lord. It discusses the nature and activities of pure devotional service. These chapters contain the prayojana tattva, or the goal of bhakti. Bhakti-yoga is the essence of the Gita: "Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga." (Srila Prabhupada, purport to BG 6:47).
Bhagavad Gita - Yoga of knowledge (Ch. 13 - 18) - April 26 - June 27 2021
How is it possible that Krishna, after saying to Arjuna (Bg. 9.1), "I shall impart to you this most confidential knowledge and realization" then says (Bg. 14.1): "Again I shall declare to you this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection"? Is more knowledge than that given in the "bhakti section" (Chapters 7-12) required, or is a repetition of the knowledge required? After discussing the processes of yoga in Chapters 1-6 and after presenting the goal of all yoga processes - bhakti - in chapters 7-12, Krishna reveals how this goal can be achieved. After a section about karma (action) and a section about bhakti (devotion), we come to a section about jnana (knowledge). Please prepare yourself for receiving knowledge, which will help you go home, back to Godhead.
Sri Isopanisad - June 28 - August 22 2021
Sri Isopanisad one of the 108 principal Vedic scriptures known as the Upanisads. Sri Isopanisad is a conceptual text, rather than a description of the Lord's pastimes. Reading and studying this book is meant to advance one's view of life; to teach one how to re-spiritualize every endeavor of one's actions.
The Nectar of Instruction - Upadesamrita - Aug 23 - Oct 17 2021
For six weeks we will be discovering Srila Prabhupada's translation and commentary to Srila Rupa Goswami's Upadesamrita. Rupa Goswami was especially empowered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to assemble instructions on how to attain love of Godhead, Krishna -prema. His Upadesamrita (The Nectar of Instruction) is a compilation of eleven verses that outline the gradual progress and main instructions for a serious spiritual practitioner who wishes to attain this eternal love.
The Nectar of Devotion - Oct 18 - Dec 26 2021
The Nectar of Devotion (NOD) is Srila Prabhupada's summary study of Srila Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu. It presents "the complete science of devotional service." In this course you will systematically study the first nineteen chapters of the NOD.