Table of Contents
Course Aims 5
Course Overview 7
Bhakti-çästri Assessment 10
Unit 1 Dharma in Bhagavad-gétä 13
Unit 2 Yoga Ladder & Jïäna in Bhagavad-gétä 26
Unit 3 Sädhana-bhakti 38
Unit 4 Ananya-bhakti 61
Unit 5 Elevation Through The Modes 79
Unit 6 Preaching from the Bhakti-çästras 90
Unit 7 Qualities of a Bhaktiçästré 101
Sädhana Sheets 110
The Overall Purpose of VTE Systematic Çästric Study
The Twelve Aims of VTE Systematic Çästric Study
Objectives
Module 1 Understanding of the Bhakti-çästras
Module 2 Application of the Bhakti-çästras
Module 3 Values in the Bhakti-çästras
Overview of Lessons
Module 1: Understanding of the Bhakti-çästras
Unit 1 Dharma in Bhagavad-gétä 7 Lessons
Unit 2 Yoga ladder and Jïäna in Bhagavad-gétä 6 Lessons
Unit 3 Sädhana-bhakti 16 Lessons
Unit 4 Ananya-bhakti 9 Lessons
Unit 5 Elevation through Modes of Nature 4 Lessons
Unit 6 Preaching from Bhakti-çästras 5 Lessons
Unit 7 Qualities of a Bhakti-çästré 3 Lessons
Module 1: Understanding of the Bhakti-çästras
Unit 1 Dharma in Bhagavad-gétä
Unit 2 Yoga ladder and Jïäna in Bhagavad-gétä
Unit 3 Sädhana-bhakti
Unit 4 Ananya-bhakti
Unit 5 Elevation through Modes of Nature
Unit 6 Preaching from Bhakti-çästras
Unit 7 Values and Attitudes of a Bhakti-çästré
Study Materials
Reading Assignments
Selected Analogies
Preliminary Self-Study Questions & Analogies
Closed-book assessment and verses for Memorization
Open-Book Assessment
Bhakti-çästri Certification
Bhagavad-gétä
Date
Dharma in Bhagavad-gétä
Unit Aim
Schedule of Lessons
Lesson 1: Bhagavad-gétä As It Is
Lesson 3: Varëäçrama-dharma in Bhagavad-gétä
Lesson 4: Contents of the Gétä Summarized
Lesson 6: Transcendental Kåñëa Consciousness
Lesson 7: Varëäçrama-dharma a Support to Kåñëa consciousness
Chapter 1 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
Introduction: Preparations for War (1–13)
Signs of victory (14–20)
Kåñëa as Bhakta Vatsala (21–27)
Arjuna’s Doubts (28–46)
Chapter 2 Contents of the Gétä Summarized
Arjuna’s further doubts and surrender (1–10)
Jïäna — Fight! There is no death for the soul (11–30)
Karma-käëòa — Fight! By prescribed duties gain material enjoyment (31–38)
Buddhi-yoga — Fight! But without any reaction (39-53)
Sthita-prajïa — Become fixed in transcendental consciousness (54–72)
Overview of 2nd Chapter
1. Definition of Varëäçrama-dharma
2. Brief explanation of Varëäçrama-dharma
3. Modes prominently influencing the respective varëas
4. Specific Duties for the the Respective Varëas
4. Specific Duties for the the Respective Äçramas
Vänaprastha
Gåhastha
Brahmacarya
5. Result of following Varëäçrama-dharma
svarga-dväram apävåtam
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 1
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 2
Analogies:
Understanding
Personal Application
Preaching Application
Academic and Moral Integrity
Evaluation
Mood and Mission
Unit Overview
Unit Aims
Schedule of Lessons
Lesson 5 Éçvara, Jéva, and Prakåti
Lesson 6 Jïäna-cakñuñä - The Vision of Knowledge
Section A: The Yoga Ladder in Bhagavad-gétä
Lesson 1: The Yoga Systems
Lesson 5: Éçvara, Jéva and Prakåti
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 3
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 4
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 5
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 6
Understanding
Personal Application
Preaching Application
Mood & Mission
Çästra-cakñusä
Section A: The Nectar of Devotion
Section A: The Nectar of Devotion
Lesson 1: Overview of Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu
Lesson 2: Definition of Pure Devotional Service
Lesson 7: How to Discharge Devotional Service
Lesson 8: Devotional Principles
Lesson 9: Aspects of Transcendental Service
Lesson 10: Rägänuga-bhakti
Section B: The Nectar of Instruction
Lesson 5 The Highest Stage and Conclusion
1st Laharé Sämänya bhakti (Preface – Chapter 1)
Preface – Bhakti rasa
Introduction – Maìgaläcaraëa and Definition of Pure Devotional Service
Chapter 1 – Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service
2nd Laharé Sädhana-bhakti (Chapter 2 – Chapter 16)
Part One (Chapters 2–14) – Vaidhi-sädhana-bhakti
Part Two (Chapters 15–16) – Rägänuga-sadhana bhakti
Chapter 2 – Principles of Sädhana-bhakti
Sämänya-bhakti
Introduction
Contents of the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu
Definition of Uttama-bhakti
Six Characterisctics of Uttama-bhakti
Nectar of Devotion Preface
Nectar of Devotion Introduction
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 1
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 3
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 6
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 7
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 8
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 9
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 10
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 11
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 12
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 13
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 14
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 15
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 16
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 17
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 18
Nectar of Devotion Chapter 19
Çré Upadeçämåta
Text One
Text Two
Text Three
Text Four
Text Five
Text Six
Text Seven
Text Eight
Text Nine
Text Ten
Text Eleven
Çré Upadeçämåta Analogies:
Nectar of Devotion Verses for Memorization
anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà
jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam
änukülyena kåñëänu-
çélanam bhaktir uttamä
sarvopädhi-vinirmuktaà
tat-paratvena nirmalam
håñékeëa håñékeça-
sevanaà bhaktir ucyate
ataù çré-kåñëa-nämädi
na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù
sevonmukhe hi jihvädau
svayam eva sphuraty adaù
anäsaktasya viñayän
yathärham upayuïjataù
nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe
yuktaà vairägyam ucyate
The Nectar of Devotion
The Nectar of Instruction
Understanding
4 Duñkåtinaù
Bhagavad-gétä 9.4-10
Mayä tatam idaà sarvaà
Mayä adhy akñeëa
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 7
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 8
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 9
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 10
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 11
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 12
Bhagavad-gétä Analogies:
Bhagavad-gétä, Chapters 7-12
Understanding
Personal Application
Preaching Application
Evaluation
Academic and Moral Integrity
Çästra-cakñusä
Mood and Mission
Unit Aim
Schedule of Lessons
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Chapter 13
Kñetra and kñetrajna (1–7)
The process of knowledge (8–12)
The object of knowledge (13–19)
Prakåti, puruña and their union (20–26)
Jïäna-cakñuñä: the vision of knowledge (27–35)
Chapter 14
Conditioning of the modes (1–9)
Characteristics, action and death in the modes (10–18)
Transcending the modes (19–27)
Chapter 15
Becoming detached from the material world (1–5)
Transmigration (6–11)
Kåñëa as maintainer (12–15)
Summary of Vedänta-sütra (16–20)
Chapter 16
Transcendental and demoniac qualities (1–6)
The demoniac nature (7–18)
Results of demoniac activities and the choice of elevation or degradation (19–24)
Chapter 17
Faith, worship and foods in the modes (1–10)
Sacrifices, austerities, and charity in the modes (11–22)
Chanting oà tat sat purifies activities (23–28)
Chapter 18
Karma-yoga: Superiority of working in devotion over renunciation of work (1–12)
Jïäna-yoga (13–18)
The modes of nature (19–40)
Worshipping Kåñëa through one’s work (41–48)
From Jïäna-yoga to pure devotional service (49–55)
Surrender to Kåñëa (56–66)
Arjuna agrees to fight and victory is assured by Sanjaya (67–78)
Chapter 14 Workings of the three modes
Chapter 17 Activities in the modes
Chapter 18 - The modes control all activities
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 13
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 14
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 15
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 16
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 17
Bhagavad-gétä Chapter 18
Analogies:
Understanding
Personal Application
Preaching Application
Çästra-cakñusä
Evaluation
Mood & Mission
Çré Éçopaniñad Analogies:
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Ananya-bhakti
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Understanding:
Personal Application
Mood & Mission
