Ongoing Courses

यावद् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयः सरितश्च महीतले । तावद् रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ॥
yāvad sthāsyanti girayaḥ saritaśca mahītale | tāvad rāmāyaṇa-kathā lokeṣu pracariṣyati ||

“As long as the mountains stand and the rivers flow upon the earth, so long will the story of the Ramayana be told among men.” Uttara Kanda, Valmiki’s Ramayana

The Ramayana: The Eternal Journey of Dharma and Devotion

The Ramayana is one of the most timeless epics in Indian culture, shaping the moral and spiritual fabric of society for millennia. It is not just a tale of heroism and adventure but a profound narrative of dharma, the righteous path, woven through the life and challenges of Lord Rama. The epic transcends time with its themes of love, loyalty, sacrifice, and the eternal struggle between good and evil.

As the famous saying from the Ramayana goes, “When Rama is installed in the heart, everything will be added unto you—fame, fortune, freedom, fullness, and the fulfilment of life.” The Ramayana invites us to reflect on the deeper truths of human existence, offering a guide for living a life of virtue in harmony with oneself and the universe.

In this class, we will discuss the various layers of the Ramayana, examining the virtues of Lord Rama, the devotion of Sita, the loyalty of Hanuman, and the choices made by Ravana. We will also reflect on the unwavering commitment of Lakshmana, who exemplifies selfless service; the wisdom and compassion of Vibhishana, who chooses righteousness over familial loyalty; the bravery and dedication of Jatayu, who sacrifices everything for a noble cause; and the deep love and sorrow of Bharata, who, despite being offered the throne, remains loyal to his exiled brother, etc.

We will converse on these characters —their inner conflicts, ethical dilemmas, emotions, insights, and doubts—as they navigate the complexities of life, relationships, and strive toward ultimate freedom. Through this journey, we will discover timeless lessons on values, responsibility, lucidity, resilience, courage, determination; the external challenges we face but also the internal battles that shape our character and destiny — themes that remain deeply relevant to modern life.

In this profound book, Lord Krishna reveals to Arjuna the ultimate reality of oneself, the universe and its cause. He also shows Arjuna the means to prepare him for the knowledge through karma yoga, meditation & other shifts in attitude. This teaching makes us understand the vision of oneness. It also enables us to view life as a great opportunity to utilize our talents, skills, and contribute to the well-being of ourselves and others; and in the process, free ourselves from guilt, hurt, and fears.

The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, one of the shortest yet most profound Upaniṣad, offers a gateway to understanding the ultimate nature of reality of the self. This Upanishad expounds the vision of Vedanta through the sacred word Om. The methodology used to unfold the vision is our own waking, dream and deep sleep experience at an individual level and the entire physical, subtle and causal universe at the cosmic level. This text challenges us to question the reality we perceive and recognize our true nature as infinite, unchanging consciousness.

The Gauḍapāda Kārikā, an ancient commentary by the sage Gauḍapāda employs reason, logic, and poetic insight to reveal the relative nature of the world and the ultimate truth being Brahman. Adi Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary on the Kārikā enriches this dialogue with his profound clarity and intellectual rigor, offering seekers a comprehensive understanding of Advaita Vedānta’s essence.

Swami Dayananda’s prayer guide offers a profound pathway to deepen one’s spiritual practice through the power of prayer. Rooted in the ancient wisdom of Vedanta, this guide provides not only prayers but also insights into their meanings and significance, helping practitioners connect with the divine in a meaningful and heartfelt way. It serves as a tool to uplift the mind, instill
peace, and cultivate devotion, making the spiritual journey both accessible and enriching for seekers at all levels

The Mahabharata has deeply influenced every aspect of Indian culture over the last 5,000 years and is revered as the Fifth Veda by Hindus. Even though the main theme of the epic is the Great War in Kurukshetra, it comprises many stories and other stories within stories, all woven together, offering us rich and various parables, insightful dialogues, discussions between various characters and beautiful metaphors. As the famous saying goes, ‘What is found here about the four human pursuits i.e., dharma, artha, kama and moksa, may be found elsewhere. However, what is not found here will not be found elsewhere.’ No wonder that many believe this most magnificent epic to be the greatest story ever told.

In this class, through the story of Mahabharata we will explore human life and its condition such as greatness and misery, the difficulty of being good and pursuing freedom. We will reflect on the various characters of this profound text, their inner conflicts, ethical challenges, the emotions they go through, their insights and doubts, mistakes and falls, as they navigate their lives and strive towards freedom

Chapter 6 has a prominent place in the tradition because of its brilliant and comprehensive unfolding of the teaching. It is in the form of a dialogue between a son, Svetaketu and his father, Aruni. Aruni teaches his son about that one thing knowing which everything is as well known. He employs different methods to make Svetaketu discover the meaning of the famous equation ‘Tat tvam asi, you are that’. Through the sentence ‘Tat Tvam Asi’, the Upanishad reveals our nature to be fullness that we have always been searching for.

In this profound book, Lord Krishna reveals to Arjuna the ultimate reality of oneself, the universe and its cause. He also shows Arjuna the means to prepare him for the knowledge through karma yoga, meditation & other shifts in attitude. This teaching makes us understand the vision of oneness. It also enables us to view life as a great opportunity to utilize our talents, skills, and contribute to the well-being of ourselves and others; and in the process, free ourselves from guilt, hurt, and fears.

Le chapitre 7 de la Bhagavad Gītā, Jñāna-Vijñāna-Yoga, approfondit la compréhension de Īśvara. Kṛṣṇa présente Īśvara à la fois comme la cause de l’univers et comme celui dont la présence se manifeste à travers tout ce qui existe — la matière, les êtres vivants, les facultés humaines et l’ordre qui relie l’ensemble.

Le chapiter conduit ensuite à une compréhension plus essentielle d’Īśvara. Au-delà de ses manifestations multiples, quelle est sa nature véritable ? Kṛṣṇa révèle progressivement qu’Īśvara ne peut être réduit à une forme particulière, à une puissance extérieure ou à un objet de croyance : sa nature ultime est la réalité même qui soutient toute expérience et tout ce qui est.

Cette vision est cependant voilée par les désirs, les attachements et les méprises de la personne. Le chapitre examine ainsi différentes formes de recherche et de dévotion, et montre comment une relation mûre avec Īśvara prépare l’esprit à reconnaître l’unité derrière la diversité. L’étude nous conduit ainsi de la compréhension d’Īśvara comme ordre total à la découverte de sa nature essentielle.

The Vedic tradition opens the study of every Upaniṣad with a śānti mantra, a brief invocation for peace and auspiciousness. The ten mantras taken up in this class are drawn from across the Upaniṣads, each traditionally associated with a particular text and preserved with its precise svara, the intonation that gives Vedic chanting its distinctive form. In the teaching tradition these invocations are chanted before study to gather and settle the mind, to ask that the coming inquiry be free of obstruction, and to invoke harmony between the one who teaches and the one who learns. Yet they are not tied to the classroom alone. They can also be taken up at any time, at the start of the day, before any meaningful undertaking, or whenever one wishes to quieten and reorient the mind. The closing words, śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ, are repeated three times to address the three orders of disturbance that can interrupt any human undertaking, those arising from oneself, from one’s surroundings, and from forces beyond one’s control. To chant them with care is already to begin the work they describe.

Taken together, the mantras express a single, coherent attitude toward life and knowledge. They ask that speech and mind move in accord, that the senses and the body be made fit for sustained effort, and that what is understood be retained and protected. Several carry a prayer for a keen and receptive intellect, others a reverence toward the sources of understanding, or state the very vision that Vedanta unfolds, that the reality behind everything is complete and without lack. What is sought in these prayers is the readiness of the person, a mind quiet enough and clear enough to meet whatever comes with composure. Chanted regularly, whether before study or as a daily prayer, they steady attention and orient the whole person toward what is auspicious. This class offers both the correct pronunciation and intonation of each mantra and an understanding of its meaning, so that the practice is grounded rather than merely repeated.

Meditation: Bringing Isvara in your life, growing as a person and contemplating upon realities. According to the Gita and Upanishads, meditation is not regarded as a technique but as an essential component of our pursuit of knowledge and freedom. The purpose of these guided meditation classes is to take you through the different steps of traditional Vedantic meditation, in order to give you a solid foundation for your own individual practice. It would include: Scanning the body and watching your breathing to come back to yourself; mental repetition of a mantra or japa to know the ways of your mind; develop a relationship with Isvara for emotional growth; finally contemplate on the teaching of Vedanta which reveals the oneness between Isvara and yourself.