Bhakti-vaibhava Course - Module 1

Onsite Bhakti-vaihava Course

The second of the four levels of study of Srila Prabhupada's books is Bhakti-vaibhava. The Bhakti-vaibhava course covers the study of the first six cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. 

The total duration of the entire course is 24 weeks, or 500 hours, divided into 6 modules. 

Time frame of the course  (Tentative Plan):

• Module 1 - Canto 1:  May 27 - June 23, 2024,  (90 hours total, 4.5h a day)
• Module 2 - Canto 2, 3:  May 26 - June 22, 2025,  (45 + 35 hours total, 4h a day)
• Module 3 - Canto 3:  September 15 - October 12, 2025,  (80 hours total, 4h a day)
• Module 4 - Canto 4:  May 11 - June 7, 2026,  (90 hours total, 4.5h a day)
• Module 5 - Canto 5:  September 28 - October 25, 2026,  (80 hours total, 4h a day)
• Module 6 - Canto 6:  May 31 - June 27, 2027,  (80 hours total, 4h a day)

Module 1 covers the 1st canto which has 19 chapters, and it is planned for May 27 - June 23, 2024. The week will have 5 teaching days, Monday - Friday.  

75% attendance at each course module is mandatory.

Teachers: 

• HG Navadvipa Chandra Das
• HG Kanai Krishna Das
• HG Damodara-priya Dasi

Typical daily schedule:

4:30 am to 5:15 am: mangala-arati, Narsimha-arati, Tulasi-puja

5:15 am to 7:15 am: chanting japa period

7:15 am to 7:45 am: darshan of Sri Sri Prahlada Laksmi-Narasimhadeva, arati, guru-puja

7:45 am to 9:00 am: Srimad-Bhagavatam class

9:00 am: breakfast

First half:

• Session 1:  10:00 am - 11:30 am – Srimad-Bhagavatam from Srila Prabhupada’s purports.

• Session 2:  12:00 pm - 1:30 pm – Srimad-Bhagavatam from Srila Prabhupada’s purports.

• Lunch break:  1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Second half:

• Session 3:  3:00 pm - 4:30 pm – Srimad-Bhagavatam from Srila Prabhupada’s purports.

6:30 pm: Gaura-arati

7:30 pm: light dinner

Eligibility: Those of you who have passed Bhakti-shastri can pursue this course. You must submit your Bhakti-shastri certificate issued by the ISKCON Board of Examination.

Course Materials:  Student Handbook

Module duration:  4 weeks, 90 hours in total, 4.5 hours per day

Targeted audience:  All devotees who are Bhakti-shastri certified and enthusiastically want to continue their scripture study with Srimad-Bhagvatam. Srila Prabhupada wanted all ISKCON devotees to pass the Bhakti-vaibhava certification.

Evaluation plan:

• Open book exams

• Closed book exams for each unit

• Sloka recitation

• Two presentations for the first 3 songs

Course application:

•  You must be 16 or older.

• According to the guidelines of the ISKCON Board of Examination, for attending the Bhakti-vaibhava course, students must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles.

• You must have Bhakti-shastri certificate from ISKCON Board of Examinations.

• For better understanding, we humbly request you to read all six cantos before you start studying these books deeply with us and take full advantage of the course.

• Knowledge of the English language is mandatory for participation in the course.

• According to the rules and regulations of the ISKCON Board of Examiners, to obtain the Bhakti-vaibhava degree you must have 75% class attendance.

• You must submit a letter of recommendation from an ISKCON authority (your spiritual master/GBC member/temple president/co-president) who knows you well, confirming your character, sadhana, brahminical inclinations and that you have been favorably engaged in the mission of preaching Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for at least the previous 12 months. Please download the recommendation letter format from below link:
  

Recommendation letter link:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T-BEsVGsT3tQMvD3WGlsLA4nhl3H_hCA/view?usp=sharing 

• You have to send recommendation letter along with your Bhakti-shastri certificate in this google form with other details:

Google form link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsYQFSvw01HOFWM0VVJuFyXBbVdXHmNgtbW9uX0qzlwXDOSg/viewform?usp=pp_url 

* Please note that your admission will not be confirmed unless we receive this letter of recommendation and your Bhakti-shastri certificate.  Send those two documents to our email address, ibmveu@gmail.com

* IMPORTANT NOTICE:   The course and prasādam are FREE for all students. Students only pay course registration fee and  15 Euros per night for their accommodation in temple ashrams. The temple guesthouse is also available at other prices.

 For more details contact:

• Govinda Dev Das,  +49 1514 218 7856
• Vrindaranya Gopal Das,  +91 74569 15334