COURSE DESCRIPTION
Bhagavad Gītā is likely the seminal pre-modern South Asian Sanskrit text; it has captured the imagination of popular and scholastic audiences in India and around the world for centuries. As a yoga text, it highlights the paths of devotion (bhakti), action (karma), knowledge (jñana), as well as that of meditation (dhyāna). The Gītā, as it commonly referred, has been translated in over seventy-five languages and is often referred to as a “spiritual classic.” But it is also a text with a rich history and specific literary context. It is not an independent literary work, but rather occupies a place within the great Indian epic, Mahābhārata. The Gītā has also played a central role in various political and theological movements. This 25-hour course explores the content of Bhagavad Gītā—with a special emphasis of yoga—in addition to its Epic literary context, role in history, and its interpretation within commentarial traditions.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN THIS 25 HOUR MODULE INCLUDE
- Become familiar with the literary context of the Bhagavad Gītā within the Mahābhārata
- Become familiar with the rich and varied historical context of Bhagavad Gītā, specifically surrounding politics and religio-philosophical systems
- Acquire knowledge about the different ways in which the text addresses yoga
- Acquire knowledge of the fundamental metaphysical concepts of the text
- Acquire knowledge about the text’s prescriptions for meditation
- Acquire knowledge of Krishna’s doubleness and his final instructions at the conclusion of the text
- Become familiar with the concept of the Sanskrit commentarial tradition and its importance in providing coherent yet varied interpretations of the text
- Become familiar with the commentarial traditions of Śankara (9th CE ) and Rāmānuja (11th CE)
TEACHERS: Eileen Goddard & Robert Lindsey
REQUIRED TEXTS:
- Dasa, Satayanarayana. “Preface.” In Yoga of Dejection, ix-xviii. Vrindavan, India: Jiva Institute, 2000.
- Davis, Richard. The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2015.
- Sargeant, Winthrop, trans. Bhagavad Gita. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009.
DATES & TIMES:
Mondays and Wednesdays 6:00 – 8:30pm EST
July 19 – August 11, 2021
PREREQUISITES: None
LOCATION: This program will be held on Zoom. You will receive a link to join the week before the program begins.
SELF INVESTMENT: $245
Payment Deadline: Friday, July 16th
EARLY BIRD RATE: $195
Early Bird Deadline: Monday, June 21st
*For the Early Bird Rate, full payment must be made by the Early Bird Deadline
TO REGISTER: Fill out an online application and then pay in full*!
* A FREE MONTH OF UNLIMITED YOGA CLASSES begins the day the program starts! No refunds within 31 days before the program begins, and refunds requested more than 31 days before the program begins will lose a $150 processing fee.
We are offering a BIPOC scholarship for this training at 50% of the full cost. Please submit a 1 page essay explaining why you hope to join the Bhagavad Gita Module, and how this scholarship would be personally and professionally helpful to you. Please submit your essay to Robert@yogavida.com by June 21, 2021.
If you have any questions, please contact Robert@yogavida.com