Vrindavan, 2016. 10.16 (VT): A six month course in ‘Bhakti – Tirtha’ commenced on Sunday at the Jiva Institute in Vrindavan. Around 50 scholars from around the world are in Vrindavan to attend the course. Scholars from America, Germany, France, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Italy will participate to learn the course. Apart from the resident scholars, 50 more scholars will take the online tutorials to learn the course.
Dr. Satyanarayan Dasa, who is the President of the Jiva Institute, will lead the group of four educators to conduct the course. Dr. Dasa will be assisted by Dr. Jagadananda Dasa (Jan Brenzki), Shri Mahamuni Dasa (Dr. Matthew Dusty) and Shri Advaita Das (Prof. Edwin Brynte).
Inaugurating the ‘Bhakti-Tirtha’ course, Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami said, “Dham is incomplete without Bhakti. It is the result of Bhakti that Shri Krishna incarnated as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to manifest Shri Dham Vrindavan. The Six Goswamis who were the followers of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wrote many sacred literatures, filled with deep spiritual knowledge. The Ascetic Devotees from around the world are keen to study these sacred texts.” “Shri Jiva Goswami was a great editor among the Six Goswamis, who edited many texts written by the other Goswamis. He had a great collection of all the sacred texts and opened a library at Radha Damodar Mandir. It was available for the readers belonging from all the sampradayas, ” added Shri Goswami ji.
Dr. Satyanarayan Das said, “The Shashtras (Sacred literature) are the base of our Indian culture. Vrindavan was once a treasure of great scholars. There were many Sanskrit schools, where the sashtras were being taught. The Acharyas, who taught the shashtras had deep knowledge about the shastras. Unfortunately, the number of those great teachers are declining, who are hardly being replaced by the new ones.”
He further added, “People are also not interested in learning the shashtras, the consequence of which is the latest controversy of organizing an atheist conference in a religious place like Vrindavan.”
Dr. Achyuta Lal Bhatt, Shri Sevananda Brahmachari, Shri Ananda Gopal Dasa, Shri Padmanabha Das and several other speakers addressed the ceremony.
scholars attending the inaugural ceremony
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