Gita Amrtam Course

A life of connection and oneness through Self mastery and Self discovery

The Bhagavad Gita reveals the vision that you are amrtam (not subject to death) and the joyful way of living to see the vision.

The Gita is Amrtam because it is a complete teaching of the sweet essence of the Vedas.

Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya reminds us that to ‘the one who has studied the Bhagavad Gita even a little, there is no discussion with Yama, the Lord of Death.’(Bhaja Govindam – 20). Such is its glory!

Although a dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna, it is really a profound and layered flow of meaning between jiva, the individual and Bhagavan about the battlefield of life.

How do I find meaning and purpose when all that is around me is despair and hopelessness?

How can I balance a successful career and a happy family life?

How can I deal with fear, sorrow and the ultimate loss – death?

What is the purpose of this human life?

How to know what is the right thing to do in a given situation?

These questions which bother us now have been asked across centuries and the Gita has quenched the thirst of all seekers. We ask these questions not on a mountain top or a remote cave but in the thick and thin of living a busy life, especially in anxious times like these.

The Amrtam, nectar of the Bhagavad Gita is available for us.

Topics :

The Bhagavad Gita comprises 700 verses spread over 18 chapters and occurs in the middle of the Mahabharata. The complete teaching includes two important topics which are interwoven in a rich tapestry.

a. Brahmavidya – An enquiry into your essential nature, your relation with Bhagavan and the world.

Brahmavidya transforms your life into a blessing as you understand – Who am I? Who and what is God? Is he here and now? What is my connection to God? Is the world real or an appearance? and much more.

b. Yogashastra – The values, attitudes and orientations to live a joyful life and assimilate the vision of the unchanging Atma.

Yogashastra delves into topics of karma, how to deal with the mind, how to have happy relationships, the definition of yoga, who a yogi is and much more.

It is easy to get confused if one is reading the Gita on one’s own because Bhagavan Krishna goes back and forth between these topics. Hence it is important to go through each of the verses in detail with the help of a teacher to get the complete vision.

Please note that the course began in June 2021 and is an ongoing one till 2024.

Many still continue to join and gain tremendously.

The Bhagavad Gita is not a history textbook but about life and living and so we start with where we are.

You are welcome to join until June 2023.

Course material

Our lives are the material which the Bhagavad Gita will light up.

Our approach is not to study the Bhagavad Gita but to study our own life and find meaning, joy and connection through the Bhagavad Gita.

The text to refer to – Srimad Bhagavad Gita by Swami Dayananda Saraswati to be purchased from http://www.avrpt.com/sanskrit-bhagavadgita.htm

OR

Download from the App:

For Android –https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avrpt.teachingsofswamidayananda

For IOS – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/teachings-of-swami-dayananda/id807400667

Course Format:

The class includes chanting of the Sanskrit verses which is repeated by the students. The word meaning of the verses along with the relevance of the verse in everyday life with contemporary examples are shared.

2. Meditation – Students will be introduced to different types of meditation.

3. Homework assignments pertaining to situations in life will be given from time to time and discussed at the end of the class in small groups.

4. One-one session with teacher once in three months in person or on Zoom/skype or a phone conversation.(initiated by student when required)

5. Disciplines/certain practices suitable to the student will be given in class or one-one online.

6. Participation in Arsha Vidya Ananda Sangha, a private online community for support to each other and to address questions

FAQ

What do I need to attend the class?

Internet connection: Joining live class is simple. All classes are held on Zoom. You can join with one click from a mobile device or a computer. You’ll need an internet connection to join live or watch/listen later. You will be provided the class link which will be valid for ALL classes.

I will not be able to watch the class live, can I watch another time?

All classes will be video recorded. The video classes will be uploaded in the next 24 hours. You can access the video classes or the audios of the same in the course section of the website with your login details.

I already have the Bhagavad Gita text. Do I still need to buy the text mentioned above?

Yes. The text translation by my guru closely follows the Advaita Vedanta tradition re-established by Adi Shankaracharya which is what we follow in our courses.

I don’t know Sanskrit. Will I be able to understand the class?

No problem at all. If any Sanskrit word is used it will be explained in English.

I am very busy and don’t know if I have the time.

A minimum of two hours a week, one hour to attend and the other to go over your notes and do the prescribed sadhana-s .

(Some perspective – When you really look at it, each year the course only requires 52 – 100 hours. If your spiritual growth is a priority it will get seamlessly integrated into your weekly schedule)

How do I know if I’m ready for the course?

You know you are ready if –

1 – You have a sincere desire to know yourself and are willing to invest in your self mastery and self discovery, approximately 2 hours a week.

2 – You have tried many things in spirituality and are keen to try Vedanta

You can relate to the teacher, Swamini and feel free to ask questions.
You are keen to understand the treasure of what you have inherited – Bhagavad Gita.

If you do not tick any of the above, it is better to wait a bit and join a course at a more favorable time in your life.

What are the charges for the course and why?

The teachings are priceless and are not being charged. However, in the Vedic tradition, the students offer a guru dakshina (respectful contribution). Your contribution will be used to cover costs of the server, website related subscriptions and maintenance.

3 options are presented for suggested contribution:

Option 1 : Rs 500 per month/ Rs 1200 per quarter /Rs 4000 per year

Option 2: Rs 1000 per month/ Rs 2500 per quarter /Rs 9000 per year

Option 3 : Any other amount

For overseas contributions

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/SwaminiB

Please account for PayPal fee charge of 2.5% of transaction value

Those who cannot afford to contribute can contribute in kind through transcription effort or seva (voluntary work) in their place of residence and provide some related documentation. Please write to swaminiji@discoveratma.com

What are the next steps ?

Please watch the 3 videos in the Video preview to ascertain if you really want to join.
Click on Register now which takes you to a Google form
Fill up the Google form and submit
After Swaminiji reviews the form, you will receive an email from info@discoveratma.com in 48 hours. Please save the ID for it to land in your inbox. Also check your spam and promotion folders in case you do not receive it. If there are any problems please write to info@discoveratma.com.
The email will include the contribution information.
After you make the contribution you will receive the Zoom link to join the course.
See you in the course!

Gita Amrtam Course