Arshavidya Gurukulam — an institute of knowledge

A Letter From Grandpa

By Niranjan Shah

My dear Nikita and Sanjna:

Bhagavan Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita (4:38) “Na Hi Gyanen Sadrusham!   There is nothing equal to knowledge.” Arshavidya Gurukulam at Sayorsburg Pa, in USA is an institute teaching this knowledge and has year-round program to teach Knowledge called Veda in Sanskrit. Suddatma Chaitanya, teacher of chanting and general manager of the Gurukulam provided this information on the program. 

Swami Pratyagbodhananda taught Matr-Panchakam during Easter Weekend Family Retreat. Swami Viditatma-nanda will teach Vedant and Self-growth during Memorial Day Weekend Family Vedant Retreat. He will also teach Freedom in Relationship during Indpendence Day Family Retreat. There will be Children’s Retreat also for children aged 10 to 16 only. Swami Viditatmananda will teach Brihadaranyaka Upani-shad Chapter  3 and Viveka-chudamani Verses 1-70 during Family Vedanta Retreat — I in July. There will be Retreat II for children. (7).Swami Daya-nanda Saraswati and Swami Viditatmananda will teach Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4-4-22,  the Bhagavad-Gita Chapter IV (part I), the Bhagavad-Gita 3 – 8, and Bhagavad Gita Chapter IV (part II) during July and August Family Retreats. Rituals and Pujas will be conducted on August 15 when Swamiji’s 80th birthday will be celebrated. Guru-kulam’s 24th anniversary celebration will be celebrated on the same day, and Swamiji will talk on “May one lift oneself by oneself” (Uddharet Atmanatmanam) There will be Carnatic music workshop by Maharajpuram Ramachandran during August. Arsha Vidya Young Adults Retreat will be held in August. Swami Daya-nanda Saraswati and Swami Tattva-vidananda will teach the Bhagavad Gita 9.22 — Na Karmana during Labor Day Patrons’ Retreat I. Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Swami Tattvavidananda will teach Bhagavad Gita 6.35 Maya Panchakam during Labor Day Patrons Retreat II. Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Rama-nandaji and Pandit Mukesh Desai will conduct Yoga and Sound with Selected Mantras and their meanings. Swami Dayananda and Swami Viditatmananda will teach Nididhyasana — Narad Bhakti Sutra 4 in September. Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Swami Tattvavidananda will teach Upadesh Sahasri-Sisyanusasanaprakarana — Narad Bhakti Sutra — 5th Section during a two-week Vedant Course in September and October. Swami Tattva-vidananda will teach Man-dukya Upanishad with Karika and Sankara-Bhasya; Bhagavad Gita Chapter IV and Chapter VII with Sankara-Bhasya during Six Week Vedanta Course and Yoga Darsana during Thanks-giving Family Vedanta Retreat. Pujya Swami Daya-nanda Saraswati and Swami Tattva-vidananda will teach Essence of Chandogya Upanishad and Viro-chan-Valmiki Ramayan. There will be New Year Day Celebration on January 1, 2011.   

Other programs include (A) Yoga : Problems with postures by Mira Mehta in April; Level I,II Yoga Retreat with Bobbie Fultz in April; Practice, Reflextion, Devotion with Dean Lerner in June;  Summer Solstice with Janet MacLeod in August with Yoga and Sound. Jyotish Basics I by Penny Farrow in February; Ayurveda with  Dr. R.K. Mishra. In April.  Jyotish Basics II by Penny Farrow in April, Ayurveda with Dr. Amla Guha, in April;  Jyotish Basics III with Penny Farrow in April; Introduction to Vedic Astrology, in May; Advanced Vedic Astrology in July; Fourth Annual East Coast Residential Spoken Sanskrit in August; Carnatic Vocal Music Work-shop in August and Purna Vidya Teacher Training. 

Ongoing weekend programs, include guided meditation workshop and Yoga classes on 1st and 3rd Saturdays, Yoga, Up-anishad class, Bhaga-vad-Gita Satsang and Sanskrit classes on 1st and 3rd Sundays and Vedic Heritage for Children on ist and 3rd Sundays. Information on all AVG programs is available on Web site www.arshavidya.org or on phone 570-992-2339 from Suddhatma Chaitanya Ext. 1234, Stan Ext. 1243 and Lance Ext. 1216.

— Grandpa’s blessing

Niranjan Shah, a civil engineer, who pioneered famous high-rise buildings in Baroda, is a broadcaster in India and the USA and a prolific writer. Under “A Letter from Grandpa.” he has been writing since 2002 on India’s historical, philosophical, and literary heritage. He can be reached at nshah32@hotmail.com

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