VTE Bhaktivaibhava Courses
Last year the Mayapur Institute piloted an exciting new version of the VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course, Module 1 (cantos 1 - 3). The response from students and senior educators, who sat in on the class was phenomenal. Now the Mayapur Institute Sastric Curriculum Development Team in close consultation with the VTE is fine-tuning Module 1 and is working on the curriculum for Module 2 (cantos 4 - 6). Both Modules will begin on November 9, 2008 and will have clear aims and objectives specifically designed to enliven, inspire and empower students.
The VTE has established the Overall Purpose of Systematic Sastric Study as follows: "To nurture the evolution of a brahminical, Krishna-conscious leadership, whose members are expert in the study and assimilation of sastric knowledge and are proficient in its application–in their own lives, in helping others, and in perpetuating the mission of Srila Prabhupada." The specific aims & objectives of the VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course are not only building upon the aims and objectives of the VTE Bhakti-sastri Course, but are also preparing students for further development in the future VTE Bhaktivedanta and VTE Bhakti-sarvabhauma Courses. Overview of the VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course The VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course has 4 components of 13 weeks each:
Students will study much of the material before they come to Mayapur, enabling them to spend less time away from their preaching fields and optimize their learning while in Mayapur. The Preliminary Study Units include:
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Each Unit, consisting of 5 lessons taught over a week long period, will be seperately assessed during the course. This system allows students to keep their credits for completed units even if they do not sit an entire module (i.e Module 1 Cantos 1-3 or Module 2 Cantos 4-6). When they return, at a later time, to finish their degree, completed units will not have to be reassessed.
Contact the course supervisors at Mayapur.Institute@pamho.net for more details on compleing the course in sections and part time study.
This course has a very developed system of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the students based upon the aims and objectives of the course, thus dramatically enhancing the students' learning and growth.
Benefits of Taking the Mayapur Institute Bhaktivaibhava Course
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Atul Krsna dasa, Mayapur Institute Systematic Sastric Study Coordinator, discusses with a prospective student about the Mayapur Institute Bhaktivaibhava Course: |
Q.) Why do you think the Bhaktivaibhava course is important?
I feel that all full-time ISKCON preachers or administrators should get the opportunity to take the Bhakti-sastri and Bhaktivaibhava courses at some time during their devotional careers. Prabhupada has given everything in his Bhaktivedanta purports to the first six Cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam. We should take advantage of the legacy Prabhupada has left us through the medium of the Bhaktivaibhava course. All serious aspiring madhyama bhaktas in ISKCON should study Prabhupada books at least to the level of Bhaktivaibhava.
Q.) Why shouldn’t we just study Srila Prabhupada’s books on our own? Why do we need to come to Mayapur to take a course?
It is a rare soul who can all alone maintain a systematic thorough study of the first six Cantos of Bhagavatam. Most devotees find the course curriculum, the support of the facilitators, the association of fellow students and the mercy of Sri Dhama Mayapur essential components contributing to success in their studies. Srila Prabhupada specifically mentioned in various letters that he wanted his books to be studied in a systematic way and degrees awarded.
Q.) What could I expect if I participated in the Mayapur Institute Bhaktivaibhava course?
As with our VTE Bhakti-sastri course, we have designed our Bhaktivaibhava course with clear aims and objectives, and we facilitate the course in a very interactive manner. The weekly schedule involves trained VTE facilitators conducting Structured Learning Classes and senior ISKCON leaders and preachers facilitating Thematic Discussions. Facilitators will assign various types of project work during the course concluding with individual student presentations before final graduation.
Q.) What is special about the Mayapur Institute Bhaktivaibhava course which may not be there in other Bhaktivaibhava courses?
Here in Mayapur, we are currently developing a standard Bhaktivaibhava curriculum.
In particular, we are preparing:
- Supportive material for facilitators to conduct an effective course.
- Resources for the students to guide them in their private reading, such as chapter overviews and short answer study questions.
We are also:
- Organizing the content of the Bhagavatam into assessable modules and study units with clear learning objectives, and we are delineating what students will achieve at various stages throughout the course.
- Establishing standards for accrediting a Bhaktivaibhava degree.
Q.) What could a student expect to achieve by completing the Mayapur Institute Bhaktivaibhava course?
- Enhanced knowledge and understanding of the content of the first six Cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam.
- Improvement in one’s personal application of the practices of bhakti.
- Development of preaching skills with reference to the first six Cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam.
- Deepened appreciation of Srila Prabhupäda’s mood and mission as revealed in his purports to the first six Cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam.
- Increased taste from and appreciation for the basic practices of hearing and discussing Srimad Bhagavatam in the association of devotees.
- Enhanced appreciation of Sri Dhama Mayapur.
In summary, devotees will experience a guaranteed improvement in their devotional lives. 
Leaders Testimonials
”I see the MIHET as representing the future direction of the Krishna Consciousness Movement. It is extremely important that the devotees get a "systematic" education in the philosophy, so that they can be steady in their own spiritual life, and capable of helping others come to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet.”
“It's just a damn good program!”
Jayadvaita Swami
"I am deeply impressed and inspired by the quality of learning experiences that many devotees have undergone in taking either the Mayapur Institute for Higher Education and Training VTE Bhakti-sastri or Bhaktivaibhava Courses. Some devotess have described their experiences to me in these course as the most "ecstatic", "meaningful", or "wonderful" experiences of their devotional careers. I have noticed that those who have taken these courses become more serious and steady in their spiritual lives and develop a deeper understanding of Srila Prabhupada's mood and mission. Naturally, they also become much more expert at giving classes and preaching.
Of course, you can and should study Srila Prabhupada's books regularly wherever you are in the world. If, however, you could somehow or other come to Sridhama Mayapur and take the Bhakti-sastri course and then maybe some, if not all, of the Bhaktivaibhava course, you will find that your devotional learning experience would be enhanced enormously.
Srila Prabhupada often told us that devotional service performed in the holy dhama earns a thousand times more benefit than the same service rendered outside the dhama. Furthermore, the "Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya" states, "The glories of other holy places are present hundreds and millions of times over in Navadvipa in the age of Kali. Navadvipa is filled with ever-increasing bliss. All the holy tirthas reside in Navadvipa; therefore, by serving in Navadvipa one automatically serves all the tirthas".
Srila Prabhupada's personal ecstasies, the Bhaktivedanta purports, will come alive for you in the sanctity of Sridhama Mayapur. Studying Prabhupada's books in Mayapur will be a very special and unforgettable experience, which will stimulate deep Krishna conscious realizations that will remain with you for the rest of your life."
Jayapataka Swami, GBC & Mayapur Co-director
”The MIHET provides an opportunity for young devotees, many of whom are just finishing their required, often mundane, education, to study Srila Prabhupada's books in the transcendental home of Lord Chaitanya, Sri Dhama Mayapur. The temple offers a dynamic spiritual program and the community offers an abundance of sadhu sanga. This is a perfect spritual setting for the rare jewel of systematic sastric study. In addition, the program is affordable, safe and comfortable.
The MIHET offers a well-rounded and philosophically stimulating curriculum which is especially helpful for devotees who are contemplating how to expand their service within Srila Prabhupada's movement and deepen their own Krishna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada wanted all the ISKCON members to be well versed in sastra and strong in their devotional practices so that they could imbibe a dynamic preaching spirit and thus inundate the whole world with prema Bhakti. The MIHET is making a significant contribution to fulfilling this mission.”
Students Testimonials
“Philosophy I did not fully understand has become clear. Now I am more determined in my spiritual practices. I saw the conviction of the teachers in Prabhupada's mission.”
Bhakta Kevin, Ireland
”The integrity of the facilitators, their commitment to sastric study and their living according to Vedic ideals proved to be great models for personal growth. Prabhupada's books were re-established in the center of our lives.”
“It is really great to study Srila Prabhupada's books in detail. Personally, the course is allowing me to be more confident when I'm preaching. I've developed a great taste to read Prabhupada's books and that taste keeps growing more and more.”
Memorization Verses
Selected verses for memorization from Srimad-Bhagavatam and Brahma-samhita:
| Canto 1 | Canto 2 | Canto 3 | Canto 4 | Canto 5 | Canto 6 | Brahma-samhita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.10 1.2.4 1.2.6 1.2.7 1.2.8 1.2.11 1.2.13 1.2.17 1.2.18 1.2.19 1.2.20 1.3.28 1.3.43 1.5.10 1.5.11 1.5.17 1.7.10 1.8.25 1.8.26 1.13.10 |
2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.3.10 2.3.17 2.3.19 2.4.18 2.10.1 |
3.15.43 3.25.21 3.25.22 3.25.25 3.29.13 3.31.1 3.33.6 3.33.7 |
4.3.23 4.22.39 4.30.35 4.31.14 |
5.5.1 5.5.2 5.5.4 5.5.8 5.5.18 5.12.12 5.18.12 |
6.1.15 6.3.19 6.3.20 6.3.31 6.14.5 6.17.28 |
5.1 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.34 5.38 5.39 5.40 5.43 5.44 5.45 5.47 5.48 5.49 5.50 5.52 |
Bhaktivaibhava assessment overview
Closed Book Assessment
Closed book tests will be given at the end of each unit assessing student’s knowledge and memory of that unit. No additional summative closed book tests will be given. Closed book tests will comprise of approximately ten questions drawn from Purva-svadhyaya (Preliminary Self Study questions & analogies) and Adhyaya-katha-sara (Chapter Overviews) for each unit.
Memorization slokas will be assessed orally on an individual basis. Sloka assessment must be completed prior to two weeks before the end of the module. Discuss with the facilitator for a suitable time to have your sloka assessment.
Open Book Assessment
Approximately 10 open book questions, assessing student’s educational achievements for each unit, will be given at beginning of each Unit. These open book questions will be based upon the Pathana-prayojanam (educational goals or learning objectives) for each unit, which are provided in the Student Handbook. Student’s answers to the open book questions must be submitted before the commencement of the subsequent unit. Late submissions may incur a penalty of 5% at the discretion of the facilitator. There are no essays required for assessment of Bhaktivaibhava.
Presentations
Students will make two Presentations, a Group Presentation and an Individual Presentation during the Module
Grades
Your overall grade for the module will be the aggregate of the following:
- Closed Book Tests & slokas 35%
- Closed Book Tests 20%
- Slokas 15%
- Open Book Questions 30%
- Presentations 35%
- Individual Presentation 25%
- Group Presentation 10%
Students complete all 12 units, and achieving an overall grade of over 65%, will be credited with a pass in the Module. Students achieving a pass in both Modules 1 & 2 will be awarded an ISKCON Examinations Board Bhaktivaibhava Degree.
Requirements
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The VTE designed this course for devotees who have been seriously practicing Krishna Consciousness for at least a year and have basic sastric knowledge and understanding. All students must follow the 4 regulative principles, chant 16 rounds, and attend the daily morning program. Before a prospective student comes to Mayapur, his ISKCON authority must submit to the MIHET administration a letter of recommendation indicating confidence in the prospective student's qualification to participate in this course. |