Leader's Testimonials
Anuttama Dasa, GBC & ISKCON Communications Minister
"I have taught the ISKCON Leadership and Management Course, as well the Communication Course, as part of the MI for almost 10 years.
I find the opportunities to educate devotees from our international community at Mayapur are an untapped treasure. As Lord Caitanya's movement spreads around the globe, it is mandatory that we train our new members in understanding the depth of Vaisnava philosophy and culture, as well as in practical skills to improve their service to Srila Prabhupada's movement.
Without facilitating training and education, we fail to serve our new members - and our children - properly, and we fail to capitalize on the opportunities that Lord Caitanya gives us to serve his mission.
When education and training are given priority at our world headquarters, we are building a culture of service to the devotees, and developing a standard of excellence for ISKCON - that combined will help transform the world."
Bir Krishna Dasa Goswami, GBC
"I see the MI 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."
B.V.V. Narasimha Maharaja"My experience is that devotees, who attend the MI Bhakti-sastri Course, become competent preachers of our Krishna conscious philosophy. Many are establishing centers and conducting seminars without assistance from others.
In Taiwan for example, one householder couple, who took the course, now have their own center in a large city in southern Taiwan. They are recognized by the local people as authorities on the science of yoga, and are, therefore, regularly asked to give lectures to yoga teachers and their students. They both feel confident to handle preaching engagements on their own although they get only limited association with senior devotees. They are full of appreciation for the training they received at the MI.
We also had several Chinese devotees with good English skills take the course, and, upon their return, were able to translate the Bhakti-sastri materials into Chinese and are now offering the course to Chinese devotees."
Devamrita Swami, GBC, in Bhagavatam class on March 1, 2006 in Mayapur"Here in Mayapur, we have the Bhakti-sastri program. I have heard from so many devotees who have studied Bhakti-sastri here in the holy atmosphere of the dhama that their lives were transformed by three or four months of daily full time study of Srila Prabhupada books. They said it just turned their whole life around.
Why? Your life will become transformed one way or another when you deeply accept the principles, these sacred principles of sastra, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam. You have to think about these things and allow your head and your heart to be challenged. That is how you experience spiritual growth. Srila Prabhupada was expert at doing that on his morning walks. He would challenge your conceptions, he would challenge your assumptions, and then he would insert the real knowledge that Lord Krishna gives."
Jayadvaita Swami"It's just a damn good program!"
Jayapataka Swami, GBC & Mayapur Co-director"I am deeply impressed and inspired by the quality of learning experiences that many devotees have undergone in taking either the Mayapur Institute Bhakti-sastri or Bhaktivaibhava Courses. Some devotees 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."
Laxmimoni Devi Dasi, Ministry of Educational Development"The MI 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 Caitanya, Sri Dhama Mayapur. The temple offers a dynamic spiritual program and the community offers an abundance of sadhu sanga. This is a perfect spiritual setting for the rare jewel of systematic sastric study. In addition, the program is affordable, safe and comfortable.
The MI 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 MI is making a significant contribution to fulfilling this mission."
Praghosa Dasa, GBC"The MI is a wonderful project that has already benefited so many, however, it is but at the dawn of its development. The Hare Krsna Movement without education is no longer the Hare Krsna Movement. I look forward to the day when the MI is not only the centre of advanced studies in Mayapur but is at the very heart of the Mayapur project itself. The MI is the perfect finishing school for all the students who have come through the other schools at Mayapur, as well as a magnet for all international Vaisnavas who want to have a tertiary level devotional education. Naturally, the next step is for the MI to have a facility to match the wonderful service they are providing, a purpose built campus that after the temple, is the central feature of the Mayapur project would do nicely."
Sacinandana Swami"It is said "If you wish to invest in a person's future, then invest in his education!" This is true! I have met many of the students who took courses in the MI. They all told me how important their time of study was for their spiritual life. Yes, it prepared them for a wonderful future in Krishna consciousness. I wish that many more devotees will benefit from this spiritual life university!"
Sesa Dasa, GBC and Minister of Educational Development"I am convinced that the MI will play a very significant role in shaping ISKCON's future.
I look forward to the day when it will transform into the Bhaktivedanta College and have a large campus with hundreds of students."
Vedavyasapriya Swami"Our beloved spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, was very impressed by Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakur's commentary on Bhagavad-gita 2.41, the essence of which was exemplified by Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakur's dear most disciple, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Srila Prabhupada derived such inspiration from Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana's vyavasayatmika buddhi mood that Srila Prabhupada dedicated his Bhagavad-gita As It Is to him.
Srila Prabhupada writes in the Bhagavad-gita 2.41 purport: "Service in Krishna consciousness is, however, best practiced under the able guidance of a spiritual master who is a bona fide representative of Krishna, who knows the nature of the student and who can guide him to act in Krishna consciousness. As such, to be well versed in Krishna consciousness, one has to act firmly and obey the representative of Krishna, and one should accept the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master as one's mission in life."
The MI is attempting to provide and foster this understanding for serious and sincere disciples in ISKCON. By taking advantage of the wonderful facility the MI provides, one can fulfill the mission of life."