MODULE 1

Six Key Questions (Chapters 1-3)

29-30 Aug 2020

 

Session1: Saturday 10.00 am-12.30 pm

FLOW OF CHAPTERS

by Gauranga Das

1. Prelude
2. Sages glorify Suta Goswami
3. The six questions of the sages
4. Suta Goswami’s prayers
5. Bhakti and its Stages
6. Purushavataras & lilavataras
7. Krishna is the source of all incarnations
8. Glories of Srimad Bhagavatam

 

Session 2: Saturday 5.30 pm-8.00 pm

THEMATIC PERSPECTIVES

by Gauranga Darshan Das

1. Theme 1: Greatness & Sweetness of Srimad Bhagavatam
2. Theme 2: Power of Simplicity & Submissiveness
3. Theme 3: Consciousness of a Bhagavatam Speaker & Hearer
4. Theme 4: Selfless & Seamless Devotion
5. Theme 5: Why is Krishna-katha powerful?
6. Theme 6: Why does God come to this world?

 

Session 3: Sunday 10.00-12.00 pm

BHAKTI PERSPECTIVES

by Balram Shakti Das

1. Gaudiya Perspectives on the Absolute Truth
2. Bhagavatam and Bhakti
3. Qualification to approach and assimilate Bhagavatam
4. Hearing and Qualification for Bhakti
5. Pure and Mixed Devotional Service
6. How Bhakti leads to Realization of Krsna
7. The Avataras - a brief look
8. The consummate understanding of the Absolute Truth

 

Session 4: Sunday 5.00-6.30 pm

ACHARYA PERSPECTIVES

by Madhav Gopal Das

1. Prelude
2. Sages glorify Suta Goswami
3. The six questions of the sages
4. Suta Goswami’s prayers
5. Bhakti and its Stages
6. Purushavataras & lilavataras
7. Krishna is the source of all incarnations
8. Glories of Srimad Bhagavatam

 

Session 5: Sunday 6.30-8.00 pm

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION PERSPCTIVES

by Caitanya Caran Das

 

Bhakti as universal spirituality (1.2)

1. Theme 1: Non-sectarian definition of bhakti
2. Theme 2: How bhakti concurs with and differs from religion
3. Theme 3: How bhakti concurs with and differs from spirituality 
4. Theme 4: Analyzing and approaching the spiritual-but-not-religious (SBNR) mindset

 

 

 

 

 

MODULE 2

History of Srimad Bhagavatam (Chapters 4-6)

05-06 Sep 2020

 

 

Session1: Saturday 10.00 am-12.30 pm

FLOW OF CHAPTERS

by Gauranga Das

1. Saunaka Rishi’s questions about Sukadeva Gosvami & Pariksit Maharaja
2. Vyāsadeva divides the Veda
3. Vyāsadeva’s dissatisfaction and contemplation
4. Nārada reveals to Vyāsa the importance of describing Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes
5. Nārada Muni narrates his past life
6. Narada’s full perfection 

 

Session 2: Saturday 5.30 pm-8.00 pm

THEMATIC PERSPECTIVES

by Gauranga Darshan Das

1. Theme 1: Materialistic literature Vs. Spiritual Literature
2. Theme 2: Compassions of great souls
3. Theme 3: What Satisfies you & What Dissatisfies you?
4. Theme 4: Power of Divine Intervention in life
5. Theme 5: How to deal with reversals in life? 
6. Theme 6: The Boat to cross the material ocean

 

Session 3: Sunday 10.00-12.00 pm

BHAKTI PERSPECTIVES

by Balram Shakti Das

 

 

Session 4: Sunday 5.00-6.30 pm

ACHARYA PERSPECTIVES

by Madhav Gopal Das

1. Saunaka Rishi’s questions about Sukadeva Gosvami & Pariksit Maharaja
2. Vyāsadeva divides the Veda
3. Vyāsadeva’s dissatisfaction and contemplation
4. Nārada reveals to Vyāsa the importance of describing Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes
5. Nārada Muni narrates his past life
6. Narada’s full perfection 

 

Session 5: Sunday 6.30-8.00 pm

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION PERSPCTIVES

by Caitanya Caran Das

 

From achievement to fulfilment (1.6)

1. Theme 1: What Bhagavatam’s origin demonstrates for us all
2. Theme 2: More important than potential is purpose 
3. Theme 3: Ability, humility and spirituality 

MODULE 3

Krishna as Bhakta-vatsala (Chapter 7-11)

12-13 Sep 2020

 

Session1: Saturday 10.00 am-12.30 pm

FLOW OF CHAPTERS

by Gauranga Das

1. Vyasadeva’s vision & glories of Bhagavatam
2. Arjuna captures Asvatthama
3. Arguments regarding killing of Asvatthama
4. Krishna saves Parikshit in Uttara’s womb
5. Kunti’s Prayers
6. Bhishma pacifies Pandavas & instructs Yudhishtira
7. Bhishma’s prayers to Krishna and departure
8. Yudhishtira’s kingdom
9. Krishna departs from Hastinatura
10. Talks of Hastinapura ladies
11. Krishna’s entrance into Dwaraka
12. Krishna’s dealings with His queens

 

Session 2: Saturday 5.30 pm-8.00 pm

THEMATIC PERSPECTIVES

by Gauranga Darshan Das

1. Theme 1: The key for cordial Vaishnava relationships
2. Theme 2: Hearing “yes” behind “no” & “no” behind “yes”
3. Theme 3: Differences of opinion amongst devotees
4. Theme 4: Can we desire difficulties?
5. Theme 5: Why Self-blame!
6. Theme 6: The Art of Leaving
7. Theme 7: Inconceivable yet Accessible! 
8. Theme 8: The Pain of Separation
9. Theme 9: The Joy of Meeting
10. Theme 10: Is Krishna Self-controlled?

 

Session 3: Sunday 10.00-12.00 pm

BHAKTI PERSPECTIVES

by Balram Shakti Das

 

 

Session 4: Sunday 5.00-6.30 pm

ACHARYA PERSPECTIVES

by Madhav Gopal Das

1. Vyasadeva’s vision & glories of Bhagavatam
2. Arjuna captures Asvatthama
3. Arguments regarding killing of Asvatthama
4. Krishna saves Parikshit in Uttara’s womb
5. Kunti’s Prayers
6. Bhishma pacifies Pandavas & instructs Yudhishtira
7. Bhishma’s prayers to Krishna and departure
8. Yudhishtira’s kingdom
9. Krishna departs from Hastinatura
10. Talks of Hastinapura ladies
11. Krishna’s entrance into Dwaraka
12. Krishna’s dealings with His queens

 

Session 5: Sunday 6.30-8.00 pm

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION PERSPCTIVES

by Caitanya Caran Das

 

When bad things happen to good people … (1.9)

1. Theme 1: What karma explains — and what it doesn’t 
2. Theme 2: Focus on dharma, not karma
3. Theme 3: Even if we can’t figure it out, we can get out 

 

 

 

 

MODULE 4

Departure of Krishna & Pandavas (Chapters 12-15)

19-20 Sep 2020

 

 

Session1: Saturday 10.00 am-12.30 pm

FLOW OF CHAPTERS

by Gauranga Das

1. Yudhistira’s exemplary rule
2. Birth of Parikshit and predictions of brahmanas
3. Vidura comes to Hastinapura & enlightens Dhritarashtra
4. Dhritarashtra quits home and Gandhari follows
5. Narada Muni enlightens Yudhishtira
6. Bad omens in Hastinapura
7. Yudhishtira’s questions to Arjuna
8. Arjuna’s feelings of separation from Krishna
9. Pandavas retire

 

Session 2: Saturday 5.30 pm-8.00 pm

THEMATIC PERSPECTIVES

by Gauranga Darshan Das

1. Theme 1: Holy places vs. Holy persons
2. Theme 2: Power of Material attachment
3. Theme 3: Can you really protect anyone?
4. Theme 4: Even great souls are bewildered
5. Theme 5: Intellect understood, but heart couldn’t accept
6. Theme 6: Claim credit & Shift blame!!!
7. Theme 7: Responsibility & Detachment

 

Session 3: Sunday 10.00-12.00 pm

BHAKTI PERSPECTIVES

by Balram Shakti Das

 

 

Session 4: Sunday 5.00-6.30 pm

ACHARYA PERSPECTIVES

by Madhav Gopal Das

1. Yudhistira’s exemplary rule
2. Birth of Parikshit and predictions of brahmanas
3. Vidura comes to Hastinapura & enlightens Dhritarashtra
4. Dhritarashtra quits home and Gandhari follows
5. Narada Muni enlightens Yudhishtira
6. Bad omens in Hastinapura
7. Yudhishtira’s questions to Arjuna
8. Arjuna’s feelings of separation from Krishna
9. Pandavas retire

 

Session 5: Sunday 6.30-8.00 pm

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION PERSPCTIVES

by Caitanya Caran Das

 

When words work - and when they don’t (1.13)

1. Theme 1: Break ground, not hearts 
2. Theme 2: The test and taste of friendship
3. Theme 3: The question of timing 

 

 

 

 

MODULE 5

Character of King Parikshit (Chapters 16-19)

26-27 Sep 2020

 

 

Session1: Saturday 10.00 am-12.30 pm

FLOW OF CHAPTERS

by Gauranga Das

1. Glory of Parikshit
2. Dharma’s questions to Dharani
3. Dharani’s lamentation
4. Parikshit chastises Kali
5. Parikshit gives residence to ironically surrendered Kali
6. Eagerness of sages to hear Krishna katha
7. Parikshit places dead snake on Samika rishi
8. Sringi curses Parikshit
9. Parikshit renounces everything 
10. Parikshit meets Sukadeva Goswami

 

Session 2: Saturday 5.30 pm-8.00 pm

THEMATIC PERSPECTIVES

by Gauranga Darshan Das

1. Theme 1: The Four pillars of Dharma
2. Theme 2: Who is the cause of my suffering?
3. Theme 3: The perfect trio
4. Theme 4: The Inevitable will of God
5. Theme 5: Blessing in Disguise
6. Theme 6: The two most important questions of life

 

Session 3: Sunday 10.00-12.00 pm

BHAKTI PERSPECTIVES

by Balram Shakti Das

 

 

Session 4: Sunday 5.00-6.30 pm

ACHARYA PERSPECTIVES

by Madhav Gopal Das

1. Glory of Parikshit
2. Dharma’s questions to Dharani
3. Dharani’s lamentation
4. Parikshit chastises Kali
5. Parikshit gives residence to ironically surrendered Kali
6. Eagerness of sages to hear Krishna katha
7. Parikshit places dead snake on Samika rishi
8. Sringi curses Parikshit
9. Parikshit renounces everything 
10. Parikshit meets Sukadeva Goswami

 

Session 5: Sunday 6.30-8.00 pm

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION PERSPCTIVES

by Caitanya Caran Das

 

From material loss to spiritual gain (1.16)

1. Theme 1: Understanding various losses and their levels
2. Theme 2: From what we lose to what is loose 
3. Theme 3: Bhakti builds our memory treasury