Project Description

  • DATES: 02/05/2022 and self-study

  • MODE OF DELIVERY: ONLINE

  • COURSE CATEGORY: ADVANCED

  • LECTURES: 37 (39 VIDEOS)

  • PRICE: 69 EUR

Madhurya Kadambini is the work of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, one of the greatest Gaudiya Vaisnava Acaryas. It provides an analysis of the stages through which a practicing bhakti-yogi advances; symptoms and obstacles of each stage; and how to successfully address each one of them.

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Course Summary

This course aims to provide detailed information on the nine stages of the spiritual journey, from sraddha to prema, or initial faith that a practitioner starts his/her journey with to the highest level of spiritual realization – love of Godhead. Madhurya Kadambini offers plenty of information on how to overcome common and more specific obstacles in our spiritual lives so we can be encouraged that no obstacle is stronger than spiritual techniques provided for dealing with them, even before they surface!

Weekly Schedule

This course is made of six weeks of teaching and two additional weeks to prepare for and take the final exam.

Great acaryas like Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur are facilitating us in returning to the realm of pure love. Their teachings are as remarkably relevant for us today as they were when they were written several centuries ago – they stress the benefits of having a yardstick for measuring one’s spiritual advancement. To honestly detect where we are now and where we are going next in our spiritual life seems to be a necessity if we want to make our way to the goal of divine love. We start with exploring the appearance of the initial faith in spiritual life (sraddha) and how it develops in the proper association (sadhu-sanga).

Development of faith at some point requires a certain practice which will lead us further on the path. At that moment, a qualified guide is required to step in so that our efforts can yield the best results possible. At the same time, there are obstacles to be dealt with which appear in the lives of all practitioners, like lethargy, doubt, and attraction to sense enjoyment, to name a few.

The fourth stage is the longest and it is a make-it-or-break-it stage as obstacles are getting more complex and subtle. During this stage, we can lose hope that progress, or that reaching our goal, is actually possible. But Madhurya Kadambini gives not one but many solutions to challenging situations which often occur.

After the stage of clearing unwanted desires comes the stage called nistha or steadiness. It is a turning point after which other stages of spiritual unfoldment come naturally and quickly. It is compared to riding a bicycle uphill and then ending up in a open field – the pedals are almost turning on their own! There are still a few things which need to be taken care of, but progress from here is significantly easier.
At the stage of ruci, or transcendental taste, activities of bhakti are no longer considered a choir. A practitioner has developed an internal attraction for devotional service and is naturally inclined towards it. Such taste develops further into the deep transcendental attachment to the object of devotional service – Lord Krishna, which deepens one’s inner life and sense of spiritual identity further.

Finally, one arrives at the healthiest and most natural position of the person, spiritual soul – total intoxication from being madly in love with God. The long journey has been successfully finished, and now the real life starts!

Assessment

All assessment is done online, at a time convenient for the student. If a student wishes to test his/her knowledge of the subjects discussed in this course, the following assessments are available:

  • Weekly question(s) – are answered in the course forum where the interaction with the teacher is happening throughout the course.
  • Two quizzes – based on multiple-choice questions, one covering the first three weeks of the course and the other one covering the remaining two.
  • One essay – at the beginning of week 3, students have 20 essay questions from which they can choose the one most relevant for them, either from the philosophical or personal perspective. The instructor will provide comments and answers to the points raised in submitted essays.

Participating in the forum, taking quizzes, and writing the essay are optional.

Certificate

  • A certificate of attendance is offered if either the tests (both) or the essay have been submitted.
Ananda Vrndavan devi dasi
Ananda Vrndavan devi dasi
When Ananda Vrndavan dd, the instructor of this course, started with her bhakti yoga practice, she was immediately attracted by the vast knowledge available in the books of Srila Prabhupada, and other acaryas and sadhus from our disciplic succession. She spent the last 20 years reading, studying, translating, editing, proofreading, promoting, sharing and distributing books and the jewels of knowledge available in them to practitioners and non-practitioners alike.

How To Study Online

LECTURES

Pre-recorded, short format

STUDYING

5 weeks

FLEXIBLE

Study at your own time!

Regular course:

The course has a scheduled starting and ending date and it lasts 5 weeks in total.

Each week, on Monday, students get access to different sets of materials and then have that week to go through the materials and do the assignments. All the lectures are pre-recorded and put on our learning platform along with other learning materials. There are no live lectures so students don’t need to be present online at a specific time but can watch the videos and study at their convenience. If they want to interact with the teacher and peers, students do need to set the time aside to dedicate to the course but it can be at the time that suits them.

A convenient feature of the lectures is that they are cut into small units dealing with one specific topic. So, whenever there is some free time, a student can use it to go through the topic, then continue with other activities and think about what has been said. This system is very practical for those who have busy lifestyles but it is also proving to be helpful for just anyone, helping to better focus on the most important points from the lectures.

Self-study course:

In the self-study mode, students can start and finish whenever they want as they immediately get access to all course materials. The teacher is available for answering questions once a week.

Registration

Madhurya Kadambini course can be attended without any special prerequisites. Students do need to have basic knowledge of the bhakti-yoga philosophy in order to understand the topics presented in the course.

  • Price: €69

By clicking the enrollment button, you will be required to create a profile on BCOC – Bhaktivedanta College Online Campus (if you don’t have one already) and then proceed with the payment.

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UPCOMING COURSES

Kirtan Course

20 July - 18 August

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