GUIDELINES & OBJECTIVES

Purpose
• To systematically train the newly joined brahmacaris in sastras with special emphasis on an
overview of Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, thus laying a sastric foundation
for their spiritual lives, and ensuring a perfect beginning for their services in Srila Prabhupada’s
movement as renunciants.
Main courses (Sravanam)
• The main courses for the 2-year training program of the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha are Srimad
Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya Caritamrita.
• Overview classes on Srimad Bhagavatam are held 4 days a week (Duration: 3 hrs 15 min on 3
days & 3 hr 45 min on one day). These classes cover the flow of the chapters, connections
between verses, important lessons from Srila Prabhupada Purports and principles for personal
application that the teacher may want to highlight.
• If a chapter is too long, it might take more than one class. If the chapters are small, more more
than one chapter may be taught in one class.
Sloka recitation classes
• The students recite a list of selected important verses from Srimad Bhagavatam daily for 15
minutes during the Arati ceremony of Srimad Bhagavatam before the class. Students are advised
to make best use of this facility to develop familiarity with the Sanskrit verses.
Auxiliary courses (Sravanam)
• Courses like Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita, Nectar of Devotion, Vaishnava Etiquette & Qualities,
Lives of Vaishnava Acharyas, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Tattva Sandarbha and Keys for
improving Japa are also included as a part of this 2-year program.
• 2 classes of 1 hr 45 min each are conducted on Fridays.
• The idea of having these courses also, along with the main courses that claim a major amount of
the students’ time is
o To give them a glimpse of the lives of exemplary personalities who lived and taught the
teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam.
o To allow them to go through other scriptures systematically along with Srimad
Bhagavatam.
o To make them appreciate the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam better.
• Simplified study material would be provided beforehand for these courses. Students are advised
to utilize their free time during the weekends and if possible, allocate an some time everyday for
their personal study of the auxiliary courses.
Exams (Mananam)
• Closed book Exams (for 30 minutes) are conducted on the main course chapters 4 days in a
week to ensure their personal study immediately after the completion of a chapter.
• The students are given a list of questions and few verses for memorization for the exam
beforehad (after the completion of Main course class), which they are expected to prepare for
during their study hours in the post lunch session.
 • The exams are meant to be a revision and meditation for the students and NOT for inducing a
competitive spirit or passionate academic study within them.
• Open book exams on Srimad Bhagavatam are conducted once in a week on Friday (afternoon),
mostly on the chapters covered during the week.
• The exams for auxiliary courses are conducted only on Fridays, during the class hours.
Questions would be provided beforehand.
Presentations (Kirtanam)
• The students need to give four 30 minutes presentations from the first 6 cantos. Topics would
be provided beforehand.
Morning Program (Sadhana)
• The reporting time for mangala arati is 4.30 am, after which the attendance register is closed.
• Mangala arati is from 4.30 – 5.10 am. The students are expected to do their japa in the temple
hall only, during the allocated japa time (5.10 – 7.15 am).
o Postponing japa, for exam preparation is not recommended.
o Students doing yoga (Svasthi) may do so from 6.45 am to 7.15 am (official yoga time for
GEV brahmacaris)
• 7.15 am – 7.35 m: Darshan arati and Guru puja
• 7.35 am – 8.25 am: Srimad Bhagavatam Class in the temple hall. Attendance will be taken for
the temple Bhagavatam class.
• Reasons for failure to attend any part of the morning program need to be communicated to the
Morning program monitor.
Services (Seva)
• The students are assigned services in different departments based on their preferences, and for 2
days in a week they get to assist the Farm devotees in some physical services. These services are
not long-term responsibilities, but are meant to give the students a break from their weeklong
study and a refreshing experience for two days when they do not have exams.
• During the service hours and as a part of their home work, some Vidyapitha students would
o Prepare keys for the exams conducted during the week
o Type the class notes
following the guidelines provided to them.
Important considerations
• Main courses: The time allocated for the classes and personal study is ideally not sufficient for
one to completely assimilate the subject matter of the Srimad Bhagavatam chapters. However,
the overview class and 4-5 hrs of daily personal study would give the students a skeleton and
considerable amount of understanding on the chapter(s) covered on that day.
• Auxiliary courses: Although the students may not be able to spend quality time on the auxiliary
courses as they do for Srimad Bhagavatam, the classes, running notes and study material
provided would help them go through these subjects deeply in future.
• Approach for Study: Students are advised to plan their approach in their study of Srimad
Bhagavatam – referring to other books, acharyas’ commentaries, listening to the recorded
lectures of various speakers on a specific topics etc may be done as per one’s convenience,
capacity and availability of time and not to overburden oneself to squeeze in many things within
a short amount of time.
• Services: Students are advised to render the allocated services for two days in a week and make
best use of the 2 years tenure for studying the scriptures so that they can render services better
and for longer time, after the training.
• At the end of the two-year program the students would get the basic understanding of Srimad
Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrita and the other subjects which ensure them a perfect
beginning for a deeper study, contemplation and application while doing their services in
ISKCON.