Overview of Curruculum for the Sri Rupanuga Paramarthika Vidyapitha

A basic prerequisite for taking these courses is an ISKCON/ VTE accredited Bhakti-sastri degree awarded for a study of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion and Nectar of Instruction.

PRELIMINARY STUDIES

YEAR

MAIN COURSE

ADDITIONAL COURSE
 

Orientation Course:

“History of Philosophy and Religion”

Introduction to Sanskrit

FOUNDATIONAL STUDIES

YEAR

MAIN COURSE: Bhakti-sastra-visarada

ADDITIONAL COURSE: Bhakti-anucana
 

Prerequisites: ISKCON/ VTE Bhakti-sastri degree, Orientation Course

Prerequisites: ISKCON/ VTE Bhakti-sastri degree, Orientation Course, Introduction to Sanskrit

1

Tattva-mandala

1.       Bhagavad-gita

2.       Isopanisad

3.       Supplementary books

1.       Overview of Four Vedas (Sruti)

2.       Purana: Overview of Fifth Veda

3.       Sanskrit: Grammar

2

Bhakti-mandala

1.       Nectar of Devotion, part 1

2.       Nectar of Instruction

3.       Supplementary books

1.       Nyaya

2.       Jyotisa/ Muhurta

3.       Sanskrit: Grammar (cont’d), Basic etymology

YEAR

ADDITIONAL COURSE: Bhakti-anucana

ADDITIONAL COURSE: Bhakti-anucana

3

1.       Kalpa (Deity worship): Philosophy and Concepts

2.       Dharma-sastras:

a.        Siddhanta

b.       Application

1.       Kalpa (Deity worship): Nitya-Naimittika-seva

2.       Dharma-sastras: Manu-saîhita

UPADHYAYA DEGREESAfter completing Bhakti-anucana, students can take up further specialized study or courses on any of the 14 books of Vedic knowledge and present a paper based on their study. On acceptance of their paper, they will receive the degree of “Upadhyaya”, e.g. Vyakarana-upadhyaya.It is required that the students’ chosen sphere of study be broad enough and the study deep enough that their paper is a worthy contribution of resource material for other students, etc. The paper will be written under the tutelage of a senior teacher.


SENIOR STUDIES

YEAR

MAIN COURSE: Bhakti-vaibhava

ADDITIONAL COURSE: Bhakti-vaibhava-visarada
 

Prerequisites: Bhakti-sastra-visarada

Prerequisites: Bhakti-sastra-visarada, Bhakti-anucana

4

Bhagavatam:

1.       Overview

a.        Storyline

b.       Bhagavata-arka-marici-mala

c.        Tattva-sandarbha

d.       Siddhanta-darpana

2.       Study of Canto 1

Vedanta:

1.       Overview

2.       Govinda-bhasya, Chapter 1

3.       Connections with Bhagavatam

5

Bhagavatam:

1.       Study of Canto 2

2.       Study of Canto 3

Vedanta:

1.       Govinda-bhasya, Chapters 2 and 3

2.       Connections with Bhagavatam

6

Bhagavatam:

1.       Study of Canto 4

2.       Study of Canto 5

Vedanta:

1.       Govinda-bhasya, Chapter 4

2.       Connections with Bhagavatam

3.       Siddhanta-ratna

7

Bhagavatam: Study of Canto 6

Brahma-saîhita

YEAR

MAIN COURSE: Bhakti-vedanta

ADDITIONAL COURSE: Bhakti-vedanta-visarada
 

Prerequisites: Bhakti-vaibhava

Prerequisites: Bhakti-vaibhava-visarada

7

Bhagavatam: Study of Canto 7

1.       Laghu-bhagavatamrta

2.       Excerpts from supplementary books on rasa

8

1.       Bhagavatam:

a.        Study of Canto 8

b.       Study of Canto 9

c.        Study of Canto 10, chapters 1-44

2.       Nectar of Devotion, parts 2-4

1.       Brhad-bhagavatamrta

2.       Bhagavat-sandarbha

9

Bhagavatam:

1.       Study of Canto 10, chapters 45-90

2.       Study of Canto 11, chapters 1-12

1.       Paramatma-sandarbha

2.       Krsna-sandarbha

10

Bhagavatam:

1.       Study of Canto 11, chapters 13-31

2.       Study of Canto 12

1.       Bhakti-sandarbha

2.       Priti-sandarbha

YEAR

MAIN COURSE: Bhakti-sarvabhauma

ADDITIONAL COURSE: Bhakti-sarvabhauma-visarada
 

Prerequisites: Bhakti-vedanta

Prerequisites: Bhakti-vedanta-visarada

11

Caitanya-caritamrta:

1.       Study of Adi-lila

2.       Study of Madhya-lila, Chapters 1-18

1.       Teachings of Lord Caitanya

a.        Teachings to Prakasananda

b.       Teachings to Sarvabhauma

c.        Conversation with Ramananda

2.       Songs of Bhaktivinoda and Narottama

12

Caitanya-caritamrta:

1.       Study of Madhya-lila, Chapters 19-25

2.       Study of Antya-lila

1.       Teachings of Lord Caitanya

a.        Teachings to Rupa

b.       Teachings to Sanatana

2.       Other songs of Vaisnava Acaryas

3.       Supplementary books

Without accreditation, the courses are open for auditing.
ADVANCED SPECIALIZED STUDIESACARYA DEGREESIn pursuit of the order of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established ten areas of advanced studies in which the successful candidate would receive the title of “Acarya” in his specific field of study. The following are the ten areas of study:

  1. Sruti: Upanisads and Four Vedas
  2. Vedanta: Vedanta-sutra and Bhagavad-gita
  3. Bhagavata
  4. Ekayana-pañcaratra: Gaudiya Vaisnava Deity worship, Ritual and Etiquette
  5. Sahitya: Literature
  1. Aitihya: Vedic and Secular History
  2. Sampradaya-vaibhava: History and Contribution of the Gaudiya sampradaya
  3. Bhakti-sastra: Process of Devotional Service
  4. Tattva
  5. Rasa

Sri Rupanuga Paramarthika Vidyapièha will facilitate those candidates who meet the Vidyapièha’s prerequisites to prepare dissertation papers in their chosen field of specialization.

FLOWCHART OF ACCREDITED DEGREE COURSES

Prerequisite:

ISKCON/ VTE Bhakti-sastri

            

           

Orientation Course

            

           

Bhakti-sastra-visarada

Bhakti-vaibhava

Bhakti-vedanta

Bhakti-sarvabhauma

           

Bhakti-anucana

Bhakti-vaibhava-visarada

Bhakti-vedanta-visarada

Bhakti-sarvabhauma-visarada

 

 

 

 

Specialized study within any of the 14 books for Upadhyaya degree

      

Paper submission for Acarya degree