Arsha Vidya Pitham, Saylorsburg, PA

Live Streaming

Daily Abhisheka and Aarati to Lord Dakshinamurti

5:40-7:00 am ET (UTC-4) Abhisheka

6:00-6:30 pm ET (UTC-4) Aarati

For information about in-person attendance, click HERE.

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2023 Summer Weekend Vedanta Course with Swamini Paraprajnananda

June 9-11, 2023

In-Person and Online

Tat Tvam Asi – “That Thou Art”

This famous statement – translated as “That thou art” – is found in Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7. It is in the form of the teaching imparted by Sage Uddalaka to his son Svetaketu. This statement forms the quintessence of Vedanta. It is the big equation which shows the identity between the individual and Isvara. It states that you are not a small insignificant individual, but the total, the fundamental reality. This one small statement is the panacea to all our problems and enough to make our life successful in the real sense of the word.

Course Details HERE

Donations for online viewing are appreciated:

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Ongoing Classes

Arsha Vidya Balagurukulam's Parents Vedic Chanting with Sri Suddhatma ONLINE

Every Sunday 9:00-10:00 am ET (UTC-4)

Zoom Meeting Link

Vishnu Sahasranama Meaning with Brahmachari Suryanarayana ONLINE

Every Wednesday, 8:00-9:00pm ET (UTC-4)

Vishnu Sahasranama is a Sanskrit hymn which contains a list of 1,000 names of Vishnu.

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Shrimad Bhaagavatam Study Classes with Brahmacari Suryanarayana ONLINE

Every Thursday, 8:00-9:00pm ET (UTC-4)

Bhaagavatam is a Mahapurana written by Sage Veda Vyasa. In these classes, the text is studied verse by verse based on Shridhari tikka.

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Bhagavad Gita Study Classes with Brahmacari Suryanarayana ONLINE

Every Saturday, 8:30-9:30am ET (UTC-4)

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Meditation Workshop with Swamini Agamananda ONLINE

1st and 3rd Saturday every month 11:00am-12:00pm ET (UTC-4)

Meditation plays an integral part in a seeker’s spiritual journey, in that it steers the wavering mind into a state of quietude, wherein the tumult of distracting desires loosen their grip. With practice, the mind will be ushered to a deeper realm of stillness. Such a mind gains the capability for a lofty vision and cannot be influenced by anything. As the practice of meditation deepens, one can resolutely face the problems in life and gradually become a yukta, one who abides in one’s real nature.

Nirvana Shatkam Text

Nirvana Shatkam Classes with Pujya Swami Dayananda

PRAYERS

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Panchadashi with Swami Muktatmananda ONLINE

Every Monday and Wednesday 10:30-11:30 am ET (UTC-4)

NOTICE: Class cancelled June 7 only.

The Panchadaśī of Śri Vidyaranya is a comprehensive manual of Advaita Vedanta, enjoying great popularity with those who want to have a clear vision of Self, Ātmā.

Your financial support is much appreciated!

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Drg Drshya Viveka with Swami Muktatmananda ONLINE

Every Friday 10:30-11:30 am ET (UTC-4)

Course Material Download:  CLICK HERE.

Your financial support is much appreciated!

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Recent Events

1st and 3rd Sunday Classes with Swami Viditatmananda

Sunday, June 4, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Viditatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-4)

11:30am-12:30pm ET, Class 2 (UTC-4)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

Class 1 on YouTube
Class 2 on YouTube

2023 Memorial Day Weekend Vedanta Course

May 26-29, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita 4.17 with Swami Viditatmananda
(Gahana karmano Gatihi)

Bhagavad Gita 2.49 with Swamini Paraprajnananda
(Buddhau saranamanvichha)

Click Here for PROGRAM BOOKLET PDF

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

Donations for online viewing are appreciated

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2023 Aparoksha Anubhuti Retreat with Sri Vijay Kapoor

May 13-20, 2023
In-Person and Online

Click Here for PROGRAM BOOKLET PDF

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

Suggested Donation for online viewing: $150

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1st and 3rd Sunday Classes with Swami Viditatmananda

Sunday, May 21, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Viditatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-4)

11:30am-12:30pm ET, Class 2 (UTC-4)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

Class 1 on YouTube
Class 2 on YouTube

1st and 3rd Sunday Classes with Swami Viditatmananda

Sunday, May 7, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Viditatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-4)

11:30am-12:30pm ET, Class 2 (UTC-4)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

 

Class 1 on YouTube
Class 2 on YouTube

Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti Puja

Monday, April 24
11:45 am – 12:15 pm ET (UTC-4)

Online and In-Person

YouTube Link

Bhaja Govindam (selected verses) with Swami Sachidananda

Sunday, April 23
10:00 am – 1:00 pm ET (UTC-4)

In-Person and Online

More Details HERE

Class 1 on YouTube at 10:00 am ET
Class 2 on YouTube at 11:15 am ET

1st and 3rd Sunday Classes

Sunday, April 16, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Muktatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-4)

11:30am-12:30pm ET, Class 2 (UTC-4)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

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2023 Easter Weekend Family Vedanta Course with Swami Muktatmananda

April 7-9, 2023 (Fri-Sun)

In-person and Online

TOPIC:
Aparokṣānubhūti 24-29

Aparokṣānubhūti by Ācārya Śri Ādiśaṅkara is a complete text of Vedānta, detailing all that is involved in gaining self-knowledge. The selected verses describe the nature of self-knowledge itself.

For more information, CLICK HERE

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2023 Four-Week Vedanta Course for Adults with Swami Muktatmananda

March 4 to April 3

Guided Meditation
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 with Shankara Bhashyam

In-Person and Online

Details HERE

Zoom Meeting Link

1st and 3rd Sunday Classes

Sunday, April 2, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Muktatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-4)

11:30am-12:30pm ET, Class 2 (UTC-4)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

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2023 Ramanavami Puja

Thursday, March 30 at 12 noon ET (UTC-4)

In-person and Online

Sri Rama Navami is observed as the birthday of Lord Rama. In addition, it marks the end of Vasanta Navaratri or Chaitra Navratri, which began on Ugadi. This day celebrates the conclusion of the nine-day Chaitra Navaratri festival, which is also known as Rama Navratri or Ram Navami.

Ram Navami was one of the five major holy festivals celebrated by all.
 The history of Sri Rama Navami is Lord Rama’s birthday. It was marked on this day.

For information about in-person attendance, click HERE.

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Vedanta Class and Chanting Class with Swami Sachidananda

In-Person and Online

9:45-10:45 am ET (UTC-4)
The Vision of Vedanta

11:30am-12:15pm ET (UTC-4)
Nirvana Shatkam of Adi Shankaracharya

For more information, click HERE.

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1st and 3rd Sunday Classes

Sunday, March 5, 2023
In-Person and Online

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Muktatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-5)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

View Class 1
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2023 Presidents' Day Weekend Vedanta Course ONLINE ONLY

Friday, February 17 at 7:30 pm EST
to
Monday, February 20 at 9:30 am EST

TOPIC:
Salient Choices for Self-Knowledge:
Insights from the Kathopanishad & Gita in Day to Day Life

TEACHER:
Swamini Svatmavidyananda ji

COURSE DETAILS

1st and 3rd Sunday Classes

Sunday, February 19, 2023
Online Only

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 with Swami Viditatmananda

10:00-11:00 am ET, Class 1 (UTC-5)
11:30am-12:30pm ET, Class 2 (UTC-5)

More details HERE

Please note COVID related policies HERE.

View Class 1
View Class 2

2023 Maha Shivaratri

IN-PERSON AND ONLINE

Saturday, February 18
7:00am – 9:00pm ET

Program Details HERE

2022 Five-Week Vedanta Course

Sept 28 – Oct 30, 2022

Brahma Sutras with Swami Tattvavidananda
With the commentary of Adi Sankara, the first four sutras of the Brahma-sutra cover the essence of the entire vision of the Vedanta-sastra. They also state that all the Upanisads reveal this same vision. In the rest of Brahma-sutra, what is taught in these first four is thoroughly discussed and proved. The introduction and a portion of the first sutra were completed in 2021, and this course will continue the text.

Vidura Niti (Sanskrit classes) with Swami Muktatmananda
In Chapters 33 through 40 of Udyoga Parva in the Mahabharata, Vidura outlines things wise people and leaders should do, and things they should not. (Text Link)

For course details and information about in-person attendance, CLICK HERE.

For course booklet PDF, CLICK HERE.
Brahma Sutras Devanagari: CLICK HERE
Brahma Sutras Transliteration: CLICK HERE
Brahma Sutras Translation: CLICK HERE

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© Copyright: 2021 Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

Lord Daksinamurti

In the vision of the Veda, this creation is a manifestation of the Lord. Being the cause, he is all knowledge, especially spiritual knowledge. We have a name for that Lord Daksinamurti.

The Lord presented in this form as Dakṣiṇāmūrti is the one who has eight aspects. The first five aspects are thefive elements. In the Veda the world is presented in the form of five elements—ākāśa, space,which includes time; vāyu, air; agni, fire; āpa, water; and pṛthivī, earth.

In this Vedic model of the universe, the five elements are non-separate from the Lord. In fact, these five elements constitute the Lord’s form, which is this universe.

The next two aspects are represented by the sun and the moon.

When, as an individual, I look at this world, what stands out in the sky are the sun and moon.

The moon represents all planets other than earth, and the sun represents allluminous bodies.

The eighth aspect is me, the jīva—the one who is looking at the world.

These eight aspects are to be understood as one whole. This is the Lord.

When we look at the form of Dakṣiṇāmūrti, we can see representations of the five elements. Space, ākāśa, is represented by a ḍamaru, a drum, in his right hand. In order to show space in a sculpture, it needs to be enclosed.

Empty space is enclosed in the ḍamaru, enabling it to issue sound, or śabda.

Next, vāyu, air, is represented by Dakṣiṇāmūrti’s hair with the bandana, the band, holding his hair in place against the wind. Bandana is a Sanskrit word which comes from the root band, to bind.

In his left hand, you will see a torch, which represents agni, fire.

Āpa, water, is shown by the Gaṅga, in the form of a Goddess, which you can see on Dakṣiṇāmūrti’s head.

Pṛthivī, the earth, is represented by the whole idol.

Then there are people, the jīvas, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanatsujāta, who are the disciples of Dakṣiṇāmūrti, sitting at the base of sculpture.

The sun and moon are also shown in this form of the Lord.

On the left side of Dakṣiṇāmūrti you will find a crescent moon, and on his right side there is a circle, representing the sun—a whole circle.

So we see five elements, two planets and the jīva constituting the aṣṭa-mūrti-bhṛt, the Lord of these eight factors that are the whole.

You can worship Dakṣiṇāmūrti as the Lord, the one who is aṣṭa-mūrti-bhṛt, or you can invoke him as a teacher, because he also is in the form of a teacher.

His very sitting posture, āsana, is the teacher’s āsana. What does he teach? Look at his hand gesture. That shows wha the teaches. His index finger, the one we use to point at others, represents the ahaṅkāra, the ego.

The other three fingers represent your body, deha, mind, antaḥkaraņa and sense organs, prāņa.

They also may be seen as the three bodies, śarīras, the gross, subtle, and causal. This is what the jīva mistakes himself to be. The aṅguṣṭha, the thumb, represents the Lord, the puruṣa. It is away from the rest of the fingers of the hand, yet at the same time, the fingers have no strength without it.

In this gesture, mūdra, in Dakṣiṇāmūrti’s right hand, the thumb joins the other fingers to form a circle, teaching that the jīva, who takes himself to be the body, mind and senses, is the whole. The circular hand gesture visually states the entire upadeśa, teaching: tat tvam asi, “You are That.” Just as a circle has no beginning or end, you are the whole. That is the final word about you. Nobody can improve upon that vision; no culture can improve upon it.

Even in heaven, it cannot be improved upon, for the whole includes heaven. Therefore, you have the final word here, because you are everything. It is better that you know it. That teaching is contained in the Veda, represented by the palm leaves in the left hand of Dakṣiṇāmūrti. And to understand this, you require a mind that has assimilated certain values and attitudes and has developed a capacity to think in a proper and sustained way.

This can be acquired by various spiritual disciplines represented here by a japa-māla, The fact that the Lord himself is a teacher, a guru, means that any teacher is looked upon as a source of knowledge. And the teacher himself should look upon Īśvara, the Lord, as the source of knowledge. Since the Lord himself is a teacher, the first guru, there is a tradition of teaching, so there is no individual ego involved in teaching.

Dakṣiṇāmūrti is seated upon a bull, which stands for tamas, the quality of māyā that accounts for ignorance. This is the entire creative power of the world and Dakṣiṇāmūrti controls this māyā; Then, there are bound to be obstacles in your pursuit of this knowledge. Dakṣiṇāmūrti controls all possible obstacles.

Underneath his foot, under his control, is a fellow called Apasmara—the one who throws obstacles in your life. This tells us that although there will be obstacles, with the grace of the Lord, you can keep them under check and not allow them to overpower you. There is no obstacle-free life, but obstacles need not really throw you off course; you keep them under control.

Thus, the whole form of Dakṣiṇāmūrti invokes the Lord who is the source of all knowledge, the source of everything, the one who is the whole, and who teaches you that you are the whole. He is Dakṣiṇāmūrti, the one who is in the form of a teacher, guru-mūrti.

We invoke his blessing so that all of you discover that source in yourself. If this self-discovery is your pursuit, your whole life becomes worthwhile. This project of self-discovery should be the project of everyone. That is the Vedic vision of human destiny

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam was founded in 1986 by Pujya Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswati. In Swamiji’s own words,

“When I accepted the request of many people I know to start a gurukulam, I had a vision of how it should be. I visualized the gurukulam as a place where spiritual seekers can reside and learn through Vedanta courses. . . And I wanted the gurukulam to offer educational programs for children in values, attitudes, and forms of prayer and worship. When I look back now, I see all these aspects of my vision taking shape or already accomplished. With the facility now fully functional, . . . I envision its further unfoldment to serve more and more people.”

Ārṣa (arsha) means belonging to the ṛṣis or seers; vidyā means knowledge. Guru means teacher and kulam is a family.  In traditional Indian studies, even today, a student resides in the home of this teacher for the period of study. Thus, gurukulam has come to mean a place of learning. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is a place of learning the knowledge of the ṛṣis.

The traditional study of Vedanta and auxiliary disciplines are offered at the Gurukulam. Vedanta mean end (anta) of the Veda, the sourcebook for spiritual knowledge.  Though preserved in the Veda, this wisdom is relevant to people in all cultures, at all times. The vision that Vedanta unfolds is that the reality of the self, the world, and God is one non-dual consciousness that both transcends and is the essence of everything. Knowing this, one is free from all struggle based on a sense of inadequacy.

The vision and method of its unfoldment has been carefully preserved through the ages, so that what is taught today at the Gurukulam is identical to what was revealed by the ṛṣis in the Vedas.