Arsha Vidya Center - There is Nothing Indeed as Purifying as Knowledge

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Saturday and Tuesday classes are livestreamed online at AVC BayArea Youtube channel.

Quick Links for Classes

To see Menu selections on Phones, turn phone to landscape mode or turn ON Desktop site.
Latest Class videos click here
Video Playlists click here
Index of AVC Talks click here.
For notification of Live Youtube streaming, click this link AVC BayArea YouTube channel and click “subscribe” on the right hand side.
Join AVC Satsang Group with this link

Guru Dakshina for Vijayji’s classes and AVC expenses can be given here
Guru Dakshina & AVC expenses Alternatively: use Zelle to transfer money by email to “AVCbayarea@gmail.com”

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Two-Day Retreat in Bay Area, Oct 12 & 13 (non-residential)

“The Vision and Promise of Vedanta”
by Vijay Kapoor
Venue: The Garden House, Shoupe Park,400 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
(Nice park setting – we held Swami Paramatmananda’s retreat there a few years back)
When: Sat Oct 12, ’24 from 9 to 4 PM, Sun Oct 13, from 11 to 6 PM (Note: starting later on Sunday)
Fee: $50 per person. Covers Hall Rental, lunches, snacks and beverages on both days
RSVP below for in-person attendance (for head count)
RSVP NOW Payment can be made at this link now or later
The talks will be also available online at https://www.youtube.com/@AVCBayArea/streams
Contact person: Zarina Kaji,casakaji@msn.com, 408 679-1492

From Vijayji “You and I have studied a number of Vedantic texts over the years. For myself, I have been focussed on putting it all together, continually asking what the shastras are saying, and observing my life. This process has yielded good results for me – in terms of how I look at myself and the world around me. More immediate benefits, less to be done later.
I plan to limit the number of teaching sessions to 3 each day. Each session will consist of a conceptual discourse, immediate interactive Q&A and followed by guided meditation.

Who will benefit the most? Certainly students who have done considerable study already. However, everyone is essentially the same person, whether a beginner or experienced. So even those who have not studied can relate to the basic concepts and will be able to grasp them. So I suggest that if your spouse, or a friend has been curious about what you have been studying, bring them. “

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Comprehensive online course of Vedanta Mandukya Karika continuing.

Sat 8.30-10.00 am, and Tue 8.30-10.00 am – Mandukya Upanisad with Karika.
Class Videos, Class Texts, Class Transcripts, Swami A PDFs
Register by sending email to vijaykapoor@gmail.com (give your background)

First, Mandukya itself is considered to be an advanced Upanisad. It starts by stating OM, the unique name of Isvara, as the essence of the entire experience of everyone at all times. It goes on to explain this in merely 12 mantras. Even so, this remains merely a promise, not yet a reality for students. The Karika is a great step in fulfilling that promise.

The Karika itself is a unique offering. In the vast literature of Advaita Vedanta, there is only one Karika. so highly regarded is this work by Sri Gaudapadacarya – the parama guru – guru’s guru – of Adi Sankara. There are many Bhasyas by Adi Sankara on various Upanisads and other texts; there are multiple Vartikas, many Tikas and prakarana granthas – but there is only one Karika. Karika means an independent, authoritative work in verse form – 215 of them by a revered guru. Sri Gaudapadacarya is widely regarded to be the clear upholder and clarifier of the Advaita Sampradaya. He presents the unfolding of OM in 4 chapters, called prakarnas. The first one, called Agama Prakarna is simply to elucidate the teaching of the Mandukya Upanisad. The other 3 are devoted to remove any doubts in the minds of seekers. For those of you who may not want to commit to the entire course, you can pause after the first prakarna.
I wish to complete all 4 Prakarnas. This is why I view these classes as a course, of the entire Advaita Vedantic teaching, not merely of one Upanisad. Because this is how Sri Gaudapadacarys envisions it, and this is how our Mahatma acaryas unfold it. It is comprehensive, similar to the vastness of Bhagavad Gita. Additionally, if you are a Sanskrit student, you will particularly enjoy our going over the Adi Sankara Bhasya, and explaining both word and sentence meanings -similar to the short series we recently did on the Bhagavad Gita based on Swami Sankaranandaji’s commentary.
Even though all interested students are welcome, this course is squarely aimed at the experienced student, already familiar with several years of study of our basic scriptures, including principal Upanisads, Bhagavad Gita and hopefully the Brahma Sutras. For that reason, I prefer all committed students to ‘register’ for this course. You may register by sending an email to vijaykapoor@gmail.com, even if you have been attending regular classes. If you have not attended any classes with me, I would appreciate a brief background about yourself. The reason is that in a comprehensive course like this, there should be a connection, a bond, between the teacher and student; we will be in touch through email or a WhatsApp. I also plan to hold zoom sessions once every 2 months, to foster more in-depth Q&A.
Harih OM. Vijay

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Here is how you can attend the live class:
Click on the link to go to AVCBayarea – Live classes channel on Youtube for “Live streams” page > click on the “live” class video that may be running -> make your presence known on Chat window using the chat text space below the Chat window.
Index of all AVC Talks, click here.
Subscribe to the AVC BayArea channel so you can receive notifications on when a class has started by clicking on “Subscribe” button or the “bell” icon at home page.
Guru Dakshina for Vijayji’s classes can be given here
Guru Dakshina Alternatively: use Zelle to transfer money by email to “AVCbayarea@gmail.com”

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Sanskrit Classes and Resources
Knowing sanskrit is beneficial in deeper understanding, assimilating and remembering of Vedanta teachings. There are several resources for learning.
Kumud Singhal has taught Sanskrit in the local Bay Area for several years. See this page for the extensive details, about learning the language, and various resources available. She has published some excellent and enjoyable books.

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Self Study Satsang Groups
Participating in self study satsang groups is a good way to stay immersed in the Vedanta language. Groups can be formed per your experiences or locations.
a) Swami Parmarthatnanda has suggested a sylable of classes to study in a particular order See this chart. The PDFs of the Upanisads are located here.
You may download an Android App called “Sastraprakasika” and purchase the digital audios, either for self study or group study.
b) Contact Kumar Padmini to enquire about joining a BGita study group.

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Children’s Classes and Resources
a) AVBG is offering children’s classes at 8 levels, Register Now
The Arsha Vidya Bala-gurukulam (AVBG) Vedic Heritage program is greatly appreciated by all. The program attracted hundreds of students from far and wide, all of whom graduated under the guidance of highly dedicated and experienced teachers. The link is https://balagurukulam.arshavidya.org/. Registration is required by August 15th to avoid disappointment
There are eight levels for children between 6th and 17th years. You or your friends with children in this age group can benefit from this opportunity if they are interested in the Vedic Heritage program.
From: Suddhatma Chaitanya and the BalaGurukulam Team

b) Kumud Singhal has taught children on Hinduism, Culture and Tradition for several years. See this page for extensive details. She has published several very popular, colorful and enjoyable books (available on Amazon) on Hindu Culture and learning Hindi for children. These are highly recommended.

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Sri Svatmavidyananda Swaminiji visited Bay Area (Sunday July 7th)
Pramana Vichara, Overcoming Inhibitive Factors to Assimilation of Self Knowledge
Youtube playlist
Pramana Vichara means an enquiry into the methodologies through which atma-jnanam or self knowledge is conveyed. In this two part series we will examine the various pedagogical tools used by the Upanishads to convey that which is both obvious and yet obfuscated in our understanding.
We will also take up salient stories from the Upanishads and their significance in negating self ignorance. Finally we will understand why it is important to approach self knowledge with reverence and devotion. Swaminiji will conclude the talk series with practical tips to assimilate self knowledge.

Swami Muktatmananda visiting Bay Area (June 28-30th, Fri-Sunday)
Topic: Discovering Fearlessness
Review the Video Playlist
Fear is a word that indicates everything that you are afraid of: unhappiness, separation, loneliness, isolation, fear of being nobody, lack of future, death and void. If you deal with fear, you are dealing with everything.
In the Vedas, which are the most ancient scriptures that humanity has, there is a clear statement: “It is a second thing that causes fear (Br. Up. 1.4.2).” The Veda has to come through a teacher. Swamiji will discuss why there is no room for fear in these sessions.
Swami Muktatmananda is a disciple of Pujya Swami Dayananda and Swami Viditatmananda. Swamiji leads retreats and regular classes on the Gita, Upanishads, and Brahmasutras at Tattvathirth Ashram, Ahmedabad. In addition to participating in this year’s Vedanta programs at AVG, Swamiji is also teaching ongoing weekend classes on Bhagavad Gita and engaging in community outreach. Swamiji wears his depth of scholarship with great lightness, delivering the teachings with clarity and ease.

Retreat at the Saylorsburg ashram (June 1-8) was great success
Topic: Kaivalya Upanisad – complete in 18 classes
The Retreat was a wonderful success with 25-30 people present in the class and more online. See class videos here. Write to
vijaykapoor@gmail.com with any comments and join the whatsapp group.

Guru Dakshina Alternatively: use Zelle to transfer money by email to “AVCbayarea@gmail.com”
Join our AVC Satsang group with this invite link . We will use Polls and Surveys to accommodate your needs.

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AIM for Seva – Fulfilling and Beneficial Seva opportunities for AVC students
Transforming Rural India, One Child at a Time
Danam – Giving is twice blessed, it blesses the one who gives and the one who receives
Be a Contributor not just a Consumer.
Learn all about the great contributions and positive change affected by our local aimforsevabayarea.org efforts.
Be a part of the Seva Movement and donate , select “FSHs sponsored by Bay Area”.
See this wonderful short video clip.
Volunteer in our local activities, send email to aimforsevaba@gmail.com with your interests. Several programs are underway throughout the year.

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AVG Arsha Vidya Gurukulam newsletters and online Talks

See AVG/AVP USA links as below for classes in English:
Schedule of events. Live broadcast and archived courses link ; Course audio recordings can be purchased at this new AVP media site,
Digital book store Arshavidya India newsletters

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Arsha Vidya Swamis followed by Bay Area students

Pujya Swami Dayananda
See page for more about Pujya Swamiji, founder of Arsha Vidya and AIM for Seva organizations, and his Audio / Video recordings

Why Study Vedanta