Festival for the soul
During the extended lockdown due to the pandemic situation, the residents of Govardhan Ecovillage (GEV) took to an in depth study of Srimad Bhagavatam, making the most of the collective opportunity.
GEV is the home for many scholarly devotees who share the wealth of their Vedic wisdom across the world. As circumstances would have it, many of them like Sanatkumar Prabhu, Gauranga prabhu, Chaitanya Caran prabhu, Damodar prabhu, Gauranga Darshan prabhu, Balaram Sakti prabhu and Madhav Gopal Prabhu were all in GEV from March to November 2020. It was like a sweetshop being unable to distribute it’s sweetmeats to outsiders instead generously gave it all within the house.
The daily Bhagavatam class was modified in duration and depth to be a continuous discourse on the depths of Bhagavatam. In 90 minute sessions, the speakers took us through the letter and spirit of the Bhagavatam covering 3 to 4 chapters on weekdays starting with recitation of shlokas from “Bhagavata Ratnmala” a compilation of selected verses from the Bhagavatam.
The residents of GEV were reliving the ‘satram svargaya lokaya’ experience of Naimisharanya – assembly of the holy with an exclusive and enthusiastic objective of collective absorption in the higher truths of life. This effervescent environment inspired the speakers to share their realisations and insights coming from their deep study and devotion. We drank the distilled nectar of Bhagavatam’s teachings on the disposition, reflection and reaction of role-model devotee characters which are a beacon light for our sadhaka life. We also acquired a modern perspective and position on various Vedic themes like cosmology and sociology and contemporary issues in governance and leadership.
Each speaker enchanted and nourished the hearers by his unique perspective and presentation on different sections of Bhagavatam. Some made a thematic presentation on the key topics of the section while others adopted a sequential approach covering and connecting successive sections of every chapter as the episode progressed. “Bhagavata Subodhini” study guides were our best companions in this Bhagavatam study journey.
Everyday, after the end of each session, the audience was left enlightened and inspired to deepen their personal svadhyaya and intensify their spirit of seva. We are very grateful to the management and the speakers for giving us such a divine and meaningful connect with the heart and teachings of our dear acharyas.
– Mohan Vilas Das, GEV
Perfect write-up of the amazing experience
Undoubtedly this was one of the best expositions on Srimad Bhagavatam that I ever heard in my 12-year long Krśña conscious journey in this life. All the speakers were simply top-class and they enchanted and nourished us with their unique perspective and presentation on different sections of Bhagavatam. The experience has brought tremendous detachment, and a dying desire to serve these pure devotees in a menial capacity for the remainder of my life ☺♂️.