Arthasastra

Kautilya’s Arthasastra

Written around 300 BC, is a text on statecraft, a book of political realism. It deals with various topics including war and diplomacy, how a king can retain his kingdom and become a conqueror, how to make allies and know the enemies, and how to make treaties. It focuses on elements, what can be termed in modern usage diplomacy, such as the doctrine of a silent war, propaganda, secret agents, how to use women as weapons of war, and how to use religion and superstition to advantage.

According to Kautilya, “power is (possession of) strength” and “strength changes the mind.” More importantly, Kautilya emphasized power to control not only outward behavior but also the thoughts of one’s subjects and enemies. According to him, “one possessed of personal qualities, though ruling over a small territory … conversant with (the science of) politics, does conquer the entire earth, never loses.” Kautilya is the founder of Mandala Theory of foreign policy, which can be termed as a precursor of the theories of political realism and balance of power. Kautilya favored righteous war than greedy and demoniacal wars.

The course will delve into various elements of this insightful text and juxtapose the main ideas in the text with similar theories and approaches in the modern world. The students will be able to draw parallels between the core ideas embedded in this ancient text with many modern ideas.

The Certificate program in Hindu Studies (CPHS). HUA prepares Students to engage with the world as a Hindu with confidence and clarity. Along the way, it also aims to develop in the student a lifelong love for service and contribution. At the end of the program, students will be informed, empowered, and inspired by the possibilities of living a deeply fulfilled life as a Hindu, and making a real difference in the world.

As Students discover the range and depth of Hindu thought, its uniquely awesome cosmology, and clear up some of the misconceptions and erroneous narratives that they have inherited, they will find themselves being profoundly transformed, naturally creating new realms of self-expression, and new possibilities for who they can now be in the world.

Program Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this Certificate Programs in Hindu Studies, Students will:

Clarify the Hindu Paradigm, having acquired an overview of Hindu principles, practices, values, history, philosophy, society, culture, traditions, and civilization.
Articulate the contemporary relevance of Hindu thought and contribute its value to the Hindu community as well as to humanity in general.
Apply their learning to think from a Hindu context and develop strategies for the preservation and transmission of Hindu thought across the generations.
Create new pathways for service, leadership, and global engagement from a Hindu context, and new realms of self-expression for themselves.
Contribute with confidence and clarity, in unique and innovative ways towards fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma.

Program Context

Being successful in our professional lives, as a Doctor, Engineer, Business person, Entrepreneur, or a Lawyer and so on, equips us with a basic ability to compete effectively in the contemporary economy, to survive and succeed in the world. But it does not necessarily address a deeper dimension of human possibility i.e., the spiritual or the Adhyatmika realm.

In each of us lies dormant a need and a desire for deeper engagement with the world, to contribute, to make a difference and be of service in a profound and meaningful way. In each of us lies as yet unfulfilled the potential for leadership and global impact, sometimes even as yet unimagined.

In every one of us without exception there lies the possibility of going within, exploring the realms of deeper levels of consciousness, and transforming our connection and relationship with the cosmos itself, manifesting the perfection and possibilities that already lie within us. These are the realms of Dharma and Moksha, the unique dimensions of Hindu thought.

What is the purpose of our human existence? Does it have one? What does it mean to live a successful life? What is the source of deep fulfillment and contentment in our lives? What is Dharma? What is our Svadharma? How do we ensure that we fulfill the unique purpose and opportunity of our lives? How do we even discover it? Have we exhausted the possibilities of being alive already? How has Hindu Dharma addressed these questions?

In the Certificate Programs in Hindu Studies, Students will engage with these questions in a deep and authentic way, as they prepare themselves for service, leadership, and contribution, and for making a deep and lasting impact in the communities in which they live, as well as the world in general.

Whether you are interested in writing, speaking, and teaching, in counseling and healing, in social work, media or the performing arts, in education and curriculum development, in providing leadership in your communities, working with youth or in inter-faith domains, or simply engaging with schools and colleges, and the institutions of our contemporary world, or being of service in some other vital way, the Certificate Programs in Hindu Studies, will empower and enable you in your life’s journey.

This program will take work, commitment, and the ability to sustain your interest through several quarters. But what you will accomplish at the end, who you will become in the process, and all the new aspirations and possibilities that you will create for yourself, that you didn’t even know that you had, will transform you in an amazing and inspiring way. You will go beyond your real or perceived limitations, capacity and capabilities, and may even sustain and nurture the continued relevance of Sanatana Dharma for posterity as its ambassador.

Structure of the Program:

The certificate programs consists of a total of 24 credit hours of coursework. It can be completed at the earliest in 8 quarters, if the students can take 3 Credit hours per quarter, or more slowly over time, in any case, under five years. Students must take at least 15 Credit hours from the Core Courses in the Certificate programs. They may complete the remaining 9 credit hours by taking any set of elective courses from the community education program.

Pre-requisites:

The students must have completed the Orientation to Hindu Studies course minimally and must demonstrate a deep interest in service, contribution and making an impact from within a Hindu context, in order to be admitted into the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies. Students who have not taken the Orientation to Hindu Studies course, may enroll into the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies, with the understanding that they will register into the course immediately.

Who will benefit?

This program can benefit everyone who is interested in living a life of service and contribution, who wishes to engage with the communities in their lives in a meaningful way, in a Hindu context. It applies to all those who wish to reconnect deeply with their own Hindu cultural roots, develop a deeper understanding of their own unique place in the world.

For Non-Hindus who have developed some level of curiosity and interest in the Hindu world, this program will deepen their engagement with that world, and open up entirely new possibilities for contribution and service.

List of courses

The list of Courses available for Students as part of the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies is listed below. Each course is designated as a Core course or an Elective course. These courses may be taken in any sequence, as long as the student first completes the Orientation to Hindu Studies course, at the very beginning of the program.

Sustainability is Sanatana Dharma

CPS2003 – (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course explores how the modern quest for sustainability relates to the eternal search ... Read More

Self-knowledge and the quest for Happiness

HSF2102 - (CPHS - Core) In this course, we will take an inward journey to discover that one was always ... Read More

How Hindu Dharma Transformed America

HAM2100 – (CPHS – Core Course) How Hindu Dharma Transformed America - This course explores the history and impact of ... Read More

Reconstructing Hindu History – The Commissions

HAM4201 – (C.P.H.S – Core Course) This course is the first of a two-quarter course sequence that examines the scientific ... Read More

Reconstructing Hindu History – The Omissions

HAM4202 – (C.P.H.S – Core Course) Reconstructing Hindu History - The Omissions course is the second of a two-quarter course ... Read More

Lessons from Valmiki Ramayana

HSF1005 – This course will enable students to get a well-versed understanding of the story, lessons, and teachings of one ... Read More

Lessons from the Valmiki Ramayana For teens and Parents

HSF1006 - This course will help the teenagers and parents get a well-versed understanding of the story, lessons, and teachings ... Read More

Discover the contemporary Relevance of Hindu Dharma

HSF1007 – (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course, targets an age group of 18-35 and will explore the question – ... Read More

Distinguishing Varna and Jati from Caste

HSF4000 - (CPHS - Core Course) The Caste System invites both persistent international discourse as well as relentless intervention. This ... Read More

Svadharma – Discovering and Living our Life Purpose

HSF1101 – (CPHS – Core Course) A practical guide to – living our svadharma. Living in the contemporary world is ... Read More

Masterclass in Yoga Concepts

YOG4000 - Most people think of yoga as something done on a yoga mat in a yoga studio, and mostly ... Read More

Introduction to Hinduism

HSF1000 - This course brings to life the central ideas and concepts that constitute the building blocks of Sanatana Dharma ... Read More

As part of Hindu University of America’s commitment to ongoing community education program, most courses available at the university including Graduate Division courses are open for registration from members of the community as continuing education students. Anyone including already employed professionals and prospective degree students may apply to any single course as a special student if they can demonstrate that they have the prerequisite preparation. They may discuss their preparedness to take any course with the course faculty or instructor.

Community Education Program

The continuing education stream of courses is targeted towards people who wish to learn ongoingly, without pursuing a specific degree or certificate.
There are no prerequisites enforced, other than those required by the faculty, and anyone may register. We invite prospective students to try out a course or two and come back for more
Courses taken as part of community education program can be bundled together to earn certificates at a later stage.

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Gandhian Philosophy

Course Description

The relevance of Mahatma Gandhi for the contemporary world, characterized by turbulence, is indisputable. Gandhi’s principles of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (love for the truth) stemmed from his religious tradition, and he applied these principles to political action in South Africa and India. Gandhian ideas such as frugal economy, Gram Swaraj (grass-roots democracy), Ram Rajya (ideal state), trusteeship, social service, Swadeshi (self-reliance), bread-labor, social and religious harmony, and optimal use of resources will also be explored in the course.

The course, while evaluating Gandhian perspective on conflict resolution and peacebuilding, critically examines ideas of Gandhi in academic and policy debates towards the development of rich and multiple perspectives and pathways to address the gap between principles and practice. It also proposes Gandhian solutions to contemporary global issues including, but not limited to, inter-state and intra-state conflicts, climate change, religious extremism, rich-poor divide, education, economic development, and women empowerment.

The students taking this course will apply a Gandhian perspective on the prevailing discourses on human life and society and appreciate the significance of dialogue among civilizations and cultures.

Hinduism and Conflict Resolution

Course Description

Though there is a vast literature on conflict and peace studies, the Hindu ideas are seldom factored in the discipline. The Hinduism and conflict resolution course aims to fill this gap while dispelling myths about Hindu ideas on conflict resolution. A closer examination reveals that Hindu thought from the very ancient era dealt with conflict at multiple levels and explored pathways for their transformation.

A hallmark of the Hindu thought is its spiritual approach to conflict and its emphasis on the interlinkage of conflicts at various spheres including psychological, social, cultural, political, and economic. Whether it was the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra or Kautilya’s famous exhortation to Indians to unite against invading Greeks, or Ashoka’s remorse during the Kalinga war or Gandhi’s struggle against the British rule, they reveal to us powerful ideas and their relevance for a discourse on conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

While introducing students the core elements of the Hindu thought on conflict and peace, the course explores their conflict resolution potentials. Students will examine an ongoing conflict, while exploring Hinduism and conflict resolution.

Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

Course Description

Though its origin could be traced to the ancient and medieval periods, human rights as a concept and policy instrument became popular in the 20th century, particularly after the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. There are many scholarly studies on the subject, but most of them adopt a Eurocentric approach. Scarcely there are studies which bring into focus a Vedanta perspective on the subject.

The concept of practical Vedanta, popularized by Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th century, could be considered a precursor to the idea of human rights. Vedanta philosophy, Swami Vivekananda argued, has no value unless it addresses everyday problems confronted by human society including the exploitation of the weak, discrimination against women, and problems like poverty and illiteracy.

He argued that for universal peace it is necessary that individuals come out of their selfish boundaries and think of the world as one family (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam). The course through its various modules emphasizes that Vedanta perspective with its deep philosophical and practical underpinnings is relevant for human rights policy and practice.

International Politics: A Vedanta Perspective

Course Description

How does a Vedanta perspective widen our understanding of the current predicaments, and help us explore solutions to them? While exploring solutions to international conflicts, the Vedanta perspective goes beyond surface dimensions of conflicts. For example, Vedanta philosopher Sri Aurobindo argued, like individuals, states have egos– amplified through national habits, prejudices, and idiosyncrasies.

When applied to international politics, they lead to jingoism, exploitation, and wars, leading to practices like colonialism and imperialism. Colonialism and imperialism were only manifestations of an exploitative substructure. Though colonialism and imperialism belong to the past, the root, the ego, is intact, and its manifestation has acquired new shapes. The Vedanta perspective would also argue that state ego is not static, and it can evolve when state leaders think in terms of human unity and factor that thinking into policymaking.

The establishment of the United Nations, after the failure of the League of Nations, was hailed a right step in this direction. The UN was established with a promise to ensure dignity and equality to all states. Has this happened? The course explores all these dimensions while mainstreaming the Vedanta perspective and aims to design a Vedanta approach to international politics.

Introduction to Conflict and Peace Studies

Conflicts are omnipresent in human relations. They are neither inherently good nor bad, but simply facts of life. A conflict situation arises when individuals or groups pursuit incompatible goals. These competing goals can range from needs within the family to competition over scarce resources between members of a community or between states. When competition turns violent, conflict resolution becomes essential as the costs rise with short term and long term implications. This course introduces some of the leading theories of conflict and conflict resolution.

The goals of this course are threefold: to introduce students to the background and characteristics of conflict and peace studies; to explore a multitude of tools and explanations used by scholars in order to understand peace and conflict; and, to encourage students to explore a complex and interesting subject in an innovative manner through drawing from the existing theories.

The course begins with an introduction to conflict theories, focusing on various ways to approach conflict. It also focuses on the conflict at various levels – individual, group, intra-state, and interstate. The course then focuses on various approaches to conflict management and conflict resolution.

Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo

Course Description

Indian philosopher, poet, mystic and Yogi, Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950), argued that human society has evolved throughout history. His aphorism ‘All Life is Yoga’ is in consonance with his evolutionary philosophy. His Integral Yoga encompasses every aspect of human life and society, and according to which the onward march of which do not stop at the present transitory formations. Sri Aurobindo did not deny the relevance of the transitory formations but emphasized that they have to be transcended as they are not the summit in the evolution.

Following Advaita Vedanta, he believed that there is a fundamental unity as the basis of existence and at the foundation of all things, and it is the Nature that moves to realize this unity. He described the Upanishads, the waning or lost knowledge recovered by Rishis through “meditation and spiritual experience” or recovery of the old truths in new forms by Rishis who used the Vedic Word as “a seed of thought and vision.” He expressed dissatisfaction that the modern individual, busy with his mundane life and outward activities, has lost interest in this ancient wisdom.

The course would critically examine relevant aspects of Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy and its applicability to contemporary problems. Despite the profundity of his philosophy and its wider implications, Sri Aurobindo and his ideas are relatively less explored. The course aims to fill this gap.

Kautilya’s Arthasastra

Program Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this Certificate Programs in Hindu Studies, Students will:

Program Context

Structure of the Program:

Pre-requisites:

Who will benefit?

List of courses

Community Education Program

Gandhian Philosophy

Course Description

Hinduism and Conflict Resolution

Course Description

International Politics: A Vedanta Perspective

Course Description

Introduction to Conflict and Peace Studies

Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo

Sustainability is Sanatana Dharma

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