Area of Study: Hindu Studies Foundation
Bhakti – The Heart of Wisdom – 2
BODHAK – The Gita Vidya Teacher Training
BODHAK – The Gita Vidya Teacher Training
Certificate in Hindu Civilizational Studies
Certificate program in Hindu Civilizational Studies
Certificate program in Hindu Civilizational Studies (C.H.C.S) is an in-depth exploration of the Hindu Civilization from a Hindu perspective. It provides the student with a grounded understanding of Hindu Dharma as one of the oldest, continuous, and still thriving cultures of the world. It unfolds the paradigm of Dharma, i.e., sustainability or natural order, through an exploration of its culture and knowledge traditions. This program enables the student to discover, reconnect and become profoundly established in the paradigm of Sanatana Dharma through a systematic study of the Hindu Civilization.
It comprises of 2 parts:
1. Exploring Hinduism
A set of courses to gain an understanding of Sanatana Dharma and Hindu thought – the bedrock of the Hindu Civilization, by exploring the history, facets, and practices of this culture, which is based on the principles of Dharma at its core. What is Sanatana Dharma? What is Hinduism? When did Hinduism start? Who is a Hindu? What makes Hindus different? Does Hindu thought have relevance in today’s world? Answers to such questions can be found in this “Exploring Hinduism” set of courses.
2. Hindu Contributions To The World
A set of courses to learn how the Hindu civilization and its knowledge systems had influenced world progress with contributions in the realm of both Matter and Mind. This series of courses looks beyond the myths set in motion by a few hundred years of colonial encounter and examines the evidence for the sciences, technologies, inventions, industry, prosperity, wealth and thought leadership that had made India a sought-after civilization across times. It is now accepted knowledge that India was at the top in world trade for around 2000 years with 1/3rd of world trade coming from India. But there is very little mention of how India accomplished this position.
What did it create? What did it trade in? This set of courses goes into the details of the individual components that made up this 33% of world trade and its impact on the world and in India. This subject matter stays unacknowledged and is rarely available for discussion. It also addresses the crucial question, “How could this civilization give all this and more – both to the East and the West?”.
It is a cyclic program of 8 quarters / courses, where participants can join during any quarter and get their Certification once they complete the 8 courses in any order and at their own pace, depending on their ability to join any quarter. This program is open to all – those with or without Indian or Hindu roots, wherever they may be in the world. It will help see the world from a Hindu, Bharatiya, Indic perspective and experience how different it is, from what we think we know.
Program Learning Outcomes: At the end of this program, students will be able to:
- Explain the Hindu Paradigm of Dharma
- Describe salient aspects of the Hindu Civilization
- Critique various misrepresentations of Hinduism
- Synthesize an expansive account of world history
- Establish an expanded sense of purpose and relevance
Required / Elective: Required
Prerequisites: Admission into a Certificate in Hindu Civilizational Studies
Faculty / Instructor: Dr. D. K. Hari, Dr. D. K. Hema Hari,
Quarter Offered: Winter 2026
Chanakya’s Leadership Principles for the 21st Century
Chanakya’s Leadership Principles for the 21st Century
Darshana 1: Introduction to Hindu Philosophy
Darshana 2: Introduction to Hindu Philosophy
DEHA – The principles of sound body in Bhagavad Gita
DEHA Principles of sound body in Bhagavad Gita
Course Content:
DEHA is the first of a three-course series titled, DEHA, GNANA and YOGA. The Deha course highlights the Material and Psychic aspects of the body. The Gnana course describes the Physical, Social, Occupational, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual dimensions of divine wisdom. The Yoga course explains the four paths of Yoga in Bhagavad Gita.
The DEHA Course helps students to understand, explore and apply the divine wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita in their own lives. It simplifies the learning process for the beginner using specially designed graphic workbooks, transliteration textbooks in multiple languages (12 Indian languages and 12 world languages) and guided audios, available in recitation and practice versions. The interactive sessions are conducted online in English.
The Course is divided into 3 modules – Sadhana, Sodhana and Vaadana through which Students will acquire a thorough overview of Hindu Dharma and enrich the quality of their spiritual lives.
Sadhana: In this module students understand the verses in three steps.
Step 1: Shloka Rachana (Copy writing the shloka): In this step each verse is written in a language of choice by copying from the transliteration textbook.
Step 2: Shloka Shravana (Listening to the verse): In this step the students will get to know the accurate pronunciation of each verse.
Step 3: Shloka Anucharana (Guided recitation): In this step students will learn the accurate pronunciation of each verse through guided practice. After this step the students would be able to independently practice the recitation using the guided chanting audios available online.
Sodhana: In this module students understand the meaning of the shlokas in 2 steps.
Step 4: Bhava Darshana (Graphic illustration): In this step the meaning of the verse is explained through graphic illustration.
Step 5: Pratipada Artha (Word meaning): In this step the word by word meaning of the shlokas is translated from Sanskrit to English.
Vaadana: In this module the interpretations of different acharyas to the shlokas of each lesson are explored to gain deeper meaning and summarized by the students in about 500 words. A debate on contemporary issues and situations is held towards end of the course. During the debate the students shall apply their learnings from the course and present their remarks and recommendations by referring to the specific shlokas of DEHA course.
Course Learning Objectives:
In this course students will be able to:
- Practice accurate pronunciation of the shlokas through guided chanting.
- Discover the interpretations from different commentaries on Bhagavad-Gita.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the Bhagavad Gita by comparing and analysing the similarities and differences between the interpretations of various acharyas.
- Comprehend the simultaneous co-existence of diverse understandings of the divine wisdom of Hindu Dharma, enshrined in its varied Sampradayas.
- Discover the foundations of Hindu Dharma from the Bhagavad-Gita.
- Gain an overview of the Hindu Wisdom, and Hindu Pathways for spiritual growth.
Class Structure:
There will be a minimum of 1.5 contact hours with faculty every week. The class is structured in a way that promotes discussion and debate based on self-study and reflection each week. After the weekly class the students will be required to submit audio recordings of verses and complete online assignments with drag and drop type questions.
Purchasable Readings before the Course: Bhagavad Gita with verse wise meaning and commentary by any author.
Required / Elective: Required
Prerequisites: N.A.
Faculty / Instructor: Mr. Gopi V. Prasad
Time: 11:00 am EST – 12:30 pm EST
Day: Every Sunday
Start Date: January 15, 2023
End Date: March 26, 2023
Quarter Offered: Winter 2023
Dharmashastra
Dhyanam – Meditation and the Meditator
Dhyanam – Meditation and the Meditator
Discover Dharma – A Study Tour in India
Course Code: HSF5011
Credit Hours: 4.5 Quarter-Credit-Hours
Course Level: 500
Discover Dharma – A Study Tour in India Course content:
This course is designed to offer an integral exploration of Dharma, involving both theory and experience. It is offered in the format of a Study Tour of India. Each time this course is offered, it may feature a different itinerary, visiting different parts of India and even different parts of the world connected with Sanatana Dharma. A Faculty will accompany the cohort of students who are part of the course. The tour will usually take between three and four weeks to complete. There will be a few classes via Zoom before and after the Tour. The Faculty joining the tour will discuss the specifics of the content of the course as well as the various destinations that the tour will be visiting. This Tour will be a once-in-a-lifetime unforgettable experience.
Course Learning Objectives:
In this course students will be able to:
a) Correlate the Geography and History of the India that is Bharat with the content of the text or tradition thar they are studying.
b) Integrate the experience of traveling through sacred and revered sites in India, with their understanding of Dharma.
c) Distinguish different layers and dimensions of Dharma expanding their understanding of its contemporary relevance.
d) Examine their personal worldview and life priorities in the light of their deepening appreciation of the possibilities of Dharma.
e) Synthesize a new vision, purpose or directions for their lives, in the light of their experience and learnings from this study tour.
Tour Itinerary # 1: The first inaugural Study Tour will trace the footsteps of Bhagavan Shri Rama from Ayodhya to Lanka and back. Rama is considered the very embodiment and incarnation of Dharma through the Sanskrit phrase Vigrahavan Dharma. He set a standard for Dharmia living and ethical behavior with the example of his life – as a man, as a son, as a brother, as a husband, as a King, as a defender of Dharma against Adharma. His life is revered today through the many ways in which his story is recounted starting with the Valmiki Ramayana. The Tour will begin in New Delhi, and trace his journey from Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Nashik, Panchavati, Lepakshi, Hampi, Kishkinda, Madurai, Rameswaram and various locations in Sri Lanka.
Please see more details about the Tour by visiting this Website page:
https://www.hua.edu/study-tour-course-in-the-footsteps-of-bhagawan-ram
Class Structure:
There will be a minimum of 1.5 contact hours with one or more faculty about two to three times before the tour begins and twice after the tour ends. The class is structured in a way that
prepares the students for the study-tour at the beginning and promotes discussion and debate based on students’ experience of the tour after it is completed. The Study Tour itself is an
immersive experience with classes, lectures and discussions woven throughout the tour. The subjects being discussed during the Tour will correspond with the places being visited. Faculty will discuss the assignments and expectations from the students in the first few sessions of the course. Graduate Students who are incorporating this course into the Field Based Learning course, will have to discuss the requirements for a paper submission with their Graduate Student Advisor.
Area of Study: Hindu Studies Foundation
Program: Community Education Program, Certificate Program in Hindu Studies
Required/ Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into program of study.
Faculty: Mr. Shantanu Gupta
Start Date: November 18, 2023
End Date: February 10, 2024
Time: 9:00 pm EST – 10:30 pm EST
Day: Every Saturday
(The fee is for reserving a sport in the tour. The Full price of the tour will be shared with the course participants separately)
