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Gaudiya Studies
Retreat
Next Retreat
To be announced soon
About the Program
Elements of the Gaudiya Studies Retreat
Texts to Read
Scholar Sessions
Each scholar will provide a list of relevant texts to read before the retreat.
The weekend will feature multiple interactive learning and teaching spaces, each with a different scholar. These sessions and experiences will build on the virtual Gaudiya Studies Programme.
Scholars Attending
Gopīnāthācārya Dāsa
(Dr. Rembert Lutjeharms)
Kṛṣṇa Kṣetra Swami
(Dr. Kenneth R. Valpey)
Bhṛgupāda Dāsa
(Dr. Måns Broo)
Rādhikā Ramaṇa Dāsa (Prof. Ravi M. Gupta)
Shaunaka Rishi Das
Sundar Gopal Das
(Simon Haas)
Our Weekend Topics
Haribhaktivilasa and Ritual in Today's World
In this workshop we all will learn how to practically perform the complicated Mātṛkā Nyasa ritual as described in the fifth chapter of the Haribhaktivilasa. The ritual work will be followed by a discussion on the experience and on the more general meaning of ritual in today's world. Could such rituals be integrated into our ordinary life, or indeed, should they be?
Caitanya-caritāmṛta-vicāra
In his magnum opus, the Caitanya Caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 8.15), Krishnadas Kaviraja invites his readers, “If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it (vicāra) to the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful.” In this seminar we will (re-)visit this masterpiece of Krishnadas Kaviraja in a somewhat analytical fashion to explore different ways of appreciating it as a special means of representing the life and teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. What makes the CC “canonical” for Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, and how does it “function” for contemporary practitioners? Is the cultural gap between early 16th c. Bengal Vaiṣṇavism bridgeable?
Can Empirical Observation Influence Scriptural Understanding?
In this session, we will explore the question: What is the relationship between scriptural authority (śabda) and empirical knowledge (pratyakṣa) in Caitanya Vaiṣṇava theology? In particular, what happens if scriptural and empirical knowledge do not agree with each other?
At first glance, the relationship can appear like a one-way street: Śabda can correct and overrule prayakṣa, but pratyakṣa has no influence on our understanding of śabda, which is self-evident and divinely revealed. Thus, empirical observation is, at best, a means to confirm the claims of scripture, if it is not to be ignored altogether.
A closer study of Jīva Gosvāmī’s Sarva-saṁvādinī, however, reveals a much more nuanced and dynamic relationship between śabda and pratyakṣa, where each actively influences the other. Jīva Gosvāmī creates space for empirical knowledge to coexist with scriptural testimony, and, to a limited extent, influence how we interpret scripture. Perhaps there is space for a dialogical relationship between the different pramāṇas, even as śabda maintains the upper hand.
How to read a Sanskrit poem
The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition has, from its inception, been marked by its enormous literary output, and the vast majority of the texts Gauḍīyas have produced have not been theological treatises, as one might expect, but poetry. Using texts in translation, this session will explore the culture of Sanskrit poetry, the general characteristics of Sanskrit poetry, and the way poetry can be used to convey theological truths, in order to gain a sense on how to read Sanskrit poetry--or, perhaps more importantly, how not to read it.
Embracing Diversity: The Theological Mosaic of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism
During the 16th century, the early Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theologians artfully and selectively drew from diverse and, at times, conflicting systems and traditions. By eclectically combining these ‘building blocks’, they crafted a sophisticated mosaic, skilfully incorporating the finest elements from various sources. This workshop aims to deepen your understanding of the profound theological indebtedness of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition to other systems and traditions. Additionally, we will delve into the strategies employed by these early theologians to integrate and harmonize this diversity.
Throughout the workshop, we will explore intriguing questions that shed light on their creative process. To what extent did the early Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theologians adopt ideas from other systems, and what motivated their choices? How does their innovation and originality as theologians align with the traditional belief that they merely revealed pre-existing knowledge rather than forging something entirely new? Furthermore, we will discuss whether extensive borrowing from others, sometimes without formal attribution, raises concerns of plagiarism, and if not, the reasons behind it.
