The document introduces Bhakti Yoga, highlighting 64 practices with five key ones, and elaborates on the significance of Krishna as the supreme personality of Godhead, alongside Radha as his counterpart. It emphasizes the spiritual goal of achieving Krishna Prema, which involves overcoming material suffering and developing a genuine loving relationship with Krishna through practices such as mantra meditation and adherence to devotional traditions. Additionally, it outlines essential texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, detailing their teachings and the broader context of Vaishnavism.

1. Bhakti Yoga Course
Introduction

2. Bhakti Yoga Course
Basic

3. Basic Knowledge
There are 64 Bhakti Yoga practices given in NoD.
These 5 are considered the most important.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reading scripture regularly
Keep the company of mature devotees
Sankirtan
Worship the deity
Reside in a holy place like Vrndavan/Mathura

4. Who is Krsna?

5. Basic Knowledge

Who is Krsna?
Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
 Bhagavan – Possesses all 6 opulences

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Beauty
Fame
Renunciation
Wealth
Power
Knowledge

6. Basic Knowledge

Who is Krsna?

The Narayana Upanisad, of the Atharva Veda, states
that Krsna, the son of Devaki, is the Adi-purusa.
•
If the Vedas had a hierarchical structure the Upanisads
would be considered “the crown jewel of the Vedas”.

7. Basic Knowledge

Who is Krsna?
There are 64 spiritual character traits.
 50 of these traits can be found in limited measure in
the devotees of the Lord and even in Demigods
 Another 10 of these traits can be found in the Lord‟s
personal expansions, (Visnu Tattva)
 The final 4 character traits can only be found in
Krsna Himself.


8. Basic Knowledge

Who is Krsna?

4 Character traits unique to Krsna.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lila-madurya
Prema-madurya
Venu-madurya
Rupa-madurya
- Wonderful pastimes (in all rasas)
- Loving devotees (of all rasas)
- Wonderful flute playing
- Unparalleled beauty

9. Who is Radha?

10. Basic Knowledge

Who is Radha?
Hinduism is the only major religion that recognizes
the feminine divinity.
 Radha is the female counterpart of Krsna. Even
though we say “Krsna Prema” it is impossible “to
get” Krsna without Radha.
 You cannot love and serve one without the other.


11. Basic Knowledge

Who is Srila Prabhupada?
Srila Prabhupada came to the US in 1965 and
founded ISKCON.
 He is a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
 He is the author of more English language books on
Bhakti Yoga than any other person in the world.


12. Basic Knowledge

What is the goal of life?
“Jivera svarupa haya / Krsnera nitya dasa”
 Freedom from the 4 basic miseries:

1.
2.
3.
4.
Birth
Old age
Disease
Death

13. Basic Knowledge

What is the goal of life?
The material body is the source of suffering
 Karma is the cause of our material body
 If we eliminate Karma we can exist in our spiritual
body in a spiritual realm devoid of material miseries.


14. Basic Knowledge

What is the goal of life?

Krsna is the only person with the ability to eradicate
both our Karma and our material inclination to
produce Karma.

15. Basic Knowledge

What is the goal of life?

By advancing in Bhakti Yoga from Sraddha to Krsna
Prema we can eradicate our karma and our
inclination to produce it.

16. Basic Knowledge

What is the goal of life?

Krsna Prema is to have a genuine and realized loving
relationship with Krsna.

By having that genuine relationship Krsna will
deliver us from all our karmic reactions. (BG 18.66)

17. Basic Knowledge

There are only 2 outcomes of a successful
spiritual practice.

Aham brahma „smi - I exist (Spiritual Realization)

Aham daso „smi
- I serve (Krsna Prema)

18. What is the Bhagavad Gita?

19. Basic Knowledge

What is the Bhagavad Gita?
The “Song of God” is spoken by Krsna to Arjuna
circa 3000 BCE.
 It is part of the Mahabharata , a Purana.
 Puranas are “to be considered the fifth Veda”


Chandogya Up. (one of the oldest Upanisads)

20. Basic Knowledge

What is the Bhagavad Gita?

The Gita covers 5 topics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Isvara
Jiva
Prakriti
Kala
Karma
- The Supreme Controller
- The living entities
- Material Nature
- Time
- Activities

21. Basic Knowledge

What is the Bhagavad Gita?

The knowledge of the Gita is categorized in 3 ways:
1.
2.
3.
Sambandha
Abhideya
Prayojana
- Relationship (between the 5 topics)
- Process
- Goal

22. Basic Knowledge

What is the Bhagavad Gita?

A scripture that describes numerous processes for
spiritual development and ultimately prescribes the
process of Bhakti Yoga. (BG. 18.65)

23. Basic Knowledge

What is Srimad Bhagavatam?
Its technical name is Bhagavat Purana.
 It is considered an Abhideya or “process” scripture
as it focuses primarily on the practices, processes
and practitioners of Bhakti Yoga.
 It is spoken by Sukadeva Goswami to King Pariksit.


24. Lord Caitanya

25. Basic Knowledge

What is Chaitanya Caritamrita?

A devotional and philosophical biography of the
Lord Chaitanya written by Krsna das Kaviraja.

Lord Chaitanya is Krsna, He appeared 500 years ago
in the role of a devotee in order to experience
firsthand the bliss of Bhakti yoga

26. Basic Knowledge

What is the Nectar of Devotion?
Written by Sri Rupa Goswami it is one of the most
important texts on Bhakti Yoga.
 Its sanskrit name is Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu


(We will study this book in detail in Levels 6 - 8)

27. Basic Knowledge

What is Vaisnavism?
Vaisnavism – Worship of Visnu
 Shaivism – Worship of Shiva
 Saktism – Worship of Durga/Kali


28. Basic Knowledge

What is Vaisnavism?

1.
2.
3.
4.
There are 4 Vaisnava Sampradayas (disciplines)
Sri Sampradaya
Kumara Sampradaya
Rudra Sampradaya
Brahma Sampradaya

29. Basic Knowledge

What is Vaisnavism?

ISKCON comes in the Brahma Sampradaya
which, since Lord Chaitanya, is more technically
known as the:

Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya

30. Basic Knowledge
Sri Visnu
Sri
Kumara
Rudra
Brahma
ISKCON

31. Basic Knowledge

What is Vaisnavism?
Bhakti yoga is the process used to develop a
relationship with either Lord Visnu or Krsna.
 There are 5 kinds of Rasa in Bhakti Yoga

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Madhurya
Vatsalya
Sakhya
Dasya
Santa
- Conjugal
- Parental
- Fraternal
- Reverential
- Neutral

32. Basic Knowledge
Madurya
Santa
Vatsalya
Krsna
Dasya
Sakhya

33. Basic Knowledge

What is Vaisnavism?

Vaisnavism is considered to be the most sought after
process as it is the only spiritual process where, out
of love, God allows himself to be subservient to the
devotee.

None of the Visnu expansions, Lord Brahma or
Lord Shiva or any of the 33 million demigods accept
subservient relationships with their devotees.

34. Basic Knowledge

What is Vaisnavism?
Visnu is Krsna‟s expansion that “manages” the
material creation.
 The difference between worship of Visnu and Krsna

1.
Only with Krsna can the devotee have a “superior” role
in the relationship where He, Krsna, is under the
control of the devotee.

35. Basic Knowledge

Why Mantra Meditation?
The energy and effects of various types of sound
vibration is well documented.
 Mantras are a unique collection of sanskrit syllables
designed to create a very specific effect.
 Mantras coupled, with Sankalpa (intention), are the
most powerful method of spiritual development in
this age.


36. Basic Knowledge

The Hare Krsna Mantra

There are 4 Vedas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Rg Veda
Sama Veda
Atharva Veda
Yajur Veda

37. Basic Knowledge

The Hare Krsna Mantra

The Yajur Veda, 4th Veda, has two parts (samhitas)
1.
2.
Shukla Yajur Veda
Krsna Yajur Veda

38. Basic Knowledge

The Hare Krsna Mantra

In The Krsna Yajur Veda is the Kali Santarana
Upanisad where the Hare Krsna Mantra is given.

39. Basic Knowledge

The Hare Krsna Mantra.
“These sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables
are the only means of counteracting the evil effects of
Kali-yuga. After searching through all the Vedic
literature, one cannot find a method of religion for this
age so sublime as the chanting of the Hare Krishna
mantra”.
(Kali-Santarana Upanishad, Krsna Yajur Samhita of the Yajur Veda).

40. Basic Knowledge
Rg Veda
Sama
Atharva
Yajur
Sukla
Yajur
Krsna
Yajur
KS
Upanisad
Krsna
Mantra

41. Basic Knowledge

Why the bead bag?

We chant Hare Krsna aloud to purify
ourselves, others and the environment.

Initiated Bhakti Yogis cover the beads to prevent
negative energies or influences from effecting their
chanting

42. How to Chant

43. Basic Knowledge

How to Chant
Hold the japa mala (chanting beads) between the
thumb and middle finger of the right hand.
 As you chant the mantra aloud gently roll the beads
between your fingers.
 Chant the mantra on all 108 beads.
 Do not skip over the “Krsna” bead, instead turn the
beads around and “go back the way you came.”


44. Basic Knowledge

How to Chant
Do not take your beads into the bathroom.
 Do not sit, walk or sleep on your beads.
 Do not lend your beads to others. (Rare exceptions)
 Do not use your bead bag as a pocket.
 Do not kick, throw or play soccer with your beads.


45. Basic Knowledge

How to Chant

There are 10 offenses we attempt to avoid once we
have begun a chanting sadhana.

Refer to Handout.

46. Basic Knowledge

Why neck beads?

Neck beads (Kanti mala) are made of Tulsi Devi, a
very dear devotee of Krsna.

Those who wear Kanti mala always have the
protection and attention of Krsna.

They are worn 3x around the neck to signify that our
body, mind and words are in relation to Krsna.

47. Basic Knowledge

Why “devotional” clothing?

In Vedic spirituality the integrity of the disciplic
succession is of extreme importance. This integrity
of practice prevents:
1.
2.
3.
The proliferation of fraudulent spiritual teachers
The abuse and cheating of sincere seekers
The proliferation of pseudo “religions” and harmful
cults

48. Basic Knowledge

Why “devotional” clothing?

While our spiritual development is uniquely personal
we worship Krsna by following the instructions
AND examples of those have attained Krsna Prema.

The pure and realized saints of Bhakti Yoga wore
“devotional” clothing during their worship and
instructed their disciples to do the same.

49. Basic Knowledge

Why Tilak?

The clay of Tilak comes from a place of
pilgrimage, generally Vrndavan or Mathura for
Vaisnavas.

It identifies the wearer as a temple of Vishnu

It is applied with a mantra requesting Vishnu to
reside with us always.

50. Basic Knowledge

Why Arati?
Arati is an expression of Bhakti
 The articles of worship represent:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Earth
Water
Fire
Air
Ether
Mind
– Flower
– Water/handkerchief
– Lamp
– Peacock fan
– Yak tail fan
– Incense

51. Basic Knowledge

Why the conch?

The conch represents Sri Laksmi, the consort of
Visnu.

The sound, a representation of Om, is purifying and
heralds the “coming” of an exalted person or event.