Bhakti Art Illuminations: Bhakti Philosophy Through Art

Bhakti Art Illuminations: Bhakti Philosophy Through Art (3 Credits) Fees: $299 (INR 10,000 for Indian Students)

I. Course Description:

This Bhakti Art Illuminations course teaches the Vedic philosophy through the art of Syamarani Didi, a master painter of Bhakti Art and teacher of pure bhakti-yoga. Under the guidance of Srilla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada, the world-renowned founder-acarya of ISKCON (International Society for Krsna Consciousness) and his successor Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, she created nearly 400 works of devotional art, including the famous "Seva-kunja" painting of Radha-Krishna.

Students require no prior base of knowledge to unlock the profound universal truths within the art. This course reveals the philosophic and esoteric aspects of the work, with an in-depth analysis vis-a-vis the ancient Vedic scriptures they elucidate, such as the Bhagavad-Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, as well as classic poems and songs in the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition.

II. Course Goals:

• To inspire people to learn more about Sri Krishna's glory.
• To encourage students, through art, to go deeper into the bhakti philosophy, whether they are already engaged in the practice of bhakti or not.

III. Course Outcomes:

As a result of successfully completing this course, the student will be able to do the following:

• Understand bhakti and other forms of existential understandings.
• Have foundational knowledge of the key bhakti texts, Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta.