SASTRA AND SPOKEN SANSKRIT

Daily, in all the ISKCON temples all over the world, devotees generally recite the following mantra before hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam class:

nasta-praayesv abhadresu nityam bhaagavata-sevayaa

bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

TRANSLATION:  By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18)

In keeping with the Vaisnava tradition, the students at the Varnasrama College attended the morning Srimad-Bhagavatam daily after Guru Puja. Some of the visiting Faculty and some of the parents of students present also got the opportunity to give the Srimad-Bhagavatam class. 

In the Varnasrama College we also tried to introduce Sanskrit, the ancient Vedic language that is recognized as the mother of all languages and the symbol of an advanced culture. The students learned by heart the alphabets, a few verbs, nouns, and some pronouns. Every day while honoring Krishna prasadam or during village technology practices, the students attempted to converse through the medium of Sanskrit.

Prepared by Hari Kirtan das
Coordinator/SSKBK Varnasrama College - 2018