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Curriculum

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like at the present moment, the government has got inspectors to see, inspect the schools, whether the teachers are duly discharging their educational curriculum, similarly, formerly the king, he was rāja-daṇḍa-vit. So not only he was inspecting that everyone is discharging his professional or particular duties, but everyone has got employment.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Kṣatriyas also, they should be engaged in their particular duties. Vaiśyas and śūdras also. And it is the duty of the government that everyone is discharging his duties. That is king's business, rāja-daṇḍa. If one does not observe the regulative principle, then he should not declare himself as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So, just like at the present moment, the government has got inspectors to see, inspect the schools, whether the teachers are duly discharging their educational curriculum, similarly, formerly the king, he was rāja-daṇḍa-vit. So not only he was inspecting that everyone is discharging his professional or particular duties, but everyone has got employment. That was also the king's duty. No one should be unemployed. The brāhmaṇa should be employed, the kṣatriya should be employed, the vaiśya should be employed, and the śūdra should be employed. If there was any difficulty, then it was the duty of the king to give them employment. So since we have lost our responsible monarchical government, the four divisions of social order—means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśyas and śūdra—they are deviated due to unemployment.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

"A curriculum should be drawn up. Because we control some of the schools." That is my program. I am writing all books just only on this point; therefore they are coming.
Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Indian man (1): What sister wants to know is that how can we add in innumerable, rather, uncountless schools and colleges? The management will be most willing, I mean, the progressive management will be most willing to introduce classes where such laws of nature and such-on scientific line, without giving it a Hindu or religious name. That should be taught. A curriculum should be drawn up. Because we control some of the schools.

Prabhupāda: That is my program. I am writing all books just only on this point; therefore they are coming. Otherwise, what is the use? They were Christians and Jews. What is the use of becoming Hindus? So anyone wants to understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they can understand easily if he joins Hare Kṛṣṇa, chant. That is all right. If he wants to understand scientifically, there are eighty-four books. Come on. Which way you want?

Indian man (1): No. What we want is a very simple curricular. Elementary type.

Prabhupāda: Simple, this is simple curricular.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

"We would not do anything with the government if they restricted our curriculum." Our only policy will be the students should be taught very nice English for understanding our books.
Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There is no spiritual philosophy. It is an academic, ordinary college. People understand that where is the credit, there are so many colleges. Responsible people, they understand that I am doing much more valuable thing. So what is the use of these schools and colleges? That (indistinct) school, college is not very good. And there are so many schools and colleges. That is not a very extraordinary thing.

Gurudāsa: Now I understand that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that school is not teaching spiritual philosophy. I told many people that if we got the chance to open a university, we would not compromise. We would not do anything with the government if they restricted our curriculum...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gurudāsa: ...without spiritual... Without spiritual it is void.

Prabhupāda: What do they say?

Gurudāsa: They think. Then I say, "You can teach all the subjects and also teach the spiritual. "

Prabhupāda: If we organize our Bombay, then we shall regularly teach all the students from the very beginning. And in London also we shall. London, Dallas. So that these students will be transferred. Their parents will be very glad that our students have gone to foreign countries for study. We shall have very, very good sympathy(?). Our only policy will be the students should be taught very nice English for understanding our books.

One has to learn English and Sanskrit, that's all. So we are not going to follow the university curriculum, no. We have got our own.
Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Everywhere. But you make higher study, higher study, higher study.

Gurudāsa: Māyāpur can be the highest.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct), or everywhere this existence(?) should be lower class, higher class. But our all institutions should be for giving spiritual. We have got so many books. Simply he has to learn English and Sanskrit, that's all. (indistinct) So we are not going to follow the university curriculum, no. We have got our own.

Gurudāsa: We have had experience in the university, and it has not satisfied us. We have come to you.

Prabhupāda: Not only you, I know what (indistinct). What nonsense they give.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

They do not believe that there is an ultimate goal of life, there is life after death, and what kind of body he's going to get next. These things are not, neither in the university education curriculum, neither people are interested.
Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So work is required. But godly persons, they want to live a simple life and high thinking, save time for understanding of God. The demonic people, they are engaged in horrible activities. They have manufactured so many things. So in this way... There are so many descriptions. Actually, by the increase of demoniac people, people are not very happy, and they are missing the ultimate goal of life. That is the defect of the modern civilization. They do not believe that there is an ultimate goal of life, there is life after death, and what kind of body he's going to get next. These things are not, neither in the university education curriculum, neither people are interested. So at the present moment... This is called Kali-yuga. So people are being misled. Actually, the human being, the form of human life, is distinct from animal life. So if we live like animals, then we are missing the chance. At the present moment, this is the position. So we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement strictly on the basis of this Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā, there is everything explained. So if people take to it, if people are educated, then things will change in a different way. They'll be happy and they will be peaceful, nice.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Bon Mahārāja's a great appreciator of Vivekananda. He has put in his curriculum Vivekananda philosophy, Gandhi philosophy.
Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: And the Bon Mahārāja is his follower. He's in name a disciple of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, but he's a servant of Vivekananda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's very similar to him.

Prabhupāda: He's a great appreciator of Vivekananda. He has put in his curriculum Vivekananda philosophy, Gandhi philosophy. Rascal, what philosophy they have got?

Hari-śauri: He mentioned all the nonsense people. He put a circular out, he mentioned Rama Tirtha, Vivekananda, all these nonsense.

Prabhupāda: Now I am convinced he's a rascal. He's nothing but a great rascal. My Guru Mahārāja rejected him. Therefore he was called back, rascal, he used to say like that, banamānuṣa. Banamānuṣa.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

The parents are prepared to pick up the expense. That's all. Government curriculum is useless. They'll enforce kids to take eggs, three eggs.
Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Our program is open. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dāntaḥ. We are training like this, covered in the Bhāgavata. Never mind government.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If you get accepted by the government, you may have to change you curriculum so much.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I mean, just this is a Vaiṣṇava institute, so when our students apply abroad for an entry visa, they'll get it right away, and they can get a student visa for four, five years. I don't think the gurukula kids come from abroad and then train them six, you know...

Prabhupāda: No, no, the parents are prepared to pick up the expense. That's all. Government curriculum is useless. They'll enforce kids to take eggs, three eggs...

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

One of my Bombay friends has written me as following: "I am pleased to receive your letter dated 3rd March, 1968, and have noted the contents. We are already doing Kirtana on Sundays and that is a part of our curriculum. This can be made extensive by your team of followers from America arriving in India."
Letter to Hamsaduta -- San Francisco 23 March, 1968:

I am so glad that you have organized the Sankirtana party, and it is very satisfactorily progressing. And at present, I am counting upon you more than anything else, because my program is, after going to New York for some days, then I shall go to Boston, to Buffalo, and to Montreal, and I shall take the Sankirtana party with me, and make an experiment how we get response. I shall then proceed with Sankirtana party to England, then to Holland, to Germany, and to any other countries, and/or directly to Bombay. One of my Bombay friends has written me as following: "I am pleased to receive your letter dated 3rd March, 1968, and have noted the contents. We are already doing Kirtana on Sundays and that is a part of our curriculum. This can be made extensive by your team of followers from America arriving in India. The best place for continuous Sankirtana is Vrndavana. Please let me know when you would come to India, with the devotees, so that we may arrange a reception and have a suitable program.

1969 Correspondence

we must set up our society as a school as best we can—I have already sent you letter. Please formulate the whole curriculum because we have to immediately submit to the Draft department and if this is accepted that will be great gain for our society.
Letter to Brahmananda -- Hawaii 23 March, 1969:

Yes, we must set up our society as a school as best we can—I have already sent you letter. Please formulate the whole curriculum because we have to immediately submit to the Draft department and if this is accepted that will be great gain for our society. "Bhakti-sastri" is awarded after extensive study of Bhagavad-gita, Easy Journey, and Nectar of Devotion. "Bhakti-vaibhava" is awarded after study of Vedanta-sutra and Srimad-Bhagavatam on a preliminary basis; and "Bhaktivedanta" the highest title, is awarded after extensive study of Caitanya-caritamrta.

Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is on the line of divinity, and we have got so many books about the science of divinity. Unfortunately these books are not yet on the university curriculum, but if you take your post-graduate studies in divinity by comparative study, then in the future we shall be able to present the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in comparison to other theological presentations.
Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 10 July, 1969:

I have received from your father which will speak for itself. From this letter it appears that you are a good scholar and there is very good background in your educational career. So if you wish to make progress further in your educational career, that will be a nice asset for our Krishna Consciousness Movement. You have a taste for psychology and divinity studies, and this is very nice. Of course, our Krishna Consciousness Movement is on the line of divinity, and we have got so many books about the science of divinity. Unfortunately these books are not yet on the university curriculum, but if you take your post-graduate studies in divinity by comparative study, then in the future we shall be able to present the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in comparison to other theological presentations. Actually, we are teaching the science of God; we are teaching how to develop our dormant propensity to love God.

1971 Correspondence

Actually these college students have all been misguided. Without Krishna Consciousness, all their book learning amounts to zero. Simply if they will add Krishna Consciousness to their curriculum all their endeavors will know perfection.
Letter to Vamanadeva -- Bombay 25 March, 1971:

I am so glad to hear your program is steadily expanding in St. Louis and how you are regularly making university engagements and are being so well received. Actually these college students have all been misguided. Without Krishna Consciousness, all their book learning amounts to zero. Simply if they will add Krishna Consciousness to their curriculum all their endeavors will know perfection. So it is so important that we distribute our books, especially in the schools and colleges, because anyone who reads them is sure to become Krishna Conscious. So make your program in that way and Krishna will surely help you.

1973 Correspondence

I have asked Dr. Kapoor in Vrindaban and also one pandita named Nrsimha Vallabha to also teach our students Hindi and Sanskrit. The curriculum can be two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening and the panditas can be paid Rs. 200 per month.
Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 December, 1973:

We want to introduce this program of teaching our students Hindi and Sanskrit for two reasons. First of all, as I have already explained in a previous letter, if we can establish a bona fide language school then our American and European disciples can acquire student visas for coming to India. This will solve our visa problem. Secondly, if our students can actually preach in Hindi, periodically quoting Sanskrit, it will be a very good credit for us and very respectfully received by the Indian people. I have asked Dr. Kapoor in Vrindaban and also one pandita named Nrsimha Vallabha to also teach our students Hindi and Sanskrit. The curriculum can be two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening and the panditas can be paid Rs. 200 per month. Our students, however, must be prepared to apply themselves and actually learn the languages.

1976 Correspondence

It is said in the Kali-yuga everyman is on the standard of sudra, and the curriculum suggested by you is meant for the brahmana—that is the difficulty.
Letter to Dr. Chatterjee -- Vrindaban 27 September, 1976:

I have seen in foreign countries that practically no students join high philosophical and scientific classes. People nowadays are only interested in money-earning philosophy. Nobody goes to the philosophical classes in universities. A similar institute was imagined by my Godbrother Bon Maharaja in Vrindaban, but it has not become very successful. There are many difficulties in the line, but I like the idea; therefore if some practical solution can be made we can discuss personally, but I appreciate your idea. The only difficulty I'm feeling is whether we can get sufficient students. Some of my disciples who are Ph.D.'s in science, they are also attempting our institution in Boston U.S.A., but I'm still doubtful how far they'll be successful on account of scarcity of students. It is said in the Kali-yuga everyman is on the standard of sudra, and the curriculum suggested by you is meant for the brahmana—that is the difficulty.

Page Title:Curriculum
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:23 of Jul, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=2, Con=5, Let=6
No. of Quotes:13