Sankhya Karika:
The Philosophy upon which yoga rests.
We are extremely excited to announce our next online course! This long-awaited course will provide crucial information for anyone who wants to understand Yoga. Have you ever felt overwhelmed when studying texts like the Bhagavad Gita or Patanjali's Sutras? Have you noticed many unfamiliar terms and references? This is your chance to gain a solid foundation, enabling you to understand many other Indian texts much more easily!
There are six orthodox Indian philosophies. Yoga is one, and Sankhya (also sometimes spelled Samkhya) is its sister system. Sankhya is, in fact, the philosophy of Yoga, while Yoga is a practical application of Sankhya. Sankhya essentially divides everything into two categories: Prakriti (matter) and Purusha (consciousness), and asserts that to avoid suffering, one should learn to distinguish between these two. Yoga then states, “You are not Prakriti; you are Purusha," and provides methods for identifying and connecting with the principle of Purusha or consciousness.
All Sanskrit and Yogic scholars agree that without understanding the basics of Sankhya, there can be no clear comprehension of Yoga.
This will be a profound journey into the roots of Indian thought. Sankhya is the oldest and most fundamental of the Indian philosophies. Authored by a sage named Kapila, its date of composition is uncertain, but there is a Chinese translation dated to 350 BCE, with estimates ranging from 569 BCE to much older. In this fundamental text, we will explore concepts commonly found in other texts, such as Manas, Buddhi, Ahamkara, the Gunas, the five elements (Pancha Mahabhutas), Gyana Indriyas (organs of perception), Karma Indriyas (organs of action), and many others. The foundational logic of much of Indian thought is laid out in the Sankhya Karika. Because there are no equivalents in other languages for many of these terms, they need to be carefully explained by an expert scholar and philosopher with a broad knowledge of Indian philosophy. We are very fortunate to be in Dr. Rao’s capable hands!
Dr. Rao introduces this ancient philosophy in a way that only a true master in Indian knowledge systems can do. What was that cause from which all things have emerged and to which all things will ultimately resolve back into? What is the ultimate reality? From where have we come and where do we go when we leave these bodies? These are the mysteries that have fascinated all of humanity since time immemorial. The ancient Indian philosophies have profound and beautiful ideas that can further our understanding and inspire thought processes that are fruitful in our evolution as human beings. Join us in this heartfelt, sincere inquiry into the nature of existence with internationally acclaimed Sanskrit scholar Dr. H. V. Nagaraj Rao! Learning from a great scholar like Dr. Rao offers a whole new perspective. When we study Indian Philosophy with someone who has a lifetime of experience and a deep understanding of cross-references from other texts, the experience becomes a direct transmission of knowledge, worldview, and life experience.
The course will proceed as follows
10 Sundays / 10 hours of lecture with Dr. Rao.
(Each lecture will be a minimum of 1 hour, with time for questions and answers at the end)
If you cannot join the live Zoom sessions, don’t worry! Each class recording will be sent to you each week, and the class recordings will be yours to keep for life.
*Depending on how many questions we have and how quickly we move through the material it may take more time to complete the course. It will be helpful to purchase a copy of the Sankhya Karika to read between sessions so you understand the material more thoroughly.
These are available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Samkhya-Karika-Isvara-Krsna/dp/8171207111
You can also find free digital copies online: https://archive.org/details/samkhya-karika/page/n17/mode/2up
Lecture Dates:
All classes will take place at 6AM USA Pacific TIME / 2:00PM Western Europe / 6:30PM India Time
August 25
September 1
September 8
September 15
September 22
September 29
October 6
October 13
October 20
October 27
Tuition:
$108 USD for the full course / $54 for Indian citizens
If you cannot attend the live sessions, don’t worry! Lecture recordings will be provided to all participants each week. Recordings are yours to keep after the course is complete.
*We have a limited number of discount scholarships for sincere students who have difficulty to pay the full tuition. Contact Joey on WhatsApp at +1 4058239919 for details.
We are dedicated to sharing this knowledge and no one will be excluded because of money.
Yoga teachers may claim 10 hours of continuing education (CE) credits with Yoga Alliance upon completion of this course.
MORE ABOUT DR. RAO
Our instructor, Dr. H. V. Nagaraj Rao, is no ordinary Sanskrit scholar. He is a shining star from Mysore, a man with a lifetime of knowledge and experience to share, and we consider it a great honor to share his knowledge with the world. With his razor-sharp wit and lighthearted humor, he is one of our favorite teachers. We have full confidence that this lecture series will be a profound experience for everyone who attends.
Vidwan H.V. Nagaraja Rao is a great scholar of Sanskrit grammar who has been trained in both traditional and modern methods of education. His specialty is Sanskrit grammar and poetics. In his early years, he was a researcher at the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore and has published many original Sanskrit works with English and Kannada translations. Dr. Rao has also lectured in many countries around the world, including Thailand, Hong Kong, the United States, Israel, and England. He has taught Sanskrit at the University of Chicago as a visiting professor and was invited as a fellow to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Rao guided the World Sanskrit Conference in Edinburgh, England, in 2006, where he delivered a speech in chaste Sanskrit. Dr. Rao was awarded honors for his translations by the Sahitya Academy, the highest literary body in India, in 2006. Recently, he was chosen for honor by the President of India as a noted Sanskrit scholar. He is the honorary editor of Sudharma, the only Sanskrit daily newspaper in the world. With his razor-sharp wit, at the age of 80, Dr. Rao continues his lifelong passion for teaching and sharing ancient Indian knowledge systems with people from around the world.
Professor Rao has an uncanny ability to shed new light on texts such as the Gita and the Upanishads with his infectious passion and his ability to communicate in English, which is rare among Sanskrit scholars of his stature. Students leave his presentations with a feeling of liberation from the mundane and inspiration to strive for higher goals in life.
