“…the Sanatana Dharma is life itself; it is a thing that has not so much to be believed as lived.”
“A symbol…is the form on one plane that represents a truth of another.”
~ Sri Aurobindo
Vedanta speaks of the Formless and the Nameless Brahman. But the ancient seers and sages of Bhāratvarsha understood that the comprehension of the Divine beyond the forms cannot be a way for the general masses, who simply cannot arrive immediately at that highest inner elevation demanded of the initiates. Most people need lower supports and stages of ascent; what Sri Aurobindo speaks of as scaffolding of image, worship, sign, form and symbol.
Why do we have so many names and forms of God if God is one? What do specific vigrahas or iconography symbolize? Why does Vishnu sleep in the coils of a thousand-hooded Seshnāg? Why does Kali hold a severed human head in her hand? Is there a deeper meaning behind outer practices of temple worship? What is the symbolic meaning of stories such as Samudra Manthan or Ganga-avataran?
Join us on this 12-week learning journey as we explore these and more questions through the language of symbolism, in the light of Sri Aurobindo’s writings on Sanātana Dharma.
Course Topics:
- The language of Symbolism
- Symbolism in the Rig Veda
- Symbolism in the Upanishads
- Symbolism of vigrahas and iconography
- Deeper significance of religio-spiritual customs and practices
- Decoding Myths, Stories and Legends
Duration: 12 weeks
Start Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024
End Date: August 17, 2024
Online Meeting: Every Saturday, 9:00-10:00 AM
Facilitators:
Mr. Narendra Murty & Dr. Beloo Mehra
Course Structure:
Opening presentation: 30 minutes
Interaction: 25 minutes
Musical offering by Ms. Shantha Rajan: 5 minutes
Readings:
Three to four pages of relevant reading materials will be shared a week in advance through WhatsApp. Participants are requested to read before the session.
Registration Details:
Click here for Registration.
Click here for more details.
Prior registration is mandatory.
Suggested Contribution: Rs. 2000
An e-certificate of completion will be given to those interested.
Zoom link will be sent to registered participants a week prior to the start date.
For more information, contact Dr. Beloo Mehra
Email: beloo.mehra@aurosociety.org or Whatsapp – 9786457648
