Date: 12 January 2020
Topic: Bhakti Yoga as explained by Lord Krishna on Chapter 12- Verses 1 - 12
Discourse By: Prof. Amit Varma
Prof. Amit Varma is a Professor in Civil Engineering at Purdue University. He studied vedanta from Swami Tadatmananda of Arsha Bodha Center and Arsha Vidya Gurukulam. He has been teaching vedanta at the Lafayette temple for the past five years. He is also teaching vedanta to hindu students at Purdue Univ. He has delivered the invocation and benediction at Purdue’s graduation ceremony multiple times. He lives in West Lafayette with his mother, wife, and two daughters.
Date: 09 February 2020
Topic: Lord Krishna's Solutions for the fears and doubts of Arjuna in Gita
Discourse by: Dr. C. L. Prabhakar.
Dr. C.L. Prabhakar is a Vedic and Sanskrit Scholar currently visiting family in the USA. He has addressed Geeta Sessions in the past and spoken at topics related to Bhagavad Geeta to various groups including Samskrita Bharati. Following are among his numerous associations:
Director, Vedaadhyayanana Kendra, Bangalore
President, World Association for Vedic Studies (WAVES), USA, India Branch,
Professor of Vedas, Hindu University of America, Florida
Date: 09-Mar-2020
Topic: 'Shraddha' as explained in Geeta
Discourse by: SWAMI YOGATMANANDAJI
Born in 1953 in Karnataka, India, Swami Yogatmananda joined Ramakrishna Order in 1976. He received his monastic vows in 1986. After residing at Ramakrishna Mutt Center at Nagpur for 20 years, he was posted as the Head of Ramakrishna Mission, Shillong, Meghalaya, He came to the United States in the summer of 2001 as the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Providence. His present responsibilities include conducting Sunday service, weekly study classes and organizing spiritual retreats. He gets invited for talks on Vedanta at different places in the United States and has addressed the Geeta Session on several occasions. Swami Yogatmananda is the Hindu Religious Affiliate at Brown University, Providence, RI and the Hindu Chaplain at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, MA.
Date: 12-Apr-2020
Topic: Relevance of Mahaveer's teachings, today
Discourse by: Pushpak Mehta
Pushpak is an agricultural scientist and works as a Corn Breeder at Ingredion Inc. He earned his PhD in Plant Breeding from Texas A & M University. More than his professional credentials, Pushpak identifies himself deeper with the Jain way of life and also practices and teaches Yogasan, which he believes, can help with Pranayam and advanced stages of Yoga such as Meditation.
Pushpak delved upon Mahaveer's life and emphasized the spiritual context of a few of the rituals we follow today. Talk intoduced key principles of Jainism to a lay person.
Special Note: Inspite of the Restrictions posed by COVID-19, we continued our tradition of meeting every single month since our inception. This was the first time we hosted Geeta Session live ONLINE. We have presented video of the entire program that was streamed live on our HTCI website to mark this special occasion.
Sunday, May 10 2020 Program
Topic: What should be done and what should not be done (कार्याकार्य व्यवस्थितौ)- interdependence between ethics (Neeti) and spirituality (Adhyatma) based on Geeta's Chapter 16: Daiva Asura Sampad Vibhaag Yog.
Speaker: Sanjay Mehta
Sanjay Mehta is the General Secretary of World Hindu Council of America (VHPA). He is also the Religion, Culture and Youth programs co-coordinator for Hindu Jain Temple, Pittsburgh, PA. He is a Bal Vihar teacher for over three decades. He serves as a Seva (service) coordinator for many local and national groups. He presents and speaks on Hindu teachings in various forums including interfaith groups and educational institutes.
He is an Information Technology Auditor. He lives in Pittsburgh with wife, daughter and son.
NOTE on Videos: The first video covers the start of the Geeta Session with Invocation and Shlokas...at around 14.44min we begin the synopsis on Geeta's Chap 10
The second clip begins with Dhuns. The main talk begins around 33.10min and the Aarti begins around 1:35.35
Sunday, June 14, 2020 Program
Topic: Enquiry, Effort, and Equanimity as taught by Bhagvad Geeta
Speaker: Natrajan Chandramouli
Mr. Chandramouli is a chemical engineer with Management qualification. He has great interest in Practical Vedanta, as preached by Swami Vivekananda. He has undergone a systematic study of Vedantic scriptures and Prakarana Granthas under the guidance of Swami Paramarthananda of Arshavidhya Gurukulam order.His deep involvement with Ramanashram of Thiruvannamalai and J.Krishnamurthi foundation has helped him to have a balanced view of application of Shastras in practical life. He actively participates in promoting Sanatan drarma.
He retired as Director from few private companies in India. Mr. Chandramouli has settled in Chennai. He regularly visits his son Karthik who resides in Indianapolis.
NOTE: I have included the clip of Dhuns and Bhajans performed by our devotees during this occasion
Sunday July 12 2020
Topic: Do not grieve
Speaker: Swami Muktatmananda Saraswati
Swami Muktatmananda Saraswati is a Sannyasi (Hindu monk) and teacher of Traditional Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit. A disciple of Swami Dayanada Saraswati and Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati, SwamiJi undertook a three year residential Teacher Training Vedanta course in India under the guidance of Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
Presently, SwamiJi is a resident acharya at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA. where he teaches the weekend class on Bhagavad Gita and engages in community outreach.
NOTE: I have included the clip of Dhuns and Bhajans performed by our devotees during this occasion
Sunday August 9 2020
Topic: CHATUR MAHAVAKYAS "AN ART OF LIVING AND A GOAL OF LIFE"
Speaker: Dr Chandra Reddy
Dr.Chandra Reddy is a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist. After establishing and also practicing at Hope Cancer Research Institute and Paul Seibenmorgan Cancer Center at Terre Haute, Indiana, he recently retired from active professional practice. Dr Reddy has addressed many past Geeta sessions with erudite presentations.
Currently, he is managing the Hope center foundation here in the USA and Narsamma Memorial foundation in India. When in the USA , he lives at Terre Haute with his wife Padma and enjoys time with two daughters and sons-in-law, one son, and five grandchildren.
NOTE: I have included the Ganapati Aarti performed by the Marathi Group
Sunday, September 13 2020 Program
Topic: Dharma as a Bridge to Liberation
Speaker: Sree Aswath
Sree Aswath is no stranger to Geeta Mandal and HTCI . He has been associated with our activities and provided guidance over the years. He has addressed many forums and us every year for over 20 years. His talks have always been very engaging, knowledgeable and much sought after.
Retired from Information Technology, Franklin County Board of Development Disabilities, Columbus, OH and resides there with his wife.
Note: I have included the clip for Dhuns and Bhajans performed during our event.
Sunday October 11 2020 Program
Topic: FUNDAMENTALS OF SANATHANA DHARMA
Speaker: Dr Prasad Shstry
Dr. Prasad Shastry is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois.
He was born and raised in a traditional Vaidika family in Bangalore. He got the samskara of the Sanathana Dharma way of life from an early age because of the influence of his grandfather and uncle who were both Vedic scholars and teachers.
Prasad Shastry moved to the United States and joined University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1982. While in Madison, he co-founded the Vedanta Society of Madison which is running even to this day.
In Peoria, Prasad Shastry founded the first Gita Vichara Group (GVG) – a Bhagavad Gita Study Group – in 2001. This group has been meeting bi-weekly since then.
Note: I have included the clip for Dhuns and Bhajans performed during our event.
We regret the videos taken during this event could not be downloaded due to some procedural changes introduced in our Google Meet format.
Sunday November 8 2020 program
Topic: 'Advaita Vedanta'- a virtual presentation on the ultimate reality
Speaker: Smt. Shobha Bhhattachar
Shobhaji is a scientist & trained Pharmacist. She works at Eli Lilly as Director, Small Molecule Design and Development.
Smt Shobha Bhattachar and her family moved from Michigan to Carmel Indiana in 2007. She is a student of Acharya Sharada Kumar of Chinmaya Mission, Ann Arbor, MI, and has been influenced by the acharya and other sadhakas over the years. She teaches High school children at the local Chinmaya Mission Balavihar .
Sunday December 13 2020
Topic: My Understanding of Hindu Dharma- a variety of topics have been chosen for these kids to reflect on various aspects of Hindu traditions as they relate to it
Speakers: Showcasing Balagokulam and Chetana kids. 23 talks by kids from gr ade 4 to high school
Balagokulam is a program conducted for children at HTCI to discover and manifest their heritage and culture. It enables Hindu children in the United States to form their positive Hindu-American identity, to appreciate their cultural roots and to learn Hindu values.
This is an annual tradition when we hear how our next generation views different aspects of our Dharma. Unique perspectives indeed delivered with such confidence and poise!
Note: The talks are until 1.04 hrs and Aarti/Puja begins at 1.15 hrs
Synopsis of Geeta Chapter 17 by Deb Lahiri is also presented