Shlokarship Unlimited is a free group learning service, lovingly dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who emphatically stated during a lecture in Tokyo on 7/6/72, "From now on, everyone in ISKCON must learn to pronounce Sanskrit correctly and understand the Sanskrit ślokas."
This site is also dedicated to the health and wellbeing of my diksha guru, HH Jayapataka Swami. It is supported and promoted by the ISKCON Kirtan Ministry minister Lokanath Swami.
Goal Of Shlokarship:
We are focused on supporting individuals who want to learn the art of reciting and memorizing important ślokas (Sanskrit and Bengali verses). Shlokarship Unlimited focuses on studying the Bhagavad Gītā, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Śrī Upadeśāmṛta, Sattvik Purānas, Selected Upaniṣads and other Vedic literatures.
What is a Śloka?
A śloka may be compared to a sutra or thread of transcendental knowledge that helps us reference a translated verse in our local language. In this way, we can accurately remember relevant instructions spoken directly by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself and the teachings, realizations and prayers of great self realized masters from antiquity. There is nothing more effective in helping one memorize Vedic wisdom than the artful practice of learning ślokas in accordance with the authorized guru parampara system. This forms the basis of Buddhi Yoga which is nondifferent from Bhakti Yoga.
What is Sound?
Of the six vedāngas, (limbs of the Vedas). They are - Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chandas, and Jyotisha. The shiksha vedanga includes rules of phonetics describing the process of how sound is produced by the human body.
The self (ātmā) initiates speech via the intelligence (buddhi), which inspires the mind (manah) to ignite the somatic blaze within (kāyāgni) that generates air (māruta) to be exhaled when it is oscillated (mandra) and vocalized in the mouth to emit sound (śubdha).
Pronouncing Sanskrit Correctly - Uccāranam:
The sound of Sanskrit mantras is based on four aspects:
sthāna: the pronunciation position when uttering the letter;
prayatna: the endeavour in enunciation;
kāla: the duration of the sound;
karana: reflection, deflection, amplification or echo of the sound.
Srila Prabhupāda Quotes On Learning Ślokas:
"So we have taken so much labour to put in diacritic mark, all the words, word meaning, utilize it. Don‘t think that these books are only for sale. If you go to sell these books and if some customer says, "You pronounce it", then what you will do? Then he will understand, "Oh, you are for selling, not for understanding." What do you think? So, if you chant these mantras, at least one in one day, your life will be glorious. This Bhāgavata-mantra, not only Bhāgavata, every Vedic literature is a mantra. Transcendental sound. So practice resounding this mantra."
(Lecture 7/6/72)
"Sanskrit is a perfect language and is therefore very glorious. After studying, if one can remember the subject matter, he is gifted with good memory or smrti. One need not read many books on different subject matters; the ability to remember relevant verses and quote them when necessary is also another oppulence."
(Bhagavad Gita 10.34 Purport)
Mayapur TV Channel:
The Shlokarship group meetings can be viewed live on our Mayapur TV Devotee Channel called Kirtan Ministry Shlokarship. I look forward to serving you in memorizing, understanding and implementing important ślokas and perfecting your Sanskrit Uccāranam!
Thank you very much,
Sakhyarasa Prema Dasānudasa.
Course Tutor.