Memorizing Uttama Shlokas empowers one with many tools and weapons.  It is a very rare and valuable gift to become truly self empowered.  This gift is freely given by the Lord Himself through His Incarnation as Shubdha Pramana.  The sound of His own voice through His words, the sound of His great devotees through their voices and words are only to be faithfully learned, memorized and chanted for one's own benefit and more importantly, for the benefit of other.

Self empowerment has nothing to do with self empridement, where one feels superior to other devotees.  The more one is 'actually' self empowered, the more one feels oneself to be in a servant role and merely offers unconditional service to others without consideration of name, fame or material gain.  This is ahaituki bhakti or unmotivated loving service to the Lord and His vibhinamsa jiva tattva parts and parcels.

The Great Benefits of the Shlokarship Classes

"I joined the course in 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown.  A friend posted the link to what I understood to be a Sanskrit course.  I clicked on it and found the class in full swing. There was Sakhyarasa Prema Prabhu whom I'd met with his wife Kavita Prema some years earlier, when they were on school prgrammes in Belfast. He immediately introduced me to the members in the group and it went from there.  I eagerly took this as Krsna's mercy, to be engaged and do what I love - learn the shastras and associate with Krishna's devotees.  The classes include proper pronunciation, rules of grammer, word meanings and verse meter (chandas), as well as philosophical understanding and Gaudiya history.  Plus it gives important understanding on the application of these teachings in our lives.  

Absorbing the scriptures into our consciousness purifies our existence and helps us see the world through the perfect eyes of the shastras - shastra chakshus."

Memorizing and reciting Sanskrit verses is a powerful way to sharpen one's intelligence. The verses are astras that will protect and come to us in times of need.  The pastime of Gajendra the elephant who was saved from the crocodile by remembering the prayers he'd recited in his previous life comes to mind. Similarly, we can be saved from the crocodile of Maya by regularly hearing, reciting and discussing the scriptures.  I always feel so enlivened and uplifted after each weekly class.  This has been a life line for me during difficult times.  

Sakhyarasa Prema Prabhu is a member of ISKCON of nearly 45 years.  He has a strong desire to please the devotees especially by learning the scriptures.  His humour adds an attractive and enlivening dimension to all the classes.  As the saying goes, lots of shloks and jokes makes a good class.  I would definitely reccommend these courses to everyone. There are even childrens groups.  You are taken through different levels and receive certificates on completion of a test which is optional, but satisfies and gives natural impetus to learn more and more and more.

Syama Mayi Devi Dasi.

Alachua.