Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
Vedanta, Yoga, Ayurveda & Vedic Heritage — a residential teaching gurukulam in the Saylorsburg hills.
Arsha Vidya Gurukulam was founded by Pujya Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
In Swamiji’s own words,
“When I accepted the request of many people I know to start a gurukulam, I had a vision of how it should be. I visualized the gurukulam as a place where spiritual seekers can reside and learn through Vedanta courses. . . And I wanted the gurukulam to offer educational programs for children in values, attitudes, and forms of prayer and worship. When I look back now, I see all these aspects of my vision taking shape or already accomplished. With the facility now fully functional, . . . I envision its further unfoldment to serve more and more people.”
Ārṣa (arsha) means belonging to the ṛṣis or seers; vidyā means knowledge. Guru means teacher and kulam is a family. In traditional Indian studies, even today, a student resides in the home of this teacher for the period of study. Thus, gurukulam has come to mean a place of learning. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is a place of learning the knowledge of the ṛṣis.
The traditional study of Vedanta and auxiliary disciplines are offered at the Gurukulam. Vedanta mean end (anta) of the Veda, the sourcebook for spiritual knowledge. Though preserved in the Veda, this wisdom is relevant to people in all cultures, at all times. The vision that Vedanta unfolds is that the reality of the self, the world, and God is one non-dual consciousness that both transcends and is the essence of everything. Knowing this, one is free from all struggle based on a sense of inadequacy.
The vision and method of its unfoldment has been carefully preserved through the ages, so that what is taught today at the Gurukulam is identical to what was revealed by the ṛṣis in the Vedas.
Participate – Make a difference in your life !
The knowledge imparted at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, being the knowledge of the Rishis, is sacred. And Vedanta being the knowledge that solves the human problem, it frees an individual from samsara, a life of becoming. Accordingly, one cannot put a price on it, and this is the reason that there are no fees for Vedanta classes at the Gurukulam.There are also no other conditions for access to the knowledge. It is available for anyone who is interested—for the asking.
Those who have a value for this knowledge, and those who have benefitted from it, are naturally inclined to ensure that it continues to flow, which includes preserving the Gurukulam, the infrastructure that supports it.
Thus, the Gurukulam has been developed and is being supported almost entirely by the donations of these people who have imbibed the spirit of loka-anugraha, furthering the welfare of the people. Most of the expenses of running the Gurukulam are paid for by generous contributions and Gurudakshina, offerings to the teachers at the conclusion of courses. And the entire campus with all its facilities, including the new lecture hall complex, was developed because of the contributions of people who benefited from teaching.
There are nominal fees as required by IRS Regulations for course registrations and lodging, which help offset the operating expenses of the Gurukulam.
