Special Programs offered in person (in Blue Sky Center) and streamed online.
This four-day celebration is scheduled around World Sanskrit Day, celebrated on the full moon of the Indian month of Shrāvaṇa, the auspicious occasion of Rakṣhā Bandhana, which falls on Saturday, August 9, this year. The event is organized in honor of the ancient language of Sanskrit by Shanta Bulkin, co-founder of the East-West Sanskrit Institute based in California, and is hosted by the School of Sanskrit at Ananda Ashram (part of ISEWU / International Schools of East-West Unity).
It is also to honor the extraordinary teaching legacy of Ashram Founder Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati (Shri Ramamurti) as well as of Professor Ram Karan Sharma, world-renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet.
Traditional Ashram Daily Programs:
In addition to the Special Events, the following programs are offered daily to all by open donation:
9:00 AM Meditation Program with Fire Ceremony and Scriptural Studies
7:00 PM Meditation Program with Fire Ceremony and Selected Readings
World Sanskrit Day Celebration SPECIAL PROGRAMS:
Thu, Aug 7, 7:00 PM
Meditation & Fire Ceremony for Healing and World Peace; Welcoming of Guests
Thu, Aug 7, 8:00 PM
Divine Music – Laraaji Nadananda & Arji OceAnanda
Celestial music, vocal and multi-instrumental sound immersion. An improvisational celebration for deep listening.
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Fri, Aug 8, 9:00 AM
Fire Ceremony & Meditation
Fri, Aug 8, 9:45 – 10:30 AM
Selected Sanskrit Verses – With Ashram Teacher
Fri, Aug 8, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Invoking and Manifesting the Divine Feminine – Suzanne Lang
Chanting the Devīmāhātmyam has a profound transformative effect, connecting us to our divine feminine powers and cultivating a sense of inner peace. This text is the perfect antidote to these divisive times that feel disconnected from our true nature. Through chanting, translation and meditation upon a selection from the Devīmāhātmyam, one can experience how the divine feminine unites, empowers, and brings peace to us all.
12:30 LUNCH
Fri, Aug 8, 2:15 - 3:30 PM
Stillness Amid the Storm: Living the Bhagavad Gita Today – Manorama
In times of uncertainty and unrest, the timeless teachings of the Bhagavad Gita offer a steady light. Chanting a verse to learn correct Sanskrit pronunciation, explore nuanced grammar and discussion of its deeper meaning as well as integration of the felt understanding of what Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati calls, "the vital need for meditation."
Fri, Aug 8, 3:45 - 5:00 PM
Ananda Ashram East-West Science Initiative – Dr Ken Pugh & Sarah Mulukutla
In an exploratory project as part of the 2024 WSD brain imaging study, researchers from the Haskins Lab at Yale University, in collaboration with the East–West Sanskrit Institute of San Francisco, used a portable brain imaging device (fNIRS) on eight participants to measure the effects of Sanskrit immersion on brain activity during simple meditation practices. Results will be presented and discussed, together with updates on related research and next steps for the Ananda Ashram East–West Science Initiative.
5:30 DINNER
Fri, Aug 8, 7:00 PM
Meditation & Fire Ceremony for Healing and World Peace
Fri, Aug 8, 8:00 PM
The Magic of Pure Classical Voice - Shrimati Kankana Banarjee
A performance by classical singer Kankana Banerjee, disciple of Ustad Amir Khan. With tabla accompaniment by Naren Budhakar & vocal and harmonium accompaniment by Deepak Kumar.
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Sat, Aug 9, 9:00 AM
Fire Ceremony & Meditation
Sat, Aug 9, 9:45 - 10:10 AM
Selected Sanskrit Verses – With Ashram Teacher
Sat, Aug 9, 10:15-11:45
The Wisdom of the Sanskrit Poets on Hope and Unity – Deven Patel
This presentation will share insights from the Sanskrit poets on the themes of hope and unity, two stable streams of reflection in the secular and spiritual cultures of the Sanskrit world.
Unity and Hope Presentation
Unity and Hope Handout
Sat, Aug 9, 11:45 to 12:15 (Part One)
Sanskrit is Known as the 'Language of the Gods' – Mittal Trivedi
The work of the great grammarian Pāṇini provides some insight into the validity of this view. While the discipline of vyākaraṇa governs the structure of modern Sanskrit, the feat of Pāṇini himself in precisely describing the language of his time in the Aṣṭādhyāyī gives a look into the intricacy of the grammar that he composed. This talk aims to briefly explore the world of Sanskrit grammar and its pedagogy as it relates to these mechanisms.
12:30 LUNCH
Sat, Aug 9, 2:15 to 2:45 (Part Two)
Sanskrit is Known as the 'Language of the Gods' – Mittal Trivedi
Sat, Aug 9, 3:00 to 5:00 PM
Varied Advice on Living Life – Indira Bulkin with Guest Presenters
We will explore a small sampling of the rich and wonderful universe of Sanskrit verses dealing with how to approach everyday living. These will be borrowed from the world of Mahākāvya as well as Pañcatantra, etc. Audience participation will be encouraged relative to quotes from other languages and cultures.
Sanskrit Advice Handout
5:30 DINNER
Sat, Aug 9, 7:00 PM
Meditation & Fire Ceremony for Healing and World Peace
Sat, Aug 9, 8:00 PM
Performance by East-West School of Music – Naren Budkakar (tabla) & Kinnar Seen (sitar)
Sanskriti and Parampara: The classical music of India is a perfect complement to the Sanskrit weekend, it being the ambassador and bearer of rich tradition.
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Sun, Aug 10, 9:00 AM
Fire Ceremony & Meditation
Sun, Aug 10, 9:45 - 10:10 AM
Selected Sanskrit Verses – With Ashram Teacher
Sun, Aug 10, 10:15 - 11:00 AM
Sanskrit: A United State for Jiāvātman and Paramātman – Naren Budhakar
In keeping with the theme of Sanskrit-hope-unity, this presentation will elaborate the unifying aspects of the language. From Sandhi to Yoga to Advaita, the Sanskrit language is all about Unity.
Sun, Aug 10, 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
What is the connection between Sanskrit and Hope? – Shanta Bulkin & Girijā (Andrea) Baker
Sanskrit has a reputation for being notoriously difficult to study, and the dropout rates can be very high. There is a different way to approach this problem. When the language is investigated through a vibrational lens and is viewed as a resource for spiritual direction, the practitioner is better able to experience healing and move towards unity.
3 Invocations Handout
Sarasvati Stotram Handout
Ātma-bodhaḥ verse #4 Handout
Nada Bindu Kalatmane Handout
Svastham Handout
12:30 LUNCH
Sun, Aug 10, 2:15 - 3:30 PM
Karuṇāmocanālaṁkāra: Figures of Speech and the Role of Ornamentation in the Udānavarga – David Mellins
An investigation into the form and function of literary ornaments within the Udāna genre of Buddhist scripture, and a description of how traditional Indian literary tropes advance the poignancy of the Buddha's expressions of transiency and world weariness and, in response, the imperative of renunciation and compassion.
Sun, Aug 10, 3:45 - 5:00 PM
Chanting of Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam – Anne Vial
Modest as a blade of grass, tolerant as a tree. Life wisdom from Śrī Caitanya's Śikṣāṣṭakam. Chanting and meter analysis, grammar and translation of these beautiful and poetic eight verses, the only written legacy from Vaiṣṇava saint Śrī Caitanya.
Śikṣāṣṭakam Presentation
Śikṣāṣṭakam Handout
Sun, Aug 10, 7:00 PM
Meditation & Fire Ceremony for Healing and World Peace
Sun, Aug 10, 8:00 PM
Performance by East-West School of Dance – Pt Satya Narayana Charka
A dance sequence from Kavi Kālidāsa's Sanskrit play Kumārasambhavam. The love story of Śhiva and Pārvatī, whose passionate union results in the birth of their son Kārtikeya. Sanskrit Poetry Rendering by Professor Deven Patel
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Mon, Aug 11, 9:00 AM
Fire Ceremony & Meditation
Mon Aug 11, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Panel Discussion on the Theme "Sanskrit Hope & Unity" –
Participants: Shanta Bulkin( Moderator), Naren Budhakar, Anne Vial, Girijā (Andrea) Baker
The panel discussion will focus on the various approaches and disciplines in which Sanskrit supports hope and unity. Focus will also be on Guruji's legacy of daily chanting of verb and noun forms, endings, etc, where he often asked students to feel the connection of the grammar to the cosmos -- that place beyond the body and mind.
12:30 LUNCH and Goodbyes
About the Presenters in order of appearance:
Laraaji is recognized internationally as a new-age visionary sound artist. He performs new music with modified electric zither/harp, voice, kalimba and electronics. The uplifting music tends toward a celestial, trance inducing experience. He is accompanied by longtime collaborator, healing sound musician Arji OceAnanda.
Arji OceAnanda is a Sound Healer, musician, Usui Reiki Master and Dreamwork teacher based in Niskayuna, NY. Her Hellenic background and deep interest in the ancient Asclepian and Pythagorean healing traditions have a strong presence in her work and life. She joins longtime collaborator Laraaji in sharing her heart space through a variety of gentle percussion and electronic instruments.
Suzanne Lang is an Integral Vedic Counselor who uses Sanskrit, Yoga, Āyurveda, and Jyotiṣa as vehicles for inner transformation and healing. Suzanne began studying Sanskrit at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and Sanskrit is part of her daily sādhana. A former dancer, poet, and professor with a BA in Literature from Dartmouth and an MFA in Poetry from Emerson College, Suzanne lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughters.
Manorama is a direct student of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati. She considers herself very lucky to have been able to learn under his caring guidance. She comes to this Sanskrit conference with gratitude for all the blessings that Ananda Ashram is offering to the world.
Dr. Ken Pugh has been the Director of Research at Haskins Labs for 16 years and holds faculty appointments at both the University of Connecticut and at Yale University School of Medicine. His research program employs genetic, neuroimaging, and cognitive methods to explicate the brain bases of typical and atypical language and reading development in children. At the age of 16, Dr. Pugh began seven years of training in the Jain monastic traditions and carries these experiences into his work on brain and cognition.
Dr. Sarah Mulukutla, MD MPH is a neurologist and meditation researcher who explores the use of customized meditation techniques to support healing in neurological conditions. She is the founder of Mindful Neurology and holds an adjunct faculty position at Yale School of Medicine. A lifetime member of Ananda Ashram, she has practiced yoga and meditation for over 20 years.
Shrimati Kankana Banerjee is a well-known classical Indian singer. Born in Kolkata, she first studied Hindustani music with her mother. As a child she was introduced to the renowned vocalist Ustad Amir Khan of Indore, from whom she received intensive training during her formative years. She gave her first performance at age 14. Later, Kankana also studied with Pt. Pratap Narain of the Mewati Gharana. She has performed regularly at major Indian venues and internationally and has released a number of independent recordings. Kankana is the recipient of prestigious awards including the Kala Saraswati Andhra Ratna.
Deepak Kumar Pareek is a light classical singer and composer from the state of Rajasthan, India. His music covers a wide spectrum of styles: ghazals (romantic poetry), bhajans (devotional songs), kirtan and classic film songs. Deepak first studied with his father, Shri P.N. Vyas, and later with Ustad R.F. Dagar, Ustad Moinuddin Khan and Shri Mohinderjit Singh. He is accomplished on several musical instruments including harmonium, tamboura, guitar and keyboard. Deepak is co-director of the East-West School of Music and as a faculty member teaches and performs regularly.
Naren Budhakar was born in Pune city, a celebrated epicenter of Sanskrit in India, into a Brahmin family who valued knowledge above all endeavors. Naren’s grandfather was his very first Sanskrit teacher. Life has taken Naren in many directions, but clearly the sanskāras prevail: a science graduate by education and a musician by profession, he remains a student of Sanskrit with passion. Naren is co-director of the East-West School of Music at Ananda Ashram.
Deven M. Patel is a professor of Sanskrit and Indian culture in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. He teaches courses in literature, philosophy, mythology, literary theory, and translation studies. He writes on the history and interpretation of literature and translates from Sanskrit to English.
Mittal Trivedi is an independent scholar specializing in the study of the Sanskrit grammatical traditions and their pedagogy. Her doctoral dissertation focused on analyzing the methods of studying Sanskrit grammar in Indian universities through the Aṣtādhyāyī of Pāṇini and the Neo-Grammarian methods (17th century). Apart from her work on grammar, she also studies cultural memory and the role of historicism as it pertains to the Sanskrit traditions. Among her current projects is a critical translation of the verbal section of the Vaiyākaraṇa Siddhāntakaumudī of Bhaṭṭoji Dīkṣita and an inquiry into the cultural, academic, and political perception of Yoga and Āyurveda in modern India.
Indira (Ann) Bulkin met Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati in the summer of 1971. The following spring, she became a full-time student at the Yoga Society of San Francisco. During that time, the Guru held Sanskrit classes for many hours a day, seven days a week. In the early 1980s, he named her the head of the Sanskrit Department at the YSSF.
Kinnar Kumar Seen is the son of the well-known musical authority Ustad Lachhman Singh Seen. Kinnar completed a Master's degree in music with a Sitar major and was awarded gold medals for his proficiency. He has performed in major music festivals worldwide, and has played with the Beatles Magical Orchestra in 2005, conducted by David Amram. Kinnar has given lectures and demonstrations at Harvard, Princeton and Brown Universities, and the Juilliard School of Music. The New York Times named him "a leading artist of India." Kinnar Seen is a long-time friend of Ananda Ashram and, in the past, has taught music there.
Shanta Bulkin was a desperate 22-year-old when he first met Shri Brahmanananda Sarasvati (Dr. Ramamurti S. Mishra) at Ananda Ashram. It was the summer of 1972, and the young man was at rock bottom. The first thing Dr. Mishra said to him was, "If you want to stay here, you must study Sanskrit." Shanta followed his instruction and immediately felt the healing effects of this cosmic language. Dr Mishra later described the process as the "washing machine of the mind." Now, more than five decades later, Shanta feels it is his dharma to share this amazing vibrational study with those who are searching for hope.
Girija (Andrea) Baker cherishes both the meditative time she spends studying Sanskrit and the company of others engaged by the language. She is the Vice President of Showplace, an auction house in New York City, and the author of several books.
David Mellins is a Buddhist translator and a scholar of Sanskrit poetics. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, specializing in Alaṁkāra-śāstra and related semantic philosophies of classical India. He studied with Ram Karan Sharma, who became an important mentor. His dissertation, advised by Dr. Gary Tubb, was on Jayadeva Pīyūṣavarṣa's Candrāloka, a thirteenth century treatise on rhetoric. He is fascinated by the relationship between literary aesthetics and soteriology, and in particular, the aesthetic underpinnings of language use in cultures. He has taught at Columbia, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Yale Universities. He has been working collaboratively on the first translation of Prajñāvarman's Udānavargavivaraṇa, the sole extant and comprehensive commentary of the Udānavarga – a topically arranged compilation of occasioned teachings offered by the Buddha.
Anne Vial, from Nuremberg, Germany, works as a Literary Scout in Barcelona, Spain. She graduated from University College London (BA in Modern European Studies) and King's College, University of Cambridge (MPhil in Social and Economic History). She is blessed with wonderful Sanskrit teachers at Ananda Ashram and at the East-West Sanskrit Institute. She also studies with Dr. M.A. Jayashree (Mysore, India), and with Dr. Elena Sierra (University of Barcelona). She loves chanting, and the science of metrics.
Pandit Satya Narayana Charka is a distinguished Kathak dance performer, choreographer and teacher of international acclaim. His gurus include Pandit R.K. Shukla, Pandit Shambhu Maharaj, Shrimati Maya Rao and Pandit Birju Maharaj. Pandit S.N. Charka has won many prestigious awards, including first place in the All-India Dance Competition. Since the early 1970s, he has presented numerous traditional dance recitals as well as dance dramas, bringing myth to life for today's audiences. Since 1981, he has been the director of the East-West School of Dance, New York, based at Ananda Ashram. He has been teaching in the wider New York metropolitan area and has been performing internationally.
