Bhagavad Gita
with Dr. M. A. Alwar and Dr. Vidya Alwar
8 Month Online Course starting Saturday April 5th
Live from Mysore!
Seventy-five minute lectures online every Saturday
Recordings and notes sent out each weekLearn the deep inner teachings of the Bhagavad Gita!
The Bhagavad Gita is the most widely known and read Indian text in the world. It has been translated into over 70 languages and contains profound philosophy with timeless relevance.
We will follow the Gītārtha Saṅgraha, composed by Yamunacharya, a 10th-century CE saint in the lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya. The Gītārtha Saṅgraha summarizes the Bhagavad Gita in 32 verses. It begins with short, concise statements that are then unpacked and explained in detail. By the time we complete the first four verses, we will have covered the entire Gita twice.
This structured and concise method of learning has been passed down over centuries in Sri Krishnamacharya’s yoga lineage. First, Dr. Vidya Alwar will guide us in chanting and pronouncing the verses correctly, and then Dr. M. A. Alwar, one of India’s foremost experts in Vishishtadvaita philosophy, will explain their meanings in depth.
If you would like to dive deeply into the Bhagavad Gita and understand its true spirit and meaning, this is a great opportunity!
This course is based upon the Gitartha Sangraha
- a thousand year old summary of the Bhagavad Gita written by Yamunacharya, one of the great Acharya's from Sri Krishnamacharya’s lineage.
SCHEDULE
ONLINE EVERY SATURDAY MORNING 10AM CST USA
15:00 LONDON
16:00 WESTERN EUROPE
17:00 EASTERN EUROPE/GREECE/ISRAEL
20:30 INDIA STANDARD TIME
Every week you get both a video and an audio recording as well as a written summary of the class. If you can’t attend live, you can still access this deep knowledge from wherever you are!
What you’ll get
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Classical Text
Weekly Online Classes going through the main concepts of the Bhagavad Gita following the Gitartha Sangraha with detailed explanations.
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Authenticity
In this course you get the distilled wisdom of a master scholar as it has been handed down in his family for many generations. Alwar Swami can share the inner secrets of the text in a way that only the most experienced scholars can.
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Chanting
Learn to chant the verses of Gitartha Sangraha with Dr. Vidya Alwar! She will begin each session kindly and patiently teaching us how to pronounce these ancient verses correctly. Our goal is to memorize the verses and understand their meaning for a thorough education in this profound text.
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Recordings
You get audio and video recordings and notes from each lecture emailed to you after every lesson. If you can’t always attend live we have you covered!
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Scholarship
As a senior professor in the Maharaja’s Sanskrit College and expert in manuscript preservation Dr. Alwar has a very lucid and easy to follow style of teaching.
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Yoga
Food for thought and new understanding as you explore ancient concepts. This course is designed for dedicated yoga pracittioners who would like to learn more about he mindset and philosophy of yoga
About Dr. M. A. Alwar
Dr. M. A. Alwar is an Acharya in the Nathamuni Lineage. He has learned the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita since he was a small boy. He is also the the head of Samskriti Foundation, a senior professor at the Maharaja’s Sanskrit College in Mysore, and the organizer of Mysore Yoga Conference. Dr. Alwar is one of the top experts in the world in Vishishtadvaita Philosophy.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1972 to the esteemed scholar Sri M.A. Lakshmithathacharya Swami, Dr. Alwar hails from Tirunarayanapuram (Melkote). He pursued advanced studies in Sanskrit and Indian philosophy, earning top honors in Prachina Nyaya and Navya Nyaya, and secured a Master's degree in Sanskrit, ranking second in his class. He later obtained his Ph.D. from Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati.
Academic and Professional Contributions
With over two decades of teaching experience, Dr. Alwar has held positions such as Assistant Professor and Professor in-charge of Nyaya Shastra at Maharaja's Sanskrit College. He has also been a research scholar at institutions like the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi, and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati. Additionally, he has served as Project Director at the Transdisciplinary University Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions in Bengaluru, focusing on projects related to cataloging, editing, and publishing manuscripts, as well as developing curricula in Ayurveda.
Dr. Alwar has authored several monographs and articles, and has presented numerous papers in both academic and traditional scholarly assemblies (vidvat-sabhās). His areas of expertise include Navya-Nyāya, Prācīna-Nyāya, Viśiṣṭādvaita-Vedānta, manuscriptology, lexicography, and the comparative study and application of ancient Indian scientific concepts to modern science, particularly computer science.
Leadership and Recognitions
Beyond academia, Dr. Alwar serves as the Managing Trustee of the Samskriti Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Indian culture and knowledge systems. His contributions have been recognized with several honors, including the Śāstra-ratnākara award by Rāmāñjaneya Veda-pāṭhaśālā and the Bannanje Govindacharya Award by the Bannanje Prathisthana, acknowledging his scholarship and efforts in disseminating Sanskrit language and literature.
Current Endeavors
Dr. Alwar continues to engage in teaching, research, and the promotion of traditional Indian knowledge systems. He is actively involved in online teaching, offering courses on texts like the Gitartha Sangraha to students worldwide, thereby extending the reach of classical Indian philosophy to a global audience.
Dr. Vidya Alwar will teach us to chant each verse. She grew up in the Nathamuni yoga tradition, just like her husband, Dr. M. A. Alwar. Vidya holds a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and is an outstanding scholar in her field. She has a passion for music and chanting and extensive experience teaching foreign yoga students how to pronounce Sanskrit verses correctly.
Listen to Dr. Alwar speaking on the philosophical origins of Suryanamaskar.
Please fill out the form and submit tuition. *If you skip the form you will not receive your zoom links!
SCHEDULE
ONLINE EVERY SATURDAY MORNING 10AM CST USA
15:00 LONDON
16:00 WESTERN EUROPE
17:00 EASTERN EUROPE/GREECE/ISRAEL
20:30 INDIAN STANDARD TIME
Please check your time zone and be aware of seasonal time changes.
Cost for the entire 8 month course $199.99
*We have a limited number of discounted scholarships. 50% discount for Indian citizens.
If you are passionate about this kind of learning you are invited to join us in Mysore in January 2026 for our trainings and events with Mysore’s vibrant yoga community!
200hr Mysore Yoga Traditions Ashtanga Immersion Jan. 12 - Feb. 8th