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Give Your Son the Highest Education
By Danavir Goswami,
Rupanuga Vedic College, Kansas City, USA

April 20, 2002 (Krishna Era 5229)

The primary duty of parents is to deliver their offspring from the cycle of birth and death (mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum.)

How will you best fulfill that obligation?

Consider the Rupanuga Vedic College: ISKCON's degree-awarding college in Kansas City, USA.

Rupanuga Vedic College
5201 Paseo,
Kansas City, Missouri 64110
Tel: (816) 924-5619, (800) 340-5286,
Fax: (816) 924-5640
E-mail: rvc@rvc.edu
Website: www.rvc.edu
President: Danavir Goswami

Your son (eighteen years and older) will be eligible to earn Associates, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorates degrees in Vaisnava Philosophy and related fields. These are theological degrees (also known as divinity degrees) recognized by the Missouri Board of Higher Education (sections 173.600 through 173.619 RSMo)

Students also receive ISKCON Vaisnava titles: Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedanta and Bhakti-sarvabhauma.

RVC's beautiful and peaceful campus (includes five buildings with grounds) is situated near two other universities. All RVC students live on campus and are provided nice residence facilities, delicious prasadam, and other requirements. The friendly, spiritual environment is ideal for happiness and learning the supreme education.

RVC's two full-time professors are Danavir Goswami and Atmatattva Prabhu. Both are disciples of Srila Prabhupada, learned scholars, and accomplished teachers. Visiting professors include: Adi Karta dasa Adhikari (USA), Krishna Krpa dasa Brahmacari (USA), Vijaya dasa Brahmacari (USA), Anumanta dasa Adhikari (USA), Yamunacarya dasa Vanacari (Israel). Assistant teaching staff include Madhupuri dasa (Sweden) and Yajna Purusa dasa (Lithuania)

Vedic education is free. At RVC there are no tuition, residence, food fees, or fees of any kind. Students are expected however to perform devotional services (work/study) in order to assist the operation of the college.

RVC provides in-residence education. Presently there are twenty students at the RVC, which has facility to accommodate thirty more students. New students may enroll and commence at any time during the year.

I am very pleased to write a letter of recommendation to whoever may be considering participating or giving support of any kind to the Rupanuga Vedic College (RVC) in Kansas City. Since the beginning of Danavir Goswami's activities in service to ISKCON, he has been singularly focused in purpose, namely that of training and education. Through the course of years, he has gained so much experience that he is in a very qualified position to offer courses in Vedic studies through this now-authorized RVC program.

From my experience, all of the students who were trained by Danavir Goswami exemplify the highest standards of Vedic culture, not only in terms of their qualities of erudition but in terms of their personal character as well. As we well know, character development is something that is sorely lacking in our modern education system. The fact that he is developing the highest standards of character and scriptural training, both at the same time, is much to his credit. I certainly hope that the RVC program continues to flourish and grow through the passage of time.

—Romapada Swami
Chairman ISKCON N. American Governing Body Commission
ISKCON International Governing Body Commission Member
Initiating Spiritual Master within ISKCON

I would like to offer my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to His Holiness Danavir Goswami for his exemplary character and extraordinary services to Srila Prabhupada over the past three decades. Now he has the opportunity to further expand his role as a leading ISKCON preacher in North America, bringing along countless new souls closer to their journey back home to Godhead. His proposed Vedic College/Seminary is a forward step in ISKCON history and I am very excited by the possibilities.

My experiences with Maharaja have always been very positive. During his stay in New Vrndavana he established the Bhakta Training Program there, and I was able to observe first hand the wonderful transformations that came over the young men enrolled in his three month course. It is simply remarkable....all good qualities manifest, just as Srila Prabhupada said they would for anyone engaged in Krishna Consciousness. I have no blessings to offer, not having that capacity, but I genuinely offer my deepest respect and greatest enthusiasm to Maharaja for his courageous undertaking with regards to the Vedic College. May Lord Caitanya join your kirtan party and lead you back home!

—Malati devi dasi
ISKCON Governing Body Commissioner

As the Krishna consciousness movement matures, it finds itself involved in elaborating its institutional framework. One key area is developing institutions for the education and training for those who will move into positions of spiritual leadership. In most religious communities this task has been fulfilled by seminaries. The Rupanuga Vedic College represents an historic first for the Krishna consciousness movement in the United States— its first seminary dedicated to the formal education and training of students preparing for a life of ministering to others in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. I can think of no better person to lead the development of the Rupanuga Vedic College than Danavir Goswami, who has devoted thirty years to the training of young people entering the Krishna consciousness movement.

—Michael A. Cremo (Drutakarma dasa)
Author of Hidden History of the Human Race

"I was delighted to learn of Danavir Goswami's plans to establish a Vedic seminary in the United States. The tradition he represents— Gaudiya Vaishnavism— offers enlightening perspectives on many of the theological, moral and social issues of the day. All thoughtful persons benefit from the presence of this perspective in the cultural and religious kaleidoscope which is America, and I for one welcome Danavir Goswami's efforts."

—Nathan Katz Ph.D
Chair, Professor South Asian Religions, Buddhism, Indian Judaism, History of Religions
Florida International University

"I am delighted to work together with RVC towards staging an annual symposium on Vedic higher education.."

—Douglas E. Cowan, Ph.D.
Asst. Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies
University of Missouri-Kansas City

"Rupanuga Vedic College is attracting the finest men from around the world, and educating them, right in Kansas City."

—S. David Zuckerman
Professor Department of Communication
University of Oklahoma

"What the RVC is teaching is what the world needs most. We want to cooperate more with you."

—Board of Governors
Central Missouri State University
Warrensburg, Missouri

"We should be careful to educate our sons, our boys, with bhagavata-dharma from the very beginning of life. That was the Vedic system. (Pandal Lecture by Srila Prabhupada— Delhi, November 20, 1971)

"The construction of the buildings can now be taken up and my American disciples are ready to spend for the proposed building of Sri Rupanuga Para Vidya Pitha." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada; October 11, 1966)

"But I do not think it is necessary for you to return to your university for taking further education. Your education is to be found in our books, the material education is finished. If you want to teach in universities and colleges, they must accept us on our high degree of Vedic learning, not on our so-called [mundane academic] credentials. They must accept our system of scholarly learning from the spiritual master." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada; August 5, 1972)

"Therefore I am suggesting examinations. Bhakti-sastri— (for all brahmanas) based on Bhagavad-gita, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, and all the small paper backs. Bhakti-vaibhava— the above plus first six cantos of S.B. Bhaktivedanta— the above plus cantos 7-12 S.B. Bhakti-sarvabhauma— the above plus Caitanya-caritamrta. These titles can correspond to entrance, B.A., M.A., Ph.D." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada; 10 January, 1976)

© CHAKRA 26 April 2002