Introduction to the Vedic Ritual

Course content

Hinduism i.e., Sanatana Dharma, is a way of life that requires the embrace of spiritual practice, Sadhana or Abhyasa. Rituals, i.e., the repetitive performance of certain practices, are essential to this Sadhana and Abhyasa. In order to recognize the power of ritual, two things are necessary.

First, the practitioner must be open minded, and suspend their disbelief in the value of the ritual for the time being. Second, they must bring a quality of emotional involvement (i.e., Bhavana), into the practice. One has to be willing to move beyond the seemingly merely mechanical nature of the ritual to fully enter into and experience an immersion into the ritual space.

This immersion cannot be grasped through an intellectual or moral cognition alone, but it can be deeply experienced through sustained practice, which then gradually purifies and transforms the mind. Our daily life must include both intellectual and moral understanding, but it should also transcend them. To accomplish this performance of daily ritual (Nitya Karma) is essential.

In this course of study, the faculty will introduce the students to essential Sandhya Vandana for both men and women, selected Vedic mantras, stotras, and Ashtottaras, basic puja, and simple Homa procedure. While encouraging the students to embrace the practice, the faculty will also help the students evaluate their own spiritual progress, through measurable metrics. Students will experience an increasing understanding of the importance of Dharma in their own lives.