HOW TO GIVE A SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM CLASS?

BHAKTIVEDANTA COLLEGE
Main steps of preparation, according to experts: 1. You have thought about the subject and you have come up with some ideas and realizations 2. These realizations have ripened and matured within you. 3. Gradually you have developed and urge to communicate the message PRACTICAL STEPS A) Check whether there is a special occasion on the day you have to give the SB Class, like appearance or disappearance days. B) Read the verse. Practice the Sanskrit pronunciation if you are not accustomed to it. C) Read the previous verses or even chapter(s) to understand the context of the verse and the situation in which it was spoken (Who is the speaker and to whom is he speaking?) D) Read the purport and try to find the main point and a few secondary points. Write them down. E) Do a little brainstorm on the main point and the secondary points. Write down anything that is somewhat related to the subject matter. F) Regularly think about the purport and see what ideas come up in your mind. Let the ideas grow within you. G) Look for some relevant Sanskrit slokas or stories and also meditate on how the verse and purport related to your own realizations H) Think about some kind of introduction, a middle part and a conclusion. In other words, what do I want to get across? I) Gradually some urge to speak should develop within you. Additional hints Do not prepare the class word by word. This can cause black- outs. Write down a few main themes and points on a piece of paper. Do not write down to many points on paper because there will be the risk of loosing track. Stick to the main theme. Do not over-prepare the presentation. Leave some room for Krishna. Do not continue preparing for the class until the last moment. Dive into the guru-puja kirtan and depend on Krishna. Collect more material than you need. Give class for the pleasure of Krishna! Consider who you audience is (Farm community Sankirtan lecture). Keep management and politics out of the SB Class We do not need Time magazine. We need Srimad Bhagavatam. Plan for an interesting, captivating statement to begin your class.

Use of slokas Why slokas? It makes your presentation more authoritative and bonafide. Best to know many slokas related to many topics which you can use spontaneously when needed! Too many slokas should be avoided. It is better to quote only the relevant part of the sloka, rather than quoting the whole verse. If you do not know many slokas by heart, there is no harm to read out a relevant sloka from a piece of paper. To use strings of slokas, which are gradually bringing out an important philosophical point can be very powerful

Use of stories The use of relevant stories makes the class easier to digest for the audience and can also clarify the philosophical point we like to get across. Avoid telling stories in great detail, which the audience is already, very much familiar with. Stories should be told in an expressive and narrative manor. The audience should be able to easily visualize the scene. Stories are for sudras, woman and dvija bandhus (Mahabharata), In this age everyone more or less belongs to one of these categories, therefore to use a few stories in the class is important. Too many stories in a class give opposite effect then the desired one. Use of own realizations To speak from own realization is always appealing to the audience, as it is easy for us to put our heart into. After making so many philosophical points and quoting some slokas and narrating some stories, it is wonderful to bring all these to the practical level of our day to day life within ISKCON. Avoid speaking too much about your own realizations. The tendency is always there to put oneself in the center, instead of Krishna. Use of songs of the previous acaryas All the imports of the Vedic literatures are there in simple language in the songs of our previous acaryas. Sometimes it is nice to sing a particular song before giving the actual class, which is related to the purport of the SB verse. Communication techniques Speak loud and clear! Avoid monotone speaking. Avoid the regular use of ah, uhm, actually, you know, so, etc. Make some pauses, especially before and after making an important point Act in earnest. Put your heart in it. Have eye contact with your audience. Be yourself. Do not imitate others. To occasionally ask a question to the audience can be helpful. Try no to speak above your level. Do not distract the audience, for example by tapping on the table with your fingers, or pulling at your sikha, flower garland, dhoti or screeching regularly. Facial expressions and bodily gestures, when properly applied can help to keep focus of audience. Do not apologize before you give class. Give the class for the pleasure of Krishna. Depend upon Him. Use some humor. However, too much humor will have opposite effect! Do not speak too long! Know when to stop.

Related to questions Leave enough space for questions Make sure you understand the question before starting to answer Repeat the question for the benefit of the audience Too long an answer can be self-indulgence (Do not make it another class) First answer the question directly. Then give a more elaborate explanation. Not vice versa. When you do not know answer, say no.