Bhakti Shastri — Rupanuga Vedic College

The first gate of the ladder — and the course we are offering on December 2, 2026.

About the title. This course prepares students for the ISKCON Board of Examinations (BOEX) Bhakti-sastri examination, and is aligned to BOEX standards. Rupanuga Vedic College is applying to become an Approved Degree Examination Center after Vyasa Puja; until then, the college does not award the BOEX degree itself.

The Books

Bhakti Shastri is the in-depth study of four books of Srila Prabhupada:

Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Sri Isopanisad
The Nectar of Devotion
The Nectar of Instruction

Entry to the Associate level is through the Introductory Semester in Applied Vedic Culture (AVC, 15 credits), which is included in the 60 credits.

How You Progress

Progress is credit accumulation plus the title examination at the gate. Completing the 60-credit block and passing the Bhakti-sastri exam unlocks both the Associate Certificate and the Bhakti-sastri title — and opens the way to Bhakti-vaibhava, the study of the first six cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Lessons

Lessons will be added here as partner material arrives (VIHE, Mayapur Institute, Chowpatty BACE — with full credit) and as Danavir Maharaj shares any tests and curriculum he has already created. No lesson content has been invented for this page.

Sadhana and Requirements

As with all BOEX title courses, students are expected to chant 16 rounds of japa daily, follow the four regulative principles, and be recommended by an ISKCON authority who knows them well.

Exact RVC admission, attendance and assessment details to be confirmed once partner material and Maharaj’s material are in hand.

After Shastri

Bhakti-vaibhava (Bachelor’s, 120 credits) continues with Srimad-Bhagavatam, cantos 1–6, then Bhakti-vedanta (Master’s) with cantos 7–12, and Bhakti-sarvabhauma (Doctorate) with the full Caitanya-caritamrta and a thesis. See the full ladder.

← Back to home