This course is centered on the ancient Sanskrit Epics, Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. While we explore the historical content of these texts, and their incredible command on the Hindu popular imagination, this course examines the epics through a very specific lens: human nature. The ancient Indian epics are an absolute treasure trove on the workings of human beings, bespeaking, e.g., personality types, inclinations, weaknesses, motivations, etc. Why, for example, does Prince Rāma so peacefully renounce a throne, which is rightfully his, on the very day of his coronation? Why, on the other hand, does Duryodhana cling to a throne that is rightfully not his, even at the cost of cataclysmic warfare? How does it come to pass that Lady Draupadī is so shameless disrobed at her own court? How is poetry itself born from the experience of (Sage Vālmīki’s) grief? Why must a man incarnate as a woman in order to slay the formidable patriarch, Grandsire Bhīṣma? The longevity of these monumental works of world literature is attributed to their masterful ability to speak to the human experience. As such, they provide timeless insight on how we might navigate our own worlds, inner and outer alike.

Daily Schedule:

8 Thursdays:

Oct 22, 2015 6:00-9:30pm

Oct 29, 2015 6:00-8:30pm

Nov 5, 2015 6:00-8:30pm

Nov 12, 2015 6:00-8:30pm

Nov 26, 2015 6:00-8:30pm

Dec 3, 2015 6:00-8:30pm

Dec 10, 2015 6:00-8:30pm

Dec 17, 2015 6:00-8:30pm