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'''Arsha Vidya Gurukulam''' are a set of institutions for [[Vedic]] teaching founded by [[Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya)|Dayananda Saraswati]] (1930 – 2015). The two main centers are in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]] and in [[Pennsylvania]], [[United States]], with a sister [[ashram]] ''Arsha Vidya Pitham'' located in [[Rishikesh]] and over 60 other centres in India and abroad.<ref name=Sharma>{{cite book|author=Arvind Sharma|title=Part of the Problem, Part of the Solution: Religion Today and Tomorrow|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MMv4xEAUnGgC&pg=PA211|year=2008|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-35899-9|pages=211–|chapter=About the editor and contributors:}}</ref> A [[gurukulam]] refers to a center for residential learning that evolved from an ancient tradition of the [[Vedic period]]. ''Arsha Vidya'' literally translates to [[Vidya (philosophy)|knowledge]] of ''[[rishi]]s'' (sages).<ref name=Jones>{{cite book|editor1=Jones, Constance |editor2=Ryan, James D. |title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC&pg=PA44|year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-7564-5|pages=44|chapter=Arsha Vidya Gurukulam}}</ref>

== Study ==
Since its formation, the '''Arsha Vidya Gurukulam''' provides an academic-like environment to focus on study of [[Advaita Vedanta]], [[Sanskrit]], the [[Veda]]s and ancient Sanskrit texts. Over time{{when|date=April 2021}}, the institutes have broadened the scope of their libraries and curriculum to also include a number of traditional Indian disciplines. Some of the added disciplines include [[hatha yoga]] and meditation, as well as [[ayurveda]] and [[astrology]].<ref name=Melton>{{cite book|last=Melton|first=J. Gordon |authorlink=J. Gordon Melton|editor=Melton, J Gordon |editor2=Baumann, Martin|title=Religions of the World, Second Edition: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2yiyLLOj88C&pg=PA196|date=21 September 2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-204-3|pages=196–197|chapter=Arsha Vidya Gurukulam}}</ref><ref name=YJ>{{cite journal|last=More|first=Blake|title=Vedanta in the Poconos|journal=[[Yoga Journal]]|date=March–April 1996|pages=30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jOkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30&}}</ref>

Courses range in duration from a single-weekend to three years, and instruction is in English, though advanced students study the original texts in Sanskrit.<ref name = YJ/>

The teaching centers provide [[Inclusivism|inclusive]] opportunities to study the profound knowledge of Vedanta.

==Institutions==
There are two main '''Arsha Vidya Gurukulam''' teaching centres. The [[Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania|Saylorsburg]] campus was established in 1986, and the [[Coimbatore]] center of [[Tamil Nadu]] was set up 4 years later, in 1990.

*Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, P.O. Box 1059, [[Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania]] 18353, USA<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arshavidya.org |title=arshavidya.org |publisher=arshavidya.org |access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref>
*Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti, [[Coimbatore]] – 641108, [[Tamil Nadu]], India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arshavidya.in |title=arshavidya.in |publisher=arshavidya.in |access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref>

The traditional teaching centers carry the banner ''Arsha Vidya'' or ''Arsha Vijnana'' (i.e., Knowledge of the [[Rishi]]s). There is one more ''gurukulam'' in [[Maharashtra]], located on the western half of India:

*Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, Amravati Road, [[Nagpur]], [[Maharashtra]], 410 033, India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arshavidya-nagpur.org |title=arshavidya-nagpur.org |publisher=arshavidya-nagpur.org |access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref>

The word ''Arsha'' has also been used by many of Swami Dayananda's students in naming their facilities to mark their lineage. A 2012 estimate found there were at least sixty centers<ref name="Dayananda Disciples">{{cite web|title=Disciples Website|url=http://www.arshavidya.in/relatedLinks.html|access-date=4 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016233805/http://www.arshavidya.in/relatedLinks.html|archive-date=16 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="AVG Argentina">{{cite web|title=Swamini Vilasananda, Argentina|url=http://www.arshavidya.es}}</ref><ref name="AVG, Japan">{{cite web|title=Br.Chetana, Tokyo, Japan|url=http://vedanta.exblog.jp}}</ref> in India and abroad that carry on the tradition of Vedantic teaching under the banner of Arsha Vidya.

In 2017, the lineage of teachers convened at their annual [[Rishikesh]] meetup and discussed the need to create a hub to organize the [[sampradaya]] (i.e., tradition). To that end, they have created the '''Arsha Vidya Sampradaya''', which provides access to information maintains a directory of ''Arsha Vidya'' teachers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arshasampradaya.org/about/avsampradaya|title=About Arsha Sampradaya|access-date=2021-04-14|website=arshasampradaya.org}}</ref>

==Ashram==
''Arsha Vidya Pitham'', also known as the ''Swami Dayananda Ashram'' is situated in [[Rishikesh]] across multiple acres of land. The ashram facilities include a bookstore, modern facilities for dining, as well as a 250 person lecture hall. It also maintains a library with over 5,000 titles on grammar and philosophy and the personal collections of Swami Dayananda Saraswati himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dayananda.org |title=dayananda.org |publisher=dayananda.org|access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref>

The ashram exists on the grounds that have been around since as early as 1967. It was in 1982 that the ashram was expanded and officially named the ''Arsha Vidya Pitham''.<ref name="SHORTBIO">{{cite web|title=Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati - A brief biography|author=Avinashilingam, N.|publisher=Arsha Avinash Foundation|url=https://arshaavinash.in/index.php/download/swami-dayananda-saraswati-a-biography-print-edition-by-n-avinashilingam/|date=Jan 2020|access-date=2021-04-15}}</ref>

It also runs a publication house, ''Sri Gangadhareswar Trust'' that produces books on [[Vedanta]], [[Hinduism]], Hindu philosophy and literature, [[Pāṇini|Paninian grammar]], Indian history and related subjects.

It houses the temple of ''Gangadhareswar'', a shrine situated close to the [[Ganges]] dedicated to Lord [[Shiva]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arshavidya.in/Newsletter/Apr14/rishikesh-kumbhabhishekam.pdf|date=April 2014|website=arshavidya.in|access-date=2021-04-14|publisher=Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Tamil Nadu|title=Kumbhabhishekam of Sri Gangadhareshwara Temple at Rishikesh}}</ref>

After the Swami's [[mahāsamādhi]] (i.e., death) in 2015, a shrine was built at the ashram, containing ''Dayanandesvara'', a consecrated [[lingam]] for devotees, as well as the form of the Swami rendered into a statue.<ref name="SHORTBIO" />

Several students and ''[[sanyassi]]s'' (renunciates) who have studied at the centres, have gone on to spread Dayananda's teachings elsewhere and some have established ''[[ashrams]]'' of their own.<ref name=Melton/><ref name=Fuller>{{cite book|last1=Fuller|first1=C. J.|last2=Harriss|first2=John|editor=Assayag, Jackie |editor2=Fuller, Christopher John |title=Globalizing India: Perspectives from Below|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3juHflkUCF4C&pg=PA213|year=2005|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=978-1-84331-195-9|pages=213–|chapter=Globalizing Hinduism: A 'Traditional' Guru and Modern Businessmen in Chennai}}</ref>

==Programs==
These residential centers conduct long-term courses, 1–2-week camps, weekend study programs and family camps throughout the year. Subjects covered include the major [[Upanishads]], [[Bhagavad Gita]], several secondary texts of [[Vedanta]] and the [[Brahma Sutras]]. The study includes also the Sanskrit commentary of [[Adi Shankara|Sankara]] on these texts. Along with these studies, the [[Sanskrit]] language is also taught with [[Pāṇini|Panini]]an grammar. The Gurukulas also conduct sessions of daily meditation and [[satsang]]as.<ref name="satsang group">{{cite web|title=Friends of AVG at Saylorsburg|url=http://www.avgsatsang.org}}</ref> Additionally camps are conducted for teaching [[Yoga]], [[Indian Classical Music]], [[Ayurveda]], [[Jyotisha]] and allied disciplines.

The teaching centers conduct outreach programs to reach out to the public at large.

==See also==
* [[Gurukulam (film)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://arshavidya.in/ Arsha Vidya Gurukulam] {{Coord|11.104822|76.768256|display=inline}} Tamil Nadu
* [https://arshavidya.org/ Arsha Vidya Gurukulam] {{coord|40.887524|-75.313591|display=inline}} Pennsylvania
* [https://www.dayananda.org Arsha Vidya Pitham, Rishikesh] {{coord|30.1102073|78.3083426|display=inline}} Uttarakhand
* [https://www.arshasampradaya.org/ Arsha Vidya Sampradaya], index of ''Arsha Vidya'' teachers and alumni. Run by Swami Dayananda Ashram.
* [http://www.arshavijnanagurukulamnagpur.org/ Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam] Maharashtra
* [https://www.avg-sanskrit.org AVG Sanskrit]

[[Category:Arsha Vidya Gurukulam schools]]
[[Category:Asian-American culture in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Hindu schools in the United States]]
[[Category:Indian-American culture]]
[[Category:Religious schools in Pennsylvania]]

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam - Revision history

>Headbomb at 23:27, 1 July 2021