ISKCON Gangasagar, a branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), recently organized a two-day seminar on the ISKCON Disciple Course (IDC) in Bengali for 30 congregational devotees. The seminar was held on September 23 and 24, 2023, and consisted of four sessions of four hours each. The speaker of the seminar was HG Sri Sundar Govind Das, the temple president of ISKCON Gangasagar.
The IDC is a training program that deepens devotees’ understanding of guru tattva and guru padasraya within the multiple guru environment of ISKCON1. The course is designed for new devotees preparing to take initiation in ISKCON, but it is also recommended for leaders, preachers, counselors, and educators in ISKCON2. The course covers topics such as the meaning and qualifications of a guru, the process of accepting a guru, the responsibilities and etiquette of a disciple, the relationship between the guru and ISKCON, and the role of Srila Prabhupada as the founder-acarya of ISKCON.
The seminar was well-received by the participants, who expressed their appreciation and gratitude to HG Sri Sundar Govind Das for his clear and inspiring presentation. Many of them also took shelter from their respective gurus and Srila Prabhupada after completing the course. This was the third IDC conducted by ISKCON Gangasagar in Bengali.
ISKCON Gangasagar is one of the prominent centers of ISKCON in West Bengal, India. It is located on the island of Sagar, at the confluence of the Ganges river and the Bay of Bengal. The temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. ISKCON Gangasagar also engages in various preaching and welfare activities, such as book distribution, harinama sankirtana, prasadam distribution, organic farming, primary medical and education help and different festival such as Ratha-Yatra, etc.
