Hari Vāṇī Sanskrit workshops & courses
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Open doors · traditional lineage

Study Sanskrit—from sound to sūtras

Workshops for a broad devotional audience—pronunciation and meaning in a light format. Courses for serious students building grammar and vocabulary, including Harināmāmṛta-vyākaraṇam when you’re ready.

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Short & welcoming

Workshops

Two-hour sessions for complete beginners—no commitment to a full course. Each workshop has its own form so I know exactly what you’re curious about and can see interest before setting dates. After you submit, you’ll get a confirmation email; then we can chat (including on WhatsApp if you leave your number).

2 hours · beginners

Pronunciation

Recite with authenticity

Improve the most common pronunciation mistakes people make when chanting verses and mantras—so that you can recite with authenticity and confidence.

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2 hours · beginners

Decoding devotional vocabulary

Read and chant with understanding

Understand the deeply encapsulated meanings of common spiritual words—such as ātmā, deha, kaivalya, yoga, prakṛti, bhagavān, and more.

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Structured study

Courses

Ongoing courses for students who want to build skill over time. Each track has its own interest form so I can see demand per path.

Course · Level 1

Varṇa-praveśa

First steps in sound & script

Absolute-beginner track: clear pronunciation and reading Devanagari. You’ll pick up essential technical terms along the way. This course is the prerequisite for Level 2.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

Expression of interest

Interest first; we’ll sort scheduling and tuition after email confirmation.

We use Brevo as our communication platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo’s Privacy Policy.

Course · Level 2

Rasa-mārga

Grammar & verses — Jīva Sādhaka-pāṭhyam

Build grammar and vocabulary through the innovative devotional textbook Jīva Sādhaka-pāṭhyam by Shri Jagadananda Dasa. No dry vocabulary and grammar rules, as everything is related to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of Devanagari script (Level 1).

Expression of interest

Interest first; we’ll sort scheduling and tuition after email confirmation.

We use Brevo as our communication platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo’s Privacy Policy.

Course · Advanced

Sūtra-mārga

Harināmāmṛta-vyākaraṇam

Slow and deep study of the Sanskrit grammar composed by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī for Vaiṣṇavas. Almost every sūtra has a corresponding sūtra in Pāṇinī’s system and vice versa. It is uniquely easy to learn because:

  • All technical terms are names of Kṛṣna.
  • Sūtras are arranged according to topics.
  • Required complements to Pāṇinī’s system are included.

Prerequisites

  • Devanagari script (Level 1)
  • Basic vocabulary and grammar (Level 2)
  • Alternatively, knowledge of a modern Indian language, such as Hindi, Bengali, etc.

Expression of interest

Interest first; we’ll sort scheduling and tuition after email confirmation.

We use Brevo as our communication platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo’s Privacy Policy.

About me

How a boy from Berlin came to teach Sanskrit in Vrindavan.

Portrait of Vilasa Dasa

I’m Vilasa Dasa. I'm not a grand Sanskrit scholar, but I’m a student who fell in love with the sound and depth of the language from the first encounter. Since 2017, I’ve been studying at Jīva Institute in Vṛndāvana and with other teachers.

I was born and raised in Berlin and work in software development. After graduating in 2017, I began Sanskrit with Shri Jagadananda Dasa (Dr. Jan Brezinski), using his innovative textbook, Jīva Sādhaka-pāṭhyam. Having witnessed his discussions with Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji, founder and headmaster of Jiva Institute, I felt inspired to study the traditional sūtra system Harināmāmṛta-vyākaraṇam in late 2018 and Babaji directed me to study under Shri Balarama Acarya and Shri Purushottama Dasa. From 2021–2025, I studied it from cover to cover under Shri Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji, who also taught me the applications of the sūtras in Bhaṭṭi-kāvyam. In 2024, I attended a 14-day residential course by Saṁskṛta Bhārati in Vārāṇasī, where we would speak Sanskrit all day long. The immersion worked, because I started to dream in Sanskrit during the second night. Currently, I'm enjoying the classes of Shubha Vengadakrishnan.

From 2023–2025 I've taught Sanskrit privately. In late 2025, something shifted: with the help of Vedic Psychology, under the guidance of Dr. Joshika Richmond, I gained a deeper understanding of myself – my talents, aspirations, and what lights me up. Now, I am following what has been calling me for a long time – sharing what I've been gratefully receiving about Sanskrit. I hope this will help you on your path as it has been helping me.

Contact

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