Yoga Taravali: Śaṅkara’s Guide to Advaita Yoga
with Dr. H.V. Nagaraj Rao
4 WEEK COURSE STARTING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2025
8:00AM CENTRAL USA TIME
14:00 WESTERN EUROPE
18:30 INDIA TIME
Mysore Yoga Traditions Online Studies Program Presents
About the Yoga Taravali
The Yoga Taravali is a compact and profound text attributed to Adi Śaṅkara, one of India’s most celebrated philosophers and the foremost exponent of Advaita Vedānta. Unlike longer philosophical treatises, this work offers direct guidance on the practice of yoga as a path to self-knowledge, emphasizing the union of meditation, discernment, and inner discipline. Its brevity is deceptive: each verse distills centuries of contemplative insight, offering instructions that are practical for the meditator yet deeply rooted in the subtle philosophy of non-duality.
For the general practitioner, the Yoga Taravali serves as a guide to calming the mind, understanding the distinction between the transient and the eternal, and cultivating clarity and equanimity in daily life. For scholars, the text provides a rare glimpse into how Śaṅkara translated Advaita theory into practical yoga, revealing the interplay between classical metaphysics and meditative practice. Though short, its lessons are timeless, inviting both study and lived experience as a means to realize the ever-present self.
The classes are held each Sunday on the following dates:
September 28
October 5
October 12
October 19
Dr. Rao is a poet and great scholar. We will be exploring a subject he is very familiar with and passionate about. Below is a general idea of when we will be doing in the four weeks of our course. Courses with Dr. Rao can be longer or shorter depending on the kinds of questions asked and the density of the material. What is certain is that you will be studying a profound text with a fiery and exceptionally lucid scholar who has a lifetime of experience and can lead is through the key points of the text in a way that is relatable and extremely entertaining.
Week 1: Introduction
Life of Śaṅkara
Overview of Advaita Vedānta philosophy
Context and purpose of the Yoga Taravali
Weeks 2–4: Text Study
Close reading of the Yoga Taravali
Discussion of key themes: meditation, self-knowledge, discrimination between real and unreal, and liberation
Reflection and integration of teachings into practice
Price of the Course $74.99 ( book before September 21 and get the Earlybird price $54.99
If you cannot attend the live sessions, don’t worry! Lecture recordings will be provided to all participants. You will have continued acces to the recordings after the course is complete. These also include audio files and a written essay of the content covered in each lesson.
*We have a limited number of discount scholarships for sincere students who have difficulty to pay the full tuition. Contact Andrew for details (contact info is below). Indian Citizens get a 50% discount.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF COURSES WITH THE MYT ONLINE STUDIES PROGRAM, IT IS NECESSARY TO FILL OUT HTE FORM EACH TIME IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM LINKS!
A brief Bio of Dr. H. V. Nagaraj Rao
Vidwan H.V. Nagaraja Rao is a great scholar of Sanskrit grammar who has been trained in both traditional and modern methods of education. His specialty is Sanskrit grammar and poetics. In his early years, he was a researcher at the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore and has published many original Sanskrit works with English and Kannada translations. Dr. Rao has also lectured in many countries around the world, including Thailand, Hong Kong, the United States, Israel, and England. He has taught Sanskrit at the University of Chicago as a visiting professor and was invited as a fellow to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Rao guided the World Sanskrit Conference in Edinburgh, England, in 2006, where he delivered a speech in chaste Sanskrit. Dr. Rao was awarded honors for his translations by the Sahitya Academy, the highest literary body in India, in 2006. Recently, he was chosen for honor by the President of India as a noted Sanskrit scholar. He is the honorary editor of Sudharma, the only Sanskrit daily newspaper in the world. With his razor-sharp wit, at the age of 80, Dr. Rao continues his lifelong passion for teaching and sharing ancient Indian knowledge systems with people from around the world.
Professor Rao has an uncanny ability to shed new light on texts such as theYoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads with his infectious passion for logic and philosophy and his excellent ability to communicate in English. Students leave his presentations with a feeling of liberation from the mundane and inspiration to strive for higher goals in life.
We specialize in high-quality, immersive education in yoga, offering a range of opportunities to study āsana, prāṇāyāma, philosophy, and more. Our courses are the result of over 30 years of practice and research and designed to bring you face to face with the yoga culture of Mysore. Our programs highlight the broader tradition of yoga and in particular the lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya which has flourished in Mysore for centuries.