Seminar on Purpose and application of Bhagavad Gita, Polytechnic Institute, Bali.
Bali State Polytechnic (BSP) is a leading vocational education institution in Bali. It is located in a strategic area of the city. It provides with two fields of study: engineering and commerce. Engineering is divided into Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Departments while commerce is divided into Tourism, Accounting and Business Administration Departments. The vision of BSP is to be the leading institution to produce internationally compatible professionals and has good character output.
Promoting good character is most necessary now days. The first and most important advice for those who want to build character in students–and a sense of community in their school–is to focus on the introduction of the basic and the former duty of the student as human.
The State Polytechnic Institute (Politeknik Negeri Bali) in collaboration with the Indonesia Bhaktivedanta Institute, hosted seminars on Bhagavad-gita. “I think we shall get help from the Government and many foundations, if they understand that we are actually training people for building up character and health along with imparting education.” (SPL to Hayagréva, 7th October, 1968).
Bhakta Kusuma Wardana, lecturer in PBS organized all things for the students for the seminar. He approached the head of department of Electrical, Mr. I Gusti Ngurah Agung Catur Bawa, S.T., M.Kom. to propose a seminar. With open hand he accepted the proposal and decided that the seminar would be done on 24 of June, a day before the Saraswati Puja day In Bali.
On the day of the seminar, the students and the lectures prepared the Saraswati puja and after the preparation they came to the classroom that already prepared to seminar. The speaker of the seminar was his grace Ramanuja das brahmacari. He opened the seminar by stressing on the purpose of studying Bhagavad-gita. Ramanuja prabhu presented the essence of the bhagavad gita with beautiful analogies that attracted the students. They listened attentively and sometimes laugh each other because what was presented match with what they had done in their daily life. Then Ramanuja prabhu came to the topic Varna and Ashrama, and then how one, in the human form of life, can attain the Ultimate goal of life.
Srila Prabhupada Stated in his letter that “Kindly push on this college program, for only the most intelligent persons can understand Krsna philosophy, so it is very important that we spread this message to the intelligent class of men”. (SPL to Brhaspati dasa, November 17th, 1971)
Ending the seminar the participants of the seminar had prasadam to be honor. Some students also bought Bhagavad gita. A Bhagavad-gita was presented to Mr. I Gusti Ngurah Agung Catur Bawa, S.T., M.Kom and in return he gave a souvenir and a profile book of Bali State Polytechnic and he also said that this kind of programs should be organized more in future.
For photos from the event: https://goo.gl/1t9T0q