Our Courses
Study at your own pace and time progressing from beginner to advanced level courses.
Śiva Saṅkalpam
Join Shantala in Italy to celebrate Gurupūrnimā and learn the Śiva Saṅkalpa Sūktam, where the mind is encouraged to become self-mastered, akin to Śiva.
Intermediate
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Sarasvatī Sūktam
From the Ṛgveda, Sarasvatī Sūktam celebrates the divine qualities and benevolent presence of Sarasvatī, acknowledging her as the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, and creative inspiration. When we enjoy Sarasvatī’s grace, our thoughts, speech, actions are aligned and experience an inspired flow.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Taittirīya Upaniṣad
The Taittirīya Upaniṣad is one of the key texts that offers profound insights into the nature of the Self (Ātman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman). The tradition of learning to recite the text offers a starting point to cultivating a familiarity with the text.
Intermediate
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Rātrī Sūktam
From the Ṛgveda, this hymn celebrates Ratri’s association with darkness, depicted as a nurturing aspect, where she provides rest and rejuvenation to all beings. Ratri’s symbolism goes beyond the physical night; she represents the cyclical nature of existence, where darkness precedes light, and rest precedes activity.
Beginner
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Rudrakramapāṭhaḥ
This is one of the many ways the Ṛṣi-s of Vedic times devised as an error correction methods to preserve the Veda. It is also considered a special worship to Lord Rudra-Śiva. We recite the entire text two words at a time together, adapting the svara-s and grammar appropriately.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Nitya Prārthanā – Daily Prayers
“Nitya Prārthanā” is a collection of popular and well-known chants, which are not from the Veda, but from the daily-prayer tradition in India. Our everyday life, from waking, stepping on the ground (off the bed), to bathing, eating, studying, working, and going to bed, can be
observed as a sacred opportunity to honour various deities, forces, and divinities. This collection aims to equip our seekers to be able to learn these short śloka-s, from various sources.
Beginner
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Veda Theory Masterclass – 2
The Vedas are the oldest spiritual works of ancient India. Many Indic knowledge systems consider it as authority and forms the foundation of their respective practices. Revealed to the brilliant Ṛṣi-s (Seers) of Vedic times, these collections of high calibre poetry we refer to as mantras, need time, patience, contemplation and an attentive mind to fully appreciate its scope and comprehend its vision. This intensive course will lead all enthusiastic seekers in the direction of that understanding.
Intermediate
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Viṣṇu Sūktam
Viṣṇu creates the path by which we can reach Nārāyaṇa, the source, the truth of who we are. Viṣṇu manifests the universe, unveils its laws and maintains the universe under these laws. Learning this hymn is akin to aligning ourselves with the universe’s natural order and feeling a sense of rhythm and harmony with our manifest universe of which we are a part.
Intermediate
€129,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣat
The Nārāyaṇa upaṇiṣat unfolds the upāsana (meditative means) of reaching Nārāyaṇa and asserts that all humans, ṛṣi-s (visionary poets) and all beings are born from and resolve into Nārāyaṇa.
Intermediate
€129,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Teacher training program (2024)
A teacher training certification to skill future teachers through a rigourous selection, training and preparation process which covers both mantras from the Veda as well as the Hindu daily prayer tradition.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Śraddhā Agni & Medhā sūktam (2023)
We are happy to offer three important sūktam-s in a combination of self-practice and live classes + homework. Studying these sūktam-s prepares one suitably for more advanced courses like Rudram or the Teacher Training program. Through these sūktam-s, we will explore topics of trust in practice (śraddhā), will power through tapas (agni) & power of memory (medhā).
Intermediate
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Veda Theory Masterclass – 1
The Vedas are the oldest spiritual works of ancient India. Many Indic knowledge systems consider it as authority and forms the foundation of their respective practices. Revealed to the brilliant Ṛṣi-s (Seers) of Vedic times, these collections of high calibre poetry we refer to as mantras, need time, patience, contemplation and an attentive mind to fully appreciate its scope and comprehend its vision. This intensive course will lead all enthusiastic seekers in the direction of that understanding.
Intermediate
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Meditating on the meaning of Mantras – Practice Practicalities
When our practices are aligned with a lineage, we receive clear instructions, allowing a distraction free sādhana to guide our lives. In the Veda Vidyalaya lineage that our chanting is aligned to, the primary focus is on the chanting, the sound, the accuracy and the devotion with which one applies themselves to this practice. This 90 minute class addresses the practicalities behind the process of memorisation and contemplation on the meaning of mantras from the Veda.
Intermediate
€18,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Mantra meditation compilation 2 – community classes
A collection of 5 mantra meditations for various occasions, taught live during our community classes and compiled here for those who wish to practice with these recordings.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Hanumān stuti
The very popular śloka, gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ gururdevo maheśvaraḥ forms part of the Guru Stotram, a composition presented in the Guru Gītā. It is considered the means to connect with one’s personal Guru and understand the Guru principle, creating the conditions to invite transformative teachings into one’s life.
Beginner
€39,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Prayer in Healing – workshop with Dr. Vignesh
Prayer has been one of the most ancient healing modalities that modern medical practitioners are also increasingly starting to acknowledge. The power of prayer has been known to ancient civilisations like India and is based on principles of restoring wholeness of the being rather than only healing the part.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Guru stotram – Gurupūrṇimā
The very popular śloka, gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ gururdevo maheśvaraḥ forms part of the Guru Stotram, a composition presented in the Guru Gītā. It is considered the means to connect with one’s personal Guru and understand the Guru principle, creating the conditions to invite transformative teachings into one’s life.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Prātaḥ smaraṇam (śaṅkarācārya)
This morning prayer of only three verses, directs our mind, speech and body to the Absolute. Chanted in the morning, dawn becomes the outer symbol of our inner awakening and sets the tone for how the rest of the day could potentially unfold for us.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Narasiṃha Kavacam
Narasiṃha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu in the Daśāvatāra (10 incarnations), the unmistakable and fierce (ugra) manifestation as part lion & part man. The story of Prahlāda, the slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu and restoration of dharma is the context behind this powerful “kavacam” – a genre of prayer that effectuates an armour to shield the devotee from harm and negative forces.
Beginner
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Annapūrṇā stotram
This well known hymn composed by Śaṅkarācārya honours our source of food, our lifeline, our most basic requirement to live this embodied life.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Bhū Sūktam – Hymn to Mother Earth
The context of this hymn is the preparation of the fire altar for the Yajña (fire ritual). The base of the altar as well as bricks and stones used in this preparation is earth. If the Yajña is symbolic of our life journey, mother earth forms the very base that sustains us.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Liṅgāṣṭakam – Śiva as Liṅga
Liṅgāṣṭakam is an octet (8 verses) offering salutations to Śiva in the form of Liṅga, the source of all creation. We praise Śiva the divine, as creator and creation, manifest and unmanifest, in the Liṅga.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Śivamānasa Pūja – creating an inner altar
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Nārāyaṇa Sūktam
The Nārāyaṇa Sūktam describes the superb greatness of the Divine and how to meditate on this reality in our own hearts.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Mantra meditation compilation 1 – community classes
A collection of 10 mantra meditations for various occasions, taught live during our community classes and compiled here for those who wish to practice with these recordings.
Beginner
€175,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Nakṣatra Sūktam
Learn this hymn from the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa in praise of the 28 constellations or Nakṣatras which are a key element of Vedic Jyotiṣa.
Intermediate
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Mahālakṣmī aṣṭakam
Mahālakṣmi Aṣṭakam from the Padma Purāṇa is an inspiring prayer devoted to Goddess Lakṣmī to invite abundance and beauty into our lives.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Yā Devī Sarvabhūteṣu
In the 5th chapter of the Devī Mahātmyam, the inspiring hymn yā devī saravabhūteṣu is presented. In this adoration, the devā-s offer salutations again and again, to the Devī who is in all beings as consciousness, intelligence, sleep, hunger, contemplation, power, forgiveness, modesty, peace, commitment, good fortune, compassion, contentment, error etc.
Beginner
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Teacher Training Program 2022-2023
A teacher training certification to skill future teachers through a rigourous selection, training and preparation process which covers both mantras from the Veda as well as the Hindu daily prayer tradition.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Vocal health – an āyurvedic perspective
A mini-workshop with Dr.Vignesh Devraj to understand vocal health from an āyurvedic perspective. Also learn to chant a Dhanvantari mantra from Shantala.
Beginner
€39,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Dakṣiṇāmūrti stotram – Śiva as teacher
An incarnation of Lord Śiva, Dakṣiṇāmūrti is considered the divine and ultimate Guru. Śiva as Dakṣiṇāmurti is presented as the source of all knowledge.
Intermediate
€108,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Camakapraśnaḥ
Swami Dayananda Saraswati says “Suppose Bhagavān were to appear in front of you and ask what you want, you simply chant the Camakam!!”
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Vedic Chanting Introduction
Veda recitation is a sacred and ancient oral practice of chanting the mantras of the Veda revealed to the Vedic Seers following a strict framework of rules, the knowledge of which has been passed on from teacher to student over millennia.
Beginner
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Gāyatrī Upāsana
For countless generations in India, this mantra of Ṛṣi Viśvāmitra is being repeated with an unquestioned faith in the sacred character of the origin and certainty of its efficacy. It forms one part of an elaborate daily practice of Hindus called Sandhyāvandanam.
Intermediate
€49,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Śanti mantras – finding your inner peace
Mantras for peace or Śānti mantras are a popular genre of mantras from the Veda recited to calm the mind and therefore calms one’s immediate environment in order to become receptive to the teaching of the Veda.
Beginner
€175,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Ayurmantra: Understanding Well-Being
From the Yajur Veda, these two mantras pray to the Divine to nourish, support and strengthen the different functions of the human body.
Beginner
€45,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Overview of the Vedas
This is a course of 4 recorded webinars presenting a comprehensive overview of the Veda-s. Through structured presentations, illustrations and examples, this course will unfold the arrangement and content of these 4 divisions of the Vedas: Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma & Atharva.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Deities of the Vedas
This is a course of 5 recorded webinars to understand more deeply the gods of the Veda-s or the Devatā-s. A deep understanding of spirituality, interpreted in a broad sense, is not possible without a good understanding of the nature and the role of gods mentioned in the Ṛg Veda.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Mantrapuṣpam
With seemingly simple rhythmic and repetitive words, this mantra in fact conveys a much deeper symbolic message of the blossoming potency of the Supreme Truth.
Beginner
€110,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Sūrya – finding your inner light
An introduction to Ṛg Veda, the oldest spiritual literature in the world as well as the study and chanting of a beautiful healing mantra to Sūrya, the symbol of the highest light and truth.
Beginner
€70,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ
A highly structured course to learn the "Namakam" part of the Śrī Rudram with complete Vedic phonetics and multiple learning resources to accompany your sādhana.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Gaṇeśa Sūktam – Ṛg Veda
A comprehensive course to learn the very special and powerful Gaṇeśa Sūktam, a mantra from the Ṛg Veda recited to invoke Gaṇapati, bringing forth our best inner resources to work through obstacles on our spiritual path.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Veda Knowledge Series
A collection of 6 classes on all the theoretical concepts that unpin the practice of Veda chanting. These classes were taught through webinars during the COVID lockdown between April & June 2020. The recordings of these webinars are available for viewing along with the option to download the presentation slides for each class.
Advanced
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Yoga Sūtras – chanting & etymology – samādhi pādaḥ
This course helps you through the chanting step by step of all 51 Sūtras of Samādhi pāda, the 1st chapter of Patañjali's yoga sūtras. You will also learn some general chanting rules as well as etymology of key words for a solid foundational start to the study of this seminal text on Yoga.
Beginner
PRIVATE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Puruṣa Sūktam
The Puruṣa is consciousness, caitanya, the truth of the unmanifest. This Puruṣa is presented in a hymn of praise in this popular Ṛg Veda mantra, which is a description of the Puruṣa. We repeat the glory of Īśvara everyday by chanting this sūktam. In doing so, we also recognise that the Puruṣa is the self, ātman.
There is nothing higher than the puruṣa, I am not separate from the puruṣa; I am not a separate entity. The entire knowledge of the upaniṣads is contained in the Puruṣa sūktam.
In this course of 10 lessons, we will meticulously learn the recitation of this Sūktam with a high level meaning. As aspiring yogīs working towards understanding our true nature, this hymn will become a powerful prayer in our yogic journey.
Intermediate
€175,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Veda chanting essentials
In this course, you will learn the very essentials of Veda recitation to get you started. While this is a vast topic, this course gives a new student the basics to get started as well as learn the Gāyatrī mantra along with its meaning. This is a free course.
Beginner
FREE
Shantala Sriramaiah
Hymn of divine enjoyment – Bhāgya Sūktam
From the seventh Maṇḍala of the Ṛg Veda dedicated entirely to the mantras of Ṛṣi Vaṣiṣṭha, Bhāgya Sūktam is a morning mantra also known as prātaḥ sūktam or morning hymn.
Let us call Bhaga, who is strong and victorious, powered by all that is true, right and good to come and displace ignorance and all falsehood in us. Bhaga has a wealth of Truth, come and manifest for us the knowledge and energy for this Truth. May the dawn bring to us Bhaga.
This Ṛg veda mantra features the famous words Bhagavān and Bhagavantaḥ, used to signify the supreme person in later times, especially in the Bhakti literature.
Through 5 classes, we will systematically learn to recite this mantra, word by word, with complete breakdown of the Vedic phonetics and deeper meaning for contemplation.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Devī Sūktam – the sound of Truth
A stunning hymn from the Ṛg Veda where the Ṛṣika (woman Seer) identifies completely with her object of meditation & worship. An ātmastuti or a hymn in praise of the Self. Through 5 structured self-paced lessons, you will be able to learn the 8 mantras of this glorious hymn with audio, video and textual resources.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Veda chanting – Foundation course
With blessings from my family and teachers, I bring you this course on the principles of Vedic Chanting for beginners. You will learn all the important rules of Vedic phonetics. Starting with a thorough introduction to the Sanskrit syllables to a comprehensive look into all of the other nuances you need to know to excel in the practice of Veda chanting. This course is therefore recommended as a pre-requisite to any intermediate level course and will serve as a reference resource throughout your study in the future. You will also learn several mantras for practice.
Beginner
€197,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
The power of memory – medhā sūktam
Medha Sūktam, honours the power of memory which is of interest to aspiring yogīs as an essential qualification for Samādhi - memory.
Intermediate
€110,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Developing conviction in your practice – Śraddhā Sūktam
The power of Truth or Śraddha is an aspiring yogī's source of energy and provides the ultimate clarity that his or her practice leads one to the goal of yoga.
Intermediate
€110,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Yoga Sūtras – Sādhana Pādaḥ
A comprehensive course on the Practice chapter, Sādhana Pādaḥ of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali with chanting, Sāṅkhyā principles and succinct explanations of key concepts.
Intermediate
€270,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Mantras for Health & Well-Being
From the Yajur Veda, these two mantras pray to the Divine to nourish, support and strengthen the different functions of the human body.
Beginner
€90,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Invocatory Prayers
Mantras chanted at the beginning of your practice invoking the blessings of Gaṇapati and Sarasvatī for an obstacle free and wisdom filled practice.
Beginner
€45,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Yoga Sūtras – Samādhi Pādaḥ
A comprehensive course on the first chapter of the Yoga Sūtras including chanting, the Sanskrit alphabet for beginners with āsana names practice & succinct explanations of key concepts.
Intermediate
€270,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Durgā Sūktam – Overcoming Difficulty
A mantra from the Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣat recited to overcome difficulty, the warrior goddess Durga is seen as having the lustre of Agni.
Intermediate
€110,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Developing Will Power – Agni
Learn the first 9 mantras of the Ṛg Veda to understand the function of Agni and through systematic practice, develop your Power of Will.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Yoga Sūtras – Power & Freedom
A succinct study of Vibhūti & Kaivalya pāda of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras. Learn the chanting & key messages with clarity.
Advanced
€185,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Developing Spiritual Abundance – Śrī Sūktam
Learn this beautiful Ṛg Veda hymn dedicated to Śrī popularly known as Goddess Lakṣmī, in step by step audio, video and text based lessons.
Intermediate
€110,00
Shantala Sriramaiah
Gaṇapati Upaniṣat Gaṇapati Atharvaśīrṣam
Revealed to sage Gaṇaka and presented in the Atharva Veda, this mantra honours Gaṇapati as the One Supreme Universal Consciousness.
Intermediate
€125,00
Shantala Sriramaiah