“What’s the point of studying the scriptures? Aren’t they merely some cultural artifacts from times gone by that contain outdated information? Hasn’t science replaced the need for traditional authority?”

Along with these questions, we will also consider the common answers to “What is the meaning of life?” in this first class on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s spiritual novel Jaiva Dharma, as we explore the answers scriptures can provide us for the ultimate questions of life.