Hindu Studies Online | Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Online

What is dharma and what is its relevance to modern life? The universal order, the rising and setting of the sun and moon, and the passage of the seasons all fall under the broad heading (...)

A Study of Dharma

12 October 2025
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£145

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This course provides an overview of the history and development of asceticism in India. It then focuses on contemporary ‘traditional’ sampradāyas (religious orders) and the practice of tapasyā (austerity) and yoga among sādhus. Using a (...)

Asceticism, Sādhus, and Yoga

12 October 2025
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£145

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Bhagavad Gita is an ancient Indian text that is vital to Hindu tradition, literature, and philosophy. This Bhagavad Gita course is an engaging and informative learning experience, brought to you remotely by OCHS online. Within (...)

Bhagavad Gita

12 October 2025
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£110

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The Brahma-sutra systematises the teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads. Many consider any school of Hindu thought incomplete without a commentary on this foundational text. Attributed to the sage Badarayana (also known as Vedavyasa or (...)

Brahma-sutra

12 October 2025
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£145

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During the colonial era, Hinduism saw significant changes in its religious ideas and social practices. It could be said to have turned relatively more liberal, rational, socially sensitive, and utilitarian. Alongside nationalism, a new Hinduism (...)

Colonial Hinduism

12 October 2025
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£145

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Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras is one of the best known, yet least understood texts on Yoga. Yoga Sūtras are accepted as the authoritative text on Yoga doctrine and practice and in this course you can comprehensively (...)

Exploring the Yoga Sutras

12 October 2025
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£145

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In this course we look at the “self”. What is a person? Or in a more Indian fashion “who am I?” (ko’ham). This question highlights what is distinctive about Hindu philosophy in contrast to others, (...)

Hindu Philosophy: Understanding the Self

12 October 2025
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£145

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What do Hinduism and Yoga Philosophy have to say about ecology and the environment? Hinduism is full of big ideas. How do these big ideas relate to modern life? In this course by Prof. Christopher (...)

Hinduism, Yoga, and the Environment

12 October 2025
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£145

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This course provides the ultimate introduction to Hinduism, from religious practice to temple ritual to classical yoga and its influence on Hindu culture. This course also includes a comprehensive look at Hindu society as well (...)

Introduction to Hindu Ritual, Yoga, Caste, and Gender

12 October 2025
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£95

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Mahābhārata is an ancient Sanskrit epic story that has played a huge role in the formation of Hinduism as we know it today. It is truly a vast work that presents an amazing story with (...)

Mahabharata: India’s Epic

12 October 2025
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£145

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Philosophy of Yoga

12 October 2025
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£110

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This course builds upon our Level 1 and 2 Sanskrit courses. We will study chapters 5 and 6 of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga, integrating traditional Indian and Western academic methods of learning for an (...)

Sanskrit: Level 3

12 October 2025
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£275

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In Sanskrit Level 7 we will finish Part II of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga, covering Chapters 13 and 14. We will learn the remaining types of compounds, possessive nouns, present participles, gerundives, and the (...)

Sanskrit: Level 7

12 October 2025
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£275

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Shaivism is a major strand of Hinduism that celebrates Śiva, also known as Rudra, as the Supreme Being. If you are interested in Shaivism and the representation of Śiva within Hinduism, then this expertly curated (...)

Shaivism

12 October 2025
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£145

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How did an ascetic approach to renouncing the world become a globalised industry focused on postures? In this course we explore the development of modern forms of yoga, from traditional texts to contemporary practices. In (...)

The Roots of Modern Yoga

12 October 2025
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£145

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This course introduces yoga as presented in the Haṭhapradīpikā – an influential 15th century text. Haṭhapradīpikā is one of the most popular and influential works on yoga. It presents a range of practices derived from (...)

The Yoga of the Hathapradipika

12 October 2025
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£110

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In this course, we will cover two of the six Indian philosophical systems, Vedanta and Samkhya. In the course, we will include a close look at the life and teachings of Shankaracharya, the great teacher (...)

Vedanta and Samkhya Philosophy

12 October 2025
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£110

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The Vedas and Upanishads are poignant and essential texts within Hindu culture and tradition. They provide an insight into the teachings of Hinduism and offer a comprehensive understanding of Hindu philosophy and ritual. This excellent (...)

Vedas and Upanishads

12 October 2025
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£125

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Later Terms

Devotional music and chanting practices have been a crucial part of ancient Indian cultures and are still a vital part of Hindu culture today. Chant and music are interwoven throughout Hinduism, and are an indispensable (...)

Hindu Devotional Music and Chant

18 January 2026

£110

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This course provides a broad survey of Hinduism, covering its key texts, history, and philosophies. We created this course to give you an understanding of the nature and scope of Hindu texts and religious traditions. (...)

Introduction to Hindu Texts, History, and Philosophy

18 January 2026

£95

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We integrate traditional Indian and Western methods to provide an interactive experience of learning Sanskrit. This course is ideal for beginners and those with some experience who would like to reinvigorate their studies. We focus (...)

Sanskrit: Level 1

26 April 2026

£275

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In Sanskrit Level 10, we will almost finish the book – Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga – studying chapters 19 and 20. Over the course of the 9 weeks, we will learn about both primary and (...)

Sanskrit: Level 10

26 July 2026

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 10

23 July 2028

£275

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In Sanskrit Level 11 we will build upon what we have learned in the previous 10 courses, continuing to develop understanding through learning grammar and chanting and translating verses from yoga-related texts. In this course, (...)

Sanskrit: Level 11

8 October 2028

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 11

11 October 2026

£275

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This course builds upon our Sanskrit: Level 1 course. We further develop our understanding through grammar and by chanting and translating verses from yoga-related texts. We will study chapters 3 and 4 of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of (...)

Sanskrit: Level 2

26 July 2026

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 3

11 October 2026

£275

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In Level 4 we will study chapters 7 and 8 of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga. We will finish Part I, learning the future tense, pronouns, and more sandhi rules and then start Part II, (...)

Sanskrit: Level 4

17 January 2027

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 4

18 January 2026

£275

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In Sanskrit Level 5 we will be learning more consonant ending nouns, the remaining athematic verbs, causative verbs and quotations with the particle इति. We will go deeper into Part II of “Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga,” covering (...)

Sanskrit: Level 5

25 April 2027

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 5

26 April 2026

£275

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In Level 6 we will begin to look at compounds as well as the passive voice, and past passive participles. We will study Chapters 11 and 12 of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga. Learning how (...)

Sanskrit: Level 6

25 July 2027

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 7

10 October 2027

£275

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In Sanskrit Level 8, we will build upon what we’ve learned in the previous 7 Sanskrit courses and begin Part III of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga, covering Chapters 15 and 16. We will learn (...)

Sanskrit: Level 8

18 January 2026

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 8

16 January 2028

£275

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In Sanskrit Level 9, we will build upon what we’ve learned in the previous 8 Sanskrit courses, covering Chapters 17 and 18 of Yogāvatāraṇam: The Translation of Yoga. We will learn about secondary verbal roots, (...)

Sanskrit: Level 9

23 April 2028

£275

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Sanskrit: Level 9

26 April 2026

£275

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The Sanskrit word ‘tantra’ refers to texts regarded as revelation from God (Śiva at first) that arose in the early medieval period. This new religion spread quickly and attracted the patronage of kings, spreading to (...)

Tantra: A New Understanding

18 January 2026

£145

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In this course, we take a look at 3 of the most important, yet shortest, Upanishads. Guided by a specialist tutor, students will study the Kena, Ishavasya, and Mandukya Upanishads. Students will be encouraged to (...)

Three Short Upanishads

18 January 2026

£125

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In this course, we mark the evolving conception of women in Hinduism, their religious roles, and their social status. We begin with the earliest stages of Hindu society and move to the present. This course (...)

Women in the Hindu World

18 January 2026

£125

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