Section 1 & 2- ( 09/22/13) (Balvihar Week 2)
Beginning prayers
. Sahanaavavatu
. Meditation
. Gurustotram verses 1-3 and 14th verse
. Dashaavataram Stotram verse 1
Gita chanting
· Not yet
· Not yet
Bhagavatam Time:
· Avatara: What is an Avatara?
· Background of Bhagvatam
Likhita Japa
· Writing ‘Om Namo Vasudevaya’
Ending prayers and pledge
. sarve bhavantu sukhinah
. puurnamadah purnamidam
. Aarati
. Pledge
Our classes began with our beginning prayers "sahanaavavatu" and then chanted "Om" three times and we meditated for five minutes. For those who are not aware during mediation we turn the lights off and latecomers are supposed to wait by the door quietly until the lights are turned back on. We did a quick chanting of "Hanuman Chalisa" which they did in the second grade. Most of them remember it well and please make sure they chant it once in a while so that they won't forget. This year we'll be learning "Bal Bhagvatam".
Kids are asked to bring the following things for their every balvihar classes :
- My Prayers Book
- Notebook/pad for likhita japa
- Bala Bhagavatam book (curriculum for 3rd grade, available in book store)
- 2 sharpened pencils and some crayons
Bhagavatam Time:
What is an Avatara?
"Avatara" is a sanskrit word and it means "coming down". When God takes a form and is born amongst us is called an "avatara". God takes an avatara to remove evil and to protect the good. God is everywhere and he is formless so we cannot see him, touch him, smell him nor talk to him. When God takes a form and is born among us we can see him, talk to him, touch him.
Why does God take an avatara?
- to teach us a lesson
- to save someone nice
- to remove evil
Because we cannot see God many of us do wrong things. Just like when our mom is not around we cheat a little by watching T.V, playing on video games, fooling around without doing our home works.
In Bhagvatam we'll learn all about the 10 avataras of Lord Vishnu.
- Matsya
- Kurma.
- Varaha
- Narasimha
- Vamana
- Parashurama
- Rama
- Krishna
- Buddha
- Kalki
What do we learn from Bhagvatam?
Bhagvatam teaches us to be happy and good forever.
Background of Bhagvatam:
Saunaka rishi lived in a forest along with his disciples. One morning Suta ji, a learned rishi came to visit them. Seeing the great rishi everyone paid respect and all the disciples were very eager to learn something from him. So Saunaka rishi asked a question to Suta ji how can a person be happy forever. Suta ji replied the answer is given in a poem, called Bhagvatam which has 18000 verses. The poem is written by Sri Veda Vyasa. The poem describes all the stories of God and why he descended on earth.
Next class we will discuss what made Vyasa to write Bhagvatam.
Likhita Japa:
We wrote "Om Namo Vasudevaaya" for Lihita Japa.
Then we ended up our day with Aarati and Pledge in class. See you all in the next class.
Thankyou,
Deepthy Aunty & Rama Aunty (Section 1)
Indira Aunty & Shrinivas Uncle (Section 2)
