SECTION 1 & 2- ( 11/17/13 BALVIHAR WEEK :8)
Beginning prayers
- Sahanaavavatu
- Meditation for 5 minutes
- Gurustotram verses 1-8 and 14th verse
Gita chanting
- Chapter 14 - 1st to 4th verse
- Raadhe Raadhe Raadhe
- Dashaavataram Stotram - 1-4 stanza
- Varaaha Avataar
- Jaya And Vijaya
Likhita Japa
- Writing ‘Om’
Ending prayers and pledge
- sarve bhavantu sukhinah
- puurnamadah purnamidam
- arati
- Pledge
Bhagvatam Time:
The kids were very much eager to hear the remaining part of the story we did last week. They wanted to find out how and why Maha Vishnu took the Varaaha Avataar and how the asura Hiryanyaksha was killed by the Lord. We are blessed to get such a bunch of enthusiast kids. We made the kids do the recap of the story and then we proceeded on with the story of the week.
Tale: Varaaha Avataar
Brahma Ji, the creator of the universe created the first man, Manu and the first woman, Shataroopa and was thinking for a nice place for them to live. At that time mother earth was buried deep in the oceans of pralaya. As he kept brooding over the place, a boar, no bigger than a size of the thumb, suddenly sprang out of his right nostril. Immediately it started growing till it became very huge and gigantic. Everyone in the heaven worshipped him for they knew that it was the Lord's incarnation. The boar then dived deep into the ocean and located mother earth and as he was trying to lift it from the ocean, Hirayaakshya the asura king attacked Him. The boar pierced opened and killed the asura king, who tried to stop him from saving the mother earth. He then, brought mother earth above the surface of the water holding it on His powerful tusks.
Brainstorming:
Why did Bhagavan take the form of a Varaaha?
Bhagavan takes different forms to help different situations. The Lord took varaaha avataar to save mother earth which was deep under the water after pralaya. The boar, has a very good sense of smell. The Lord took this form so that He can smell and locate mother earth from the deep waters.
What is Pralaya?
Just as seasons change, days pass, time changes, and years pass so does pralaya. Same way earth also goes into cycles of creation and dissolution. But this cycle takes thousands of years to occur. Pralaya is dissolution. After creation, dissolution follows with time.
Tale: Jaya And Vijaya
Jaya and Vijaya were the royal gate keepers of the abode of Maha Vishnu. One day Brahmaji's four sons, the Sanatkumaras came there to see Maha Vishnu. The Sanatkumaras, though they were very old they looked only like 5 year old kids. They were very wise. They didn't dress very attractive. Seeing them not so attractive and well dressed, Jaya and Vijaya didn't let them go in and see Maha Vishnu. They were filled with pride and arrogance that they failed to recognize the greatness of the sages. The Sanatkumaras felt offended and spelled a curse on the two that they will be descend on earth as terrible asuras. Immdiately Jaya and Vijaya understood their mistake and asked for forgiveness. Because of this curse, they were born to Diti as Hirayaaksha and Hirayanyakashipu.
Moral of the Tale:
If we do wrong actions, we still have to face the consequences even if we have love and devotion to the Lord.
Sub Tale: Where is Heaven?
We told the kids a story about how the Lord decided to have a party in heaven. Please ask them and find out the story.
Moral: Heaven is where we are. Hell is also where we are. We ourselves make heaven and hell by our own thoughts and actions. We always have a choice to choose the attitude and behavior in all our situations. Choose to see oneness and choose to love all and thus create heaven around us.
Sub Tale: Elephant and Six Blind Men
Moral: Heaven is where we are. Hell is also where we are. We ourselves make heaven and hell by our own thoughts and actions. We always have a choice to choose the attitude and behavior in all our situations. Choose to see oneness and choose to love all and thus create heaven around us.
Sub Tale: Elephant and Six Blind Men
This was an interesting story and the kids were listening to it with all enthusiasm. Ask them to retell the story.
Moral: When our view is limited, we unnecessarily fight and argue , creating hell around us.
Moral: When our view is limited, we unnecessarily fight and argue , creating hell around us.
Bhagavat Gita chanting:
We did till the 4th verse now. Kids keep practicing at home too. Make sure they practice loudly at home too inorder to get the words. The audio is available in our chinmaya mission website. Please click on to the link below and will be able to hear the mp3 version by Swami Brahmananda. It is a very easy learning tool which can help us and the kids too.
Likhita Japa:
We couldn't do the Likhita Japa in class. Please make sure to do at home.
We did the arati and pledge in class. See you all next week until then keep practising.
Note:
Warm Regards,
Kids are supposed to bring their "My Prayers" book and their Gita Chanting handouts every week for their balvihar classes. They are supposed to bring in a note book and pencil for their likhita japa. For the Gita Chanting practice at home you can log on to Chinmayavrindavan.org.
Warm Regards,
Deepthy Aunty & Rama Aunty (Section 1)
Indira Aunty & Shrinivas Uncle (Section 2)
