SECTION 1 & 2- ( 01/12/14 BALVIHAR WEEK :11)
Beginning prayers
- Sahanaavavatu
- Meditation for 5 minutes
- Gurustotram verses 1-11 and 14th verse
Gita chanting
- Chapter 14 - 1st to 8th verse
Bhajans
- Raadhe Raadhe Raadhe
- Dashaavataram Stotram - 1 to 8th stanza
Bhagavatam Time:
Likhita Japa
Ending prayers and pledge
- sarve bhavantu sukhinah
- puurnamadah purnamidam
- arati
- Pledge
Wishing everyone a very happy and a prosperous New Year!!
We were back today in class after a very long break. We found out what the kids did during their holiday break and how they had fun. Then we did the recap of the story we did almost a month ago and continued with our stories. Most of the kids had a tough time remembering where we stopped but there were few smart kids who could still answer.
Bhagvatam Time:
Three Types Of Devotion:-
We already learned about the three types of devotion when we heard the Kapila story. Kapila gave this advise to his mother who wanted to know how to get rid of the cycle of birth and death. Today we talked in class little more about it giving some examples.
1) Tamasic Devotion: People who have hatred, anger, jealousy in their hearts. People who worship God selfishly for their own well being. Such people have tamasic devotion. Ask kids to retell the story they heard in class about 2 boys and ask them what they understood from the story.
2) Rajasic Devotion: When our mind is full of worldly desires and when we pray to God for materials gains we become a rajasic devotee. When we pray with a shopping list, or for better grades or for any of our wants etc., are examples of rajasic type of devotion.
3) Sattvic Devotion: People who love God for the sake of love, not for anything have sattvic devotion. It is the highest kind of devotion. People who love God not for any gains or pleasures are sattvic devotees.
Tale: Sati
Sati was the daughter of Daksha. Sati was a very ardent devotee of Lord Siva. She would always think of Lord Siva and do his pooja. She could not think of anything else other than Siva. Finally Siva and Sati got married.
One day, Sati's father, Daksha decided to perform a huge sacrifice. All the Gods, sages, kings and the celestial beings were invited. The time for the sacrifice came in and just as Daksha walked into the place everyone other than Lord Siva rose up to show him respect. Daksha felt very much insulted and lost his temper. He cursed him with very bad words but Siva kept very quiet and didn't utter a word. After all the commotion Siva left to his abode. After few months Daksha again decided to perform a huge sacrifice. He invited everyone other than Siva and Sati. Sati wanted to go to her house for the sacrifice. Siva advised her not to go as they were not invited. But Sati still went to participate for the sacrifice. On reaching there she found that no yagna sacrifice had been kept for Siva. She got furious and and turned to her father and told that she is ashamed to be born as his daughter and burnt herself in fire and was reduced to ashes. Siva on hearing the news of Sati trembled with fury and quickly pulled out a lock of his hair and threw it on the ground and it emerged into a gigantic terrible form, Virabhadra. Virabhadra immediately went to the sacrificial ground and destroyed everything there and chopped off Daksha's head and put it in the fire. All the devas became terrified at the terrible form and went to Lord Siva and requested him to calm down. Siva said Daksha's head could not be reversed again as it had been destroyed and thus replaced it with the head of a goat. From then on Daksha was very thankful to Lord Siva and always respected Him.
Bhajans: We did the Gurustotram, Radhye Radhey Radhey bhajan and the Dashaavataaram Stotram. Kids are very good in all of them.
Bhagavad Gita chanting: We did till the 8th verse today. Most of the kids are doing a very good job chanting but still they need to practice at home too. We don't have class next week so meanwhile we have asked the kids to memorize till the 5th verse.
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 and helpful online learning tool which can help us and the kids too.
We did the arati and pledge in the class. See you all after two weeks and until then keep practicing well.
Note: 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 please do practice at home too. You can log on to Chinmayavrindavan.org.
Warm Regards,
Deepthy Aunty & Rama Aunty (Section 1)
Indira Aunty & Shrinivas Uncle (Section 2)
