Balavihar Week 5- Section 2

We started the class by chanting OM 3 times followed by beginning prayers Sahanaavathu & then we meditated for 2 minutes. Then we did the Guru Stotram upto the 6th verse and concluded with Tvamey va maatha cha verse. 

We sang Radhe Radhe Radhe during Bhajan time.
During chanting time we learnt Bhagvadh Geetha chap 13- verse 1

We reviewed last  weeks lesson -Pariksit Meets Shukadeva 

We learnt the first Avatara of  Lord Vishnu - Matsyaavatara.

Lord Vishnu takes the form of a fish. Please ask your kids to retell the story at home.

During Likhita Japa time we wrote OM and the kids were very creative.

We talked about Navrathri festival. We discussed how this festival is celebrated in different parts of India (i.e. ) Golu, Durga Pooja, Garba/Ras.

Here are some pictures we discussed in class, of the Devis, and an example of a Golu!

We concluded the class with Arathi and Pledge.

Next week we will meet up in Mercer County Park for Cord Walkathon. 

See you all next week. ~Indira Aunty and Sanjana Didi

Balavihar Week 5- Section 1

October 21st, 2012 

We started our class by chanting "Om" three times and meditated for 5 minutes. Then we did our opening prayers "Sahanaavathu". Followed by that we did the Guru Stotram upto verse 6 and concluded with the 14th verse "Tvamey va maatha cha". Then we did the bhajan "Radhe Radhae Radhae". Children are doing very good with the bhajans. We continued practicing Gita chanting upto the 2nd verse today. We did the Likitha Japa "Om Namo Naraayanaya". 

Bhagavatham Time:

The children initiated and did the recap of the story we did last week.  Today we  started with the stories that Shukadev Ji told King Pariksit. The first one was Matsyaavatara. We learnt today why Maha Vishnu took the form of a fish. The Lord took this form to protect the Vedas from the demon Hayagreeva, who stole the Vedas and hid it under water.  We discussed in very simple terms what the Vedas are and that there are 4 Vedas. 

Fun Project:   We explained the meaning of the word "Pralaya" by making a paper boat. We did it to explain creation and destruction in an easy way. 

Our next class will be at the 'Mercer County Park'.  It will be on October 28th, Sunday 10 a.m.   After a brief class, we will all be walking for CORD  walkathon.  See you all there.  Please plan ahead, so you arrive on time.

Thanks,

Pushkala Aunty & Deepthy Aunty

Balavihar Week 4- Section 1

October 14th, 2012
We started our class with our opening prayers "Sahanaavathu" and then we mediated for 5 minutes. Then we did the Guru Stotram upto verse 5 and concluded with "Tvamey va maatha cha" verse. Then we did the bhajan "Radhe Radhae Radhae". Today we started with the Bhagavad Gita chanting. This year we are doing the 13th chapter. Today we did the first verse. We have distributed copies of the chapter we are doing. Make sure they bring it to class every week. Parents please ask your children to practice this at home. We did the Likitha Japa "Om Namo Naraayanaya". Make sure children bring in a note book and a sharpened pencil for it. 

Bhagvatham Time:During the recap, the children filled in the details regarding the story we have heard so far. We then went ahead with the story for today. 
Topic of the Day:

• Brainstorming: A Question

• Activity: Am I On Gaurd?

• Game: Red Light/ Green Light

• Tale: King Pariksit meets Shukadeva

Brainstorming: A QuestionWhy Pariksit, a nice king, did a bad act of putting the snake around the sage's neck?
It was because the king was not on gaurd. He was not alert. His hunger, thirst and tiredness made him to do the act. The noble king lost his  mind  momentarily and could not make right from wrong. From Pariksit's story we all learnt that we should always be alert. Our mind should always be on gaurd or else we may say or do wrong things. We made the children understand it by making them stand up and chant together "Om namo naaraayanaya" continuously, loudly, looking at the picture of the Lord. When we are on gaurd, our minds will be aware that we are chanting and we are only thinking of the Lord.  

Game: Red Light/ Green LightWe played a game in the class to see who all are alert. 

Tale: Pariksit Meets ShukadevaWe learnt how king Pariksit got together with a lot of learned sages like Vyaasa, Vashista, Atri, Bhrigu, etc.  Then, a very learned sage Shukadeva came by too.   They all suggested that Pariksit  listen to the glories the Lord, that are sung in the bhaagavatam, to attain eternal peace, since he was cursed to die in 7 days.  In the following classes we will be learning the stories that were narrated by Shukadeva to King Pariksit.  

The aarti and pledge were done in the auditorium today. Please register for the CORD Walkathon which will be held on Oct 28th at Mercer County Park. See you all next Sunday.
~Pushkala Aunty and Deepthy Aunty 

Balavihar Week 4- Section 2

We started the class by chanting OM 3 times followed by beginning prayers Sahanaavathu & then we meditated for 2 minutes. Then we did the Guru Stotram upto the 5th verse and concluded with Tvamey va maatha cha verse. 

We sang Radhe Radhe Radhe during Bhajan time. 

Bhagvatham Time: 

 

We reviewed last two weeks lesson -How King Parikshit meets Kali. 

Tale: Pariksit meets Kali
Where does Kali reside? - recap 

5 places: 

1) untruthfulness
2) arrogance
3) lust
4) cruelty

5) Rajoguna 

Today's story-

 The curse

King Parikshit was in the forest and lost track of time.  He was hungry and very thirsty. He saw sage Samiska's ashrama. The sage was in deep meditation and king Parikshit took a dead snake and threw it round the sage's neck. His mind was not on guard and he acted this way. We should always be on guard and do the right act.

Sringi, sage's son got angry on king Parikshit and cursed.

 

Tale: Pariksit Meets Shukadeva

Parikshit learnt about the curse and was very sad and returned to the palace. 

King Pariksit handed over the palace to his son and went to the forest. He  got together with a lot of learned sages like Vyaasa, Vashista, and others.  He also met a very young learned sage Shukadeva, son of Vyassa. They all suggested that Pariksit  listen to the glories the Lord, that are sung in the bhaagavatam, to attain eternal peace, since he was cursed to die in 7 days.  In the following classes we will be learning the stories that were narrated by Shukadeva to King Pariksit.

See you next week! 

~Indira Aunty and Sanjana Didi

Balavihar Week 3- Section 2

We started the class by chanting OM 3 times followed by beginning prayers Sahanaavathu & then we meditated for 2 minutes. Then we did the Guru Stotram upto the 4th verse and concluded with Tvamey va maatha cha verse. 

We sang Radhe Radhe Radhe during Bhajan time. 

Bhagvatham Time: 

We reviewed last two weeks lesson - Names of avataras; we talked about how Bhagavatam was written  followed by story of Narada Rishi & how King Parikshit meets Kali. 

Tale: Pariksit meets Kali
Where does Kali reside?

 
Pariksit was about to punish Kali but seeing Kali's humility, the king let him go saying that he should not see him anywhere in his kingdom. Kali asked King Pariksit to give him some place to live.
King  Pariksit first  gave him 4 places to live:
1) untruthfulness
2) arrogance
3) lust
4) cruelty
Then Kali asked for a fifth place to reside. This was Rajoguna - meaning running after wealth.

What we learnt from the story? We should be truthful, not show arrogance, not be cruel, and not to run after wealth.

Playtime
Let Kali not pass. Please ask you kids at home about this game.

We then finished the class with our ending prayers, Aarati and pledge. Gautam Uncle visited us and talked to us about Cord walkathon. Please register online. This event will be held at Mercer county park on Sunday, Oct 28th.
See you all next week. ~Indira Aunty and Sanjana Didi

Balavihar Week 3- Section 1

October 7th, 2012

Our class started with meditation which we did for 10 minutes. During meditation , the lights will be turned off in the class. So parents, please help the kids to be in class on time so that they don't miss the meditation time. We took the attendence of the class by greeting everyone with "Hari Om". Following we did the prayer "Sahanaavathu" and "Tvamey va maatha cha". We did the "Guru Stotram" upto verse 4. During the Bhajan time we did the Bhajan "Radhe Radhe Radhe". 

Bhagvatham Time: 

First we did the recap of the last class and moved on with the story. 

Topic of the Day:

• Tale: Pariksit meets Kali
• Brainstorming: What is Kali and where he resides
• Tale: King Pariksit's Curse  

Tale: Pariksit meets Kali

 
Pariksit was about to punish Kali but seeing Kali's humility, the king let him go saying that he should not see him anywhere in his kingdom. Kali asked King Pariksit to give him some place to live. Thus Pariksit gave him 5 adharmic places to live: Anartam (untruthfulness), Mada (arrogance, ignorance), Kama (lust), Vairam (cruelty), Rajoguna (running after wealth).

Lesson Learned:

One desiring one's own good should never indulge in the adharmic ways. One can do it  by being truthful, not being arrogant, not being cruel, and by not running after wealth.

Tale: The Curse

King Pariksit went hunting alone in the forest. After a while he felt thirsty and went looking for water. His search ended up seeing sage Samika's ashram. But the sage was in deep mediation that he was not aware of the king's presence. The King wanted to test the sage so he took a snake and put it around the sage's neck and on seeing this act of the king the sage's son, Sringi got angry and cursed the King that he will be bitten by a poisoness snake, Thakshak and thus he will be killed in 7 days. When the Sage Samika heard this he was upset with his son. The noble sage didn't even think bad about the king but instead defended the king saying that there is no king as good as King Pariksit. Such is the greatness of the sages of our land. 

Lesson Learned:

One wrong act cannot be set right by another wrong act. We explained it more  by giving examples from our day to day life like it is not good to shout and people shouting back at you. It is not nice to push someone and in turn someone pushes you back. Sameway it is not good to hit someone and someone hits you back. 

We then finished the class with our ending prayers, Aarati and pledge. Next week on we are going to start the Bhagavad Gita chanting, Chapter 13. See you all next week. 

Regards,

Pushkala Aunty and Deepthy Aunty