Hari Om, greetings and Namaste.
This is the summary of the two session on Nov. 12.
This years curriculum consists of two cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam
- Canto 10 deals with the birth and childhood happenings of Lord Krishna - Sree Krishna Leelas
- 11th Canto also known as Avadhoota Gita is a dialog between Sage Dattatreya and a king Yadu as retold by lord Krishna to his favourite disciple Uddhava, just before lord Krishna's end of his avatar.
- Krishnashtakam https://youtu.be/-OqY_ZbIT-k
- Shree Govinda Damodara stotram https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--3BXJuMVQ0
- Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 - Sankhya yoga verses 39-72 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwv-WSJSokEORu2iEsVanXQhQHOoiiQIy
The routine of the Balavihar session is
- Likitha Japa
- Invocation of Santi mantra
- Daily Prayers
- Krishnashtakam
After the initial greetings, likitha japa, we performed our daily prayers and then completed Krishnashtakam. Most of the kids are proficient , but few need more practice, please help your kids in in the pronunciation and memorizing the slokas. We will have pop quizzes all the material we teach in the class including slokas. After that, we reviewed the birth of of 8th child of Devaki, Vasudeva in the prison and how miraculously the baby was transported across a flooded Yamuna to Gokul to the hours of Nanda and Yashoda and then we had a pop quizz, which all the kids enjoyed.
Maa Yashoda, slowly opened her eyes from the deep sleep she was under, after the birth of the child the previous night. She was delighted to see the little baby besides her with such a sparkle and twinkle in the eyes. She knew no bounds for joy seeing the beautiful smiling face of the lord in the baby. Such is the joy of all mothers after the ordeal of giving birth!. The news of birth of the first baby in Nanda's household spread like wild fire in Goklul. All people of of Gokul - tall and short, dark and fair, handsome and ugly, old and young were filled with joy at this news for Nanda was their Chief and a successor was born to the chief. They all were eager and wanted to rush to see the baby as fast as they could.., but before that..
They wanted to adorn themselves with the best, they had to adorn and decorate Gokul with the best to mark the celebration. All the elders in the village took upon themselves to to clean up the main thoroughfares of Gokul - sprinkled water, put beautiful welcoming arches, decked their bulls, cows and carts. The ladies of the houses cleaned their houses gave head batch to their kids tookk out the best of the clothing and jeweler they had for their families to wear. The whole town was in one big celebratory mood and why not - it was their chief's first son - their heir and successor. The birth of a prince is celebration for the entire kingdom!!
Meanwhile in Nanda's house, Nanda was over come with joy at the birth of the beautiful baby, he ordered his house to be freshly painted, the yards cleaned and decorated. Additionally he ordered grains form his grain silos and other gifts to be distributed to the entire village. He was aware that the entire village will show up at his door front any time to have a peek at the baby. Such was the love of the villagers for Nanda. Nanda was a great chief of the yadava/ cow heard community in Gokul. Every body respected him for his wisdom, fairness. He was a just, compassionate and lead the yadavas with humility and attitude of service. He knew that the whole village be at his door step any time to have a peek at his baby. He had no time, he had to be ready he had no time to loose.
By late morning, the whole house was decorated and Nanda was as ready as he could be to welcome the villagers. All the villagers also got ready in their best dresses and packed fresh milk and butter for the baby in beautiful earthen pots and started heading towards Nanda's house...
As it was past 8:15 PM, it was time for Bhagvadgita, we covered slokas 43 & 44 and practiced along with Swamiji's video. We concluded with aarati and pleadge..
Until we meet next
Shivram & Meena
(sevaks)