Hari Om Parents,
Below is a recap of what we did during Sunday's class. As always, we began our class with 3 OMs and the following shlokas.
1. "Om Saha Navavatu" (page 8 in My Prayers book)
2."Vakrathunda Mahakaya" (page 27 in My Prayers book)
3. "Saraswathi Namasthubhyam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
4. "Karagre Vasate" (page 11 in My Prayers book)
5. "Samudhra Vasane" (page 11 in My Prayers book)
6. "Shubam Karoti" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
7. "Gurur Brahma" (page 60 in My Prayers book)
8. "Brahmarpanam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
9. "Krishnaya Vasudevaya" (page 105 in My Prayers book)
10. "Sri Rama Rama" (page 129 in My Prayers book)
11. "Budhir Balam" (page 152 in My Prayers book)
12. "Kara Charana" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
Krishnashtakam:
The class has been introduced to all 8 shlokas in the Krishnashtakam. Please have the kids practice. We discussed the reason and benefit of chanting the ashtakam in the morning. We discussed that we wake up with a clean slate when we pray to Lord Krishna and constantly have Him on our mind!
"If one reads this as soon as he awakes in the morning,
This divine octet of Lord Krishna without fail,Sins committed in billions of lives,
Would be destroyed, if one thinks about Him".
Today's lesson : Krishna Everywhere
After a brief recap of what we discussed in our previous class, we jumped into this week's Krishna lesson. The kids took turns listing out the many asuras that Krishna has encountered so far. The last asura that Krishna killed was Aghasura. He was only five when he was able to defeat that demon. We went on to discuss how irresistible little Krishna was. We talked about our five senses and how we are attracted to things that look beautiful, smell nice, feel soft or inviting, melodious sounds (like that from a flute---many of our kids are learning to play an instrument and they were super excited to share with the class) and taste yummy. We discussed how we get mesmerized by anything that captivates our senses. When someone has the ability to attract all your senses, they become loved by all. In respect to that, Krishna was and is "Everyone's Darling"! He was so attractive in every way possible.
- He was dear to His parents because He was dutiful and obedient.
- His gopa friends loved Him because of His friendliness and cheerfulness.
- The elders loved Him because He protected them from all danger.
- The gopis loved Him for His beauty and divinity.
- The rishis and sages loved Him because He was "Krishnam Vande Jagat Gurum", the Lord of the universe.
We then shared a video clip of Dhenukasura Vadham. The kids enjoyed watching how little Krishna took down the donkey demon.
Earth
Air
Space
Water
Fire
Moon
Sun
Pigeon
Python
While there may be rough waves on the surface of the ocean, there is less and less movement as we go beneath the waves until there is total calm and tranquility in the depth of the ocean. The ocean remains unaffected whether the waters dry up in the summer or if a myriad river flows into it during the monsoon.
The class was shown an image of a river meeting the ocean as well as a cross section of a similar scene. We then discussed the science behind freshwater and saltwater meeting each other. Just as an ocean does not swell up when a river flows into it nor does it dry up, so also an ascetic should not be elated when desired objects are gained, nor should be depressed upon losing them. Ocean is always the same; in the rainy season it does not get flooded nor does it dry up in summer. It does not get flooded when rivers merge into it.
We learn from the ocean to have "samattva buddhihi". It mean equal mindedness; that is to keep cool under all circumstances.
Do Not Get Elated With Good News, Nor Depressed With Bad News.
The Day When All Went Wrong
We discussed a story about a boy's day. We talked about what we would've done if we had been in that boy's situation.
One day at school…
The teacher got a call, stepped out of the classroom.
Kids began to misbehave.
Tossed around a shoe.
It landed on your desk
You tossed it off your desk.
It landed on your teacher.
You got in trouble.
Punished and embarrassed
On Top Of What Happened In School… You went home and found your pet fish dead!
Your friend was to come and spend the vacation with you; you got an email that he won't come because his father lost his job and the airfare will be an unnecessary expense!
The teacher met your mother in a grocery store and told her what happened in class!
The day was just not going well and it was not really your fault; things just happened!
&&& there's more…
On days like this, it's almost impossible to keep your composure.
Your younger brother decides to hurt you and takes your things.
What do you do? One student said that they would go to their room and sleep! It was like when you wake up in the morning, you'd have a clean slate (like what we had discussed earlier when we talked about the reasons why we chant Krishnashtakam)!
If you laughed it off and kept your cool, that's equal mindedness or having samattva buddhih!
We discussed the power of saying that you are "sorry"! Saying sorry not that you are wrong and the other person is right, but because you value your relationship more than your ego!
A wise man is ever tranquil. The ocean never overflows its boundaries because of the inflow of rivers or rains so too, the man of enlightenment never transgresses his own tranquility.
The kids were asked if they could recall someone behaving like the ocean. We got a few examples. Then they were given a hint of a picture on the screen of Lord Rama! Then the light bulb turned on for several students! Within a few hours after the announcement of the coronation, Prince Rama was summoned to go to the forest for fourteen years. Rama was neither overjoyed about becoming the king nor was he angry or depressed about exile.
Tranquil Ekanatha Maharaja
We then discussed a short story about King Ekanatha. One freezing cold morning, the king approached his guru and asked him what he should do. The guru simply told him to go to the river, take a bath and fetch some water for him. The guru's only catch was that the king must NOT be touched by anyone. When the king came out of the river with the water, a young man accidently bumped into him. Some mischievous kids were watching this incident from behind a tree. They saw that the king went back to the river, took another freezing bath and brought water back with him. The kids took turns and touched the king and thought it to be a funny game until the parents found out what the kids were upto. They were furious and made the kids go and apologize to the king. Ekanathaji said, "Children, it is not your fault. You did according to your nature, and I did according to mine. There is no question of you asking for forgiveness or me giving forgiveness!"Ekanatha maharaja, took another bath in the river, filled the pot with water and took it to his guru and apologized for the delay. He never brought up what the kids did, but the guru knew exactly what happened.
Like Ekanatha Maharaja, let us gain equanimity of mind.
We concluded class with aarathi and pledge.
Neelima & Keerthi