Harih Om Parents!
The following material was taught to your child during Bala Vihar session on Sunday, April 24, 2022:
Beginning Prayers
Tapovan Shatakam: We re-iterated verses 1 and 2 and taught verses 3 and 4 this week. The following children chanted verses 3 and 4 on their own: Yashvi, Anwita, Vikram and Kavin
We continued with the 35 gems prescribed by Lord Krishna:
Gem 9 Yogi - "Steadfast in Meditation."
Yogi is one who practices to get control of his mind. We have to make laser focus – just like a weak light is made focused by a laser. Our minds are like a river, flow of thoughts is mind. It is difficult to control the river when it is in a state of flood, we have to wait till it quietens down, Similarly, it is difficult to control our mind which is always in as state of flood – three sources contributing to this flood in our minds are - memories of the past, fears of the future, anxieties of the present. Unnecessary regrets of our past mistake impede us from doing what we need to do now, also over anxiety while performing our activities in the present and excessive fear of future should be avoided. When we can achieve this to some extent - the flood of thoughts in our mind calms down, then it is easier to control the mind. We can build a dam across the 'calmer river'; this dam is built by following right values. We can also imagine that these three portals - regrets of the past, anxieties of the present and worries about future - are the three dissipating channels by which the energy of the mind is dissipated. When we plug these dissipating channels, we can conserve our mental energies. Mind can be made focused and single pointed. Then by controlling these three sources we can quieten the mind. We can build a dam across the 'calmer river'; this dam is built in our mind by following right values. We can also imagine that these three portals - regrets of the past, anxieties of the present and worries about future - are the three dissipating channels by which the energy of the mind is dissipated. When we plug these dissipating channels, we can conserve our mental energies. Mind can be made focused and single pointed. Controlling mind is not easy but will come through practice and patience. This can be facilitated by various means including prayer, study and reflection on our sastras, surrendering to God and devotion, japa and of course by meditation. Thus yoga - the integration of our personality can be achieved by detaching ourselves from the lower and attaching ourselves to higher ideals namely the Lord.
Anecdote: Swami Vivekananda, in his earlier days, also had a list of items that he desired. His Guru Ramakrishna found out about the list and asked him to present it to Maa Kali. He sat down to meditate upon Her. After some time when he came out of his meditation, Ramakrishna asked him, if he presented his list. Swami Vivekananda said he forgot. After about a week, Ramakrishna again asked what happened to his wish list. Swami Vivekananda said that he did not have any more wish list. That is the power of meditation! It makes our mind quiet, and our desires evaporate.
Gem 10: Self-controlled, yatatma
Yatatama – one who has self-control and discipline. We had a discussion about why self-control is beneficial. It was reminded that freedom comes with responsibilities. Unless self-control and discipline are followed one cannot achieve anything productive in this life. Pujya Gurudev has said without self-discipline, concentration, and total dedication one cannot grow and shine forth. We have seen numerous examples in our own lives of people practicing for many years to perfect themselves in their own specific professions, for example a musician or a dancer or painter probably had put in many hours and years of hard work before they achieve success and recognition. Professional athletes are an excellent example that illustrates the result of dedication, hard work and concentration. Without having self-discipline and self-control we will not achieve anything meaningful in our life. Even when we look at the word discipline and add all the numbers of the alphabet - that is D represents the fourth alphabet; I represents the ninth alphabet; S represents the 19th letter of the alphabet so on so forth the total of all alphabets in discipline adds up to 100!!! The word itself is showing that we need to put in hundred percent discipline to achieve our goals. As Pujya Gurudev says one who has subjected himself to discipline is a disciple.
Gem 11: Firm conviction, drdhaniscayah
Firm conviction or resolve means having steadfastness, determination to make up one's mind. When we know value of anything then we make a resolve to get it. Students were asked if they wanted $100 note everybody said they would like to have it. When we said that the hundred dollars note was all crumpled up, still they wanted it, this is because they knew the value of hundred dollars. Similarly, only when we value something we can make a resolve to achieve it. Belief born out of understanding is faith. We also explained that there are many definitions or explanations possible for this word faith or sraddha, it has been said that there is no good meaning available in English language to explain all the deeper imports of word sraddha which is loosely translated as faith. It was emphasized to the students that they should have faith in three factors - faith in our sastras, faith in God/Guru and faith in oneself. Just because we cannot see God, we cannot conclude that He is not present. There are many things that we cannot see but can experience. Even though science says that the Earth is round and moving all the time we perceive the Earth to be stationary. But when seen through the eyes of science we understand that the Earth is moving all the time. Similarly, we need a special 'mirror' to be able to see God, the mirror is the purified mind. We achieve this purification by following the teachings of our sastras. When you watch a movie, we don't see the screen, but without the screen the movie cannot play, similarly without God the world cannot exist. Our inability to recognize him is because of our agitations and impurities in our mind. Pujya Gurudev said that the pilgrimage leading to the temple of truth is not easy one may have to go through dangerous forests, dark never-ending tunnels, or precipitous slopes. On this pilgrimage we may experience despondence, despair, and hopelessness. Hence, we need to have unlimited exchequer of power and strength, and this exchequer of infinite strength is called faith. Most of the time we are so busy with our life that we do not acknowledge God for what He has given us, but when we need something from Him, then we remember to pray to Him. In fact, what we are doing is not 'praying' but we are 'preying' on God. All we need to do is just to look around in the nature or even analyze how miraculously this human body works, how the heart pumps blood continuously without a break… to understand the greatness of the Lord. He is the one who is running the show of the world and making our body function seamlessly. We are too busy playing with his toys that we fail to recognize and acknowledge Him. We forget the Giver!
Story - one night a family woke up from sleep detecting smoke and fire in their house. Frantically the father grabbed the one-year-old and a five-year-old and started running out. The five-year-old remembered that he had left his favorite teddy bear in the bedroom, so he let go of his father and ran back to the bedroom. In the anxiety and confusion father did not realize that the five-year old son had let go of his hand. Once he got out of the home, the father realized that his other child was still in the house. By now the fire had worsened and this prevented the father from going in. The father then heard his older son shouting from the bedroom window asking for help. There was lot of smoke. The father could see the son and asked him to jump from the window. Unfortunately, son could not see him because of all the smoke, so he hesitated. The father assured the son that he would catch him and to trust him and jump. The son jumped at his father's behest and was rescued. The son had implicit faith in his father. Similarly, we should put all our effort, hard work and dedication to the work at hand and have complete faith in the Lord that he will provide us with the right result we deserve.
Gem 12: Mind/Intellect Centered In Lord mayyarpitamanobuddhi
Once during an interview, where many candidates were waiting in the lobby an announcement made in the public address system very softly, stating that the person whosoever hears the announcement can enter the hall for the interview. Only one person heard and entered the hall to get the reward of the job! If only we develop the ears to hear God's announcements, have eyes to see His play in the universe, we automatically will become a devotee; our mind and intellect will always sing His glory! How do we develop ears to hear His announcements? How do we develop eyes to see Him? In a movie once the projection upon the screen is over, the white screen in the background is seen automatically. So also, if we can quieten our thoughts, which are the projection blocking the vision of the Lord, the Lord is experienced. And how do we quieten our thought process? By chanting His name, and by having the constant awareness that it is because of the presence of Lord within us that our body can function and we are able to interact with the world outside.
Pujya Gurudev's Words Of Wisdom - Being Centered
Let our actions sing His glory. Let our feelings waft the fragrance of His eternal purity. Let our thoughts gurgle out, expressing His dynamism and divine will. Such a total God-centered life itself is a true hymn in praise of the Lord – from Bala vihar 8 th grade book.
At end of class we had monthly program by Grade 4 – who did an excellent presentation– based on 24 teachers / Gurus – from Srimad Bhagavatam. Hope you enjoyed the presentation.
Bala vihar class on May 8th will be in person at the ashram starting at 9:15 AM – same time as the regular class – children will participate in Guru Paduka Pooja; there are monthly programs and group activities planned on that day. We humbly request that all children come and participate in this important program.
Pranam,
Mekhala Girish
Devender Akula