Feb 6, 2022 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om, Parents.
We covered the following during our class on 2/06/2022.

We did the regular recitation of Om 3 times, then followed it by the recitation of daily shlokas: Sahana Vavathu, Vakrathunda, Saraswathi, GururBrahma, Budhirbalam, Shubham karoti, Brahmarpanam Brahma Havih, and Samasta Jana Kalyane. We gave a chance to every kid to recite our daily prayers.

Yoga for kids: We showed a video on youtube about Sun Salutations & Yoga with Animals.

Three of our class kids have won in the Bala Vihar storytelling contest. This was a proud moment for our class. We allowed the winners to share their stories with the class. This was such motivation to everyone in the class that everyone from the class had a story to share. We allowed everyone to share their story with the class.

In Likhit Japa, kids drew their favorite drawings and wrote Shree Rama repeatedly. Please continue Likhit Japa practice in the home.

We also played the Ramayana ice breaker game, and the kids enjoyed it.

Please practice Geeta chanting with kids using the following videos by Swami ji. First graders are expected to chant verses 39 - 53.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwv-WSJSokEORu2iEsVanXQhQHOoiiQIy

We concluded our class with closing prayer and pledge.

Thanks & Regards,

Rupali & Nancy.

Jan 30, 2022 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om, Parents.

We had a very productive class on 1/30/2022.  We covered the following.

We did the regular recitation of Om 3 times, then followed it by the recitation of daily shlokas: Sahana Vavathu, Vakrathunda, Saraswathi, GururBrahma, Budhirbalam, Shubham Karoti, Brahmarpanam Brahma Havih, and Samasta Jana Kalyane. 

We played the quiet game, and the kids did really well in this meditation game. They guessed the number of beads correctly by being quiet and listening to the sound of beads falling into a cup. 

We also learned a new bhajan called "jaya jaya tulasi, jaya jaya rama, jaya jaya lakshman, jaya hanuman". (My Prayers Book (Green) pg. 141-142)

We covered the following two stories.

A friend in need: How Jatayu the big bird came to Sita Ji's help.

The Faithful Jatayu:  How Jatayu the big bird fought with Ravana and provided information about Sita Ji's abduction to Rama and Laksmana. 

We concluded our class with closing prayer and pledge.

Thanks & Regards,

Rupali, Nancy and Dipti.

Jan 23, 2022 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om! Parents,

Below is a preview of last Sunday's class. Our class began with deep breathing, chanting Om, opening prayer, and daily prayers. Please practice daily prayers with kids.

This week we learned the following prayer.

Shri Guru:

"Samasta-jana kalyane niratam karunamayam,

Namami Chinmayam devam sadgurum brahmavidvaram."

After the daily prayer, all children took turns narrating a quick recap of the stories from the last week. 

This week we covered the following stories.

Aranya Kanda continues with the injured Surpanakha running back to her brothers, Khara and Dusana. She told them she had lost her nose and ears and demanded that her brothers do something about it. Khara sent his best generals to battle, but Lord Rama single-handedly killed them. Next, Khara, Dusana, Trisiras, and an army mounted an attack. They were no match to Lord Rama and his Kodanda bow. Lord Rama used his Brahmastra, and they all perished. The Devas declared victory, and the rishis blessed Lord Rama. Finally, it restored the balance of good in the Dandaka forest.

One rakshasa from the army, named Akampana, escaped and reached Lanka. The mighty King Ravana was holding court in his palace. Akampana brought him the sad news that his brothers Khara and Dusana were killed. Ravana was furious and vowed to destroy the men responsible for Khara and Dusana's death. Akampana suggests since Lord Rama is not an ordinary man, Ravana plans his revenge more carefully. King Ravana sets out to meet Maricha, who has given up his evil ways and become an ascetic. Ravana tells him that Lord Rama killed several powerful rakshasas and that he has a plan for revenge. Maricha had learned his lesson at Sage Vishwamitra's yajna, and he warned Ravana not to provoke Lord Rama. Maricha appealed to Ravana's sense of reason and convinced him to return to Lanka. However, the next day Soorpanakha rushes in and shows King Ravana her injuries. She cleverly narrated a different story: she wanted to capture the beautiful Sita for Ravana. She demanded that her brother, Ravana, must take revenge for the insult done to her. King Ravana promised Surpanakha that Lord Rama would pay the price. He visits Maricha's ashrama and tells Maricha of his decision to put an end to Lord Rama. Ravana demands that Maricha, with his magical powers, change into a golden deer. Once Lord Rama and Lakshmana are distracted by the deer, Ravana would carry away Sita. Maricha could not disobey his king and agreed to the plan. They got into the aerial chariot and headed towards the Dandaka forest.

It is springtime in Panchavati; the forest is lush and beautiful. Sita is collecting flowers for a garland when she sees a golden deer with silver spots. She is immediately fascinated and wants it for a pet. Sita pleads with Lord Rama to catch the golden deer. Lakshmana is suspicious and warns them that it could be a rakshasa in disguise. Lord Rama decides to go after the deer and asks Lakshmana to guard Sita well. The golden deer leads Lord Rama deeper and deeper into the forest. Finally, losing his patience, Lord Rama shoots the deer. Much to his surprise, the deer changes back into Maricha and falls. He cries out for help and perishes in a voice exactly like Lord Rama. Back in Panchavati, Sita and Lakshmana hear Lord Rama's cry for help. Sita is scared and pleads with Lakshmana to go and help Lord Rama. Lakshmana is reluctant to leave, but seeing Sita's misery, he searches for his brother. 

Other activities with kids:

• We played a puzzle game on what we have studied in the Ramayana story so far
• We played a word wall game where kids had to choose the correct word from the choices given
• We practiced yoga poses  
• We wrapped up with our closing prayers, aarti, and pledge

Thank You,

Rupali, Nancy, Dipti!

Jan 9, 2022 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om! Parents,

We wish all Balavihar Grade 1 families a very Happy New Year and Happy Makar Sankranti. We are happy to see our students, just returned from the winter break, refreshed, and had plenty of vacation stories to share. 

This week, we started our class by chanting OM three times and reciting the following Shlokas. We have broken these Shlokas appropriately, so kids can read and memorize them easily.

1.OM Sahana Vavatu, Sahanau Bhunaktu, Saha Viryam Karava vahai

  Tejasvi Navadi tamastu, Ma Vid vishava hai, OM Shanti Shanti Shantihi

2. Vakratunda Mahakaya Surya Koti Samaprabha |

   Nirvighnam Kuru Me Dev Sarv-Kaaryeshu Sarvadaa ||

3. Saraswati Namas tubhyam Varade Kaama-Roopini

   Vidya rambham Karishyaami Siddhir-Bhavatu Me Sadaa

4. GururBrahma GururVishnu GururDevo Maheshwaraha

   Guru Saakshaat ParaBrahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha

5. Buddhir Balam Yasho Dhairyam

   Nirbhaya tvam Arogataam

   Ajaaddyam Vaak Patu tvam Cha

   Hanumat Smaran aat Bhavet

6. Shubham Karoti Kalyaannam-Aarogyam Dhana-Sampadaa |

   Shatru-Buddhi-Vinaashaaya Diipa-Jyotir-Namostute ||

This week, we introduced the following bhajan and sang it a couple of times.

   Khathe bhi Raam kaho

   Peethe bhi Raam kaho

   Sothe bhi Raam Kaho

   Ram Ram Ram

Kids wrote Shree Rama multiple times in their likhita japa book.

This week, we completed two stories - one about Agastya rishi and another about Surpanakha. The kids enjoyed these stories.

We concluded the class with the closing prayer and the pledge, and the kids participated happily. We encourage the kids to come forward to lead during the closing prayer and the pledge.

As part of the Bala Vihar House activities, a story telling contest will be held on Jan 29th. Please encourage all kids to participate. You can register them at bit.ly/Storytelling22. Also, please check out all the other Bala Vihar House activities, including Art and Shlokathon, at www.chinmayavrindavan.org/HouseEvents. 

This year we expect Grade 1 students to chant Geeta verses 39-53 from chapter 2. So far, kids know how to chant until verse 44. Please use Swamiji's recording to practice Geeta chanting at home :  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwv-WSJSokEORu2iEsVanXQhQHOoiiQIy. 

Thank You,

Rupali, Nancy, and Dipti

Welcome to Gr 1 - Sunday AM Session

Please look out for regular updates from 

the teachers 

soon after the session starts.