HariOm Parents,
We had a great Friday yesterday with all your children. As we had children coming in we got the children start the day with word find. We worked with our maze for a little child to reach Krishna. So, we revisited our stories as we saw how Krishna loves cows, vedas, humble, share. The children can unscramble the rest of the words as they have the Road map to Krishna maze with them.
Thank you for making sure quite a few children started doing Likhita Japa at home. We will continue collecting the sheets filled with Likhita Japa so our team Krishnas cowboys points. Please turn in once the sheet has likhita japa done both sides of the pages.
We then proceeded to our routine. We said Om 3 times and then starting class with our Opening Prayers(Om Sahanavavatu).
1. Chanting My Prayers: Since all the kids who attended 3rd grade were already taught the My Daily Prayers we chanted it. For the benefit of the newcomers, the Daily prayers are in My Prayers Pg,11 of green book. The following are the shlokas
a. Karagrevasathe Lakshmi
b. Gangecha yamunechaiva
c. Saraswati namstubyam
d. Brahmarpanam
e. Subhamkaroti kalyanam
f. Karacharana kratamvaak
g. Kayenavacha manasaindriyeyva
2. Today was 4th grades turn to do Aarti and Pledge in the temple. So we practised all the bhajans in class. We did find some children over the years know the entire aarti memorised. But we did find some children both new and old who need practise. We will work be working with them from now on so they can all learn it well. Request parents not to pickup the kids till aarti is done.
3. Bhagawat Gita : We did Bhagawat Gita chanting verse 14,15 and 16. Please bookmark Swamiji's Bhagawat Gita teaching videos. Please chant regularly. Bookmark the youtube video
4. Krishna Stories : Brahmajis Moha Bhanga
After the death of Agasura Krishna and the gopas went to the banks of Yamuna,.They were hungry all the children took out their packet of food and they sat in a circle with Krishna in the middle. While they were busy eating and having fun the calves strayed along the riverside. It was sometime later that the gopas noticed and got worried. They wanted to go and check but Krishna asked them not to bother and he went to check.
Brahmaji had witnessed Krishna's tricks before and he wanted to experience the powers of Krishna himself. So, in a moment of mischief he hid all the calves in a mountain cave. So, Krishna searched the hills and valleys but could not find the calves so he came to tell the gopas but to his surprise when he returned he found no gopas.
He meditated and he saw that it was Brahmajis trick to test His divinity. So, he smiled and decided that he would please Lord Brahmaji and also make the gopas mothers experience infinite bliss. So, Krishna himself and multiplied into exact forms of gopas and calves. Then they returned to their homes. From that day on all the gopis were experiencing infinite Love and it was a feeling of ecstasy that they experienced as they embraced their children and the calves as they were all Krishna himself. Thus days passed and this continued for one year.
One day Balarama was watching the calves and he saw the cows rushing from the top of the hill to the calves to feed them and he also noticed how the gopis were experiencing so much love towards their sons. So, Balarama asked Krishna what happened and Krishna explained the whole story to Balarama.
Now Brahmaji wanted to check what was happening and he came down to check and was totally confused to see one set of gopas and calves in the cave were he had hidden them and another set of gopas and calves in the village carrying on with their day to day work and also how happy all of them were. Suddenly his confusion cleared as the maya which clouded him lifted and he saw all of them were Sri vishnu with conch, chakra, lotus and discus and he prostrated to Krishna. Then he went around Krishna three times and then sat on his swan and disappeared like the Krishna gopas and Krishna calves. Under the trees sat the original boys, their calves were grazing not far away. Never did they, their parents or anyone in Vrndavana ever found out or realised what had happened.
Tale : The Silly Turtle
As we started the story we realized most of the children knew the story. So, they narrated it one continuing were the other left.
In a pond there lived harmoniously a turtle and couple of cranes. The pond was drying up so he asked his friends the cranes to help him move to the other pond. So, the cranes came up with an idea they got a stick and asked the turtle to hold with his mouth the stick and they took off.
As the cranes were flying top of the village. A few people saw the cranes and turtle flying and they were fully surprised to see a flying turtle. This made the turtle very happy. Little later he saw few boys in the village. He wanted the boys to see him. So, he excitedly screamed out to them but by doing this he feel flat on the ground.
Think: Eagerness to show off got the turtle in big trouble similar to what happened to Brahmaji.
Dhenukasura Vadham
Time passed now the boys took the cows for grazing not the calves the pastures. The grass was thick and green and fruits and wild flowers grew in abundance. There were many lakes and ponds and silvery Yamuna strolled her way through the forest.
Krishna and Balarama thoroughly reveled in the natural beauty of Vrindavana. They would enjoy the beauty of the land and Krishnas flute made melodious music which all of them enjoyed. Slightly away from the boys was Palmyra garden. The gopas would watch the huicy tala fruits fall to the ground and rot away. The fruits would rot away but the gopas were afraid of the donkeys, headed by Dhenuka asura, that lived in the garden. These donkeys never allowed any human being to enter the garden. But the boys longed to eat the juicy fruit so they pleaded Krishna and Balarama.
Krishna and Balarama entered the garden and Balarama shook the tree hard. So, the ground was covered by the fruit. But this sound also awakened the head donkey Dhenukasura. He came charging at Balarama. Balarama picked the donkeys with its both hind legs and spinned it at whirlwind speed and hurled it against a tree. This was the end of Dhenukasura.
Then we went to the temple for Aarti and Pledge. This Friday it was our turn and all the kids did a very good job as they chanted with rest of them following.
It is always great to see our kids perform. Our next performance will be our stage performance. This is scheduled in March. We will start practise once we start our class in January. So, please make sure not to miss any classes. Next week we do not have Balvihar.
We have Hanuman Jayanti celebration in the Ashram on Dec 26th morning. We will be chanting Hanuman Chalisa 51 times. Please join as all our children know how to chant Hanuman Chalisa it will be good to experience the joy and also meet friends.
Our next class is on Jan 3rd. Wish you all a very Happy New Year.
Pranaam,
Meena and Viji
