Hari Om! Parents,
This was our first online Balvihar class. With HIS grace, Gurudev’s blessings, Swami Shantanadajis beessings, the hard work put in by the Coordinators, with your cooperation and the children’s interest we could conduct our class very smoothly.
We started our class with the beginning prayers followed by the Vedic chant,
Om Namaste astu bhagavan…
We then chanted Trayambakam 11 times for the good health of every one.
Chanted verses 29, 30 from the chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita along with Pujya Swamiji.
We then went on to our curriculum on the Mahavakyas.
The children enumerated the 4 mahavakyas form the 4 Vedas. Briefly we recapped our last week’s discussion which was on the first 2 mahavakyas viz,
“Prajnanam Brahma” or “Consciousness is Brahman” from the Rig Veda.
“Tat Tvam Asi’ or “You Are That” from the Samaveda.
This week our discussion was based on the vows we take every day, based on our daily prayers. Molding our sharp corners or our negative tendencies can be improved by doing this.
We enumerated some of the daily prayers we have been learning in BV all these years.
After waking up: Karagre Vasate..
Before studies: Saraswati namastubhyam…
Before taking food… Aham vaishvanaro…
Before turning on the evening lights: Shubham karoti
Before going to bed… Karacharana krtam va….
Chanting these prayers makes us think of the Lord throughout the day. This is the best way to purify our mind which is our goal.
We told a story about the Mind, The Genie:
Shri Narayanadas was a poor but pious man living in a village. One year there was a famine in the village. So Narayanadas went to his teacher in the forest for help. The teacher taught a special mantra which will produce a genie, which will fulfill all his wishes. So Narayanadas took the genie to the village, feeling very happy. He returned home took a bath, said his prayers and requested the genie for food for everyone in the village. It was done! Then he asked the genie to fix all the broken huts in the village and then to clean up the village. This was done too. Everyone in the village was happy. Narayanadas didn’t know what to do next. So he asked the genie to rest. The genie said he could not do that. Narayanadas rushed to his teacher and asked for help. The teacher said to erect a pole and make the genie go up and down till there is work. It worked.
Inferred that our mind is also like a genie. When invoked properly it can work wonders. But when it is idle it can destroy us. The pole is like the Lord’s name. Chanting the lords name makes our mind calm and pure.
Our next discussion was based on the last 2 Mahavakyas:
Discussed the way to understand this is by deep meditation. We taught this with a story
Lord Brahma was teaching Brahma vidya to the devas and asuras. The devas sent their representative Indra, and the asuras sent Virochana. He asked them to bring a pail of water and told them to look inside and observe what they saw. Both the devas and asuras said they saw their body, face etc.. Prajapati or Brahmaji said what you see is Brahman. The asuras were so happy to hear this and it was very easy to follow. They concluded that their body and their senses etc is Brahman. They Indulged in sense pleasures. Indra went back and contemplated about how can the body and the senses be Brahman. He had heard that Brahman is immortal and he observed that his body is mortal subject to birth, growth, death etc. He then went back to Prajapati. Prajapati was impressed and taught him that Brahman is a happy mind. Indra went back and contemplated that his mind too is subject to happiness and sadness, so that cannot be Brahman. He came back to his teacher. Prajapati was very impressed about Indra’s way of thinking. Prajapati said one who sleeps is Brahman. Again Indra contemplated and felt that one who is sleeping is not aware of anything. He returned to his teacher an asked for more. Prajapati was now satisfied and felt that Indra was ready for the ultimate teaching of Brahma Vidya. He taught him all about the atma and Indra came back and taught the other devas.
Discussed the Mahavakya: “Ayamatma Brahma” or the “Self is Brahman”.
Discussed that only when our mind is purified can we understand the teacher’s instructions The student sits quietly and meditates on the teaching and he understands that the atma in all is Brahman
Discussed finally after long years of more contemplation the student finally declares:
Aham Brahma asmi or I am Brahman
This is the 4th Mahavakya from the Yajur Veda
Discussed detachment from the body, mind, senses etc helps us to get closer to the lord. It helps us to curb our sense pleasures and makes our mind pure.
Discussed our body and mind are instruments to be used wisely to absorb the message our scriptures teach. This is the way to get closer to the Lord.
The children sang the arathi and recited the pledge by taking turns.
Pranams
Nirmala and Purnima
