Hari Om! Parents,
We continued our 2nd online Bala Vihar class successfully with the blessings of Pujya Gurudev and our Swamiji. Thanks to our coordinators for all your help and to parents and children for your enthusiasm.
We started our class with our beginning prayers followed by the Vedic chant,
Om namo aste bhagavan..
We then chanted Trayambakam, 11 times for everyone’s good health during these difficult times.
We continued learning to chant verses 31 and 32 form chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita along with Pujya Swamiji.
We recapped last week’s discussion on Mahavakyas.
We watched and discussed a beautiful video by Pujya Gurudev about the Mahavakyas. Video link is attached below
This week or curriculum was based on,
1. Samavartana or returning home after completing our studies at the end of the Brahmachaya ashram or student life.
Discussed, about life of a student in the Vedic and Pauranic ages at the gurukula. Also talked about the convocation address given to the students by the teacher when they leave the gurukula.
Discussed this address based on the Taitriya Upanshad about how the children should conduct their lives after they leave the gurukula.
Discussed as part of this convocation address the teacher reminds the student to:
- Speak the truth always
- Do all your duties or nitya karmas
- Devote time everyday to study the scriptures
- Gurudakshina and support of their gurukula
- Take care of your own welfare
- See mother, father and guru as the Lord
- Revere all your teachers
- Give danam or charity
- When in doubt during a difficult situation in life, try to emulate a man of knowledge
Discussed all these topics in detail. We told a story about gurudakshina and support of the ashrama. This story was about Lord Krishna, Balarama, and their cousin Uddhav when they were leaving their gurukula. The Lord, his friends and cousin took their studies very seriously at the ashram. While leaving the ashrama they helped to find their Guru’s son who was lost at sea. The Lord made his Guru very happy. He also paid his Gurudakshina in this way.
Talked about how children can support our Chinmaya ashrama when they complete their education. This will help our future generation to participate in this wonderful program our Gurudev started.
The teacher concluded that this is the commandment of the Vedas and we all should abide in it at all times.
2. Our next topic was on the Vivaha ceremony.
Discussed as a brahmachari an individual is a receiver in society. After gaining the knowledge and being ready for responsibilities he can move into the grihasta ashrama.
Discussed this is the most important ashrama as it supports all the other 3 ashramas. We had discussed this in detail during the writing and enactment of our annual play.
Discussed briefly about all the traditions of a Hindu wedding.
--Talked about the vivaha ceremony which takes place in a mandapa which represents a universe.
--The pots in the 4 corners of the mandapa represent the 4 directions
--The 4 pillars of the mandpa represents the 2 sets of parents of the bride and groom
--The decorations and the flowers represent joy
--The grains used represent prosperity
--The fire represents the Fire God who is the divine witness to the wedding
Briefly discussed the main ceremonies during a wedding viz. the Ganesha Pooja, Jaymala, Kanya daan, pheras and saptapadi.
Discussed that the pheras are a very important ritual where the bride and groom take vows to live by viz,
--Dharma- values as given in the scriptures
--Artha- Earn livelihood keeping dharma in mind
--Kama- desires keeping dharma in mind
--Moksha- Liberation from the cycle of births and death
Discussed the ritual of saptapadi whereby both the bride and groom take 7 steps and make a promise
--To provide proper nourishment to the household
--To provide emotional and physical strength to everyone in the household
--Acquire wealth and success by righteous means
--Dedicate their lives to mutual happiness
--For healthy and strong children to continue lineage
--Enjoy all ups and downs in life
--Loyalty to the marriage with love and friendship to one another.
Discussed Pujya Guruji’s song Vivaha Dinamidam and its meaning
Concluded that life in the grihasta ashrama is based on service to people and society and worship of the Lord.
The children took turns in singing the Arathi and recited the pledge.
Pranams
Nirmala and Purnima
