Hari OM.
We began our first Bala Vihar class in the new year writing ॐ नमः शिवाय | We chanted OM and meditated for a few minutes. We sang our opening prayers.
Many kids had completed the craft and quiz worksheeets handed out in the last class. It was exciting to see the coloring and decorations added by the kids. We then went around the class and recalled at least one name of Vishnu from the dhyana shloka and the first three verses of Vishnu Sahasranamam.
We reviewed and summarized the symbolism of Vishnu. We correlated the fact that the mouse in Ganesha symbolism and the serpent in Vishnu symbolism - both represent the human mind and how it has to be kept under one's control.
Moral: Mind can be our friend or foe; we have to train and discipline our mind to progress in our spiritual journey.
The kids were divided in to three sections and they chanted verses 1,2 and 3 of Vishnu Sahasranamam.
We then talked about the one shloka in SVS that is equivalent to chanting the entire SVS. One of the kids had researched and found the answer. We all chanted this shloka three times. We discussed the power of chanting the name of Lord Sri Rama.
We were excited to know that one of our classmates had visited the Guruvayoorappan temple on Dec 31, prior to midnight, and attended the 1000 Laddu Vishnu sahasranama archana offered to the Lord to welcome the new year.
We then welcomed the new deity that we were going to learn about - Lord Siva. Kids shared what they know about shiva. They knew quite a lot of details about Lord Siva. He lives in kailash, he has snakes around his nek, he has a blue neck, he has three eyes, he has river ganga in his head, he has matted hair, he dances when he is angry, he married Vishnu when he took the form of Mohini, etc. etc.
We talked about how Lord Siva is considered to be the Lord of Dance, Lord of languages, Spiritual Teacher or Guru, and the Lord of dissolution. Lord shiva is worshipped in Linga form, as Lord nataraajaa, ardhanaariishvar, or as Dakshinaamurty.
We learned that Om namah shivaaya, our likhita japa for the day, is also known as the pancaakShara, or the five syllable prayer. We chanted the very first verse of the shiva-pancaakshara-shloka. Homework: Please listen to an audio of siva pancaakshara stotram before the next balavihar class. Secondly research about the temples that are known as jyotirlinga temples.
We then learned the next verse in Vishnu Sahasranamam.
26. śarvaḥ: The auspicious one, also the destroyer
27. śivaḥ: One who is pure, has no imperfections
28. sthāṇuḥ: One who is steady, immovable, permanent and changeless.
29. bhūtādiḥ: cause for all the five great elements: space, air, fire, water and Earth.
30. nidhir-avyayaḥ: The imperishable or inexhaustible treasure
31. sambhavaḥ: One born out of His own free-will as incarnation, one who incarnates
32. bhāvanaḥ: The giver, One who gives the fruits or Karmas of all Jivas for them to enjoy.
33. bhartā: One who supports or governs the entire world.
34. prabhavaḥ: One from whom all the five great elements were born, or, source of the five elements
35. prabhuḥ: the almighty Lord, One who is an adept in all rites.
36. Iśvaraḥ: One who has unlimited lordliness or power over all things.
After attendance and closing prayers the class dispersed.
Majority of the kids paid for their copy of the vishnu sahasranamam. Thank you parents for sending in the money. Hope this book stays with the kids as they grow.
Have a great week. See you all on Jan 13.
namaste,
Anjana Aunty & Prasad uncle.
We began our first Bala Vihar class in the new year writing ॐ नमः शिवाय | We chanted OM and meditated for a few minutes. We sang our opening prayers.
Many kids had completed the craft and quiz worksheeets handed out in the last class. It was exciting to see the coloring and decorations added by the kids. We then went around the class and recalled at least one name of Vishnu from the dhyana shloka and the first three verses of Vishnu Sahasranamam.
We reviewed and summarized the symbolism of Vishnu. We correlated the fact that the mouse in Ganesha symbolism and the serpent in Vishnu symbolism - both represent the human mind and how it has to be kept under one's control.
Moral: Mind can be our friend or foe; we have to train and discipline our mind to progress in our spiritual journey.
The kids were divided in to three sections and they chanted verses 1,2 and 3 of Vishnu Sahasranamam.
We then talked about the one shloka in SVS that is equivalent to chanting the entire SVS. One of the kids had researched and found the answer. We all chanted this shloka three times. We discussed the power of chanting the name of Lord Sri Rama.
श्रीराम राम रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे
सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं राम नाम वरानने |
s̀ri̅ra̅ma ra̅ma ra̅meti rame ra̅me manorame
sahasrana̅ma tattulyam ra̅ma na̅ma vara̅nane
We were excited to know that one of our classmates had visited the Guruvayoorappan temple on Dec 31, prior to midnight, and attended the 1000 Laddu Vishnu sahasranama archana offered to the Lord to welcome the new year.
We then welcomed the new deity that we were going to learn about - Lord Siva. Kids shared what they know about shiva. They knew quite a lot of details about Lord Siva. He lives in kailash, he has snakes around his nek, he has a blue neck, he has three eyes, he has river ganga in his head, he has matted hair, he dances when he is angry, he married Vishnu when he took the form of Mohini, etc. etc.
We talked about how Lord Siva is considered to be the Lord of Dance, Lord of languages, Spiritual Teacher or Guru, and the Lord of dissolution. Lord shiva is worshipped in Linga form, as Lord nataraajaa, ardhanaariishvar, or as Dakshinaamurty.
We learned that Om namah shivaaya, our likhita japa for the day, is also known as the pancaakShara, or the five syllable prayer. We chanted the very first verse of the shiva-pancaakshara-shloka. Homework: Please listen to an audio of siva pancaakshara stotram before the next balavihar class. Secondly research about the temples that are known as jyotirlinga temples.
We then learned the next verse in Vishnu Sahasranamam.
sarvaḥ śarvaḥ śivaḥ sthāṇurbhūtādirnidhiravyayaḥ |
saṁbhavō bhāvanō bhartā prabhavaḥ prabhurīśvaraḥ || 4 ||
25. sarvaḥ: The omniscient source of all existence, He who is all.26. śarvaḥ: The auspicious one, also the destroyer
27. śivaḥ: One who is pure, has no imperfections
28. sthāṇuḥ: One who is steady, immovable, permanent and changeless.
29. bhūtādiḥ: cause for all the five great elements: space, air, fire, water and Earth.
30. nidhir-avyayaḥ: The imperishable or inexhaustible treasure
31. sambhavaḥ: One born out of His own free-will as incarnation, one who incarnates
32. bhāvanaḥ: The giver, One who gives the fruits or Karmas of all Jivas for them to enjoy.
33. bhartā: One who supports or governs the entire world.
34. prabhavaḥ: One from whom all the five great elements were born, or, source of the five elements
35. prabhuḥ: the almighty Lord, One who is an adept in all rites.
36. Iśvaraḥ: One who has unlimited lordliness or power over all things.
After attendance and closing prayers the class dispersed.
Majority of the kids paid for their copy of the vishnu sahasranamam. Thank you parents for sending in the money. Hope this book stays with the kids as they grow.
Have a great week. See you all on Jan 13.
namaste,
Anjana Aunty & Prasad uncle.
