Hari OM.
Classroom A115 was dark and quiet. When the door was opened the kids sprung up from their chairs and screamed "Surprise! Happy Mother's Day". There were Mother's Day wishes written on the board, with a creative likhita japa "OM Mother's Day namaH" :) LOL. "That was awesome. Thank you kids! for the sweet surprise."
The class then discussed how each one of them had partnered with their siblings and Dad to treat their mom extra special on Mother's Day. All moms were lucky today receiving cards, poems, flowers, breakfast in bed, perfumes, candy, etc. We discussed how one can never repay a mom for all the love and kindness she showers on us through all her daily actions. We agreed that the goal was to make MOM happy and special and convey our gratitude. Prasad uncle mentioned that this attitude should not be restricted to Mother's day alone, but should continue on all days :) It is nice to devote a special day for all the MOMS, but every day and moment is to be cherished.
We discussed few sayings of Tamil Saints and Telugu Poets reinforcing that Mom & Dad are living GODs, giving us an opportunity to love and be loved. We had an interesting discussion on how at various time periods women were considered inferior and banned from going to school or learning vedas, and many learned scholars and social activists worked hard to remove this bias. We reminded ourselves that all of us are endowed with different skills, but none inferior or superior to another, and we shall be vigilant to ensure that we do not develop any bias based on gender, caste, wealth, nationality, skills, etc.
Like the Hardware and Software that come together and function as a technology device that empowers us; like the Siva and Parvati in the form - ardhanaareeshwar, like the Yin and Yang, we have to be in harmony and realize our collective potential and contribute to the community welfare.
We sang our opening prayers after the Mother's day special segment.
We reviewed what we had learnt about Durga and Lakshmi, and moved on to Saraswati. All the kids knew that Saraswati is revered as the "Mother of Knowledge". We discussed the significance of the name.
Thus Saraswati, is the Goddess who bestows upon us the Knowledge of the Self. We related this to the words of Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Geeta Chapter 13, when Krishna answers Arjuna on what has to be known. Goddess Saraswati holds a Veena in two of her hands, a japa mala in one hand and the vedas in the other hand, thus representing she is the Goddess of Arts, Spiritual Knowledge and Technology. She is the consort of Lord Brahma, providing the knowledge required for creation. In this context, we discussed how Japa Mala is a great meditation tool: How our body serves as a feedback loop to train the mind to focus on one thought and then helps us move on to an interval with no thoughts. That lead to the kids standing in Tree Pose, Nataraja pose, aiming for stillness and perfect balance :)
The kids were curious about why the sari Goddess Saraswati is wearing is white and the lotus she is seated upon is also white. The color White indicates purity and knowledge, hence as the mother of knowledge she is represented adorning white clothes.
She is seated on a rock, and there is a river flowing in the surrounding symbolizing that in this life there are always different flow of events, some pleasant and easy and some painful and difficult, but we have to be seated firmly like Goddess Saraswati, acquiring the knowledge of the self, despite the flow of events.
We discussed about the Swan and Peacock accompanying Goddess Saraswati. Kids were surprised to know that Swans could separate milk from a mixture of milk and water. Swans thus symbolizes the power of discrimination between the REAL and the UNREAL. We had a good brain storming session on what is REAL, by the way.
We had an announcement: Fifth Grade Bala Vihar Team shall sponsor the Soup Kitchen Dinner, the coming saturday, May 18th. An email shall be sent to parents with the sign up sheet. Please sign up to indicate what you can contribute and drop off the items in the Vrindavan Ashram before 3PM.
We then wrote the likhita Japa - OM Sri Saraswatyai namaH in a leaf cut-out, decorated and offered our leaf to Mother Saraswati, requesting her to bless us with knowledge.
The class then dispersed to the auditorium for Aarti and pledge.
Happy Mother's Day to all moms,
Anjana Aunty & Prasad Uncle
Classroom A115 was dark and quiet. When the door was opened the kids sprung up from their chairs and screamed "Surprise! Happy Mother's Day". There were Mother's Day wishes written on the board, with a creative likhita japa "OM Mother's Day namaH" :) LOL. "That was awesome. Thank you kids! for the sweet surprise."
The class then discussed how each one of them had partnered with their siblings and Dad to treat their mom extra special on Mother's Day. All moms were lucky today receiving cards, poems, flowers, breakfast in bed, perfumes, candy, etc. We discussed how one can never repay a mom for all the love and kindness she showers on us through all her daily actions. We agreed that the goal was to make MOM happy and special and convey our gratitude. Prasad uncle mentioned that this attitude should not be restricted to Mother's day alone, but should continue on all days :) It is nice to devote a special day for all the MOMS, but every day and moment is to be cherished.
We discussed few sayings of Tamil Saints and Telugu Poets reinforcing that Mom & Dad are living GODs, giving us an opportunity to love and be loved. We had an interesting discussion on how at various time periods women were considered inferior and banned from going to school or learning vedas, and many learned scholars and social activists worked hard to remove this bias. We reminded ourselves that all of us are endowed with different skills, but none inferior or superior to another, and we shall be vigilant to ensure that we do not develop any bias based on gender, caste, wealth, nationality, skills, etc.
Like the Hardware and Software that come together and function as a technology device that empowers us; like the Siva and Parvati in the form - ardhanaareeshwar, like the Yin and Yang, we have to be in harmony and realize our collective potential and contribute to the community welfare.
We sang our opening prayers after the Mother's day special segment.
We reviewed what we had learnt about Durga and Lakshmi, and moved on to Saraswati. All the kids knew that Saraswati is revered as the "Mother of Knowledge". We discussed the significance of the name.
"Swa" - means Self
"saara" - means essenceThus Saraswati, is the Goddess who bestows upon us the Knowledge of the Self. We related this to the words of Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Geeta Chapter 13, when Krishna answers Arjuna on what has to be known. Goddess Saraswati holds a Veena in two of her hands, a japa mala in one hand and the vedas in the other hand, thus representing she is the Goddess of Arts, Spiritual Knowledge and Technology. She is the consort of Lord Brahma, providing the knowledge required for creation. In this context, we discussed how Japa Mala is a great meditation tool: How our body serves as a feedback loop to train the mind to focus on one thought and then helps us move on to an interval with no thoughts. That lead to the kids standing in Tree Pose, Nataraja pose, aiming for stillness and perfect balance :)
The kids were curious about why the sari Goddess Saraswati is wearing is white and the lotus she is seated upon is also white. The color White indicates purity and knowledge, hence as the mother of knowledge she is represented adorning white clothes.
She is seated on a rock, and there is a river flowing in the surrounding symbolizing that in this life there are always different flow of events, some pleasant and easy and some painful and difficult, but we have to be seated firmly like Goddess Saraswati, acquiring the knowledge of the self, despite the flow of events.
We discussed about the Swan and Peacock accompanying Goddess Saraswati. Kids were surprised to know that Swans could separate milk from a mixture of milk and water. Swans thus symbolizes the power of discrimination between the REAL and the UNREAL. We had a good brain storming session on what is REAL, by the way.
We had an announcement: Fifth Grade Bala Vihar Team shall sponsor the Soup Kitchen Dinner, the coming saturday, May 18th. An email shall be sent to parents with the sign up sheet. Please sign up to indicate what you can contribute and drop off the items in the Vrindavan Ashram before 3PM.
We then wrote the likhita Japa - OM Sri Saraswatyai namaH in a leaf cut-out, decorated and offered our leaf to Mother Saraswati, requesting her to bless us with knowledge.
The class then dispersed to the auditorium for Aarti and pledge.
Happy Mother's Day to all moms,
Anjana Aunty & Prasad Uncle
