Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Worshiping Govardhan Hill

Hare Krishna!!!

Dear Parents,
Thank you for bringing your kids to Sunday school.

This week,
PRAYERS: We sang “ he krsna” and “tapta kanchana” offering our prayers to Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani.
(Note: Please refer to the previous posts for the prayers and their translations.)

SLOKA: We revised Bhagavad-Gita slokas “dhrtarastra uvaca”(chapter 1 : verse 1) and “yad yad acarathi” (chapter 3 : verse 21)
(Note: Please refer to the previous posts for the slokas, translations and audio links).

STORY TIME: We heard what is Govardhan Puja, why Lord Krishna stopped Indira Puja, why Govardhan should be worshiped, how Lord Krishna became the Govardhan Hill to accept the offerings , how King Indira being offended, tried to show his powers on the people of Vrindavan and how Lord Krishna protected his devotees from the devastation.

Next week: We will discuss more on this story and find out what happened to King Indira.

Parents, please read chapter 24 from Krsna book to your kids
or click the following link for the chapter http://krsnabook.com/ch24.html

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the next class.

Haribol!!!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Namapriya Mataji
Amutha

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Damodar Lila

Hare Krishna!!

Dear Parents,
Thank you for your enthusiasm in bringing the kids to sunday school.

This week,
PRAYER: We learned a new prayer about Radharani,

tapta-kanchana-gaurāńgi
radhe vṛndā vaneśvari
vṛṣabhānu-sute devi
praṇamāmi hari-priye

TRANSLATION:
I offer my respects to Rādhārāṇī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrindavana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Krsna.

We continued with the last week prayer

naaraayanam namaskrtya
naram caiva narottamam
deviim saraswatiim vyaasam
tato jayam udiirayet

TRANSLATION :
Before reciting the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-narayan Rsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Saravasti, the goddess of learning, and unto Srila Vyāsadeva, the author.

Parents, please sing the prayers with the kids.

SLOKA: We revised Bhagavad - Gita sloka(Chapter 3 : Verse 21) . Please refer previous updates for the audio link and the verse. Please revise with your kids.

STORY TIME: Kartik Month is very special to Lord Krsna, so, we heard the stories of how mother Yashoda bound Krsna with a rope (Damodar - one whose belly is bound by ropes), how Baby Krsna relieved Nalakuvara and Manigriva from being two arjuna trees and we learned who cursed Nalakuvara and Manigriva to become trees and why and what we learned from these stories and how we should behave.

Practical Applications:
1. We should never do naughty/bad things.
2. When our parents punish us, it is to prevent us from doing bad things and they are helping us to grow as good persons.
3. We should always remember Krsna and never forget Krsna.

Parents, please read chapter 9 & 10 from Krsna Book to your kids.

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the class.

Haribol!!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Namapriya
Amutha

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Lord Krishna's Birth Ceremony and story of Putana

Hare Krishna!!!

Dear Parents,
Thank you for bringing the kids to sunday school.

Oct 23 Week: We heard a wonderful presentation from our sunday school principal Vrajabhakti mataji about Diwali. So, our regular sunday classes were not conducted.

Oct 30, Sunday:
We recited "he krsna karuna sindho" prayer. Most kids knew this prayer and recited very nicely. Good job to kids and Parents!!

SLOKA:
We revised the sloka from Bhagavad-Gita(Chapter 3 : Verse 21)

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janah
̣sa yat pramāṇaḿ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate


TRANSLATION: Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

AUDIO LINK: To hear the sloka, click on the link below
http://kids.iskcondesiretree.info/Audio/03_-_Sloka_recitation_by_5_year_old_Samhita/Bhagavad_Gita_108_Important/Ch%203%20Karma%20Yoga/BG3.21.MP3

We started learning another sloka.

naaraayanam namaskrtya
naram caiva narottamam
deviim saraswatiim vyaasam
tato jayam udiirayet


Parents, please let the kids hear the sloka often.

STORY TIME:
We heard how the Birth ceremony of Lord Krishna's was celebrated by Nanda Maharaj and Mother Yashoda,and we found who sent the witch Putana to kill Baby Krishna, learned how Lord Krishna killed Putana and how mother Yashoda and Rohini chanted and prayed to Vishnu to protect Baby Krishna.

Namapriya mataji said the story about Nara-Narayana relating the importance of reciting "naaraayanaam' sloka before reading Srimad Bhagavatam.

Next Week: We will continue learning "naaraayanam namaskrtya" sloka and the remaining story of Nara-Narayanan.
We will hear another story about Trinavarta.


Looking forward to seeing all of you in the class.

Haribol!!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Namapriya Mataji
Amutha