Damodarastakam

Hare Krsna!!!

Dear Parents,
We miss many of our kids in the Sunday class. Thank you to all the parents for bringing the children.

This week,
Prayers & Bhajans: Kids sang " he krsna " prayer and "Jaya Radha " bhajan very nicely. We will learn Damodarastakam during this month and start new prayers and sloka next month.

 The beautiful Damodarastakam prayers are traditionally sung during the auspicious month of Kartik. It is accompanied by lighting and offering lamps to the Lord. These 8 verses describe the unique pastimes of Lord Damodara. The month of Kartik is also known as Damodara. Damodara is a name of Krishna which refers to His childhood pastimes of getting into trouble and being bound by his mother. In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara.
Lyrics for Damodarastakam: http://kksongs.org/songs/n/namamisvaram.html

 

Audio Link: Damodarastakam

Sloka Time: Many kids recited "raja vidya raja guhyam" sloka very nicely. We appreciate the efforts of the parents to teach the kids. Thank You!!!

Story Time: Radhika Mataji narrated some of the butter stealing pasttimes of  Lord Sri Krsna.
Lord Krsna and Madhumangal would dress up as tax collectors and order the gopi's to give butter as tax.
Once, Krsna along with his friends stole butter from Mother Prabhavathy and she caught him red-handed and took him by his hand to Mother Yashoda to teach Krsna a lesson. When she went to Mother Yashoda, Krsna turned himself into Mother Prabhavathy's son Chandra and Mother Yashoda told her not to be hard on Chandra. Mother Prabhavathy was totally confused and when she took her son back home, he turned into Krsna.  Krsna said that she, Mother Prabhavathy makes the best butter and He would always come to eat it.
Krsna does all these pasttimes to attract his devotees.

We concluded the class with Krsna coloring pictures.

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

Haribol!!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Radhika Mataji
Amutha

 

Most important Treasure

Hare Krsna!!
Dear Parents,
Thank you for bringing your kids to Sunday school for their spiritual advancement. We were so happy to see  many kids voluntarily coming forward to recite sloka and sing the bhajan.

This week,
Prayers & Bhajans: We offered our humble prayers to Lord Sri Krsna and we sang the Jaya Radha Madhav bhajan.
[Note: Please refer to the old posts for the prayer and bhajan lyrics and audio links.]

Sloka: We revised  all the slokas  and learned BG (9:2)
[Note: Please refer to the old posts for the sloka lyrics and audio links.]

Story time: We read  "A magical touch-stone" book.
Gopi was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and never worked in his life. His wife Laxmi got angry with her husband, over not having enough to eat, live. So, she sent him out of the house to work and bring money. As he never worked, he didn't know what to do. So, he again prayed to Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva asked him to go to Vrndavan and meet the saint Sanatana Goswami.
Gopi journeyed to Vrndavan and offered his respects to Sanatana Goswami and asked to help him. Sanatana Goswami sent Gopi to the back of his house to find a magical stone, which would turn anything into gold, in his trash. Gopi thanked him after finding the magical stone and went back to his wife and became very wealthy.
One day, his wife had a doubt how could one keep a magical touch stone in their trash and wondered what other big treasure the saint had in his home. So, she again sent Gopi to ask the saint for the more important treasure in his house. Gopi went to Sanatana Goswami's house and asked for it. The Saint then asked him to throw away the magical touch-stone and gave him the most wonderful, important treasure which is the holy name of the Lord.
                          "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
                           Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare"
Chanting the holy name, Gopi went back to his home and told his wife about the most important treasure, the saint had given him. Realizing the truth, his wife also joined her husband in chanting the holy name of the Lord and lived happily.

We concluded the class with Krsna coloring picture.
Looking forward to seeing all  of you in the next class.

Haribol!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Radhika Mataji
Amutha

Narad Muni's Past Life

Hare Krishna!!!

Dear Parents,
Thank you for bringing the kids and your support in their enthusiasm. We would like all the kids to learn their slokas and recite in the next class. We really appreciate your help.

Prayers & Bhajans:
We learned 'Jaya Radha Madhav ' bhajan.  Parents, please let the kids hear the  audio of the bhajan a few times and they will be able to sing in the class.
Audio link for the bhajan :  Jaya Radha Madhava

jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī
gopī-jana-vallabhagiri-vara-dhārī
yaśodā-nandana braja-jana-rañjana
yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī

 

Sloka: We started learning a new sloka BG (9:2)

raja-vidya raja-guhyam

pavitram idam uttamam

pratyaksaavagamam dharmyam

su-sukham kartum avyayam

Audio Link : BGSloka9.2

Bhagavad-Gita Link:If you would like to know more about this verse and its purport, please visit http://vedabase.com/en/bg/9/2

[Note: Please refer to the old posts for the previous slokas and stories.]

 

Story: We heard the previous life of Narada Muni and how he came to be a transcendental space man.

In his previous life, Narada Muni was the son of a maidservant working in a brahmana's house. Narada was a five year old boy. Once in the rainy season, several sages of Lord Vishnu asked and received shelter from the brahmana's house. Narada's mother was assigned to take care of their needs during the four months they stayed. Narada would also help his mother by delivering their food to them and clean their rooms.

Whenever the sages discussed the past times of Lord Krsna, Narada would eagerly hear and wanted to hear more. Once, when he was taking away the sages leftover foods(prasadam that had been offered to Lord Vishnu), Narada asked them if he could eat them. The sages agreed and Narada ate their leftovers and all his karmic punishments had been erased. At the end of the rainy sesaon, the holy men left to other holy places.

When Narada's mother died of a snake bite, he left the brahmin's house to become a sincere devotee of the Lord. He passed through many cities, towns, forests, hills and mountains. After awhile, he felt thirsty and hungry and he soon came upon a lake and after bathing in it and drinking the water, he felt refreshed. He sat under the large banyan tree near the lake and meditated upon the Lord(Supersoul) in his heart. 

Narada immediately saw Lord Krsna in his heart and was filled with tremendous happiness. But, the Lord immediately disappeared from his heart leaving him with extreme grief. 

Seeing Narada's grief, the Lord said that Narada would not be able to see him for the rest of his life.  It was because Narada was incomplete in his devotional service and he would be able to see him when he became completely pure.  So, from then on Narada remembered and chanted the Lord's name and glories and at the end of his life, he became a complete pure devotee. The Lord then awarded him a transcendental spiritual body full of knowledge and bliss.

By the grace of Lord Krsna, Narada travels everywhere without restriction both in the material and spiritual worlds performing devotional service to the Lord.  Wherever Narada travels, he always sings God's glories and plays devotional music on his vina. It was given to him by Lord Krsna himself.

Narada's message to all of us are.  Chant his holy name and become completely free form all anxieties  and miseries of this material world.

 

" Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

   Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare"

 

We concluded the class with Narada Muni's coloring picture.

 

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the class.

Haribol!!
Gopala Class Teachers

Radhika Mataji

Amutha Mataji

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Brahmin and the Cobbler

 

Hare Krsna!!!

 

Dear Parents,
We are happy that many kids reciting the sloka with great interest and enthusiasm. We would like all the kids in our class to know the sloka and Parents, please help the kids learn their slokas. Also, during bedtime, you can ask them to recite the story that they have heard this week.

 

This week,

PRAYERS & BHAJANS: We started the class with prayers to Lord Krsna and we are still learning Jaya Radha Madhava bhajan.

jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī
gopī-jana-vallabhagiri-vara-dhārī

yaśodā-nandana braja-jana-rañjana
yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī

Audio Link: Jaya Radha Madhava Bhajan

 

SLOKA: We revised the previously taught sloka BG(8:6)

yaḿ yaḿ vāpi smaran bhāvaḿ

tyajaty ante kalevaram

taḿ tam evaiti kaunteya

sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Audio Link: BGSloka8.6

Bhagavad-Gita Link:If you would like to know more about this verse and its purport, please visit http://vedabase.com/en/bg/8/6

[Note: Please refer to the old posts for the previous slokas and stories.]

 

STORY: Radhika Mataji narrated The Brahmin and the Cobbler story very nicely.

Narada Muni traveled all over the universe singing the glories of Lord Krishna. On one such journey to earth, he met a brahmin priest.
The brahmin was a proud man. He had just finished his daily rituals when Narada Muni met him. He said to Narada Muni, "Namaste, Oh Naradaji". Narad Muni blessed him saying,"May your life be successful." "Oh Brahmin". The arrogant brahmin asked Narada Muni , "since you travel all over the universe, will you be visiting Vaikuntha soon? If so, will you please ask Lord Narayana when I will join Him there? I am sure it will be soon. But I just want to make sure".

Narada Muni agreed that he would ask Lord Narayana.

As Narada proceeded, he met a cobbler who was sitting under a tree mending shoes, and the cobbler bowed down to Narada Muni's feet and similarly asked , “Oh! Narada Ji! Are you going to see God? Will you please inquire from Him when I'll be able to see Him?”

Narada Muni said he would definitely ask the Lord when next he sees Him.

Then Narada Muni went to Vaikunta and met Lord Narayana and mentioned about the wishes of the Brahmin and the Cobbler. Lord Narayana then told Narada Muni that the Brahmin will return to Him only after one hundred lifetimes while the Cobbler will see Him at the end of this present life.

Narada Muni was surprised because the Brahmin is supposed to be elevated than the lowly cobbler who mends shoes from the skin of dead animals. Lord Narayana understood what was going on in Narada Muni's mind and addressed him, "When you meet them they will ask you, what was I (Lord Narayana) doing when you met me. Tell them I was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle".

When Narada Muni returned to earth and met the Brahmin, he told him that Lord Narayana said hw would have to wait a hundred lifetimes before he went to Vaikunta. It was unbelievable for the Brahamin that he had to wait hundred lifetimes before returning to Vaikunta. He said, " I don't believe this. I am a brahmana and know all the vedas and do my rituals everyday without fail and you say I have to wait hundred lifetimes." But, did you even meet him and What was He doing?” “ Narada Muni answered that Lord Narayana was passing an elephant through the eye of the needle,” . “What, How ridiculous! Is it possible to pass an elephant through the eye of the needle and this shows that you did not see him", the Brahmin replied. Narada then went to see the cobbler and told him that he would be returning to Vaikunta at the end of this life time. The cobbler was very happy and said that the Lord is so merciful that he will take me back at the end of this life. Then, he asked Narada Muni about the Lord and what was He doing?. Narada Muni replied that He was passing an elephant through the eye of the needle.

The cobbler began to weep. “Oh! My Lord is so wonderful, He can do anything.” Narada Muni was surprised to hear the cobbler's words and asked him, “Do you really believe that the Lord can pass an elephant through the eye of a needle?”. The cobbler said, “Of course I do.” “How is that?” Narada asked. The cobbler answered, “I am sitting under this banyan tree, and you can see that so many fruits are falling daily, each fruit have seeds in it and in each seed there is a banyan tree like this one. If the Lord can put a big tree like this within a small seed, then why it is difficult to accept that the Lord is passing an elephant through the eye of a needle?''

Now, seeing the difference between the proud faithless Brahmin and the humble cobbler with his complete faith, Narada Muni understood the judgement of Lord Narayana.

 

We concluded the class with the Narada, the Brahmin and the Cobbler coloring pictures.

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

 

Haribol!!!!

Gopala Class Teachers

Amutha Mataji

Radhika Mataji

 

Radharani's Pearl Story

Hare Krsna!!!

Dear Parents,
Many kids recited the "anta kale" sloka last week very nicely. Thanks to parents for encouraging their child to learn the sloka. Please let the kids hear the audio of the sloka and bhajan for few times and this will help them to recite in the class. We are eagerly waiting for the next class so we could hear many more kids reciting the sloka.  
 

This week,

Prayers & Bhajans: We started the class with prayers to Lord Krsna and we learned few lines of Jaya Radha Madhava bhajan.

jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī
gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī

yaśodā-nandana braja-jana-rañjana
yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī

Audio Link:  Jaya Radha Madhava Bhajan

   

SLOKA : We started learning a new sloka BG(8:6)

yaḿ yaḿ vāpi smaran bhāvaḿ

tyajaty ante kalevaram

taḿ tam evaiti kaunteya

sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Audio Link: BGSloka8.6 

Bhagavad-Gita Link: If you would like to know more about this verse and its purport, please visit http://vedabase.com/en/bg/8/6

STORY :  Radhika Mataji narrated Radharani's pearl story very nicely.
Once, the gopis came to a place (Malyahari Kunda) to celebrate a festival. Krishna came to the pond and saw gopis sitting near water stringing pearls into necklaces.
Krishna asked them, " My dear gopis, please give me some pearls to decorate my favorite cows Harini and Harshini. They should also look good for the festival. But the gopis said "No, no, you can't have our pearls".
Krishna says " Please, give me some pearls, I'm not asking much".
Lalitha said "we don't have even one pearl suitable for your cows".
Krishna thought ' How can I get some pearls to decorate my thousands of cows?' So He went to Mother Yasoda and asked, 'Mother, please give me some of your pearls. I want to plant them in the garden.'
She laughed gently and said,' Krishna, my darling boy, you can't grow a garden of pearls. Everyone knows that pearls come from oysters.'
'Please, Mother, I will make a very nice garden of pearl plants. After all, I've watched the gardeners plant seeds in Father's fields and later harvest many vegetables, fruits and flowers.'
Mother Yasoda thought for a while and finally said with a smile,' All right, Krishna, my naughty boy, here are some pearls. But I can't understand why I always give You what you want.'
Krishna went with his friend Madhumangala to find a spot on the bank of the river Yamuna to plant pearls. When they picked a spot clear of trees, bushed and ready for planting, the boys pushed the beautiful pearls beneath the soil, one by one. Krishna then asked Madhumangala to get some milk from gopis to pour it for the pearl garden instead of water. Then Madhumangala went to gopis and asked them "Please give me some milk for Krishna's pearls garden' they laughed at his request. Then Krishna asked him to go to Mather Yasoda to get milk. Mather Yasoda gave some milk to him.
After a few days, some small shoots grew. Krishna called the gopis to come and see His work. When they saw the garden, the gopis laughed and told Krishna, They're not pearl creepers! They're just thorn shoots!'
After few days the delicate shoots soon turned into healthy, fragrant creepers. And amazingly, these
vines began growing the biggest, most beautiful pearls.
After seeing these pearls, the gopis wanted some of these pearls. But Krishna didn't give them even one pearl. So they want to grow a bigger pearl garden than Krishna's. So each of them went home and collected all the pearls they could find. Then all the gopis came together and planed the pearls in a field. They watered the pearl garden 3 times a day with milk, Ghee and butter. But not even one pearl tree grew, just thorn trees grew. Krishna then went with his friends and laughed at gopis. To tease them he decorated the cows, buffalo, goats, sheep and monkeys with the pearl necklace. But Krishna did not give the gopis even one pearl.
The gopis thinking that their elders would punish them for taking all the pearls from home, they asked Krishna to give some pearls for that they would pay pot of Gold. But Krishna refused to give. Gopis disappointed and left that place. After that Krishna made nice necklaces and kept them in the boxes with the gopis name on the boxes. Krishna gave the fist box to Radharani and then sent a box with pearl necklace to each of the gopis. In return, Radharani sent Krishna some scented garlands, betel nut, and some delicious food that she personally cooked.
We concluded the class with Radharani's coloring picture.
Looking forward to seeing all of you in the next class.

Haribol!!!!
Gopala Class Teachers

Amutha Mataji

Radhika Mataji