Mother Yashoda sees the Universe

Hare Krsna!!!

Dear Parents,

Prayers: Kids offered their  respects to Lord Krsna and His devotees with "he krsna " and "vancha kalpa" prayers.
[Note: Please find the verses and audio in older posts for prayers and slokas]

Sloka: The sloka (9:26) "patram pushpam" was revised and new sloka(Ch:10: verse 8) has been taught.
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
Translation: I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
Audio Link: BG - Sloka 10:8

Story : Radhika Mataji narrated the story of how Mother Yashoda saw the universe in Krsna's mouth.

Once, Krishna and Balarama, along with their friends Sudhama and Subala, were playing in front of the house on a sunny morning. The boys sat on the ground, and each had dug up some of the moist earth with their hands and playing with the mud. They built cute small houses with mud. Krishna looked at all the other houses and said that His house looked better than theirs.

But Balaram, Subala and Sudama said that Krsna's house looked terrible and not even a worm would live in His house. When Balarama,Subala and Sudama all burst out laughing, Krishna angrily stood up and kicked their houses down. Balaram said that it was not fair and kicked down Krsna's house. But Krishna didn't mind, for it was all part of the fun and He replied that He is going to build another one, and it'll be even better than the first. So, Balaram said that theirs would be much better than Krsna's. But Krsna protested that only His house would be the best.

They immediately began re-constructing their tiny mud houses, totally absorbed in their play. Occasionally, they would glance at each other's creations,and then resume their building. During one such glance, Balarama noticed that Krishna was eating some of the mud. Balaram asked Him to stop eating mud. Krsna replied not to worry but Balaram said that it would make Him sick.

 Just then mother Yashoda entered the courtyard and Balarama pointed to Krsna and told Mother Yashoda that Krsna was eating mud. Mother Yashoda was surprised and asked Him why He was eating mud. Krsna told Mother Yashoda that Balaram and His friends were lying because He kicked down their houses.

Finally, Mother Yashoda ordered Him to open His mouth. Krsna smiling opened His mouth just like an ordinary boy. Mother Yashoda looked inside Krishna's mouth, she did not see His tongue or His teeth or  His throat. What she saw was the most amazing sight she had ever seen in her life. All she could see is the planets, mountains, oceans, rivers, sun, moon, stars, bird, animals, and all the living beings. She even saw herself with Krishna.

She thought if what she was seeing was real or dream and wondered may be she was seeing this because of the Supreme Lord. She prayed to the Lord. Then she fell unconscious. By looking at His mother, Krishna made her forget what she saw.

After sometime mother Yashoda woke and she didn't remember anything that had happen before. 

 

Finally, the class was concluded with the coloring picture of Mother Yashoda and Krsna.

 

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

Haribol!!!
Gopala Class Teachers

Radhika Mataji

Amutha 

Krsna and the fruit vendor

Hare Krsna!!!

Dear Parents,
Last week,
Prayers: We are still revising the same Srimad Bhagavatam invocation prayers.
[Note: Please refer to older posts for their audio links.]

Sloka: We learned a new Bhagavad-Gita sloka from chapter 9 : verse 26

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

Translation:

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

Audio Link : BG-Sloka 9:26

 

Story: We heard the story of a fruit vendor in relation to the above sloka.

Once a fruit vendor was selling ripe fruits. When baby Krsna heard her calls, He grabbed both handful of grains to trade for the fruits. He toddled to the fruit seller and opened His palms to her and found out only very few grains were left in His palm. The fruit seller was enjoying the whole scenario,  how Krsna was running towards her and His face when there were only few grains left in His palm. But the fruit seller wanted to make baby Krsna happy, so she got the grains from Him and gave Him as much as fruits He can hold. Krsna's face lit up when the fruit seller kept on giving Him fruit even though He gave very few grains.

When she looked at her basket, to give more fruits, she found out the whole basket was full of precious jewels. But she was not interested in the jewels but wanted to see more of Lord Krsna's smiling face.

When one offers even one leaf, flower, fruit or some water with love, Lord Krsna gladly accepts and gives more in return. A pure devotee is interested only in pleasing Lord Krsna. In turn Lord Krsna always find ways to make His devotees happy.

 

Finally, we concluded the class with the coloring picture of Lord Krsna with the fruit seller.

 

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

Haribol!!

Gopala Class Teachers

Radhika Mataji

Amutha

 

Krsna - Sudama Story

Hare Krsna!!!

Dear Parents,
Happy New Year!!! Welcome Back!! It was so good to see most of the kids back from vacation.

Prayers:  We started learning invocation prayers before reading Srimad Bhagavatam.
Om namo bhagavate Vaasudevaya

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya
 naraṁ caiva narottamam
devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ
 tato jayam udīrayet
Translation: Before reciting this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, unto Nara-nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author. 
Audio link: narayanam namaskrtya 

Story: We heard the story of Sudama, a poor brahmana but a dear friend of Lord Krsna.
 Lord Krsna and Sudama Vipra studied in the same Gurukul when they were young boys. Once, their Guru asked them to collect firewoods from the forest. Lord Krsna and Sudama went but there was a great storm and both were lost in the woods. It was cold, fearful night and Sudama gave his shawl to cover Lord Krsna as He was shivering. They both held on to each other to pass the night. In the morning, their Guru came searching and found them and took them back to the Ashram. Lord Krsna never forgets even a small token of affection shown towards Him from His devotees.
They grew up and Lord Krsna became the King of Dwaraka and Sudama became a householder but remained a poor brahmana.
Sudama's wife was concerned for her husband and requested him to go visit Lord Krsna and get some wealth. On her repeated requests, Sudama decided to visit his dear most friend Lord Krsna but decided not to ask for any material wealth. He asked his wife for something to offer Lord Krsna. His wife collected four palmfuls of chipped rice from her neighbourhood friends and tied it in a small cloth and gave it to her husband to gift Lord Krsna. Without waiting any longer, Sudama Vipra went to Dvaraka to see the Lord.
Sudama, being poor, his clothing was torn and dirty and appeared not very clean. He was stopped by the security guard at the entrance to Lord Krsna's Palace. Lord Krsna being present in everyone's heart  knew that Sudama was at the gate and ran towards the gate. All the residents in the palace was surprised to see the Lord running and everyone ran after the Lord to see where the Lord is going. He ran to the gate and embraced Sudama even though he was not clean. Every resident in the Lord's palace was surprised to see the Lord embracing an unclean and poorly dressed brahmana. They all wanted to know who Sudama was and what was his relationship with the Lord and what pious activities Sudama performed to be dear to the Lord.
Lord Krsna brought Sudama Vipra into the palace seated him on His throne and washed Sudama's feet for Lord Krsna always received brahmana's as worshipable guest. Lord Krsna seated Sudama on His own bedstead and offered him sumptuous prasadam and Rukmini Devi, the goddess of fortune personally fanned Sudama. After that, Lord Krsna and Sudama talked for a long time about their younger gurkula days and Sudama's life after leaving gurukula.
Lord Krsna knew Sudama was hesitating to present Him with the paltry chipped rice, which was actually unfit fro His eating. Understanding the mind of Sudama Vipra, The Lord encouraged Sudama by saying that He would accept even the most insignificant things from His devotees. Lord Krsna knew Sudama has come on the request of his wife, and yet he didn't expect anything from Him. So, Lord Krsna decided to give more material wealth to Sudama Vipra. 
He then snatched the bundle of chipped rice which was hanging on the shoulder of  the poor brahmana and started eating it when Rukmini Devi held Lord Krsna's hand and wanted some for her. Sudama passed that night in Lord Krsna's palace and the next morning, he started for his home. He never thought to ask anything from the Lord. All the way home, he simply remembered the dealings of Lord Krsna and he felt very happy to have seen the Lord.
Thinking about Lord Krsna, Sudama reached his home. But there he saw that everything was wonderfully changed. He saw beautiful palace instead of his cottage and he wondered if he had come to the wrong place.
When he was considering this, his wife came out of the great palace and she appeared so beautiful dressed in new shiny garments, adorned with ornaments. Sudama was very surprised to see his wife so beautiful and happy and entered the palace with her. He understood these were the acts of his dear friend Lord Krsna for Lord Krsna knew the mind of His devotee and He completely fulfills the devotee's desires.
Sudama accepted his new wealth as the prasadam of the Lord and lived very peacefully always thinking of the greatness of the Lord.

We concluded the class with Krsna - Sudama coloring picture.

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the next class.
Haribol!!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Radhika Mataji
Amutha