Jan 26, 2014 Class Happenings

Hari Om

The class blog volunteer for this week was Mahima. Here is her update:

We started off class by practicing the first two stanzas of Siva Manasa Puja which we will be presenting to swamiji during February. We learned the third, fourth, and fifth stanza in class this week as well as the meaning for the stanzas:

3) Chatram Caamarayor-Yugam Vyajanakam Ca-Adarshakam Nirmalam
Viinnaa-Bheri-Mrdangga-Kaahala-Kalaa Giitam Ca Nrtyam Tathaa |
Saassttaanggam Prannatih Stutir-Bahu-Vidhaa Hyetat-Samastam Mayaa
Sangkalpena Samarpitam Tava Vibho Puujaam Grhaanna Prabho

 O Pashupati, please accept my Mental Worship of You) I Offer You a Canopy (Umbrella) for Cool Shade and with a Pairof hand Fans made of Chamara, I Fan You; I Offer You a Shining Clean Mirror (representing the Purity of Devotion in my Heart. I fill the Place with Divine Songs and Dances accompanied by Music from Veena (a stringed musical instrument), Bheri (a kettle drum). In this Divine surroundings, I do Full Prostration (Sasthanga Pranam) before You and then Sing various Hymns in Your Praise. All these are by me created in my Heart and Offered to You; O Lord, Please accept my Mental Worship.

  

4) Aatmaa Tvam Girijaa Matih Sahacaraah Praannaah Shariiram Grham
Puujaa Te Vissayo pabhoga-Racanaa Nidraa Samaadhi-Sthitih |
San.caarah Padayoh Pradakssinna-Vidhih Stotraanni Sarvaa Giro
Yad-Yat-Karma Karomi Tat-Tad-Akhilam Shambho Tava-Araadhanam

O Lord, You are my Atma (Soul), Devi Girija (the Divine Mother) is my Buddhi (Pure Intellect), the Shiva Ganas (the Companions or Attendants) are my Prana and my Body is Your Temple. My Interactions with the World are Your Worship and my Sleep is the State of SamadhiMy Feet Walking about is Your Pradakshina (Circumbulation); all my Speech are Your Hymns of Praises, Whatever work I do, all that is Your Aradhana (Worship), O Shambhu.

5) Kara-Caranna-Krtam Vaak-Kaaya-Jam Karma-Jam Vaa
Shravanna-Nayana-Jam Vaa Maanasam Va-Aparaadham
Vihitam-Avihitam Vaa Sarvam-Etat-Kssamasva
Jaya Jaya Karunna-Abdhe Shrii-Mahaadeva Shambho 

Whatever Sins have been Committed by Actions Performed by my Hands and Feet, Produced by my Speech and Body,Or my Works Produced by my Ears and Eyes, Or Sins Committed by my Mind, While Performing Actions, Please Forgive Them All. Victory, Victory to You, O Sri Mahadeva Shambho, I Surrender to You, You are an Ocean of Compassion.

This week was the deadline for all the food drive donations, so if you haven't brought them in, it's too late. Our class and the sixth grade class worked together to assemble donation bags using the ingredients donated for the seva. Every bag contained a juice, bag of chips, a fruit, and a sandwich. We successfully organized all the ingredients in the bags and had them ready to be donated.

Lastly, we decided who was going to play what instrument or who was going to sing for the siva manasa puja performance for swamiji. Some of us decided to be vocalists, play and instrument, or do both. We listed what we wanted to do on the board at the end of class.

Quick recap:

1. went over first two stanzas for siva manasa puja

2. learned stanzas 3,4, and 5 for siva manasa puja as well as meaning

3. with the help of sixth grade class assembled bags to be donated for the food seva

4. Decided and listed our roles in the siva manasa puja performance (vocal, instrumentalist, etc.)

Teacher's Comments:

This batch of Vijayam class is one of the most musically talented group of students in Balavihar. It is only fair that they share their gift with the rest of us. As we are are learning this beautiful stotram by Adi Shankaracharya, we are also singing it to a tune. The link below is the song with lyrics. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm8Ylq6IzBM

We asked if the students can recreate this hymn with vocal harmonics and accompaniments and present it at the assembly (Date TBD). The students enthusiastically volunteered.  Here is a list of students with their roles. We hope to start practicing soon, once the musicians in the group decipher the notes for their respective instruments.

Claves: Ken

Violin: Maya, Srinaath, Divya

Viola: Anika

Sitar: Nithya

Keyboards: Nishant, Sanjana 

Tuba: Pranav

Vocal: Shreyas, Vaishnavi, Mahima, Abimanyu, Harshita, Karthik, Sarvani, Savitha, Neelay, Suchetan, Priya, Samyuktha

We are also presenting it vocally (sans instruments) to Swamiji on 2/23 during the class Bhiksha.

Pictures from our class puja done by the students in 4 groups on 1/5/14

Team Krishna with their puja altar

Team Nipuna with their puja altar

Team Hanuman with their puja altar

Team Dhairya with their puja altar

Pictures from our Seva Project: Assembling lunch bags for Trenton Area Soup Kitchen on 1/26/14

Dhanyavaadah

Vijayam Teachers (Aparna & Sri)

Class Happenings - Jan 19th, 2014

 Today, we started by doing some Yoga with Mythri Aunty. We warmed up with poses such as taalasana, konaasana, and sama-konaasana. One pointer that was given to us by Mythri Aunty is to try to keep our back straight at all times, and not to let our backs become “camel backs”. We also learned two new asanas today. The first was Garudaasana, in which the doer stretches out their thigh muscles by wrapping one leg around the other, and opening their hands to imitate Garusa, Lord Vishnu’s vehicle, flapping his wings. Next, we learned about Veerabhadraasana variations ekam, dve, and trini, and how to do the poses.  Veerabhadraasana is also known as the warrior pose.

                Later on in class, we started to learn how to chant the first two verses of the “Siva-Manasa Puja” Stotram to present to Swamiji on February 23. Here are the first two verses which we learned, as well as their meanings, which Aparna Aunty and Sri Uncle explained to us:

 

ratnaih kalpitamāsanaṁ himajalaih snānaṁ ca divyāmbaraṁ

nānāratna vibhūsitaṁ mr̥gamadā mōdāṅkitaṁ candanam |

jātī campaka bilvapatra racitaṁ puspaṁ ca dhūpaṁ tathā

dīpaṁ dēva dayānidhē paśupatē hr̥tkalpitaṁ gr̥hyatām || 1 ||

I have imagined a throne of precious stones for you, cool water for you to bathe in, divine robes adorned with many jewels, sandalwood paste mixed with musk to anoint your body, jasmine and champaka flowers and bilva leaves, rare incense, and a shining flame. Accept all these which I have imagined in my heart for you, o merciful God.

sauvarnē navaratnakhanda racitē pātrē ghr̥taṁ

pāyasaṁ bhaksyaṁ pañcavidhaṁ payōdadhiyutaṁ rambhāphalaṁ pānakam |

śākānāmayutaṁ jalaṁ rucikaraṁ karpūra khandōjjvalaṁ

tāmbūlaṁ manasā mayā  viracitaṁ bhaktyā prabhō svīkuru || 2 ||

Sweet rice in a golden bowl inlaid with the nine jewels, the five kinds of food made from milk and curd, bananas, vegetables, sweet water scented with camphor, and betel leaves - I have prepared all these in my mind with devotion. O lord, please accept them.

Regards,

Vijayam Teachers (Sri & Aparna).

Jan 4th Class Happenings

Hari Om,

Our guest blogger this week is Abhimanyu.  We covered the pooja vidhi in the class for this week and formed four groups and went over why and how pooja is performed. The Sodasaupacrara puja is the sixteen step puja, explained by Swami Tejomayanandaji. Here are the materials required: 

§  Plates

§  A small turmeric ball

§  Kumkum

§  Candanam

§  Yellow rice

§  Flowers

§  A bell

§  A lamp

§  Matchbox (or lighter)

§  Incense

§  Plastic spoons

§  Bhoga

We welcome God first (in the form of a prayer) and offer a place for them to sit (take a pinch of yellow rice and offer at the feet of the Lord).  In the 3^rd step, we wash the feet of the Lord (take spoonful of water to wash his feet). In step number 4, we wash the Lord’s hands (take spoonful of water to wash his hands). Next, we offer water to the Lord (take spoonful of water and offer at his feet). After that, we offer water for our guest to take a bath (sprinkle water or rice over the Lord). In the 7^th step, we are supposed to traditionally give Bhagavan (a mix of milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar)*. We do this so that we can be forgiven. Now, offer your favorite clothing to the Lord*. In step number 9, offer some ashes to the Lord*.  Then, offer sandalwood paste and take rice grains to offer to the Lord. In the 12^th step, we place a flower garland on the Lord. After this offer the incense (light it) and give light to the Lord (light the lamp). On the 15^th step, we offer him what we have cooked* and chant 5 mantras. Finally, offer arathi to the Lord (hold the plate with lamp and turn clockwise while singing a mantra. After this, give the Lord your anger, naughty words, and jealousy. This is an important step because the Lord will turn all the bad things into good things. Lastly, we ask for forgiveness of the Lord and turn clockwise with folded hands three times). After all of this, conclude with the closing prayer.

We also would like to remind you that the seva project to prepare 100 lunch bags for TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen) by 6th and 7th graders is next week. We still have a few slots for sign up. We will send the sign up link via email. Please do sign up.

A friendly reminder that there is class tomorrow (Jan 19th) and the 7th graders have Yoga. Please do not forget to get your yoga mats.

Regards,
BBNJ Vijayam Teachers.