January 2010

Balabhavan Coordinators SHANKARA BHAGAVATPADA BBC Announcements: Bharathy Thridandam Nithya Sudhakar Happy New Year! We would Seetha Janakiraman like to welcome every one to Sriram Srinivasan the Bala Bhavan 2010. Please [email protected] take a moment to go through the welcome document sent Class Coordinators out earlier to familiarize with

the class coordinators and Super-Senior Class: Shankara Bhagavatpada is a very the topics for this year. The Meduri important figure in Indian history. Shankara's calendar for the 2010 [email protected] parents were childless for many years. They Balabhavan program is Aparna Vemuri prayed in Kaladi, Kerala, for the birth of a available at [email protected] child. That night, Lord Shiva appeared to both http://www.shiva- Ashok Malavalli husband and wife in their dreams, and offered .org/bbcalendar.html [email protected] them a choice: an average son who would live Please ensure that children a long life, or an extraordinary son who would carry the necessary printouts Senior Class: not live long. Both the parents chose the of the Bhajans and Slokas. Renuka Krishnan: extraordinary, and a son was born to them. He The information regarding [email protected] was named Shankara, in honor of Lord Shiva. where to get the Bhajans Prasanna Madabhushi His father died while he was very young, and document and the Sloka [email protected] his upanayanam, the initiation into student- printouts is included in the

life, was performed at the age of five. As a welcome document. Thank Junior Class: child, Shankara showed remarkable mastery you every one for the help Radhika Chari over the four Vedas. and support [email protected] As a child, Shankara was attracted to BBC Team Priya Ram being a sanyasi, though his mother had [email protected] different views. Once, while taking a bath in Rama Srinivas Topics Of The Year the Purna River, a crocodile gripped his leg [email protected] Toddler – Stories of Gods and and began to drag him in the water, and would

only let go if Shankara became a sanyasi. Tenali Rama Tales Toddler Class: Wanting her son to live, his mother reluctantly Junior - Dasavataram Gayathri Vidyashankar agreed. Govinda Bhagavatpada, his Guru, [email protected] Senior and Super Senior – initiated him into Sanyasa. As a sanyasi, Priya Sarathy Travel around Shankara traveled all over India many times [email protected] and established 5 Peethas in 5 corners of India Archana Sampath for the preservation of Vedas. He has written January Birthdays: [email protected] many bhashyas on Brahmasutras, Upanishats, Toddler: Ramanarayanan K and on Bhagavad-Gita. He met Veda Vyasa Vinay Rajagoplan [email protected] himself at the Himalayas and ultimately Juniors:

ascended Sarvagnya Peetha in Kashmir. Akash Sridhar Registration coordinators: Even though he lived for only 32 years, Kavya Vijayashankar Panneer Selvam: his impact on India and on Hinduism was Pajaka Lakshmin [email protected] striking. He has shown people the knowledge Anjali Koganti Matangi Munukutla: of Advaita Vedanta. He was also the composer Anirudh Yadavalli [email protected] of Soundaryalahari, and many more. Shankara Prahalad Achar Priya Ram: Bhagavatpada is said to be an incarnation of Seniors: [email protected] Lord Shiva himself. His teachings and sayings Sarthak Madan

have influenced many people to follow the Rachana madukara Newsletter Coordinator: Super Seniors: Krishna Meduri: path of Vedas. By Kalyani Ramadurgam Vikram Thridandam [email protected]

7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 January 2010 ISSUE 1 1 January 2010

SRI AUROBINDO GHOSE Class Schedules Class Schedules

01-09-2010 ------01-02-2010 ------

Junior Class: Toddler Class: Story: Significance of Story: Tenali Ramalinga's Entry Avatharam! Is Lord Venkatesh- into Bhuvana Vijayam wara considered an Avatharam Sri Aurobindo Ghose was a freedom fighter, - Nithya Sudhakar Ramanarayanan poet, scholar, philosopher, and a yogi. He Sloka: Shuddha sphatika, Shiva

was born on August 15, 1872 in Calcutta Sadakshara 1-2 Sloka: Shiva sadakshara 1-6 (presently called Kolkata) India. His parents - Nithya Sudhakar -Vanishree Kadaba were Swamalata and Krishnadhan. Most of Bhajan: Sankara Sadhasiva

his education was in London. He returned to -Gayathri Vidyashankar Bhajan: Manasa Bhajare, India after his education, and passed the Shambho Shankara Indian Civil Service Examination (ICS) with Super Senior Class: -Shubha Vijayashankar great credits in 1890. However he failed to Discussion: India (Unity in

stand the required test in horsemanship and Diversity) Senior Class: hence was not allowed to enter the Service -Ramanarayanan Story: Tirupathi - AP of the Indian Government. -Ramanarayanan He started to fight for Indian Sloka: Shiva Sadakshara, Shiva Sloka Shiva sadakshara independence from 1905. The famous panchakshara revise

Alipore Bomb Case proved to be a turning - Viji Ramanarayanan -Lakshmi Srinivas point in Sri Aurobindo Ghosh’s life. For a Bhajan: Shankara year he was an undertrial prisoner. He Bhajan: Bholanathare, Jaya Chandrashekara utilized this period of incarceration for an Jaya Shankara - Viji Ramanarayanan intense study and practice of the teachings - Bharathy Thridandam of the , yoga and meditation. 01-16-2010------Sri Aurobindo Ghose moved from Calcutta to 01-23-2010 ------Pondicherry in 1910. At Pondicherry, he Toddler Class: stayed at a friend’s place. At first, he lived Junior Class: Story: Goddess Parvathi there with four or five companions. Story: Matsya Avatharam - Archana Sampath Gradually the number of members increased -Nithya Sudhakar Shloka: Shiva Sadakshara 3-4 and an Ashram was founded. Sloka: Shiva sadakshara 1-6 -Hema Rangaswamy The principal writings of Sri Aurobindo and Bilvashtakam 1-3 Bhajan: Ganga Jatadhara, is included, in prose, The Life Divine, -Nithya Sudhakar Chandrashekaraya NamaOm considered his single great work of Bhajan: Jaya Jaya Shankara -Magesh Hariharan metaphysics, The Synthesis of Yoga, Secrets -Lalitha Krishnamoorthy - of the Vedas, Essays on the Gita, The Super Senior Class Human Cycle, The Ideal of Human Unity and Senior Class: Viveka Deepika Renaissance in India. Story: Sabarimalai - Kerala -Lalitha Kodandapani "Man is a transitional being. He is not -Seetha Janakiraman final. The step from man to superman is Shloka: Bilvashtakam the next approaching achievement in the Sloka: Bilvaashtakam - Lalitha Kodandapani earth's evolution. It is inevitable because it - Rama Srinivas is at once the intention of the inner spirit Bhajan: Nandeeshwara Hey and the logic of Nature's process". This is Bhajan: Dhimika Dhimika Dhim, Nataraja; Jaya Jaya Shankara the quote from Sri Aurobindo Ghose. Sambho Shankara -Latha Sundar Sri Aurobindo passed away on Sambasadasiva December 5, 1950 at Pondicherry at the age -Lalitha Krishnamoorthy of 78. By Srinidhi Malavalli

7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 January 2010 ISSUE 1 2 January 2010

YAMUNA RIVER What is Dakshina ? Class Presentations

Junior Class: 01-09-2010 God Brahma --Anirudh 01-23-2010 Goddess Saraswati The Yamuna is considered one of the most sacred river in Dakshina is an offering or gift to God, guru or --Pajaka Lakshmin India. priest. Dakshina was originally a cow. The Origin: The holy Yamuna River feminine Dakshina is a term for a cow able to Senior Class: begins from Yamunotri, which give milk. Dakshina is given to the priest 01-09-2010 is north of Haridwar in the mainly during traditional ceremonies or Would you rather be Rama or Himalayas Mountains. arathi. Arathi is an act of worship, during Krishna? Mythology: According to which a flame, symbolic of the soul, is waved -- Supriya Belur legend, the Yamuna is the in front of God. During arathi, the devotees 01-23-2010 daughter of Surya and Sharanyu pray and sing to get blessings. When the Would you rather be Vaamana or and the twin sister of Yama, priest offers the arthi, the devotees touch the Parasuraama? the god of Death. It is said that flame and put it to their eyes. Then, showing --Yogitha Shasthri Sharanyu, unable to bear the gratitude to the priest, they put dakshina lustre of the quivering Surya, (money and other valuables) in the plate. This Super Senior Class: closed her eyes upon which he act of giving invites grace. The practice of 01-16-2010 cursed her. It was then that giving dakshina is an expression of gratitude Adi Shankaracharya Yamuna was born. The Yamuna and love for what has been received on the - Srikanth Kalluri is thus also known as the spritual path. Gurudakshina is a tradtion of Chaitanya quivering river. repaying the teacher or guru after a period of - Rahul Malavalli Dip in the Yamuna: Yamuna is study or the completion of formal education. considered more sacred than This tradtion is one of respect and gratitude. ------Ganga because it was here that The repayment is not only money and may be Festivals of the Month: Krishna played and swam. One a special task the teacher or the guru wants who takes bath in the river the student to accomplish. Jan 9: Thirupavai Utsavam Yamuna is freed from all past In one story of the , Jan13-14: Sankranthi sins and contamination of this Ekalavya, a young boy, wanted to learn Jan14: Pongal material world. archery from Dronacharya, but the latter Please visit www.shiva- It’s Journey: It flows through a didn’t allow it. Ekalavya was hurt but still vishnu.org for more details number of important towns in took the iniative, made a statue of India, Delhi, Mathura, Dhronacharya, and practiced before it daily. Brindavan and Agra to name Dhronacharya was enraged at the boy and some. Since ancient times, the demanded the boy for his thumb as Newsletter Editors Doab region, where the Ganga Gurudakshina. Ekalavya, without hesitation, and the Yamuna flow, has been cut is right thumb and placed it at the considered one of the most teacher’s feet. Sankaran Ramanarayanan fertile areas in the Today when we go buy any product, Srinidhi Malavalli subcontinent. there is a price we have to pay. In the old Dump Ground For Pollution: Indian tradition, there was no price Topics of the Month Today however, this majestic associated to the service provided by the Kalyani Ramadurgam river is polluted with domestic priest or even ones guru. We continue that Srinidhi Malavalli waste, silt, and industrial tradition by putting what we could afford as Sumana Varadarajan waste dakshina in the arathi plate. Ananya Madabushi By Sumana Vardarajan By Ananya Madabushi

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