BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO

February 2014

Balabhavan Coordinators BBC Announcements:

Thank you to all the students Lalitha Krishnamoorthy Arundhati, wife of Sage Vasishta, is famous for who have been coming to Sushma Natarajan her chastity, piety and single-minded devotion the class in a timely manner. Kumar Gowda to her husband. Due to her devoutness and [email protected] faithfulness, she became a star in the sky As far as possible, please known as the Arundhati Nakshatra. refrain from having loud conversations in the hallway and the main hall. Parents, Legend has it that once there was intense please do not allow children drought on earth. The who were to play inside the temple Class Coordinators residing in the Himalayas also were troubled by during, before or after Bala the famine created by the drought. Arundhati Bhavan classes. Super-Senior Class: then performed intense Tapas and pleased

Lavanya Kadiyala and was able to bring rain on earth. [email protected] Arundhati left her physical body on Earth while Bhajan volunteers : It is performing Tapas on the banks of the holy mandatory to attend at least Senior Class: Saraswati River. 3 volunteer training sessions Radhika Chari with mentors. Vandana Santhanam This act earned her the praise of the Shloka volunteers : It is [email protected] Saptarishis and Devas. mandatory that you train with Mrs. Lalitha Junior Class: Arundhati Nakshatra is located near the Kodandapani before you are Rajashri Balaji Naksatra’s. She resides near the scheduled to teach. Archana Narayan Vashista Nakshatra. Aruna Janakiraman Shivarathri Puja : Bala [email protected] It is a practice among certain Hindu Bhavan children will be communities for the groom to show Arundhati celebrating the Shivarathri nd Toddler Class: Nakshatra to the newly wed bride.It signifies puja on Sunday March 2 at Swarna Moorthy that the bride should remain devoted and 4 :00 pm at the temple. Vidhya Raghunathan loving to each other just like Arundhati and Evite will be sent out soon. balabhavantoddler@gmail .com Sage Vashista. ------February Birthdays: Registration coordinator: Kumar Gowda Toddlers: Anaya Kumar Newsletter Coordinator: Janani Padmanabhan Krishna Meduri Saanvika Gudala [email protected] Veera Kalakota

Juniors: Anish Bharadwaj Boorla Neeta Prasanna

Festivals of the Month: Seniors: Anusha Kadiyala

Karthik Kumar Please visit: Meena Annamalai www.shiva-vishnu.org for (Vashista and Arundhati performing a , with Pramod Shastry more details , in their ) Super Seniors: Rohith Sudhakar - Sathya Srinivasan Sukruth Kadaba

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BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO February 2014

Class Schedules Class Schedules 2-1-2014 ------2-8-2014 ------Toddler Class: MAITREYI

Story: Introduction to the Junior Class: Gods/Goddesses - Concept of God Maitreyi was a Vedic philosopher from Story: Kurma Avataaram within us all: Take children around ancient India. Maitreyi was well-versed - Prasanna Kannan Praharam, show and tell; ART CLASS- in Vedas and associated scriptures and Sloka: Bilvashtakam and Shiva MOTHER'S DAY memento completion was called brahmavadini or ‘an Shatpadi Stotram - Ram Krishnamoorthy expounder of the Veda’ by people of - Vijayalakshmi Gujjaiah Sloka: Karagre vasate Lakshmi; her time. About ten hymns in Rig Veda Review Shuddha-sphatika, are accredited to Maitreyi. The Rig Bhajan: Dhimika Dhimika Dhim Shuklambharadharam and Mushika Veda contains about one thousand (pg 39); Review Bhola Natha -Shanti Kalluri hymns, of which about 10 are reBhajans Bhajan: Chandrashekharaya Nama accredited to Maitreyi, the woman seer - Padmini Venkatachar and Om (pg 37); and Review and philosopher. She contributed Aparna Vemuri -Gayathri Vidyashankar towards the enhancement of her sage- Super Senior Class: husband Yajnavalkya's personality and Senior Class: Story: 1st quality: dayA – love for all the flowering of his spiritual thoughts. Story: Kancheepuram - TN creatures (various stories associated - Rashmi Madhukara with dayA) According to legend, Maitreyi really did Sloka: Shiva sadakshara stotram - Ashok Malvalli not want to marry Yajnavalkya, but she & Bilvashtakam Shloka: Subrahmanya Bhujangam 7- wanted to live with him as his disciple - Vijaya Purohit 12 (Revise Sri and a spiritual companion to do Bhajan: Review Nandeeshwara (pg Dakshinamurthyashtakam ) sadhana or spiritual development. She 39; Bhola Natha re (pg.36) - Lalitha Kodandapani went to Yajnavalkya's wife, -Anandhi Krishnamoorthy Bhajan: Review Raghunandana (pg Katyaayanee and expressed her desire 18); Sri Lakshmi Ramana (pg 17); to live with her husband, and with Bhajo Man Ram (pg 13) Katyaayanee's consent, she became his 2-22-2014 ------Anandi Krishnamurthy companion. While Maitreyi was well Junior Class: versed in the Hindu scriptures, Story: Matsya Avataram 2-15-2014 ------Katyayani was an ordinary woman. - Prasanna Madabushi Toddler Class: Sloka: Bilvashtaki and Shiva Story: Stories of Lord Muruga, One day the sage decided to make a Shadpadi Stotram Soorapadman and Thai poosam. ART settlement of his worldly possessions - Gayatri CLASS- start on FATHER'S DAY between his two wives and renounce Vidyashankar memento the world by taking up ascetic vows. Bhajan: Bhaja Mana Ramam(pg - Bala Adimoorthy He asked his wives their wishes. The 16); Shambho Shankara (pg 37) Shloka: Mushika Vahana and Ramaya learned Maitreyi asked her husband if - Sapna Chandrashekar Ramabhadraaya all the wealth in the world would make ------Asvini Yoganarasimha her immort al. The sage replied that Senior Class: Bhajan: RamaNama tarakam, Review wealth could only make one rich, Story: Mathura, Vrindavan - UP - Sushma Havanagi nothing else. She then asked for the - Seeta Janakiraman Super Senior Class: wealth of immortality. Yajnavalkya was Story: AchArA – what gitA states happy to hear this, and imparted Sloka: Nirvana shatkam (cleanliness of heart and outside Maitreyi the doctrine of the soul and - Sapna Chandrashekar work); connection to dharmA his knowledge of attaining immortality. Bhajan: Manasa Bhajare (pg 34); - Ashok Malavalli Namo Shloka: Subrahmanya Bhujangam 1-6 * "brahmavādín" means ‘discoursing on - Lalitha Krishnamoorthy and reveiw sacred texts, a defender or expounder of - Viji Ramanarayanan the Veda, one who asserts that all things Bhajan: Bolo Bolo Sab Mil Bolo (pg are to be identified with Brahman’. It does not means "one who speaks like God". 20); Review Nandeeshwara - Viji Ramanarayanan - Shravanti Bala

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BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO February 2014

Editors corner ACHARAS QUIZ Editors corner

Do you know the 2014 topic for Super Name these relatively See if you can answer the Seniors? It is achara, or Hindu traditions unknown women from the following questions about pertaining to daily activities. ’s feats!!!

Answer these questions below and test your 1. This wife of knowledge about our culture! 4. Hanuman is asked by stayed behind while her Sushena to go and bring husband left to 1. What is one thing you should do before medicinal herbs for the join Rama on his exile. entering a temple? unconscious Lakshmana. a) Turn around four times Hanuman flies to this b) Kick your younger sibling mountain to get the c) Wash your feet with water herbs. d) Break down the temple door

2. What do you do when the priest offers

aarathi after showing it to the god? a) Bend and stick your eye in the flame 2. Name this woman and b) gently touch the flame and place your hand guard of who on your eyes attempted (in vain) to c) blow out the flame stop Hanuman entering d) Take money from the aarathi plate 5. What is the one specific Lanka. medicinal herb Hanuman 3. According to vedic dharma, what is the only is not able to find on the varna (caste) that is not allowed to work for mountain? money? a) Brahmins

b) Sudras c) Vaishyas d) Kshatriyas

3. She was the rakshasi (female demon) in Ashoka 6. Hanuman catches and Vanam who helped 4. What should you do when you buy a new car? restrains what god while on out when a) Have a drag race with your school friends the mountain? He had failed threatened to kill her. b) Bring it to the temple for a puja in an attempt to catch this c) Sell it for a higher price god at a very young age. d) Crash it into your neighbor’s backyard playpen Answers: Answers: 4. Dronagiri 1) c 3) a 2) b 4) b 5. Sanjeevini 6. The Sun God, Surya

Newsletter Editors Answers Topics of the Month 1. Keshav Tadimeti 2. Satya Srinivasan Sankaran Ramanarayanan 3. Shravanthi Bala Srikanth Kalluri

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