September 2008

Balabhavan Coordinators Satyabama Ram Krishnamurthy Meduri Krishna had 16,108 wives. The famous ones Aparna Vemuri are , Satyabama, and . Contact: Satyabama was the third wife of Krishna and [email protected] is considered an of Bhudevi. Satyabama was the daughter of , the Class Coordinators owner of the gem. Once he

Super- Senior Class: wrongly accused Krishna of stealing the Padmini Mylavarapu Syamantaka jewel. As an apology he gave [email protected] Satyabama in marriage to Krishna. BB Announcements: Senior Class: Satyabama is well known for her strong will Bharathy Thridandam and tantrums. She is also known for slaying [email protected] the demon Narakasura bravely. The demon BB Re-registration for Rajasri Kota was more powerful than Satyabama. Krishna 2009: [email protected] also could not help her as he had fainted. th Satyabama was furious. She doubled her 2008 Oct 4, 11, 18, 20 – Junior Class: strength and fought until the demon finally Everyone must submit forms Srinivasan perished. (electronically) for each [email protected] Moorthy Akella child with a $50 (materials & Satyabama was very haughty that Krishna [email protected] registration) fee per child loved her so much but she was jealous of per year. Toddler Class: Rukmini, Krishna’s first wife. One day Sage

Nithya Sudhakar Narada came to see Satyabama. He told her [email protected] to put Krishna on the scale and do a Library Announcement: Pallavi Sridhar “thulabharam” of gold and diamonds. If Please return all books you [email protected] Satyabama did not succeed, Krishna would borrowed before the vacation become Narada’s slave. Satyabama was started. Registration coordinators: frightened. So, even though she was proud, Panner Selvam her love of Krishna made her beg all the Talent Day Signup: [email protected] women to give her their jewelry so that she Deadline for signup for Matangi Munikutla could win the thulabharam. However, all the participation is October 1. [email protected] women’s jewelry was of no use. Then Narada Write to Priya Ram suggested Rukmini could help Satyabama. [email protected] [email protected] She hesitated because she was afraid that if Tentative program announcement will be sent ------Rukmini succeeded Krishna would like Rukmini more. Finally Satyabama gave in and out by e-mail. For preliminary September Birthdays details see page 3. Super Senior: asked Rukmini for help. Rukmini chanted a

Keerti Tadimeti prayer and laid a Tulasi leaf on the scale. Immediately the side of the Tulasi leaf weighed down. This shows Rukmini is worthier Festivals of the Month: Junior: than Satyabama. Sherya Gopala Sep 3rd – Ganesh Chaturthi Shreya Palakodety This incident made Satyabama humble and Sep 29th – Navaratri Begins showed her that pure devotion is greater than Toddler: Visit (http://www.shiva- Deepali Yedulapuram any amount of wealth. - By Shreya S .org) for more details

7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 September 2008 ISSUE 9 - 1 -

September 2008

Rukmini Class Schedules Class Schedules

9-13-2008 ------9-6-2008 ------Rukmini was the first wife and queen of Senior Class: Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu. She was Toddler Class: an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi. Story: Story of Saraswathy Rukmini was the daughter of Bhishmaka, Story: Nachiketa -Bharathy Tridandam the king of Vidarbha. Determined to marry Sloka: Revise Soundarayalahari -Vandana Santhanam Krishna, and not the man selected by her /Sankaran -Lalitha Kodandapani/ brother , Rukmini secretly sent a Sheela Malavalli Sloka: Saraswathy letter to Krishna requesting him to marry Namasthubyam Sarva Mangala Bhajan: Annual Review of her. Krishna agreed and managed to carry Bhajans. - Latha Sundar - Srinivas her off in his chariot right before her Bhajan: Review Krishna marriage. Lord Krishna married Rukmini in Bhajans Dwaraka and she became Krishna's chief -Pallavi Nagaraj Junior Class: queen. The first son of Queen Rukmini was

Pradyumna who became the crown prince of Super Senior Class: Story: Story of Saraswathy: Dwaraka later. -Seetha Janakiraman The Tulabharam was an incident in the life Story: Sloka: Sharadaa Bhujangam: of Rukmini that reveals the extent to which -Ravi/Kalpana Palakodety -Ram Krishnamurthy humble devotion is worth more than Sloka: Soundaryalahari 11-13 Bhajan: Janini Jaya Jaya: material wealth. Lord Krishna wanted to - Lalitha Kodandapani - Anandi Sriram show the world the greatness of Rukmini's Bhajan: Jag Sukh Karini; Jaya devotion. , another queen of Mithilesha Kumari Krishna, prided herself about the love 9-27-2008 ------Latha Sundar Krishna has for her and her grasp over his heart. She also believed that wealth could Senior Class: buy anything. Rukmini, on the other hand 9-20-2008------Story: Story of Lakshmi was a devoted wife, humble in her service -Ashok Mallavalli of her Lord. Toddler Class: Sloka:Revise Soundaryalahari Lord Krishna had a scale brought and sat on -Lalitha Kodandapani/Shanti Story: Review Nachiketa with one side. Then he asked Satyabhama to values learnt Kalluri balance it. She put all her wealth and Bhajan: Jag Sukh Karini; - Nithya Sudhakar jewelry on the scale. When that was not Sloka: Saraswathy Prathama Ganapathi enough to tip the balance, she put more -Latha Sundar Namasthubyam Sarva Mangala and more wealth on the scale. However it -Rama Srinivas /BharathyThridandam did not tip the scale. Finally Lord Krishna Bhajan: Review Ganesh called his wife Rukmini to balance the Bhajans Junior Class: scale. Rukminiwas very humble and she - Pallavi Nagaraj plucked a leaf from the Tulasi plant with Story: Story of Lakshmi great devotion and put it on the other side -Rashmi Madhukara Super Senior Class of the scale, praying to Lord Krishna. Sloka: Sharada bhujangam 3-4 Immediately the scale tipped over to the Discussion: : other side, showing the sacredness of the - Ravi/Kalpana Palakodety -Ram Krishnamurthy Tulasi plant and the 'weight' of Rukmini’s Sloka: Soundaryalahiri 14-16 Bhajan: Janani; Jaya jaya jaya pure devotion. Maa Saraswathi; Bhavani - Lalitha Kodandapani By Anugraha P Bhajan: Janani; Jaya Maa Saraswathi - Lakshmi Srinivasan - Latha Sundar

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September 2008 ISSUE 9 - 2 -

September 2008

Class Volunteers: Other Information: Talent Day Details Story: Ganesh : Ashok Mallavali For children on 7th Sep All BB children interested in participating Bharathy Thridandam @11.30 a.m. at Ram Krishnamurthy in the Annual Balabhavan Talent Day, Vishnu Temple. Open to Rashmi Madhukara must sign-up by 1st October by writing to Seetha Janakiraman all children. Vandana [email protected]. Santhanam/Sankaran Ganesh Visarjan: Bhajan: Children in the BB wait-list are also 13th September 10.15 a.m Anandi Sriram invited to participate. onwards at Scripps Pier (La Bharathy Thridandam Jolla); for details see Lakshmi Srinivasan PRESENTATIONS MUST BE BASED ON Shiva Vishnu Temple web- Latha Sundar INDIAN CULTURE AND TRADITIONS. site. Rama Srinivas Sloka: Balabhavan parents Lakshmi Srinivasan Please provide the following information Lalitha Kodandapani meeting: in your email: th Pallavi Nagaraj 11 October @ 4 PM Ravi/Kalpana Palakodety Sheela Malavalli 1. Child's name, group or Saraswathi Puja: Shanti Kalluri individual item On 6th October (details to 2. If in a group the names of all follow) Class Presentations the participants Senior Class: Talent Day: 9-13-2008 3. Item name Tentatively on Nov 8th or What is meditation? 15 th. - Sajan P Following guidelines must be adhered to:

9-27-2008 1. Individual presentations: Why do we ring the bell Newsletter Editors - each participant gets 2 minutes before/during/after Puja? -Kalyani R Meera Kota What is the significance of 2. Group Presentations: Maya Kota prostration (Namaskaram)? - group of 2 gets 4 minutes -Srinidhi M - group of 3 gets 6 minutes Topics of the Month Junior Class: - group of 4 gets 8 minutes 9-13-2008 - group of 7 or more gets 15 Shreya Sriram Why do we do Aarthi? minutes Anugraha Panneerselvam – Aparna A 9-27-2008 Participation in Talent Day program is Why do we ring the bell ------before/during/after Puja? restricted to children enrolled or Please send your -Sujanya S waitlisted in BB program. suggestions/comments on What is the significance of this newsletter to prostration (Namaskaram)? [email protected] -Rachana M

7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 September 2008 ISSUE 9 - 3 -