BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO June 2013 RAMANA MAHARSHI Balabhavan Coordinators BBC Announcements: Sri Ramana Maharishi (1879 – 1950) was a Latha Sundar 1.Bala Bhavan Annual Picnic: sadhu who lived a life of renunciation and nd Lalitha Krishnamoorthy When: June 2 , 11am -5pm attracted many followers from every part of the Hema Rangaswamy world. He was born in Tiruchuzhi and his parents Where: Lake Poway Park, Kumar Gowda named him Venkataraman Iyer. His father died 14644 Lake Poway Rd., CA [email protected] 92064 when he was twelve, and he became self-realized at the age of sixteen. He left home soon thereafter for the sacred mountain Arunachala. 2. Bala Bhavan Field Trip: Class Coordinators He lived there for the rest of his life, first in When: August 2013 temples and caves, and later in an ashram at the Where: TBD Super-Senior Class: foothill of Arunachala. 3.URIYADI for Krishna Krishna Meduri Janmashtami – on 8/31 [email protected] 4.BalaBhavan SUMMER CAMPS Senior Class: Starts June 15; all camps at Shiva Vishnu Temple, 7930 Radhika Chari Arjons Drive, on Saturdays (AM Pavani Balebail or PM). [email protected] DETAILS ON PG 3 OF THIS Junior Class: NEWSLETTER Sushma Natarajan Early on, Indian devotees were attracted A. Science & Vedic Dharma Rajashri Balaji by the deep stillness he radiated, sat in his Camp [email protected] presence and took care of his physical being. He B. Vedic Mathematics Camp was recognized as a Swami, and the living C. Vedic Culinary Camp Toddler Class: D. Vedic Art & Crafts Camp embodiment of the Holy Scriptures. He received his full name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi in E. Green Art & Crafts camp Vanitha Santhamoorthy 1907 from Vasistha Ganapthi Sastri. In later part F. Subhashitam Camp Vandana Santhanam G.Introduction to Mrdangam of his life, he also came to be regarded as Uma Uralegaddi Dakshinamurthy, an aspect of Lord Shiva as a Camp [email protected] guru. H. Meditation Camp Ramana became acquainted with Registration coordinator: Vedanta, Shaiva Siddhanta and the Bhakthi All camps are on a first come- movement and used them to answer questions first served basis, so hurry up Kumar Gowda from devotees. Ramana sparingly used words, and and sign up! You can sign up gave his most profound answers in silence. He either in person at Bala Newsletter Coordinator: insisted that awareness of the “I” thought was Bhavan class, or by writing to required for Self-realization. He advocated self- balabhavancoordinator@yaho Krishna Meduri: en quiry as the key to insight. Ramana considered o.com [email protected] the Self to be permanent and enduring, surviving physical death. The sleep, dream and waking Please note: states are mere phenomena appearing on the Festivals of the Month: Self. His earliest teachings are documented in the Regular Bala Bhavan classes th book “Nan Yar?” (Who am I?). His teachings were pause after June 8 , and th Please visit: also popularized in the west by Paul Brunton in resume on Sept.7 . www.shiva-vishnu.org for the 1930s through his book “A Search in Secret India”. more details -Maya Gopala 7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 June 2013 Issue 6 1 BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO June 2013 Class Schedules AVVAIYYAR Class Schedules 6-1-2013 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6-8-2013 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Avvaiyyar was a female poet who lived during the Sangam period (1st and 2nd Toddler Class: Junior Class: Story: Children & Vedic Culture: century CE). She was an extraordinary poet Story: Demise of Indrajith Story of Baby Krishna- Birth and a very noble and revered saint of the -Sudarshan Gopalakrishnan Tamil canon. She had cordial relations with and move to Nanda's house; Children hand over the Tamil chieftans Paari and Athiyaman. Sloka: Ganesha stotram: Ajam dads Memento for Father's Day Avvaiyyar means respected old woman or nirvikalpam grandmother. - Hema Rangaswamy -Rajasree Balaji Sloka: Ananyashcintayanto Bhajan: Review of Ganesha maam Bhajans (Ekadantam, Sharanam - Sowmya Sekar Siddhi) - Lakshmi Devulapalli Bhajan: Sharadhe Sharadhe; Radhey Govinda Bhajo Senior Class: -Sushma Havanagi Story: Talks between Kauravas Super Senior Class: and Pandavas / Duryodhana’s refusal to return kingdom. Story: Varnashrama Dharma: Krishna’s mission as envoy Divisions based on what? -Poornima Veeranna -Lalitha Kodandapani Avvaiyyar was born to a brahman called Sloka: Shloka revision / Quiz Sloka: Review of all Shlokas Bhagavan and his untouchable wife, Adi. - Vijaya Purohit - Lalitha Kodandapani Since Bhagavan was on a spiritual journey at the time of her birth, both of them decided Bhajan: Review Vinayaka Bhajan: Review Vinayaka to abondon the child. A poet passing by took bhajans (Ekadantam, Sharanam bhajans- Vigna Vinayaka Siddhi, Pashupati Tanaya) the child under his care. Vedaswarupa, Gajanana Hey - Hema Kalyanaraman shubhanana, Ekadantam Avvaiyyar showed deep interest in poetry at a very young age. She was also a great June Birthdays: - Anandi Krishnamurthy, devotee of lord Ganesha. When she reached Toddler: - Aswini Sangam marriageable age she prayed to Ganesha to Shriya Venkatesh Krishnan remove her beauty and turn her into an old Kavya Karthik ---------------------------------- woman. The Lord granted her wish after Pallav Achar which she dedicated her entire life to poetry. Her work fittingly demonstrated her Juniors: love for the common man and her contempt Sanjay Mahesh Bharadwaj towards pretensions of the rich. She wrote Mahathi Amshumanth 59 poems in the purananuru. Aneesh Devulapalli It is believed that Avvaiyyar did not die a Seniors: normal death. Instead she was transported Pranavi S Maddipatla bodily to Kailasa, the aboard of Lord Shiva, Atulya Mandyam by Lord Ganesha Himself. Super Seniors: -Priyanka Samavedam Anugraha Panneerselvam 7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 June 2013 Issue 6 2 BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO June 2013 BALA BHAVAN SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE -2013 FEES FEES/ Age CAMP CAMP CAMP /VCS NON- Grou CAMP COORDINATOR DATES TIMING C VCSC p General Description of Camp Science and Vedic June Dharma Ramanarayanan 15 - 5 - 8 and Interrelationship between current-day Science, and Vedic Camp Krishnamurthy July 13 6:15pm $25 $30 above Dharma June 22 - Sriram Srinivasan Aug 3 Vedic & Kodandapani (Aug 6.15- 8 and Mystically simple methods and concepts in Vedic Mathematics Ramadurgam 10) 7:30pm $30 $35 above Mathematics July Vedic Arts 13, 20, Beautiful creativity of Vedic Arts- pooja items like and Crafts 27, 5 - 5 and agarbathi stand, jewel box, slokha plates using Tanjore Camp Rama Srinivasan Aug 3 6:15pm $25 $35 above style techniques Augus Exciting exploration of various vegetarian delicacies. Vedic t 10, Hands on experience in cooking, also teaches how the Culinary Seetha 17 and 5 - 5 and ingredients used from Vedic times in these recipes are Camp Janakiraman 24 6:15pm $25 $35 above beneficial to us Augus Green Art t 17 & 5- 3 and Environmentally friendly creativity, innovative "green" art Camp Aruna Janakiram 24 6.15pm $10 $15 above with recycled materials 5 - 6pm (day 1,2), June 6. 15- Brief, Simple, Sanskrit Subhashitams which teach life-long, Subhashitam Jyothsna 15, 22, 7.15pm 5 and invaluable lessons about citizenship, friendship, learning, Camp Subrahmanyam 29 (day3) $10 $15 above and gratitude. Introduction to July 6, Mrdangam Raamkumar 13, 20, 10- 8 and Camp Balamurthy 27 11am $25 $30 above Concepts and appreciation of rhythm, music, mrdangam June 29, 10 Introduction to the most essential capability in life- inner Meditation July and peace, tranquility, and strength through meditation- steps Camp Aparna Vemuri 6th 5-6pm $10 $15 above and benefits of meditation in day to day life 7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 June 2013 Issue 6 3 BALABHAVAN NEWSLETTER VEDIC CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SAN DIEGO June 2013 Questions of the Month Indian’s Climate and Climactic Zones Answers Indian Ancient History Quiz 1 Tropical Desert Crossword 1. Buddhism spread from 2 Winter India to which nation creating 3 Himalayas a new religion with2 Shinto? 4 Summer 5 Post-monsoon 6 Monsoon season 2. The Mauryan empire fell from pressure by this nomadic tribe. 3. These two epics were role models for the Hindu way of life. 4. Which ruler during the 1600s created the Taj Mahal? 5. Aurangzeb attempted to assasinate Guru Nanak, the propogator of this religion. 6. Ancient India gave birth to this board game now commonly played with Kings, Queens, and Horses. (No wonder Anandth Viswanathan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- is the worldwide winner!) Newsletter Editors Keshav Tadimeti Answers- 1. Japan Sankaran Ramanarayanan 2. The Huns --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Ramayana and Mahabharata Topics of the Month 4. Shah Jahan 5. Sikhism Maya Gopala 6. Chess Priyanka Samavedam 7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 June 2013 Issue 6 4 .