June 2009 Balabhavan Coordinators BB Announcements: SAGE SHRI SHUKA Thanks to all the families who participated in the ‘Seva’ Bharathy Thridandam Nithya Sudhakar project and made it Sriram Srinivasan meaningful. The staff at the Vyasa, the son of the great sage, Parashara, Women’s Resource Center Contact: gave the divine epic of the Mahabharata to were very happy to receive [email protected] the world. Vyasa’s son’s name was Shuka. this large donation from an Vyasa taught his son many philosophical unexpected source. Pictures Class Coordinators scriptures. Still, Shuka thirsted for are on yahoogroups. knowledge. So Vyasa sent Shuka to King June 14, 2009: It’s Playtime Super-Senior Class: Janaka to learn more. Please note that the Sudhakar Devulapalli Balabhavan Family picnic is on [email protected] Janaka, foreseeing the coming of Shuka, June 14, 2009(Sunday) at Lake Ashok Malavalli ordered his guards not to let him in until Poway between 11:00 a.m to [email protected] further orders. Shuka was made to wait for 4:00p.m. Time to play, eat Ram Krishnamurthy three days without food or water or sleep. He and have family fun. Please [email protected] waited patiently, undisturbed by this unkind look into the sign up sheets reception. sent by e-mail for games and Senior Class: potluck food volunteers and do Renuka Krishnan sign up. On the fourth day Janaka arrived at the [email protected] Summer camps: gates, welcomed Shuka and led him to the Anitha Chidambaram We have three camps, Puja guest room. There Shuka was provided with [email protected] Vidhanam Camp, Arts camp every comfort. But Shuka showed no greed or Krishna Meduri and Folk Dance Camp, brought great delight at these luxuries. Instead he [email protected] to you by our dedicated and spent his days in meditation and prayer. talented parent volunteers. If you are interested, please sign Junior Class: Because neither insults nor luxuries affected up online as it is on a first – Seetha Janakiraman Shuka, King Janaka decided to put him to one come, first-serve basis. [email protected] Further details in flyers. final test. In the splendid court room filled Sangeetha Prahalad with dazzling performers, King Janaka gave [email protected] Please note that the class for Shuka a bowl full of milk. "Make seven rounds Juniors and Seniors on June Toddler Class: of this hall without spilling one drop of milk," 27th has been advanced to June Vidya Chari said the King. Shuka accepted the bowl. He 20th due to a temple event. [email protected] walked effortlessly around the great hall BBC Team Murali Chari seven times, past the magnificent courtiers, ______________________ [email protected] the whirling dancing girls and the musicians, June Birthdays: Priya Ram without spilling a single drop of milk. [email protected] Seniors: King Janaka was delighted. "Shuka," he said Janani Hariharan Registration coordinators: "You are unequalled in your self-control and Anugraha Panneerselvam Nikitha Gopal Panneer Selvam self-discipline. I have nothing to teach you. [email protected] Continue your practices and you will attain Rohit Kodukula Matangi Munukutla the supreme enlightenment." Shuka returned Smayra Ramesh [email protected] home and began to be Saint Sri Shuka. Super Seniors: Priya Ram Deeksha Phadnis [email protected] By Anugraha P 7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 June 2009 ISSUE 6 - 1 - June 2009 Class Schedules Class Schedules SAGE MARKANDEYA 06-06-2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 06-13-2009- - - - - - - - - - - - - Toddler Class: Junior Class: Once there lived a sage called Story: Panchatantra Mrikandu with his wife, Marudvati. The Story: Hanuman's meeting with -Srinivasan Rajagopalan couple was childless. Lord Shiva answered Sita and havoc in Lanka – their prayers, granting them an exceptional - Vandana Santhanam/ Sloka: Vasuda Vasutham / son with a short life or an ordinary son with Shankar Parasaram Krishnaya Vasudevaya a long life. Mrikandu and Marudvati chose -Nithya Sudhakar Sloka: Aditrahridayam, review the exceptional son who wouldn’t live long. The son was Markandeya. He devoted vishnu shlokas Bhajan Sharadhae, Sharadhae -Pallavi Nagaraj (p24, #2); Radhe Govinda Bhajo himself to Lord Shiva by mastering (p13,#3) Mahamrityunjaya mantra, by the age of 16. Bhajan: Mahalakshmi Jaganmaatha -Anandhi Sriram Soon, Yama came to take him away, as his -Shankar Parasaram time was over. During this time Markandeya Super Senior Class: was praying to Lord Shiva, and when Yama Senior Class: Story: Five mahayajnas performed came he held on to the Lingam. Yama Story: Rahu everyday by the householder became frustrated and threw his noose -Renuka Krishnan -Ram Krishnamurthy around Markandeya, also grabbing the Sloka: SL:1-30 Lingam. As soon as the noose touched the -Shanti Kalluri Sloka: SL:1-38 -Shanti Kalluri/ Lingam, it burst into flames forcing Yama to Bhajan: Jag Sukh Karini Viji Ramanarayanan --Lakshmi Srinivasan/ Bharathy T disappear. At this time Lord Shiva came and Bhajan: Devi Bhajans; Vishnu Priye blessed Markandeya to be 16 forever and he 06-27-2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - Varalakshmi Namo Namo also declared that none of his devotees Junior Class: -Latha Sundar/Sheela Malavalli would be touched by that noose. The Devas - came and requested Lord Shiva to bring Story: Invasion of Lanka and story 06-20-2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - - back Yama, so the cycle of birth, death, Toddler Class: of Kumbhakarna and Vibeeshana and rebirth will continue. The appearance Story: Story of Ganesha - Veena Athmaram -Anandhi Sriram of Lord Shiva during this occasion is known as Kalasamhara Murthi. Sloka: NamaramayaNa Sloka: Sashanka Chakram / -Vanishree Kadaba Ananyas Chinthayanthomam Later in the life of Markandeya, the -Priya Ram Earth was being engulfed by water, so he Bhajan: JagadoDhaarini Maatha prayed to Lord Vishnu to save him. Vishnu (p27, #15) -Ravi/Kalapana Palakodety Bhajan: Devi Lakshmi Maampahi took the form of a baby on a leaf on the (p26, #9); Sharadhae, Sharadhae water, and told Markandeya to go inside his (p24, #2); Durga Bhavani Maa Senior Class: mouth. Inside the body of Lord Vishnu he -Bala Adimurthy witnessed the whole universe. Amazed of Story: Ketu Super Senior Class: this, he then became a strong devotee of -Shanti Kalluri Story: Discussion on the topics Lord Vishnu. Markandeya spent the next covered so far -Ashok Malavalli thousand years as a devotee of Lord Shiva Sloka: Sl:1-30, review and Lord Vishnu. The Markandeya Purana is achutashtakam Sloka: Review Ganesha shloka, SL: the shortest of the Puranas containing only - Seema Madan 1-38 Viji Ramanarayanan/ 9,000 verses. It contains the wisdom given Shanti Kalluri by four learned birds to sage Jaimini. Since Bhajan: Mahalakshmi Jaganmaatha the birds were speaking on behalf of sage (); Review of Devi Bhajans Bhajan: Hey Govinda Hey Gopala - Bharathy T/Banumathi Sugumar Markandeya the Purana was named after (); Vishnu Priye Varalakshmi Namao Namo the sage. Anandhi Sriram/Geetha Gopala By Vikram T 7930 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 549-3940 June 2009 ISSUE 6 - 2 - June 2009 Class Volunteers BB Announcements Story: SAGE ADI SHANKARA Anandhi Sriram June Promotions: Ashok Malavalli Sri Adi Shankaracharya reverentially called Ram Krishnamurthy Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet Renuka Krishnan The following children are Shankar Parasaram of Lord) was the proponent of Advaita (non- promoted to the next class Shanti Kalluri dualistic) philosophy. effective September 2009. Srinivasan Rajagopalan Please make a note of this as Vandana Santhanam Shankara was born in Kalady, a small village we have classes on opposing Veena Athmaram in Kerala, India, to Shivaguru and Aryamba, Saturdays for different with the grace of Lord Shiva. He was destined sections. So when you come Sloka: to live for only 16 years. back in September, make Nithya Sudhakar Shankara was a prodigious child and was ‘Eka- sure you come to the right Pallavi Nagaraj Sruti-Dara’, one who can retain anything that Priya Ram class. has been read just once. On one occasion, Seema Madan Shanti Kalluri Shankara was bathing in the river, when a Senior to Super Senior: Vanishree Kadaba crocodile caught him. He asked for his Sakshi Madan Viji Ramanarayanan mother's permission to adopt sannyasa (the Keshav Tadimeti ascetic life), and when his mother agreed, Janani Hariharan Bhajan: the crocodile released him. He became the Sankaran Ramnarayanan Anandhi Sriram disciple of Govinda Bhagavatpada and Bala Adimurthy traveled extensively to propagate advaita Junior to Senior: Geetha Gopala philosophy. Lakshmi Srinivasan Sarthak Madan Bharathy Thridandam Rohith Sudhakar Blessed by Vyasa after debating Latha Sundar Sukruth Kadaba Ravi/Kalapana Palakodety Brahmasustras lord Brahma granted Shankara Aruna Sudarshan Banumathi Sugumar a lease of another sixteen years. He Shrea Chari Shankar Parasaram composed many Shlokas and Stotrams used in Vinod Krishnamoorthy Sheela Malavalli our daily lives. Few pearls in this vast ocean Tejas Srinivasan Class Presentations are Viveka Chudamani (non-dual Vedanta), 06-13-2009 commentary on Brahma Sutra, Upanishads, Toddler to Junior: Junior Class: Why do we do Vishnu Sahasranama and Bhagavad Gita. Suravi Hingorani pradhakshanams? Hymn, Bhaja Govindam and invocation to Siva Mathavan Ramanathan --Yogitha S and Sakti, namely Sivanandalahari and Malaika Sriram Saundaryalahari respectively. Shravanthi Bala Senior Class: Why do we do Pranavi