Workshop: "Group discussion on Emotional Dilemma"

Day 6 - Workshop was from Aishwarya Didi who gave a picturesque description of Mahabharata from Pandu’s demise to the battlefield - Kauravas vs Pandavas, where Arjuna was in emotional dilemma.

Topic & set of questions were given for the group discussion.

Topic: How can we relate Arjuna's emotional dilemma to our personal experience?

Questions:

• What is your definition of the word 'duty'?
• What is your duty as a child of a parent, as a student and as a human being?
• Action vs Result
• When does each of this happen?
• Which of these two are in our control?
• What should be our attitude towards Action, Result?
• What should be our feelings towards it?
• Should we do action at all?

Children were asked to have a group discussion within their respective team under the guidance of their mentor and present their conclusion. Again children themselves judged their peers and awarded marks.

All the groups came up with very deep answers to these questions! A few salient points from their discussion and the workshop summary-

Duty is what one needs to do - rightfully for that particular role he/she is playing at that moment. It changes with time, place etc.

As a child (of a parent), one must obey his/her parents, respect them, make them proud of him/her
As a student, one must study, respect his teachers, apply/use what he/she learns.
As a Human Being, we should be respect nature and other beings around us, take care of them, behave responsibly towards others etc.

Action vs. Result - Action happens in the present, result could be any time in the future.

For some actions, the result is almost immediate (example - it pains as soon as one pinches), whereas for some others it would be later (you write the exam, results come a few weeks or months later).

For certain actions, we do not know when the results would come, it could be weeks later, months later, years later or even in the next birth.

So, only action is in our control. Result is not! This was a little tricky since science establishes certain laws - if we throw up a ball, it has to come down! Didi impressed upon the children that there could be many obstacles on the way even in such situations - a monkey sitting up the tree can catch the ball or it can get stuck in the branches of the tree!!

We should do our best, give our full effort and focus to the action which is in our hands.
For the result, take whatever comes at the Lord's Prasada

One of the groups mentioned the quote "Do your best, leave the rest"

Act we must! If we do not act, for fear of result, then the potential good result we may get won't be there. One must therefore do his actions, to the best of his abilities offering the results completely to the Divine.

Didi also explained to the children 4 stages in the action-result process

1. Kartavya NirvahaNam - Performing the action
2. Samyak AcharaNam - Doing it as best as one can
3. IshwararpaNa Budhi - Perform action as a worship to the Lord
4. Ishwara Prasada Budhi - Take result as the Lord's Prasada

The workshop was summarized with Bhagawad Gita - Chapter 2; Verse: 47

karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi

Thy right is to work only, but never to its fruits; let not the fruit-of-action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction.

Kaliya Mardana Song

**Kaliya mardana krishna krishna
Jaya jaya kaliya mardana krishna krishna
Tumne Hume jeevan diya
Tumne Hume jeena sikhaya
**Jaya kaliya mardana krishna krishna (2)

Krishna raghava krishna krishna(2)

Jaya jaya kaliya mardana krishna krishna (2)

Govinda gopala krishna krishna (2)
Jaya kaliya mardana krishna krishna (2)

Achyuta govinda krishna krishna(2)
Jaya kaliya mardana krishna krishna (2)

Murli manohara krishna krishna (2)
Vrindavan nandana krishna krishna
Achyuta keshava krishna krishna (2)
Jaya kaliya mardana krishna krishna (2)

- Composed by Govinda Team

Govinda Team

The Poem - பாலவிஹாரின் கோடைகால முகாம்!

கார்மேகக் கண்ணா!

உமது நாமத்தால் அன்பும் பண்பும் அறிந்து
அறவழியில் இன்புற,
எமக்கு கிட்டிய அரியதோர் உபாயம்,
பாலவிஹாரின் கோடைகால முகாம்.

அன்னையர் அரவணைப்பில் இருந்து,
ஆறிரவு அகல அழுத இதயம்;
பசுந்தளிர் சோலையானா சின்மய சாந்தீபனி ஆஸ்ரமத்தின்
அன்பில் ஆசுவாசம் அடைந்தது.

அனுதினமும் சுவாமி அபராஜிதானந்தா அவர்களின் வழிநடத்தலில்,
நமச்சிவாயனின் திருவடியில் 'நாராயண சூக்தம்' பயின்றோம்.

வானுயர்ந்த சின்மய கணபதியின் பாதம் தொட்டு
மித்திரர்களின் தோளோடு தோள் சேர்த்து
கிருஷ்ணரின் வேடம் தரித்து
வெண்ணை கொண்ட மட்பானையை உடைத்தால்,
தண்ணீர் தான் வழிந்தோடியது; வெண்ணையல்லவே!
இது விதியின் விளையாட்டா ? - அல்லது
யுவ கேந்த்ரா சகோதரர்களின்  சதித்திட்டமா ?
விடையளியுங்கள் ஆச்சாரியர் அவர்களே.

விண்மீன்களை விட்டில்பூச்சிகளாய் எண்ணிய எமக்கு
ஸ்ரீ பிரஷாந்த் அவர்களின் வானோக்கு மூலம்
சப்தரிஷி மண்டலம், பெகாசஸ் மற்றும் 12 ராசிகளின்,
நட்சத்திர கூட்டங்களைத் துல்லியமாய்க் கண்டோம்.

மா, பலா, சப்போர்ட்டா மற்றும் நெல்லி மரங்களின்
காய் கனிகளை அதன் பிறப்பிடத்தில் கண்டது - எமக்கு
கண்கொள்ளா காட்சியாயிற்று.

ஆலமரத்து நிழலின் ஆனந்தம்;
மாமரத்தில் ஏறுவதின் ஆரவாரம்;
பசுமாட்டின் பராமரிப்பு;
பத்து நாள் கன்றின் ஸ்பரிசம்;
குரங்கின் மடியில் குட்டியின் கதகதப்பு;
ஓட்டிலிருந்து எட்டிப்பார்க்கும் நத்தை;
எட்டிகுத்திக்கும் வெட்டுக்கிளி;
வாலை ஆட்டும் நாய்க்குட்டி;
இவையனைத்தும் காப்பியத்திலும்,
கிராமிய படங்களிலும் கண்ட
இயற்கை காட்சிகள்
இன்று கண்ணெதிரே நினைவாயிற்று!

சட்டென்று கார்மேகம் சூழ்ந்து
மண்ணில் விழுந்த முதல் துளியால்
எழுந்த மண்வாசனையானது
மயிலிறகு போல் மனதை வருடியது.

வியக்க வைக்கும் விஞ்ஞானம்,
விண்ணைத்தொட வித்திட்டத்து,
நமது முன்னோர் படைத்த வேதாந்தங்களும், உபநிஷங்களும் மற்றும் சாஸ்த்திரங்களும்    என்றுணர்த்தோம்.

எம்மவரை, கோவிந்தா, கோபாலா, அச்சுதா,
முகுந்தா, கேசவா, மாதவா, முராரி என்று
கிருஷ்ணரின் நாமம் கொண்டு,
ஏழு அணிகளாக பிரித்து,
இனிவரும் முகாம் நாட்களில்
ஒன்றிணைந்து செயலாற்ற பணித்தனர்.
ஆன்மீகம் சார்ந்த புதையல் வேட்டை, விளையாட்டு,
குழுமுறையில் கலந்துரையாடல், நாடகம் என்று
ஒவ்வொரு நிகழ்விலும் ஒருமித்து பங்கேற்றோம் .
'நான்' எனும் வேற்றுமையை அழித்து,
'நாம்' எனும் ஒற்றுமையை தோற்றுவித்த,
முகாம் குழுவிற்கு மனமார்ந்த நன்றி!

முகாமின் ஆதி  முதல் அந்தம் வரை,
மனதை மதியால் வெல்லும் சூத்திரத்தை போதித்து;
உடல், உள்ளம், அறிவாற்றல் ஒருங்கிணைந்து செயலாற்றினால்,   
கோபம், பேராசை, திரிபுணர்ச்சி, அகந்தை, பொறாமை போன்ற
எதிர்மறை எண்ணங்களை ஒளித்து;
வாழ்க்கையை செழிமையாக்கலாம் என்று எடுத்துரைத்தனர்.

இன்று எம்முள் விதைக்கப்பட்ட நல் விதையானது,
விரைவில் பெரும்விருட்ஷமாக விஸ்வரூபம் தரித்து,
பூவுலகைக் காக்கும் என்று வாக்களிக்கின்றோம்.

கற்ற ஸ்திரோத்திரங்களும், பஜனைகளும்,  வேதங்களும் மனதில் ரீங்காரமிட
பேருந்தில் ஏறி பயணிக்க எத்தனித்த எம்மவரை
வாசல் வரை வந்து வழியனுப்பி
பண்பாட்டை பறைசாற்றிய ஆச்சாரியர் அவர்களுக்கு வந்தனம்!

யாம் அனைவரும்
உத்தம புத்திரர்களாக திகழ
நித்தமும் பயிற்ச்சி அளித்த
"பாலவிஹாரின் கோடைகால முகாம்"   நாட்களை
சிந்தையில் வைத்து சிறப்புறுவோம்!

- Tamil Poem By
Bhuvana

Summer Camp 2018 - Day 7 - Summary

What seemed impossible first for some minds became inseparable and inevitable through the instinct from intellect.

Now the BMI - Body, Mind and Intellect - is in complete harmony with Nature, hence our children’s heart did not want to depart from this spiritual atmosphere and that’s how the ‘D’ day of Balavihar camp started! 

Children learnt to chant Nayarana Sooktam by now and thanks to Swami Aparajitanandaji for his best efforts to teach in a weeks time.

Valedictory started at 11:15am with Nayarana Sooktam, Sri Deenabandhu Ashtakam & the Camp Song with emotions.
Children the power house of innovation and creativity have put together a cultural performance per team in the name of lord Krishna. Here are the teams and the allotted stories.

Skit performance started with full josh and was a wonderful show indeed with just couple of hours of practise. Refer Skit Performance by camp children for more details.
In between the Skit performance, Shankara Bhola Bhala & Ananta roopa ananta nama Bhajans were sung to add more energy to the vibrant children.

Shankara Bhola Bhala by Priya

Krishna, Krishna Bhajan was also taught by Swamiji, later he had viva voice to the children on the spiritual lectures he had delivered in the past 6 days and to our amazement children answer very well.

Our loving appreciation to the the budding poet Sharanya Rao for her beautiful poem with rhythm and rich vocabulary on Krishna & the Twin Trees and to the Govinda Team for their beautiful song on Kaliya Mardana, in-line with Camp Song.

Most of the group activities during the camp was team-wise (Govinda, Gopala, Achyuta, Mukunda, Keshava, Madhava and Murari).
The winners and runner-up are Govinda & Madhava respectively, who were awarded by Swamiji with books depicting stories from our puranas in a pictorial format.

With Vote of Thanks from Rashmi, we left the Omkareshwara Temple with heavy heart.

Vote of Thanks by Rashmi

" The burden of duty disappears when we work with love, devotion and dedication. It becomes a 'joy', not a 'job' to be done" by Swami Tejomayananda would aptly fit for the camp Volunteers

Volunteers with Camp Acharya

Hats-off to the team behind the camp!

Achutha

Gopala

Keshava

Madhava

Mukunda

Murari

Govinda

Summer Camp 2018 - Day 6 - Summary

A shining morning face, was creeping like a snail unwillingly to accept the fact that “A New beginning has a happy ending” and so it was for our children at Balavihar camp on the penultimate day!

Children learnt Narayana Sooktam from Swamiji and continued with Pranayama and Yogasana under sevikas.

Annapoorneshwari Hall surprised the children with their all-time favourite breakfast - Poori Sahu along with musk melon.

Special Lecture: "Nature"

Special Talk from Shruthi Didi was on “Nature”  where she spoke on how humans standout many a time without appreciating others when the whole universe of nature is working on Yagna spirit.

She did create an awareness on how humans exploit animals in different ways unconsciously causing destruction to different species (say sheep for wool, cow for milk etc.)

Now-a-days man make all possible effort to conquer the Nature, consciously control and exploit Nature, which has lead us to face the wrath through Natural Calamities.  She emphasized that it is essential to start living in divine cooperation and in complete harmony with Nature through motivational stories.

Workshop: "Group discussion on Emotional Dilemma"

Workshop of the day was from Aishwarya Didi who gave a picturesque description of Mahabharata from Pandu’s demise to the battlefield - Kauravas vs Pandavas, where Arjuna was in emotional dilemma.
Topic & set of questions were given for the group discussion.
Topic:

• How can we relate Arjuna's emotional dilemma to our personal experience?

Questions:

• What is your definition of the word 'duty'?
• What is your duty as a child of a parent, as a student and as a human being?
• Action vs Result
• When does each of this happen?
• Which of these two are in our control?
• What should be our attitude towards Action, Result?
• What should be our feelings towards it?
• Should we do action at all?

Children were asked to have a group discussion within their respective team under the guidance of their mentor and present their conclusion. Again children themselves judged their peers and awarded marks.

Refer Group discussion on Emotional Dilemma for more details.

Swamiji's Lecture:

Swamiji started the session by teaching “Om namah Shivaya” Bhajan followed by a talk on “Bhakti”

Four fundamental principles that you need to keep in mind throughout life 

Oh Lord

1. I am nothing!
2. I have nothing!
3. I know nothing!
4. I can do nothing!

But by your grace

• I am something!
• I have something!
• I know something!
• I can do something!

When the lord have given so much of talents, abilities, all that he expects from us is righteousness. Infact he takes avatar only to establish dharma.

4 things in Vishnu’s hand to establish righteousness are

1. Shanka - voice of consciousness inside
2. Chakra - destroys all negativities in mind and mind becomes pure
3. Gada - knocking down all the negativities
4. Padma - makes you one with himself

God is not our wish fulfilled; he is our well wisher.

Whenever you pray, he answers in one of the 4 ways

1. Yes 
2. No
3. Wait
4. Take something better 

Refer Swamiji's Lecture on "Bhakti" for details.

Mangalore Bajji & Butter biscut was to munch for snack time with Badam Milk.

After playing for a while, children assembled back for Aarati and Bajans followed by skit practice under the guidance of sevikas.

Children had Rasam and Curd rice for dinner and rushed back for the final Gurukula session with Swamiji.

Everyone’s heart was longing for couple of more days extension for the camp and slept with a bit of sadness on the next day’s farewell.

Summer Camp 2018 - Day 5 - Summary

Rain drops, dew drops all over the blades of grasses.
Cool breeze, sweet earthy smell come floating into our children’s life, painting the sky bright, to kick start Day 5 of Balavihar camp!

Camp Acharya’s involved teaching of Narayana Sooktam continued; followed by Pranayama & Yogasana by sevikas. A new Pranayama - Vibhaga Pranayama that involves 3 parts viz. abdomen chest & shoulder in three different mudras was also taught.

Children did break-the-fast with Khara Pongal, Chutney and unlimited mangoes.

Cut Mangoes

Breakfast

Morning stotram session was with learning ‘Balamukundastakam’ & ‘Deenabandhu Ashtaka’ taught by sevikas. Later they revised ‘Gurustotram’ & ‘Gurupaduka Stotram’.

Special Lecture: "Why do we.. ? "

Special talk from Usha Didi on “Why do we do Pradaksina & how” and “Why do we ring bell in temples & how?” was an eye opener on the science and belief behind the right way of worship.
In temple, after offering prayers, devotes circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum with the folded hands often chanting prayers is called Pradaksina.
We cannot draw a circle without centre point. The Lord is the centre, source and essence of our lives. Recognising Him as focal point in our lives, we go about doing daily chores. This is the significance of Pradaksina.
The ringing of the bell produces an auspicious sound 'Om', which creates positive energy within and the vibrations produced helps feel divinity inside.

Refer Special Lecture on Why do we..? for more details.

Workshop: Dress-up Krishna

Workshop of the day was to dress up one person per team with the materials provided and each of this Krishna copy would talk about their purpose of visit to Sandeepany Ashram. Wonderful team work by the children to portray one among them, selflessly, at their best.

      

As usual all had the full course meal with salad, sweet, palya, papad, Rice, Sambar, Rasam, curd and banana.

Swamiji's Lecture:

Swami ji’s lecture was on knowledge talking about “Essence of Vedanta & Upanishads”.

His teachings were as follows

• In one line if you want to write about Vedanta or Bhagavad Gita
  Tat Tvam Asi => That you are
• The guru tells shishya, ‘You are That’
  Aham Brahma Asmee => I am Brahman (God)
• God is ‘Sat Chit Ananda’ which literarily means existence-consciousness-bliss.

Upanishads say “You are of the nature of infinite bliss. You are immortal” However, we do not seem to experience this!!

This is because of the facts of ‘Identification Theory’.

Identification Theory:
When entity ‘A’ identifies with entity ‘B’, the properties of ‘B’ appear to be the properties of ‘A’.
Example:
Assume mother => Entity ‘A’ and child => Entity ‘B’
“If you win, she rejoices; if you fail, she weeps”
which means the property (emotions here) of the child appear to be the property of the mother.

Entity A is Consciousness, which is infinite and Entity B is matter, which is finite

• Combination of five elements viz. Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Jala & Prithvi is called matter.
  Consciousness is Sat-chit-ananda
• In reality I am That Infinite Existence Bliss  Consciousness but due to the identification theory, I feel I am finite and hence come to suffer sorrow.

Guru is the one who shows us that we are blissful by nature  by guiding us through the Upanishads and Vedas; A person who comes to know oneself is called God Man / Jeevanmukta and this state is nothing but Mukti.

Refer Swamiji's Lecture on "Essence of Vedanta & Upanishads" for more details.

Kolar special Nippattu was the snacks along with hot Badam Milk.

5:30pm to 6:30pm was a Gala time with custom made dodge ball game where the children were split into 4 groups. When two teams were playing, we had two other teams to cheer-up. 11 Ganapati namaskars as penalty for rule breakers made the game more interesting 🙂 and ended with “Once more Slogan”.

Dodge Ball

Dodge Ball

All were back to Omkareshwara Temple for 6:30pm Aarati and chanting time started with ‘Guru Stotram’, learning ‘Gurupaduka Stotram’, ‘Dasavatara Stotram’, followed by learning  ‘Bhajamana Radhe’.

Skit practice started at 7:10pm in full swing until we assembled for yummy tomato bath at Annapoorneshwari Hall, started with Bhagawad Gita chanting chapter: 15 before we begin dinner.

Bhagawad Gita Chanting

Senior boys serving food to Sevikas

After an hour of informal Q & A session with Camp Acharya, Children went to bed.

Gurukulam

Swami Aparajitanandaji's Lecture on "Mantra for Success - Yagna Spirit"

Swamiji’s lecture on Mantra for Success was based on Chapter: 3; Verse: 10 from Bhagawad Gita, emphasizing more on Yagna Spirit.

Bhagawad Gita - Chapter 3; Verse: 10

saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛiṣhṭvā purovācha prajāpatiḥ  
anena prasaviṣhyadhvam eṣha vo ’stviṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk

The Prajapati (the Creator), having in the beginning (of creation) created mankind together with sacrifices, said, "By this shall you prosper; let this be the milch cow of your desires - kamadhuk" (the mythological cow which yields all desired objects).

Yagna Spirit is the attitude with you must perform action in this world.

Now that we are going to be here for 7 days for Balavihar Summer Camp, you all will be performing actions as a team member with this attitude, Yagna Spirit.

Yagna Spirit focuses of 3 points

1. Pouring out our god given talent and abilities at its best.
2. Keeping the bigger picture in mind for the welfare of all.
3. In a spirit of selfless sacrifice

Examples: 

• Body Parts: Body has so many parts – eyes, ears, limbs, head etc., which performs its duty with Yagna spiritt. 
1. Eyes are to see, ears are to hear providing its best abilities.
2. Now, all these parts are working with a big picture in mind i.e. to keep body health & fit.
3. In danger, a person can survive without hand but not head, hence hands act quickly to sacrifice itself to protect head with an attitude - I don't mind being non-existent for the body to exist.

• Cricket: In a team of 11 players, each one is blessed with special talent like batting, bowling, wicket keeper, running etc.
1. Responsibility of each team member it to bring the best of their talents for the victory of their team.
2. All the team members work in complete harmony with big picture – Team’s Victory in mind.
3. If there is a possibility of run out while a tail-ender batsman & a talented batsman is on pitch. Here the tail-ender batsman would sacrifice himself to help the talented batsman to continue to play his best for the team.
   In this case the tail-ender batsman’s personal record will go down; average score will go down, but he scarifies all this by having bigger picture – the team's victory in mind.
   This process of sacrifice of the mind will not be recorded anywhere but if the tail-ender batsman do this act, there is a great possibility that his team will win.
• Balloon Story:
  Around 50 people were seated for a management meeting. Everyone was given a balloon, asked to blow it up, write their name on it and put their balloons in a room. Now all the balloons were jumbled up.
  Later they were asked to go quickly, pick-up their balloon and come back. Everyone rushed and in the process people toppled over the other but no body could get their balloons even after 10 minutes struggle or there were one / two exceptions who got their balloon. All were asked to sit down.
  Now everyone was asked to go and pick one balloon, check the name written on it & hand-over to the person. All of them went and within a minute everyone got their own balloons.
  So the Yagna Spirit here means – I am not trying to find balloon. Whatever balloon I get, giving to the concerned person meaning self-less action.

In a nut shell, Yagna spirit means, ‘Pour out your best for the welfare of the team at the sametime, if there will be a need, sacrifice yourself for the welfare of the team’.
Wherever there is selfishness, things go for toss and wherever there is sacrifice, success & prosperity prevails.

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The way Swamiji explained Yagna Spirit with couple of stories was wonderful and definitely have sown seed of selflessness in the children to pave way to success.

Interaction with Swamiji

Swamiji ended the talk with much involved conversation with children along with little quiz. Happy to see our children walking to the dais fearlessly to unveil their views.

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