April

April 20

Reviewed for test next week 

-Reviewed about who Lakshmi is

-Stories of Vishnu 

    -Gajendra Moksha

   -Dhruva(North Star)

   -Rishi Bhrigu

   -King Ambarisha 

-Bagavat Purana

   -24 avatars of Vishnu but 10 of them are major ones

-Dashavatara: 10 avatars 

-Navagrahas

-Ayyapan: incarnation of shiva and Vishnu 

-Dhattatreya 

-Indra and Vitra 

Also played kahoot to review 

April 13

-story of 5 elements god and bhagvan teaching lesson

-story with shiva teaching lesson if you think ill of someone else it will hurt you

-A merchant prays to Vitoba (a form of Shiva) for a baby. He gets one and gives the gold he promised. In the end, he realizes Shiva and Vitoba are the same.

-Practiced nirvana shatakam with paragraphs

March

March 23

What we did in class:

• Vedic Devitas: Indra, Agni, Varuna, Varuna, Surya

• Study the stories of Yama

◦Ex. Yama and Savitra

◦Ex. Yama and Nachiketa

◦What is the significance of the Chariot? The five senses? Mind, Intellect, Consciousness?

• Each student recited one paragraph from the Nirvana Shatakam for the Annual Project.

◦Make sure you practice and try not to use papers during the actually presentation

• The students recited their paraphrased versions of the English versions of the paragraphs.

• Then all the students recited it together.

Homework:

• None

• Important Dates to Remember:

◦04/13: Regular class

◦04/20: Revision

◦04/27: Test: Chapters are 7-12

◦05/04: Results

◦05/11: Annual Day Practice

◦05/18: Annual Day Presentation

March 16

What we did in class:

• Each student recited one paragraph from the Nirvana Shatakam for the Annual Project.

• Then all the students recited it together.

• The students recited their paraphrased versions of the English versions of the paragraphs.

• We reviewed the 18 steps of Ayyappan

• Vedic Devatas:

◦Different forms of worship: Pooja, Yajna, Meditation

◦Indra, Agni, Varuna, Vayu, Surya

• Important Dates to Remember:

◦04/13: Regular class

◦04/20: Revision

◦04/27: Test: Chapters are 7-12

◦05/04: Results

◦05/11: Annual Day Practice

◦05/18: Annual Day Presentation

• Study the Stories of Indra:

◦Ex. Indra and Vritra: fighting the enemy from within

• Study the stories of Yama

◦Ex. Yama and Savitra

◦Ex. Yama and Nachiketa

◦What is the significance of the Chariot? The five senses? Mind, Intellect, Consciousness?

Homework:

• No homework this week

March 9

-reviewed Ayyapan and Dhattatreya from last class

-reviewed the hw: what are the Vedicas 

-learned about Indra(king of devas)

-stories of Indra

     -Indra and Vrita(with themes)

     -Indra and Yavakrita(no pains no gains)

     -Indra and Surabhi

     -Indra and many Indras(Finite and infinite universes)

HW: Read 11.6 (pg 143)and 11.8(pg 146)

Nirvana Shatakam Paragraphs

(1) Mano buddhi ahankara chittani naham

Na cha shrotra jihve na cha ghraana netre

Na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vayuhu

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo’ham

 मनोबुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तानिनाहम्न चश्रोत्रजिह्वेनचघ्राणनेत्रे

नचव्योमभूमिर्नतेजॊनवायु: चिदा नन्दरूप: शिवोऽहम्शिवॊऽहम्॥

I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory,

I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes,

I am not space, not earth, not fire, water or wind,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva...

(2) Na cha prana sangyo na vai pancha vayuhu

Na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshah

Na vak pani padau na chopastha payu

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

नचप्राणसंज्ञोनवैपञ्चवायु: नवास प्तधातुर्नवापञ्चकोश:

नवाक्पाणिपादौनचोपस्थपायूचिदा नन्दरूप: शिवोऽहम्शिवॊऽहम्॥

I am not the breath, nor the five elements,

I am not matter, nor the 5 sheaths of consciousness

Nor am I the speech, the hands, or the feet,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva...

(3) Na me dvesha ragau na me lobha mohau

Mado naiva me naiva matsarya bhavaha

Na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshaha

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

नमेद्वेषरागौनमेलोभमोहौमदोनैवमे नैवमात्सर्यभाव:

नधर्मोनचार्थोनकामोनामोक्ष: चि दानन्दरूप: शिवोऽहम्शिवॊऽहम्॥

There is no like or dislike in me, no greed or delusion,

I know not pride or jealousy,

I have no duty, no desire for wealth, lust or liberation,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva...

(4) Na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham

Na mantro na tirtham na vedah na yajnah

Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhotka

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

नपुण्यंनपापंनसौख्यंनदु:खम्नमन् त्रोनतीर्थंनवेदा: नयज्ञा:

अहंभोजनंनैवभोज्यंनभोक्ताचिदा नन्दरूप: शिवोऽहम्शिवॊऽहम्॥

No virtue or vice, no pleasure or pain,

I need no mantras, no pilgrimage, no scriptures or rituals,

I am not the experienced, nor the experience itself,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva...

(5) Na mrtyu-r na shanka na me jati bhedaha

Pita naiva me naiva mataa na janmaha

Na bandhur na mitram gurur naiva shisyaha

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

नमृत्युर्नशंकानमेजातिभेद: पिता नैवमेनैवमातानजन्म

नबन्धुर्नमित्रंगुरुर्नैवशिष्य:  चिदानन्दरूप: शिवोऽहम्शिवॊऽहम् ॥

II have no fear of death, no caste or creed,

I have no father, no mother, for I was never born,

I am not a relative, nor a friend, nor a teacher nor a student,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva...

(6) Aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo

Vibhut vatcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam

Na cha sangatham naiva muktir na meya

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

अहंनिर्विकल्पॊनिराकाररूपॊविभु त्वाच्चसर्वत्रसर्वेन्द्रियाणा म्l

नचासंगतंनैवमुक्तिर्नमेय: चिदा नन्दरूप: शिवोऽहम्शिवॊऽहम्॥

I am devoid of duality, my form is formlessness,

I exist everywhere, pervading all senses,

I am neither attached, neither free nor captive,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva...

Here is link to the Nirvana Shatakam for kids to follow the pronunciations

February

February 23

Reviewed material from last week, bhagvat purana

Recited Nirvana Shatakam sloka

Link for nirvana shatakam: Nirvana Shatakam - Shivoham Shivoham Lyrics and Meaning

Reviewed each character of the dashavatara 

Connected astronomy and astrology: 

February 16

Namaste, 

Here are the main updates of the class:

We revisited Vishnu Avatars from 1 to 8, focusing on the main purpose of each avatars.

We reviewed homework assignment story, of Rishi Uttanka, and tge teaching of Krishna from that

We covered 9 th and 10th avatars.

Discussed similarities and differences of hinduism and buddhism.

No homework today.

February 9

All the students practiced the six stanzas of Nirvana Shatakam, and those who volunteered will be performing it.

Learned about Krishna, the 8th avatar:

-Krishna was the 8th child born in Mathura to Vasudeva and Devaki.

-Kamsa, Devaki’s brother, was told that Devaki’s 8th child would kill him.

-To protect Krishna, Vasudeva carried him across the Yamuna River to Nanda and Yashoda.

Reviewed key stories of Krishna:

-Krishna lifts the Govardhan

-Krishna kills Kaliya

-Krishna and Kamsa

-Krishna becomes the king of Dwaraka

-Krishna’s wife, Rukhmini, and their son, Pradyumna

-Krishna meets the Pandavas and eats only a single grain of rice.

-Krishna and Sudhama

Homework: Read Krishna & Rishi Uttanka story on page 126

January

January 26

Reviewed and read stories of Vishnu: Dhruva, King Ambarisha, Rishi Bhrigu, and Gajendra Moksha, reviewed each avatar of Vishnu, and practice pronouncing Nirvana Shatakam and meanings.

Hw: Why did Vishnu give Satyavrata the responsibility of build and save him?

January 12

After the usual birthday celebrations, we practiced the second verse of the Nirvana Shatakam and explained to the kids what to expect for the Annual project. 

Kids can get the Nirvana Shataklam from the link: https://shlokam.org/nirvanashatakam/. We also encouraged them to listen to the pronunciation. Here is a site that offers a good example of the pronunciations: Nirvana Shatakam - Uninterrupted Line Guided Chant

We then moved to practice the prayers for the Assembly on Jan 26th. 

We ended the class by going over the homework - 7.1 and 7.2, understanding what Vishnu and Lakshmi represent.

We plan to move to the Puranas in the next class, starting with the stories of Gajendra. 

January 5

What we learned in class:

• we started to learn reciting the nataraj for annual day.

• We reviewed info about Bhagavān Vishnu. (Why he is blue, his orange clothes, his pet, etc.)

• We started learning the shlokam for Vishnu

◦We wrote down important definitions like Kaaram, Padma, shanti

• We recited the shantakaram, the Vishnu shloka

• We reviewed the pets of different gods

Homework

• Know how many forms/avatars there are of lakshmi

• Read 7.1 and 7.2

December

December 8

We just had a test today for Dharma 5. 

November

November 24

What we learned in class:

• We started learning about the puranas.

• We reviewed for the test. The test is next class. Make sure to study

◦Make sure you know your shlokas and have basic knowledge about information from chapters

1-6.

◦We reviewed the meaning of Aum and what it stands for

‣ Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma

◦We reviewed the Ishta Devitas

◦We reviewed the ten hands of Devi - Parvati

◦We reviewed the stories of Ganesha

November 17

We just did meditation and no homework.

November 10

Stories Covered:

 • Ganesha: how he got his name and face, Ganesha and Kubera, Ganesha’s race with Kartikeya, avatars of Ganesha

 • Kartikeya: Shiva and Parvati’s eldest son; other names include Shanmukha, Skanda, Kumara, 

Subramanya

 • Reviewed other gods: Shiva and Saraswati 

Homework: • Read stories 6.1 and 6.2 about Kartikeya to learn the morals

November 3

• Review of Parvati, shiva, Vishnu, laskmi, Ram and sita, Brahma, sarswati, sati, kali

• Sword (Yama): knowledge

• Club (kubera): loyalty and love

• Trident for shiva : courage. The sattwa showed purity, rajas shows desire, and tamas shows inactivity.

• Flame for agni: knowledge 

• Thunderbolt for indira: determination

• Chakra for Vishnu: rightness 

• Conch for varun : happiness

• Bow/Arrow for wayu - Energy

• Lotus for Brahma -Spiritual

• Snake for Shiva: intellect

• Reviewed Ganesha

• 
  

Homework:

• practice Durga sloka and memorize (it’s  in the book)

• Read section 4.8 pg 45

Important dates:

• nov 17 is chapter 1-6

• Nov 24 is revision

• Dec 1 is Thanksgiving break

• Dec 8 is test 1 (chapter 1-6)

• Dec 15 is test results

• Dec 22-29 is winter break

October

October 27

What we learned in class:

• We reviewed the difference between gods in Hinduism and Christianity/Islam

• We reviewed information about Brahma, Saraswati, and Shiva

• Then we made paintings for the rest of class for Diwali

October 13

The students reviewed meditation and learned how to do it. There is no homework.

October 6

• Reviewed Brahma 

• Reviewed saraswati

• Reviewed shiva

• Reviewed Alagi story: don’t get angry quickly and shiva is in everyone

• Reviewed semmana devi: god is in everyone

• Reviewed shifting of Nandi: god is everyone and everywhere even in nature

• Reviewed leper story: treat people well no matter what

In class:

• Learnt about Parvati: known for power, strength, determination

• Learnt about the story of Parvati and shiva’s marriage

• Played games

Homework: read 4.6 kali and 4.7, 4.8

September

September 29

Students reviewed Saraswati, Brahma, and the terms damyata, datta, and daya. Then they learnt about Shiva and the sloka. Homework is to read Alagi, Semmana Devi, and Shifting of Nandi. Next class they should share what the moral of the stories are.