Mar 14, 2021 - Shishu Vihar (Sunday AM)

Hari Om Parents,

Below is a recap of what we did during Sunday's class.

 

We began another delightful Sunday morning of Shishu Vihar, with our cute kids' faces popping up on our screens. Once we had most of our friends join our session, we began our class with 3 OMs.

Shlokas:

     1. "Om Saha Navavatu" (page 8 in My Prayers book)

     2. "Vakrathunda Mahakaya" (page 27 in My Prayers book)

  3. "Saraswathi Namasthubhyam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)

  4. "Karagre Vasate" (page 11 in My Prayers book)

5. "Samudhra Vasane" (page 11 in My Prayers book)

6. "Shubam Karoti" (page 12 in My Prayers book)

7. "Krishnayan Vasudevaya" (page 105 in My Prayers book)

8. "Karacharana Krtam" (page 12 in My Prayers book) - new

     

Activities:

1. Please have the kids make it a habit to chant the above shlokas every morning, after their bath/shower. This will help them learn, memorize as well as develop a lifelong habit of morning prayer and daily prayer.

2. We rolled right in to some Yoga stretches. We began with the Tree pose with some swaying, then went into a Tiger pose and had everyone roar like a Tiger or a Lion (we had to prompt them to be louder!). Then we sat on the floor and turned into little butterflies, fluttering in the breeze. We then went into the Flower Pose. We added the snake pose by popular demand!

3. Bhajan time - we introduced the class to a new Lord Shiva bhajan

   Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   
   

   Mridanga Boley Shiva Shiva Shiva Om 

   Mridanga Boley Shiva Shiva Shiva Om

   
   

   Damaru Boley Hara Hara Hara Om

   Damaru Boley Hara Hara Hara Om

   
   

   Veena Boley Namah Shivah Namah Shivah 

   Veena Boley Namah Shivah Namah Shivah

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   
   

   Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhim

   Nachey Bhola Nath 

   Nachey Bhola Nath

4. 4. We played the Concentration Game. After the chanting of 3 Om's kids tried to keep their eyes closed. They counted the number of stones being dropped into a box during the quiet time. Later they give the count of the stones dropped. The game quiets the mind and improves concentration. We muted everyone so that the kids wouldn't have any potential distractions from each other. A few of our students got the count correct! Most of them were really close. Impressive how most of the kids are able to keep their eyes closed and concentrate.

5. After some meditation and calming down, we repeated numbers 1-10 in Sanskrit. We had the kids put up their fingers as we counted together.
   

6. Geetha Chanting, we practiced shlokas 1, 2, 3 and 4 from chapter 2 of the Geetha. We repeated them once. We introduced the 5th shloka. It was such a wonderful feeling to see and hear several kids chanting shlokas 1, 2 and 3:)yay!!

7. Story Time.

8. Craft Time, the list of items required for our craft projects are sent prior to class. After the story, the kids are usually asked if they can guess what we are going to make. It is quite impressive when they figure it out! Like Rohini and Rivaan did during this class!! The two cups apparently gave it away for this week's craft:) The kids were asked to stick the bottoms of two paper cups together, then cut out two circles to cover the open ends. The kids had really creative ways of decorating their damaroos and they all enjoyed making their craft. Thank you again to the adults for your enthusiastic participation. Below are a few of our class damaroos.
   

9. After the craft project, a link to a connect the dots scene was sent on the chat. The older kids were able to complete it and they were thrilled to have Lord Shiva show up on their screen:)

Story of Markandeya

 

Before we got into our story, a puppet of Lord Shiva was shown on the screen. The kids were asked if they knew who He was. They all said Lord Shiva. Then the kids were asked if they knew the different identifying features and objects related to Him. We started at the top with the crescent moon, the river Ganga, Lord Shiva's three eyes, then went on to the snake around His neck and to the rudhraksha beads. His minimalistic attire made of deer or tiger skin, his weapon of choice the Thirushul and lastly his Damaroo:) Some kids were able to give the answers to these questions! Pretty impressive. 

Character intro:

A puppet was shown on the screen and the kids were asked if they can identify the animal. Some said cow, a few said bull. Then they were asked what color the animal was. They all said black. Then the kids were asked if they have seen buffalos wandering the streets in India, a few said yes. The kids were then told that the animal is a black buffalo. Then the kids were shown who was sitting on the black buffalo. He was introduced as Lord Yama. His job is to make sure that we leave when our time is up.

Mrikandu was a great rishi. Marudvati was his wife. For a long time they had no children. The rishi and his wife prayed to lord Siva sincerely, for several years. A puppet of Sage Mrikandu and Marudvati performing a pooja was shown on the screen. We all chanted, "Om Nama Shivaya", together, three times. One day, Lord Siva appeared, and said, "I am pleased with you, Mrikandu. Tell me, do you want a dull natured, evil witted son who will live for one hundred years, but will be foolish? Or, do you want a son who is very intelligent, virtuous, wise and pious but, he will live for only sixteen years?" The rishi, without any hesitation immediately said, "Lord, please give me that one intelligent son." Lord Siva said, "Good! You shall have him."

Soon Marudvati and Mrikandu were thrilled to welcome their son. They named him Markandeya. The boy grew to be very intelligent and handsome. When Markandeya was five, he was sent to school. The kids were asked if they remember where Lord Krishna went to school or what a school was called when they go and live with their teacher and learn from them. One of our kids said Gurukulam:) Even as a young boy, Markandeya was able to master all the Vedas and Shastras! All of his gurus were super impressed and loved him. When Markandeya became a tween (the kids were asked if they knew what a tween was, they didn't so they were told that it was the age between 10-12 year olds), his parents decided to invest him with the sacred thread. A puppet of Markandeya having his Upanayana/Munji/Sacared thread ceremony was shown on the screen. Markandeya impressed everyone with his charming looks and pleasant behavior. 

Time was flying and Markandeya's sixteenth birthday was approaching fast. Rishi Mrikandu and his wife became sadder and sadder, day by day. One day Markandeya mustered up the courage to ask his parents the reason for their growing sadness. The kids were asked to make a sad face. The rishi said, "Son! What shall I say? When Lord Siva gave you to us, He said you would only live for sixteen years. You are almost sixteen now. How can your mother and I bear to lose you as we will have to, at the end of this year?" Markandeya said, "Father! Is that the reason? Lord Siva is very kind to His devotees. You yourself told me that. He has saved many before. I have read about it in the Puranas. I shall therefore worship Lord Siva day and night from today. I am sure, He will save me too! " Rishi Mrikandu was very happy to hear his son say this. Markandeya fell at his parent's feet. They blessed his son. A puppet of this scene was shown on the screen.The kids were asked if they have the habit of falling at their parents' feet. There was a resounding, "NO"! Their facial expressions were priceless. Then the kids were told that their parents are like God and they can actually see them. So, it might be something that they would want to start doing when they have a humble request or when they want to ask for forgiveness! 

Markandeya built a Siva-Linga at a spot on the sea-shore. He started worshipping Lord Siva morning, noon and night. He sang bhajans, and often danced in joy. He chanted shlokas like, "Om Thriyambakam..." On the last day, Markandeya was about to sing bhajans, when Yama sent his messengers to take Markandeya. When they were unsucessful, the Lord Yama, came to him. Yama rode on his black buffalo. A puppet of Yama on his car was shown on the screen. He held a noose in his hand. He spoke to Markandeya, "Stop your bhajan! Your time is up". Markandeya was not afraid. He clung to the Siva-Linga as one clings to one's mom. A puppet of this scene was shown on the screen. Yama threw his noose around the boy's neck, and pulled him along with the Siva- Linga. Yama was there just to do his job!

Yama's pulling of the rope, caused the Siva-Linga to burst open and Lord Siva came out of it with His Thrishul in hand. Lord Shiva pushed Yama aside, defeating him in order to save Markandeya, and said, "Yama, begone! Don't touch this boy. He is my beloved devotee. He will live forever and shall be forever young and got the name Mrithyunjaya!" A puppet of this scene was shown on the screen. After the request of all the other Gods, Lord Shiva calmed down and accepted that Yama was just doing his job and understood that he deserved forgiveness. Markandeya then prayed to Lord Siva more fervently than ever. Markandeya came home, and fell at the feet of his parents (again). They embraced him, and wept with joy. Markandeya became a great rishi and lives on for ever in the Himalayas.

We concluded class with Om Purnamadham.

Pranaam,

Keerthi and Pramila