1. Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 - Collection

Your whole life is nothing but the Mahābhārat War. The Mahābharāt should be read again and again to understand the intricacies of life, the complications of life, and the ability to handle life. The true story of this perfectly recorded epic is about two warring clans, Kauravas and Pānḍavas, closely related to one another. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the blind king of Hastināpur and father of the 100 Kaurava brothers was the brother of Pānḍu, whose children were the five Pānḍava princes.

It is a tale of strife between cousins and ultimately between dhārmic and adhārmic, righteous and unrighteous civilizations.

Since Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind, Pānḍu was made the king of Hastināpura. Pānḍu was cursed by a sage that he would die if he ever entered into a physical relationship with his wives.

He therefore had no children. Vyāsa says that all the five Pānḍava children were born to their mothers Kuntī and Mādri through the blessing of divine beings. Pānḍu handed over the kingdom and his children to his blind brother.

Kuntī, who is the embodiment of tapas, spiritual penance, had received a boon when she was still a young unmarried adolescent, that she could summon any divine power at will to father a child. Before she married, she tested her boon. The Sun god, Sūrya appeared before her. Karṇa was born to her as a result. In fear of social reprisals, she cast the newborn away in a river. Yudhiṣṭra, Bhīma and Arjuna were born to Kuntī after her marriage by invocation of her powers, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva were born to Mādri, the second wife of Pānḍu.

Yudhiṣṭra was born to Kuntī as a result of her being blessed by Yama, the god of death, dharma and justice, Bhīma by Vāyu, the god of wind, and Arjuna by Indra, god of all the divine beings. Nakula and Sahadeva, the youngest Pānḍava twins, were born to Mādri, through the Divine Aśvini twins.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra had a hundred sons through his wife Gāndhārī. The eldest of these Kaurava princes was Duryodhana. Duryodhana felt no love for his five Pānḍava cousins. He made many unsuccessful attempts, along with his brother Duśśāsana, to kill the Pānḍava brothers. Kuntī's eldest son Karṇa, whom she had cast away at birth, was found and brought up by a chariot driver in the palace, and by a strange twist of fate, joined hands with Duryodhana.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra gave Yudhiṣṭra one half of the Kuru kingdom on his coming of age, since the Pānḍava prince was the rightful heir to the throne that his father Pānḍu had vacated.

Yudhiṣṭra ruled from his new capital Indraprastha, along with his brothers Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva.

Arjuna won the hand of princess Draupadī, daughter of the king of Pāñcāla, in a svayaṁvara, a marital contest in which princes fought for the hand of a fair damsel.

In fulfillment of their mother Kuntī's desire that the brothers share everything equally, Draupadī became the wife of all five Pānḍava brothers. Duryodhana persuaded Yudhiṣṭra to join a gambling session, where his cunning uncle Śakunī defeated the Pānḍava king.

Yudhiṣṭra lost all that he owned—his kingdom, his brothers, his wife and himself, to Duryodhana. Duśśāsana shamed Draupadī in public by trying to disrobe her. The Pānḍava brothers and Draupadī were forced to go into exile for fourteen years, with the condition that in the last year they should live incognito or ajyāta vāsa.

At the end of the fourteen years, the Pānḍava brothers tried to reclaim their kingdom. In this effort they were helped by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the king of the Yādava clan, who is the eighth divine incarnation of Bhagavān Viṣṇu.

However, Duryodhana refused to yield even a needlepoint of land, and as a result, the Great War, the War of Mahābhārat ensued. In this war, various rulers of the entire nation that is modern Bharat aligned with one or the other of these two clans, the Kauravas or the Pānḍavas.

Kṛṣṇa offered to join with either of the two clans. He says, 'One of you may have Me unarmed. I will not take any part in the battle. The other may have my entire Yādava army.'

When the offer was first made to Duryodhana, he predictably chose the large and well-armed Yādava army, Nārāyaṇī Senā, in preference to the unarmed Kṛṣṇa.

Arjuna joyfully and gratefully chose his dearest friend, his life mentor and his Guru, Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, to be his unarmed charioteer!

This whole history is such a beautiful happening. Mahābhārat is actually your life! Every character in the Mahābhārat teaches so much! We don't need to go anywhere for our life success or fulfillment or for anything else that we may desire. We don't need to study any other book to learn the human psychology or the science of living and leaving. Whether we seek righteous living—dharma; or we want to learn business or administration, economy or abundance—artha; or we want to create the best rich lifestyle—kāma; or we want to be a leader and want the enriching life of being enlightened mokṣa, for all these purposes, we don't need anything other than the Mahābharāt!

Study each character. We will not find any more characters in our life than the characters described in the Mahābharāt!

Any character we see in our life is mapped to Mahābharāt's one character. They are either half or full representation of some character.

To know how to handle them and even handle yourself, just see how Śrī Kṛṣṇa handles them and handle them the same way. The Mahābharāt war is a representation of life as it was lived in that age.

Vyāsa, its author is an unbiased historian who recorded the whole history as it happened without trying to apply any makeup. People ask whether the Mahābharāt war happened at all!

If the Mahābharāt was a story and not history, Vyāsa should receive multiple Pulitzer prizes for his highly creative work! The Mahābharāt is the longest literary work in the whole world with hundred thousand Saṃskṛit verses—the longest poem ever written with such delicate harmony of unmatched poetic perfection. It is larger than the Greek epics. Vyāsa had no computer, no tape recorder with speech-to-text capabilities. He dictated and Bhagavān Ganeṣa wrote it down!

• Yudhiṣṭra is embodiment of Integrity the power of words, vāk śakti.
• Bhīma is embodiment of Authenticity the power of thoughts, mano śakti.

Arjuna is embodiment of Responsibility—the power of feeling, prema śakti.

• Sahadeva is embodiment of Enriching the power of living, ātma śakti.

• Nakula is embodiment of causing reality for others.

• Śakuni, the maternal uncle of Duryodhana embodies the pattern of self-hatred, which is cunningness personified.

• Droṇa represents all the best knowledge one imbibes and the teachers one encounters, who guide us but are unable to take us through to the ultimate flowering of enlightenment. It is difficult to give them up since one feels grateful to them. This is where the Enlightened Master, the incarnation steps in and guides us.

• Duryodhana, represents one's ego or root-pattern, the most difficult to conquer as it leads one to selfdestruction. One needs the full help of the Master here. It is subtle work and even the Master's help may not be obvious, since at this point, sometimes the ego makes us deny and disconnect from the Master as well.

• Karṇa is the repository of all good deeds and it is his good deeds that stand in the way of his own Enlightenment. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has to take the load of Karṇa's puṇya, his meritorious deeds, before he could be liberated. The Enlightened Master guides one to drop one's attachment to good deeds arising out of what are perceived to be charitable and compassionate intentions. He also shows us that the quest for and the experience of enlightenment is the ultimate act of compassion that one can offer to the world. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa, the 8th most powerful purnāvatar of Ṃaha Viśnu, is the embodiment of pure celebration, boundless love, compassion, and completion.

Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa is the only incarnation demonstrating and expressing Ṣarva Ṃangalatva all the auspicious qualities and all dimensions of an avatar during His physical happening. The līla Bhagavan Ṣri Krsna is one of sheer innocence and simplicity, in a peace-loving, diplomatic, conflict-free way.

Karṇa is the repository of all good deeds and it is his good deeds that stand in the way of his own Enlightenment. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has to take the load of Karṇa's puṇya, his meritorious deeds, before he could be liberated. The Enlightened Master guides one to drop one's attachment to good deeds arising out of what are perceived to be charitable and compassionate intentions. He also shows us that the quest for and the experience of enlightenment is the ultimate Till now everyone blames Bhagavan Sri Krishna for this Kurukshetra war but that's the greatest sacrifice Bhagavan Sri Krishna did to save the planet Earth. If Kurukshetra was not conducted at that time under the controlled conditions and direct supervision of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, planet Earth would not have survived more than three years.

act of compassion that one can offer to the world. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa, the 8th most powerful purnāvatar of Ṃaha Viśnu, is the embodiment of pure celebration, boundless love, compassion, and completion. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa is the only incarnation demonstrating and expressing Ṣarva Ṃangalatva all the auspicious qualities a nd all dimensions of an avatar during His physical happening. The līla Bhagavan Ṣri Krsna is one of sheer innocence and The wide spread availability of the Astra shastras without Shastra, without the knowledge and vision, was posing a huge threat to the whole of humanity and planet Earth, and for life itself. The greatest achievement of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is destroying all the weapons in one controlled condition and saving planet earth, eliminating the nuclear weapons and the knowledge of these nuclear weapons to save humanity from total annihilation.

simplicity, in a peace-loving, diplomatic,

conflict-free way.

Bhagavad Gītā appears in the heart of Mahābhārat in Bhīṣma Parva, the sixth chapter of its eighteen chapters. Veda Vyāsa, the narrator, in glorifying the Gītā sings, 'the one who drinks the water of Ganges (the sacred river for Hindus) attains liberation, what to speak of the one who drinks the nectar of Gītā?

Gītā is the essential nectar of the Mahābhārat, bhāratamṛta sarvasvam as it is directly spoken by Nārāyaṇa, Bhagavān kṛṣṇa Himself.'

The armies assembled in the vast field of Kurukṣetra, now in the state of Haryana in modern day Bharat. All the kings and princes were related to one another, and were often on opposite sides. Facing the Kaurava army and his friends, relatives and teachers, Arjuna was overcome by remorse and guilt, and wanted to walk away from the battle out of total powerlessness unbecoming an invincible warrior among warriors.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa's dialogue with Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra out of His utmost concern and love for him and humanity is the content of Bhagavad Gītā. Of its seven hundred and forty-five (745) verses, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa sings the Gītā in six hundred and twenty (620) verses responding to Arjuna's fifty-seven (57) enquiries.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa persuades Arjuna to give-up his powerlessness unfitting an Ārya—the spiritually evolved one who understands human life and urges him to raise himself again as Parantapa—the conqueror of enemy, and take up arms and vanquish his enemies. They are already dead,' says Śrī Kṛṣṇa, 'All those who are facing you have been already killed by Me. Go ahead and do what you have to do. That is your responsibility. Do not worry about the outcome. Leave that to Me.'

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

śrībhagavānuvāca bhūya eva mahābāho śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ yatte'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā

Lord Kṛṣṇa says: Listen carefully again, Oh mighty-armed Arjuna! Because you are My dear friend, I shall speak further on the Supreme knowledge for your welfare

Arjuna experiences Kṛṣṇa as the Master to His disciple and experiences the Master as a friend (sakha bhāva)

There are two ways in which we can live. First, we can embrace and welcome reality, in which case our ego or root pattern must dissolve because only then can we face reality. Please understand that this reality is God. God is not some entity hidden in some remote corner of the Universe or in the sky. He is the reality around us.

The second way of living is how most of us live: We create a shell, a dream world around ourselves to defend a false ego which has no substance in reality. This is what is meant by māyā—illusion. Since we are hidden in this capsule of our unreal world with our ego as the center, we cannot feel the immediate presence of God, who is actually the closest to us.

Listen! The first thing Kṛṣṇa teaches as rājavidya rājaguhyaṁ (secret of all secrets), is that Existence is not your enemy. It responds to your thoughts. It continuously cares for you. It is intelligence.

If you live with the attitude of enmity with the Whole, even when you live, you will constantly be tortured. When you live with the feeling of friendliness or sakha bhāva, with the attitude that Existence is your friend, that Existence is your own, you feel a deep easiness. Above all, more than the easiness, you will feel deeply connected to Existence.

By its very nature, the wave starts in the ocean, exists in the ocean and falls into the ocean. If it understands that it is a part of the ocean, it will be utterly relaxed. It will live a blissful life. If it fights the fact, it will fight with the ocean. But eventually it has to fall into the ocean.

If you understand that Existence is your friend and it deeply cares for you, you will not feel the need to live according to a script for life.

Instead, you will have tremendous courage and trust in yourself to live life spontaneously. Please understand, Existence constantly cares for you.

Trust the intelligence in you. Be complete and welcome life as it flows. The ultimate secret that Kṛṣṇa wants to reveal is that Existence, Parāśakti, Brahman, is your friend, not your enemy. It is intelligence and it responds to your thoughts. This is the first understanding.

Children to learn about four inner powers and three types of karma. To understand why we assume the body.

To understand what happens when we leave the body.

• ❖ What are root thought patterns (saṁskāras) and (unfulfilled desires) Karma?
• ❖ What are the four inner energiesvāk śakti, mano śakti, prema śakti and ātma śakti ?
• ❖ What are the three types of karma-sañcita, prārabdha and āgāmya ?
• ❖ What is the sequence of events at the time of death?

• 1. Where does God live?
• 2. What are the two ways of living?
• 3. What does rājavidya rājaguhyaṁ mean and what rājavidya rājaguhyaṁ is Kṛṣṇa teaching us?
• 4. Can a wave exist away from the ocean?
• 5. What gives you trust and courage in life?

• 1. A sheet of white paper
• 2. Green paper cut into leaf shapes so each child has many leaves
• 3. Pen or pencil
• 4. Glue

Get the children to write the names or descriptions (or draw) on the leaves of all the people they can be friendly with, whether in the past, present or future. One name or description per leaf. Then they stick their leaves onto their white paper to make a tree or forest.

They can choose to be friendly to different, different people. Your actions should be nivṛitti (completion) based not pravṛitti (incompletion) based.

• A wide bowl of water
• Few small stones

An outdoor activity: have a wide bowl of water between 3-4 children. Encourage them to watch the waves formed when they drop a small stone into the water. Get them to take turns to drop only one stone at a time, then two children drop at the same time, then all children around one bowl drop at the same time. Get them to describe what is different in the waves for different numbers of stones. Let them wait each time for the waves to disappear and the water to become calm again.

The waves only have a temporary existence and disappear again, just as we are part of the Universe, of Existence

Part 2: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 - Collection_English_part_2.md

Get the children to hold Vaakyartha sadhas on Existence. How do they understand a statement like: Existence is not your enemy. It responds to your thoughts. It continuously cares for you. It is intelligence.

We need courage to let go, to allow transformation to happen.

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ ahamādirhi devānāṁ maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

Neither the hosts of deities nor the great sages know My origin, My opulence. I am the source of the deities and the sages

Kṛṣṇa is the cosmic consciousness, the egoless being and the enlightened energy

yo māmajamanādiṁ ca vetti lokamaheśvaram asaṁmūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

He who knows Me as the unborn, without beginning, and supreme Lord of all the worlds, Only he, who has this clarity, is wise and freed from all bondage

Whether we live a spiritual or a materialistic life, our root is our consciousness.

The greatness of Sanātana Dharma—the religion of eternal righteousness later called Hinduism—is that it doesn't propagate the religion or produce fanaticism. Whether you worship Kṛṣṇa, Śiva, Devi or Buddha, it does not make a difference. Please continue to worship whomever you believe in and whomever you connect with, that's enough. Be intense in your path. Nothing else needs to be done.

Whether we live a spiritual or a materialistic life, our root is our consciousness. The greatness of Sanātana Dharma—the religion of eternal righteousness later called Hinduism—is that it doesn't propagate the religion or produce fanaticism.

Whether you worship Kṛṣṇa, Śiva, Devi or Buddha, it does not make a difference. Please continue to worship whomever you believe in and whomever you connect with, that's enough. Be intense in your path.

Nothing else needs to be done. Form is a representation. Understand: It is like the finger pointing to the moon. I am telling you, 'There is the sun. There is the moon!' Instead of looking at the sun or moon, if you catch hold of my finger, you miss what I am showing you! When the finger points to the moon, if you catch the finger, you miss the moon. In the same way, the Master represents the Divine consciousness. If you catch His form, you miss the Divine. Never be caught in the form. All I want you to understand is that when Kṛṣṇa says 'I', He means the Universal consciousness.

With all enlightened people, this is what happens. The moment I claim that I gave darśan, the whole thing is over. Then, the Divine will stop using this form. As long as I am clear that this is not me and it is Parāśakti, Existence, using this form, She continues to use this flute to play Her songs. She continues to use this form to carry on with Her mission. She continues to use this form to bless Her devotees

Listen. When you feel connected, you are open. You don't need to see the Master. The cosmic energy will guide you. There is no need for His nearness. A deep, passive waiting without knowing what is going to happen is passive surrender. That is total surrender. The moment you decide, 'I will wait forever,' things happen

As long as you are in a hurry, you are agitated. You stop things from happening in you. It is like trying to get the lotus to blossom. You open the petals by hand. Will it be a flower? It will never be a lotus flower. The lotus flower blooms by itself when the sun's rays pierce it.

Give a little space to yourself so that your being blossoms. Arjuna had the courage to believe totally in Kṛṣṇa and let go, which was why he had the Viśvarūpa Darśan, the cosmic vision of Kṛṣṇa. We must have the energy to let go. Only if we have trust in the Master can the ultimate gain happen to us.

Kṛṣṇa emphasizes the feeling of connectedness. Feeling deeply connected to the Master is the basic need. That is why the East gave so much importance to the Guru, the Master.

To understand that we need courage to stake everything on trust, to be open to enlightenment

• ❖ In Hinduism is it important which God we worship?
• ❖ Should we worship the form of Kṛṣṇa or his Universal consciousness?
• ❖ What happens when you feel connected to a Master?
• ❖ Can you force a flower to blossom?
• ❖ Why did the East give so much importance to the Guru, the Master?

• 1. Paper
• 2. Pen or pencil
• 3. Instructions for drawing a Śrī Yantra

Either as a group or individually, depending on the age of the children, follow the instructions to draw a Śrī Yantra.

It is possible to draw the Śrī Yantra, the representation of the Cosmos However, Don't get caught in the form

Get the children to act out a short play of lotus flowers blossoming. Some children can be the flower, the arms can be petals that are held tightly to the body to start. The flowers can rise slowly, some children can be the impatient ones who tug at the petals. If a petal opens too soon let the children hold their arm all crooked or limp. One child represents the sun. When the sun-child arrives and gently touches a budding flower, the flower-child stands up straight and opens the arms like a flower.

A blossom cannot be forced to open Allow yourself to blossom

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on the topic: Like a seed must let go of its fears and break to open and become a tree, so we need courage to let go and trust the Guru

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

buddhirjñānam asaṁmohaḥ kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo 'bhāvo bhayaṁ cābhayameva ca

Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the senses, control of the mind, happiness, distress, birth, death, fear, fearlessness

Kṛṣṇa says, whatever you have, whether you have a good name or a bad name, it is created by me

ahiṁsā samatā tuṣṭis tapo dānaṁ yaśo 'yaśaḥ bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ matta eva pṛthagvidhā

Non-violence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy, all these various qualities of living beings are created by Me alone

Be complete with life as it is, be authentic to all aspects of your life: your inner image, outer image, others' image and life's image.

maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve catvāro manavastathā madbhāvā mānasā jātā yeṣāṁ loka imāḥ prajāḥ

The seven great sages and before them, the four great Manus, endowed with My power, They arose from My mind and all the living beings populating the planet descend from them.

As the Universal consciousness, Kṛṣṇa is the Creator, Sustainer and Rejuvenator. He is Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva.

etām vibhūtiṁ yogaṁ ca mama yo vetti tattvataḥ so 'vikampena yogena yujyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

He who knows all this glory and powers of mine, truly, he is fully united in Me; Of that there is no doubt

One needs to do nothing except understand and accept what Kṛṣṇa is. Nothing more is needed.

Kṛṣṇa asks us to complete with life as it is. Only when we accept ourselves as we are, can we accept others. Only then we will feel deep friendliness with others. Deep friendliness with others is spirituality. Understand that spirituality is honest and deep friendliness with others.

Love is the flowering of our consciousness. love is the greatest healing power on planet Earth.

Spirituality means flowing. Spirituality means radiating, spreading love and compassion. Whenever we enrich out of compassion, we never feel that we have served. We feel that we have been given an opportunity to serve, to enrich.

Whether we believe it or not, as of now, we have a deep enmity or hostility towards others and ourselves. We live in constant self-doubt, self- hatred and self-denial. We may smile, but we never feel friendly. To correct this, the first thing you need to do is completion with yourself and accept yourself as you are. Forgiving others and forgiving yourself are one and the same.

The moment we create the space of completion and complete with life as it is, we experience divinity in everything. The moment we complete, a cognitive shift happens in us. The moment we declare completion with ourselves and with life, we complete with the whole world. Then, the complete cognition happens inside our system, which will be centered on bliss.

When you are complete with you, the Universe will be complete with you. When you are incomplete with you, the Universe will be incomplete with you. As the Universal consciousness, Kṛṣṇa is all in one. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Rejuvenator. One needs to do nothing except understand and accept what Kṛṣṇa is. The Master says that understanding and completing alone liberates us. Nothing more is needed

To get children to understand that understanding and completing liberates us.

• ❖ Can we accept others if we don't accept ourselves?
• ❖ How are spirituality and friendliness connected?
• ❖ What is the greatest healing power on planet Earth?
• ❖ How can we correct our selfdoubt, self-hatred and self-denial?
• ❖ How different are forgiving others and forgiving yourself?
• ❖ What do we need to do to experience divinity in everything?
• ❖ When will the Universe be complete with you? When will the Universe be incomplete with you?

• 1. White paper
• 2. Colorful crayons or pens,
• 3. Pictures relating to Kṛṣṇa

Get children to draw something relating to Kṛṣṇa, but each time they lift the pen off the paper, they must swop the hand holding the pen. With deep friendliness and patience for the hand that is their non-dominant hand. Let them try to have each hand drawing similar amounts

• ❖ Learning to accept ourselves.
• ❖ Friendliness starts with ourselves.

A sheet of paper divided into two columns. On the left side put the title "self- doubt", and on the right side put the title "friendliness, completion"

Get the children to write or draw some of their doubts in the left hand side. For example, they doubt they can do a particular āsana, or remember a mantra. Then pair the children. Each child in a pair has a turn telling their doubt with the other helping them with their doubt from the space of deep friendliness, to face their doubt or suggesting some options that may help complete the doubt.

When we experience friendliness we start accepting ourselves. Deep friendliness with others is spirituality

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on: When you serve others, you enrich yourself and them. Is there someone in their family they can offer to help something that they have never offered to do before?

Completion with life, deep friendliness, acceptance and forgiveness, compassion - uniting with the glory and powers of Kṛṣṇa

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

haṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāvasamanvitāḥ

I am the source of all the spiritual and material worlds. Everything arises from Me. The wise who know this are devoted to Me and surrender their heart to Me

maccittā madgataprāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam kathayantaśca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

With mind and lives absorbed on Me, always enlightening one another and talking about My glories, the wise are content and blissful

When we deeply feel connected to the Master and He expresses His glory, we expand.

teṣāṁ satatayuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prītipūrvakam dadāmi buddhiyogaṁ taṁ yena māmupayānti te

To those who are always engaged in Me with love, I give them enlightenment by which they come to Me.

Carry the space of brahmaṇyam bahuputratām, the feeling that you are the favorite inheritor of the cosmos.

teṣāṁ evānukampārtham aham ajñānajaṁ tamaḥ nāśayāmy ātmabhāvastho jñānadīpena bhāsvatā

Out of compassion to them, I destroy the darkness born out of their ignorance by the shining lamp of knowledge

The Master leads the disciple from darkness into light with compassion

Part 3: Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 10 - Collection_English_part_3.md

We experience life as divine and a blessing when we connect with the Divine, when we trust, when we completely open up, when we don't have other vested interests and when we do not beg for anything from life. Only when we understand, 'I want the pure experience of the Divine, nothing else,' we experience the whole of Existence in a totally different way. Imagine how Arjuna felt when Kṛṣṇa revealed these things for the first time, inch by inch. 'Oh Arjuna, I am that. I am this. I am everything.' Arjuna may not have said anything, but he surely must have felt that he was expanding.

Arjuna already felt deeply connected to Kṛṣṇa as his friend. Now, he understands the glories of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa reveals His glories and expands, Arjuna also expands. He says, 'Oh God! I am a friend of such a great person. Oh Kṛṣṇa, You are a great person. I am your friend. I am deeply connected to You.' When we deeply feel connected to the Master and He expresses His glory, we expand.

This darkness of ignorance is the identification that one has with one's self, one's material attachments and material possessions. This identification surely leads to sorrow since this attachment is for things that are fleeting. The Master is the only person who can dispel that darkness. Only He can light up that wisdom within you in order for you to realize that you are already one with Existence and therefore need nothing from this material world.

• ❖ What do we need to do to experience the whole of Existence?
• ❖ When Kṛṣṇa reveals His glories to Arjuna, what happens to Arjuna?
• ❖ Does talking about Divine glories make us blissful or depressed?
• ❖ What does the word 'Guru' mean?
• ❖ What language is the word 'Guru'?
• ❖ What are examples of things that are fleeting?
• ❖ Are we separate with Existence?

• 1. Coloured paper
• 2. Scissors
• 3. Glue or stapler

Get children to make a crown for themselves. They can decorate the crown with cutout colorful paper shapes to represent precious stones.

• ❖ hen Kṛṣṇa reveals His glories and expands, those connected to Kṛṣṇa expand too. We are divine and blessed

• 1. A large cloth like a sheet
• 2. 2. some flashlights

Children to develop a short story or stories about Kṛṣṇa into a shadow play

In shadow play, we need light to tell a story. Light dispels the darkness

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on the Guru, the Master leading the disciple from darkness into light

CONCLUSION A Guru provides people with the intelligence to enlighten them

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

arjuna uvāca paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam ādidevamajaṁ vibhum

Arjuna says: You are the supreme truth, supreme sustenance, supremely purifier, the primal, eternal and glorious Lord

When you are in love with your Master, you are delighted to hear his glories

āhustvāmṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣiṛnāradastathā asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me

All the sages like Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa have explained this. Now you are personally explaining to me

sarvametadṛtaṁ manye yanmāṁ vadasi keśava na hi te bhagavanvyaktiṁ vidurdevā na dānavāḥ

Oh Keśava, I accept all these truths that You have told me. Oh Lord, neither the gods nor the demons know You

svayamevātmanātmānaṁ vettha tvaṁ puruṣottama bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa devadeva jagatpate

Surely, You alone know Yourself by Yourself, Oh Perfect One, the origin of beings, Oh Lord of beings, Oh God of gods, Oh Lord of the world

vaktumarhasyaśeṣeṇa divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ yābhirvibhūtibhirlokān imāṁstvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi

Only You can describe in detail Your divine glories by which You pervade this universe

The perfect disciple has no doubts about what his Master tells him more about Himself, His glories. He just seeks to know how he should approach his Master, how he should see his Master.

When you are in such deep love with your Master as Arjuna is with Kṛṣṇa, there is nothing to be said. There is nothing even to be heard. Arjuna would have been perfectly happy to sit in silence, in deep meditation upon Kṛṣṇa.

Arjuna knows that there is no need for Kṛṣṇa to say anything now. Therefore, when Arjuna asks the Lord to talk about His glories that no one else understands, Arjuna is requesting on behalf of humanity. In His compassion, Kṛṣṇa would have revealed Himself to his chosen disciple. However, the rest of humanity would not have been enriched from a revelation that came to Arjuna alone.

Make your plea to Parabrahma Kṛṣṇa, the Jagatguru, so He will provide the light of wisdom for you to be enlightened.

To understand no words are needed between Master and disciple, and also that words from the Master enrich us

• ❖ How do we decide how to approach the Master?
• ❖ When you are in deep love with your Master, are words needed?
• ❖ If there are no words between you and your Master, is the Master ignoring you?

• 1. Paper cut into long rectangles, for example cut an A4 page into 3 lengths
• 2. Colour pens
• 3. Sticky tape / self-stick tape / adhesive tape Small shiny stickers (optional)

First, talk a little on Kṛṣṇa and his flute Get children to draw a single line of finger-tip sized dots along the length of the paper. Best is to have the line of dots in the centre of the paper. Up to 10 dots, can be less. Decorate the rest of the paper including stickers if available. Roll the paper into a tube so that the line of dots form a line on the tube.Stick the tube with the sticky tape Those who have finished can try holding the flute as Kṛṣṇa held it when playing it

Acharya to tell a few of the glories and stories of Kṛṣṇa, His līlā. Then children sit in silence, meditating on Kṛṣṇa to gentle flute music.

A small experience of being perfectly happy to sit in silence, in deep meditation upon Kṛṣṇa There are times when there is no need for words

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on how a disciple can seek to know how he should approach his Master, how he should see his Master.

Connect to Kṛṣṇa to be enriched by Kṛṣṇa Our deep love with our Master leads us to be enlightened

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

kathaṁ vidyāmahaṁ yogiṁs tvāṁ sadā paricintayan keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo'si bhagavanmayā keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo'si bhagavanmayā

How may I know You by contemplation? In which forms How may I know You by contemplation? In which forms should I contemplate on You, Oh Lord?

vistareṇātmano yogaṁ vibhūtiṁ ca janārdana bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptirhi śṛṇvato nāsti me'mṛtam bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptirhi śṛṇvato nāsti me'mṛtam

Tell me in detail of your powers and glories, Oh Janārdana. Again, Tell me in detail of your powers and glories, Oh Janārdana. Again, please tell for my satisfaction as I do not tire of please tell for my satisfaction as I do not tire of hearing your sweet words

Arjuna is in the mood of the perfect devotee and disciple. Anything that he can listen about his Master is nectar to his ears.

He is in a state of complete immersion. Rāmakṛṣṇa asked Vivekananda, 'If you were a fly and you were on the rim of the cup of nectar, what would you do?

Vivekananda said, 'Sip from the cup, of course, what else?'

'You fool!' said the Master, 'You should fall into the nectar and submerge yourself!

When would you ever get this opportunity again?

Arjuna is on that verge of immersion. His intellect has almost disappeared. He needs the last nudge, so to speak.

You too, as the reader, make your plea to Parabrahma Kṛṣṇa, the Jagatguru, so that He may tell you about His glory, and so that you may meditate upon His glory with single pointed focus of the mind. As He promised, He will provide the light of wisdom for you to be enlightened.

To understand the greatness of the opportunity of listening to your master

• ❖ What is the perfect mood for a devotee and disciple?
• ❖ What will Kṛṣṇa provide to us if we ask him to reveal His glory to us?

• 1. Paper
• 2. Color pens
• 3. Scissors
• 4. Colored paper for a collage

Explain to the children how bees go from flower to flower collecting nectar to make into honey. If possibly, show a short video how bees often go right into the flowers. Get children to make a collage of a flower garden, with many varieties. They can draw in some bees with the colored pens

Immerse yourself in Kṛṣṇa

Part 4: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 - Collection_English_part_4.md

❖ Cushions or mats for children to sit on

❖ Blindfolds

Do a 7 minute humming meditation. Children use a blindfold over their eyes. Ask children to hum as loudly as possible, as intensely as is comfortable, so that the humming is coming from their navel area.

Follow the humming with 3 minutes sitting in silence to let the energy settle again

Complete immersion is the perfect mood for a devotee and disciple

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on the difference between sipping nectar and falling into nectar. Ask the children if they can think of times when they let themselves 'fall into nectar'. What did they experience?

Our deep love with our Master leads us to be enlightened

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraścāsmi vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām vasūnāṁ pāvakaścāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇāmaham

Of the Rudras, I am Sankara and of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, I am Kubera, god of wealth. Of the Vasus, I am fire and of the peaks, I am Meru

Auspiciousness born without a reason, the causeless auspiciousness of Paramaśiva

purodhasāṁ ca mukhyaṁ māṁ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim senānīnāmahaṁ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ

Of the priests, understand, O Pārtha, that I am the chief Brihaspati. Of the warriors, I am Skanda. Of the water bodies, I am the ocean

He is the mighty ocean, infinite in expanse and essential to all life forms. In fact, it is the origin of all life forms.

maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgurahaṁ girāmasmyekamakṣaram yajñānāṁ japayajño'smi sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ

Of the great sages, I am Bhrigu. Of the vibrations, I am the OM. Of the sacrifices, I am the chanting of holy names. Of the immovable objects, I am the Himālayas

From the primal sound from which the Universe manifested itself, to the spiritual significance of the Himalayas, all are Kṛṣṇa consciousness

Kṛṣṇa explains the main manifestations that give a glimpse of the unfathomable Divine. Rudras are the elemental powers worshipped by the Ṛg Veda.

Śankara is the doer of good. Śankara is also the precursor to Paramaśiva in the evolution of the Hindu constellation of divinity. Paramaśiva means causeless auspiciousness; auspiciousness born without a reason. Wherever Paramaśiva is, good happens for no reason.

Yakṣas are celestial beings considered to be the creators of wealth. Rākṣasas, Kṛṣṇa says He is the god of wealth, the king Kubera.

The Vasus are the attendants of Viṣṇu. They represent various aspects of Nature. The Brihadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad mentions eight Vasus: agni (fire), pṛthvī (earth), vāyu (wind), antarikṣa (space), āditya (light), dyaus (sky), candramas (moon) and nakṣatrāṇi (stars). Kṛṣṇa says among the Vasus, He is the formless fire.

Meru is the golden peak, the metaphoric abode of gods, and its foothills are the Himalayas. It also represents the human spine.

Amongst the peaks, Kṛṣṇa says He is the majestic Meru. Bṛhaspati is the priest of the gods. He dispels darkness and ignorance and destroys the enemies of the gods. Among the warriors, Kṛṣṇa says He is Skanda, the supreme General of the forces of gods. Skanda is the son of Śiva and Pārvati, who destroyed Tārakāsura, the demon who, along with his hordes of demons, tormented the devas. This is a metaphysical representation of the Divine as the Supreme General of the being, vanquishing the senses, desires and ego.

Of the water bodies, Kṛṣṇa says He is the mighty ocean, infinite in expanse and essential to all life forms. In fact, it is the origin of all life forms.

Of the great sages, Kṛṣṇa says He is Bhṛgu, one of the Saptaṛṣis (seven sages who form the cosmic energy). Bhṛgu is believed to have been created by Brahma to aid him in the creation of the Universe.

OṀ is the primal sound from which the Universe manifested itself. The symbol of OṀ— contains three curves, a semicircle and a dot.

Out of the three curves, the upper curve symbolizes the waking state, the lower curve denotes deep sleep and the right curve denotes the dream state. It thus represents the three states of individual consciousness. The dot represents the fourth state of consciousness, turīya, complete awareness. The semicircle represents māyā, illusion, and separates the dot from the three curves. But the open semicircle represents the Absolute which is unaffected by māyā. Of the different types of sacrifices, Kṛṣṇa says He is the japa or chanting of holy names.

Of the immovable objects in the world, He says He is the mighty and majestic Himalayas. The Himalayas, literally meaning 'the abode of snow', is home to hundreds of peaks, including the highest peak in the world. Some great rivers originate in it and flow through it, including Gangā, Yamunā, Brahmaputra and Indus

The Himalayas have a great unique spiritual significance as well. Kailasa, abode of Śiva, is the earthly representation of the metaphorical Meru. The Himalayan mountains are the spiritual incubator of the world. The Himalayas are truly a powerful energy field.

For thousands of years, millions of Sādhus (sages) have lived there and left their bodies from there. When Enlightened Masters leave their bodies, the result of their penance, the energy of their spiritual penance, is not carried by the spirit. They leave behind this energy in their bodies. Imagine how much energy is in the Himalayas, where so many Enlightened beings have left their bodies! We should be thankful to the Himalayas since their positive energy balances the collective negativity in the world.

GOALS To have a glimpse of the unfathomable Divine

• ❖ This lesson is Part 2 of Kṛṣṇa glories. Is this now a complete list of the glories of Kṛṣṇa?
• ❖ What is special about Bṛhaspati and Skanda?
• ❖ Which mountain chain does Kṛṣṇa say he is?
• ❖ What do the Himalayas contribute to the world?

• 1. Paper
• 2. Colour pens

Describe the Himalayas and some of the benefits of this mountain range to the children.

For example:

• ❖ the Himalayas are the source of the Indus, Gangha, and Brahmaputra Rivers.
• ❖ many sages have lived and continue to live in the Himalayas, living even in snow caves
• ❖ the Himalayas are home to some of the rarest species in the animal kingdom including snow leopards, Tibetan sheep, musk deer and mountain goats
• ❖ there are many mountain monasteries in the Himalayas there are many landscapes in the Himalayas, from lush green valleys to snow-capped mountains the highest mountain on planet Earth is in the Himalayas

Then ask the children to draw what they found most special, most interesting about the Himalayas.

The positive energy of the Himalayas balances the collective negativity in the world.

• ❖ Cushions or mats for children to sit on
• ❖ Blindfolds

Do a meditation while chanting OṀ. Let the children wear blindfolds while meditating. Encourage them to chant OṀ while meditating. After a maximum of 7 minutes, let them sit quietly for a few minutes before removing the blindfolds

An experience of OṀ, the primal sound from which the Universe manifested itself.

glories of Kṛṣṇa, both the ones here and others that the children can think about. How do the glories help them understand the wonders of their life?

This list is just a glimpse of the glories of Kṛṣṇa The Divine exists in every atom, and is the essence of all that exists

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṁ devarṣīṇāṁ ca nāradaḥ gandharvāṇāṁ citrarathaḥ siddhānāṁ kapilo muniḥ

Of all the trees, I am the Banyan tree and of all the sages of the gods, I am Nārada. Of the Gandharvas, I am Chitraratha. Of the realized souls, I am the sage Kapila

Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute, the greatest of all devotees, a perfect complete being

uccaiḥśravas amaśvānāṁ viddhi

māmamṛtodbhavam airāvataṁ

gajendrāṇāṁ narāṇāṁ ca narādhipam

Of the horses, know me to be

Ucchaiṣravas born of the nectar

generated from the churning of the

men, the king

āyudhānāmahaṁ vajraṁ dhenūnāmasmi kāmadhuk prajanaścāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇāmasmi vāsukiḥ

Of the weapons, I am the thunderbolt. Of the cows, I am Kamadhenu; For begetting children, I am the god of love. Of the snakes, I am Vasuki

anantaścāsmi nāgānāṁ varuṇo yādasām aham pitṛṇāmaryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṁyamatāmaham

Of the serpents, I am Ananta. Of the water deities, I am Varuṇa. Of the ancestors, I am Aryama and of the ones who ensure discipline, I am Yama

prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṁ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham mṛgāṇāṁ ca mṛgendro'haṁ vainateyaśca pakṣiṇām

Of the Daitya (demons), I am Prahlad and of the reckoners, I am time. Of the animals, I am the king of animals (lion) and of the birds, I am Garuda

Time is the ultimate reckoner.

Among the trees He is the banyan tree. The banyan tree develops its root- like structures from the branches. These grow into the earth as secondary roots. The metaphysical meaning of the banyan tree is that just as the banyan tree grows its roots upside down unlike other trees, the spiritual person shuns the illusory outer world. Instead, he goes inwards towards the Absolute.

Of all the spiritually enlightened Masters, the Ṛṣis, Kṛṣṇa is Nārada. Nārada is considered the greatest of all devotees. His mind is immersed in remembering Viṣṇu, forever chanting 'Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa'.

Of the Gandharvas, the celestial beings, He is Citraratha. Gandharvas are celestial beings skilled in music and they are guardians of the soma juice — the nectar of the divine beings. Citraratha is the king of the Gandharvas.

I Am the Complete Being Among the Siddhas, the complete beings, He is Kapila, the complete sage. Kapila is the author of the Sāṅkhya Yoga, the founding father of Mahānirvāṇi Pīṭha —Kapila Sarvajña Pīṭha, and is considered an incarnation of Viṣṇu and Mahādev. The first human being on planet Earth who started thinking and experienced completion was Kapila.

Ucchaiśravas is the legendary snow-white horse that emerged during the churning of the ocean of milk, the divine horse.

Airāvata, the four-tusked king of the elephants also emerged during the churning of the ocean of milk. Airāvata, whom Indra took as his mount

This is a metaphysical representation signifying how we are pushed and pulled by desires in our lives. From this churning in our life, various products emerge. As we go beyond the push and pull of desires, beyond life and death. Then we dwell in ultimate bliss.

Among the cows, He says He is the sacred cow, Kāmadhuk or Kāmadhenu, which also emerged during the churning of the ocean. In the Hindu way of life, the cow is worshipped for her essential utility. Kāmadhuka is considered to be the cow that grants all wishes and is the mother of all cows.

Kṛṣṇa is the Vāsuki of serpents. Vāsuki is the king of snakes. Vāsuki was used as the rope and he wound himself around Meru, the staff, for churning the ocean of milk.

Among the nāgas, non-poisonous snakes or creatures of the nether world, He is Ananta, the manyhooded serpent who forms the bed of Lord Viṣṇu. He is said to support all the planets on his various hoods, including the Earth.

Among the water beings, Kṛṣṇa says He is Varuṇa, the god of the mightiest water body, the ocean.

Among the ancestors, Kṛṣṇa says He is Aryamā, one of the Ādityas, who presides over a planet occupied by the energy bodies of our ancestors.

Of the ones who ensure discipline, Kṛṣṇa says He is Yama, the Lord of death. Death is the only certain thing in the life of all beings and it treats everyone exactly the same whether they are big or small, rich or poor. So the Lord of death, Yama, ensures perfect discipline. Of the Daityas, He is Prahlād

The Daityas are considered to be a race of beings that warred against the demigods. Prahlād was the son of a powerful Daitya King, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Prahlād was a pious child, an embodiment of integrity. The young Prahlād is a supreme example of devotion. His life is the example that total surrender to the Divine is possible and that such surrender leads the Divine to completely care for His devotees, in all situations and at all times.

Of the reckoners, Kṛṣṇa says He is Kāla, Time itself. Time is the ultimate reckoner. No being exists who can beat Time. Irrespective of who it is, Time always moves on. It cannot be stopped by anyone.

Of the animals, Kṛṣṇa is the Lion, king of the jungle.

Among birds, He is Garuḍa, king of birds, the eagle who is the mount of Lord Viṣṇu.

For us to understand the glory of Kṛṣṇa

• ❖ What is special about Banyan trees?
• ❖ What does Nārada always chant?
• ❖ Kapila was the first human being to do what?
• ❖ What emerged during the churning of the ocean of milk?
• ❖ What was used as the rope around the staff for churning the ocean of milk?
• ❖ What is the name of the staff that was used for churning the ocean of milk?
• ❖ How does the Lord of death, Yama, ensure perfect discipline?
• ❖ Who is Prahlād?
• ❖ Can anyone beat or stop Kāla, Time?

• 1. Paper
• 2. Colour pens

Study a photo of a banyan tree, or connect to the live webcam of the Banyan tree at Aadi Kailash. Encourage the children to draw a banyan tree with many secondary roots.

Just as the banyan tree grows its roots upside down unlike other trees, the spiritual person goes inwards towards the Absolute.

• ❖ A thick rope with a ribbon tied in the middle

Split the children into two groups. Try to ensure the groups are equally strong. Each group holds on to one end of the rope and tries to pull the other group towards them

It took strength to churn the ocean of milk.

Part 5: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on which of Kṛṣṇa's glories means the most to each of the children.

CONCLUSION Kṛṣṇa is everything!

Authored by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

pavanaḥ pavatāmasmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāmaham jhaṣāṇāṁ makaraścāsmi srotasāmasmi jānhavī

Of the purifiers, I am the wind. Of the wielders of weapons, I am Rāma. Of the water beings, I am the shark and of the flowing rivers, I am Jahnavi (Gaṅgā) as Gaṅgā

Formless and pure as the wind, righteous as Rāma, powerful and feared as sharks, as revered

sargāṇāmādirantaśca madhyaṁ caivāhamarjuna adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṁ vādaḥ pravadatāmaham

Of all creations, I am surely the beginning and end and the middle, O Arjuna. Of all knowledge, I am the spiritual knowledge of the Self. Of all arguments, I am the logic

akṣarāṇāmakāro'smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca ahaṁevākṣayaḥ kālo dhātāhaṁ viśvatomukhaḥ

Of the letters, I am the 'A'. Of the dual words, I am the compounds and surely I am the never-ending time. I am the Omniscient who sees everything

Kṛṣṇa is the first of the letters, never-ending time and the Creator of this Universe

mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham udbhavaśca bhaviṣyatāï kīrtiḥ śrīrvākca nāriṇāṁ smṛtirmedhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā

I am the all-devouring death and I am the creator of all things of the future. Of the feminine, I am fame, fortune, beautiful speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience

Kṛṣṇa is the Creator and Destroyer, and He is the seven Devīs, goddesses.

Of the purifying elements, Kṛṣṇa says He is the formless and pure wind. The wind pervades the other elements such as earth, water and fire and removes impurities.

Of the wielders of weapons, Kṛṣṇa says He is Rāma, the seventh incarnation of Viṣṇu. Rāma was a righteous ruler and chosen heir to his father's throne. Yet, Rāma went into exile to uphold his father's vow. Rāma is considered the greatest archer ever known.

Of the aquatic beings, the fish, Kṛṣṇa says He is the Shark, the most powerful and feared.Of the rivers, He says He is Gangā. The river Gangā is worshipped in Bharat as goddess Gangā

Millions of people pray in the waters of the Gangā everyday. On its banks, millions of people gather everyday to offer pūjā to Gangā and to take a holy dip in the waters. Gangā is considered the sacred river that descended from the heavens, blessing the planet with the Ganges based civilization. Millions of people standing and praying in the waters have energized the whole river and this explains why Gangā has the inexplicable ability of cleansing Herself.

a factual observation recorded in the reminiscences of the British who ruled Bharat. When the British traveled by ship from England to Bharat, their water became spoilt during the long journey. However, on the return trip from Bharat to England, the water from the Gangā remained pure even after reaching England. The research showed that the Gangā water had the miraculous power of cleansing Herself.

Of all the creations, Kṛṣṇa says He is the beginning, the middle and the end, thus establishing that He is all that existed, exists and will exist. He is the creator, created and creation.

Of the various branches of knowledge, Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate spiritual knowledge, Self-realization. Other branches of knowledge result from intelligence. Only Self-realization requires intuition and something beyond

Of all arguments, Kṛṣṇa says He is the logic that binds everything together. Of the letters, Kṛṣṇa says He is the first letter, 'aksarānāṁ akāro 'smi', the origin of all that is spoken and written. Of the dual words, a class of words in Saṃskṛit, He is the compound word. He affirms He is never-ending time and the Creator of this Universe, Brahma. Kṛṣṇa says He is the Creator and Destroyer.

Of the feminine qualities, Kṛṣṇa says He is the seven Devīs, goddesses, who impart fame, fortune, beautiful speech, memory,

intelligence, faithfulness and patience. In Saṃskṛit all these qualities have feminine nouns to represent them. He says these attributes in women come from Him.

To develop the child's understanding of the glories of Kṛṣṇa

• ❖ What property does the wind have?

• ❖ Which is the most powerful and feared fish?

• ❖ Which river is considered to be the sacred river that descended from the heavens?

• ❖ What happened to the water in the British ships travelling to and from England and Bharat?

• ❖ What part of creation is Kṛṣṇa?

• ❖ What are the seven feminine qualities, the seven Devīs, goddesses?

• 1. Paper
• 2. Colour pens

Each child draws a large letter A, then draws thru, around, above and below this letter the other glories of Kṛṣṇa in these slokas.

The glories of Kṛṣṇa are many..

Children to take turns telling stories of the river Gangā, or what it would be like if they were the river and had millions come and worship

INFERENCE: Gangā is a holy river

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on how the children understand these glories.

Kṛṣṇa is the creator, created and creation