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CLASS DATE: 01/19/25 |
TEACHER(S): Sunita,Nitya |
| Topic: Honesty | Attendance: |
| Spiritual Principle: 01/19/25
In today’s class, we learned to chant the Gayatri Mantra and discussed its meaning. Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Suvaha Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt Meaning as we learnt: We worship and bow down to the divine light, which is the source of creation. We meditate on its divine radiance and pray- may our intelligence be stimulated and activated. We discussed Group 1’s 100th birthday offering, which is to continue the spiritual diary activities of prayer and silent sitting sincerely and honestly. The emphasis is on sincerity and honesty. We also talked about how an offering should be made to God. We observed that some children tend to fill the diary with tick marks all at once at the end of the week just before class. We all agreed that the proper way to maintain a spiritual diary is to mark each day with a tick or a cross, depending on whether we completed the activity or not. We request parents follow up with their children to ensure it is done correctly. To emphasize how much importance Swami gives to honesty we shared an experience. Back in 2002, Swami gave refuge to 62 orphan children and 11 widowed mothers from and around the villages of Puttaparthi who lacked basic education and good living conditions, under a program called Deenajanodharana Pathakam. Swami built a new housing complex for them that has a prayer hall and a spacious dining hall with a modern kitchen and attached stores. The complex has 200 independent rooms, each with an attached bathroom and toilet, and a solar water heater that provides hot water for all the residents of the home. A few days after the children and their mothers moved into the new complex, they came to Sai Kulwant Hall for Swami’s darshan. Fruits were distributed among all the devotees present. One of the younger boys among them was also offered a fruit, but he politely declined, stating that he had already received one. Watching from a distance, Swami took another apple and offered it to the boy. Again, the boy declined, giving the same reason as before. Swami then called the boy over, patted his cheek, and said, “Good boy. Always speak the truth. I will give you everything if you are always truthful.” The boy was filled with gratitude and love for Swami. We discussed how a small act of honesty makes Swami feel proud of his children. We continued learning the Lingastakam (third stanza). We also learned a new bhajan, which will be sung during Sai Maduram bhajans on February 23rd. The recording will be shared shortly. Lingashtakam brahmamurāri surārchita liṅgaṃ dēvamuni pravarārchita liṅgaṃ sarva sugandha sulēpita liṅgaṃ kanaka mahāmaṇi bhūṣita liṅgaṃ kuṅkuma chandana lēpita liṅgaṃ dēvagaṇārchita sēvita liṅgaṃ aṣṭadaḻōparivēṣṭita liṅgaṃ suraguru suravara pūjita liṅgaṃ liṅgāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhēśśiva sannidhau । Affirmation: Note to parents : Life application: Spiritual Diary—3 activities–Prayer, Silent sitting, and Keeping bags and shoes in place. Please create a January calendar to continue. Bhajans 12/8 – Saibaba Saibaba sathya sai avatar – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEW19xS0P_Y 11/3 – Vittala Hari Vittala : https://saimelodies.org/Songs/Detail/981 https://saimelodies.org/Songs/Detail/945 |
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