Feedback from Vibha on SRV’s Summer camp – May 2018

Jaya Jaya Shree Sudarshana

Initially, upon hearing about the camp, I wondered how interesting it might be. However, after attending the camp, I wanted it to last for more than just 2 days.

Our first enlightening talk was that of Mukundan Swami on the topic ‘Satsangati’.
We learned the importance of being part of a Satsangati and surrounding ourselves with good people.
On doing so, with not much effort from our side, the good from others will rub off on us too!
This was followed by a sloka session where every student, right from the tiniest tot, learnt a sloka and recited it, if not in whole, then at least a part of the sloka, in front of the gathering, with encouragement from Swami.
The amazing part of this episode was, we learnt a sloka in merely 2 days!
After this, we had a story session where we learned about Swami Desikan’s early life history. To instill what we’d learnt in our minds, the story session was followed by a skit, where we campers enacted the stories we’d learned that day.
During evening times, we were also entertained with games.
Swami also had a special talk with the teenage campers involving topics like – showing our utmost love and respect to parents, understanding the sacrifices they go through to fulfill our desires, importance of showing our gratitude and gratefulness to our parents as there is nothing else we can do to repay them, setting bounds on friendship, how to interact with friends of the opposite gender, upholding our family’s pride at all times, maturely understanding our parents opinions and to contradict them when necessary, etc.
This talk was a great value add for us campers. We are blessed to have such a thoughtful guru who could interact with us freely.
Not to forget, we were provided with tasty meals 3 times a day. Our craving for snacks and drinks between meals was also satisfied.
On the first day of the camp, we were also blessed by Andavan Ashram’s Srikaryam Swami.
Finally, what I believe I can take away from this camp is – love and respect all human beings, but to never compromise on our Srivaishnava Sampradaayam.
I am very glad that I had the golden opportunity of attending this year’s camp. I’m looking forward to next year’s camp eagerly!
Regards,
Vibha Shyam.
Details about the camp can be read here
https://assjsreeram.com/sree-ramanuja-vidyalayas-summer-camp-for-kids-21st-and-22nd-of-may-2018-an-update/

Sri Bhustuti – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

Sri Bhustuti is a stotra in Sanskrit  by Vedanta Desika on Bhudevi or Bhumi piraatti as we hail her, who is one of the consorts of Emberumaan. It has 33 verses in all, most of them in the famous vasantatilaka vrtta or metre.

Referring to a few commentaries Adiyen has given the meaning of the verses in Tamil stressing upon the basics of Sanskrit that are required to enjoy the verse from a language perspective. The anvaya or prose order of the verse and the vibhakti or case endings of the words deployed in the verse are shared in the audio recordings.

The audio recording of the first part that covers introduction and the first 6 verses is as below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hgoz07kRct3pV94zKp8wKZPzPCxajXj4/view?usp=drivesdk

The audio recording of the meanings of verses from 7 to 12 is available in the link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17u2BtNTLB5S6tppbATzKrOsQNUhN9OsZ/view?usp=drivesdk

The audio recording of the meanings of verses from 13 to 18 is available in the link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ET1dSTJoeOE7s4ZV0JLy_ErGgqVfHVNN/view?usp=drivesdk

The audio recording of the meanings of verses from 19 to 25 is available in the link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w0YhQ-r3YwjrST88_MW_rxPK6v6kCcZF/view?usp=drivesdk

The audio recording of the meanings of last set of verses from 26 to 33 is available  in the link below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ezcZW_JBK7a-vaCe-OPNI2FuxSA-LCDb

Dasan

Sreeram

 

 

Sree Ramanuja Vidyalaya’s Summer camp for kids – 21st and 22nd of May 2018 – an update

Namaste to all,

Group photo of the participants of Summer camp with Srikaryam Swami of Srimad Andavan Ashram and Sri E.S.Mukundan Swami, convener of the camp

Adiyen is very much pleased to share that with the grace of the divya dampati and acharyas, a two day summer camp for kids on ‘sampradaya’ was successfully organised by ‘Sree Ramanuja Vidyalaya‘ at the ‘Samrakshana Yoga Kendra’, R.A.Puram on the 21st and 22nd of May 2018 with an overwhelming participation from all quarters! Adiyen wishes to offer pranams and dhanyavadas to Smt & Sri E.S. Mukundan Swami and his excellent team, the kids, their parents, sponsors and volunteers. There were 35 wonderful kids in all who participated in the two day camp.

A brief account of the activities of the camp is as follows:

  1. After registration of the participants, a tasty breakfast was served to the kids and volunteers.
  2. After the breakfast the program began at 9 am. Sow.Hiranmayee Sreeram sang a prayer and it was followed by a welcome  address by adiyen. The link to the video is as below: https://drive.google.com/open?id=14ZyAyYVOZCGx_cvsyTYKA3wMeMA8UHRo
  3. Sri U.Ve. E.S.Mukundan Swami, adiyen’s guru, gave his welcome address to the kids and gave an overview about the activities of the camp.
    Sri.E.S.Mukundan addressing the kids

    He divided the kids in to groups that were mentored by Sri.Mukundan Swami, Smt.Rama Mukundan, Chi.Prasanna Venkatesan, Chi.Aniruddhan, Smt.Divya and Smt.Radhika (the last four being students of Swami). Smt.Poornima Shyam also volunteered and guided the kids in story telling and skit presentation.

  4. The kids were taught stotras of Swami Desika like Kamasikashtam, Paramarthastuti, Sudarshanashtakam etc.

    One of the groups mentored by Smt.Rama Mukundan
  5. The mentors narrated incidents from Swami Desika’s life and the kids had to tell them in their own words individually. The link to the videos of some story telling session is as below: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oZwwrQ6iHrO_rP5I3NFCmDWOVzlcsxkn    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lV3430i-FARzS8sCtMuK8ZAtQ5hesP_4  The kids had to enact skits on some of the incidents from the life  of Swami Desika. The links to some of the skits is as below:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sZ1IkiTid4wmWz6hMfNnLmE5vzhMkDah https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tdWHUrNJ290hpfpcTqj9Imef4w9laoWA
  6. Sri E S Mukundan Swami personally mentoring adolescent kids

    Sri E.S.Mukundan Swami personally mentored kids who were above 13 years of age on the nuances of life considering their adolescent age. Some of the points that he covered in an one hour plus talk were  – ‘what should be their priorities of life, how to handle difference in opinion with parents, how to convince parents in such situations, at other times give in to parents by understanding their situation, gratitude towards parents for all the difficulties, struggle they go thru for kids, how to interact with between friends from other gender, where to set the limits in friendship, not to get carried away by wrong ideas, not to succumb to peer pressure, keeping up the pride and respect of parents at all times , etc.

  7. Madhyahnikam

    The boys performed Madhyahnikam under the guidance of Sri.E.S.Mukundan Swami.

  8. Nice lunch was served – thanks to the sincere efforts of Smt.Ramya ably helped by Smt.Lakshmi and other volunteers.
  9. Srikaryam Swami of Srimad Andavan Ashramam giving his anugraha bhashanam

    After lunch the Srikaryam Swami of Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashram, Sri.U.Ve.Vaduvur Veeraraghavachar, gave an anugraha bhashanam to the kids and interacted with them.

  10. A group photo was taken with the Srikaryam Swami and Mukundan Swami being seated in the middle.
  11. The kids were asked to write ‘rama-nama’ during their free hours in the camp and the kid who wrote maximum rama-nama-s was congratulated specially.
  12. In the afternoon the stotra learning was continued and the evening was wonderfully spent with bhajans. A short video of the bhajans is as below.  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jrYS4RRpgkaAa69uEFltD_vU5tZuQQGB https://drive.google.com/open?id=1O8_OCoOp1cMUtXnaXFq6lnpfSUi2KRze https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hZ74pZbkWixIV8JDdDxQXyhifjpU2P6-
  13. After the bhajans there was a dance performance by students of Sree Ramanuja Vidyalaya – a complete in-house production of our vidyalaya. Song written by adiyen, set to music and sung by Smt.Anusha, adiyen’s dharmapatni, accompanied on the violin by our daughter, Sow.Hiranmayee, and choreographed and performed by Sow.Padmasani, Sow.Pooja, Sow.Deekshita and Sow.Pavithra. The link is pasted below.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/12oNuAO29jEGo4ZOYw32pUqSoq5gItj3-/view?usp=drivesdk
  14. The boys performed saayam-sandhyavandanam under the guidance of Sri.E.S.Mukundan Swami.
  15. Games time

    Some games were played to break the monotony and the kids enjoyed it.

  16. Dinner was served at the camp and the kids returned home around 8 pm and arrived at around 8 am for a delivious breakfast.
  17. The activities were repeated on the next day in a more or less same fashion.
  18. Towards the end of 22nd May the kids gave group recitation of the stotras learnt. The link to the video is as below: https://drive.google.com/open?id=13MxT7PMOPUxzlpYVUJDkh9MAzR4U0bxV
  19. A valedictory function was organised to give away mementos to the mentors, sponsors and volunteers. The kids were given a certificate of participation along with a jute bag. The link to a short video is as below  https://drive.google.com/open?id=16cfIgdlS1YEAzpReGBFv4mY5N56myzYu https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sSazSrVjrevsmUpJA1ipKcLfVX180tzD
  20. Sow.Vibha gave her feedback about the camp in an excellent manner. The link to the video is pasted below.  https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1Tr8p97APNrwF4OuP0zlT33PGNZjWkTva
  21. A sumptuous meal was then arranged for everyone.
  22. The camp was enjoyed by one and all and a request has been places to repeat it every year.
  23. Two of the youngest participants reveling in their company

    Two of the youngest participants enjoying their company during the camp.

  24. Rest of the photos can be viewed in the below link:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yNpvorFX8nAGxBRT41IEIfK6FA1Rv5U6
  25. This camp was made possible by the kindness of many many noble souls. Adiyen’s anathakoti pranams to them.

Daasan

Sreeram.

 

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Sri Hayagreeva stotram – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

பரிமுகமாய் அருளிய எம் பரமன் காண்மின்

The meanings of the verses of Sri Hayagreeva stotram, composed by Sri Nigamantha Desikan, has been rendered  by adiyen in Tamil with a special focus on sharing the basics of Sanskrit. The recording is made available in four parts.

The link to the audio of first 6 slokas is as below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eqZst_GqY21B7SXJVv9MkXcgxaIjE4DC

The link to the audio of meaning of slokas 7 to 15 is as below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Eh58RnvnMTdZgDO8fuqYjCcVhwzyjgwf

The link to the audio of meaning of slokas from 16 to 24 is as below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=19QIjXxD_AYu4Nk_2hYh19SuW8lie1k7J

The link to the audio of meaning of slokas from 25 to 33 is as below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hUbJFDH7X2_R9hhwsgud-vGNwr0H5N6Q

Dasan

Sreeram.