SKM Updates

Along with new furniture, the new academic session after summer holidays greeted the children with new books and school stationery. We thank the members of the South Bangalore Sai Samiti who made a generous contribution of note books, stationery, first aid kits to the children of the Sharavathi School. Please see pics below:

Distribution of notebooks and stationery

Handmade Chart for Children

Children excited with their new stationery

Children Praying

 

Cultural Programme

Apps-Technology Changing Our Lives

by Prakash Srinivasan

Apps are revolutionizing our lives every day for the better because they make any service available to us at our finger tips. Here is a look at some apps across categories. This is apart from the first-installed ones like Whatsapp and other anti-virus apps.

Lessons from Great Personalities- Life of Draupadi

The Pandava brothers along with Draupadi and Kunti were in exile after the wax house episode.   One evening, Dharmaja and Draupadi were taking a quiet stroll in the forest.   While walking, they saw a big fruit lying on the ground. They thought given its size everyone can have it for their dinner.   But they were unable to move the fruit.   The other Pandavas who came in search of them also tried in vain and all were exhausted.   Suddenly they observed that something moved under their feet and they realized that they were standing on Romarshi’s hair spread wide on the ground like a carpet.   The sage had undertook several years of penance for this special fruit which would free him from thirst and appetite.    Sensing some disturbance, the sage was just about to open his eyes.    

From Team Venugaanam

We are delighted to bring to you to the 46^th edition of Venugaanam.

In this edition of Venugaanam, we have our beloved SWAMI’s discourse on important things to avoid. Swami advises on the importance of Vedic culture and the need to discern the everlasting from the ephemeral.

The SKM updates brings to you some pics from the school . Do read the updates to know about how one Sai student’s sincere prompting ensured excellent furniture for all the school children. A big thanks to the carpenter. Mr Murugeshan, whose tireless efforts ensured the timely fulfilment.

In Atmajyothi, the discussion progresses to a comparison of devotion and knowledge and how both complement each other.

The Fruit Fly and the Aircraft Designer is a must read for everyone with a scientific temperament.

Don Mason beautifully illustrates the engineering marvels of nature and how a scientist can learn a lot from the creator, if only he opens his eyes to the world’s wonders.

For those of you, who’ve been missing his narrative excellence—Bhargav is back with another outstanding experience of a trek in the mountains in Puttaparthi. If you haven’t gone trekking, you needn’t worry- through his detailed narrative, Bhargav literally ensures that you can experience it first hand!

We are happy to have your feedback on how to make ‘Venugaanam’ a better communication tool. Please mail us at contactus@saikrushnamandir.org . Do feel free to share with us your articles, thoughts and ideas.

We pray to Swami to bless all the children and inmates so that they may all come up to His expectations. May Swami turn our lives into a celebration of His message of love, sharing and caring.

                                                                                                                        With All our Prema,

                                                                                                                        Team Venugaanam

Bhagavan’s Discourse: From the Microcosm to Macrocosm

Source: Prema Vahini, chapter 23

 

Don’t neglect the study of Sanskrit and Vedic culture

In past ages, Indians performed their daily rites, sat in purified places, surrounded by sacredness, and immersed themselves in the study and practice of the teachings of the Vedas and the Upanishads. They recorded their experiences in order to guide others to bring those experiences back again into their own consciousness. But their children and grandchildren placed the books on the altar and duly worshiped them. Neglect reduced them to dust or lumber; the palm leaves disintegrated, and rats ate into them.

Eager students from the West have sought out this lumber, realising that it enshrines incomparable sources of illumination and priceless pearls of wisdom. They lift it reverentially above their heads and acclaim it as the precious gift of the continent of Bharath (Bharatha-khanda) to themselves and their children. They carry it across the seas with joy in their eyes and thankfulness in their hearts.

SKM Updates

It’s been raining almost every day in Bangalore and the greenery is back again. We eagerly await the return of the children. It has been a work of important background activity at Sai Krushna Mandir.

A simple Samadhi has been constructed in memory of Balu Sir so that future generations may recall the simplicity and philanthropy of this noble soul who lived his life with the message of earn to serve.

The Sai Krushna Mandir school management was also working to get new furniture for the children by June 1^st.

Samadhi of Balu sir

Furniture being assembled at SKM

The school furniture for the children was sponsored by a Sai student and his family who choose to be anonymous. Here are the thoughts of this Sai student in his words:  

Atmajyothi

 

 Sri Laxminarayan Aithal

स्वयं फलरूपतेति ब्रह्मकुमारः ।। 30 ।।

30. ब्रह्मकुमार  (has  told)  that : (the  Devotion)  has  the  self-shapeliness  of  the  fruit.

64. Those  who  deliberate  upon  by  merely  taking  the  help  of  intelligence  have  the  danger  of  egoistically  obtaining  the  knowledge.  But,  God  is  the  Self  of  all;  therefore,  none  has  the  capacity  to  know  Him.  Through  the  help  of  which  one  can  know  God  who  is  the  Witness  of  all

 विज्ञातारमरे केन विजानीयात् ।।(बृ. 2-4-14). ‘There  is  no  agency  to  know  that  God  who  illumines  everything  from  His  Form  of  Understanding.’-  thus,  speaks  याज्ञवल्क्य. But,  it  is  certain  that  those  who  take  refuge  only  in  God  obtain  the  direct  experience  of  God  by  His  Grace  alone.  Not  only  that,  how  do  extroverts  suddenly  obtain  the  strength  of  mind  to  the  Principle  of  God ? 

The Fruit Fly and the Aircraft Designer

 by Don Mason

The man opened the office door and went inside. It was his office and his name was on the door  James Hardy, Chief Design Engineer, Greens Aircraft Company. It was a large office with a large desk; its occupant was an important man.

As he sat down his secretary in the adjoining office telephoned him. “There is a Mr Gabriel here who wishes to see you. He has no appointment but he says it is very important. Can you see him or shall I send him away? I should say that he seems rather strange in a way I find difficult to describe”. The Chief Engineer was intrigued, “Please show him in Miss Parker,” he said.  

Trek to Mount Parthi

KVRK Bhargav

The eastern horizon was slowly taking the crimson hue. We set out to scale the the imposing Mount Parthi whose blue silhouette was faintly visible in the first rays of dawn. After a brisk walk of 20 minutes on a bridle path, we took a detour and measured the crests and troughs of two small hillocks on foot and reached the base of this hill which fills the panorama of Puttaparthi. Right from my first trip to Puttaparthi this hill has held my fancy. Its imposing presence fills every aspect of life in Parthi. I have witnessed its  myriad hues from blue in the morning, to green in the day, to brown sun kissed in the afternoon to a faint outline in a starfilled night. It has been a silent witness of every little prank of the avatar right from His birth.  Climbing such a hallowed peak was exciting.