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Bal Gopal - Lesson#1

Note

These lesson plans are part of the ISKCON Bhakta Prahlad Sunday School (BPSS) curriculum. They are designed to be used within the BPSS environment, guided by trained teachers and supported by a community of parents and children. While the written outline shows the structure, the true impact comes from the trained teachers, peer environment, and regular follow-up. We share them to build trust and transparency, but they are not a substitute for the full BPSS experience.

© ISKCON BPSS – All Rights Reserved

Shloka

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.

Who am I? → I am a spirit soul (driver).

Materials you will need

  • One toy car (preferably a big one in which a child can sit). Some cards.
  • One card with the word BODY and other with SOUL written on it. These can be plain A4 papers with a string attached to it so that the card with BODY can be put on the Car and the card with SOUL can be put in one child's neck.
  • Two cards with the words "PROPERTY OF KRISHNA".

Key teaching points

Idea is to teach children that the body is like the Car and Soul is the Driver. There is a CLEAR difference between the two. Through activities you can teach them the below points:

  • I am a Spirit Soul or Atma which is the Driver. Also Krishna tells us that the Soul or Atma never dies or gets old or diseased.
  • My Body is like the Car. Driver sits inside the Car and drives it. Similarly Soul or Atma sits inside the Body and drives it.
  • Car and Driver are two different things - they are not one and the same.

Details

  • Keep the car alone and ask the children "Will the car be able to move itself?". Did it ever happen that you wake up one morning and find that your Bicycle you parked in the parking lot travelled in the lift and came to your home by itself? Or your Dad's car went out in the middle of the night for a ride for some fun? 
  • Now ask one child to sit inside and say "Let's go to school". Car should move. Teacher calls “Driver in!” → car moves; “Driver out!” → car freezes.

  • Debrief: “The body only moves because the soul is inside.”

Quick call-and-response (10–15 seconds each)

  • “Who moves the car?” → “The driver—me, the soul!”

  • “What is the body?” → “My car.”

  • “Who is inside?” → “I—the soul!”

  • “Am I the car or the driver?” → “The driver!”

  • “What happens if the driver steps out?” → “Car stops.”

Whose am I? → I belong to Krishna (Owner + Power).

Materials you will need

  • A plastic bottle with a sticker on it with written words "Petrol".

Key teaching points

  • This driver and car belong to Krishna.

  • Krishna gives the car (body) and the power (life, breath)—like fuel/electricity.”

Details

  • Put petrol in the car and ask a child to drive it. Emphasize - "Car needs Petrol to move". Petrol is made inside oceans by Krishna.
  • Make a child sleep on floor and ask to breath 3 times. With each inhale the child must say: “From Krishna.” We need air to live and Air is made by Krishna.
  • Borrowed Pencil Rule : Hold a borrowed pencil. Ask: “If it’s borrowed, how do we use it?” → “Carefully, as owner wants." Line: “My body and things are Krishna’s—we use them as He wants.”
  • Power Cut / Power On Game : Teacher calls “Power off!” → all freeze. “Power on—Krishna!” → move. Line: “Without Krishna’s power we can’t move.”

Where am I? → In the material world (school trip).

Materials you will need

  • One card with the word "SCHOOL TRIP".
  • Cards with TELL THE TRUTH, SHOW KINDNESS, CHANT MAHA MANTRA 10 TIMES, EAT PRASADAM,THINK FIRST (reduce screens/sweets), STOP (lying, hurting). written on them.
  • A plastic tray with label "RETURN TO KRISHNA"

Key teaching points

  • Body = bus, soul = driver; Krishna is the Owner and Power; this world = a temporary school trip.

  • Right now we’re not in Krishna’s home; we’re in the material world—like a school trip. It’s temporary.

  • The goal isn’t to drive in circles; it’s to use Krishna’s car for Krishna’s work and then go back to Krishna’s home.

Details

  • Mark one half of the class room with some kind of partition (chairs) and call it "SCHOOL TRIP". Note that the second part will be Spiritual World (ensure a photo of Krishna is there in that part).

  • Micro activity #1: Make a small route with four students standing with the Truth, Kindness, Chanting , Eat Prasadam cards. Ask one child to sit in the toy car and start driving along. As he reaches the Truth card he will say "I will only tell Truth toda". Next "I will show Kindness to all including animals". Next "I will chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra ten times today". Next "I will eat Krishna Prasadam today" and similarly the other cards. For each card the teacher can say a few words in 30 seconds. Teacher's Summary line: “This world is a school trip. These are Krishna’ recommendations for today.”

Guru → GPS & Headlights.

Materials you will need

  • The second part of the room will be Spiritual World with a photo of Krishna. You can also make one child Krishna and make him stand there.
  • One devotee who can play the role of Guru. He will need kartals and one torch light.

Key teaching points

  • Now we need to show how Guru is required to show that the School trip is temporary and we need to return back to Krishna in Goloka which is our eternal home. 

  • Guru shows the destination (Krishna) and the path to it (Krishna Consciousness).

Details

  • Dim the lights in the room (we want to simulate timirandhasya). If you can arrange some slightly frightening sounds (like a storm) it will add to the effects. 
  • Teacher should say "When we go on a school trip, we feel excited, right? But sometimes things don’t go as planned. Maybe the bus breaks down, someone gets hurt, or there’s a big storm. Suddenly the fun is gone and it can even feel scary". 
  • Then one devotee (simulating Guru) must enter the room while singing Hare Krishna Mahamantra and playing Kartals. After he enters the room, he sees the scared children and opens his torch and shines on them and speaks below:
    • “Children, life in this world is like a school trip - sometimes it feels exciting, but many times things go wrong and even become dangerous. That’s why Krishna teaches us that this world is not our real home. Our real home is with Him, where everything is safe and joyful."
    • "Let me show you the way."
    • He slowly shows a path on the floor towards the second part of the room where there is a photo of Krishna or volunteer standing as Krishna.
    • "Follow me children and I will show you the way to Krishna".
    • All the children follow Guru while chanting Hare Krishna.

This concludes the activity and when all Children and Guru are standing near Krishna, teacher concludes with below words:

  • Who am I? I’m the soul (driver).

  • Whose am I? I am Krishna’s (He owns the car/body and gives power/breath).

  • Where am I? On Krishna’s school trip (this world is temporary) to do Krishna’s missions and then go back to Krishna.

  • Guru: Turns on the light, shows Krishna, and marks the safe path.

Children, this is why we honor Guru. When our trip felt dark, Guru showed Krishna and drew the way.
Let’s fold our hands and say:

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.

Hare Krishna.

Small cautions (for clarity with kids)

  • Say “material world = temporary place like a parking lot/school trip,” not “bad place.”

  • Keep “Krishna wants us back” warm and positive (no fear/doom).

  • Emphasize service now (kindness, truth, chanting) so “going back” feels connected to daily life.

Jaya Radha Madhava

If possible let the children hear Srila Prabhupada singing this NO.1 sung Bhajan in ISKCON till date. Let them hear from a pure devotee.

https://kksongs.org/songs/j/jayaradhamadhava.html

Remember to tell them the glorious Author (Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur) and name of the Book in which this Bhajan is written.

Word to Word meaning.

Story Time

Krishna (Guru) opens Arjuna's Eyes

End-goal for kids (to memorize by the end):
Who am I? I’m the soul (driver).
Whose am I? I am Krishna’s—He gives my body and power.
Where am I? On Krishna’s school trip (temporary): do Krishna’s missions and then go back to Krishna.
Guru: Brings Krishna’s light and shows the safe path.

“Today we’ll learn three big truths through Arjuna’s story: Who am I? Whose am I? Where am I?
If we remember these, our heart becomes brave and clear.”

Call & response (quick):

  • “Whose names give us strength?” → “Krishna’s!”

3W in One Breath

  • “Who am I? I’m the soul—like a driver inside a car (this body).”

  • “Whose am I? I am Krishna’s—He gave me this car and the power (breath, life).”

  • “Where am I? On Krishna’s school trip—not forever. Do Krishna’s missions now, then go back to Krishna.”

Kids repeat once: “Soul, Krishna’s, School Trip, Back to Krishna.”

The Dark Moment

On the morning of the great battle, Arjuna stood on his chariot with Krishna. He saw teachers, cousins, friends on both sides. His hands shook. His heart felt heavy. He dropped his bow. ‘Krishna… I can’t do this. If I fight, I hurt my own family. If I don’t, I fail my duty. I don’t know what to do.

It felt like someone turned off the light inside his heart.

Checkpoint (yes/no): “Have you ever felt confused or scared?” (Let a few “yes.”)

Two Dharmas Collide

Arjuna had two duties pulling him in opposite directions:

  1. Kṣatriya-dharma — protect people, stop injustice, stand up to bullies.

  2. Kula-dharma — honor family, respect elders, keep the family peaceful.

If he fights, he protects people (kṣatriya-dharma) but hurts family (kula-dharma). If he doesn’t fight, he keeps family safe (kula-dharma) but lets injustice win (kṣatriya-dharma).
Two good duties collided.

Call & response: “What collided?” → “Two duties!”

Arjuna folded his hands: “Krishna, what is my dharma now? What should I do?”
(When duties clash, we ask Krishna.)

Krishna opens Arjuna with Torchlight of Knowledge

(a) Who am I? — Soul/Driver

Krishna said, ‘Arjuna, you are more than a body. You are the soul—the driver inside the car.
The car changes—baby, child, young, old—but you, the driver, remain.
When the driver leaves, the car stops. In the same way, when the soul leaves, the body stops.

(b) Whose am I? — Krishna’s (Owner & Power)

Arjuna, you are Mine. I gave you this body and I give you power—every breath, every heartbeat.
Use My gifts in My way: speak truth, be kind, be brave, remember Me, fight bad people like Duryodhana, I want you to fight this war, so do it and establish Dharma.

(c) Where am I? — Krishna’s School Trip

This battlefield is part of the material world—like a school trip. It’s temporary, not your forever home.
While you’re here, do your missions my way (Krishna way):

  • Be truthful, Be merciful, Be clean.
  • Chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily.
  • Read about my activities, think about me, tell others about what you learnt about me.
  • Worship me.
  • Eat Krishna Prasadam

When the trip ends, come back to Me.

Quick echo:

  • “This world is a school trip.”

  • “Do Krishna’s missions.”

  • “Then back to Krishna.”

(Pause 3 seconds: “Think of one mission you’ll do today.”)

The Highest Dharma (Param-dharma)

Krishna then showed the highest dharma:
‘Act as My soul, for My sake. Do your duty as service to Me—not from anger or pride, but to protect truth and goodness.’

Kid line: “When duties clash, choose Krishna’s wish.”

(For children: fighting = not hurting people, but fighting laziness, lies, and meanness inside us; using Krishna’s gifts in Krishna’s way.)

The Light of Spiritual Knowledge (Guru)

As Krishna spoke, it was like light entered Arjuna’s heart.

Chant once together (slowly):
“Om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ.”

Child meaning: “I was in darkness; my Guru opened my eyes with Krishna’s light. I bow to my Guru.”

Call & response:

  • “Who brings Krishna’s light?” → “Guru!”

  • “Who is our destination?” → “Krishna!”

Clear Eyes, Right Action

After listening to Krishna's instructions Arjuna lifted his bow and smiled slightly:
‘My confusion is gone. I remember who I am, whose I am, and what this life is for. I will act the Krishna way.’
When we remember the 3W and accept spiritual knowledge, our hearts become brave and clear.”

Close & Pledge (kids repeat)

  • “Who am I? I am the soul (driver).”

  • “Whose am I? I am Krishna’s.”

  • “Where am I? On Krishna’s school trip.”

  • “What will I do? Krishna’s missions—truth, kindness, chanting, sharing prasādam.”

  • “Where will I go? Back to Krishna.”

  • “Gratitude: tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ.”

Who is our Guru?

Show them the photo of Srila Prabhupada and tell them he is the Guru of everyone in ISKCON. He is the Founder Acharya or Founding Guru. So every time they see his Photo they should bow down and chant Om Ajnana Timirandhasya.

Your Teachers in this School are also your Guru because they are teaching what Srila Prabhupada has taught. So next time when you see one of your teachers bow down and chant Om Ajnana Timirandhasya.

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