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Bal Gopal #2

Syllabus

Srila Prabhupada Pranati

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritukindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

Sit down and get going

  • Sit in a circle with children.
  • Simple breathing exercise: "Let's take three deep breaths together to prepare our hearts and minds".
  • Brief explanation: "Today we'll learn a special prayer to honor our spiritual teacher, Srila Prabhupada".
  • But before we do that let us recap what we learnt last class.

Recap of last session (Bal Gopal #1)

  • Children - can anyone tell what we discussed last Sunday? 
  • What were the main points?

    • 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.

  • Who is our Guru? How do we show our respect to to him?
    • Srila Prabhupada is our Guru and we show our respect by bowing down before his deity/photo and chanting "Om Ajnana Timirandhasya.."
    • Our teacher(s) are also our Gurus and we show respect by bowing down to them and chanting "Om Ajnana Timirandhasya.."
  • Does any remember the whole Om Ajnana Timirandhasya mantra? Give chance if anyone wants to. Appreciate. Even if some are able to remember one line and chant, appreciate that.

Story time "Messenger of the Supreme Lord" - A Story About Srila Prabhupada

Materials needed

  • Bring a small toy ship or paper boat for visual effect.

  • A photo of Srila Prabhupada.

Once upon a time, in India, there lived a very kind and wise grandfather named Srila Prabhupada. His heart was always full of joy because he loved Krishna so much!

But Srila Prabhupada noticed something: many people in the world did not know about Krishna’s love. And he wanted everyone—every child, every mother, every father—to feel the happiness of loving Krishna.

So one day, even though he was already quite old, he made a very brave decision.
He said, “I will go to a faraway land and tell people about Krishna!”

Imagine this: with only a little bag, a few rupees in his pocket, and a trunk of books, he stepped onto a huge ship. The ship sailed across the ocean, rocking and rolling in the waves. Srila Prabhupada had never been to America before. He didn’t know anyone there. But he was not afraid, because he carried the most precious treasure—stories and songs about Krishna.

When he reached New York, he went to the park. He sat under a tree, closed his eyes, and began to sing:
“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare...” 🎵

His voice was so peaceful, so full of love, that people stopped to listen. Some sat down next to him. Some clapped their hands. Some even tried to sing along!

Soon, those people became his students. They learned how to chant, how to love Krishna, and how to live happy, simple lives.

And then—like a traveler spreading light—Srila Prabhupada went to many countries, many cities. He wrote books, built beautiful temples, and taught thousands of people that the greatest happiness comes from loving Krishna.

🌍 Because of his love and courage, today children and parents all around the world sing the Hare Krishna mantra and read his books.

Just like we say “thank you” to our parents and teachers, we also say “thank you” to Srila Prabhupada for bringing Krishna’s love to us. We do this by offering a special prayer to him.

💡 Discussion Questions for Children

  1. What made Srila Prabhupada so special?

  2. Why do you think he traveled so far away from his home?

  3. How can we show respect to our teachers, just like people respected Srila Prabhupada?

✅ strengths of this story

  • Simple language – easy words, short sentences, no complicated details.

  • Adventure feel – “big ship,” “across the ocean,” “sang under trees,” makes it exciting.

  • Hero element – children love a hero who is brave and kind. Srila Prabhupada is shown as both.

  • Relatable gratitude – linking to “saying thank you” to parents and teachers makes the prayer natural to them.

✅ Here are storytelling tips with actions and voice changes so your children stay fully engaged

1. Introduce Srila Prabhupada

📖 Line: “Once upon a time, in India, there lived a very kind and wise grandfather named Srila Prabhupada.”
👉 Action: Smile warmly, spread your arms as if welcoming a grandfather. Use a gentle, loving voice.

2. His Brave Decision

📖 Line: “One day, even though he was already quite old, he made a very brave decision.”
👉 Action: Stand tall, make a strong face, put your hand on your heart. Use a firm, determined tone.

3. Boarding the Ship

📖 Line: “With only a little bag, a few rupees, and a trunk of books, he stepped onto a huge ship...”
👉 Action: Pretend to carry a heavy trunk. Then rock your body side to side like waves. Lower your voice to sound mysterious, “rocking and rolling in the waves...”

4. Singing in the Park

📖 Line: “He sat under a tree and began to sing: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna...”
👉 Action: Close your eyes, fold your hands, and softly chant. Then gesture with your hands like you’re inviting children to join in. (Encourage them to chant one line with you!)

5. People Listening

📖 Line: “His voice was so peaceful and loving, people stopped to listen...”
👉 Action: Cup your ear, look around like you’re surprised people are coming closer. Smile widely as if friends are gathering.

6. Traveling the World

📖 Line: “Srila Prabhupada went to many countries, many cities...”
👉 Action: Pretend to hold a globe or flap your arms like an airplane. Use an excited, adventurous tone.

7. Conclusion – Gratitude

📖 Line: “Just like we say ‘thank you’ to our parents and teachers, we also say ‘thank you’ to Srila Prabhupada...”
👉 Action: Fold your hands in namaste. Invite the children to join you. Smile softly and bow your head.

🎤 Voice Tips

  • Soft and gentle for prayers and chanting.

  • Loud and excited when describing his travels.

  • Slow and serious when describing the big ship and ocean waves.

Craft

Paper Boat Craft – “Prabhupada’s Journey”

Materials

  • 1 sheet of plain paper (A4) per child

  • Crayons or sketch pens

  • A small Krishna sticker or you can let them draw Krishna’s flute/peacock feather

Steps

  1. Tell them: “Just like Srila Prabhupada sailed on a big ship to America, today we will make our own paper boats!”

  2. Folding the boat: Teach them step by step (you can show or even project if possible).

    • Fold paper in half → Fold the corners down → Make a hat → Pull the edges → Open into a boat.

  3. Decorating:

    • On one side, write “Hare Krishna”.

    • On the other side, let them draw a peacock feather or stick a Krishna sticker.

    • Color the boat bright and cheerful!

  4. Message: Say aloud while they finish:
    “Srila Prabhupada carried Krishna’s love across the ocean. Just like this boat, our hearts can also carry Krishna’s love everywhere we go.”

Activity – “Carry Krishna’s Love”

  • Place all the boats in one corner of the room (like they are sailing).

  • Ask each child to come, pick their boat, and say one way they can share Krishna’s love (e.g., “I will chant Hare Krishna,” “I will be kind,” “I will read Prabhupada’s book,” etc.).

🌟 Take-Home

Tell the children: “Take this boat home. Whenever you see it, remember Srila Prabhupada’s courage, and remember you also can be a messenger of Krishna’s love.”

Chant one round together

  • Sit in a circle and chant one round together

Practical Application in daily life

Practice at Home

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