Page 2 - August 2018 Newsletter

From The Editor’s Desk
Dear Members,
As the monsoon clouds pour down on the
lush fields and folks of Malur, enriching the
earth and spreading prosperity, so do the
services of Balambika Divya Sangam (BDS)
inspire the local children of Malur, in mind,
body and soul, through their educational
and spiritual pursuits. BDS continues to
expand its Outreach Program to influence
as many young minds as possible, and em-
power them in every possible way. To that
end, the spectrum of services include the
Annadanam Scheme, the Health and
Hygiene Club, and the Reading Club, with
each service catering to the needs of the
present-day youth. As educators, it is a
challenge to keep bright minds motivated,
to encourage the shy resilient ones, and to
sustain the efforts of those who strive hard
to make the cut. As children from diverse
backgrounds come together in the local
schools of Malur, it is indeed a rewarding
experience to witness all our pedagogic ef-
forts bear fruit. As a bonus incentive, the
latest release of the childrens’ bedtime
collection stories of “Bala and Mala” not
only adds scholastic value, but also sets a
subliminal tone as to who God really is,
making it easier for the younger ones to
perceive God in a very personal light. As
children understand the true nature of the
divine power, they will be endowed with a
unique strength that they will carry with
them through their lifetime.
On the spiritual front, BDS continues to ap-
pease the desires of the throngs of devotees,
through the daily rituals, special homams
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and abhishekams. The month of Aadi
(Aashaada) features Guru Poornima, a
tribute to the Guru who shows the path to
the next level, be it education, fine arts or
spiritual upliftment. This day is honored in
memory of the great sage Veda Vyasa, who
categorized the Vedas and gave us the four
classes – Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. Ac-
cording to a revered belief, the guru-shishya
relationship is such that while the guru
does not demand a gurudakshina, the
shishya’s education is incomplete until he
voluntarily offers his gurudakshina. The
month of Aadi also celebrates its Fridays in
a very auspicious way, bringing together a
variety of ‘mangala dravyam’, to invoke
prosperity and wealth. Sri Balambika
Temple in Malur performed the Bala
Tripurasundari homam with pomp and
splendor on the third Friday of the month of
Aadi. As always, one can constantly wonder
how Sri Bala can appear more charming
than ever in every new alankaram! As Sri
Bala’s beauty and grace keeps growing, we
pray that our bhakti towards Her also
grows unconditionally. We are forever
indebted to our team of volunteers and
patrons who are with us in this journey, as
we all move forward with one goal.
Sarvejana Sukhino Bhavantu.