Symbolism in Hinduism

Pujya Guruji asked us to prepare a graded series of Bala Vihar books few years back. I am so very thankful to him for giving us this task. Working on these books has been a highly educative and enlightening process for me, as I gained a deeper understanding, insight, inspiration, and appreciation of our scriptures and the values embedded in them.

All lessons are prepared with a goal in the mind to imbibe the eternal values from our scriptures in a very loving and joyous atmosphere. All the ideas, lessons, projects, and other activities have been successfully tried out in our classrooms. The contents for this book have been drawn from our scriptures and wisdom of sages.

During the course of researching and gathering material for the books and streamlining its contents, many dedicated Chinmaya Mission sevaks and sevikas have joined hands enthusiastically all over the world. My Houston Bala Vihar team's hard work, contribution, and sincerity brings tears to my eyes. I have been truly humbled and flabbergasted by the extraordinary dedication of my pillars: Punam Malhotra, Krish Ravishankar, and Srinivas Kethireddipalli.

May these books, our offering to Pujya Gurudeva, make our children "Shine like the sun," and "Delight like the moon."

"Today's children are our future. We must strive now to mould the children to think correctly, to judge rightly, and to have the heroism to live up to those convictions," says Pujya Gurudeva Swami Chinmayananda.

This vision of Pujya Gurudeva is being realized all over the world. Each year, more and more Bala Vihar and Yuvakendra centers are blossoming to provide a good, strong foundation to our children. Envisioning the growth, Pujya Guruji, Swami Tejomayananda felt the need to develop a comprehensive and structured curriculum based on our Hindu scriptures, to serve as the guideline for the teachers.

The Bala Vihar curriculum books are a product of perseverance, dedication, and service rendered by an exemplary team of Bala Vihar teachers led by Darshana, my wife. They have worked in a true yajna spirit over several years, with the single-pointed objective of benefiting our children.

There is much "learning and teaching" to be had within the covers of each of these books. I congratulate the team. May Piiiya Gurudeva's blessings be upon all, always.

**Contents and Sample Pages**