Materials: Chart of the Divine Self Pictures of Krishna Krishna Sunday Service Children s Story Preparations: Prepare any necessary materials. Invite children up to steps of altar. Reader of story sits in a chair, children sitting on floor in front reader Include children s story, even if there are no children in your congregation, to welcome families who may come to the service. You can add your own creativity to the stories. You may feel comfortable using props or presenting them just as they are written. Feel free to adjust the content to fit your time frame. However, for the spiritual development of the child, we encourage keeping as much of the Ascended Master s Teachings as possible. Time: 9 10 minutes depending on storyteller delivery and children s responses. Good morning and welcome to our children s story. Today we re celebrating Diwali. This is a Hindu holiday celebrated from November 1 5. Krishna is one of the most celebrated heroes of India and of this celebration. Do you know who is Krishna is? (Allow children to answer.) He is a divine being and known as the eighth incarnation of Vishnu and is known as the embodiment of love and divine joy. (Show chart of I AM Presence and point to chart while speaking.) Let s talk about Vishnu. Who is Vishnu? On the Chart of the Divine Self, Vishnu or Krishna occupies the place of the Christ. (Point to figure of Christ Presence.) He represents the Son, the Universal Christ, 1
just like Jesus does. Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of one of his ten avatars. Krishna is one of the most famous. Krishna is often seen playing the flute. Here is a picture of Krishna playing his flute. (Show picture.) Krishna was brought up in a cowherd family and loved to take care of the animals. He played the flute to entertain the animals as well as the cowherds and milkmaids. (Show picture.) You will also find pictures of Krishna with a blue skin tone. (Show picture.) One theory is that in Hinduism, the deity who shows depth of character and has the qualities of bravery, manliness, determination, the ability to deal with difficult situations is represented with a blue skin tone. Lord Krishna spent his life protecting humanity and destroying evil thus he is drawn in pictures with a blue skin tone. One of the Hindu s favorite stories is the one that tells about Krishna and his true friendship with Sudama which is known throughout India. Let s listen to this story now. The Friendship of Krishna and Sudama Sudama was a Brahman, meaning he belonged to the Indian social class of priests. He was poor though and didn t even have enough money to feed his family. Once with tearful eyes, his wife told him, We must find a way. It doesn t matter if we are hungry, but we should at least be able to feed our children enough food. Sudama knew that what his wife said was true. "What can be done? asked Sudama sadly. We can't ask for favors from anybody." Sudama's wife replied, "You talk of Krishna so often. You have 2
been saying that you have a deep bond of friendship with him. He is the King of Dwarka, so why don't you go to him? Surely, as King, he will be able to help." Sudama found wisdom in the words of his wife. He decided to go to Dwarka. He said, "Okay, I will go to Krishna but what should I take with me to give to him?" For it was the custom to bring a gift to the host. And Krishna was the King! So, Sudama's wife borrowed some rice snacks from their neighbor. She bound the food in a piece of torn cloth as that is all she had. Sudama took the bundle and left for Dwarka. On seeing the city of Dwarka, Sudama was amazed! The entire town was built with gold. The people walked the street wearing expensive clothes and jewels. They all seemed to be very wealthy. Sudama asked for directions for Krishna's palace. After walking some distance, he finally arrived, tired and hungry. He looked like a lonely beggar, lost, and out of place standing outside the palace gates. On seeing Sudama, the palace guards asked, "Why have you come here?" Sudama answered, "I want to meet Krishna who is my friend. Please go and tell him that Sudama has come to meet him." The guards smirked and laughed as this man standing before them wore tattered clothes and was surely a poor beggar. However, one guard hesitantly went and informed Krishna of Sudama's arrival and delivered his message. On hearing Sudama's name, Krishna immediately stood up and ran to meet him. Everyone looked on in wonder upon seeing such a great King running bare- footed to meet his poor friend. 3
Krishna took Sudama into the palace. They recalled their childhood days at the Sandipani's school. Seeing Krishna's wealth, Sudama felt ashamed of the rice snacks that he had brought. He tried to hide the bundle but Krishna snatched it from him. While enjoying the snack Krishna said, "I have never tasted such sweetness in anything else." Later, the old friends sat to have their meal together, which was served on gold plates. Sudama felt sad as he remembered his hungry children at home. He stayed at the palace for two days but he couldn't bring himself to ask Krishna for any favors. On the third day, Sudama decided to go back home. Krishna embraced Sudama and escorted him out as he bid him farewell. On the way back, Sudama wondered, "What shall I say when my wife asks me what I've brought back?" As he approached his home, Sudama could not find his hut! Instead, before him was a magnificent palace and his wife, dressed in elegant clothes, came out and ran to greet her husband. She exclaimed, Sudama, look at Krishna's might. He has blessed us and ended all our poverty! At that moment, Sudama recollected Krishna's pure love and his eyes welled up with tears of joy and gratitude and love for his dear friend. Therefore today, even after thousands of years, the friendship of Krishna and Sudama is remembered all over the world as a symbol of true and pure love of friendship. 4
CONCLUSION: Wasn t that a heart- warming story? Did you feel the friends love for each other? True friendships are special aren t they? How did Krishna show acts of love and divine joy to his friend Sudama? (Allow children to answer.) (Possible answers: While enjoying the snack Krishna said, "I have never tasted such sweetness in anything else." He welcomed his old friend into his palace. He was happy to see his friend and passed no judgment on his appearance, etc. Krishna blessed Sudama with a palace and riches for his family) Do you think Krishna was a good friend? What do you think a good friend does for his friends? (Allow children to answer.) El Morya tells us that Community is based upon divine friendship and that the purpose of friendship is for the journey on the Path. That means we help each other move closer to becoming our own I AM Presence 1, (the top figure in the chart.) Do you think Krishna helped Sudama move closer to God?? (Allow children to answer.) Yes, you could see that Sudama no longer felt so helpless. He felt blessed and was filled with gratitude and love for Krishna. We can strive to be Christ- like as Krishna, just like we strive to be like Jesus the Christ. Krishna told us that he is the victory of our heart and that he will never leave us as long as we desire to have him there. Krishna loves you very much and will place his electronic presence over each of us if we call to him. Let s close our eyes and try to feel Krishna s love for each one of us as we say, Beloved Krishna, come into my heart. 1 Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Community, A Journey into the Heart of Spiritual Community. (Corwin Springs, MT.: The Summit Lighthouse Library, 2002), p. 5. 5
(Say together devotionally 3x.) Thank you for sharing in our story? Have a wonderful day. 6
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