Maha Lakshmi Vidya Bhavan Maha Lakshmi Vidya Bhavan

In the last four years GCSE in Hinduism has become a very popular subject at MLVB. Tara Charan, Saraswati Gobind,
Vedica Persaud, Kewala Doobay, Priya Charan, Vimla and Dhenika Narain and Sujoy Kumar were amongst the pioneers
to get GCSE in this subject. Many more success stories are waiting to be told in this field.
Shri Bankim Gossai Ji and Ramesh Charan Ji have been teaching Music and Tabla for many years. You only have to
listen to recitals from Sunil Gossai and Arun Charan to get the glimpse of the quality of music that is being taught at
MLVB. Many more budding Tabla players are in the pipeline, the youngest being Sanil Ruckhunty and Samuel Ramnath,
aged five!!!!
Since year 2000 UK Hindi Samiti has been organising a competition for Hindi in UK and Europe. Many of our students
like Tia Ward, Avinash Ruckhunty, Sanil Ruckhunty, Dhineka Narain and Vimla Narain have won London & South East
Region prizes. In the category of Senior Students Saraswati Govind and Tara Charan have made us proud by winning top
prizes. But, alas, the greatest of all prizes, being selected to go to India, has eluded us so far. It is a big challenge.
I look forward to the day when one of our students at MLVB wins the top prize and goes to India with students selected
from many countries in Europe.
Nine Forms of
Devotion
By Shri Bankim Gossai
Bhagwaan Raam having visited the Ashram of Sage
Matang was indeed pleased with the love and intense
devotion showed to him and his brother by Shabri. Our
Lord then narrated the nine forms of devotion (Navdha
Bhakti) to Shabri, indirectly demonstrating to mankind
the potency and inherent power that rests in such forms
of worship.
THE FIRST method is to have the association of saints. By
keeping such company the devotee becomes absorbed in
the hearing of God's name and glories. The mind
therefore, loses its charm for worldly objects.
THE SECOND is to have love and liking for My divine epic.
The mind gets rooted in the thoughts of God through the
study of the scriptures. The devotee does not think of the
material world that inspires sensual inclinations but
loses his likes and dislikes of this mundane world.
THE THIRD is to serve the lotus feet of the Guru (teacher)
in all humility. The ‘‘true’’ Guru being a manifestation of
God, is the bridge between the devotee and God upon
which the devotee makes his or her path to the abode of
God.
THE FOURTH is recitation of My glory without deceit. By
singing our Lord's name and glory (Keertan & Bhajans)
the devotee is inspired and thrilled with divine vibrations
and therefore loses himself in the love for God.
48 1982-2007 SILVER JUBILEE
THE FIFTH is to chant My name and have undeviating
faith in Me. By reciting His name and mantras from the
Vedas and offering flowers, fruits, leaves, water or grains
(Puja).
THE SIXTH is to control the senses, be good natured, and
resort to renunciation of worldly objects and following the
paths of saints.
THE SEVENTH is to perceive My omnipresence in the entire
universe and to regard the saints better than Me. By
seeing God in all, serve all and hate none is the practice
of this form of devotion.
THE EIGHTH is contentment, to be satisfied with whatever
one gets and never to find faults in others.
THE NINTH path of devotion is to deal with all without
deceit and fraud, and be straightforward in all dealings
in thought, word and deed. Not even in his dreams should
a devotee harbour ill will for anyone. The devotee should
be indifferent to pain and pleasure and have implicit
faith in God always.
Shabri had been blessed with all nine forms of worship
according to our Lord. She was an embodiment of true
love and selflessness, with these forms of worship and
devotion firmly embedded, etched and imprinted in her
heart.
"JOGI BRIND DURLAB GATI JOEE |
TO KAHUN AAJOO SULABH BHAIE SOEE"
"You have attained very easily today, what is not
available to even the ascetics"
RCM Aranya Kaand 35.4