O My God/at the beginning of this day
I turn to you,
My Lord and Father,
Who look upon me,
As your loving child.

Grant me to desire always
What is most acceptable to you,
That your will may be mine
And my will
May be conformed to yours.

Our father who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil. Amen

03 PRAYER BEFORE CLASS

We offer you /, oh God

Our studies and our prayers

And we beg you to enlighten our minds

And make us ever pleasing to you/, Amen

India is my country

All Indians are my brother and sisters

I love my country,

And I am proud of its rich and varied heritage

I shall always strive

To be worthy of it.

I shall give my parents/teachers/and all elders

Respect and Honour

And treat everyone with courtesy

To my country and my people I pledge my devotion.

In their prosperity and well being alone, lies my happiness.

We thank you, O GOD

For all the blessings

You have bestowed on us this day.

May we be ever grateful to you/ Amen.

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high.

REFRAIN: into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake!

Where knowledge is free.

Where the world has not been broken up. Into fragments by narrow domestic walls.

Where words comes out from the depth of truth.

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection.

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its wayinto the dreary desert sands of dead habit.

Where the mind is led forward by these into ever widening thought and action.

On this school your blessing, Lord,

On this school your grace bestow,

On this school… Your blessing lord,

May it come & never go,

Bringing peace & joy & happiness

Bringing love that knows no end.

On this school…

On this school your blessing send.

On this school your loving, Lord,

May it overflow each day,

On this school…

May it come & with us stay

Drawing us in love & unity,

By the love received from you,

On this school….

May it come each day a new.

On this school your calling Lord,

May it come to us each day,

On this school…..

May it come to lead the way,

Filling us with nobler yearnings Lord,

Calling us to live in you,

On this school….

May it come each day a new

‘Vande Mataram’ is well known as the National Song of our country. Utterance of the words ‘Vande Mataram’ gave freedom fighters and the common public the strength to withstand lathi blows on their heads and whiplashes on their open bodies. It was these words themselves that made the English rage with anger. Curzon’s chela, i.e. the Governor of Bengal had imposed a legal ban on uttering the words ‘Vande Mataram’. This ban resulted in ‘Vande Mataram’ getting nationwide importance. It became a National Mahamantra.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838 – 1894) also known as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the greatest novelists and poets of India. He is famous as author of Vande Mataram, the national song of India.

Lyrics of Vande Mataram

वन्दे मातरम् सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम् शस्यशामलां मातरम् ।

शुभ्रज्योत्स्नापुलकितयामिनीं फुल्लकुसुमितद्रुमदलशोभिनीं सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीं सुखदां वरदां मातरम् ।। १ ।।

वन्दे मातरम् ।

कोटि-कोटि-कण्ठ-कल-कल-निनाद-कराले कोटि-कोटि-भुजैर्धृत-खरकरवाले, अबला केन मा एत बले ।

बहुबलधारिणीं नमामि तारिणीं रिपुदलवारिणीं मातरम् ।। २ ।।

वन्दे मातरम् ।

तुमि विद्या, तुमि धर्म तुमि हृदि, तुमि मर्म त्वं हि प्राणा: शरीरे बाहुते तुमि मा शक्ति, हृदये तुमि मा भक्ति, तोमारई प्रतिमा गडि मन्दिरे-मन्दिरे मातरम् ।। ३ ।।

वन्दे मातरम् ।

त्वं हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी कमला कमलदलविहारिणी वाणी विद्यादायिनी, नमामि त्वाम् नमामि कमलां अमलां अतुलां सुजलां सुफलां मातरम् ।। ४ ।।

वन्दे मातरम् ।

श्यामलां सरलां सुस्मितां भूषितां धरणीं भरणीं मातरम् ।। ५ ।।

वन्दे मातरम् ।।

Meaning of Vande Mataram by Sri Aurobindo

Mother, I bow to thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams, bright with orchard gleams, Cool with thy winds of delight, Dark fields waving Mother of might, Mother free.Glory of moonlight dreams, Over thy branches and lordly streams, Clad in thy blossoming trees, Mother, giver of ease Laughing low and sweet! Mother I kiss thy feet, Speaker sweet and low! Mother, to thee I bow.Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands And seventy million voices roar Thy dreadful name from shore to shore? With many strengths who art mighty and stored, To thee I call Mother and Lord! Though who savest, arise and save! To her I cry who ever her foeman drove Back from plain and Sea And shook herself free.Thou art wisdom, thou art law, Thou art heart, our soul, our breath Though art love divine, the awe In our hearts that conquers death. Thine the strength that nervs the arm, Thine the beauty, thine the charm. Every image made divine In our temples is but thine.Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen, With her hands that strike and her swords of sheen, Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned, And the Muse a hundred-toned, Pure and perfect without peer, Mother lend thine ear, Rich with thy hurrying streams, Bright with thy orchard gleems, Dark of hue O candid-fairIn thy soul, with jewelled hair And thy glorious smile divine, Lovilest of all earthly lands, Showering wealth from well-stored hands! Mother, mother mine! Mother sweet, I bow to thee, Mother great and free!

History of ‘Vande Mataram’: The Source of Inspiration

‘Vande Mataram’ is well known as the National Song of our country. In this song, the two words ‘Vande Mataram’ have achieved major importance. These are the only words that many freedom fighters remembered while being sentenced to rigorous punishments in Court or being hanged to death. Muslim organisations have objected to this song. They opine that it is against the ‘Shariyat’. In this country, whether something is right or wrong is determined on the basis of the Indian Constitution. Yet Muslims are demanding total elimination of ‘Vande Mataram’ on the basis of the ‘Shariyat’ law. Let us learn about the history of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the context of the Muslim opposition to it.

The greatness of the motherland is the essence of Hindu culture. Every ruler, right from Lord Rama to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has had a deep sense of belonging for the Motherland. After the killing of Raavana, when Lord Rama was presented with a proposal to stay back in Lanka, His very famous reply was, “Janani Janmabhumishcha Swargaadapi Gariyasi” Lord Rama says, “My mother and motherland are dearer to me than heaven (let alone Lanka)”.

There is no reason for the song ‘Vande Mataram’ to smell of a specific religion. Which beloved son will not hold this land, which is sujala, sufala and sashya shamala, in high regard? Who will not salute the motherland who is prosperous, meritorious and bestower of riches? It the implied meaning of this song is contemplated upon, the heart gets filled with pride for this land named “Bharat”.

The national Mahamantra Bankimchandra wrote the song ‘Vande Mataram’ on 7th November, 1875.This lunar day was Kartik Shukla Navami! This song had been published in the novel ‘Anandmath’ by Bankimchandra. The vocabulary used in this song is influenced by Sanskrit. The said book contains information about the violent revolt of Sanyasis against injustice inflicted by Muslims and the British in Bengal in the year 1772.

In the year 1905, Lord Curzon declared the division of Bengal. Whole of Bengal revolted furiously in order to revoke this division. These two words encompassed the whole of Bengal. It was these words themselves that made the English rage with anger. Curzon’s chela, i.e. the Governor of Bengal had imposed a legal ban on uttering the words ‘Vande Mataram’. This ban resulted in ‘Vande Mataram’ getting nationwide importance. It became a National Mahamantra.

It became the favorite word of the freedom fighters. On 6th August 1906, a daily newspaper was brought out in the name ‘Vande Mataram’. Any program related to the freedom struggle would be concluded only after saying ‘Vande Mataram’. The National Flag decided upon by Sister Nivedita at the Kolkata Congress and the one hoisted by Madam Cama at the International Communist Conference held in Germany had these words boldly encrypted on it in the Devanagari script. The sessions of the All India Congress would start with the song ‘Vande Mataram’.

Utterance of these words gave freedom fighters and the common public the strength to withstand lathi blows on their heads and whiplashes on their open bodies. In 1905, the 21st session of the Congress was held at Varanasi (Benaras). During this session, the famed Bengali poetess and singer Sarladevi Chaudhurani sang the entire ‘Vande Mataram’. Nowadays, we just sing the first stanza of ‘Vande Mataram’. Many among the new generation do not even know how big it is!

जन गण मन अधिनायक जय हे
भारत भाग्य विधाता
पंजाब–सिंधु–गुजरात–मराठा,
द्राविड़–उत्कल–बंग।
विंध्य–हिमाचल–यमुना–गंगा
उच्छल जलधि तरंग
तव शुभ नामे जागे,
तव शुभ आशिष मांगे
गाहे तव जय गाथा।
जन गण मंगल दायक जय हे
भारत भाग्य विधाता
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे
जय जय जय जय हे।

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST, SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thoughts, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity:

And to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation; IS OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT, AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

ऐ मालिक तेरे बन्दे हम

ऐसे हों हमारे करम,

नेकी पर चलें और बदी से डरें,

ताकि हँसते हुए निकले दम! ऐ ……..

ये अन्धेरा घना छा रहा,

तेरा इन्सान घबरा रहा |

हो रहा बेखबर कुछ न आता नजर

सुख का सूरज छिपा जा रहा |

है तेरी रोशनी में जो दम,

तू अमावस को कर दे पूनम,

नेकी पर चलें और बदी से डरें,

ताकि हँसते हुए निकले दम! ऐ ……..

जब जुल्मों का हो सामना,

तब तू ही हमें थामना |

वो बुराई करें हम भलाई करें,

नहीं बदले की हो कामना |

बढ़ उठे प्यार का हर कदम,

और मिटे बैर का यह भरम |

नेकी पर चलें और बदी से डरें,

ताकि हँसते हुए निकले दम! ऐ ……..

तुम्हीं हो माता, पिता तुम्हीं हो तुम्हीं हो बंधु सखा तुम्हीं हो – 2
तुम्हीं हो सांथी, तुम्हीं सहारे, कोई नहीं अपने सिवा तुम्हारे
तुम्हीं हो नैया, तुम्हीं खेवैया, तुम्हीं हो बंधु सखा तुम्हीं हो
जो खिल सके न, वो हम फूल हैं , तुम्हारे चरणों की धूल हम हैं
दया की द्रष्टि सदा ही रखना, तुम्हीं हो बंधु सखा तुम्हीं हो |

हमको मन की शक्ति देना, मन विजय करें ।
दूसरों की जय से पहले खुद की जय करें ।

भेद-भाव अपने दिल से साफ कर सकें,
दूसरों से भूल हो तो माफ़ कर सकें ।
झूठ से बचे रहें सच का दम भरें दूसरों की जय ………..

मुश्किलें पड़े तो हम पर इतना कर्म कर,
साथ दें तो धर्म का चलें तो धर्म पर
खुद पे हौसला रहें, बदी से डरें दूसरों …………

तू ही राम है, तू रहीम है, तू करीम, कृष्ण खुदा है ।
तू ही वाहे गुरु, तू येसु मसीह, हर नाम में तू समा रहा ।
तेरी जात पाक कुरान में, तेरा दर्श वेद-पुराण में ।
गुरु ग्रन्थ जी के बखान में, तू प्रकाश अपना दिखा रहा ……
तू ही …………
अरदास है कहीं कीर्तन, कहीं रामधुन कहीं आह्वान ।
विधि वेद का है ये सब रचन, तेरा भक्त तुझको बुला रहा …….,
तू ही …………………….

सारे जहाँ से अच्छा, हिन्दोस्तां हमारा
हम बुलबुले हैं इसके, यह गुलिस्तां हमारा हमारा ।
पर्वत वो सबसे ऊंचा, हमसायाँ आसमां का
वह संतरी हमारा, वह पासवां हमारा-हमारा । सारे …
गोदी में खेलती है, जिसके हजारों नदियाँ
गुलशन है जिनके दम से, रश्के जिनां हमारा-हमारा सारे …
मजहब नहीं सिखाता आपस में बैर रखना
हिंदी हैं हम (3) वतन हैं हिन्दोस्तां हमारा-हमारा सारे …

O God
help me at my examination today
to remember the things
which I have learnt and studied
Help me
to remember well
and to think clearly
Help me not to be so nervous
and excited that I will not do myself injustice
and keep me calm and clear hearted
Help me to try my hardest
and to do my best
I ask this through your name.

Amen

Father in heaven
we thank you
for the help and guidance
you gave us all through the day
We ask you now
to be us on our way
and to bring us safely home today.

Dear Lord the day is coming to an end
Thank you for sustaining me
walking with me
guiding and leading me on the right path
I am sorry for the wrong I have done
Please forgive me and be with me
during the night
so that I wake up again
refreshed and ready to do your will.