Praveen Gopalakrishnan & Shyam Venkatesh
The 9th Grade curriculum focuses on Hindu Culture, and exploring core tenets and practices of Hinduism. Topics included:
– Study of the Vedas
– Exploring karmakanda, upasanakanda, and jnanakanda
– Karma and Dharma
– Exploring various samskaras including upanayana
– Caste based on guna (qualities) and karma (action)
– Ahimsa (non-injury)
– Dana (charity) and Seva (service)
– Panchasraddha, the five basic beliefs of Hindus
– 16 steps of a puja
– Mahavakyas, or the four great truths
– The 4 purusarthas (human goals)
– Panchayajnas, the five daily yajnas we should perform each day