Hari Om Parents,
Following was discussed in the Bala vihar class on Dec 12, 2021:
1. After initial prayers we continued with Bhagavad Gita Dhyana slokas. The following children chanted verses from the Geeta Dhayam individually – Vikram, Srividya, Anish, Venkat, Kartik, Sattvik, Nitya & Shreya.
2. Bhagavad Geeta Chapter 2 chanting: We have taught the children verses 51, 52 & 53 this week. Please encourage your children to practice these verses at home as well.
3. Today in class we focused on discussing various Kaurava characters in Mahabharata Story, analyzing their actions – we see all had shades of good and bad; some with more good than bad & vice versa. Mahabharata story paints a canvas of all possible human actions, emotions, thoughts & attitudes. It is reflecting our own situations & mental conditions through these various characters – so that we can learn and grow. We had good discussion with the kids.
4. Bheesma : is one of the central characters in Mahabharata story. His actual name was Devratta – but due to the terrible oath he takes he was blessed with the name of Bheesma. He had in depth knowledge of sastras and dharma. His life is an epitome of righteousness; he is revered as one of the greatest devotees of the Lord. As a Kshetriya his warrior prowess was unparalled – he defeated his own Guru Parushurama at a young age! In Kurushetra battle field no one could defeat him. He himself told Yudhisthira the secret by which he can be defeated. After the war laying on the arrow bed, with blessing of Lord Krishna, he taught Yudhisthira - raja dharma, varna dharma, rules of right conduct .. and much more, which form the Santi and Anushasana parvas (very voluminous portion) in Mahabharata – some consider these teachings as the heart of Mahabharata story. Yudhisthira was finally able to come out of his sorrow and guilt after Bheesma's teaching. He gave us the famous Vishnusahasranama storam. Despite all these great virtues, his life was not without faults. Due to his loyalty to the Hastinapur throne he had to take the side of adharma during the Kurushetra war. In addition he was silent witness when Pandavas and Drupadi were humiliated during the dice game.
5. Dhritharastra: his name itself implies 'one who holds on to the nation'. Based on the societal rules of those times he was not eligible to be the king as he was blind. For which he always had grudge against his brother Pandu and Pandavas. But after death of Pandu he became the king, and never wanted to give the throne back to Yudhisthira, even though he was eldest Pandu son. Dhristharastra always wanted his own son, Duryodhana to be the king. He was very deceitful, even though he was responsible for lot of troubles Pandavas had to go through he always outwardly pretended that he loved them – he was involved with Wax palace burning to kill Pandavas; he gave them a barren portion of the kingdom as their share; he watched silently when Pandavas & Draupadi were humiliated & even at end of war he tried to kill Bheema… so his atrocities were numerous. Duryodhana 'seems only to be the outer manifestation' of his greed, jealous and blind attachment. He would get advice from so many people to follow righteous path – yet his blind love for his son and extreme attachment to the throne made him blind to his duties. He was the only one who could have stopped the war yet he failed to do so, he pretended that he was weak and ineffective as he was blind. His virtues perhaps were – he always used to like to listen to dharma & 'neeti' from Vidura. In fact he heard Vedanta teaching from Lord Brahmaji's son, teaching called, Sanatsujatiyam. This must have given him enough punya to have the vision of the Cosmic form of the Lord!
6. Gandhari: she was a very faithful wife, served her husband dutifully. Yet one will not fail to wonder if she could have better served him by being 'his eyes'; instead of getting blind folded. She did give good advice to her sons, told them not to be jealous of Pandavas, avoid company of Sakhuni and advised against the war. In fact she did not give the blessing of victory to Duryodhana before the war. But she too had blind attachment and ambition that Duryodhana should be the king. When she heard Kunti had the first son, who will eventually become the king, she got very angry and jealous and tried to destroy her womb by hitting on her stomach. It was Veda Vyasa who saved the 'garbham' and 101 children were later born to Gandhari. She also watched silently the humiliation of Pandavas and Drupadi, till she started seeing bad omens portending the destruction of her children. So she was also an opportunist. At end of the war she blamed Lord Krishna for their sorrow and cursed Him & the Yadava clan! Dhrithrastra and Gandhari characters clearly show to parents how not to raise their children; how much destruction blind faith and attachment can do. In addition one appreciates how our intellect can get deluded with extreme greed and attachment, that even if Lord Himself comes to teach & guide us we are not available to receive that teaching.
7. Duryodhana: his unjust ambition and greed was fanned by Dhritharastra's silent approval. Again with his intellect clouded by all his negative traits – he was not able to follow good advice. He himself confess that he knows what is good but can't follow it and what is bad but can't stop from following it! It is quite clear to any impartial observer of Mahabharata story that his army/ warriors we will be no match for Pandavas in the war. Arjuna was proven to be better than Karna several times, yet he blindly believed that Karna could kill Arjuna. One person's megalomania leads to the destruction of an entire clan! We see reflections of Duryodhana's personality even in modern world – eg Hilter – one person's ideology lead to so much destruction. One of his positive attributes is - he was a devoted friend to Karna and for friendship he was willing to do anything (thought one can critize that the foundation of that friendship was based on selfish motive). He did do some yagas and yagnas.
8. Duhsasana: is a strange character, it is laudable to have brotherly love. But that love should not be blind and make us do bad things. Loyalty is meaningful only when it is for noble cause. He blindly followed whatever Duryodhana asked him to do – leading to his demise in the war.
9. Sakuni: who was Gandhari's brother, had a grudge against the Kuru dynasty as his sister was asked in marriage for a blind king, Dhritharastra. He could not oppose Kurus as they were stronger, so he vowed that he will ultimately cause destruction of Kuru dynasty. He succeeded in that by poisoning Duryodhana's mind, defeating Pandavas in a deceitful dice game – eventually leading to the Kurushetra war.
10. Dronacharya: was the teacher for Pandavas and Kauravas. He was the most preeminent archer of his time. Very learned in sastras and dharma; was righteous and disciplined. His yoga practice was so powerful that he was able to sit in meditation in battle field and give up his life! He was Brahmin by birth but followed his passion for learning various arts, at a gurukula, along with friend Drupada. Later when Drona went to ask help from his friend Drupada, who was a king then, Drupada insulted him. He carried a grudge against him and latter with help of Pandavas(as Gurudakshina) he was able to avenge his insult – Drupada was defeated, captured in war, humiliated and later released. Thus he pursued his teaching in Hastinapur mainly for his own personal ambition. He silently followed Bheesma's actions when Pandavas and Drupadi were humiliated – they did not even voice opposition like Vidura or Vikarna. As a Brahmana, there was no need for him to participate in any warfare yet he took part in many wars. He degraded himself as a paid tutor and ultimately had a sad demise in Kurushetra war. His life almost gives us a vivid picture of Lord's teaching - that by following 'paradharma' one gets destroyed.
11. Even though Kaurava army had so many great warriors they ultimately faced defeat as each one had their own individual weakness, attachments and ambitions – and they were not able to raise above them.
12. We continued with "Yaksha Prashnas" :
u What is the best quality of a person who is praiseworthy?
The best quality of a praiseworthy person is dexterity. One who is dexterous – is efficient and hardworking, success comes to such person. He/she knows to follow dharma –doing right thing, at right place in right time. Such person wins everyone's adolations.
u What is the best among the riches?
Knowledge is the best among riches. Knowledge once acquired can't be stolen, taken away or lost. Hence no anxiety or burden associated with it. In fact it increases when we share it with others. Hence knowledge is best among all riches.
u What is the best gain?
Health is the best gain. Without good health even if we have every material comforts & pleasures around us we will not be able to enjoy them. In today's world this is very evident. Keeping our body and mind healthy should be a top priority – without which one cannot achieve material success, then what to say about spiritual success.
u What is the best among joys?
Contentment is the best among joys. No matter how much we have – money, comforts, pleasures – mind wants more! Only when we learn to be content with what we have we will find true peace and joy within. That is why we see all around us that some of the richest people in world seem to have most problems in life! They have not learnt the art of living in contentment. It does not mean that we should not strive to achieve better / greater things – but do it with the understanding that true peace and happiness is within us.
13. Yashvi led the Prayer and Srividya did the Pledge.
Pranam,