Our session started with chanting OM 3 times and reciting opening prayers of,
- Sahana Vavatu
- Vakratunda MahAkAya
- Saraswati Namsatubhyam
- Guru Brahma
- SuklAmbharadaram
- KarAgre Vasathe Lakshmi
We added Sri RAma RAma RAmeti to the above list .
Each sloka was read aloud by an individual kid and they also recited the first 2 stanzas of Ganesha Pancharatnam.
MAHABHARATA
We then proceeded with the recap of Mahabharata. Although it's been a couple of weeks, kids seem to remember the story pretty well :) We asked them questions related to Vichitraveerya, his sons all the way till the death of Pandu and Madri, students were spot on.
Today's story was about,
- Kauravas and Pandavas in Hastinapur being brought up under the guidance of Bheeshma Pitamah.
- Meeting their Guru Dronacharya, who helps them get the ball out of a well using blades of grass as arrows.
- Dronacharya tells Bheeshma Pitamah how he was ill treated by his childhood friend King Drupada because he was poor.
- Guru Dronacharya teaches both Kauravas and Pandavas all the necessary Kshatriya skills.
- The eldest of Kauravas, Duryodhana develops hatred towards the Pandavas because of jealousy.
- Guru Drona arranges for a show inviting all the people of Hastinapur to show the skills of his students.
- Karna arrives there and challenges Arjuna that he is a better archer and gets insulted as he was a charioteer's son and not a prince.
SAINTS OF INDIA
After Adi Shankaracharya, our journey of Saints continued with Swami Tapovan Maharaj, Swami Chinmayananda and Swami Shantananda ji.
BHAGAVAD GITA
We revised 39,40,41,42 slokas and chanted 43 & 44 slokas under Swamiji's guidance.
We concluded our class with Aarti and Pledge led by one of the kids.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Request the parents to make sure there are no technical glitches. A few kids are having their videos switched off most of the time. Please remind them to keep them on.
If any of them need to leave early, send us a note or ask them to tell us at the beginning of the class.
Whatsapp Group link
Please check out the attached PDF documents for Shlokas and Ganesha Pancharatnam for kids to practice at home, so they can participate in SHLOKATHON competition early next year.
You can register your kids for Shloka classes, a flyer with details has been shared in our Whatsapp group.
Request the parents to set aside a few minutes for the memorization of 39,40,41,42 shlokas of Bhagavad Gita and first 2 stanzas of Ganesha Panchratnam.
Feel free to reach out to me at lalitha.nandyala@gmail.com or
shashi at shasikk@gmail.com
Thank you,
Purna and Shashi.