Hari Om!
Dear parents,
Below is a quick summary of today's class.
12/10/21 Class Update
We started the class with the opening prayers and likhita japa Om Gam Ganapataye Namah'. Here is the Google Form to submit your child's likhita japa to earn House points for Arjuna's Arrows. Here is a Sample for the Creative Likhita Japa.
We revised the all three stanzas of the Ganesha stavaha (Pg No. 28 in the 'My Prayers Book'). We have also completed 4 stanzas of the Ganesha Pancharatnam. Children volunteered and took turns to sing by themselves or repeat after the teacher if they needed help.
Bhagavat Gita
Recording of our class children chanting the shlokas learnearned 45 points. Today we learned verses 51-53 repeating after Swaamiji.
Please note that we are learning part two of the Gita Chapter 2 this year, from our Swamiji. For Grade 5 (Partha group) assigned verses are 39-63 (Pg 22, Bala Vihar Handbook) .
Your child must use this YouTube Gita Playlist to practice pronunciation of the Gita correctly.
The Gita Chanting Yagna CNJ Regionals is on April 2, 2022.
Mahabharata
We did a recap of the story so far and continued with the below episodes of Mahabharata.
1. Dhritarashtra's invitation to Pandavas
The Royal family and the elders at Hastinapur came to the news of Pandavas being alive, having married Draupati and living in Panchala. While Raadheya suggested to Duryodana that they should fight and defeat the Pandavas, Vidura suggested that the right thing to do would be to invite the Pandavaas back to Hastinapur. And that would help in getting a good name for the eKIng after the unfortunate accident at Varanavata. Bheeshmacharya, Dronacharya and other elders also agreed to the same and Dhritarsatra sent Vidurraa to Panchala with the invitation message.
2. Khandavaprasta, Dhritaashtra's gift to the Pandavas
Vidura went to Panchala, conveyed the message of the King, and convinced Kunti Devi and Pandavas to accompany him back to Hastinapur. The King , Queen and others welcomed Kunti and the Pandavas warmly . Dhristaarashtra gifted the 'Khandavaprasta' half of the Kingdom Yudhistira. Yudhishtira was crowned its King, with all the pomp in the presence of all the elders, Gurus, courtiers, and the other dignified guests.
3. Indraprasata
Yudhisthira realized that Khandaavapraasta, once ruled by his ancestors like Pururavas, Nahusha, Yayati and others was then barren and with no plant or animal life. Yudhistira did not react or resist since he was peace loving. However, Krishna summoned Indira and Indira brought life into the land and with the help of the divine architect, Vishwakarma, built beautiful palaces. Once the city was transformed, Krishna called the city 'Indraprastha' from then.
4. Arjuna's Teerthayatra
Per Narada's advice, as a precautionary ideaa, the Pandavas decided to live with Draaupadi one year each. And they promised that when Draupaati was with one husband, the others need not disturb them under any circumstance. Once in his efforts to help a brahmin fight a thief and recover his cows, AArjuna happened to trespass into Yudhistira's and Draupati's house. So, he himself insisted and went on a teerthayatra. During his yatra, he met and made love to Ulupi, daughter of the King of the Nagaloka, later Chitranga, daughter of Chitrasena and made visits to several holy places and rivers.
5. Subhadraarjuna
When about 4 months were remaining he remembered Subhadra his childhood friend's cousin, who was also Krishna's half sister. He had great love for her though he had not met. He went to Prabhasaateertha which was close to Dwaraka in the guise of a yati. Ajuna sought the help of Krishna to unite with Subhadra. Krishna helped Arjuna stay in the palace gardens of Subhadra and this helped them to know each other. Eventually when the family had gone to the temple to pray to Lord Rudra for Subhadaraa's well being, Subhadra and Arjuna rode away in Krishna's chariot towards Hastinapura.
Saints
In today's class we learned about Shri Ramana Maharshi.
Ramana Maharshi was born in Tamilnadu in 1879 and he had felt a calling from Lord Arunachalaa to Thiruvannamalai. His greatest teaching was the power of silence and self realization.
The key values taught by him were:
Be quiet
Be thoughtful
Be meditative
Keep silence as it is a great source of strength
Hari Om,
Shanthi and Rashmi