Hari OM Dear Families,
Here is this week's update.Week 15:
6th February 2022 / 9:15AM
Opening Prayers and Stotras:
Class began with opening prayers. 3 OM's and followed by Sahanavavathu,
Om shrI Ganeśaya Namaha, shrI Saraswatyai Namaha, shrI Sat Gurubhyo Namaha.
We learned the fifth and sixth verses of Mahalakshmi Ashtakam.
Mahabharata - On Day 16, Karna, the new commander in chief, valorous and eager to prove his capabilities, wreaks havoc on the Pandava army. Due to his promise to Kunti that he will not kill any Pandavas but for Arjuna, he causes severe injuries to the other Pandavas in battle, but does not kill any of them. Major battles happen between Ashwattama and Arjuna, Yudhishtra and Duryodhana. Most of the kaurava brothers are dead. Sakuni's son Ulluka is also seen fighting with the pandava army. Samasaptakas keep challenging Arjuna. Bhima and Dushasana get into a battle. Dushasana's improper behavior flashes in Bhima's mind every second. He is in extreme anger. He breaks every weapon of Dushasana until he stands with no weapon on the ground after his chariot was also broken by Bhima. In the terrible face-off with Dushasana, Bhima jumps on him, hits with the mace, wrestles with him and fulfills his promise by ripping his arms, breaking his chest and drinking the blood again and again. It was indeed a gruesome scene in the battle field. Aswaththaama pleads to Duryodhana to stop the war but Duryodhana is still in the fighting mode until he wants every Pandava to be killed. The 16th day thus gets over . Karna requests Shalya, the Madra king to be his charioteer to prepare for his battle with Arjuna as Shalya is equal to Krishna in his knowledge of steeds and navigating the battlefield. Initially Shalya hesitates and shows his disinterest in being a charioteer to a non kshatriya. Duryodhana explains the equivalence with Krishna and the importance of the role and Shalya agrees. On the 17th Day, Karna enters the battlefield determined to kill Arjuna. His mind is filled with foreboding, as he remembers his guru Parashurama's curse. He knows that it will be his crucial war with his sworn enemy and the inevitable curse by his own guru - Bhargava Rama. His horses stumble right as they start out and other bad omens foretell his own defeat, but despite all that Karna proceeds. Shalya, keeps praising Arjuna and his might and how Karna is inferior to him in every way. He makes sure that he unsettles Karna's mental balance by praising Arjuna again and again : that was the promise he had given to Yudhistra after he accidentally accepts Duryodhana's hospitality for Yudhistra's and promises to give his best to the one who gave him the best welcome and hospitality. But Karna never looks back, keeps fighting and giving all his strength and putting full focus on the war. Karna faces Yudhistra and they both fight. He severely injures Yudhistra who is returned to his camp for first aid and rest. Arjuna also is creating havoc in the Kaurava forces. Krishna advises Arjuna to just check on Yudhistra, in order to give Arjuna a brief respite before facing Karna. He turns the chariot towards Yudhistra's camp. Yudhistra thinks the battle with Karna is over and he is dead and Arjuna has come to give him the good news. Yudhistra loses his temper and berates Arjuna for leaving the battlefield, telling him to give his Gandiva to whoever can kill Karna. Arjuna has a vow to kill anyone who insults the Gandiva and therefore goes to kill Yudhistra. Krishna counsels Arjuna that insulting an elder is the equivalent of killing them and Arjuna then speaks insultingly of Yudhishtra. Having said those harsh words, he feels distraught and goes to kill himself. Krishna again prevails upon and tells him that singing one's own praises is the equivalent of suicide. Arjuna then sings his own praises! He also explains Arjuna's strange behavior to a confused Yudhishtra. Arjuna gets Yudhistra's blessings and leaves back to the warfront.
Gita chanting - Today we learned, verses 66, 67 and 68, Chapter 2 Verses 66-68 BG Ch.2 Part 2 - YouTube
Our next class is on February13th 2022. It's spirit day, children please wear shades of red color - our house theme "Durga's daredevils.
Please feel free to reach out in case you have any questions. Hari OM Abhirami Shrinivas and Vidhya Aiyer
Grade 6 Sunday AM