Hari Om!
![image.png]()
1. Beginning Prayers
We had a very productive first session, with the children all ready and eager to participate in the discussions. Here is a brief summary of class activities today:
2. Self introductions
3. Introduction to the two areas of study for this year - India-Sacred Land- Saints of India and The Mahabharata (upto Virata Parva).
4. Discussion on Guru Parampara, as the first step to learning about the Saints of India:
- Who is a Guru?
- What is the importance of a Guru in one's life?
- The Guru Shishya tradition in India
- Our Guru Parampara - Adi Shankara and his contribution to expounding the Advaita Philosophy; Swami Tapovanji Maharaj who incessantly and rigorously practiced the philosophy, Swami Sivananda who tirelessly served the ill and engaged fully in service while following the philosophy of Advaita.
- Brief discussion on our Pujya Guru Swami Chinmayanandaji: His journey from being born as Balakrishna Menon in Kerala (India), growth as a student, educated in Science, English & Law, as a journalist, and his initiation to Vedanta learning all our scriptures with guidance from Swami Shivanandaji, and subsequently under Swami Tapovanji Maharaj, before attaining Sanyasa and serving the world as Swami Chinmayananda.
5. Introduction to The Mahabharata:
- Overview of the story -
VyAsa narrated to Lord Ganesha, taught to Suka and from then on to VaisampAyana - Suta. This has been part of oral tradition. This is a story within a story format, with the narrator at the point we take up being a sage (Sauta) who heard it at the yagna conducted by Janamejaya, the great-grandson of Arjuna. It is narrated in the forest of Naimisharanya.2.Story so far-
We start at the point of King Shantanu ruling Hastinapura. Eager to marry Ganga, he promises to never question her acts, however bizarre. Once married, they have seven children, each of whom Ganga drowns soon after birth. Unable to prevent himself, he questions her when she is about to drown the eighth child as to why she was being so cruel? As he broke his promise, she leaves him after explaining that these are the eight vasus who plotted to steal the holy cow Nandini and were cursed by Sage Vasishta to be born as humans. The eighth child, Devavrata, was the vasu who initiated the theft and was hence cursed to live longer on Earth. Ganga takes him with her, trains in him all arts necessary to be King and at the appropriate age, has Devavrata meet Shantanu again. Shantanu is very happy to have such an accomplished son who would rule the kingdom after him. One day, Shantanu ventures out and finds Satyavati, a fisherwoman and the local chief's daughter. He asked her father for her hand in marriage but he (the father) stipulates that it can happen only if Satyavati's son is made king after Shantanu. Unwilling to take away Devavrata's right to the throne, Shantanu sadly walks away. Learning of this, Devavrata makes the marriage between Satyavati and Shantanu happen - He vows to never marry and to always protect the kingdom and king of Hastinapura. This fearsome vow earns him the name BhIShma and the blessing of "death at desired moment" from his father.
Activities for home/follow-up:
1. Discuss the virtue of our Gurus who have tirelessly worked to preserve our heritage and the value of it.
2. Help the children find answers to two questions for next week:
- In which yuga did the Mahabharata happen?
- What is the name of the forest in which Sauta narrated the Mahabharata?
3. Please send the children with their My Prayers book, a notebook and pencils/pen to class. Do make sure they are on time.
4. Please join the class WhatsApp group using this link -
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJ9ozjX4mxK68EHAhSNhW7 5. Our contact phone numbers are in the WhatsApp- please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Looking forward to meeting the children again next week!
Regards,
Rekha G Pai
Abhirami Shrinivas
