Namaskar and greetings to all
We started the class after a break of one week off with meditation - an activity calm the sense and ability to focus and concentrate. We started off the daily prayers and lead the class in chanting Gurustrotam. While the majority of the kids are fluent in reading it off the book, they still need practice and help in remembering it. Please continue to encourage them at home to chant it loud and practice
We started off the class asking the kids to recollect what has been taught so far. Sangitaji started off from where she left off the previous class - the sins committed by mind which include - coveting others wealth, ill feelings towards others - wishing for bad things to happen to others and finally not believing in karma phala. Karma Phala is the concept that tells us that for every action performed by us either through body or mind - there is a phala, fruit, consequence or results of action. Although the time, place and nature and quantum of the results of actions - are not in control of the doer/ person doing the action. What is for sure is that - good actions lead to good karma phala and bad ones lead to bad karma phala. Many of our languages have idioms to illustrate the same - one such idiom in Telugu roughly translates as "don't expect a mango tree if you planted a neem (vepa) seed!" an English one is "As you sow, so shall you reap!" Actions need not be physical, thoughts can be actions too and hence the need to be careful in avoiding bad thoughts too.
It was story time now - Sangitaji started one which was about building bridges. Once there lived two brothers lived happily together and having homes and farms side by side. Years went by and life was happy and rolling with each brother coming to the assistance of each other in need and sharing each others good times and bad times. As the years went by, the two brothers had a slight difference on a trivial matter, instead of talking it over, they let it fester and a day arrived that the brothers stopped seeing each other, stopped talking too. One day a local carpenter happened to visit one of the brothers and asked if had any work to do. The brother immediately replied yes of course - you see that little stream running along my property and separation my brother's land - I need you to build a fence along the stream high enough so that I do not have to see my brother. Saying so he gave instructions to the carpenter on where the lumber and other tools were to help him build the fence and left for the town for a day. Upon his return, he saw the carpenter still working and finishing. As he approached the carpenter, he was amazed to see that the carpenter had built a bridge instead of the fence. As he stood wondering, he saw his brother walking on the bridge and walking towards him, involuntarily he too started walking on to the bridge towards his brother. The brothers met in the middle and hugged each other and felt ashamed for quarreling over such a trivial matter. They thanked the carpenter for such a wonderful gift and asked him to stay back and help them in other activities - however the carpenter bid farewell saying " I have more bridges to build!!". Shivramji recommended a reading of " A Spark neglected burns the house" by Leo Tolstoy by each student and tell the class what they learned from the story. Please help your kids with the same.
Now it was time for Swamiji's Bhagwad Gita slokas. The slokas 1 & 2 from first chapter - Arjuna Vishada yoga and leaving for aarati in the main temple.
Until next week
regards
Shivram, Sangita.
