Greetings and Wishing you and all your families a very Happy Deepavali. May lord Krishna shower light and laughter on your families this year and through out.
The teachers lead the class with significance of Deepavali and traditions each of the kids and their families follow. Prior to the start of discussions we had our routine of meditation and opening prayers and guru stotram. We continue to encourage the kids in leading the recitation and memorization. We request your help in reinforcing the message at home when possible.
There was an active give and take in the class on the different reasons why the Deepavali is celebrated - Lord Rama's welcome ceremony back to Ayodhya after the slaying of Ravana, Krishna's killing of Narkasura. I was pleasantly surprised that some kids went into details behind the Narkasura story - Like how the demon becomes invincible after he is blessed with the boon that he can only be vanquished by his mother - almost an impossibility. The boon was granted by Brahma. See if you can fill in the gaps in the story behind Deepavali for all your kids. Having listened to kids experiences, the teachers recounted their childhood memories and traditions that they follow. It was a learning experience to me that in some parts of Maharashtra, Deepavali is celebrated for 12 days!!
We recapped the episode of Mahabharatha from last weeks session and continued to the next chain of events in the story. King Shantanu, pleased to see his son after a long time, takes Devavrata to his palace and showers all his love. Time passes by and days roll by.. Devavrata is ordained to be the crown prince and Shantanu declares him to be his heir, people of Hasitnapur are filled with joy. However destiny was planning something different. One day. Shantanu was strolling along the banks of the river and in the cool breeze of evening, he suddenly smells a beautiful smell. He pursues the smell and notices that the smell is emanating from a beautiful lady - Yoajanagandha. Shantanu being who he was - one more time succumbs to his lust and asks her in marriage. Yojangandha also called Satyavati leads him to her father Dasa Raju a well known fisherman in that area. Having come to know of kings desire - he gladly accepts the proposal on the condition that only progeny of Satyavati will be the future king of Hastinapur. Shantanu although succumbed to his desires, still had some sense left in him, declines the offer as he had already promised Devavrata the throne and returns back to his palace. Although he declined the proposal, he was longing for Satyavati and consequently showed no interest in administration of his kingdom. Devavrata ntoices this lack of interest in his father and reaches out to his ministers and confidants and learns the real reason behind his father's condition.
Devavrata sets out to meet Dasa Raju and comes to know of his condition to marry Satyavati to his father. Upon learning of the condtion, Devavrata gives his word to relinquish the kingdom to Satayvati's off springs. Dasa Raju not content with this offer from Devavrata, further seeks assurances of only his daughters children's chidren be elgible for further succession to the kingdom. Devavrata, taken aback by such an ask, thinks for a moment and takes the vow that changed the course of destiny. He takes the vow to never marry and remain a celebrate for the rest of his life. Because he took such an arduous vow - bhishma pratigya - the devtas shower their blessings and from that day Devavrata became Bhishma. Having secured what he desired - Dasa Raju marries his daughter off to Shantanu. Shantanu, happy at this sacrifice for his sake grants him the "iccha maranam" deatch at one's chsoing to Bhishma.
Having heard this episode, one of the students commented, so Shantanu was a "guy running after girls" - so true was this kid. Look what course of destiny did Shantanu set rolling due to his uncontrolled desire have the beautiful women for himself!!. Born to such a man, was a son who relinquished kigdom and worldly pleasures to make his father happy - what a contrast and what a contradiction. This what we all do in our daily lives - running after stuff knowing it is unwisely!!
We continued further and explored the lineage of Kuru dynasty after Shantanu - the lineage from his marriage to Satayvati. The birth of Vichitravirya and Chitrangada and passing away of Shantanu, Bhishma's vow to always protect the throne of Hastinapur. Chitrangada dies during a hunting venture and leaves Vichitravirya as the future king of Hastinapur!! Bhisma at the request of his mother Satyavati, seeks proposals for Vichitravirya - during one of those efforts, happens to attend the Swayamvara of Amba, Ambika and Ambalika and defeats the princesses that gathered there and brings them to Vichitravirya for marriage. Amba refuses to marry on the reason that she was already in love with somebody else. Bhishma takes Amba back to her lover who refuses to marry her as she was won by Bhishma and as a Kashtriya cannot accept her. At this point, Amba pleads with Bhishma to marry her as that is the right thing to do - Bhishma refuses! Amba feels aggrieved as her life is destroyed and raging with revenge curses Bhishma that she will be the cause of his death. Amba then goes into the forest to do penance and pleases lord Shiva and gains the boon that later becomes the reason for Bhishma's defeat and death!!
After the recitation of Srimad Bhagvad Gita's slokas 3 & 4 Chapter 1 (http://www.geetachanting.net), it was time for pledge in the class room followed by Deepavali celebrations on patio - burning of crackers!! We had had great time and enjoyed the class and crackers, hopefully your kids enjoyed them as well!!
Please help kids chant and memorize Gita!!
Best Regards
Shivram & Sangita
