हरी ॐ
Dear Parents,
Dear Parents,
This week was very productive. We managed to finish the Ganesha Pancharatnam(which we will revisit next week as a final practice), and completed the first Parva (Adi Parva) of the Mahābhārata.
Opening Prayers: Om Sahanā vavatu, followed by the chants Om Sree Ganeśaya Namaha, Sree Saraswatyai Namaha, Sree Sat Gurubhyo Namaha.
Meditation: A couple of minutes of silence.
Story:
Sage Narmada visits Indraprastha and is happy to see the flourishing kingdom at the hands of the Pandavas. He also visits with Draupadi. He tells the Pandavas that dissension between brothers is a glaring possibility because of Draupadi, and that they should come up with an agreement on how to share Draupadi amongst themselves. He warns them them that any conflict between the brothers could give the Kauravas ample opportunity to destroy them. He gives them the example of brothers Sunda and Upasunda who both fell in love with the apsara Tilottama and the resulting feud. The Pandavas then decide to each spend a year with Draupadi with no disturbance from any of the other brothers.
One day, a Brahmin comes rushing to Arjuna, requesting his help in retrieving his stolen cows. cows. Arjuna agrees to help, but is hesitant since his weapons are in Yudhisthira's palace. The Brahmin is impatient, and pleads with Arjuna to not hesitate. Arjuna rushes to Yudhisthira's palace and brings his weapons back to help the Brahmin. After successfully retrieving the stolen cows, Arjuna feels guilty for having entered Yudhisthira's palace while Draupadi was there. He decides to go on a one year self imposed exile to all the sacred rivers - a Teerthayatra.
His first stop is at the banks of the River Ganga, where he meets Ulūpi the beautiful daughter of the King of Nagaloka. She falls in love with him and insists on spending time together, which Arjuna refuses, stating that he needs to remain a Brahmachari on the trip since he wronged Draupadi by going to Yudhisthira's palace when she was there. Ulūpi then tells him that his brahmacharya vow applies only to Draupadi, and that he is free to take on another when he desires. From this relationship is borne a son, named Iravan. He travels towards the Himalayas, visits all the sacred rivers and then turns to the south. He bathes in rivers Godavari and Kaveri and stops at Manalur. King Chitrasena of Manalur is honored to host the great Arjuna. His daughter Chitrangada and Arjuna fall in love and wish to be married. The king agrees, with a stipulation that the child borne of this marriage will be left at Manalur as the rightful heir to the throne. The couple agree and the marriage is conducted. Arjuna spends a few months, and leaves his pregnant wife to complete his teerthayatra. Babruvāhana is the son that results from this union of Arjuna and Chitrāngada.
He travels to the southernmost end of bharatavarsha and turns back towards Hastinapur. Arjuna, then decides to stop at Dwaraka to see Krishna, although his ulterior motive is to see Subhadra and hopefully win her hand in marriage. Having fallen in love after hearing so much about her beauty and impressive disposition from Krishna's cousin Gada, Arjuna decides to disguise himself as an ascetic and test her. Krishna, upon hearing of the description of the visiting ascetic, realizes it must be Arjuna. He welcomes his cousin and Arjuna tells him about his love for Subhadra. Krishna says if you can get her to fall in love with you too, you can carry her away to Indraprastha and get married.
Arjuna sits under a tree and meditates. Balarama, not recognizing him, asks to host him, and sldo suggests that he could stay at the gardens by Subhadra's palace, where she could attend to his needs. Krishna is happy to note the turn of events but does not reveal his feelings to Balarama, since he knows that Balarama actually wants Subhadra to marry his favorite student, Duryodhana. Subhadra asks about 'the ascetic' about his worldly travels and asks if he has met her aunt Kunti and the great Arjuna. To which he responds that he has indeed met them and that he could produce Arjuna before her, if she wishes. Her shy smile gives him his answer, and he removes his disguise, revealing his true self. Subhadra flees to her palace, burning red with embarrassment.
Realizing that both Arjuna and Subhadra wish to be united, Krishna suggests that they elope on a day when Balarama and Krishna are not in Dwaraka. That day comes soon, and Arjuna and Subhadra flee towards Indraprastha. The guards at the gates of Dwaraka inform Balarama and he blames Krishna, knowing his soft corner for Arjuna. Balarama decides to follow Arjuna's chariot and bring Subhadra back, but Krishna tells him that Subhadra decided to elope because she loves Arjuna and that the best solution is to conduct the marriage.
Meanwhile, Arjuna and Subhadra arrive at Indraprastha. Subhadra with her sweet nature and mild disposition charms Draupadi who readily blesses her to be the wife and mother of heroes. Krishna and Balarama come to Indraprastha and conduct the marriage.
Krishna stayed on for a while longer in Indraprastha. One hot summer day, Arjuna and Krishna go to the banks of the river Yamuna to cool off. Right by the banks of the Yamuna was Khandava - a terrible forest, where there lived a serpent king Takshaka.
A hungry Brahmin appears before them all red and angry. It was Agni. He tells them of his dilemma, that he needs to consume (burn) the Khandava forest, which was being stalled because of Takshaka's friend Lord Indra. Varuna's Gandhiva bow given by Soma is summoned, along with quivers with unlimited arrows. Varuna also gives a mace named Kaumodaki to Krishna. Agni takes form and begins the destruction of the Khandava forest. Indra hears about the destruction and tries his hardest to save the forest of Khandava, but the flames are so hot that the water turns to steam before they reach Earth. Takshaka's son Asvasena and his mother try to get out but Arjuna doesn't let them. To save her son, she sacrifices herself by leaping to the sky, knowing that Arjuna will shoot her down, allowing her son an opportunity to escape. An asura named Maya is also caught in the flames and tries to get out. Krishna raises his sudarshana chakra, but Maya runs to Arjuna, begging for mercy, who allows him to live.
Finally, a voice from the heavens say, "Indra give up your fight. Your friend Takshaka is not in the forest and his son has escaped. You cannot win against Nara and Narayana". Indra, proud of his son's achievement, tells Arjuna to ask him for anything. Arjuna asks for all his astras. He says he will give him all weapons after he receives the Pasupata from Lord Shiva.
This brings us to the end of Adi Parva. Next week we will work on our class presentation and assign roles to the children.
Geeta Chanting: Guided chanting of verses 11, 12, and 13 with Sw. Shantanandaji. Please have the children practice the verses every day.
See you all on Friday, Dec 20 at 7pm.
Pranāms,
Akshay and Nivedita
