Hari Om Parents,
The following is what we did during today's class.
Shlokas:
1. "Om Saha navavatu" (page 8 in My Prayers book)
2. "Vakrathunda Mahakaya" (page 27 in My Prayers book)
3. "Karegre vasate" (page 11 in My prayers book)
4. "Akanda-mandalakaram" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
5. "Ajnana-timirandhasya" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
6. "Gururbrahma" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
7. "Thvameva Maathacha" (page 62 in My Prayers book)
8. "Samudra vasane devi" (page 11 in My Prayers book)
9. "Saraswathi namasthubyam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
10. "Subham karothi kalyanam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
11. "Karacharana krithamva" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
12. "Bhramaarpanam bhrama havih" (page12 in My Prayers book)
Activities:
- Please continue to practice the Geeta Chanting slokas with your kids. They have been introduced to slokas 1-16 in Chapter 1 & that will be their requirement for the Geeta Chanting Competition. Please refer to the following website gitachanting.net for the right pronunciation. Most kids have familiarized themselves with the first 3 slokas! Please record videos & send your individual child chanting the shlokas to the Geeta Chanting Team cnjbalaviharhouses@gmail.com to earn house points.
- We have introduced most of the Dainikaprarthanah (means Daily Prayers) & 4 slokas from the Gurustoram. Please have the kids make it a habit to chant the above shlokas every morning, (lighting the lamps / evening) after their bath/shower. This will help them learn, memorize as well as develop a lifelong habit of morning prayer & daily prayer.
- We did some coloring towards the end of class. If you have some extra time at home, please have the kids complete their coloring pages in their Bala Ramayana coloring books. Some kids have missed a class or 2, & we have had a few abbreviated sessions due to other activities & were unable to fit the coloring activity in. Please stop on Lesson 25. Please reiterate that the kids are recalling the story as they are coloring.
- We played the Concentration Game. After the chanting of 3 "Om's kids keep their eyes closed. They count the number of stones being dropped into a box during the quiet time. Later they give the count of the stones dropped. The game quiets the mind and improves concentration. Today several students got the count correct and most of them were really close.
Our story began today as the duo walked on in search of Sugriva. As they were wandering through the beautiful forest, they couldn't help but think of how Sita would've absolutely adored the surroundings. From the top of the Rishyamukha mountain, the fugitive vanara king Sugriva and few of his faithful followers saw the brothers approaching. They immediately thought it was Bali sending someone to harm them. Minister Hanuman decided to disguise himself as a brahmin and went on to intercept the duo. He introduced himself and the trio felt an instant bond! Hanuman and Lakshmana exchanged both of their uncomfortable circumstances to each other and at that point, Hanuman changed into his original form, he then lifted the brothers onto his shoulders and carried them towards Sugriva.
When they finally met Sugriva, he related his own unfortunate situation that he was in because of his brother Bali. Bali was a strong, brave and powerful warrior. Everyone feared him. An awful rakshasa named Dundubhi wanted to duel someone so he challenged the sea-god, he denied the challenge and referred him to the Himalayas. The Himalayas didn't want to duel either and suggested that Bali would be a good competitor. So he went to Kishkindha to challenge Bali. Bali was ready for a duel, he fought, he won and during his victory lap, he tossed the rakshasa miles away and when doing so, drops of blood fell on Sage Mathanga's ashrama. Tha angered sage cursed Bali that he would meet his death if he ever set foot on that mountain again.
After a while another demon, Mayavi - Dundubhi's younger brother came along to try to avenge his brother's death. In the middle of the night, he came to Kishkindha and started to create havoc. Both Bali and Sugriva were ready for battle...but Bali told his brother to stay back and protect his kingdom. But Sugriva followed his brother to witness the duel. Mayavi headed towards a cave and Bali followed him in a heated pursuit. After a while he heard a loud cry and then saw blood flowing out of the cave. He called out for his brother Bali...when he heard no response from him, he assumed the worst! Sugriva decided to take a huge boulder and block the cave's entrance in case Mayavi decided to come out and harm the rest of the vanaras. Sugriva had to go back to Kishkindha and tell his people the sad news. The people demanded Sugriva to become the new king and he hesitantly accepted. Several days passed and suddenly, Bali came back to his kingdom. He was enraged at what his brother had done! He banished him along with a few of his faithful followers, Bali took back his throne and he took Sugriva's wife too! As Rishyamukha mountain was the only place his brother feared, then Sugriva and his faithful decided to take asylum there.
We then discussed how 2 sets of brothers Rama & Bharatha, and Sugriva & Bali were in similar situations, but they both behaved very differently. The kids were able to draw the similarities and differences between them. Please do take some time and ask them what they thought.
We returned back to the Rishyamuka mountain. There Sugriva was telling Rama that the vanaras had seen a rakshasa speeding across the sky like a dark cloud grasping on to a crying lady. That lady had tied up some of her jewels in a cloth and tossed them down to the vanaras who were picking berries. One glance at them and Rama instantly knew they were Sita's. Sugriva asked for Rama's help to fix his situation and promised Rama that he would help him find Sita right after.
Sugriva was concerned that Rama would not be able to defend himself against Bali and actually doubted his strength. Lakshmana was enraged by Sugriva's doubt, but Rama flicked his toe and tossed Dundubhi's skeleton far away. Sugriva still was not impressed. Then Rama aimed his arrow at a tree...he let go and that arrow pierced through 6 trees and returned back to Rama! Seeing that, Sugriva was convinced that Rama was a formidable match for his brother and prostrated before Him.
The banished crew along with Rama and Lakshmana head to Kishkindha and Sugriva shouts out for Bali and challenges him to a duel. Bali instantly accepts and comes out with immense determination. Rama and Lakshmana watch from a distance and can see Sugriva getting very tired and weak. Unfortunately, Rama was hesitant to take a shot with his bow and arrow as the vanara brothers looked very much alike. Sugriva had to retreat as he was unable to carry on any longer. Extremely disappointed with Rama, Sugriva demands why Rama did not do anything. Rama had to explain his dilemma and told Sugriva to wear a flower garland and to go back and challenge Bali again. Sugriva agrees and does so.
This time, before Bali headed out, his wife Tara was very concerned. She told Bali that Rama and Lakshmana were on Sugriva's side, and she said that she had heard that they were very powerful. Bali responded by saying that, he too had heard about them, but he also heard that they were very righteous men and were on the side of dharma.Then Tara offered prayers for her husband's safety. The brothers restarted their duel. Sugriva was getting weak and from behind a tree, Rama found the right instance and had a perfect shot, he aimed his arrow and pierced Bali in his chest. Bali immediately fell to the ground. The vanaras along with Rama and Lakshmana rushed to his side. Bali looked at Rama with sad and accusing eyes and demanded an explanation! Rama then lovingly explains to Bali that he had made a promise to Sugriva to set right the injustice towards him. Also he says that while hunting, one hides and shoots, that's not considered a crime. Complete understanding swept across Bali's face as he departed to the warrior's heaven.
All is right in Kishkindha...Sugriva is crowned king, Angada (Bali's son) is made Prince, normal life continues. The monsoon season brings heavy rains and flooding. Rama and Lakshmana spend their time inside a cave on the Rishayamuka mountain, worrying about how time is running out and that Sugriva has not kept up his end of the deal! Sugriva continued to party on. As the season changed and the rains stopped, Rama was still waiting to hear from his friend, the newly crowned king. Lakshmana was enraged and wanted to go and find out what the delay was. Rama calmed his brother down and sent him to go find out what the delay was. In the meantime, Hanuman was also thinking the same! Though Sugriva was still partying, Hanuman being the voice of reason, comes out as the whole kingdom heard the twang of Lakshmana's bow. Sugriva snaps out of his party state of mind and humbly receives Lakshmana and announces that he commands all of the vanara forces around the world to assemble within a day at Kishkindha. Sugriva accompanies Lakshmana to Rishyamuka to beg for Rama's pardon and he does so. We paused our story here.
Please go to the link below to check out the pictures from this week's class
Each week's update is maintained on Google docs, if for any reason you are unable to attend class on a certain Sunday, you are requested to check for weekly updates so that your child does not miss out. Below is the link
We require at least 1 parent inside the ashram during the full duration of the class. You are free to choose an Adult Study Group or sign up to Volunteer or Meditate/Read in the Temple.
Required books for Grade 1
My Prayers Book
Bala Ramayana Coloring Book
Regards,
Keerthi Kobla and Dipti Chauhan
