Hari Om!
Here is a brief summary of class activities on January 5th, 2020 - week 13.
1. Beginning Prayers:
- We finished learning Ganesha Stava. Please have the children practice at home.
2. Mahabharata:
- On the advice of Sage Narada, the brothers decided that Draupadi should never be the cause of separation between them. So they came up with the rule that when one of them was with Draupadi, the others should not disturb them. Any one who did should spend twelve years in the forest. One day, a brahmana came to Arjuna asking for help to recover his stolen cows. But Arjuna's weapons were in the place where Yudhishtra and Draupadi were at that time. Arjuna was torn between keeping his promise to the brothers and doing his duty to help the brahmana. Overcome by sense of duty, he walked in and got his weapons and helped the brahmana get back his cows. To honour his promise, he set out on a pilgrimage even though Yudhishtra asked him not to. On his travels, he came across the naga maiden Uloopi who was determined to marry him. On her request, he agreed to marry her. She gave him the boon that water creatures will always obey him and that he shall be invincible in water. He took leave of her and journeyed towards the Himalayas and visited many sacred sites. He walked along the seashore to Manipura, where he called on the King. He saw the princess Chitrangadha there and desired to marry her. He stayed there for three years and after the birth of a son (Babruvahana), left again on his journeys. He delivered five apsara maidens who were cursed to be crocodiles of their curse. He went back to Manipura and ceremonially gave Babruvahana to Chintrangadha's father as his heir. Then he travelled to Gokarna and eventually reached Prabhasa where he met Krishna. Krishna took him to Dwaraka, whre Arjuna saw Subadhra, Vasudeva and Rohini's daughter. He asked Krishna permission to marry her and Krishna happily offered to talk to their father. He also suggested that Arjuna elope with Subadhra. Arjuna agreed to this and took away Subadhra on her visit to the Raivatak mountains. Angered by this, the yadavas including Balarama wanted to fight Arjuna, but Krishna pacified them saying Arjuna was the right match for Subadhra. At the end of his twelve years exile, Arjuna brought Subadhra back to Indraprastha, where Draupadi made peace with her. Krishna visited Arjuna in Indraprastha.
3. Stage performance on Feb 9th:
- We have shared the script in the WhatsApp group - please make sure children have the lines memorized.
4. Geeta Chanting:
- We have learned up to verse 18 in class. Do keep the children practicing.
5. Reminders:
- Please make sure children are in class by 9:15am
- Children should have a notebook for likhita japa.
Thanks
Abhirami Shrinivas
Relha G Pai
