हरी ॐ
Dear Parents,
Dear Parents,
The Zoom class went off very well, no hitches whatsoever. Truly appreciate all the parents making the effort to ensure their child's continued attendance at Bala Vihar. Thank you! We continue with Sabha Parva...
Opening Prayers: Om Sahanā vavatu, followed by the chants Om Sree Ganeśaya Namaha, Sree Saraswatyai Namaha, Sree Sat Gurubhyo Namaha.
Story: Duryodhana is very upset with the good fortune bestowed upon the Pandavas. How do the Pandavas always get their way? Favorites of Drona, Vidura, and even Bheeshma, husbands of the most beautiful Draupadi and now the proud rulers of incomparable Indraprastha! While negative thoughts ran rampant in Duryodhana's head, Śakuni visits him. Worried about his nephew, he suggests another idea. This time they decide that the plot will take place in their own court, ensuring a successful end to the Pandavas. Duryodhana is piqued and wishes to hear more. Śakuni reveals that it is time to completely destroy the Pandavas, using Yudhisthira's weakness - gambling. How could he plan a planned gambling match with his cousins, humiliate them and still come out unscathed? The diabolical plan made Duryodhana ecstatic, but worried that he will not get his father's consent because of Vidura's interference.
Śakuni, upset over his nephew's sadness, approached Dhritarashtra and requested him to bring Duryodhana out of the depression. Using his father's weakness to his advantage, Duryodhana reveals the plan to his father. Dhritarashtra is helpless - on the one hand he wishes to fulfill his child's desire, while on the other hand he knows that Vidura and the other elders will rebuke him for the malicious intent behind the idea. Duryodhana's insistence and persuasion led Dhritarashtra to agree to the plan. Without further delay, an order to build a beautiful hall (sabha) was given. The sabha, to rival the beautiful Maya Sabha in Indraprastha, was to be built in Jayanta, a suburb of Hastinapura.
As the construction of the sabha was nearing completion, an invitation was sent to the Pandavas. This raised many questions among the courtiers in Hastinapura and Indraprastha, as to the intent behind this sudden show of hospitality. Yudhisthira understood that the 'kind invitation' was just a ploy to bring about more trouble, and his brothers wanted to ignore the invitation. But Yudhisthira never disobeyed his elders, leaving no choice but to attend the grand opening of the Sabha.
The day dawned when the Pandavas made the fateful trip to Hastinapur, a bad omen looming over them. They were given a grand welcome by the elders and the Kauravas
(A bit of background on Shakuni) Śakuni, the only surviving male member of his family, was gifted a pair of dice made of his father's bones. His father, King Subhala, was imprisoned along with his 100 sons. They were given barely any food, leaving them all starved and weak. King Subhala then decided to let only one son, Śakuni, live by giving him all their food rations. At his deathbed, King Subhala asked Śakuni to make a pair of dice with his bones, knowing that all outcomes from that pair will always favor his son.
India - the Sacred Land: Till date, we have covered our Guru Parampara Lord Dakśinamurthy - Veda Vyasa - Adi Śankara - Swami Tapovan Maharaj ji - Swami SI ananda Saraswati ji - Sw. Chinmayananda ji (who we lovingly refer to as Gurudev) - Guruji Sw. Tejomayananda ji - Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda ji - Sw. Shantanandaji ( our Swamiji).
This week we covered Swami Vivekananda, and his spiritual Guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. We discussed the benefits that we reap today because of all that our Gurus have achieved in the past.
Geeta Chanting: Practicing verses 11-15 and guided chanting of verses 31 - 33 with Sw. Shantanandaji. Please have the children practice every day.
Pranāms,
Akshay and Nivedita
