Hari Om! Parents,
Our class began with deep breathing, Om chanting and opening prayers. After chanting the three Lord Rama shlokas, the class chanted all seven daily prayers (My Prayers Book pg.11). Then we recited the Guru Stotram (Balavihar Handbook pg.24). Class reviewed Verses 1-16 of the Bhagavad Geeta (Balavihar Handbook pg.15). The children also sang "Atma Nivasi Ram" bhajan. All the Geeta Chanting Yagna participants practiced "Vasudeva Sutam Devam" shloka for the upcoming Trials. Best of luck to all the Geeta chanters! Then it was "yoga time" and children enjoyed doing the Suryanamskaram. They also learnt the 12 names of Surya, the Sun God. We discussed how doing yoga regularly strengthens the body and mind.
Our Ramayana story continues on to the Yuddha Kanda and the great war begins. The vaanara army has surrounded the fortress of Lanka with shouts of "Jai Shri Ram!". The gates opened and the rakshasa army rushed to meet the vaanaras. Ravana's army was equipped with weapons like swords, maces, axes and clubs. Lord Rama's army used their hands, rocks and trees to fight the enemy. We discussed how the vaanaras drew strength and were fearless because of their faith in Bhagwan. Their devotion to Lord Rama made them brave fighters. They were fighting on the side of good to defeat evil. Angada faces Indrajit in a battle and manages to crush his chariot, kill his charioteer and horses. The evil Indrajit with his magical powers disappears from the battlefield. Using his poisonous snake darts he renders Lord Rama and Lakshmana immovable and they fall down. On seeing this, Sugriva and the vaanaras thinking they were dead, begin weeping in grief. Vibhishana consoles everyone by saying the lustre on the faces of Lord Rama and Lakshmana meant they would revive. Indrajit rushes to report that Lord Rama is dead and Ravana is overjoyed by the news. He commands the rakshasis to take Sita in the pushpaka vimana and show her the proof of Lord Rama's death. Sita is heart broken to see Lord Rama and Lakshmana fallen in the battlefield. The good rakshasi, Trijata, consoled Sita not to loose hope. Just then Garuda, the king of birds, flew down and stroked their bodies. Miraculously the snake darts left them and the princes sat up revived. Ravana is disappointed and enraged. He sent one fierce, mighty rakshasa general after another to defeat Lord Rama's army. Dhoomaraksha and Akampana were killed by Hanuman. Vajradumshtra is defeated by Angada. Next Ravana's commander-in-chief, Prahasta, is killed by Neela. In a fit of rage Ravana himself got on his chariot and headed his army onto the battlefield. Ravana is described as resplendant, with his ten heads glowing. Facing Ravana for the first time, Lord Rama feels admiration and respect for him. However, Lord Rama remembers that Ravana is evil personified and prepares to fight. Hanuman places Lord Rama on his shoulder and a long battle begins. Lord Rama knocks down Ravana's crown, then destroys all his weapons and even breaks his chariot. Looking at the tired and defeated Ravana, Lord Rama spoke to him kindly. He asked Ravana to go home, take rest and meet back refreshed the next day. We discussed how Bhagwan was compassionate even to his mortal enemy. Lord Rama was just and fair even to his enemy. We paused the story here. The children chanted Shaanti mantras, sang aarthis and said the pledge before ending class.
Jai Shri Ram!
- Rashmi and Uma
