Hari Om Parents
Greetings and namaste.
Below are a few youtube resources for kids to practice.
Ganesha Pancharatnam
https://youtu.be/Oyo0FWP9fB8 (play at speed of 0.75)
Nirvana Shatakam/ Athmashtakam
https://youtu.be/UrZUQh6SpcQ (Sri Sri) - slow, lyrics clear pronunciation
https://youtu.be/PeKIzYPDlYs
https://youtu.be/7MooNhXCbHA - a peppy version, suitable once the lyrics are mastered
Gita Chanting (Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga 5the grade - slokas 1-30 required memorization):
https://youtu.be/YR_0-rSUa5U (covered slokas 1 &2)
I will be covering the Mahabharatha journey for the last two sessions - Oct 14th and Oct 28. The session for Oct 24th was a short one and we had to disperse for house inaugural at 7:45 PM
Oct 14, 2022
The children took turns with the recap of the story so far and remembered the prasangas very well! We continued with the next series of events that laid the foundations of the future course of the events. Actions and their fruits/ consequences.
Shantanu was again all alone after Ganga left him with his son with the prime to get him back. Years pass by and one day Shantanu in a melancholy mood was taking a stroll on the banks of Ganga. He notices the mighty river's flow turning into a trickle and he was amazed and was wondering what happened. As he walks past further down, he sees a handsome young boy, tall and well built, shooting a barrage of arrows faster than any one he knew before and building a dam across the river. Shantanu hurriedly walks towards the boy and inquires about him. As soon as the boy was about to introduce himself, Ganga appears and introduces him as Devavrata, Shantanu's son. She further tells the king that Devvrata learned the scriptures from sage Vashista himself and all warrior skills from sage Parsurama and further adds that he was their best student. Having unified with his lost son and happy that his kingdom has an heir, Shantanu's joys knew no bounds. He takes Devavrata and introduces to his subjects and declares him as the king in waiting.
Days were rolling, and once again Shantanu was back to his old ways ( Karma follows), this time when he was on his evening strolls alongside banks of Ganga, he bumps into the beautiful daughter of the chief of the fisherman clan. Shantanu, visits the fisherman and asks for her daughter's hands in marriage. Although the fisherman, Matsyaraj, was extremely happy at the royal alliance, he tells Shantanu that he has a condition - his condition was that only children of Satyavati - his daughter should be the heir to the throne and king after Shantanu. Unlike, last time when he met Ganga, a little more wisdom prevailed in Shantanu and he declined the condition saying that he already committed the throne to the Devavrta, the first born and went away dejected. He was dejected that he could not fulfill his wish, but he never realized how inappropriate it was of him to seek Satyavati's hand, given that she was fit to be his daughter!. This is always the human state - unable to overcome wishes and succumbing.
Back in the palace in Hastinapur, Devavrata notices that his father was not his usual self, was not eating his food properly and was always looking forlorn and dejected. These symptoms would be more pronounced especially after his evening strolls. One day he follows his father, without his knowledge and learns the cause for his fathers despair. Being a devoted son, Devavrata, approaches matsya raj, father of Satyavati and inquires why he was not ready to give away his daughter in marriage to his father. Matsyaraj explains the condition he has for him to agree. Devavrata readily agrees and promises Satyavati's father that he was abdicating his throne in favor of the future offsprings Satyavati and Shantanu. Not satisfied with this promises, matsya raj, goes a steps further and continues - while he was ok with what Devavrata promised, he was doubtful what will happen after Devvrata passes away and he explains his concerns that Devavrata's kids could claim the throne and there could be war between Satyavati's grandkids and Devavrata's kids. Devavrata was smart, and he quickly understood, matsyaraj's actual intentions and without even thinking a second - takes another pledge - that he will never marry and thus will matsya raj does never have to fear of any war for succession. Hearing such a young boy taking such a difficult and arduous vow, all the devatas were pleased and renamed the boy as Bhishma - a person who takes a pledge of immense proportions. Hence from that time onwards Devavrata becomes Bhishma.
Having gotten assurances, Matsya raj, agrees with the proposal. Devavrata, Bhishma returns to the palace and informs his father of the good news. Shantanu, hearing his recollection of events while somewhat disappointed, is very happy at the marriage proposal and grants Bhishma "iccha marnam" that Bhishma can choose his own timing of death in return for his sacrifice and great vow. As you can see the entire edifice of Mahabharata structure is built on impulsive decisions, people acting selfishly and ignoring the consequences of their actions - Shantanu falling for physical beauty time and time again in spite of grave results, Matsya raj's selfishness and Bhsihma's vow in a hurry to please his father!!
Satyavati gave birth to two sons - Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Shantanu passes away and for a while Satyavati asks Bhishma to adorn the throne of Hastinapur. Bhishma declines and reminds her of her vow, but promises to safeguard the kingdom and the king to his last breath. Bhishma instead cornotes Chitrangada as the king even though he was a minor and takes over all the responsibilities of ruling the kingdom and performs the duties in the name of Chirangada
It was time for aarati and pledge and we hurried to the prayer hall !!!
Oct 28, 2022
This was a short class - 45 min only. Starting with daily prayers, move to Ganesha Pancharatnam and were pleasantly surprised that most kids were able to recite Ganesha Pancharatnam with little help. Please keep it and encourage kids to memorize it. We will have a quiz on the same next week.
Since it was such a short class, after the recap from the last session, we asked the kids for popcorn reading and the kids were happy too...
The story begins with Chitrangada getting killed by a Gandhrva of same name when both got into a duel due to their names. Bhishma coronates Vichitravirya as the successor to the throne and continues his duties of safeguarding and ruling the kingdom.Years pass by, Vichitravirya was not a man of great abilities or focus and spent his time whiling away. As he became an adult, Satyavati was worried that, given her son's behaviour, there would be no successor to the throne after Vichitravirya. She expresses her concern to Bhishma, Bhishma assures her that he will address her concerns.
While matters were in a flux in Hastinapur, Kashi Raj who had three beautiful daughters - amba, ambika and ambalika and announced swayamvar for getting his daughters married. On the day of the swayamvar, in the court of Kashi Raj, everybody is puzzled and surprised to see Bhishma competing. did they know that he was not competing for his own sake but for his brother. Not knowing the truth, all the gathered princes and kings including the king of Salva, start calling out names and insults at Bhishma, even though they were very well aware of Bhishma's skills as a warrior. Unable to ignore their name calling, Bhishma challenges each one of the gathered royalties to a duel and defeats them one by one soundly!!. Having no option, Kashi raj hands over his 3 daughters Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to Bhishma. Bhishma with utmost humility and compassion tells the king that the duaghters were not for him to get married but to his brother Vichitravirya.
At this point the eldest of the daughters, Amba steps forward and tells Bhishma how she mentally was already deemed herself as the wife of King of Salva raj and how it would be inappropriate for Bhishma to get her married to Vichitravirya!!. Bhishma promises Amba to return to king of Salva, and marries Ambika and Ambalika to Vichitravirya. Three sons were born Dhritarashtra (born blind), Pandu and Vidura to Vinchitravirya, Ambika and Ambalika
King Salva declines to marry Amba, when Bhishma takes Amba back to king Salva as it was not as per the Kshtriya dharma, and counsels Bhishma to marry Amba as he had won her in the battle, Amba too insists on marrying Bhishma. Bhishma recounts his vow to his father and declines the proposal. Amba is in despair and Salva raj counsels her to take refuge in Bhishma's guru Parusarama. Parusarama was very proud of his student Bhishma and he knew that Bhishma would never say no to his request.!!
It was already time and house captains were already in the room to escort the class to prayer hall for house inaugural and activities
Until we meet next
Shivram & Anu
