Hari Om Dear Parents,
Update of class : 18th Nov 2022
Started our class with Likhikta Japa and opening Prayers. We then practiced Gita Dhyanam, first 5 verses. The text is in our BV handbook.
You tube link to the Gita Dhyanam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MoHkaBrCFw - Please play at home/car and ask kids to listen from 1min 50 secs.
Following the tradition of teacher's day – our Junior Chyks from our 10th to 12th grade led the session today.
Mira Balaji and Saanch Shahdadpuri joined our class and led the sessions.
The topics we covered today were as follows:
Lesson: Yato Dharmah Tato Jayah
We continued the discussion on lessons learnt from Mahabharata events. Today the focus was on the "The Dice Game and Sita vastra haran"
The Story: Duryodhana and his trickster uncle, Sakuni invited Yudhishthira to a game of dice, where one by one, Yudhishthira lost everything he staked, including his brothers and Draupadi. Duryodhana's brother Duhsasana dragged Draupadi into the palace court and started pulling her saree to humiliate her. Draupadi begged Dhrtarastra, Bhishma, and the other elders to save her. But no one came to her aid. Unable to stop Duhsasana, she finally prayed to Krishna asking, "O Krishna, help of the helpless, please protect me." Miraculously, the more Duhsasana pulled, the more her saree grew until, exhausted, he gave up. Afraid of Draupadi's curses, Dhrtarastra granted her a boon. With that, her husbands were set free. There was still one more round of dice left. Obeying his uncle's wishes, Yudhishthira played again and lost. This time the Pandavas had to go to the forest for twelve years and live incognito during the thirteenth.
Key learnings: We discussed the following points:
The prosperity of his cousins made Duryodhana burn with jealousy, and again he plotted with his uncle Sakuni to destroy the Pandavas. Duryodhana could have achieved what Pandavas did by working hard or even by making piece with Pandavas.
Lesson learnt: Do not keep Wrong Company and Do not do any evil acts to hurt anyone.
We noted that Yudhishthira lost everything that he staked, including his brothers and Draupadi.
Lesson learnt: Even one Wrong habit can bring disaster. Never given into Greed. Refrain from Gambling.
Draupadi Said, "O krisna help of the helpless, please protect me" When all failed, she thought of Krisna and he came'
Lesson learnt: Hang on to the one who can count on. A Friend in need is a friend indeed. Bhagavan answers prayers.
Obeying his uncle's wishes, Yudhishthira played again and lost.
Lesson learnt: Learn from previous mistake and do not give into wrong habits.
The Chyk's then discussed the 3 Guna's they have been learning – Satva, Rajas and Tamas. They explained this with examples and engaged the whole class in contributing with more examples of the same.
Bhagavad Gita Chanting :
Kids continued to chant Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 3 - verses 5 and 6 ). They repeated after Swamiji's recorded verses.
We concluded the class with closing prayers. The Aarthi and Pledge were performed in the assembly hall.
Next Class : Dec 2nd 2022. (no Class on Nov 25th given thanksgiving holidays). However we do plan to complete he script writing for the play and practice the same over thanksgiving holidays. Please follow us on the whatsapp and respond.
Thanks and Hari Om
Purnima and Shankar
