Hari Om Parents,
Please find the below update from our class on Friday Dec 16th, 2022.
Class began with Opening Prayers - 3 OMs, followed by the chanting of Sahana Vavatu. Then invoked the blessings of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati and all our Gurus, by chanting..
Śri Ganeshaya Namah!
Śhri Saraswathyai Namah!
Śhri Sad-Gurubhyo Namah!
Shlokas: ( My Prayers Book)
We recited the Daily Prayers ( page#11) in the order of:
• Karagre Vasate
• Samudra Vasane
• Gange cha Yamune
• Sarasvati Namastubhyam
• Brahmaarpanam
• Shubham Karoti
• Kara-charana-krtam vak
We proceeded to learn the Devi Dhyana Shloka (page #39). We also recited Mahalakshmi Ashtakam (page 40) verses 1- 8 in the class. We then continued with our Mahabharata review.
Kindly encourage the kids to memorize these and recite them at appropriate times throughout the day. Thus instilling in them, not just the learning part but to put all that they learn, into practice in their daily routine.
Mahabharata SummaryBalarama visited the Pandavas in their encampment. He was overcome with grief that war had been declared. He told Yudhishthira that dreadful destruction was ahead. He had told Krishna that both the Pandavas and the Kauravas were equal to them and not to take sides. But Krishna had not listened tohim and due to his great affection for Arjuna, had taken the side of the Pandavas. Balarama could not oppose Krishna and take the side of the Kauravas. He had equal love for both Bhima and Duryodhana. He could not bear to see the Kauravas destroyed. That tragedy made him lose all interest in the world and he decided to go on a pilgrimage and visit holy places. He then left the Pandavas, his heart laden with sorry and his mind seeking consolation in God.
Compelled to choose between two equally justifiable, but contrary, courses of action, he was caught on the horns of a dilemma. It is only honest men that find themselves in this predicament. The dishonest ones of the earth have no such problems, guided as they are solely by their own attachments and
desires, that is, by self-interest. Not so the great men who have renounced all desire. We can witness the great trials to which, in the Mahabharata, Bhishma, Vidura, Yudhishthira and Karna were put. Their solutions did not conform to a single moral pattern but reflected their several individualities. The conduct of each was the reaction of his personality and character to the impact of circumstances. We may profit by the way in which, in the Ramayana, Dasaratha, Kumbhakarna, Maricha, Bharata and Lakshmana reacted to the difficulties with which each of them was faced. Likewise, Balarama's neutrality in the Mahabharata war has a lesson.Bhishmaka, the king of Vidarbha had five sons and a daughter named Rukmini. Having heard of Krishna, Rukmini wished to be united to Krishna in wedlock. Her eldest brother Rukma did not approve of this marriage. He wanted his sister to marry Sisupala, the king of Chedi. Rukmini took counsel with a Brahmana and sent him as her emissary to Krishna, explaining matters. On reading the letter from Rukmini, Krishna immediately mounted his chariot and went to Kundinapura, the capital of Vidarbha. Rukmini sighted Krishna's chariot and immediately got onto it and Krishna drove off with her to everyone's bewilderment. Balarama gathered a large force and marched towards Kundinapura. A great battle ensued between the two opposing armies. Rukma was badly defeated. Balarama and Krishna returned home in triumph and Rukmini's wedding with Krishna was celebrated with customary rites.
The defeated Rukma was ashamed to return to Kundinapura and built at the very site of the battle between Krishna and himself, a new city, Bhojakata, over while he ruled. On hearing of the Kurukshetra battle, Rukma arrived with a huge force. Thinking he could win the friendship of Krishna, he offered help to the Pandavas. But the Pandavas refused his help.
Rukma was filled with anger and shame and went to Duryodhana's camp with his army. When Duryodhana learnt that Rukma came after being rejected by the Pandavas, he also refused Rukma's help. Rukma was thus put to disgrace by both sides and returned to his kingdom without taking part in the battle.
Neutrality in war may be of several kinds. Balarama was neutral in the Mahabharata war because of his love of peace. Rukma abstained as a result of conceit. Instead of acting according to dharma, he thought of personal glory and neither side would have him.
It was the day before the commencement of the great battle. The grandsire, now the Kaurava Generalissimo, was with Duryodhana seeking to inspire him with his own heroic spirit and cheerfulness. Bhishma spoke of the strength, skill and prowess of the warriors ranged on the Kauravas' side, Duryodhana was cheered up. Then, Karna became the subject of their talk. Bhisma did not like his great hatred of the Pandavas, and he was too boastful. There was no limit to his arrogance and Bhishma refused to place him in the highest rank among the warriors of the land. Besides, Karna had given away the divine armour with which he was born. The curse of Parasurama was on him too: his command of supernatural weapons would fail him in his hour of need, for he would not be able to remember the mantras. And the battle that will ensue between him and Arjuna would prove fatal for Karna. Drona agreed with the grandsire.
Karna was furious at these words and turned to the grand-sire with flaming eyes and said that he bore all Bhishma's taunts and thrusts for the sake of Duryodhana. He added that it would be Bhishma who would fail the Kauravas because he had no genuine affection for Duryodhana. Karna believed that hating him, Bhisma was seeking to come between him and Duryodhana and poison his mind against Karna. Then, turning to Duryodhana, Karna said that he will not bear arms until Bhishma was in command. Only after he had fallen, he would come to the battle ground.
This episode clearly shows that an arrogant man is never conscious of his own arrogance. When accused of it, he charges the accuser with that very fault. His judgment is warped, and he considers it a crime on the part of any one to point out his defect. Controlling his anger, Bhishma replied that because they were in crisis Karna had not ceased to live the moment and that he has been the evil genius of the Kauravas. Duryodhana was in distress. He needed both Bhishma and Karna to be on his side during the battle, but Karna was adamant in that he would not take up arms so long as Bhishma was in supreme command. Duryodhana eventually yielded to Karna and suffered him to carry out his threat. Karna kept out during the first ten days of the battle, though all his men participated in it. At the end of the tenth day, when the great Bhishma lay on the battlefield covered all over with arrows, Karna went to him and bowed reverently and asked for forgiveness and blessings, which he received. Thereafter, Karna co-operated and himself proposed Drona for the
command of the Kaurava forces in succession to Bhishma. When Drona also fell, Karna took over the command and led the Kaurava forces.
All was ready for the battle. The warriors on both sides gathered and solemnly bound themselves to honor the traditional rules of war. Each day, the battle was over at sunset, and the hostiles mixed freely like friends. Single combats might only be between equals, and one could not use methods not in accordance with dharma. Thus, those who left the field or retired would not be attacked. A horseman could attack only a horseman, not one on foot. Likewise, charioteers, elephant troops and infantrymen could engage themselves in battle only with their opposite numbers in the enemy ranks. Those who sought quarter or surrendered were safe from slaughter. Nor might one, for the moment disengaged, direct his weapons against another who was engaged in combat. It was wrong to slay one who had been disarmed or whose attention was directed elsewhere or who was retreating or who had lost his armor.
And no shafts were to be directed against non-combatant attendants or those engaged in blowing conchs or beating drums. These were the rules which the Kauravas and the Pandavas solemnly declared they would follow. The passage of time has witnessed many changes in men's ideas of right and wrong. Nothing is exempt from attack in modern warfare. Not only are munitions made the target of attack but animals such as horses, camels, mules and medical stores, non-combatants of all ages, are destroyed without compunction. Sometimes the established conventions went overboard even in the
Mahabharata war.We see clearly in the story that occasional transgressions took place for one reason or another but, overall, the accepted rules of honorable and humane war were observed by both sides in the Kurukshetra battle and the occasional violations were looked upon as wrong and shameful.
Addressing the princes under his command, Bhishma said that it was their glorious opportunity. The gates of heaven were wide open and advised the soldiers to follow the kshatriya dharma and to fight with joy and attain fame and greatness. A Kshatriya did not wish to die of disease or old age in his bed but would prefer to die on the battlefield. The princes responded by ordering their trumpets to be sounded and shouted victory to the Kauravas.
On Bhishma's flag shone brightly the palm tree and five stars. On Aswatthama's the lion tail fluttered in the air. In Drona's golden-hued standard, the ascetic's bowl and the bow glistened, and the cobra of Duryodhana's famed banner danced proudly with outspread hood. On Kripa's flag was depicted a bull while Jayadratha's carried a wild boar. Likewise, others, and the battlefield thus presented a pageant of flags.
Seeing the Kaurava forces ranged in battle array, Yudhishthira gave orders to Arjuna to array their forces in needle formation because the enemy force was very large and their army was much smaller, their tactics should be concentration rather than deployment which would only weaken them. Now, when Arjuna saw men arrayed on both sides for mutual slaughter, he was deeply agitated, and Krishna spoke to him to quell his agitation and remove his doubts. Krishna's exhortation to Arjuna at this juncture is the Bhagavad Gita which is enshrined in millions of hearts as the Word of God and is acknowledged by all as one of the supreme treasures of human literature. Its gospel of devotion to duty, without attachment or desire of reward, has shown the way of life for all men, rich or poor, learned, or ignorant, who have sought for light in the dark problems of life.
Everything was ready for the battle to begin. At this tense moment, both armies saw with amazement Yudhishthira, the steadfast and brave son of Pandu, suddenly took off his armor and put away his weapons and, descending from his chariot, proceed on foot towards the commander of the Kaurava
forces. Everyone and was puzzled by this sudden and silent proceeding on the part of the Pandava. Dhananjaya too was perplexed, and he jumped down from his chariot and ran to Yudhishthira. The other brothers and Krishna also joined. They feared that perhaps Yudhishthira, surrendering to his natural
inclination, had suddenly decided to seek peace on any terms and was going forward to announce this.
But Vasudeva, who knew the hearts of men, smiled and said that he was going to the elders to ask for their benediction before commencing this terrible fight. He felt it was not right to start such a grave proceeding without formally taking such benediction and permission and that is why he was going
unarmed. The men in Duryodhana's army, when they saw Yudhishthira advancing with hands clasped in humble attitude, thought that he might be coming to sue for peace frightened at their strength. Yudhishthira went through the lines of soldiers armed cap-a-pie and proceeded straight to where Bhishma was and, bending low and touching his feet in salutation, requested the Grandsire to permit them to begin the battle. The Pandavas had dared to give battle to him, their unconquerable and incomparable grandsire; and he sought benediction before beginning the fight. Bhishma said that born in the race of Bharatas,
Yudhishthira had acted worthily and according to their code of conduct. It gave him great joy to see that. He blessed him to fight and gain victory. Bhishma was bound by his obligation to the king and therefore he had to fight on the side of the Kauravas. But he said that the Pandavas will not be defeated.
After thus obtaining the permission and the blessings of the grandsire, Yudhishthira went to Drona and circumambulated and bowed, according to form, to the acharya, who also gave his blessings for victory. Yudhishthira similarly approached and obtained the blessings of Kripacharya and uncle Salya and
returned to the Pandava lines.
The battle began, commencing with single combats between the leading chiefs armed with equal weapons. Bhishma and Partha, Satyaki and Kritavarma, Abhimanyu and Brihatbala, Duryodhana and Bhima, Yudhishthira and Salya, and Dhrishtadyumna and Drona were thus engaged in great battles.
Similarly, thousands of other warriors fought severally according to the rules of war of those days. Besides these numerous single combats between renowned warriors, there was also indiscriminate fighting among common soldiers. The name of "sankula yuddha" was given to such free fighting and
promiscuous carnage. The Kurukshetra battle witnessed many such "sankula" fights wherein countless men fought and died in the mad lust of battle, and on the field lay piles of slaughtered soldiers, charioteers, elephants and horses, and the ground became a bloody mire in winch it was difficult for the
chariots to move about. In modern battles there is no such thing as single combats. It is all "sankula." The Kauravas fought under Bhishma's command for ten days. After him, Drona took the command.
When Drona died, Karna succeeded to the command. Karna fell towards the close of the seventeenth day's battle, and Salya led the Kaurava army on the eighteenth and last day. Towards the latter part of the battle, many savage and unchivalrous deeds were done. Even great men commit wrong, and their lapses thereafter furnish bad examples to others, and dharma comes to be disregarded more and more easily and frequently. Thus, does violence beget and nourish adharma and plunge the world in wickedness.
Bhagavad Gita: Verses 9 & 10 from chapter 3 were taught and rehearsed this week, following our Swamiji, Swami Shantanandaji's chanting video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th65Y6VV6iU&list=PLwv-WSJSokEMjzRiL_CQC--igySyIgJqA&index=5Please have the children continue to practice these verses (read or memorize).Class Reflection:Then and Now
We discussed Balarama's and Rukma's stance in being neutral in the Mahabharata war. We encouraged the kids to share their thoughts on Balarama's abstinence from the war and how it was justified from their viewpoint. Balarama wanted peace. He did not want bloodshed and the devastating effects of the war. Rukma on the other hand abstained from war because of his own arrogance and conceit. He ruined his chances and was rejected by both sides. We discussed how arrogance can ruin relationships and friendships and that it needs to be addressed carefully. The children were able to relate this to their team activities in school and how working well with others helps them and everyone around them.
Aarathi: We assembled at the main prayer hall for aarathi and concluding prayers.
Please have the children do their daily prayers regularly and also practice the ślokas and Gita chanting.
Thank you! See you back on Friday Jan 6th, 2023.Pranāms,
Viji Lakshmi Hari and Anupama SivakumarFriday Grade 6 sevikas
