Dear Parents,
Harih Om!
A very Happy and Healthy New Year to all of you!
The following material was taught to your child on Sunday, January 8,2023 during Bala Vihar.
1. Beginning Prayers
2. We connected with the children by asking them to describe what they had enjoyed over the Christmas and New Year Holiday. Some children had been to see the movie Avatar -2 and had enjoyed it although some commented that it was too long! Shravani mentioned that she had a couple of accidents that week including a fall at the ice skating rink. Fortunately for her she was not hurt!
3. The first six verses of Geeta Dhyaanam were taught.
4. The first 14 verses of Bhagavad Geeta chapter 3 were taught.
5. Next, the children concentrated and tried to recollect what had been taught the previous week. An evil mind brings disaster! Despite the pleas of Lord Krishna, Dronacharya and Bheesma, Duryodhana refused to give the Pandavas their share of the kingdom. Duryodhana's unrighteous act lead to the defeat of the Kaurava army in the war. Lessons learnt: unrighteous act leads to disastrous consequences, do not have wrong thoughts, and always grab an opportunity for peace!
6. We then reflected on the content for the day through discourse and some discussion. We initially discussed what the word Dharma means. The word Dharma has its origin from the Samskrtam word "Dhr" which means that which upholds. The inherent Dharma of a fire is to give light and warmth. The inherent Dharma of a lemon is sourness. Similarly, the inherent Dharma of human beings is to recognize our duties at various stages of life and to execute them properly. We seek happiness in external things like maintain our looks, get a big promotion, become famous etc. There is no harm in seeking all these things, but one realizes in time that all these things give temporary happiness. For permanent happiness one must delve within. We should be aware of our responsibilities and follow our Dharma. If we lead a Dharmic life that likelihood of our future being secure is guaranteed.
7. We continued with Mahabharata Story – Since the Kauravas refused to give a share of the Kingdom to the Pandavas, the Mahabharata war became inevitable. The war occurred in the battlefield of Kurukshetra which is in present day Haryana State in Northern India. Many kings and Princes from neighboring kingdoms including Dronacharya and Bheesma joined the Kauravas not because they wanted to but because of obligation to the throne of Hastinapura. Before the war began, Yudhisthira went to Bheeshma and Dronacharya to seek their blessings.
In the battlefield, Arjuna was overwhelmed with sadness and anxiety seeing his cousins and revered grandfather and teacher on the opposite side. He was in a state of deep despair and did not have the will power to lift his weapons against his family members. It is at this time that Lord Krishna relayed the Bhagavad Geeta to him and explained that he (Arjuna) was not there to fight his cousins but was there to uphold Dharma. The Lord then explained to Arjuna the goal of human life and taught him the various paths to achieve it.
During the first 9 days of the Mahabharata war Bheesma, who was the Commander in Chief of the Kaurava army dominated the battlefield and inflicted heavy damage to the Pandava army. In a fit of desperation, Yudhishthira went to Bheeshma and asked how he (Bheesma) could be defeated. Bheesma out of his love for the Pandavas and their upright ways revealed that if a woman stood in front of him, he would not wield his weapons. On the 10th day of the war, Arjuna decides to use Shikandin as his charioteer.
The story of Shikandin was discussed in detail. Shikandin was in an earlier birth, Princess Amba who had been kidnapped by Bheeshma along with her sisters (Ambika and Ambalika) so that they could be married off to Satyavati's son Vichitraveerya. Amba however was in love with the King Salva of Saubala. Although the feelings of love were mutual, King Salva refused to accept Amba as wife because he had been defeated by Bheesma in a battle when the latter was escaping to Hastinapura with the three sisters. Vichitraveerya too refused to marry her. Amba now asked Bheesma to marry her as he was the reason for all these problems. However, since Bheesma had taken the oath of being a Brahmachari, he refused to marry her. She was filled with hatred and rage for Bheesma. She sought the help of many Kings but they were scared to help her and fight with Bheesma lest they face the wrath of Bheesma. Amba performed many austerities to get the grace of Lord Subramanya. He gave her a garland of never fading lotuses saying that the wearer of the garland would be the one to kill Bheeshma. Amba sought the help of every Kshatriya to accept the garland and champion her cause but to no avail. She then went to King Drupada who refused. Saddened and dejected she hung the garland on the gates of King Drupada's palace. She spent many years in the forest where she met Sage Parasurama who agreed to fight Bheesma. Despite a grueling fight, Parasurama was defeated by Bheesma. Amba then went to the Himalayas where after rigorous austerities Lord Shiva appeared before her and said that in her next birth, she would slay Bheesma. She made a pyre and plunged into it and died. She was born as the daughter of King Drupada in her next life. One day the little daughter of King Drupada while playing outside sees the garland of never fading lotuses on the palace gates and puts it around her neck. King Drupada was in consternation at her act and scared for her safety sends her to the forest. In the forest, this daughter of Drupada gets transformed to half man/half woman known as Shikandin and over time becomes an excellent marksman.
And using Shikandin as a shield on the 10th day of the war, Arjuna can successfully wound Bheesma mortally. Dronacharya then lead the Kaurava army during the next 5 days. He planned the "Chakravyuha formation" of the army to defeat the Pandavas. Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, entered the Chakravyuha – fought bravely, but gets killed in an unjust and deceitful manner by the Kauravas. Eventually Dhrishtadyumna kills Dronacharya on the 15th day. Next, Karna leads the Kaurava army for two days, and perishes at the hands of Arjuna. Dhritharastra's sons are eventually killed by Bhima. All the great warriors on Kaurava side eventually die and finally Bhima kills Duryodhana on the 18th day of the battle. On the same night Ashwathama, Drona's son, kills all the children of Pandavas and Dhristhadhumya – while they were asleep. He thought he had killed the Pandavas. Aswathama even sent Brahmastra missile to destroy the progeny of Abhimanyu in his wife Uttara's womb. However, Lord Krishna protected the baby who later grew up to be Parikshith.
8. Despite the victory, Yudhisthira was saddened by the colossal destruction of human life and suffering. Many people tried to to pacify him, but he remained dejected. Finally, Lord Krishna took him to the wounded Bheesma, who was resting on a bed of arrows created by Arjuna. Bhisma had the boon of "Iccha Mrityu" given by his father and he could choose the time of his death. He was waiting for the auspicious period of Uttarayanam to die. As per the boon granted to Devavrata (young Bheeshma), he could choose his time of death so, he chose this day, when the sun starts on its course towards the northern hemisphere. According to the Bhagavad Gita, those who die when the sun is on its northward course (from south to north) attain nirvana. While lying on his death bed Bheesma, he taught Yudhisthira about a variety of topics which include but are not limited to how a king should rule, duties etc The Vishnu Sahasranamam prayer is was also sung by Bheesma during this time. Satisfied with what he learnt from Bheesma, Yudhisthira took leave of him and ruled his kingdom for 36 years.
9. We next discussed the various episodes with the children and summarized the lessons learned from each of these episodes.
- Episode 1: Yudhisthira goes to Dronacharya and Bheesma to seek their blessings: Reverence to elders. When we revere our elders, their blessings will shower upon us. Lesson learned: Revere elders and teachers.
- Episode 2: Grandfather's secret: After 9 days of intense fighting and inability to defeat Bheesma, Yudhisthira asks his grandfather as to who could defeat him. To this query, Bheesma reveals that he would not raise his weapons against a woman. The cause for giving away this secret is because of his love for Pandavas earned through their upright ways. Lesson learned: If we are moral then we will earn the good will and love of others.
- Episode 3: Be thy Instrument: On the 10th day of the war, Shikandin serves as a shield for Arjuna because of which Bheesma could not wield his weapons and allows his body to be pierced by Arjuna's arrows. Lessons Learned: Be an instrument in the Lord's hands. Live a dharmic life and accept whatever the Lord has given to us with gratitude.
- Episode 4: Gandhari's Curse: When all her sons are killed during the war, Gandhari laments and curses Lord Krishna as being the reason for the death of her sons. She curses Him that His Yadava clan and He would be annihilated. Even though Lord Krishna tried to explain to Gandhari that their (Kauravas") wrong doings were the reason for their death, there was no reasoning with Gandhari. Lessons Learned: We all pay a price for our actions. When we are too attached to somebody or something we are blinded by our love for them and unable to see their or our wrongdoing. Lord Krishna accepts even the curse of His devotees.
10. Yaksha Prashnas:
- Which is one step to Dharma: By being proficient and well organized, we do our duties properly. Doing the right thing at the right time is being efficient. If we do our duties properly, we are following our Dharma.
- Which is one step to fame: by being charitable one achieves fame. By sharing our wealth, food with the less fortunate, we earn their good will and blessings and that is what fame is.
- Which is one step to heaven: By being truthful, one is one step closer to heaven. Speak the truth and speak what is pleasant. Do not speak if the truth is hurtful or unpleasant. Do not speak the untruth even if it is pleasant. This is Sanatana Dharma.
- Which is one step to happiness? By being a person who has good character, one is happy. If we lead a moral life with good thoughts those lead to good actions and those make our character.
We then concluded class with concluding prayers and pledge.
Thank you!
Inchara, Rekha and Mekhala (Grade 8 Sunday A.M. sevaks)
