Hari Om,
We started the class with OM chanting followed by prayers.
Next, we started the seventh chapter of the "Key to Success" book. This chapter is called "The Wheels". We discussed that the two wheels of Dharma chariot represent: Valor / Courage (Sauraja) and Fortitude / Patience (Dhíraja). Courage means facing challenges bravely with poise. Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it. When we evaluate
a situation falsely, we feel fear; we feel fear of the unknown.
a situation falsely, we feel fear; we feel fear of the unknown.
We then discussed the story of the Cherokee Indian youth's Rite of Passage. His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. The day he survives the night, he is a true Man. Here is a story of one such man. The wind blew the grass and the earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!
Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. He had overcome that terrible night with courage and wit. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. Similarly we too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
We then went over the story of the transformation of Ratnakara to Sage Valmiki! He had the courage to change from a bad to a good/noble person by following the advice of Sage Narada.
Next we discussed Dhírata as the ability to withstand the onslaught of all our inner weaknesses. A beautiful definition of dhira-purusha, a man of fortitude, is "one who is unaffected even when all situations in front of him are capable of creating fear, anxiety, or lust in the mind." A Dhira purusha has lot's of patience. To illustrate the value of patience we narrated the story of a farmer who had a hen, which laid one golden egg each day. Because of his lack of patience for getting wealthy, he lost everything, including the hen! We also recalled the story of the hare and the tortoise - Slow and steady wins the race. The hare had the capability, but the tortoise had the patience. Patience is required for winning.
After this, the entire class watched the recording of our play "Key to Success from the Ramayana '' that was successfully staged last Sun (Apr 23, 2023) in the Temple auditorium! We are very proud of the hard work of our students and thankful to all the parents who assisted in the preparation of the play, including costume and make-up!
Our next class is on May 07, 2023!
Pranaams!
Vyjayanti and Krishna
