Hari Om!
Here is the class update for last week.
Stotram: We chanted Mahalakshmi Ashtakam and Mahishasuramardini stotram.
Mahabharata- After Dhritharashtra, Gandhari and Kunti go into Vanaprastha, they live a simple life meditating. Once in the forest fire, they stay calm in the meditative state and are eaten up by the wildfires. Vidura keeps wandering in the forest and Sanjaya turns a sanyasi and goes to the Himalayas. Almost 36 years have passed since the bloody war. In Dwaraka, the Yadavas decide to play a trick on visiting sages. They bring Samba, a man in a pregnant woman's disguise and get blessings from the sage. The furious sage blesses "her" with the birth of the "child" who will eradicate the vrishni clan. To everyone's surprise that person gives birth to a mace and then begins all negativity around. The people think the mace is a bad omen and crushes to pieces and dump in the sea. At the dumped spots all unwanted weed starts to grow, it keeps growing as being plucked each time. Gradually the people in the Yadava vrishnis clan started to show hatred towards one another. Satyaki and Kritavarma start arguing which leads to a big sword fight until they kill each other. Balarama assumes a yogic meditative star and gives up his life. Krishna, before going to the forest, calms the rest and sends a message to Arjuna to save them. The Lord goes deeper into the woods and sits in a meditative position. His feet positioning made Jaraa the hunter think it's the face of the deer. He shoots an arrow and the Lord is killed. Arjuna tries to save the people but he couldn't do it fully as he seems to be losing his capabilities, that's when he understands that the Lord has left the world and he runs to Sage Vyasa for a solution. Sage says, Arjuna and Krishna were born as Nara Narayana and their duties are completed and the purpose of pandavas life in the world is completed. Arjuna goes to Hastinapur and tells Yudhishtra about his meeting with sage Vyasa. Arjuna's grandson Parikshit is crowned the king and the brothers and Draupadi walk towards the Himalayas to ascend to heaven. Out of nowhere, a dog follows them quietly. One by one, each of the group falls down while ascending, the first one to be Draupadi who liked all her husbands, but favored Arjuna. Then Sahadeva fell down as he was proud of his wisdom, then Nakula, who was proud of his beauty. Arjuna fell next as he did not keep his promise to kill the entire Kaurava army in one day and finally Bhima who boasted of his strength and over-ate without concern for others. Lord Indra comes to take Yudhishtra to Heaven but Yudhishtra says he would go only if Indra allows the dog with him. In Spite of Indra's entreaties, Yudhishtra stands firm, refusing to give up someone who is loyal to him and has sought refuge with him. Lord Yama, who took the form of the dog to test Yudhishtra, is pleased with his steadfast adherence to Dharma and blesses him. He enters Heaven and notices Duryodhana there and not his brothers and Draupadi. Shocked, Yudhishtra asks to see his dear ones. The attendants take him over a long and tortuous path to Naraka, where every second is painful. Seeing his beloved ones going through such suffering, Yudhishtra decides to stay by their side even though Indra asks him to return. Yudhishtra's innate sense of dharma is lauded by Indra and he clears up the illusion he had created. None of the pandavas or Drauapadi were indeed suffering. A king, due to the inherent nature of his duties, has to suffer through Hell for a period of time. So Yudhishtra had to experience it momentarily. Indra reveals that all the people who had died in the war had attained their deserved position in Heaven regardless of if they were on the Kaurava side or the Pandava side. There are no enemities in the after-life. Thus ends the Mahabharata, the repository of all wisdom that is applicable throughout the ages.
India our sacred land - The Indian Temples: Temples serve as holy halls of retreat for the masses. Temples serve as a speed breaker for lives- source of inspiration and solace during times of depression and disappointment. Constructing temples is considered as a sacred activity, as any other community service- from ancient times.
Architecture of a temple: *Naagara (the north Indian- beehive shaped tower) ; * Dravidian (the south Indian pyramid shaped tower)
5 Distinctive portions of the temple-
1. GarbhagRham 2. The Vimanam 3. Artha Mandapam 4. Prakaaram and 5.Gopuram.
Vimanam attracts holy powers from the cosmos. Gopuram is considered as the gross body of the deity- odd number stories. 3 (awake, dream, deepsleep) 5 (senses, experience of the outer world) 7 (mind+intellect+5 senses) 9 (7+ego+heart)
The garbhagruham (the dark and un-decorated walls) the sanctum reflects the womb house.
We watched "Why should I go to a temple" An eye opening video by our Gurudev
Why should i go to a temple? - Swami Chinmayananda - YouTube
Why do we go to the temple? The Idol- Saguna Bramhan--helps us focus on the form and creates the awareness of God's presence. Temple visit purifies and calms the mind and fulfills the spiritual needs of a person. A temple visit kindles our senses. Hearing the bell sound, Seeing the Lord in the light of karpoora neerajanam, the smell of agarbathis and flowers, the touch of the deepam and the taste of theertham and prasadam.
Our next class is on May 21st. Please gently remind the children to present their personal research into India, Sacred Land.
Regards
Keerthi Kobla and Abhirami Shrinivas
