Hari Om Parents,
The following is what we did during Sunday's class:
Shlokas:
1. "Om Saha navavatu" (page 8 in My Prayers book)
2. "Vakrathunda Mahakaya" (page 27 in My Prayers book)
3. "Karegre vasate" (page 11 in My prayers book)
4. "Akanda-mandalakaram" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
5. "Ajnana-timirandhasya" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
6. "Gururbrahma" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
7. "Samudra vasane devi" (page 11 in My Prayers book)
8. "Saraswathi namasthubyam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
9. "Subham karothi kalyanam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
10. "Karacharana krithamva" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
Activities:
- We practiced our Geeta chanting. Please continue to practice the slokas with your kids. They will be learning slokas 41-56 & that will be their requirement for the Geeta Chanting Competition. Please refer to the following website gitachanting.net for the right pronunciation. Most kids have familiarized themselves with the first 3 slokas! Please record videos & send your individual child chanting the shlokas to the Geeta Chanting Team cnjbalaviharhouses@gmail.com to earn house points. We introduced shlokas 48 & 49 this week.
- We have introduced most of the Dainikaprarthanah (means Daily Prayers) & 3 slokas from the Gurustoram. Please have the kids make it a habit to chant the above shlokas every morning, (lighting the lamps / evening) after their bath/shower. This will help them learn, memorize as well as develop a lifelong habit of morning prayer & daily prayer.
- If you have some extra time at home, please have the kids complete their coloring pages in their Bala Ramayana coloring books. Some kids have missed a class or 2, & we have had a few abbreviated sessions due to other activities & were unable to fit the coloring activity in. Please stop on Lesson 22. Please reiterate that the kids are recalling the story as they are coloring.
- We colored lessons 21 & 22.
Our journey continued. Our setting for this week's class was back in the Dhantaka forest. The brothers meet. Rama is extremely disappointed with Lakshmana for disobeying his stern instructions to take care of Sita & not to leave her side. Lakshmana had to defend his actions, as Sita was tricked by the demon's fake voice, even though Lakshmana was very sure that it was a rakshasa's trickery. Rama feared the worst possible scenario that his beloved Sita might've been eaten up by a demon. On reaching their ashrama, they did not see her. Grief stricken Rama, continued to accuse his brother of abandoning Sita! The surroundings were also gloomy, the birds were silent, the flowers were droopy and the animals had tears in their eyes. Rama went on to search under rocks, behind bushes & even asked the trees if they had seen his beloved Sita. Lakshmana tried his best to console his brother by reminding how he has overcome so much heartbreak so far & that they will definitely find Sita. After gaining his composure, the duo set out southwards.
As they continued on, they suddenly came across some flowers scattered on the ground. Rama immediately identified them as the ones he had picked for Sita that morning! They then saw small footprints & very large ones too.They also saw a jewel studded bow, a broken chariot, a crown & awful faced mules! They could visualize a struggle. As Rama turned around looking for more clues, he found some beads from Sita's necklace...his sorrow turned into blazing anger! He picked up his astaras & vowed world destruction! Lakshmana eventually calmed him down by saying that the ones responsible should pay for their actions, but the innocent shouldn't have to. On hearing those words of wisdom, the brothers saw a huge form close by. They saw Jatayu, with his wings & legs cut off from the battle. He kept himself alive to narrate the happenings to Rama. After doing so, he receives Rama's blessings & passed away. The brothers perform the final rites for the faithful king.
The brothers travel southward. They are suddenly captured by a monster Kabandha. It had one eye & a mouth with sharp teeth in the middle of its stomach, it had no head or legs. Rama & Lakshmana immediately took their swords out & chopped off the monster's arms. The huge form landed with a thump. The monster then told them that he was a heavenly being, but was cursed by a rishi for scaring him & would be freed only by Rama. Having chopped off his arms & grabbing hands, his desires were removed liberating him. The brothers burned the body & from the flames came a heavenly body that told them to go to the banks of the river Pampa, find the vanara king Sugriva on Rsyamuka hill & he will help you find Sita. We paused our story here. Please ask the kids who Kabandha, what is means to be a Kabandha & if it is right to a like Kabandha.
Please go to the below link to check out the pictures from this week's class
Regards,
Keerthi Kobla & Rukmini Sriram
