Dear Parents,
Hari Om & Happy New Year!We opened our session with the students reflecting upon the words they used during their winter break, by updating their "My Vaacha" sheets. They filled the cards, and dropped them in the "sorry bank " or in the “gratitude bank”. The goal was to become proficient in using Vaacha.
Required Reading (Very IMPORTANT): Chapters 1 through 44 of the Mahabharatha by C. Rajagopalachari. Since the book is not available at the Chinmaya book store, there are a few ways you might try to get it:
1) It is available on amazon.com using the following link:
2) Alternatively, you may ask your friends or family members (whose child/children attended 9th grade Balavihar last year) to loan you a copy of the book.
Finally, please encourage the children to watch Mahabharata videos, as an other resource.
CLASS STRUCTURE
Beginning of Class: Breathing exercise, chanting "Om" three times, and beginning prayers.
As a class we then chanted all the verses of Geeta Dhyanam and verses 41 through 56 of Bhagavad Geeta chapter 18.
A brief review of the lesson taught in last class was done by asking them some questions, then we moved on to the next part of our curriculum.
Yato Dharmah Tato Jayah / Mahabharata
These are the episodes that we discussed in the class on January 6, 2019:
The Game Of Dice: How even one wrong habit brings disaster!
Duryodhana and his trickster uncle Shakuni invited Yudhisthira to the game of dice. One by one, Yudhisthira lost every item he staked including his brothers and Draupadi. We narrated Draupadi's humiliation, when Bhishma, Drona, Kripacharya, and Dhrtarastra failed to stop Dusshasana's savage act. Additionally, we discussed how she prayed to Krishna to help the helpless, and how Bhagavan finally rescued her, as she was his devotee.
Dhrtarastra, afraid of Draupadi's curses, granted her a boon of setting her husbands free.
After all this, Yudhisthira, obeying his uncle's wishes, played the dice game again and lost. As per the bet, Pandavas had to go to the forest for twelve years, and live incognito (in disguise) during the thirteenth year!
Was this truly Yudhisthira’s own wish, or was it his uncle’s wish?
Apparently, it was his more so his own desire to gamble, which led him to continue playing and ultimately his loss.
In this context, a discussion surfaced about gambling in casinos as in Atlantic city and Las Vegas. Some people bet large sums of money with the hopes of making more money; yet ultimately, they loose it all, ending up much poorer than they started before approaching the table. We also discussed how people who win lottery may loose their perspective, spend lavishly, and be left with nothing.
Take away here: We should learn from previous mistakes, and do not give into temptations.
The long awaited incident of enchanted pool and the origin of Yaksha Prashna were the next topics in the class.
When the twelve years of Pandavas exile (Vanavasa) was drawing to a close, an interesting event took place in the forest. One day, the Pandavas heard the cry of a brahmin, who was shocked when a dear took away his fire sticks (arani) and mortar that he kept for agnihotra ritual, performed daily. Yudhisthira, along with his brothers went to help him find the deer, but it escaped. As they were all exhausted, and hungry, Nakula, went to fetch some water, as Yudhisthira asked him. When he reached the lake a voice warned him, that unless, some questions were answered before Nakula drank any water, he would die. Nakula, being thirsty, ignored the warning and fell dead upon drinking water. Yudhisthira sent his other three brothers, one after the other, to check upon delay, until none of them returned. Finally, Yudhisthira went and heard the warning voice, he being a Dharmaraja knew if a thing belongs to some one, one can't take it without the owners permission. He gave his consent to answer Yaksha. Then Yaksha asked several questions, which were all profound dharmic ones that Yudhisthira answered perfectly.
We will learn these questions and answers in our future classes.
Virata Parva: Pandavas went to live in disguise in Virata's kingdom.
Yudhisthira, disguised himself as a brahmin, by the name Kanaka, the gambler, Bhima, who loved to eat became Vallala, the cook. Arjuna disguised himself as a woman, Brihannala, would teach music and dance to the women of the palace, Draupadi, became queen Sudhekshan's maid, and was called Sairandhri. The twins, Nakula and Sahadeva decided to serve as stable hand and cowherd, were known as Damagranthi and Tantripala, respectively.
Keechaka, commander-in-chief of the Virata army and brother-in-law to king Virata, fell for Draupadi's beauty, and insisted on marrying her, and continued to harassed her inspite of Draupadi's attempts to discourage him by telling him about the five ghandarvas who protected her.
Th class had fun discussing, how Draupadi, and Bhima had a plan, and she tricked Keechaka meeting him in private. Bhima covered himself with the the blankets and, Keechaka was so happy to meet Draupadi, to his surprise he met Bhima, instead of beautiful Sairandhri. Bhima and Keechaka fought fiercely, finally Keechaka lay dead.
Here, through this episode, it's been implied that, it is not Dharma to harass anyone against their wishes, and how one meets his/ her consequence, if Dharma is not followed.
Further, we talked about the last day of the Pandavas incognito year. Keechaka, the warrior being dead, how Susarama, attacked King Virata, how Duryodhana, and Kauravas helped him, how Pandavas, on their last day in disguise challenged Susarama, and held him as hostage, and later released him.
On the other hand, Prince Uttara, son of Virata, a boaster, but not brave with the help of Brihannala (Arjuna in disguise) as charioteer, exchanged his role with Brihannala went to fight with Kauravas, Brihannala (Arjuna) single-handedly won the battle, and recovered the cattle for the cowherds of Virata kingdom. Pandavas revealed their identity after, and Virata welcomed them with glory. On the request of Arjuna, Virata's daughter was married to Abhimanyu, with a big celebration.
Future of the Pandavas: The Pandavas, returned claiming their kingdom back, but Duryodhana refused to give their share, or atleast five villages, they had requested. Drona, Bhisma, and finally Lord Krishna pleaded for peace and reconciliation, but Duryodhana would not yield, thus the war became inevitable. Duryodhana and Arjuna went to seek the help of Sri Krishna, the king of Dwaraka. As Krishna saw Arjuna first a when he opened his eyes, he was given the first choice, who asked for Krishna, alone, thus Krishna became the charioteer of Arjuna during the Kurukshetra war, whereas Duryodhana asked for Krishna's army and was granted to him.
Here, the Episode above clearly signifies, how evil mind brings Disaster!
Take away here: Greed breeds disaster. Grab an opportunity for peace. Be on the side of Krishna!
What was the result of the Kurukshetra war?
Yato Dharmah, Tato Jayah!
Where there is dharma, there is victory!
