Hari OM!
Dear Parents,
We started class at 7pm with Śānthi mantra. We did about 4-5 minutes meditation. Kids are slowly getting used to sitting calm and paying more attention in the class. We had a quick recap of last previous class.
Most of the kids raised their hands and participated well in an orderly manner. The story had ended where Arjuna is on his one year theertha yatra and during his journey he had married Ulupi (daughter of the King of Nagaloka) and Chitrangada (daughter of Chitrasena).
Continuing Arjuna's journey…..
Arjuna later went to Prabhasa teertha in disguise of a Yati. Krishna who was omniscient, knew about Arjuna and went to meet him. Both of them spent some time around prabhasa teertha. Later, they reached Raivataka and stayed for a night and went to Dwaraka in the morning. Meanwhile the Yadavas had a festival on Raivataka and all Dwaraka people participated in the festival along with Balarama and his wife Revati. Arjuna saw Subhadra and was attracted to her. He sought Krishna's help to possess her. With the permission of Krishna, he kidnapped her and took her to Indraprastha. Balarama also agreed to give subhadra to Arjuna. At Indraprasta, Arjuna convinced Draupadi about his marriage with Subhadra.
Later, after sometime, Krishna and Arjuna along with their wives went to the banks of Yamuna during the hot summer days, While wandering there, they saw Khandava forest. At that time Angi, the fire-God approached them and told them about his desire to quench his thirst by burning khandava forest. He also told that he was suffering from stomach disorder due to continuous drinking of ghee that was poured in the hundred year sacrifice performed by Swetaki. The burning of Khandava forest is the only remedy for that. He requested them to guard from Indra who is guarding the forest. They agreed to it and then Agni gifted Arjuna with Gandiva, an inexhaustible quiver. He aslo returned Sudarsana Chakra and mace kaumodaki to Krishna. Krishna and Arjuna defeated Indra and several other Gods and demons and fulfilled the desire of Agni. Even though the forest was burnt, Avasena, Maya and four sarngakas escaped and unhurt.
This concludes the first part of Mahabharata, known as the Adhi Parva, as it deals with the initial incidents. (Adhi = Initial in Sanskrit).
Moving to Sabha Parva;
Arjuna had saved Maya when the Khandava forest was burnt. Maya wanted to do some favor in return and requested Arjuna to ask for something. But Arjuna advised him to do whatever Krishna wanted to be done. Krishna instead directed Maya to Yudhistira. Maya decided to build an assembly (sabha) according to pandavas and Krishna. Krishna meanwhile returned back to Dwarka to see his Father. Maya took Arjuna's permission to bring his tools and materials to build the sabha. He went to the mountain Mainaka, north of Kailasa and brought precious jewels, crystals and counch and club. He presented the counch named Devadatta to Arjuna and Club to Bheema. Sabha was finally built and inaugurated by Yudhistira. Palace was visited by many great people and Gandharvas. Sage Narada also visited and enquired about well being of everyone in that City. Yudhishthira asked Narada whether he had seen
before an assembly hall like the one built by Maya. Narada replied that never before in the world of the mortals he did either see or hear of such a palace. And when Dharmaraja requested him to describe the celestial palaces, he gave a description of the palaces of Indra, Yama, Varuna, Kubera and Brahma, and said that he saw them all in the previous ages, and the palace of Dharmaraja was the best on the earth. Then Yudhishthira asked Narada why he mentioned only king Harischandra among the royal seers in the assembly hall of Indra. What was the greatness of Harischandra by which he competed even with
Indra. He said that he was eager to listen all the details about that.
Narada started describing the merits of Harischandra and a king who performs the Rajasuya sacrifice will stay with Indra happily. Your father has sent a message to you through me in which he asked you to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice as you were capable of defeating all the kings on the earth. And having advised Yudhishthira to fulfil the desire of his father, Narada took leave of him, and went to Dwaraka. Later Yudhishthira consulted with his brothers regarding the performance of
Rajasuya.
In order to fulfil the desire of his father Pandu, Yudhishthira decided to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice and was involved in its arrangements. In addition to that he thought of Dharma and the welfare of all the worlds also. All his ministers, brothers, priests, Dhaumya and Vyasa and Krishna agreed to his proposal of the performance of the Rajasuya sacrifice. Just then Jarasandha became an emperor having defeated all the kings. Now the whole world was under his control. Sisupala became his commander-in-chief of army. Hamsa and Dimbhaka, who were equal to the gods in strength, took refuge with Jarasandha. Krishna said that as long as Jarasandha was alive, Yudhishthira could not complete successfully the Rajasuya. Krishna agreed to the plan of killing Jarasadha with Arjuna and Bheema.
Then he related the story of the birth of Jarasandha. There was a king named Brihadratha in the country of Magadha who married the twin daughters of the king of Kasi. He was unhappy, as he had no kids. King met Sage Chanda Kausika and he uttered magical chants and presented the King a mango fruit that fell at that moment in his lap, and gave him the boon of progeny. After some time, his queens delivered a half-formed baby each. The frightened queens threw both the pieces outside.
A Rakshasi named Jara joined the pieces together to carry them easily. On the joining of the pieces, a boy was formed. The Rakshasi took human form and returned the boy to the king. The king was very happy and named the baby after the rakshasa. Jarasandha became king and Brihadratha retired to the forests with his two wives. As Krishna killed his nephew Kamsa, he became the enemy of Jarasandha.
Krishna, Arjuna and Bheema attired themselves as Brahmins observing the vow of Snataka and entered the city of Magadha. Jarasandha welcomed them to his palace. Krishna revealed that they were not Brahmins. His two companions were Bhima and Arjuna, the sons of Pandu, and he was his enemy Krishna. Having said this he invited Jarasandha for a combat. Jarasandha chose Bhima to be his opponent in combat. The excited Bhima came forward to fight at the command of Sri Krishna. Both of them made thunderous sounds while fighting with each other. Krishna encouraged Bhima to kill Jarasandha. Then Bhima caught hold of Jarasandha's leg with one hand and parted him into two halves. Having disposed of his dead body at the main gate of the palace, the three of them went to the prison and freed the kings.
Please have kids go through the story once before coming to class, this will help for a quick recap.
Last week was Balavihar Spirit day. Kids seem to have had good time. I hope they shared all shared the fun activities.
See you all on Friday 3/1/2019.
'Pranāms'
Nivedita and Vandana
