Hari Om Parents!
Please find the summary of the last class ( 03/22) below.
Topics of the day: 'Sri Hanuman, The Fearless and ' Sri Hanuman, The Missionary'
After reciting the 'opening prayers', Hanuman Dhyana Shlokas and 'Rama nama japa', we chanted the first 19 caupais of the Chalisa. Please help the kids memorize the shlokas at home.
We then went over the meanings and the supporting commentary for 18 and 19th caupais.
18th Caupai: Juga Sahasra jojana para bhanu
Meaning: You leaped quite easily at the sun ( who is ) thousands of miles away mistaking it to be a sweet fruit
· We revised the story when Hanumanji as a kid jumped high and swallowed the sun thinking it was fruit. This episode points out that a child's imagination runs very high. Hanumanji was fearless and leaped over to the sky to reach what he wants.
· We talked about how this story tell us to let our imagination and our aim run as high as the sun and try to achieve that without being fearful.
· We also went over two other stories to explain how not being fearful helps achieve one's goal. One story explains the first encounter between Akbar and Birbal. Birbal as a young boy doesn't hesitate and shows courage when he meet the kind of Hindustan for the first time. He shows his wittiness by joking with Akbar when he asks which road goes to Agra. Birbal spontaneously replies without far that Roads don't go anywhere, people do. King was pleased with his fearlessness and invited him to be a minister in his court.
· The second story was about Edmund Hillary , first man to reach Mount Everest's peak. Edmund did not succeed on his first try. When he was asked to speak at a gathering, he fearlessly walked on the stage and declared " Mount Everest, you beat me the first time but I will beat you the next time because you have stopped growing, while I am still growing." An year after his proclamation, he climbed the mountain and was the first person ever to reach the peak. He succeeded because he was not afraid of failure.
· We brainstormed with kids on what their goals are and how they would fearlessly achieve them in their lives.
19th Caupai: prabhu Mudrika meli mukha mahim….
Meaning: Holding Lord's ( Rama's) ring in your mouth, you flew over the ocean, which is no wonder ( as you are capable of achieving anything)
· This Caupai provided us an opportunity to go over couple of stories from Ramayana where fearlessness brings success. One story is when Hanumanji become fearless by chanting Lord's name and crosses the vast ocean. Tulasidas says in this caupai that this act of Hanumanji is no wonder. Anything can be accomplished with devotion, fearlessness and having full faith in the lord.
· The second story we reviewed is how the monkeys were able to build a floating rock bride over the ocean by writing Rama's name on the stones and chanting the lord's name as they worked. Hanumanji told Rama " Bhagavan, when you hold our hands, we can do anything but when you leave us, we sink to the bottom. This is the power of chanting Rama nama.
· We also went over the tale of what lead Hanumanji to take up the task of crossing the ocean to find sita ji. As we reviewed this, we talked about how the search began when Sugriva sends groups of monkeys in all directions in search of sita ji. The group that went in the direction of South had Hanmanji, Neel, Angad and Jambavanth. When they reach the ocean, they all get disappointed for not finding Sitaji. But they didn't want to return back without finding her. When a Vulture, Sampati ( brother of Jatayu) helps them by telling that he had seen a huge rakshasa flying across the ocean, clutching a tearful woman. He also, with his far sight sees Sita ji in Lanka. The monkeys were overjoyed to hear that Sitaji was alive. Hanuman ji was chosen for the task of crossing the ocean to see Sita Ji. Hanumanji knew that when Rama nama is on his lips, he would be able to accomplish anything, regardless of how difficult and impossible the task seemed.
As homework, We also asked kids to think of Rama before they eat everyday. Please help kids remember that and emphasize at home the benefits of chanting lord's name
We wrapped up the class with Closing prayers and headed to the main prayer hall . We watched the 1st grader's perform on the stage introducing all the characters from Ramayana.
Regards,
Mythili and Madhuri
