Hari Om Parents,
We started our session with word search and 5 minutes of Likitha Japa, meditating on Lord Krishna followed by our daily prayers. Last Friday, it was time again for Chinmaya high school students to visit and teach their juniors for half an hour from 7:15 PM to 8:00 PM. The JCHYKs who were assigned to our 4th grade were Vinayak and Vishnu from 10th grade.
Vinayak and Vishnu showed up in the class sharply @ 7:15 and started off by going around the class and asking each kid their name and one cool thing about each of them. Vinayak and Vishnu then introduced themselves and announced that they were here to tell a story and asked the class to gather around them
Vinayak and Vishnu as prescribed to them earlier went over the lesson assigned to them - Narada and Kamsa dialog that intiates a sereis of events that begin the end of Kamsa. Narda discloses the true identity of Krishna as the "8th son" of Devaki and Vasudeva and Balaram to be his elder brother, in whose hands Kamsa will meet his death. Learning that Krishna was none other than incarnation of his death - devises a plan to kill him one way or the other. He summons, Akrura, a pious and great devotee of Sri Narayana and commands him to help bring the boys to Mathura. Kamsa's plan was to kill Krishna and Balarama as soon as they enter Mathura. Akrura, knowing Kamsa's evil designs, cautions Kamsa and advises him not to be carried away and be deluded by his power. Kamsa being Kamsa does not give hoot to Akrura's advice and sends him any way.
Vinayak and Vishnu held the class captive and the kids were thoroughly engaged and asked very interesting questions. Jchyks retold their experiences about getting attached to stuff. Vishnu retold how his attachment to basket ball made him angry and disturbed when he could not play key games due to injury and cautioned the kids about being attached stuff. After that Vinayak and Vishnu then went around the class asking each kid about their experiences because of their attachments. This question elcited quiet an interesting response from each kid :-). Vinayak and Vishnu got a well deserved thank you from the class before they left.
After this, the kids practiced Bhagvita Gita slokas from 41 through 45 from chapter 18. Since this was the week when the 4th graders had to lead the prayers - the class practiced the payers together. After the practice - the class went to the prayer hall and lead the prayer and pledge excellently.
Please feel free to contact us, if you have any questions. See you all this Friday!!
Thanks and regards,
Viji Lakshmi & Shivram
