Hari Om! Parents,
We are celebrating Gurudev Jayanthi and wish for Pujya Gurudev's grace and blessings on all your families! Our class participated in the Guru Paduka Puja led by our Swamiji. The children were given individual puja items to perform the puja. They all got a photo of Pujya Gurudev to take home, please place where they can see and pray everyday.
Here is a link for some photos of the event: https://drive.google.com/open?id=11VsTnqD3MofBjLyeEtMg0b9F5UQMAPcz
Our class began with deep breathing and Om chanting to calm our minds. We started with Sahana Vavatu, Sri Rama Rama Rameti and Nilambuja Shyamala Komalangam shlokas. We chanted all of the Daily Prayers. We can see that with regular practice the children are improving every week. We then chanted the Guru Stotram and learnt " Om Guru, Om Guru" bhajan (pg 71, My Prayers book) The class discussed how Chinmaya Mission was started by Swami Chinmayananda ji in Mumbai, then in the US and how each of them are enjoying Balavihar. We said thank you to Pujya Gurudev for this unique opportunuty to learn our Hindu culture! The class watched a video of Pujya Gurudev, the master storyteller (YouTube link: https://youtu.be/xkTw7WrGtsk). We then discussed the the simple moral from the story of actions and their consequences in the context of Ravana in our Ramayana story.
The Ramayana story has moved to the last chapter, Yuddha Kanda. The war of ten days begins and both sides attack. Ravana's army is equipped with deadly weapons. While the vaanara army has no weapons, their strength comes from their utmost devotion and faith in Lord Rama. With shouts of "Jai Sri Ram!" the vaanaras attack using rocks, trees and boulders. Each day Ravana sends his generals Prajangha, Jambumali, Nikumbha and Viroopaksha and they are all killed by Lakshmana, Angada, Neela and Hanuman. Next Ravana sends his favourite son, Indrajit, who immediately showers serpent darts on Lord Rama and Lakshmana. The poison makes them immovable and they lie helpless on the battlefield. Sugreeva and the vaanara army are tricked into thinking the princes are dead. Vibheeshana, who knows of Indrajit's tricks, tries to pacify them. Indrajit reports to Ravana, who is overjoyed. He sends Sita along with a rakshasi in a pushpaka vimana to the battlefield in the hope that she will surrender. Suddenly, Garuda, devotee of Bhagwan Vishnu, arrives and all the serpents fled seeing their enemy. Lord Rama and Lakshmana were rid of the poison and sat up to the delight of the vaanara army. Sita returns to ashoka vaatika hopeful of Lord Rama's victory. Ravana's evil plan fails and the princes get ready to resume battle with renewed energy.
We paused the story to wrap up class for the Guru Paduka Puja. Please remind your child to color few pages in the Ramayana coloring book for homework.
Save the date in your calendar for our Annual Vrindavan Mela Day on June 8th, check out chinmayavrindavanmela.weebly.com for details.
Jai Sri Ram!
- Rashmi and Uma
