Hari Om!
Dear Parents,
Please find below the summary of our class on Friday, Sep 25, 2020.
Opening prayers:
Om Sahana Vavatu
Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH
Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH
Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH
Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)
Quote of the day: The meaning of Karma is in the intention. The intention behind the action is what matters ( We just introduced it and asked the kids to sleep over it and prepare for the discussion next week)
Topics of the day: Recap of Mahabharata and brief talk about Bheeshmas's and Yudhishtira's conversion at the end of Kurukshetra war, Introduction to karma and the laws of Karma - these concepts were reinforced through a team game and a story.
Chanting: Gita Dhyana Shloka ( completed the first verse)
Bhagavat Gita: Sanskrit Pronunciation - Primer video 2
Aarati and Pledge : Zoom meeting
Next Balavihar class: 10/02/2020
Summary: After opening prayers, we started the class with a recap of Mahabharata to lay the foundation for the rest of the curriculum. A 10 minute video prepared by Chinmaya Summer camp Chyks was played to show highlights of the mahabharata story. Here's the link if interested: https://youtu.be/6i_9R7E9iDA
We followed it by explaining the meaning of the title of the book we are teaching: Yato Dharma Tato Jayah – " Where there is Dharma there is Victory".
Victory is not just physical victory, but being successful, doing our work in a timely fashion, achieving our goals etc are all victories .. ultimate victory is to 'Be Happy.'
We briefly recited the story of Yudhisthira approaching Bhisma for advice – his advice can be summarized as "Yatah Krishna, Tato Dharmah: Yato Dharmah tato Jayah." Where there is Krishna there is Dharma, where there is Dharma there is victory. Next we discussed how we can be victorious? We can be victorious by avoiding wrong actions (sins) and living by Dharma -Very importantly actions means both at physical and mental levels.
We then had a class game - We provided a simple situation where a new kid comes to the school and tries to mingle with a group of other kids. The class was divided into two groups and in their own breakout rooms, had to build the story and discuss the choices the kids have to accept the new kid or not through simple actions. At the end of the game, we discussed the various paths one can take and how the choices one makes result in consequences we see. This was tied back to the concept of Karma and the law of karma as explained in Mahabharata. It establishes that 1) The performer of the action alone gets the result and 2)Result of an action always comes at the right time. Taking a few real time examples and also going through a story' The Right Action' , we reinforced these concepts. The story consists of few events and a conversation that happens between a king and a wise old man where the following questions were answered:
1. What is the right time to start the work? :Now.
2. Who is the most important person? :The person in front of you with whom you are talking is the most important person.
3. What is the most important work? To use our body to serve others is the most important work.
We then learnt to chant the Gita Dhyana Shloka and reviewed Sanskrit pronunciations video as a primer to the Bhagwat Gita chanting that we will start next week. Please encourage them to practice at home too. Links to the Primer videos: https://youtu.be/HkuUCKp3BW0; https://youtu.be/BoieidXGzls
We look forward to seeing the children again next week. Until then, stay safe and healthy!
Friday Grade 8 Sevikas
