Hari OM All,
This week we started our class with prayers and Slokas. This was followed by Sri Mahalakshmayashtakam (Sri MahaLakshmi Ashtakam). We chanted the first two verses and listened to a recording of the same from Chinmaya Naada Bindu. Please ask your children to practice this at home as a preparation for Navarathri.
This was followed by a continuation of the recap of Mahabharata - we covered from Ekalavya till Khandavaprastha.
- While the Pāndavās trained under the mighty Drona, a young Nishāda boy, Ekalavya, also wished to master the art of archery. But being of a lower birth, he was denied. He proceeded to make an idol of Drona and treated that as his teacher and went ahead to train in archery. Within no time he mastered the art. One day, upon witnessing his superior skills, Drona and his students realize that his mastery was better than even Arjuna. Worried that his own student will be bested, Drona asks the young Ekalavya for his right thumb as Gurudakshina. Without any hesitation, Ekalavya cuts it off and offers it to Drona.
- With Ekalavya out of the way, Drona felt a little relieved. Little did he know that there was another warrior in the making, about to make his presence known. That young man was Radheya, the son of Atiratha (a royal charioteer) and Radha. He was originally born to Kunti and Surya (as a result of the boon given by Sage Durvasa). But Kunti was too young and decided to send the baby down the river to be adopted by another. Born with golden armor and earrings (Kavacha Kundala), this child was a Kshatriya by birth, but raised a charioteer's son. Radheya had the urge to learn weaponry and the art of war. His search brought him to Bhargava, a Sage who had refused to teach Kshatriyas. Posing as a Brahmin, he acquired the knowledge of warfare from Sage Bhargava. Once, Radheya sat through the pain of an insect boring through his thigh while his Guru slept peacefully on his lap. Sage Bhargava woke up feeling the warm blood on his cheek, and accused Radheya for lying to him about his parentage, because a Brahmin could never sit through such pain. He cursed Radheya that all that acquired knowledge would fail him when he needed it.(The insect was Indra's doing, to ensure Radheya did not get more powerful than Indra's son Arjuna). Dejected, Radheya sat by the shores of the sea. When he spotted an animal flash by, his instinct made him raise his weapon and shoot an arrow, killing it instantly. He was shocked to see it was a cow, incurring the wrath of the Brahmin to whom it belonged. He received another curse - that the wheel of his chariot will sink to the ground and that he would be killed by his worst enemy when he was least prepared. Radheya knew that his fate was sealed and accepted it as a consequence of his birth..
- Meanwhile Drona, proud of his students' progress and skill, wished to have a tournament to display their prowess. A magnificent arena was erected and many were invited to watch. The Kuru princes each showed their forte. As the tournament progressed, the doors to the arena opened and Radheya entered, requesting to display his skill. He was refused on account of his birth. After much humiliation from the elders, Duryodhana rushed to his aid and made him King of Anga, thereby making him eligible to participate. The tournament was from sunrise to sundown, and after the coronation there was no time left for Radheya.
- Riding high on the success of the tournament, Drona decided to collect his Gurudakshina - avenging his humiliation in Drupada's court. The Kauravas volunteered to go right away with their army, but they were outmatched by Drupada's mighty army. The Pāndavās went next, captured Drupada and brought him to his knees in front of Drona. Drupada asked for Drona's forgiveness, and Drona hugged his friend and forgave him. But Drupada felt humiliated and silently vowed revenge.
- The Kauravas were dejected at having lost to Drupada while the Pāndavās were victorious. With Śakuni on their side, they hatched a plot to get rid of the Pāndavās. Then they used Dhritarashtra to get the Pāndavās to take a vacation and visit the city of Varanavata. Using Purochana, they created a palace of lac and other flammable materials, with the idea of torching the palace while the Pāndavās were trapped within. Vidura, the wise counselor to the king, conveyed to his nephews and Kunti of an imminent danger in Varanavata. He also sent a miner to Varanavata to build a tunnel for the Pāndavās to escape. On a beautiful moonlit night, the Pāndavās and Kunti escaped the lac palace via the tunnel, torching it and leaving behind the bodies of a mother, her 5 sons and Purochana. Bheeshma, court elders and citizens of Hastinapura were shocked and inconsolable. Vidura quietly informed Bheeshma of the plot and the subsequent escape of the Pāndavās.
- The Pāndavās got out of the tunnel, with most of them on Bheema's mighty shoulders. They entered the forest named Hidimbavana, and decided to take a break. While Bheema went to fetch water, a rakshasa named Hidimba and his sister Hidimbi sat on a tree nearby. They saw the lady and 4 young men sleeping nearby and Hidimba sent his sister to kill them for his next meal. Soon, she spotted Bheema carrying water towards the sleeping lot. She fell in love with Bheema and approached him, warning him about her brother and his intentions. Bheema laughed it away, asking to duel with her brother. Hidimba, overhearing this, came rushing towards Bheema. But he was no match, as Bheema lifted him high and threw him to the ground, killing him instantly.
- Hidimbi marries Bheema and requests Kunti and her sons to stay with her for a year before proceeding on their journey. Soon a son is born to Bheema and Hidimbi - Ghatotkacha.The Pandavas and their mother soon found their way to their next stop Ekachakra, posing as Brahmins so as to not be identified as the Pāndavās. There they lived with a Brahmin and his family. Bheema and Kunti once overheard the Brahmin talking to his family who were crying inconsolably. It was apparent from the conversation that he was next in line to be sacrificed to an asura named Bakāsura. Kunti joined the Brahmin and informed him that her son would take his place and vanquish the asura. Bheema loaded up a cart load of food and took off towards the place of Bakāsura. He challenged the asura to a fight and managed to break him in two pieces. He then left the pieces at the gate of the city of Ekachakra and went back to the Brahmin's home.
- While the city of Ekachakra rejoiced, a Brahmin travelled to the house of the Brahmin where the Pāndavās were staying. He recounted his travels and the far and distant lands and cultures that he encountered. He also spoke of how the demise of the great Pāndavās has created a sense of gloom in Hastinapura. As he was departing he spoke of Kampilya's big event - the Swayamvara of the most beautiful Panchala princess Draupadi. This perked up the Pāndavās who then decided to proceed towards Kampilya, with their mother and her blessings.
- In Kampilya, they were greeted with grand decorations all over the city, the sound of music, laughter, and celebration. They proceeded to the swayamvara hall, looking very odd in their Brahmin disguise. Seated in the grand hall were kings like Sri Krishna, Balarāma, Jarasandha, Śiśupāla, Śālya, and many more. Dhrishtadyumna announced the competition - the one that pierced the dead center of the fish's eye will be the winner of Draupadi's hand in marriage. One by one all kings failed. Even Radheya missed it by a hair's breadth. Finally Arjuna stood and accomplished the task. While the other kings complained of him being a Brahmin and not a Kshatriya, Dhrishtadhyumna put them all in their place.
- Draupadi garlands Arjuna and they take her to meet Kunti at their residence in Kampilya. They jokingly announced that Bhiksha had been brought home, to which Kunti responded with a 'Share it amongst yourselves'. Upon glancing at their 'bhiksha', Kunti was shocked at her own words. The Pāndavās always took their mother's word very seriously, and decided that they would all marry Draupadi.
- Sri Krishna and Balarāma secretly followed the 'brahmins' back to their cottage and discovered to their delight, that their cousins, the Pāndavās were alive and well. Dhrishtadyumna, having followed them, and discovering that the 'Brahmins' are none other than the Pāndavās, was elated beyond belief. Drupada invited them all back to the palace for the wedding, but was stumped that all five Pāndavās were planning to marry his daughter. Yudhisthira then explained how Sage Jatila married seven husbands - the Saptarishis. Sri Veda Vyāsa also arrived then and told him of Draupadi's blessing in a previous janma that she would receive five husbands who would, collectively, have all the qualities that she asked for in a husband. Drupada agreed and the marriage took place.
- Meanwhile the Kauravās in Hastinapura were enraged that their plot had failed, the Pāndavās were still alive, and they were the 'Brahmins' who had won Draupadi as well. The elders told Dhritarāshtra that it was time to bring the Pāndavās back and give them their half of the kingdom. Dhritarāshtra agreed and gave the Pāndavās one half - Khāndavaprastha. The land was barren and uncultivable. With Sri Krishna's blessings and Indra's planning, it was transformed into a glorious and beautiful kingdom. It was renamed Indraprastha, as a tribute to Indra.
We also watched a video on Sanskrit Chanting Primer 2- this video teaches how to chant visargaH correctly. We concluded the class with Arati and Pledge.
Pranaams!
Krishna and Nivedita
