Following is summary of Balavihar session on "Oct 11, 2020 - Grade 5 (Sunday PM)"
We started the session with 2 minute silence followed by Guru Stotram, Ganesh Stavam, Mahabharat story and Saints of India - Biography of Adi Sankaracharya, Bhagavat Gita Chanting (slokas 3 and 4), Aarti and Pledge.
- We started with quick recap of previous week sessions. Thank you to all children for actively participating.
- Kids should have index cards for Characters - Shantanu, Ganga devi, Bheesma Pitamaha, Chitrangada, Vichitravirya prepared. Places – Kashi, Hastinapur
- No class next week, see you all in two weeks.
Mahabharat
Sons of Satyavati - Chitrangada
- Two son’s Chitrangada and Vichitravirya were born to Shantanu and Satyavati
- Chitrangada was brave and clever while Vichitravirya was a skillful archer.
- When the boys were still young, Shantanu dies.
- Bheeshma pitamaha, true to his word, made Chitrangada the king.
- Now, Chitrangada had a very sad fate….
- ….When you have the same name as a heavenly being…
- Celestial King Chitrangada claims that there can be only one Chitrangada. So either the human change his name or fight in a battle.
- The name Chitraganda was very precious to the our Hastinapura king, so he refused to give up his name.
- Chitrangada the human king fought Chitrangada the celestial king
- The battle took place for three years where the Celestial Chitrangada proved mightier than the human one.
- Hastinapura was left once again without a king
Sons of Satyavati - Vichitravirya
- After Chitraganda died, Vichitravirya was too young to ascend to the throne.
- Bheeshma pitamaha acted as a regent for the young Yuvaraja.
- When Vichitravirya came of age, Bheeshma Pitamaha made him king.
- Bheeshma pitamaha heard that the three Kashi princes would be married in a swayamvara (a function where the bride would chose her own groom).
- Bheeshma pitamaha immediately left for Varanasi to ask for the three princesses hand in marriage for Vichitravirya.
- When the Kashi king refused, Bheeshma pitamaha took the three princesses by force claiming that by tradition they should be married to the price of H-pur.
- A fight breaks out among the kings there, Bheeshma pitamaha defeats the Shalya king (insults him also). Other kings withdraw and he brings home the princesses.
- Amba claims she loves Shalya king, so she is let go and Vichitravirya marries Ambika and Ambalika.
- Vichitravirya spent many happy years with his wives, but soon he too fell sick and died, leaving no heirs.
- Hastinapura was left once again without a king.
India Sacred Land - Saints - Biography of Adi Sankaracharya
Meeting the Chandala
- Lord Shiva approached Shankara in the guise of an outcaste. When asked to move away, Lord Shiva told Shankara that the same Divine Spirit shines alike in all bodies:
- At Varanasi, one day when Shankara and his disciples were going towards the river Ganges, Lord Shiva in the guise of a Chandala (outcaste) approached Shankara with a pack of four dogs.
- When ordered to move away and give them the way, the Chandala asked, "Who is to move away, the body made up of the five elements which is the same for a brahmana and a chandala, or the Atman, the witnessing Consciousness, reflected in all the bodies, which again is the same for both brahmana and chandala?".
- What are the Five Elements? Fire – Sight (Eye), Akash / Space – Sound (Ears), Vayu / Air – Smell (Nose), Varuna/Water – Taste (Tongue), Prithvi/Earth – Touch (Skin)
- Shankara was humbled and understood that the chandala was no ordinary person and said "A man established in such an awareness is indeed a Guru to me".
- Highly pleased, Lord Shiva appeared before Shankara in his divine form along with Divine Mother, and the four dogs became the four Vedas.
- Four Dogs Represent - 4 Vedas - Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharvana Veda
- With joy, awe and devotion, Shankara glorified Lord Shiva with his famous composition, the Manisha Panchakam, five verses containing the essence of Advaita Vedanta.
Hari Om
CMTC - Sunday PM Balavihar - Grade 5 - Sevak and Sevika.
Harish and Priya
