Dear Parents,
Hari Om! Here is this week's update :
Week 4 : Oct 9nd 2020
Likitha Japa and Opening Prayers:
We started our class with Likitha Japa and opening prayers. This week we continued chanting 'Nama Ramayana'. Kids repeated after us. We will send the tune that we are following through WhatsApp. Playing that at home/car ride will help them memorize the lines in no time.
Chinmaya Quotes : "Actions are louder expression of thought. The quality of thoughts is ordered by the nature of our inner belief and faith" ---Swami Chinmayananda
One of the students initiated the interactive discussion on the above quote. Kids expressed their viewpoints on this quote. We discussed a few examples as well.
Ramayana :
We played a game of Kahoot to recap last class and proceeded with the rest of BalaKand and also initiated the first portion of Ayodhya Kand.
We started with recapping the Rama Sita marriage event at Mithila and its importance or reference in all Hindu marriages. We then discussed their journey back to Ayodhya and along the way the Sage Parasurama discomfiture.
We concluded the Balakanda with Ram and Sita leading a happy married life ( a near perfect) in Ayodhya for 12 years and then King Dasharatha's plan to nominate Sree Rama as the Yuvaraja which was unanimously accepted by all his ministers and also blessed by Sage Vasishta. The festive preparation for the coronation ceremony begin in Ayodhya to coronate Sree Rama as the next king of Ayodhya.
We also heard a brief portion of Guriji's (Swami Tejomayanada Ji) musical rendition of Ramcharitramanas to give a feel for how Ramayana is chanted in some parts of India.
We then introduced Ayodhya Kanda where in there is a dramatic turn of events with Manthara's evil counsel to Kaikeyi and her heinous plan to thwart Rama's coronation and coronate Bharatha as the next king. She convinced Kaikeyi on the plans and reminded her of two boons she was given by King Dasharatha long ago.
Kaikeyi claims her two boons with King Dasharatha 1. Let Bharata be crowned as king and not Rama. And 2. Rama should be banished from the kingdom for fourteen years". King Dasharatha who came in to share the happy news of nominating Sree Rama as the next heir to the kingdom is heart broken by Kaikeyi's demand and is torn between his love for his son Rama and the Dharma to fulfill his boons.
We then concluded the class with Bhagavad Gita chanting and closing prayers. We will continue with rest of Ayodhya Khanda next week.
Bhagavad Gita : Chapter 2 verses 3-4
This week kids followed and repeated after Swamiji's chanting of verses 3-4. Please ask your kids to practice at home.
Here is the youtube link to follow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpxXftSrWRM&feature=youtu.be
Aarthi, Closing Prayers and Pledge :
We wrapped our class with Aarthi, Closing Prayers and Pledge
Next Class : Oct 30th (2 Weeks break for Navratri)
Take a moment to discuss the significance of Navratri and how it is celebrated etc. This would be a topic of discussion as we begin the next class.
Happy Navratri to all of you.
Thanks and Hari Om
Purnima and Shankar
