Dear Parents,
Another interesting week, including discussions and questions on Project Bhakti (presentations to be done by every child on temples, yatras and a place of interest they visited on their trip to India). Our schedule ran as follows:
Opening Prayers:
* Om Sahanā vavatu śloka
* Om Sree Ganeśaya Namaha, Sree Saraswatyai Namaha, Sree Sat Gurubhyo Namaha.
* Daily prayers (as given in the 'My Prayers' book)
Ślokās: Two more verses of the Mahālakśmyaśtakam were learned, and all previous verses with every child chanting.
Mahabharata:
With their disguises in place and a low key profile maintained, the Pandavas and their wife led quiet yet interesting lives. They got comfortable with their new responsibilities, showing great loyalty towards King Virāta. A few months in, a wrestler from a foreign land visited the Matsya kingdom, boasting to be the strongest and challenging the citizens of Matsya to a duel. While the King pondered and worried, Kanka (Yudhisthira) reminded him of the strong wrestler who was also the chief cook in his palace. Vallala (Bheema) was happy to be of service, crushing his opponent very quickly. This victory gave him an even better standing in the eyes of the King.
On the other side of the palace, Sairendhri(Draupadi) was spotted in the garden by the Queen's brother and commander of the Virāta army, Keechaka. Completely smitten, Keechaka refused to listen to the pleas of the Queen or Draupadi's warning that her Gandharva husbands would bring him terrible harm. The Queen in her bid to help her brother, ended up having her flower girl run to the King's court for help. While pleading her case and asking for justice, she realized that even Kanka, who was present, did nothing to alleviate her pain. That night she went to Vallala, telling him to mete out the appropriate punishment to Keechaka. Luring Keechaka to the dance hall, Sairendhri hides while she watches Vallala take Keechaka by surprise, and killing him in one fell swoop. While Vallala returns to his apartments, Sairendhri calls the guards and shows them the dead commander. Angry at her, Keechaka's brothers demand that Sairendhri should also be consumed in Keechaka's funeral pyre. With great skill and prowess, Vallala managed to retrieve the shackled Sairendhri, without revealing his identity.
Meanwhile Radheya had a dream - Agni, dressed as a Brahmin, informed Radheya that he will be visited by Indra (dressed as a Brahmin) to trick him into donating his kavacha and kundalas. While explaining how those were his main protections and that parting with it would drastically reduce his lifespan, Agni asked him to think of his promise to Duryodhana that he would kill Arjuna in the war, and also to consider the plight of his wife Vrushali and his sons Vrushasena and Sushena. Radheya, being known for his generosity, stated that life had never been appealing to him. Even though he now lived a grand life, his beginnings started with abandonment and life thereafter was one disappointment after another. He stated that he will give the 'Brahmin' what he asks for, as that is the vow that he made.
Indra makes that visit the next day, asks for the kavacha and kundalas, and Radheya tears them off his body. This earns him the name Karna (for scarring his ears while tearing off the kundalas). Indra blessed him with his Śakthi weapon, which would kill the person it was aimed at, but return to Indra after just one use. He also removed Karna's scars from having torn the kavacha and kundalas. With this one move, Indra removed the threat of Karna from his son Arjuna's life.
Bhagavad Gita: Chanted verses 5&6 with Swamiji.
Please have the children do their daily prayers regularly and also practice the ślokas and Gita chanting.
Wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous Deepavali🙏🏼
See you all on Friday Nov 20, 2020.
Pranāms,
Viji Lakshmi and Nivedita
Friday Grade 6 sevikas
