Hari Om,
We started our class with 3 Om chantings, followed by our regular shlokas. We then continued with another short quiz of Adi Parva and the saints studied so far. It was
actively participated in by all the kids.
Mahabharata continues- the second Parva, Sabha Parva, starts with Maya, the architect of the Asuras, wanting to give something in return to Arjuna for saving his life. Arjuna refuses to accept anything in return. But Maya is adamant and wants to show his gratitude, so Arjuna relents and asks Maya to do something for Krishna instead, so Maya asks him what he wants. Krishna realizes that the time has come when the world has to be shaken out of its complacency. Krishna sees the future, in which he sees the Kurukshtra war with all the bodies of the kings. He remembers his promise to his dear attendants, Jaya and Vijaya, who are waiting for their third and final life on earth (the first being Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakadipu, the second being Ravana and Kumbakarna and last one being born as Sisupala and Dantavaktra - we did this story in 3rd grade!). Krishna has to grant them release from human bondage, and decides to begin the act of destruction so that they can eventually be freed.
Krishna asks Maya to build a unique Sabha (hall) for Yudhishthira. Krishna then decides to leave for Dwaraka after taking leave of his aunt Kunti, the brothers, Draupadi and Subhadra. The Sabha is completed after fourteen months. It exceeds even Sudharma, the Sabha of Indira. The Pandavas are speechless with amazement. Maya then gives the names Kapidvaja (as his chariot has Hanuman on the flag) and Swetavahana (because of his white horses) to Arjuna and takes his leave. Rishis and kings from all over visit the spectacular Sabha. Many like Satyaki stay back to learn archery from Arjuna.
Subhadra has a son named Abhimanyu. Draupadi has five sons, Prativindhya from Yudhishthira, Sutasoma from Bheema, Srutajarman from Arjuna, Sataanika from Nakula and Srutasena from Sahadeva. There was peace and tranquillity in the kingdom but this was a lull before the storm!
Narada visits the Sabha, and Yudhishthira asks him about the various Sabhas he has visited in the other worlds. Narada goes on to describe the various sabhas he has visited, including the great ones of Yama, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and Brahma. He tells Yudhishthira that the kind Harischandra occupies the throne with Indra, while Shantanu and Pandu are in Yama's court. Yudhishthira is surprised on hearing this as he feels his father was a very pure person, but Pandu is with Yama and not with Indra. Narada, who has come for this very reason, goes on to explain that he met Pandu. Pandu suggested to Narada to tell Yudhishthira to perform the Rajasuya yagna- a ritual turning a king into an emperor- with his four brothers and Krishna in his side. He warned that it will not be easy to conquer the entire world, but once done all their ancestors, including Shantanu and Pandu, can enter the Sabha of Indira. Narada blesses the Pandavas and takes leave.
Thoughts of conquest, till now strangers to the mind of Yudhishthira, begin to occur. That his father has asked him to perform the Yagna, motivates Yudhishthira and he puts forth for approval in his court. Everybody is very enthusiastic and Yudhishthira sends for Krishna and asks him for guidance. Krishna considers it a good idea but warns him of Jarasandha and his powerful friends like Sisupala, Dantavaktra, Bhagadatta, Rukmi, Paundraka. The Kauravas will also support Jarasandha. Jarasandha is a sworn enemy of the Vrishnis, as Krishna had killed his son-in-law Kamsa. Krishna feels that once Jarasandha is killed, there is nothing to worry about and that the yagna will be completed. Yudhishthira is a little apprehensive on hearing this and is not very eager about the Rajasuya yagna. But Bheema and Arjuna are very gung ho about the whole Jarasandha debacle. Krishna recounts to them the story of Jarasandha's life.
The kingdom of Magadha was ruled by Jarasandha. His father was Brihadratha. He was given the gift of a fruit to bear a child, which he divided between his two queens. This resulted in the birth of half a child by each queen. The two pieces were thrown out of the palace gates, and they were found by a rakshasi named Jara. She put the pieces together and behold a complete child was formed. She handed over the baby to the king. Brihadratha, in gratitude, named the child Jarasandha. This son was gifted with divine powers, would not be killed by any ordinary person, and would be favored by Lord Shankara. Yudhishthira, on hearing this, is not for fighting him. But he is convinced by Krishna, Bheema and Arjuna and these three leave for Magadha. They climb the walls of the palace to see Jarasandha and challenge him to a duel. Jarasandha agrees to fight Bheema. But because of the ill omens he has seen in Magadha, Jarasandha first crowns his son Sahadeva as the king. Bheema and Jarasandha start a duel with both unable to outdo the other. Bheema sees an opportunity and throws Jarasandha with force. His body splits into two but magically join back. Krishna, knowing the trick to end Jarasandha's life, shows Bheema how to do it. Using a leaf for demonstration, Krishna explains that Bheema has to separate Jarasandha into pieces, and most importantly, throw the pieces in different corners, making sure the pieces don't align. Bheema follows as instructed and throws the pieces with one leg and one half of the head corresponding. Thus Jarasandha is killed as the parts cannot join back. With Jarasandha's death, the Pandavas feel the path is clear now. Krishna is relieved with the outcome and leaves for Dwaraka with the promise that he and the Vrishni clan will be back in Indraprastha for the Rajasuya yagna.
The preparations for the Rajasuya yagna are in full swing. Yudhishthira sends his brothers to the four quarters to get the allegiances of the kings or fight those who offer resistance. Arjuna chooses the north, Bheema the east, Nakula the west and Sahadeva the south. All the brothers are very successful in their endeavors. Sahadeva, on reaching the south, decides to win the friendship of Vibeeshana, who is in Lanka. Sahadeva decides to send his nephew Ghatotkacha to the island. Ghatotkacha goes to Lanka, and on the way sees the bridge built for Rama to cross over. Vibeeshana is very happy to meet the young boy and hear stories about the Pandavas, their goodness, their valour and their love for Krishna. He sends back valuable gifts. Nakula invites the Vrishnis, including Vasudeva, to Indraprastha. Krishna and Vyaasa start making arrangements for the Rajasuya. Yudhishthira sends Nakula to Hastinapur to invite Bheeshma, Drona, Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, his sons, and Radheya. All guests start to arrive, and wealth is literally pouring into the treasury. Duryodhana is in charge of the treasury. His heart is fuming with envy seeing the accolades his cousins are getting. Narada also comes and is filled with doom thinking of all the bloodshed that is just about to begin. The Rajasuya is in progress and Yudhishthira's coronation is over.
Bheeshma asks Yudhishthira to welcome all the sages and kings who have come for the yagna. He asks the newly-crowned emperor to first select the guest of honor and start the process of worshiping this guest. He suggests the name of Krishna for this seat of honor. The brothers are extremely pleased with the suggestion. Sahadeva is asked to get the articles necessary for worship, though not all are happy with this turn of events. But Sisupala is the most vocal. He goes on to insult the choice of the cowherd Krishna, as well as Bheeshma for suggesting him. Bheema is agitated with Sisupala and is shocked to see the calm Bheeshma. Bheeshma goes on tell Bheema about the prophecy that Sisupala is destined to meet his death at the ends of Krishna. He goes on tell the story.
We also continued with our learning of verses 15 and 16. I have sent the link for these verses in our WhatsApp group. Please use these available resources to familiarize the kids with Geeta chanting. We also recorded chanting of verse 11-14 by 4 students. I will send the recording, which will fetch our class house points. We encourage parents to also send recordings of their child. This can be sent to
cnjbalaviharhouses@gmail.com. We ended our class with closing prayers and pledge. We will not have class next week. See you all the following week. Happy Makar Sankranthi/Pongal/Lohri/ Uttarayan!
Regards,
Raji and Rekha
