Hari Om Dear Parents,
Here is this week's update: Feb 5th 2021
Likhita Japa, Opening Prayers, Dhyana Sholka, Nama Ramayana
Activity:
We played a game of wheel of fortune with kids and went over some questions on Ramayana.
Ramayana Story :
Vibheeshana approached Rama seeking protection from Raavana. Sugreeva, Jaambavan, Angada and other vaanaras were very suspicious of Vibheeshana. They advised Rama to not include him. Rama asked Hanuman for his suggestion. Hanuman thought that Vibheeshana was speaking the truth and there couldnt be any other hidden reason why a brother of such evil Raavana would be willing to join them. Rama explained that he would give protection to anyone that approached him and accepted him. They coronated Vibheeshana as Lanka's next King. Vibheeshana helped in planning of the war.
Rama prayed to seagod for 3 days but in vain. Rama got upset and asked Lakshmana to bring his bow and arrows, upon which the Seagod appeared in front of him and suggested that he would hold anything thats thrown at him and not let it sink. Nala, son of Vishwakarma architected the bridge and the vaanara army started building it with big rocks, boulders and trees. This bridge was called 'Nala Bridge', 'Rama Setu' and eventually 'Adams Bridge'.
We asked one of the kids to present on this bridge next week.. stay tuned!
Rama, Lakshmana, Sugreeva and his vaanara army crossed the ocean and reached Lanka. As planned, Neela was stationed in the East, Angada in the South, Hanuman in the West against Indrajit while Rama, Lakshmana in the North to meet Raavana. As the war began, Sugreeva jumped on Raavana impulsively but Raavana restored to magic and Sugreeva came back without an option. Rama asked Angada to deliver a message to Raavana - either send Sita back, leave Lanka to Vibheeshana and run away or fight a war, die and his sins would be washed away.
Raavana sent one of his ministers, Suka and a few others to disguise and spy on Rama. Vibheeshana recognized them and brought them over to Rama. Rama forgave them and sent them back. Suka went back, reported to Raavana that he was intimidated by Rama, Lakshmana and advised Raavana to run away. Suka showed all of them to Raavana as they climbed high towers. As a last attempt he restored again to magic and took just a head that looked like Rama's to Sita. He claimed that he killed Rama and forced Sita to marry him. Sita started crying when she saw this but when Raavana had to leave the place to take care of the war and the head turned into fumes. There were good-hearted rakshashis like Trijata who constantly helped Sita see a plot or magic, giving her faith and hope.
As the war progressed, thousands died on either side. Indrajit's golden chariot was destroyed by Angada. Indrajit used his magical powers and used arrows that turned into snakes spitting venomous gas. Rama and Lakshmana found themselves trapped and fell uncoscious. Indrajit reported this back to Raavana. They flew Sita in Puspaka Vimana over the warfield and showed her the stae of Rama, claiming they were dead. Again, Trijata calmed Sita saying that both Rama and Lakshmana's faces were bright and hence were not dead. Rama got up with his sheer will-power, but started crying when he saw Lakshmana's state. As everyone started debating on how to save both of them, Garuda flew over Rama and Lakshmana and scared the snakes away. Rama and Lakshmana regained their consciousness.
Bhagavad Gita : Chapter 2 verses 21, 22:
This week kids followed and repeated after Swamiji's chanting of verses 21-22. Please ask your kids to practice at home. Some of the kids suggested that we revised BG in the class. We plan to start revising 5 verses a week
Aarthi, Closing Prayers and Pledge :
We wrapped our class with Aarthi, Closing Prayers and Pledge
Next Class : Feb 19th
Thanks and Hari Om
Purnima and Shankar
