Hari OM,
This week we started our class with prayers. We continued learning Mahishasura Mardini stotram in this class - everyone in the class was asked to chant the fourth verse until they were comfortable with the pronunciation. This was followed by a discussion on the preparation for our Class Program on Apr 18. Vijay presented 5 different scenarios that could be included in the virtual skit/play. We have picked students to write scripts for 4 of the skits and will be reviewing their draft scripts in the next class.
This was followed by the continuation of the Mahabharata:
- On the twelfth day, Arjuna fights valiantly and Drona is unable to capture Yudhishtra. Duryodhana is offended that Drona is unable to keep his promise and speaks in an insulting and sarcastic tone to Drona as he had done with Bheeshma. Drone is hurt by these words but vows to make it up to Duryodhana by killing a key warrior on the Pandavas side.
- On the thirteenth day, Dronacharya arranges the army in the impenetrable chakravyuha formation and the Trigartas once again lure Arjuna away from the battle-field by challenging him. The formation is impenetrable and Yudhishtra laments that only Arjuna is able to break in. Abhimanyu says that he can penetrate the formation and Yudhishtra vows to protect him. However, Jayadratha impedes the progress of the rest of the Pandava army and Abhimanyu has to fight the Kauravas on his own.
- Duryodhana's son is killed, and Duryodhana vows with Sakuni, Karna, and Drona to kill Abhimanyu by any means necessary. The Kaurava heroes decide to use unfair means and attack Abhimanyu from behind, attack him while he is rising up from the ground, and finally kill him in a very harsh and cruel manner. Yudhishtra is very upset and feels responsible that he was unable to protect Abhimanyu as a result of Jayadratha.
- Arjuna returns to the Pandava camp that night and is also very upset - he vows to kill Jayadratha the next day.
We also learnt two new verses 29-30 of the Bhagavad Gita in this class. This was followed by the Chinmaya Pledge.
Pranaams!
Krishna and Vijay
