Hari Om! Parents,
We began class with starting prayers, Namaste Astu Bhagavan chant...
followed by a beautiful meditation with invitation to all to visualize
Shiva in the mind and offer 3 steps of pooja mentally.
Continuing with last week's topic of daanam- we examined Karna as
model of daanam. How much he valued giving that it felt natural to him
to give even before thinking if he would some how be impacted. How
many of us can claim that we value giving in that way- we may think it
impractical, foolish even to give without thinking.And in Karna's own
life, it was not this giving that hurt him, it was the giving of his
loyalty to adharma that hurt him. Karna's giving was effortless.
We narrated a story of Karna:
Once a distraught Brahmana came to Arjuna, saying his wife had died
and he needed some sandalwood to cremate her. Arjuna sent his men to
get the sandalwood but his men could not find some. Then the Brahmana
went to Karna and asked for the same. Karna too sent his money to find
the sandalwood but his men could not obtain it.
Karna immediately cut off the support beams of his palace which was
made of sandalwood. His people were aghast witnessing the incident.
Discussed other types of daanam,
Annadaanam- the highest of all as the recipient is fully satisfied .
Godaanam- giving of cows, considered mother like as, cows fulfilled
most needs of families in rural India.
Vidyadaanam- giving of knowledge - linked to the proverb- Give a man a
fish and you feed him for a day.Teach a man how to fish and you feed
him for a lifetime. Knowledge makes one strong, independent and
fearless and for this reason, all secular as well as spiritual
teachers are greatly respected.
Abhayadaanam, giving protection to people in need
Discussed the following points from the Bhagavad Gita Chap 17 on danam
A gift given to a proper person at the proper place to a worthy person
is satvic danam
A gift given with a view to receive something in return is rajasic danam
A gift given at the wrong place and time to an unworthy person without
respect is tamasic danam
Noble people give without publicity, and without expectations
Rajasic people give with a business frame of mind
Upanishad says
Give with faith, not without faith, give with sympathy
Swami Vivekananda's quote : The need of the soul is greater than the
hunger of the body
The next value we explored was Shraddha. Loosely translated as faith
or conviction, we discussed examples of seekers developing shraddha,
their shraddha being tested and them emerging stronger for having
placed shraddha in God, dharma. Vibhishana stayed and advised his
brother Ravana to return Sita and avoid war all he no longer could and
then decided to join Rama's army and place his support in the one he
had shraddha in.
Kumbhakarna also advised Ravana to return Sita, but decided to support
his brother Ravana. The result is there for us to see.
Going back to Karna-due to his warped loyalty to Duryodhana, Karna
supported him through many adharmic events.His shraddha to what he had
learned and what he knew to be true was tested by Duryodana's
exaggerated generosity and he felt bound by it.
Discussed the following points from the Bhagavad Gita Chap 17 on Shraddha
A natural desire and respect for knowledge is satvic shraddha
Natural desire for personal name and fame is rajasic shraddha
No desire for knowledge and sticking to ignorance is tamasic shraddha
Bhakti is culmination of shraddha when pursued systematically under a
teacher's guidance
The students hit the nail on the head about faith- that it is a matter
of fact to those that have it. No logic, rationale is needed.(
conversely to those that don't have it, no logic is enough)
Discussed Rabindranath Tagore's quote,
Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when he dawn is still dark.
Next BV is on March 19
Reminders:
- Slokathon is on March 20
- Please register for Bhagavad Geeta chanting competition
Pranaams
Uma & Nirmala
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