Hari Om,
We started our class with 3 Om chantings, followed by our regular shlokas.
Then, we continued with our Saints presentation. This week we had two presentations, one on Mirabai and one on Saint Jnaneshwar.
Mirabai was born as a princess in a royal family in Rajasthan. From a very young age she was deeply in love with and very devoted to Krishna. She unwillingly married Bhoj Raj, the crown prince of Mewar. She did not want to marry as she always felt she was married to Lord Krishna. Her in laws tried to poison her many times as she did not follow normal practices of the time and also mingled amongst commoners. But they were never successful. Towards the end, she set out on a pilgrimage to Mathura and Dwaraka, and she remained in Dwaraka. Legend says she disappeared into the idol of Krishna.
Saint Jnaneshwar was born in Maharashtra. He took keen interest in the Bhagvad Geeta from a young age, and his most important teaching is "All are equal". Jnaneshwar suceeded in translating the Bhagvad Geeta from Sanskrit to Marathi. He did this so that the common man would understand it. This is known as Jnaneshwari Gita.
Mahabharata continues- The Pandavas arrive in Kamyaka forest. Krishna, along with his wife Satyabhama, comes to meet the Pandavas. They are meeting each other after a long time. Krishna updates Draupadi about all her children, who are with Krishna for their education. Sage Markandeya and Sage Narada also arrive there. They spend some time narrating different stories. The Pandavas are extremely eager to hear them and are humbled by the sages' stories. After a few days, all the visitors leave. Meanwhile, Duryodhana is dreading the end of the exile period - it seemed to be a long time at the beginning. He wants to know how the Pandavas are doing. Radheya makes a plan for all of them to go visit their cow station which is close to Kamyaka and with this excuse to see the Pandavas and show off their wealth and status.
The Kauravas go to Dwaitavana as they got the news from their spies that the Pandavas are there now. The Kauravas see a beautiful lake and decide to have some fun there along with their wives. The lake is already occupied by a gandharva. Duryodhana sends his servants to ask the gandharva to leave the lake. The gandharva flatly refuses. This infuriates Duryodhana. The army of Duryodhana fights against the gandharva and his soldiers. The Kauravas are defeated and the gandharva takes Duryodhana, Dussasana and all their brothers as prisoners. The remaining people run to Yudhishthira seeking help. Yudhishthira being a noble soul commands his brothers to fight the gandharva. A fierce battle is fought. Finally, the gandharva reveals himself. He is none other than the dear friend of Arjuna, Chitrasena. Chitrasena discloses the reason for all this. This was a plan made by Indra to teach Duryodhana a lesson for his sick mentality of wanting to see the Pandavas suffering during the exile. He hands over the prisoners to Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira releases all of them and advices them to not behave in such a stupid and spiteful manner again. Duryodhana is humiliated. Duryodhana initially repents for all the injustice and wicked things he has done to his cousins but then goes back to his usual self and feels that he is the best person to rule the world. Duryodhana now decides to perform the Rajasuya yagna. Radheya sets out on his conquests to fight the kings who decide to defy Duryodhana. A messenger is also sent out to the Pandavas. They of course refuse to come as they are still in exile. The Rajasuya yagna is completed successfully. Radheya takes a vow that he will kill Arjuna in the war.
It is the final year of exile. Yudhishthira is extremely unhappy. He wants a change of scene. They all decide to go to Kamyaka. One day, the brothers go on a hunting trip leaving behind Draupadi with Dhaumya. Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu and the husband of Dussala passes by with his friend. He sees Draupadi and unable to recognize her, falls in love with her. He approaches her and asks her to come with him. She is shocked and warns him. He picks her up and carries her to his chariot. Dhaumya is unable to fight him. Evil omens warn Yudhishthira. They hurry back and hear the ghastly act of their brother in law. They go in pursuit and challenge Jayadratha and his army. The army is easily defeated. Jayadratha leaves Draupadi in his chariot and flees. Yudhishthira warns Bheema not to kill him. Arjuna and Bheema manage to capture Jayadratha and disfigure him by cutting his hair in a grotesque manner. Yudhishthira feels sorry for him and releases him. Jayadratha, now humiliated does tapas to please Lord Shiva. Shiva is happy and tells him to ask for a boon. Jayadratha wants to defeat the Pandavas in the war. Shankara says that it is not possible as the Pandavas are invincible and under the guidance of Krishna. But he promises Jayadratha that if he meets the Pandavas without Krishna and Arjuna, then he has the power to defy them. Jayadratha is happy. Meanwhile, Yudhishthira is still not happy and they move back to the picturesque Dwaitavana.
It is the last few months. One day a Brahmin comes with a appeal that a deer entered his hut and carried away the sticks used for his daily rituals. The Pandavas leave at once in pursuit of the deer. They go very far and suddenly the deer disappears. Yudhishthira is unhappy as he cannot please the Brahmin. They sit down and talk about all the calamities befalling them. They talk about the sinners like Dussasana, Radheya and Shakuni whom they should have killed earlier. Yudhishthira calms his brothers. Meanwhile since all are thirsty, Nakula climbs a tree and spots a lake in the vicinity. He hurries to the lake. The water is cool and inviting. He reaches the lake to drink some water. Suddenly, he hears a voice from nowhere warning him not to drink before answering a few questions. Nakula ignores and starts drinking. Immediately he falls down dead. Next Sahadeva comes in search of Nakula. He meets the same fate. This is followed by Arjuna and Bheema. Now at last Yudhishthira comes there. He is stunned to see all his brothers dead. He laments to himself and sits down. Suddenly, he sees the water and realizes his throat is parched. He walks to the lake to drink some water. The unknown voice again warns him not to drink the water but to first answer don't questions. The voice also says the reason for his brothers death being not following the instructions given. Yudhishthira wants to know whom the voice belongs to. A Yaksha appears. Yudhishthira salutes the yaksha and agrees to answer all the questions put forth by the yaksha. The yaksha asks 33 questions which are answered satisfactorily by Yudhishthira. The yaksha is immensely pleased and tells Yudhishthira that he can bring back to life one of his brothers. Yudhishthira wants Nakula to be brought back to life. The yaksha is surprised as Yudhishthira did not choose one of his own brothers. Yudhishthira says that since he has 2 mothers, he wants atleast 1 son of each alive. The yaksha is very happy and brings back to life all the brothers. Yudhishthira realizes that this yaksha is someone else in disguise. He asks the yaksha and he reveals his true form. It is Yama, his father. Yama tells him that he is very pleased with him and that he has conquered the kingdom called Righteousness. Yama was the deer who had taken away the aarni. Yama blesses him with success and grants him a boon that no one will recognize the Pandavas in disguise in the last year. Yudhishthira falls at his feet and asks for another boon, a victory in his fight over six deadly enemies: lust, anger, avarice, possessiveness, arrogance and envy. Yama smiles and assures him that he has already gained victory over those vices. This brings them to the end of the twelfth year. They have one more year in hiding. The assurances of the lord of Dharma put new life into the hearts of the Pandavas. They begin to discuss the plans for their Ajnaatavaasa.
We also spoke about Ram Navami and why we celebrate the day. We also have most of our New year's coming up. Next week, we are planning to talk about how uniquely each of us celebrate it.
See you all next week and Happy New year to all celebrating this week!
Regards,
Raji and Rekha
