Hari om everyone,
We will resume sending out updates of our class as we are almost done with our prep for the presentation.
Gitaa Chanting Yagna is done and we are SO proud and happy to say almost 25% of our high schoolers participated in chanting, either memorized or in the reading category! We are super impressed and happy to see our cool kids setting an example for all their youngsters who look up to their bhaiyyas and didis :).
Although gitaa yagna is done, we continue to chant all the bhagavadgeeta verses assigned as the goal of learning gitaa is never the competition alone! The purpose is to carry it on for life and contemplate deeper as we grow.
We resumed our study of chapter sixteen of the Gita. This chapter focuses on traits of the saintly and the demoniac. We briefly reviewed some of the divine traits and comprehensively these are:
1. Fearlessness
2. Purity of Heart
3. Steadfastness
4. Giving
5. Control of the senses
6. Study of the Shaastras
7. Straightforwardness
8. Harmlessness
9. Truthfulness
10. Even tempered-ness
11. Spirit of renunciation
12. Peacefulness
13. Absence of crookedness
14. Compassion
15. Non-covetousness
16. Gentleness and Modesty
17. Absence of fickleness
18. Vigorousness
19. Forgiveness
20. Fortitude
21. Purity/cleanliness
22. Absence of Hatred
23. Absence of Pride
Each of us needs to review these traits, considering carefully what needs improvement and what should be carried forward. The cultivation of these traits prepares one toward a spiritual mindset that is receptive to the true nature of the Self.
Opposite these are the demonic qualities such as hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance. The cultivation of these qualities leads to the endless dependence on gratification provided by the material world; this also leaves us susceptible to the vagaries, pains, and sorrows inflicted upon us by the world. Those with demoniac natures are subjected to constant pain and turmoil within.
We focused on ignorance and anger in this class. We discussed two separate stories of actions blinded by anger. One was of a lady and her pet mongoose. Seeing a blood smeared mouth of the mongoose, she feared that it had harmed her baby and killed it, only to find out later that the mongoose had killed a snake that was near the baby's cradle! Alas, her hasty action had done the damage already!
The other story was of a warlord who tried to drink water from a spring after a grueling battle. His pet hawk kept knocking the water from his hands. He grew angrier with each occurrence of this and so he finally struck down his pet with his sword. He only then noticed that there was a snake in the water whose venom had poisoned the water. The bird had saved his life and he had struck it down in his ignorance and anger! Our anger can blind us to our own actions and we might end up regretting them in hindsight! This is very detrimental to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
We will move onto chapter 17 next week.
Have a great rest of the week and see you soon!
Regards,
Raghav and Rashmi.
