Hari Om Parents,
Sept 24, 2023
We started with daily prayers. After which we practiced Rama bhajan. Encourage your children to practice the bhajan book - it is in my prayers book on page 144.
We did revision of what was taught in last class. We briefly discussed story of sage Valmiki – how Ratnakar the dacoit became Sage Valmiki. Sage Narada visits Sage Valmiki's ashram. Sage Valmiki asks him if there is a human being who is currently living who has all 16 virtues fully – virtues like one who is truthful, compassionate, powerful, humble etc.. Naradji says yes there is Sri Rama in Ayodhya who has all these virtues and more and tells Ramayana story in brief to Sage Valmiki (in 100 verses). Later Sage Valmiki composes first sholka after he sees a hunter kill one of the Krauncha birds. Lord Brahma comes to his ashram and blesses him to compose Ramayana. With Lord Brahmaji's blessing Ramayana is composed (24,000 verses).
We then went into the story of Ramayana. It was done in interactive way – always involving the children. Kingdom of Kholsa, which has Ayodhya as capital, was ruled by King Dasartha – who had three wives – Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. But he did not have any sons. So after discussing with his ministers and Sage Vasistha he decided to do putrakamesthi yajna to have children, this was done under supervision of Rshyasrunga Muni. Divine person at conclusion of yajna comes and gives payasam to King Dasaratha. King distributes it to his wives – later Kausalya gives birth to Sri Rama; Kaikeyi gives birth to Bharatha and Sumitra to Lakshmana and Shatrugna. Naming ceremony was performed by Sage Vasistha few days after birth. Initial education for the young princes was done under guidance of Sage Vasistha.
When the princes are teenagers, Sage Vishwamitra visits Ayodhya. King Dasaratha welcomes him with reverence and asks how he can help Sage Vishwamitra. Sage Vishwamitra asks the King to send Rama to forest with him to protect his yajna which was been disturbed by two demons Mareecha and Subhahu. King Dasaratha was petrified to send young Rama to forest, but on the advice of Sage Vasistha he sent Rama and Lakshmana to the forest along with Sage Vishwamitra.
In the forest Rama constantly asks Sage Vishwamitra several questions whenever he sees something new. One of the first task Rama was entrusted was to kill Thataka, the rakhshasi who was terrorizing all the sages in that forest. Rama valiantly kills her using his prowess. Sage Vishwamitra was pleased with this and gave all his divine weapons to Rama and Lakshmana. Later Rama and Lakshmana go to the ashram where Sage Vishwamitra was doing his yajna, they guard the yajna for 6 days & nights. When Mareecha and Subhahu came to spoil the yajna, Rama kills Subhahu and throws away Mareecha 100 yojanas distance with his arrows. Yajna was successfully completed.
In this part we can see how Rama demonstrates how an ideal student should behave – we analyzed this as a group activity, with students coming up with some of Rama's characteristics that made him an ideal student:
- Inquisitiveness - he asks several questions whenever he sees something new.
- Attentiveness – he listened attentively to all the stories of Sage Vishwamitra, which were answers to his questions
- Obedience – he follows the orders of his elders & teachers.
- Alert and goal oriented – during yajna the demons came only after 6 days, during this time Rama and Lakshmana did not lose sight of their goal and remained alert.
- Humble – after killing demons he did not brag about his prowess.
- Skillful – able to put the knowledge he gained to appropriate use by killing the demons.
More to come.
We also did yoga and stretching exercises in the end. Children enjoyed the activity.
Pranams,
Vyjayanti
Devender
