Hari Om! Parents
Welcome to our monthly class report for this year. We will be learning the story of Ramayana focusing more on the values learned from the characters. We will also be learning another set of values from Vibhishana Gita which is a conversation between Sri Rama and Vibhishana. We will be discussing the values and learn how we can apply them in our daily lives.
We started with the beginning prayers followed by a short meditation of focusing on the breath to calm our mind
Then we went on with the story of Adi Kavi Valmiki, learning about his transformation from a highway robber to a great saint and writer. He was one of the writers of Ramayana. Sage Narada told him that he was committing a sin of robbing people, for which he was responsible. We learned that with the help of our parents and teachers we can change the course of our lives to the better.
Bal Kanda
We then started telling the story of Ramayana. The first chapter is called Bala Kanda. This talks of the birth of Sri Rama and his three brothers to king Dasharatha and his three wives Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Dasharatha was a noble king who ruled the kingdom of Kosala whose capital was Ayodhya. We learned about their childhood and training in the field of warfare, archery, and the study from the Vedas from their guru Vasishtha. The family belonged to the warrior Kshatriya clan.
At about this time when the princes were around 12 years of age, sage Vishwamitra arrived in Ayodhya and asked for the princes help to kill the demons in the forest. The demons were disturbing the rituals of the rishis. Dasharatha was hesitant to send the princes Rama and Lakshmana for this job as they were very young.. However, on the advice of Guru Vasistha, Dasharatha sends Rama and Lakshmana with Sage Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra was so pleased that he taught Rama to use the divine weapons. This was their first adventure, and they killed the demoness Tataka and her son Subahu. Sri Rama hurled her other son Mareecha far into the sea. Mareecha will return later in our story. Vishwamitra
Vishwamitra was happy that he and the other rishis could complete their yagnas in peace.
Vishwamitra then took Sri Rama and Lakshmana to the kingdom of Mithila which was ruled by a noble and wise king Janaka. King Janaka was performing a yagna and it was the custom that he till his land before the yagna. While doing this he found a beautiful baby as a gift from Mother Earth. He named her Sita. Janaka was looking for a prince to marry Sita. He had a bow which belonged to lord Shiva. Janaka announced that whoever could lift and string the bow could marry Sita. Vishwamitra took Sri Rama and Lakshmana to the yagna. Soon Rama could lift and break the bow easily. Sri Rama was then married to Sita with Dasharatha's permission. Sita's sister and cousins also married Lakshmana Bharata and Shatrughna, the brothers of Lord Rama. While the princes were returning to Ayodhya with their wives they encountered Sage Parashurama, the enemy of Kshatriyas. He challenged Sri Rama to bend Vishnu's bow. The Lord easily bent the bow easily and Parasurama returned to the Himalayas to do his tapas, after realizing the divinity of the Lord. This is the end of Bala Kanda
Ayodhya Kanda
We then entered the second chapter. It is called Ayodhya Kanda. Soon Dasharatha wanted to crown Sri Rama as the crown prince. It was customary to make the oldest prince as the king. Dasharatha decided to crown Rama the king. The people of Ayodhya were very happy as they loved him. The devas in the heaven were not happy as Rama's purpose to come down on earth was to kill the demon, Ravana. So, they devised a plan to send Goddess Saraswathi to earth, to poison the mind of Manthara. She was the personal maid of Kaikeyi. Kaikeyi was a noble queen who loved Rama. But on Manthara's insistence she agreed to ask her husband to make her son Bharatha, king and banish Sri Rama to exile to the forest for fourteen years.
Also had a side discussion that Manthara was only an instrument to send the Lord to the forest for his purpose as an avatara to kill Ravana. She was later born as a hunchback during Krishna Avatara, and due to her devotion towards the Lord was cured by Lord Krishna
Continuing with the story, Dasharatha is shocked. He had given two boons to Kaikeyi earlier, and now he had to abide by it. He tried to reason with Kaikeyi, but she would not listen. Dasharatha had to choose between his love for Sri Rama and his love for dharma. He chose dharma.
Sri Rama pledges his word to his father, as he felt it was a small thing. He did not want to be king and preferred the life of an ascetic where he could live in the company of sages in the forest.
But Lakshmana was angry as he was devoted to his brother. Sri Rama consoled Lakshmana and taught him about following duties towards parents. Sita too did not care for the comforts of the palace. Both Sita and Lakshmana decided to accompany Sri Rama to the forest. Kaikeyi got special clothes made of tree bark for Rama, Lakshmana and Sita. The people of Ayodhya were heart broken. Their beloved Rama was not going to be king.
Rama, Lakshmana and Sita got ready to leave for the forest after taking leave of their mothers and father. Everyone was heartbroken. Sumantra, a minister of Dasharatha got the chariot ready. They carried minimum supplies, like bows, arrows, spade, baskets etc. Sumantra drove the chariot to the River Tamasa. Some of the residents of Ayodhya followed them sadly. They too preferred to live in the forest with their beloved Rama. They decided to rest near the banks of the river. Sri Rana woke up before dawn and asked Sumantra to drive them when the people were asleep. He told Sumantra to first drive the chariot towards Ayodhya and then drive them to the other side of the river. The people would think that they have left for Ayodhya. The chariot rolled on till they reached the banks of the river Ganga. Here they were met by the tribal chief Guha. Guha welcomed them and told them they could spend their fourteen years here. But Sri Rama refused with great humility and said he had renounced his kingdom and wanted to lead the life of an ascetic. Sri Rama asked Sumantra to go back to Ayodhya and take of his parents. He then asked Guha to take them to the other bank. They were completely on their own. A new phase in their lives had begun.
Values learned:
From Dasharatha- his love for Sri Rama, his devotion to dharma, devotion to sages
From Sri Rama- bravery, compassion, being calm, Devotion to dharma
Lakshmana- love for Sri Rama, selflessness, bravery
Manthara- keep good company
Terms taught and discussed:
Dharma- Our duty, Sri Ram followed and taught dharma to mother Kausalya, Lakshmana, Sumantra, Guha etc..
Karma and Karma Phala- Dasharatha accidentally killed Shravana Kumar and separated him from his old parents and cause pain. He too had to endure pain while getting separated from his beloved son Sri Rama.
Viveka- differentiate between good and pleasant. Kaikeyi didn't follow her right judgment and blindly followed Manthara instructions.
We discussed these values and how they can enhance our lives
Announcements:
Garba on Oct 14th at the ashram
Next class on Oct 6th
Thank you!
Pranams
Nirmala and Mythili
