Hari om Parents,
Here is a summary of our class on 12/10/23 -
1. We chanted 3 OM's and said our beginning prayers - Om sahna bhavtu then a shlok for Lord Ganesha (Vakratunda Mahakaya), Devi Saraswati (Saraswati Namastubhyam) and one for our Guru (Guru Bramha) respectively.
2. Meditation time - This was super awesome and looks like everyone needed it.
3. Story time - King Prithu
There was a noble ruler by name Prithu, who was a descendant of Dhruva. Prithu was very kind at heart and he was very good to all his subjects. Soon after he was crowned the king, the entire country was celebrating it just by making merry and having a lot of fun through different festivities. The festivities were prolonged for a number of days. As the celebration was still on, the news of famine struck in Prithu's kingdom came to the king as a shock. The famine was extremely terrible not that of food and grains but also that of strength and beauty, art and music, love and goodness. King Prithu was very upset about the unfortunate situation of his people and his land and was wondering why the mother earth has stopped yielding. One day the mother earth came in the guise of a cow and explained to Prithu what was the cause of his worry. Mother earth told that she has got all the seeds of the vegetables and herbs by bossom. She said if she had got all the seeds at a single stretch there would have been nothing left for the future. She said that they are all within her getting rot. She said unless and until man makes some effort to exert himself only then she can give them. After the request of Mother Earth, Prithu and his subjects worked hard and prepared the soil and soon the vegetables and herbs started giving life after the sweat and toil as manure. Now Mother Earth looked green and happy again and man was very happy with enough food and grains.
Mother Earth seeing the hard work of her children fulfilled all the desires of her children and gave them prosperity. The King was very pleased with her and he embraced and accepted her as his daughter. Thus she was also referred to by the name Prithu, the daughter of Prithvi. So after this the king decided to conduct a yagna for the good of the people and the natural resources. The yagna was conducted on a major scale and the king invited all the devas of the celestial sphere and his people to the sacrifice. The sacrifice was also graced by Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu advised the king not to injure or neglect anyone and to treat all the living beings alike for it was he who lives in their soul. He also told the king not to be carried away either by joy or not to lose heart at times of difficulties for which the mind should be kept under total control and devoted to the Lord acting wise. Prithu prostrated before his Lord and accepted to follow his words and where he wished to have a mind which is always devoted to Sri Vishnu and sing and hear only the praises of Lord. Then Prithu began to teach all his subjects on how to gain supreme knowledge by doing rightly things in the world. He also taught them to dedicate and sincerely serve themselves to the Lord.
Mother Earth seeing the hard work of her children fulfilled all the desires of her children and gave them prosperity. The King was very pleased with her and he embraced and accepted her as his daughter. Thus she was also referred to by the name Prithu, the daughter of Prithvi. So after this the king decided to conduct a yagna for the good of the people and the natural resources. The yagna was conducted on a major scale and the king invited all the devas of the celestial sphere and his people to the sacrifice. The sacrifice was also graced by Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu advised the king not to injure or neglect anyone and to treat all the living beings alike for it was he who lives in their soul. He also told the king not to be carried away either by joy or not to lose heart at times of difficulties for which the mind should be kept under total control and devoted to the Lord acting wise. Prithu prostrated before his Lord and accepted to follow his words and where he wished to have a mind which is always devoted to Sri Vishnu and sing and hear only the praises of Lord. Then Prithu began to teach all his subjects on how to gain supreme knowledge by doing rightly things in the world. He also taught them to dedicate and sincerely serve themselves to the Lord.
One day knowing that king Prithu was a wise and a noble king he was visited by the four Sanatkumaras. They came to hear and learn his preachings about the almighty and also to be pleased by his conversation upon the nature of God. The Sanatkumaras also delighted the king by giving lectures on lust, anger, greed, pride, delusion and jealousy which makes the main contents of the ocean of the world. To cross this ocean in a boat one should accept the Lord as their ferryman for he will help us in crossing the ocean with perfect ease. Now the king started spreading more and more thoughts about God and his nature. Soon he handed over his kingdom to his son, Vijitasva and settled in the forest spending his rest of life in meditation and finally gave up his body and soul merged at the feet of the Lord.
4. Game time - The video and pictures are shared on Whatsapp group. So much fun and energy.
5. Geeta chanting - We chanted 2 shlokas along with Swamiji's video.
6. Aarti and pledge in the temple.
See you all in the next class!
Regards,
Chitra & Rupa.
