Hari Om,
We started our class with Likitha Japa while waiting for all to come inside the class and get settled in. We started our class with 3 Om's followed by our morning prayers.
Mahabharata continues- Vana Parva (combined Jan 21st and Jan 28th lessons)
The Pandavas looked to move to another quiet and serene environment, as they still have 12 more years of exile. Arjuna suggests the peaceful and beautiful Dwaitavana. All agree to the proposal. Yudhishthira finds peace in the company of the Rishis of the forest. Markandeya, the great Sage, visits them. Markandeya says he is reminded of the similarity between Yudhishthira and Sri Rama, who also did not swerve from Dharma, delivering justice in the end and finally ruling the world. Markandeya spends a few days with them and leaves promising to come back later. Yudhishthira is extremely happy in the forest listening to discourses on Vedanta etc. He enjoys the peace after all the tense situations he had to face the last few years. But Draupadi and Bheema are extremely unhappy. Both cannot forget the injustice and spend day and night reliving the horrible day in Hastinapur. Arjuna is caught in between both his brothers.
One evening, Draupadi, unable to take it anymore, tells Yudhishthira about her worries seeing the Pandavas so mellow and lost. She tells Yudhishthira that he is not behaving like a true Kshatriya. Her intent is to rouse his anger. Bheema also joins Draupadi in making Yudhishthira take up arms to fight the Kauravas for the injustice meted out to them. Yudhishthira justifies his reasons to be patient and refuses to swerve from Dharma. He tells them after thirteen years when the Kauravas refuse to give back the kingdom, that will be the time to fight them and not before.
While all this is happening, Vyaasa visits them. He tells them that war is inevitable. He reminds them that the Kauravas are equally strong and are supported by very able warriors, such as Bheeshma, Drona, Radheya etc. Vyaasa reminds them about the promise Indra had given Arjuna on defeating him, in the burning of the Khandava forest. The promise was to give Arjuna all the astras Indra possesses. Vyaasa thinks this is the right time to do so. He also suggests Arjuna should proceed to the north, do penance to please Lord Shiva so that he gives Arjuna his own Pasupata astra. He also finally asks them to leave Dwaitavana and go back to Kamyaka. The Pandavas set out towards Kamyaka. It is their sixth year in exile. Arjuna gets ready for his journey north and takes a sad leave of his brothers and wife.
Arjuna crosses Himavan and goes to Indrakila. He meets an ascetic who insists that Arjuna remove his armor and weapons before sitting down to meditate. Arjuna refuses even after much persuasion from the ascetic who finally reveals himself. It is Lord Indra. Arjuna requests the promised weapons. Arjuna also tells him the reason for coming there. Indra asks him to first see Lord Shiva and get the Pasupata astra. Once that is done, Indra promises to hand over his astras. Arjuna starts the severe penance. Shiva and Parvati come there dressed as a hunter and his wife. At that time, Mooka, a raksasha, takes the form of a wild boar and attacks Arjuna. Arjuna takes his gandiva and sends an arrow. At the same moment, Shiva asks Arjuna not to kill the boar as it is his. Arjuna does not pay attention and releases the arrow. The hunter too releases his arrow. Both the arrows pierce the boar and the raksasha dies. Arjuna is angry with the hunter for attacking the boar and asks him for a fight. Both of them have a hard duel with the hunter winning in the end. A very unhappy Arjuna prays to Lord Shiva. Finally, Arjuna realizes that the hunter is Lord Shiva. He asks for the Pasupata astra. Shiva gladly gives him the astra and reveals his true self along with Parvati. Arjuna accepts it with great humility. Shiva asks him to proceed to the heavens where Indra is waiting for his son.
Next, we had 2 kids from our class share stories from the story telling competition that they had participated in on Jan 20th.
1) King Rantideva 2) Arjuna and Shiva
We spent some time as a group discussing our class play to be held in May. Our kids are so talented and filled with ideas. The next few weeks we plan to spend some time in class discussing the script.
Our Geeta chanting continued with us learning verses 19 through 21. The audio clip has been posted in our Whatsapp group.
Regards,
Raji & Indira
