Hari Om Parents,
Please find the below update from our class on Friday April 26th, 2024.
Class began with Opening Prayers - 3 OMs, followed by the chanting of Sahana Vavatu. Then invoked the blessings of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati and all our Gurus, by chanting..
Śri Ganeshaya Namah!
Śhri Saraswathyai Namah!
Śhri Sad-Gurubhyo Namah!
Shlokas: ( My Prayers Book)
We recited the Daily Prayers ( page#11) in the order of:
• Karagre Vasate
• Samudra Vasane
• Gange cha Yamune
• Sarasvati Namastubhyam
• Brahmaarpanam
• Shubham Karoti
• Kara-charana-krtam vak
As per our curriculum, we proceeded to learn the Devi Dhyana Shloka (page #39). We recited Mahalakshmi Ashtakam (page 40) all verses in the class. We learnt to chant the Mahishasuramardini Stotram.
Kindly encourage the kids to memorize these and recite them at appropriate times throughout the day. Thus instilling in them, not just the learning part but to put all that they learn, into practice in their daily routine.
Mahabharata Summary
The Twelfth day
After the attempt to capture Yudhishthira alive failed, Drona and others knew that if Arjuna was near Yudhishthira, it would be impossible to capture him. So, they wanted to draw Arjuna away to some other part of the battlefield by some stratagem. The Trigartadesa chief Susarma, who heard Drona say this, talked it over with his brothers and they made a plan. They took samsaptaka oath whereby they performed funeral ceremonies for themselves as if they were dead. They took the oath to kill Arjuna and return. If they fled in battle out of fear, they would be punished for their deadly sin. They marched south for that was the direction of Death and challenged Arjuna to battle.
Arjuna turned to Yudhishthira and said that he had to accept the challenge led by Susarma and the Samsaptakas. But before he left, he asked the Panchala prince Satyajit to stand guard by Yudhishthira's side.
On this twelfth day of the great battle, Arjuna along with Krishna approached the large samsaptaka force and it was a fierce battle. Heavy were the losses on the samsaptakas but under the leadership of Susarma they persevered and fought vigorously. As Arjuna was opposing the Trigartas, Drona gave orders to attack the Pandava army at the point where Yudhishthira stood. Dhrishtadyumna marched forward to meet Drona. Drona avoided Dhrishtadyumna for he knew that his death was destined at his hands, and he wheeled his chariot towards Drupada. Drupada's forces suffered greatly at Drona's hands.
Drona then turned his attention to Yudhishthira. The Pandavas stood firm and answered Drona's attacks with a shower of arrows. Satyajit made a charge on Drona's chariot and there was a fierce battle. Satyajit, Vrika, another prince of Panchala as well as Satanika, son of Virata all died in that battle.
Drona defeated Satyaki, Sikhandin and others and was now almost within reach of Yudhishthira. At that moment, Panchalya, another son of Drupada tried to stop the acharya and he also fell dead. Duryodhana was delighted to see the attack by Drona. Duryodhana and Karna now proceeded to support Drona as he was fighting hard against several of the great warriors in the Pandava army.Brave Bhagadatta
Drona made many attempts to take Yudhishthira prisoner but failed. Duryodhana led a large elephant division against Bhima. Bhima defended himself from his chariot, with well-aimed arrows. His shafts tore down Duryodhana's flag and cut down his bow. Seeing this the Mlechchha king Anga marched against Bhimasena, seated on a huge elephant. But Bhima sent shafts that laid the elephant low and killed Anga, which resulted in scattering that section of the Kaurava forces in fear and confusion. When the elephants stampede, the horses also took fright and thousands of footmen were trampled under the feet of the elephants and the horses. Seeing this great confusion and the scattering of the Kaurava forces in all directions, the king of Pragjyotisha, the brave Bhagadatta, got up on his renowned elephant Supratika and charged at Bhimasena.
The gigantic beast rushed forward and crashed into Bhimasena's chariot, but Bhima escaped by jumping off the car in the nick of time. He got below the great and fierce elephant and showered blows on vital points. The great beast got mad and whirled round trying to throw off Bhimasena, who was sticking to its legs. It bent down and caught Bhima by its trunk and was about to crush him under its knees, when Bhima somehow released himself from its hold and again got below, in between its limbs and sticking to the elephant's under-regions, causing exceeding pain to the beast.
Bhima was thus gaining time in the hope that some elephant on the Pandava side would be led to attack Bhagadatta's elephant and enable him to get away. But, when Bhima disappeared from view, everyone thought that he was dead. Yudhishthira heard the cry and urged the forces to destroy Bhagadatta. The king of Dasarna charged at Bhagadatta. Dasarna's elephant was also a fierce beast and there was a great battle between Supratika and Dasarna's elephant. But Supratika killed Dasarna. At that moment, Bhima emerged from below Supratika and ran out safe, and the Pandava army cheered when they saw Bhima alive.
Bhagadatta was now attacked on all sides, but he did not lose heart. Bhagadatta's elephant wrought great havoc in the Pandava army. Bhimasena, equipping himself once again with a chariot, renewed his attack on Bhagadatta. The elephant stretched out its trunk and blew out a violent spray of mucus which scared the horses of Bhima's chariot and they bolted in wild flight and the charioteer could not check them. A great cloud of dust rose from the field where this great elephant battle raged.
Arjuna saw this from where he was fighting the samsaptakas and he also heard the tumult created by Bhagadatta's elephant. He feared things had gone wrong and said to Krishna that they should offer support to the army and to save the situation. Krishna drove the chariot accordingly towards the main battle front. Susarma and his brothers came up behind the chariot and again attacked Arjuna. But Arjuna sent three well-aimed shafts, which compelled Susanna to turn back.
As soon as Arjuna's car was seen, the Pandava forces rallied and soon Arjuna reached the lines where Bhagadatta was. Bhagadatta attacked Arjuna on Supratika. But Arjuna's arrows broke the elephant's armour and began to hurt the beast. Bhagadatta saw that his elephant could no longer stand the attack and he hurled a javelin at Krishna. Arjuna met it with a shaft from his bow and broke it into two. Bhagadatta then discharged another javelin which struck Dhananjaya's helmet. Readjusting his helmet, Arjuna bent his bow and hurled at him shafts which broke his bow, shattered his quiver and pierced the joints of his armor.
Bhagadatta was very old and his skin hung loose down over his eyes, and he had tied its folds over his forehead with a silk kerchief so that they might not interfere with his sight. Bhagadatta was not more renowned for valor than for purity of character and conduct. When deprived of all his weapons, Bhagadatta hurled his elephant goad at Arjuna. It was sent with deadly aim and charged with the Vaishnava mantra. It would have killed Arjuna, but Krishna came in between and presented himself as a target for the missile. It settled on his chest as a shining necklace. Charged with the mantra of Vishnu, it could not hurt Vishnu but just became the Lord's jewelled garland round his neck.
Arjuna was confused why Krishna had offered himself as a target for the enemy's missile. Krishna told Arjuna that the shaft would have killed him if it had hit him, but it was really Krishna's own thing, so it came back to its lawful owner. Then, Partha sent an arrow which entered the head of Bhagadatta's elephant, and it was killed. Arjuna was somewhat grieved at the death of the noble animal and for his not having been able to slay Bhagadatta without killing the beast. Arjuna's shafts tore the silken napkin that bound up the folds of the aged king's forehead and he was blinded at once by his own hanging wrinkles.Soon, a sharp crescent-headed shaft came and pierced his chest and Bhagadatta fell down dead. Sakuni's brothers, Vrisha and Achala, tried their best to oppose Arjuna but they were also killed. Sakuni was full of anger, when he saw his brothers lying dead on the field. He attacked Arjuna fiercely and used all the weapons of illusion. But Arjuna's strokes broke all the charms and rendered them useless, and Sakuni had to leave the field, as fast as his horses could bear him. The Pandava forces then attacked Drona's army and wrought great havoc till the sun set, and the twelfth day's fight ended. Drona gave orders to cease fighting and the Kaurava forces, which had lost heavily, retired in sullen dejection to their camp. The Pandava army, on the other hand, was in high spirits and its warriors gathered round camp-fires in cheerful talk and praise of Arjuna and the other heroes, who had led them to victory.
ABHIMANYU
When Dronacharya was unable to capture Yudhishthira, Duryodhana was very upset and uttered insulting words at the acharya. But Drona explained that if Arjuna is present, supporting Yudhishthira, it is not possible for them to seize him. On the thirteenth day, the samsaptakas again challenged Arjuna to battle and he accordingly went to attack them in the south of the main battlefront. The battle between the samsaptakas and Arjuna was the fiercest that ever had been seen or heard of till that day.
When Arjuna left the main front for meeting the samsaptakas, Drona rearranged his army in lotus formation and attacked Yudhishthira fiercely. All the great warriors on the Pandava side opposed Drona, but they couldn't defeat Drona. At that point, Yudhishthira called Abhimanyu and said to him that to defeat Drona, it was important to break the lotus array. In the absence of Arjuna, only Abhimanyu knew how to break the formation.
Abhimanyu agreed to do it, but he confessed that he could break the formation, but he was not instructed in the art of extrication i.e., how to come out. Yudhishthira and Bhima advised that once the passage was open, they would follow closely behind him, and help to break in. Abhimanyu thought of his father and Krishna and, feeling encouraged by what had been said by Bhimasena and Yudhishthira, and impelled by his own gallant nature, undertook the adventure with enthusiasm. Abhimanyu told his charioteer Sumitra to drive straight and fast towards Drona. His charioteer warned Abhimanyu to think well before he pierced Drona's array because the acharya was unrivalled in skill and experience. Abhimanyu mentioned that he was Krishna's nephew and son of Arjuna as his advantage. The charioteer drove the chariot towards Drona's division. The Pandavas followed Abhimanyu close behind him. The Kaurava army were perturbed as they saw Abhimanyu's chariot approach them with great speed. There was a ripple in the Kaurava ranks which bent under his headlong onslaught. The bend soon became a break and under Drona's very eyes, the formation was breached, and Abhimanyu entered.
But the breach closed under the inspiration of Jayadratha, king of the Sindhus, before the other Pandava warriors could force their way in according to plan-and Abhimanyu was alone. Kaurava warriors opposed him, but they fell like moths in the fire, one after another. Abhimanyu's shafts searched the weak points in the armor of his enemies, and the bodies of soldiers lay strewn on the field like Kusa grass on the sacrificial platform. Bows, arrows, swords, shields, javelins, pieces of harness, chariot canopies, axes, maces, spears, whips, conchs, along with severed heads and limbs of slain warriors, covered the field.
Seeing the destruction wrought by Abhimanyu, Duryodhana was angry and rushed in person to oppose the youthful warrior. Drona, having learnt that the king himself was engaged in battle with Abhimanyu, became anxious and sent veterans to protect Duryodhana. With great difficulty, they managed to rescue the king from the boy-hero who, greatly disappointed at the escape of Duryodhana vented his anger on the warriors that had come to rescue him and put them to headlong flight. Then, throwing away all sense of shame and chivalry, many veteran warriors made a combined and simultaneous attack on the hero, who found himself alone, surrounded by enemies on all sides. But, Arjuna's son withstood this united onslaught.
Drona, Aswatthama, Kripa, Karna, Sakuni, Salya and many other great warriors in their chariots, equipped with all arms, surged in attack on the young hero, only to be dashed back, baffled and broken. Asmaka rode his chariot at great speed against Abhimanyu's but smiling, Abhimanyu sent his shafts and disposed of him in no time. Karna's armour was pierced. Salya was badly wounded and sat, unable to move, in his chariot. Salya's brother came up in great wrath to avenge his brother's disgrace, but he fell and his chariot was broken to pieces. Thus did Abhimanyu, alone and unsupported, oppose a host of veteran warriors and show the skill in the use of arms which he had learnt from his illustrious father and from Vasudeva, his uncle.
Seeing this, the poet says, Dronacharya's eyes were filled with tears of affectionate admiration seeing the boy's valor. This angered Duryodhana. Duhsasana roared in anger and led his chariot forward to attack Abhimanyu. The chariots of Abhimauyu and Duhsasana made wonderful movements against each other, and the battle raged long. Duhsasana was struck senseless in his car, and his charioteer just managed to drive away from the field saving Duhsasana's life. Karna attacked Abhimanyu with his shafts and harassed him greatly. But one of Abhimanyu's arrows felled Karna's bow and the young warrior followed up this advantage so vigorously that he put Karna and his supporters to flight. The Kaurava forces when they saw this were completely demoralized. The army was in confusion and men fled in all directions, not caring for Drona's shouts of remonstrance, and Abhimanyu destroyed those that stood, as fire destroys a dry jungle in summer.
THE DEATH OF ABHIMANYU
THE Pandavas, proceeding according to plan, had closely followed Abhimanyu when he broke into the Kaurava formation, but Dhritarashtra's son-in-law Jayadratha, the gallant king of the Sindhus, swooped down upon the Pandavas with all his forces, and enabled the breach in the formation to be effectively and solidly closed, so that the Pandavas found it impossible to force their way in. Yudhishthira hurled a javelin and cut Jayadratha's bow but, in an instant, the Saindhava took up another bow and sent unerring shafts at Dharmaputra. Bhimasena's arrows made deadly work, crashing down the canopy and flagstaff of Jayadratha's car. But the Saindhava was alert and re-armed himself, each time his equipment was broken. He killed Bhima's chariot horses, and the latter had to go into Satyaki's car. In this manner, Jayadratha, with stubborn valor, prevented the Pandavas from entering in Abhimanyu's wake.
The young hero was thus isolated and surrounded by the Kaurava forces. The son of Subhadra was however undaunted. He attacked all the warriors around him and slew them in great numbers. The Kaurava army reeled under Abhimanyu's onslaughts. Duryodhana's son Lakshmana, a gallant young warrior, then charged on Abhimanyu. When they saw this, retreating soldiers came back and supported Lakshmana, showering arrows on Abhimanyu, like rain falling on a hill. Still Arjuna's son was undaunted and his shaft came swift and shining, and pierced Lakshmana. The handsome youth, with beautiful nose and eyebrows and hair, lay dead on the ground and the Kaurava soldiers were filled with grief. The angry Duryodhana, and the six great warriors, Drona, Kripa, Karna, Aswathama, Brihatbala and Kritavarma closed upon Abhimanyu.
Drona said to Karna that it was impossible to pierce Abhimanyu's armor, and to aim at the reins of his horses and cut them off and attack him from behind. The son of Surya did accordingly. Abhimanyu's bow was broken by a shaft discharged from behind. His horses and charioteer were killed. Thus disabled, the young warrior stood on the field, with sword and shield, facing his enemies. As he stood dauntless like kshatriyadharma incarnate, he filled the warriors around with amazement. Whirling his sword, he held his own against the numerous warriors who had surrounded him, with a skill that confounded them. It seemed to them as if his feet did not rest on earth and he was on wings in the air. Drona sent a shaft that broke Abhimanyu's sword. Karna's sharp arrows tore his shield into bits.
Then Abhimanyu bent down and took up one of his chariot wheels and whirling it like a discus, stood up facing all the enemies that surrounded him. The dust from the chariot wheel covered him and the poet says it enhanced the natural beauty of the young hero. He fought fiercely like a second Vishnu with the discus. But soon, the combined onslaught of the warriors that surrounded him, overpowered him. The chariot wheel was shattered to pieces. The son of Duhsasana came up then and closed with him in mortal combat. Both fell together but Duhsasana's son rose again and, while Abhimanyu was struggling to his feet, struck him with his mace and killed him.
Sanjaya narrated this to Dhritarashtra and said that his people danced round Abhimanyu's dead body like savage hunters exulting over their prey. All good men in the army were grieved and tears rolled from their eyes. Even the birds of prey that circled overhead making noises seemed to cry "'Not thus!' 'Not thus!'"
While there was blowing of conchs and cries of victory all over the Kaurava army, Yuyutsu, the son of Dhritarashtra, did not approve of all this. He knew it was an ignoble act and they had all forgotten the kshatriyadharma in the battlefield. Instead of being ashamed, they were shouting cries of victory blind to the danger that was imminent. Yuyutsu threw his weapon away in disgust and left the battlefield. This young son of Dhritarashtra feared sin. His words were not sweet in the Kaurava ears, but he was a good man and spoke out his mind.
Bhagavad Gita: Verses 41 & 42 from chapter 4 were taught and rehearsed this week, following our Swamiji Swami Shantanandaji's chanting video.Class Reflection:The children were divided into 2 groups and were given the chapter print out for "Death of Abhimanyu". They were asked to write 10 events from the chapter and present it to the class.
Aarathi: We assembled at the main prayer hall. Grade 3 performed their monthly program on stage. It was followed by the Pledge.
Pranāms,
Viji Lakshmi Hari and Anupama SivakumarFriday Grade 6 sevikas
