May 5, 2024 - Grade 5 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om,   

   We started our class with 3 Om chantings , followed by our regular shlokas.

 

   Mahabharata continues- The Pandavas arrive in Kamyaka forest. Krishna, along with his wife Satyabhama, comes to meet the Pandavas. They are meeting each other after a long time. Krishna updates Draupadi about all her children, who are with Krishna for their education. Sage Markandeya and Sage Narada also arrive there. They spend some time narrating different stories. The Pandavas are extremely eager to hear them and are humbled by the sages' stories. After a few days, all the visitors leave. Meanwhile, Duryodhana is dreading the end of the exile period - it seemed to be a long time at the beginning. He wants to know how the Pandavas are doing. Radheya makes a plan for all of them to go visit their cow station which is close to Kamyaka and with this excuse to see the Pandavas and show off their wealth and status. 

   The Kauravas go to Dwaitavana as they got the news from their spies that the Pandavas are there now. The Kauravas see a beautiful lake and decide to have some fun there along with their wives. The lake is already occupied by a gandharva. Duryodhana sends his servants to ask the gandharva to leave the lake. The gandharva flatly refuses. This infuriates Duryodhana. The army of Duryodhana fights against the gandharva and his soldiers. The Kauravas are defeated and the gandharva takes Duryodhana, Dussasana and all their brothers as prisoners. The remaining people run to Yudhishthira seeking help. Yudhishthira being a noble soul commands his brothers to fight the gandharva. A fierce battle is fought. Finally, the gandharva reveals himself. He is none other than the dear friend of Arjuna, Chitrasena. Chitrasena discloses the reason for all this. This was a plan made by Indra to teach Duryodhana a lesson for his sick mentality of wanting to see the Pandavas suffering during the exile. He hands over the prisoners to Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira releases all of them and advices them to not behave in such a stupid and spiteful manner again. Duryodhana is humiliated. Duryodhana initially repents for all the injustice and wicked things he has done to his cousins but then goes back to his usual self and feels that he is the best person to rule the world. Duryodhana now decides to perform the Rajasuya yagna. Radheya sets out on his conquests to fight the kings who decide to defy Duryodhana. A messenger is also sent out to the Pandavas. They of course refuse to come as they are still in exile. The Rajasuya yagna is completed successfully. Radheya takes a vow that he will kill Arjuna in the war.

   It is the final year of exile. Yudhishthira is extremely unhappy. He wants a change of scene. They all decide to go to Kamyaka. One day, the brothers go on a hunting trip leaving behind Draupadi with Dhaumya. Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu and the husband of Dussala passes by with his friend. He sees Draupadi and unable to recognize her, falls in love with her. He approaches her and asks her to come with him. She is shocked and warns him. He picks her up and carries her to his chariot. Dhaumya is unable to fight him. Evil omens warn Yudhishthira. They hurry back and hear the ghastly act of their brother in law. They go in pursuit and challenge Jayadratha and his army. The army is easily defeated. Jayadratha leaves Draupadi in his chariot and flees. Yudhishthira warns Bheema not to kill him. Arjuna and Bheema manage to capture Jayadratha and disfigure him by cutting his hair in a grotesque manner. Yudhishthira feels sorry for him and releases him. Jayadratha, now humiliated does tapas to please Lord Shiva. Shiva is happy and tells him to ask for a boon. Jayadratha wants to defeat the Pandavas in the war. Shankara says that it is not possible as the Pandavas are invincible and under the guidance of Krishna. But he promises Jayadratha that if he meets the Pandavas without Krishna and Arjuna, then he has the power to defy them. Jayadratha is happy. Meanwhile, Yudhishthira is still not happy and they move back to the picturesque Dwaitavana.

   It is the last few months. One day a Brahmin comes with a appeal that a deer entered his hut and carried away the sticks used for his daily rituals. The Pandavas leave at once in pursuit of the deer. They go very far and suddenly the deer disappears. Yudhishthira is unhappy as he cannot please the Brahmin. They sit down and talk about all the calamities befalling them. They talk about the sinners like Dussasana, Radheya and Shakuni whom they should have killed earlier. Yudhishthira calms his brothers. Meanwhile since all are thirsty, Nakula climbs a tree and spots a lake in the vicinity. He hurries to the lake. The water is cool and inviting. He reaches the lake to drink some water. Suddenly, he hears a voice from nowhere warning him not to drink before answering a few questions. Nakula ignores and starts drinking. Immediately he falls down dead. Next Sahadeva comes in search of Nakula. He meets the same fate. This is followed by Arjuna and Bheema. Now at last Yudhishthira comes there. He is stunned to see all his brothers dead. He laments to himself and sits down. Suddenly, he sees the water and realizes his throat is parched. He walks to the lake to drink some water. The unknown voice again warns him not to drink the water but to first answer don't questions. The voice also says the reason for his brothers death being not following the instructions given. Yudhishthira wants to know whom the voice belongs to. A Yaksha appears. Yudhishthira salutes the yaksha and agrees to answer all the questions put forth by the yaksha. The yaksha asks 33 questions which are answered satisfactorily by Yudhishthira. The yaksha is immensely pleased and tells Yudhishthira that he can bring back to life one of his brothers. Yudhishthira wants Nakula to be brought back to life. The yaksha is surprised as Yudhishthira did not choose one of his own brothers. Yudhishthira says that since he has 2 mothers, he wants atleast 1 son of each alive. The yaksha is very happy and brings back to life all the brothers. Yudhishthira realizes that this yaksha is someone else in disguise. He asks the yaksha and he reveals his true form. It is Yama, his father. Yama tells him that he is very pleased with him and that he has conquered the kingdom called Righteousness. Yama was the deer who had taken away the aarni. Yama blesses him with success and grants him a boon that no one will recognize the Pandavas in disguise in the last year. Yudhishthira falls at his feet and asks for another boon, a victory in his fight over six deadly enemies: lust, anger, avarice, possessiveness, arrogance and envy. Yama smiles and assures him that he has already gained victory over those vices. This brings them to the end of the twelfth year. They have one more year in hiding. The assurances of the lord of Dharma put new life into the hearts of the Pandavas. They begin to discuss the plans for their Ajnaatavaasa.

    

    We continued with our play practice. We are having our class presentation on 18th  May. Hope to see you all on that day.

  

    We will meet as usual this Sunday. We will be doing Guru Paduka pooja as we are celebrating Gurudev's 108th birthday, See you all !!

 

Regards,

Indira and Raji

 

 

 

Feb 4, 2024 - Grade 5 (Sunday AM)

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

Mahabharata continues- Arjuna, on reaching Amaravathi, the city of Indra, is amazed to see all the heavenly trees he has only heard about. Father and son enjoy each other's company. Arjuna sees all the apsaras such as Menaka, Rambha, Urvasi, Tillottama dancing in the court. Urvasi falls in love with the handsome Arjuna and expresses her desire to be with him. Arjuna gently tells her that he considers Urvasi to be his mother as she was the wife of his ancestor Pururavas. Urvasi, on being snubbed, curses Arjuna that he will lose his manliness and will become a eunuch, and he will also spend his days in the midst of women, dancing for their amusement. Arjuna is stunned with this turn of events and shares the calamity with his good friend Chitrasena, the gandharva. Chitrasena in turn tells Indra the news. Indra comforts Arjuna by telling him that he can reduce the curse to one year and to use it to his advantage. He cleverly tells Arjuna to suffer the curse during the thirteenth year when the Pandavas must be in disguise. Arjuna is now happy. Indra gives him his astras. Arjuna learns singing and dancing from his friend, Chitrasena. He becomes proficient in the fine arts. One day, Sage Lomasa comes to see Indra and is awestruck seeing Arjuna, a Kshatriya, sitting with Indra. Indra tells him that he is Nara of Nara - Narayana, born on Earth to cure her of the poison that has accumulated in her. He also tells the sage that he is going to use Arjuna to kill his enemies, the Nivatakavachas and Kalakeyas. He tells Lomasa that Arjuna will kill this enemy and then proceed back to the earth. Indra meanwhile wants a favor from Sage Lomasa. He wants the sage to go to the Kamyaka forest and meet the other Pandavas. They should be comforted and given the good news that Arjuna has now become a master in all the divine astras, is a student of Chitrasena, and is a Master of Fine Arts. Indra asks the sage to coax them to go on a teerthaystra. Lomasa agrees and leaves for Kamyaka forest. 

 

In Kamyaka, Yudhishthira is very unhappy. He misses his brother Arjuna while Bheema and Draupadi keep taunting him for his tapas, meditation and anything and everything which doesn't resonate with a Kshatriya. All this makes Yudhishthira miss Arjuna even more as he was his ardent supporter. At that moment, Sage Brihadaswa approaches Yudhishthira. Unable to control his grief, he laments to the sage all the events of the past six years. The sage tells him the story of King Nala, who also lost his kingdom due to a game of dice but managed to get it back after learning the manipulations of the game. This art is called Akshahridaya. He teaches Yudhishthira this art. Brihadaswas leaves them. Narada then comes there and suggests to the Pandavas to go in a teerthayatra. All of them along with Dhaumya react favorably to the suggestion. As these discussions are going on, Lomasa comes there with the message from Indra. He also tells them to go on a pilgrimage and decides to accompany them. The first stop is Naimisa, a forest by the river Gomati. Then they go to Prayaga where the different colored waters of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati meet in a place called Triveni Sangamam. They spend four months in the company of Sage Agastya and then proceed towards river Godavari and other Southern rivers. Finally, they arrive at Prabhasa to a rousing welcome from Krishna and Balarama. Upon seeing the simple bark attire and matted hair of Yudhishthira, Balarama is very upset and decides to wage a war against Hastinapur along with Satyaki and Krishna. Satyaki calms him down and asks him to wait for thirteen years, abiding by Yudhishthira's wishes. Yudhishthira is very happy to finally garner some support. The Pandavas then continue their journey. 

 

They proceed north and reach the banks of river Saraswati, river Ganga, mountain Mainaka, Kailash. They see Binduras, the source of the river Ganga. They see the seven streams, three which flow west, three east and the seventh which follow Bhagirata. The Pandavas then see the mountain Mandara, the dwelling place of Kubera. The place is so peaceful that even Bheema forgets his misery and is finally happy. They decide to climb the mountain and as it is very steep, Bheema carries Draupadi. They encounter cold gales, incessant winds, and torrential rains. Bheema the mighty also finds it tiring to proceed on. He calls upon his son Ghatotkacha to help them. Ghatotkacha comes with his minions who carry all the Pandavas and Draupadi. Dhaumya and Lomasa walk by themselves. They walk fast and finally reach the top of Kailash Mountain. They are welcomed by all the Rishis living there. The Pandavas decide to spend a few days in this ashram named Bhadrikashram. 

 

We continued our class play discussion.

 

Our Geeta chanting continued with us learning verses 22 through 23. The audio clip has been posted in our Whatsapp group. 

Regards,

Raji & Indira

 

Jan 28, 2024 - Grade 5 (Sunday AM)

 

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 21^st and Jan 28^th 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 20^th.

 

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

Jan 7, 2024 - Grade 5 (Sunday AM)

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 regular set of bhajans.

 

Mahabharata continues- We resumed with the third Parva, Vana Parva.

The Pandavas, along with Draupadi leave for the forest. Several of the Brahmins accompany them. The whole group reaches the banks of Ganga and decides to take a break there for the night. The next morning, Yudhishthira addresses the Brahmins and ask them to go back to their families. He tells them that he is not in a position to feed all of them, but they refuse to go back. Sage Dhaumya asks Yudhishthira to pray to Surya, the Sun God, for a solution. Surya, pleased with his fervent prayers, blessed him with a copper vessel named Akshayapatra. The uniqueness of this vessel is that food cooked in that will feed everyone until Draupadi eats at last. Yudhishthira extremely thrilled as he now knows his whole entourage can be fed. All of them continue their journey towards Kamyaka forest. 

In Hastinapur, Dhritarashtra is miserable and turns to Vidura for consolation. Vidura again advises him to bring back the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra is angry with Vidura as this was not the consolation he was seeking. He suggests to Vidura to leave him and join the Pandavas if he desires. Vidura decides to leave Hastinapur and proceeds to the Kamyaka forest to meet the Pandavas. The Pandavas, on reaching the destination, are surprised to see Vidura and ask him the reason for the visit. Vidura narrates the whole story. Yudhishthira is happy to see him but is aware of the fact that Dhritarashtra cannot function for long without Vidura's advices. As predicted, Sanjaya comes there with a message for Vidura from Dhritarashtra asking him to return back. Vidura is also happy to go back to his elder brother.

Duryodhana, on hearing about Vidura's return, is not very happy. Radheya again suggests wiping out the Pandavas in a fight. As discussions are going on, Vyaasa comes there, and hearing the different plans, becomes furious with them for entertaining such evil thoughts. He tells them to make peace with the Pandavas or leave them alone during their vanavas. Sage Vyaasa departs. Sage Maitreya now comes there and advises Duryodhana. Duryodhana insults him and shows him his left thigh. This angers the Rishi and he curses him that when Bheema breaks Duryodhana's thigh, he will die because of that. He tells the Kauravas not to underestimate the strength of Bheema as he has successfully killed Hidimba, Baka and Kirmeera. Dhritarashtra is upset, and Rishi Maitreyi says he cannot withdraw the curse but says that it will nullify if the Pandavas are called back. Duryodhana flatly disagrees, while Dhritarashtra wants to know who Kirmeera is. Kirmeera was Baka's brother and Hidimba's friend. On the way to Kamyaka forest, the Pandavas met Kirmeera who was enraged on seeing Bheema as he knows Bheema was responsible for the death of his brother and close friend. Kirmeera challenged Bheema to a fight. Bheema willingly fought with him and alas, Kirmeera met with death after a deadly battle. 

Krishna along with Dhristadyumna comes to meet the Pandavas. He is saddened to see the plight of the Pandavas and their queen. He is ready to fight the Kauravas to avenge the injustice. Yudhishthira calms Krishna and accepts he has to suffer because of his foolish desire to gamble. Krishna gets extremely agitated and vows to destroy the Kauravas. Draupadi, on seeing Krishna and her brother, breaks down and narrates the whole saga. She blames her husbands for not fighting for her rights and questions their strength if they cannot even save her from her disgrace. She thanks Krishna for saving her dignity. Krishna wipes her tears and promises her that her tears will not be in vain. Krishna further apologizes for not being with the Pandavas when all this was happening as he was fighting with Salva and Saubha in a war. Krishna then leaves the Pandavas.

 

 We continued with our learning of Saints of India. We had a presentation on Swami Chinmayanandaji  who is also called Pujya Gurudev. He was born on 8th May, 1916, as Balakrishnan Menon in Ernakulam, Kerala. He had postgraduate degrees in literature and law while completing courses in journalism. He took part in the freedom struggle and was also imprisoned for several months. It was while working as a journalist that he travelled to Sivananda's ashram in Rishikesh, for the purpose of writing an expose of the sadhus. Here, he went from being a sceptic to an enthusiast, finally becoming a renunciate monk. He began reading more about Hindu scriptures and reviewing spiritual books. From here, he went on to devoting the next few years of his life to an intensive study of Vedanta under the tutelage of Tapovan Maharaj. On 8th August 1953, Chinmaya Mission was established.

 

We also had a presentation on Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12th, 1863 to an opulent family in Calcutta. He was named Narendranath Datta, and was extremely brilliant with a very rational mind. He began to question God and this led him to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Narendranath started to accept Ramakrishna as his guru and after his demise, took the vow of Sanyasa and became Swami Vivekananda. He travelled extensively in India and also went to Chicago to take part in the World Parliament of Religions, where he gave an impromptu speech which held the audience spellbound.

 

Our Geeta chanting continued with us learning verses 15 and 16. The audio clip has been posted in our Whatsapp group. 

 

We will not meet on 14th January. Balvihar will resume on 21st January. Happy Makar Sankranti to all!!

 

Regards,

Indira and Raji

 

Dec 17, 2023 - Grade 5 (Sunday AM)

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 regular set of bhajans.

 

Mahabharata continues- The kings are all ready to leave for their kingdoms and Yudhishthira is busy honoring them. Krishna is ready to leave for Dwaraka. Little do they know that it is the last time they are bidding him farewell from Indraprastha, due to the dreadful fate waiting for them. Everybody leaves except for Duryodhana, Dussasana, Shakuni and Radheya. Yudhishthira is very flattered that they are staying back and takes utmost care of them. Vyaasa is also about to leave, but Yudhishthira wants to know the meaning of the omens that followed Sisupala's death. Vyaasa's face became grave and sad. He tells Yudhishthira that he will have bad luck for fourteen years. Vyaasa also warns him about a massive destruction of all the Kshatriyas on the face of the earth. Yudhishthira sinks in despair. Meanwhile, Duryodhana walks in the Sabha and is consumed with envy seeing the beauty and splendor of it all. This Sabha was built in such a way that if a person who looks at it is envious of the owner, he will be deceived by many things there. Duryodhana thinks there is water, but actually it is only beautiful slabs of marble, and vice versa. One such time, Draupadi laughs at him, and this largely bruises his ego, leading to more anger and hatred for his cousins. Upon returning to Hastinapur, he continues brooding about the good fortune of his cousins. 

Duryodhana is very upset with the good fortune bestowed upon the Pandavas. While negative thoughts run rampant in Duryodhana's head, Shakuni visits him. Worried about his nephew, he suggests another idea. This time, they decide that the plot will take place in their own court, ensuring a successful end to the Pandavas. Duryodhana is piqued and wishes to hear more. Shakuni reveals that it is time to completely destroy the Pandavas, using Yudhishthira's weakness- gambling. Shakuni is confident that he can make Yudhishthira gamble away his entire kingdom. The only hindrance is receiving Dhritarashtra's consent in getting the Pandavas over to Hastinapur and then getting them to play a game of dice. Of course, Shakuni and Duryodhana know Dhritarashtra's weakness and play him to the hilt. Shakuni first approaches Dhritarashtra and requests him to bring Duryodhana out of depression. Duryodhana, using his father's weakness, tells him about his experiences at Indraprastha and how this has consumed him with envy. They tell him about the game of dice. Dhritarashtra is helpless- on the one hand he wishes to fulfill his child's desire, while on the other hand he knows that Vidura and the other elders will rebuke him for the malicious intent behind this. Duryodhana's insistence and persuasion leads Dhritarashtra to agree to the plan. Without further delay, an order to build a beautiful hall in Jayanta, a suburb of Hastinapur, is given. The plan is to invite the Pandavas to this Sabha and have the game of dice played here itself. Vidura, on hearing about the invitation to be extended to the Pandavas, pleads with Dhritarashtra not to do so. But Dhritarashtra refuses to listen. Instead, Vidura is given the task of going to Indraprastha and inviting the Pandavas to Jayanta to have a look at the Sabha and also have a friendly game of dice. With a heavy heart, Vidura leaves for Indraprastha!

A bit of background on Shakuni:
Shakuni, the only surviving male member of his family, was gifted a pair of dice made of his father's bones. His father, King Subhala, was imprisoned along with his 100 sons. They were given barely given any food, leaving them all starved and weak. King Subhala then decided to let only one son, Shakuni, live by giving him all their food rations. At his deathbed, King Subhala asked Shakuni to make a pair of dice with his bones, knowing that all outcomes from that pair will always favor his son - the dice show the numbers that Shakuni wants.

Yudhishthira receives his uncle with a great deal of affection. Vidura sadly gives the message of Dhritarashtra, and Yudhishthira is intrigued by the message. He knows his uncle well and is convinced the game of dice is another attempt to defeat the Pandavas. He realizes that the four people ie. Shakuni, Vivimsati, Purumitra and Chitrasena ( three brothers of Duryodhana) who have been selected to play against Yudhishthira are extremely clever in the game of dice. Yudhishthira knows he is extremely weak in the game. He recognizes that what happens in this world has been ordained by the Creator and that Fate has already planned the way in which events must take place. As he has no choice, he agrees to go to Hastinapur accompanied by Kunti, Draupadi and his brothers.  

The welcome given by the citizens of Hastinapur brings much joy, amidst the unpredictability of the visit's outcome. The Pandavas are shown around the new palace, with particular attention given to the Sabha. A friendly game of dice is mooted by Shakuni. This is rejected by Yudhisthira, stating that such games only brought unpleasantness. Shakuni does not give up, and keeps insisting that a friendly game will not affect relationships. Yudhisthira refuses to back down, and wants no part in this game that promotes cheating extensively. Shakuni uses his wiles, and has Yudhisthira termed a coward. He says that Yudhisthira is so used to all the wealth and power he enjoys in Indraprastha, that he does not want to give up of any of it. This strikes a chord, and Yudhisthira rejects that claim, saying he is not a coward or proud of his power. This gives Shakuni the edge, prodding Yudhisthira to accept a friendly game of dice. Defeated with words, Yudhisthira gives in.

The game of dice, as addictive as it gets, can lose many a man his very head. Knowing Yudhisthira's weakness for the game, the Kauravas use this information to turn it from a 'friendly game' to a rather competitive one. From a simple ante of money and jewelry, the wagers start getting bigger and more promising for the Kauravas. Shakuni uses the dice given by his departed father, and wins at every turn. Yudhishthira puts on stake Nakula, followed by Sahadeva, Arjuna and then Bheema. Yudhishthira then wages himself, Shakuni wins all. Everybody is stunned and shocked but unable to say anything. Shakuni implores Yudhishthira to bet Draupadi, which he does and loses her as well. All is lost for Yudhishthira!

Vidura objects to this unlawful wager. He is appalled by the insult meted out to Draupadi. He warns them of being vanquished by the Pandavas and an after life in hell. But Duryodhana silences his low born uncle and does not pay heed to his admonition. Duryodhana sends a messenger to Draupadi's apartment to get her to court. Draupadi is stunned with the news and refuses to come. She wants to know if Yudhishthira first gambled himself away or her. The messenger comes back to as Yudhishthira who is silent with agony. Duryodhana gets angry and commands the messenger to tell Draupadi to come to the court and ask for herself. Draupadi still refuses and asks the messenger to again go back and ask Yudhishthira what he suggests she do. Yudhishthira is still speechless. Duryodhana now sends his brother, Dussasana, to bring Draupadi. Dussasana mockingly and very indecently commands her to come. He grabs her by her hair and drags her to the court. With her long hair dragged by Dussasana and her dress all wet with her tears because of his rough handling, Draupadi enters the Sabha!

Draupadi, with her mane unraveled, stood in front of the elders in raging fear. She did not know the reason why she was dragged to the court, or why none of her husbands responded to her disgraced position. All the unasked questions in her eyes made Dussasana smirkingly admit that her husband had wagered her in a game of dice and lost, and that she was now a slave of the Kauravas along with her husbands. She turned to Bhishma, questioning him if she was a slave. Bhishma has no answer for her. 

Vikarna, one of the Kaurava brothers, could take no more. He stood up for Draupadi and declared that she was not a fair wager, and that she could not be a slave to the Kauravas. This angered Radheya, who defied Vikarna and asked him not to interfere in a matter beyond his scope. He also spoke of how Draupadi could act so modest being the wife of five men. He then suggested that a slave should dress like a slave and not wear royal garments, prompting all the Pandavas to shed their royal robes. When Dusshasana suggested the same to Draupadi, she gave him a menacing glance. This did not stop him from attempting to disrobe her. Knowing fully well that her husbands and the court elders would not come to her rescue, she called out to the one Lord that she knew would protect her. Her prayer to Krishna reached the ears of all present, while Dusshasana was pulling her saree away from her. All the elders and the Pandavas closed their eyes, not willing to be a spectator of this gruesome scene. Little did they know that Krishna, the ever present savior, was there in spirit to protect his sister. He never let her garment end, despite Dusshasana's fervor in disrobing Draupadi. Finally Dusshasana got tired, let Draupadi go. Bheema finally vowed to kill Dussasana, tear his heart out and drink his blood. Radheya orders Dusshasana to take her away to the servant's quarters. Poor Draupadi again implored that she was  not a slave to all the elders present. 

 

Everybody was scared of Duryodhana except for Vidura who kept saying that Vikarna was right. Duryodhana rubbed salt to the wound and suggested to Draupadi to pick one of the Kauravas as her husband. These words were like darts to Bheema. Duryodhana slyly displayed his left thigh to Draupadi suggesting she sit on it. This crude remark angered Bheema even more and he vowed to break the thigh of Duryodhana with his Gada and drink the blood from Dussasana's heart. 

 

Radheya prodded Dussasana to take Draupadi to the women's quarters so that Duryodhana could take her for himself. Draupadi again appealed to all the elders present, Bheeshma, Drona, Dhritarashtra. No one spoke. Vidura again tried to ask Dhritarashtra to make peace but of no use. Bheema, now along with his vow also proclaimed that Arjuna will kill Radheya, and that Sahadeva will kill Shakuni in the war that is bound to happen. Arjuna and Sahadeva took up the challenge. Nakula, not to be left behind took a vow to kill Sakuni's son, Uluka. Flowers rained on the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra, realizing the seriousness of the situation, understood that his sons were doomed now. To appease Draupadi, he asked her to ask him for two boons. She requested him to release Yudhishthira for the first boon and the other Pandavas for the other boon. Dhritarashtra asked the Pandavas to forgive all of them, gave back all that was lost, and asked them to go back to Khandavaprastha. 

 

Duryodhana was furious on seeing the Pandavas leave. He was sure that the Pandavas would seek revenge. He was also aware of the wrath of Drupada and Dhristadyumna on hearing the trauma Draupadi was put to. He suggested to his father to again invite the Pandavas for a game. The loser would go live in the forest for twelve years and the thirteenth year would be in disguise and if recognized, another twelve years in the forest. No one approved this, including Gandhari. But Dhritarashtra, again out of the love for his son abided by his request. The Pandavas were again invited and they again left for Hastinapur very well knowing the outcome.

 

The game was played, against the wishes of all the elders. It was to be only one game, with a mighty wager. The dice was rolled and the result was as expected. Yudhishthira accepted the outcome and asked his brothers and Draupadi to prepare for Vanavas. Vidura suggested Kunti to stay back in his house. 

Vidura, disappointed at the turn of events, told Dhritarashtra to prepare for the death of his children, which was imminent. His words of warning were ignored earlier, which is why he needed to give Dhritarashtra the bitter truth of the near future. Yudhisthira covered his face in fear of razing the city to ashes with his angry look, Bheema looked at his hands while walking because he could only think of revenge, Arjuna spread sand as he walks to let them know that arrows would fall in a similar manner, Nakula and Sahadeva smeared themselves with ash and dust to be unrecognizable, while Draupadi walked weeping her eyes out and her hair loose, reminding the Kaurava wives of their similar plight in 13 years. Dhaumya, their guru, plucked Kusa grass and recited hymns from Saama Veda in praise of Yama and Rudra to show the funeral rites of the Kauravas. Hearing all this, peace left Dhritarashtra. He realized that his actions were going to reap terrible consequences that had already been set in motion.

This is the end of Sabha Parva.

 

Our Saint for today was Sri Adi Shankaracharya.  Adi Shankaracharya,  was born in the 14th year of the reign of Vikramaaditya in 700 AD, near Kalady, Kerala. His parents were very pious and devotees of Shiva. The divine child composed his first book at age 6, and took sanyas at the age of 8. His guru was Govindapada at Narmadesvara. Adi Shankaracharya composed original works such as Bhaja Govindam, Atma Bodha, Tattva Bodha, Daksinamurthy Stotra, Vivekachudamani, etc. He travelled across the country four times and established his mathas near Badrinaath in the north, Puri in the east, Sringeri in the south, and Dwaraka in the west. He single- handedly revived the Hindu culture and brought 75 different schools of thought under his Advaita philosophy. At age 32, he had completed his mission in life. 

 

We did Gita chanting verses 12-14. We will send the recording by Whatsapp.

 

We are off next 2 weeks as it is our winter break. See you all on Jan 7,2024. Happy Holidays to all!!

 

Regards,

Indira and Raji

 

Dec 10, 2023 - Grade 5 (Sunday AM)

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 regular set of bhajans.

 

We continued with our regular format which is Mahabharata followed by Saints of India.

 

Mahabharata continues- The second Parva, Sabha Parva, starts with Maya, the architect of the Asuras, wanting to give something in return to Arjuna for saving his life. Arjuna refuses to accept anything in return. But Maya is adamant and wants to show his gratitude, so Arjuna relents and asks Maya to do something for Krishna instead, so Maya asks him what he wants. Krishna realizes that the time has come when the world has to be shaken out of its complacency. Krishna sees the future, in which he sees the Kurukshtra war with all the bodies of the kings. He remembers his promise to his dear attendants, Jaya and Vijaya, who are waiting for their third and final life on earth (the first being Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakadipu, the second being Ravana and Kumbakarna and last one being born as Sisupala and Dantavaktra - we did this story in 3rd grade!). Krishna has to grant them release from human bondage, and decides to begin the act of destruction so that they can eventually be freed. 

 

Krishna asks Maya to build a unique Sabha (hall) for Yudhishthira. Krishna then decides to leave for Dwaraka after taking leave of his aunt Kunti, the brothers, Draupadi and Subhadra. The Sabha is completed after fourteen months. It exceeds even Sudharma, the Sabha of Indira. The Pandavas are speechless with amazement. Maya then gives the names Kapidvaja (as his chariot has Hanuman on the flag) and Swetavahana (because of his white horses) to Arjuna and takes his leave. Rishis and kings from all over visit the spectacular Sabha. Many like Satyaki stay back to learn archery from Arjuna. 

 

Subhadra has a son named Abhimanyu. Draupadi has five sons, Prativindhya from Yudhishthira, Sutasoma from Bheema, Srutajarman from Arjuna, Sataanika from Nakula and Srutasena from Sahadeva. There was peace and tranquillity in the kingdom but this was a lull before the storm!

 

Narada visits the Sabha, and Yudhishthira asks him about the various Sabhas he has visited in the other worlds. Narada goes on to describe the various sabhas he has visited, including the great ones of Yama, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and Brahma. He tells Yudhishthira that the kind Harischandra occupies the throne with Indra, while Shantanu and Pandu are in Yama's court. Yudhishthira is surprised on hearing this as he feels his father was a very pure person, but Pandu is with Yama and not with Indra. Narada, who has come for this very reason, goes on to explain that he met Pandu. Pandu suggested to Narada to tell Yudhishthira to perform the Rajasuya yagna- a ritual turning a king into an emperor- with his four brothers and Krishna in his side. He warned that it will not be easy to conquer the entire world, but once done all their ancestors, including Shantanu and Pandu, can enter the Sabha of Indira. Narada blesses the Pandavas and takes leave.

 

Thoughts of conquest, till now strangers to the mind of Yudhishthira, begin to occur. That his father has asked him to perform the Yagna, motivates Yudhishthira and he puts forth for approval in his court. Everybody is very enthusiastic and Yudhishthira sends for Krishna and asks him for guidance. Krishna considers it a good idea but warns him of Jarasandha and his powerful friends like Sisupala, Dantavaktra, Bhagadatta, Rukmi, Paundraka. The Kauravas will also support Jarasandha. Jarasandha is a sworn enemy of the Vrishnis, as Krishna had killed his son-in-law Kamsa. Krishna feels that once Jarasandha is killed, there is nothing to worry about and that the yagna will be completed. Yudhishthira is a little apprehensive on hearing this and is not very eager about the Rajasuya yagna. But Bheema and Arjuna are very gung ho about the whole Jarasandha debacle. Krishna recounts to them the story of Jarasandha's life.

 

The kingdom of Magadha was ruled by Jarasandha. His father was Brihadratha. He was given the gift of a fruit to bear a child, which he divided between his two queens. This resulted in the birth of half a child by each queen. The two pieces were thrown out of the palace gates, and they were found by a rakshasi named Jara. She put the pieces together and behold a complete child was formed. She handed over the baby to the king. Brihadratha, in gratitude, named the child Jarasandha. This son was gifted with divine powers, would not be killed by any ordinary person, and would be favored by Lord Shankara. Yudhishthira, on hearing this, is not for fighting him. But he is convinced by Krishna, Bheema and Arjuna and these three leave for Magadha. They climb the walls of the palace to see Jarasandha and challenge him to a duel. Jarasandha agrees to fight Bheema. But because of the ill omens he has seen in Magadha, Jarasandha first crowns his son Sahadeva as the king. Bheema and Jarasandha start a duel with both unable to outdo the other. Bheema sees an opportunity and throws Jarasandha with force. His body splits into two but magically join back. Krishna, knowing the trick to end Jarasandha's life, shows Bheema how to do it. Using a leaf for demonstration, Krishna explains that Bheema has to separate Jarasandha into pieces, and most importantly, throw the pieces in different corners, making sure the pieces don't align. Bheema follows as instructed and throws the pieces with one leg and one half of the head corresponding. Thus Jarasandha is killed as the parts cannot join back. With Jarasandha's death, the Pandavas feel the path is clear now. Krishna is relieved with the outcome and leaves for Dwaraka with the promise that he and the Vrishni clan will be back in Indraprastha for the Rajasuya yagna.

 

The preparations for the Rajasuya yagna are in full swing. Yudhishthira sends his brothers to the four quarters to get the allegiances of the kings or fight those who offer resistance.  Arjuna chooses the north, Bheema the east, Nakula the west and Sahadeva the south. All the brothers are very successful in their endeavors. Sahadeva, on reaching the south, decides to win the friendship of Vibeeshana, who is in Lanka. Sahadeva decides to send his nephew Ghatotkacha to the island. Ghatotkacha goes to Lanka, and on the way sees the bridge built for Rama to cross over. Vibeeshana is very happy to meet the young boy and hear stories about the Pandavas, their goodness, their valour and their love for Krishna. He sends back valuable gifts. Nakula invites the Vrishnis, including Vasudeva, to Indraprastha. Krishna and Vyaasa start making arrangements for the Rajasuya. Yudhishthira sends Nakula to Hastinapur to invite Bheeshma, Drona, Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, his sons, and Radheya. All guests start to arrive, and wealth is literally pouring into the treasury. Duryodhana is in charge of the treasury. His heart is fuming with envy seeing the accolades his cousins are getting. Narada also comes and is filled with doom thinking of all the bloodshed that is just about to begin. The Rajasuya is in progress and Yudhishthira's coronation is over. 

   

Bheeshma asks Yudhishthira to welcome all the sages and kings who have come for the yagna. He asks the newly-crowned emperor to first select the guest of honor and start the process of worshiping this guest. He suggests the name of Krishna for this seat of honor. The brothers are extremely pleased with the suggestion. Sahadeva is asked to get the articles necessary for worship, though not all are happy with this turn of events. But Sisupala is the most vocal. He goes on to insult the choice of the cowherd Krishna, as well as Bheeshma for suggesting him. Bheema is agitated with Sisupala and is shocked to see the calm Bheeshma. Bheeshma goes on tell Bheema about the prophecy that Sisupala is destined to meet his death at the ends of Krishna. He goes on tell the story.

 

Sisupala is the son of Vasudeva's sister and therefore Krishna's cousin.  When he was born, he had three eyes snd four arms. His parents were horrified at the monstrosity born to them. They were told by a heavenly voice that as soon as the child was placed in the lap of the man who was to kill him, the extra eye and arms would disappear. The baby was placed on Krishna's lap, and to everybody's astonishment, the baby lost the extra eye and arms. The mother plead with her nephew to spare her son. Krishna consoled her and agreed to pardon up to hundred insults hurled by Sisupala. Now, Sisupala considers Krishna as his nemesis. This is further aggravated as Rukmi wants his sister, Rukmini, to marry Sisupala but as Rukmini is in love with Krishna, she elopes with him. Krishna patiently waits for Sisupala to finish off his hundred insults and as Sisupsla invites him to a combat, Krishna hurls his chakra at Sisupala, bringing his end. This death is followed by terrible upheavals in nature. The Rajasuya, which started with happiness all around, ends disastrously and with the appearance of numerous bad omens, suggesting impending doom!

 

We also learnt about  Saint, Suradasji. Suradasji was born blind to a poor Brahmin family near Delhi in 1478. He was neglected by his family and no one would play with him. He was a lost and a lonely boy. Suradasji was keen on learning music. He tried following a group of singers but they abandoned him as well. Suradasji ended up staying under a tree and started to sing the Lord's praises. Mahabharata continues- the second Parva, Sabha Parva, starts with Maya, the architect of the Asuras, wanting to give something in return to Arjuna for saving his life. Arjuna refuses to accept anything in return. But Maya is adamant and wants to show his gratitude, so Arjuna relents and asks Maya to do something for Krishna instead, so Maya asks him what he wants. Krishna realizes that the time has come when the world has to be shaken out of its complacency. Krishna sees the future, in which he sees the Kurukshtra war with all the bodies of the kings. He remembers his promise to his dear attendants, Jaya and Vijaya, who are waiting for their third and final life on earth (the first being Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakadipu, the second being Ravana and Kumbakarna and last one being born as Sisupala and Dantavaktra - we did this story in 3rd grade!). Krishna has to grant them release from human bondage, and decides to begin the act of destruction so that they can eventually be freed. 

 

Krishna asks Maya to build a unique Sabha (hall) for Yudhishthira. Krishna then decides to leave for Dwaraka after taking leave of his aunt Kunti, the brothers, Draupadi and Subhadra. The Sabha is completed after fourteen months. It exceeds even Sudharma, the Sabha of Indira. The Pandavas are speechless with amazement. Maya then gives the names Kapidvaja (as his chariot has Hanuman on the flag) and Swetavahana (because of his white horses) to Arjuna and takes his leave. Rishis and kings from all over visit the spectacular Sabha. Many like Satyaki stay back to learn archery from Arjuna. 

 

Subhadra has a son named Abhimanyu. Draupadi has five sons, Prativindhya from Yudhishthira, Sutasoma from Bheema, Srutajarman from Arjuna, Sataanika from Nakula and Srutasena from Sahadeva. There was peace and tranquillity in the kingdom but this was a lull before the storm!

 

Narada visits the Sabha, and Yudhishthira asks him about the various Sabhas he has visited in the other worlds. Narada goes on to describe the various sabhas he has visited, including the great ones of Yama, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and Brahma. He tells Yudhishthira that the kind Harischandra occupies the throne with Indra, while Shantanu and Pandu are in Yama's court. Yudhishthira is surprised on hearing this as he feels his father was a very pure person, but Pandu is with Yama and not with Indra. Narada, who has come for this very reason, goes on to explain that he met Pandu. Pandu suggested to Narada to tell Yudhishthira to perform the Rajasuya yagna- a ritual turning a king into an emperor- with his four brothers and Krishna in his side. He warned that it will not be easy to conquer the entire world, but once done all their ancestors, including Shantanu and Pandu, can enter the Sabha of Indira. Narada blesses the Pandavas and takes leave.

 

Thoughts of conquest, till now strangers to the mind of Yudhishthira, begin to occur. That his father has asked him to perform the Yagna, motivates Yudhishthira and he puts forth for approval in his court. Everybody is very enthusiastic and Yudhishthira sends for Krishna and asks him for guidance. Krishna considers it a good idea but warns him of Jarasandha and his powerful friends like Sisupala, Dantavaktra, Bhagadatta, Rukmi, Paundraka. The Kauravas will also support Jarasandha. Jarasandha is a sworn enemy of the Vrishnis, as Krishna had killed his son-in-law Kamsa. Krishna feels that once Jarasandha is killed, there is nothing to worry about and that the yagna will be completed. Yudhishthira is a little apprehensive on hearing this and is not very eager about the Rajasuya yagna. But Bheema and Arjuna are very gung ho about the whole Jarasandha debacle. Krishna recounts to them the story of Jarasandha's life.

 

The kingdom of Magadha was ruled by Jarasandha. His father was Brihadratha. He was given the gift of a fruit to bear a child, which he divided between his two queens. This resulted in the birth of half a child by each queen. The two pieces were thrown out of the palace gates, and they were found by a rakshasi named Jara. She put the pieces together and behold a complete child was formed. She handed over the baby to the king. Brihadratha, in gratitude, named the child Jarasandha. This son was gifted with divine powers, would not be killed by any ordinary person, and would be favored by Lord Shankara. Yudhishthira, on hearing this, is not for fighting him. But he is convinced by Krishna, Bheema and Arjuna and these three leave for Magadha. They climb the walls of the palace to see Jarasandha and challenge him to a duel. Jarasandha agrees to fight Bheema. But because of the ill omens he has seen in Magadha, Jarasandha first crowns his son Sahadeva as the king. Bheema and Jarasandha start a duel with both unable to outdo the other. Bheema sees an opportunity and throws Jarasandha with force. His body splits into two but magically join back. Krishna, knowing the trick to end Jarasandha's life, shows Bheema how to do it. Using a leaf for demonstration, Krishna explains that Bheema has to separate Jarasandha into pieces, and most importantly, throw the pieces in different corners, making sure the pieces don't align. Bheema follows as instructed and throws the pieces with one leg and one half of the head corresponding. Thus Jarasandha is killed as the parts cannot join back. With Jarasandha's death, the Pandavas feel the path is clear now. Krishna is relieved with the outcome and leaves for Dwaraka with the promise that he and the Vrishni clan will be back in Indraprastha for the Rajasuya yagna.

 

The preparations for the Rajasuya yagna are in full swing. Yudhishthira sends his brothers to the four quarters to get the allegiances of the kings or fight those who offer resistance.  Arjuna chooses the north, Bheema the east, Nakula the west and Sahadeva the south. All the brothers are very successful in their endeavors. Sahadeva, on reaching the south, decides to win the friendship of Vibeeshana, who is in Lanka. Sahadeva decides to send his nephew Ghatotkacha to the island. Ghatotkacha goes to Lanka, and on the way sees the bridge built for Rama to cross over. Vibeeshana is very happy to meet the young boy and hear stories about the Pandavas, their goodness, their valour and their love for Krishna. He sends back valuable gifts. Nakula invites the Vrishnis, including Vasudeva, to Indraprastha. Krishna and Vyaasa start making arrangements for the Rajasuya. Yudhishthira sends Nakula to Hastinapur to invite Bheeshma, Drona, Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, his sons, and Radheya. All guests start to arrive, and wealth is literally pouring into the treasury. Duryodhana is in charge of the treasury. His heart is fuming with envy seeing the accolades his cousins are getting. Narada also comes and is filled with doom thinking of all the bloodshed that is just about to begin. The Rajasuya is in progress and Yudhishthira's coronation is over. 

   

Bheeshma asks Yudhishthira to welcome all the sages and kings who have come for the yagna. He asks the newly-crowned emperor to first select the guest of honor and start the process of worshiping this guest. He suggests the name of Krishna for this seat of honor. The brothers are extremely pleased with the suggestion. Sahadeva is asked to get the articles necessary for worship, though not all are happy with this turn of events. But Sisupala is the most vocal. He goes on to insult the choice of the cowherd Krishna, as well as Bheeshma for suggesting him. Bheema is agitated with Sisupala and is shocked to see the calm Bheeshma. Bheeshma goes on tell Bheema about the prophecy that Sisupala is destined to meet his death at the ends of Krishna. He goes on tell the story.

 

Sisupala is the son of Vasudeva's sister and therefore Krishna's cousin.  When he was born, he had three eyes snd four arms. His parents were horrified at the monstrosity born to them. They were told by a heavenly voice that as soon as the child was placed in the lap of the man who was to kill him, the extra eye and arms would disappear. The baby was placed on Krishna's lap, and to everybody's astonishment, the baby lost the extra eye and arms. The mother plead with her nephew to spare her son. Krishna consoled her and agreed to pardon up to hundred insults hurled by Sisupala. Now, Sisupala considers Krishna as his nemesis. This is further aggravated as Rukmi wants his sister, Rukmini, to marry Sisupala but as Rukmini is in love with Krishna, she elopes with him. Krishna patiently waits for Sisupala to finish off his hundred insults and as Sisupsla invites him to a combat, Krishna hurls his chakra at Sisupala, bringing his end. This death is followed by terrible upheavals in nature. The Rajasuya, which started with happiness all around, ends disastrously and with the appearance of numerous bad omens, suggesting impending doom!

 

We also learnt about Saint Suradasji. Suradasji was born blind to a poor Brahmin family near Delhi in 1478. He was neglected by his family and no one would play with him. He was a lost and lonely boy. Suradasji was keen on learning music. He tried following a group of singers but they abandoned him as well. Suradasji ended up staying under a tree and started to sing the Lord's praises. He continued with his singing and was very admired for his bhajans. One day, the blind Surdasji was resting on the edge of a well and fell in. He stayed there for a few days and kept on praying. Then, he felt the hand of a little boy, who called and asked him to come out by holding his hand. Surdasji did exactly as he was told, but when he came out of the well, he could not find the boy. Surdasji knew the boy was none other than Krishna. He wrote this experience in a Bhajan. People passing him would give him food. Surdasji was also called a miracle boy as he could tell people where to find their lost animal, when to travel, when to start a business etc. One day, he felt the call of Krishna and left for Vrindavan. He kept singing and also felt the presence of Lord Krishna. Suradasji was also invited by Akbar to sing in his court. In his lifetime, the Saint composed many Bhajan on Lord Krishna. Our learning from Surdasji was Bhakti.

 

We continued with Bhagvad Geeta chanting verse 10 and 11. I will send the link for the above in our Whatsapp group. We also practiced  Ajam Nirvikalpam and continued learning Ganesh Pancharatnam.

 

See you all next week !!

 

Regards,

Indira and Raji