June 9, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

This is the last class synopsis for the year!  Can't believe a whole year has flown by so quickly.

As always, we started the class with meditation and Geeta chanting (chapter 4).  We are so proud of how far they have come with chanting!

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - Open me and you can see me in the mirror. Close me and you can't see me at all.  

We got the answer almost instantly - Eyes.

That's right!  We neither have nor can see ourselves EVER, without using a tool like a mirror or a camera!!  Similarly, knowing the Self is also incomprehensible.  But that can be worked towards. 

We have been talking about the Self throughout the year.  We summarized Chapter 17 (shraddhaa-traya-vibhaaga yoga) and 18 (mokSha-sannyaasa yoga).  We understood that there are 3 types of faiths in different aspects of life - saatvika, raajasika, taamasika.  

We discussed different types of worship, the outcomes, etc.  

We had an interesting question: I study really hard but don't get the result I am looking for.  On the other hand, a couch potato, who does nothing, gets a much better outcome than me.  How do I handle this feeling of upset?  Why am I not getting what he is getting?  

We said - 

Let's forget the question for a moment...  We have all seen green gram with which we make sprouts.  Mom soaks them overnight, drains the water, washes them, and sets them in a dark place.  In a day or two, the sprouts start growing longer and stronger! If planted in the ground, they will reach their full potential of 1-2 feet, within a month or so. 

On the other hand, I take some bamboo seeds and scatter them on the ground.  I water them regularly.  After a week, I see nothing happening... But I continue to water.   After a month, nothing... After 6 months.., (depending on the species) still nothing!!  Then after a whole year, the ground starts breaking. The sprouts start showing up.  But once the sprouts are put forth, there is no stopping them.  They grow at almost 3-5 feet per year!!!

So, can we say the green gram was more successful in its life?  What is the measure of success - the time it took to grow? Is it the height it was able to achieve?  Whether it is edible or not?  What truly is the measure of success?  

If we analyze this correctly, both were successful - in being who they were!!!!  Bamboo can't become green gram and vice versa.  

Similarly, we cannot compare ourselves with someone else and feel bad!  Each person has his own skillsets 

• Some may have a photographic memory, so they remember quickly, without having to study hard.  
• Some may analyze and understand logic better.  
• Some may do better with revisiting the topics often.  
• Some may do well in math, some may do better in music. 

(We even discussed some studying techniques that might help to acquire.) 

If we are content with being who we are, the problem will be solved.  We have to find our strengths and weaknesses and work with them.  

Interestingly, this is what Krishna said to Arjuna too.  In the very beginning, Arjuna thought it was easier to take sanyaasa and run away to the Himalayas to do meditation.  But being a kShatriya, his nature would not have co-operated with him to stay in the mountains.  His nature was to protect people and uphold dharma.  He just had a temporary setback on the battlefield when he saw his Guru and grandfather on the other side.  

We too, need to learn to follow our dharma and know that - We are enough!!  

This is the very crux of The Bhagavadgeeta that we learned all along :).  

The best lesson we can take from this is - 

So, Grow where you are sown! 

At the end of class, instead of a Unique Statement Review of the day, we asked for Unique statements of the year.  They had to say what stayed with them the most...  We were amazed that they remembered so many different things from class... sometimes, even the smallest details!! 

That's when we said, 'the benefit of Bala Vihar may not be seen when you are IN Bala Vihar.  You will see it when you leave Bala Vihar!  It is almost like the classes were the theory portion and the practicals will be held after you graduate from here 😊'  

We will see you all at the Graduation celebration of our seniors on Saturday, Jun 15th.  

We encourage everyone to contemplate the points discussed throughout the year.  

Have a great Summer break. 

See you next year! 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha. 

June 2, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

 Hari om everyone,

Watching the movie 3 Idiots at our home was fun and relaxing. It was a laughter fest, accompanied by yummy potluck food!  

We were so engrossed in watching and eating that we forgot to get a formal group picture! 😀

Sharing some of the candid pictures taken on Sunday.  

We were laughing so much that…

…it looks like even the characters from the movie turned around to check us out ‘Hi, everybody is here…’ 😀

Movie = 🍿

Yummy potluck spread! 😋

See you next week 😊

Regards,

Rashmi and Sirisha.

May 19, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

Here's the synopsis for this week's class.  Class started with meditation followed by Ch. 4 Geeta Chanting.  

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - When is the ONLY time I can tell a lie?

One said when we have something to hide from our parents.  Another said when I say I'm doing my work but am actually watching YouTube.  Another answer - when I'm afraid I will get yelled at.  

One of them had the right answer - when I know the truth!  Exactly!!  I can't tell a lie unless I know the truth, or it wouldn't be called a lie to begin with :).  

With that, we started discussing divine values.  Truthfulness is one of them.  Without honesty, one cannot go on a quest for truth about oneself! 

We saw that desire is the root cause of all our vices.  Desire shapes our likes and dislikes.  If we don't get what we want, we get angry.  If we get what we want, we get greedy to have more!  If we get what we don't like, then that is a whole other reason for misery!  So, understanding the nature of desire is key.  

We heard the story of Ghengis Khan and his hawk.  We saw how he killed his bird in anger when it was only trying to save his life!  

We heard the story of the Mongoose and the lady.  She had killed her pet mongoose in haste and anger when it had actually protected her baby from a snake!  

One of them asked, 'How do you deal with the fact that you weren't accepted to the college of your choice?  Also, how would you deal if your friend got into your favorite college?'  These are very relevant questions!  

Will not getting accepted make me sad?  Of course, it will.  But, I should not let it bog me down.  I should accept that getting into a college or not does not define me.  I have put in my effort, but could not make it for whatever reason.  I will do my best wherever I am!  

Also, when a friend gets into the college of my choice, it may make me sad initially.  But later, if I am a true friend, I can be happy for him/her.  Friendship is more than jealousy!  When I reason thus with myself, I won't feel bitter about the college situation.  

It was a great discussion overall.  We ended the class with our 'Unique Statement Review'.  

We have sent a separate email regarding the exciting plans for the Movie Mania on June 2nd.  

We need RSVPs via parent waiver forms and potluck sign-ups as well.  Please do so as soon as possible to help us plan an enjoyable event for all our students.  

Looking forward to seeing you all for the off-site Movie Mania on June 2nd.  

Until then, here's something to ponder - 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha. 

May 12, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

 Hari om everyone, 

This year is special.  We are celebrating the 108th Birthday of Gurudev.  His birthday was on May 8th.  So, today, ALL the children at Bala Vihar performed the Gurupaadukaa pooja in the auditorium.  The priest-led pooja was performed by the kids themselves.  

The role of our role model JCHYKs was to set up the seating and pooja plates for everyone!  We needed close to 175 plates.  As a group, they divided the work of laying the sheets for seating; getting the plates ready with - Gurudev's picture, flowers, akShataa, and raisins; and setting the plates in an orderly manner.  

They got the place ready well in time before the rest of the grades joined us in the auditorium.  The pooja went well, as planned.  Since it was also Shankara jayanti, Shankaraachaarya pooja was performed at the main altar as well.  

Below are the pictures of the preparations as well as the pooja.  Videos were shared via email.  

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms who are the pillars of strength for all their children!  

See you next week. 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha. 

May 5, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

Synopsis of this week's class - Started with meditation and chanting Geeta chapter 4. 

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - What can I hold without touching it?! 

We had a couple of interesting answers - 

One said - breath; another said - knowledge...

They were right too.  We were looking for 'conversation'.  We can hold a conversation without ever touching it.  And without ever touching it, we can destroy a relationship with an 'angry conversation' too.  

We continued discussing Chapter 15.  We had already discussed that this is an important chapter as it gives the entire vedaanta in a nutshell.  Many people chant this chapter entirely before eating food, every day!  Some people chant 2 verses - brahmaarpaNam (ch. 4) and aham vaishvaanaro bhootvaa (ch. 15) before eating every meal.  

This is to remind us that eating food is also like a yajna.  We should eat food to sustain ourselves but not sustain, just so that we can eat food!!  These verses remind us that the one eating the food (me) is Brahman, the food we eat is also Brahman, and the digestive fire that digests the food is also Brahman.  

With that, we moved on to the 16th chapter.  This chapter is called 'daiva-asura-sampad-vibhaaga yoga'.  This talks about the divine and demonic qualities in people.  

There are 26 divine qualities enumerated in this chapter.  Adapting these will elevate us to divine/pure realms.  But there are only 3 demonic qualities that we need to beware of... and just 3 can cause a great deal of havoc! 

We started discussing the divine qualities one by one.  We covered about 9 of them in class.  

One of them was 'fearlessness'.  We asked the students, 'So, someone will dare me - if you don't try drugs you are not brave at all!'  At that time, how can I claim to be fearless if I don't try?!'  

Our students quickly said, 'It takes more courage to NOT yield to peer pressure and stick to your values!'  We were very proud of them! 

We were discussing when do we fear and what really is fear?!  We spoke about the many scenarios that bring about fear in us.  We figured that fear comes ONLY when there is another involved - another person, another place from where we are, another time in the future, etc...  The common factor was, that when there is someone/something other than me involved, there is fear.  

Vedaanta solves that problem beautifully!  That is why we even call it 'Advaita'.  Dvaita means second.  Advaita means 'there is no second'.  Why couldn't they just call it 'first' then?  

Our students had the answer - it can mean there's a 3rd or 4th or however many.  When I say I came first in a race, it can mean that in the race, there were 500 people, 4 people, or only I ran..., and I came first :).  But when we say there is 'no second' that means, there IS ONLY ONE - Brahman!  

When there is only one, what will it fear of or from?!  That one is ME, says shaastra...  

We will discuss this further in the next class. 

Until then, here's a thought to contemplate - 

Beware of such "friends"!

Until next time...

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha. 

Apr 28, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

Here's a quick synopsis of our class this week - 

Started class with meditation and Chapter 4 Geeta chanting.  

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - There are oceans but no water; there are shores but no sand; there are towns but no people and there are mountains but no land! Who am I? 

The students couldn't arrive at the answer.  So, we said - I am a map (or) a globe!

How so?  A map/globe does have oceans, shores, mountains, and towns.  All are only indicated on the map/globe but are not physically present there.  

What is the relevance of this question?  Just as a map, shaastras have a road map for us on how life should be led.  Hence, just as we need a map from the beginning of the journey till the end, we need the guidance of the shaastras.  The knowledge in the shaastras is not directly visible or perceivable to a common man. They will give us pointers like a map.  Interpreting and understanding them is not easy.  We arrive at the meanings of shaastras with the help of our gurus. 

We wrapped up Ch. 14 and started discussing Ch. 15.  Comprising only 20 verses, this chapter is very important because Krishna summarizes the ENTIRE VEDAANTA SHAASTRA in a nutshell here.  He had told these points in Ch. 2 already.  But Arjuna had many doubts.  So, the conversation had continued.  

Krishna said the tree of samsaara is like an upside down tree where the ariel roots are dropping back towards the ground.  This tree shall keep on growing and the growth of this tree stunts my personal growth.  I need to understand the impermanency of this world and cut my bondages from the very roots...

While discussing this, we asked, so, who wrote Vedaanta?

Student: Oh! Vedantaananda! 

We: Excuse me... :). No!  Because you know Swami Shantananda, you can't come up with a Vedantaananda now!! 

They: Oh.., no no.., Veda Vyaasa! 

We:  Ahhh, now you are talking... But you are still not right :) 

We:  Before we answer that please tell us - who wrote gravity?  

They: Aunty, nobody can write gravity.  Newton just discovered it!

We:  Aaaaha!  Yes.  So is Vedaanta.  The principles of Vedanta are already existent.  But then, the rishis (who were scientists of the greatest caliber) perceived them in meditation as they could resonate in different frequencies.  Hence, there is NO SINGLE author for the Vedas.  They are eternal truths that were revealed to the seers! Veda Vyaasa only compiled the Vedas which were already revealed to the seers.  

They:  How do we know that?  

We:  We have to take a leap of faith... Do I know that the earth I'm standing on is not going to run away from me or eat me up?  Of course, I don't.  But I take a leap of faith!  I don't become a doubting Thomas before taking every step.  

I have belief in what my Gurus and shaastras say.  So, I first believe in their words, and then I will understand/experience them myself.  

Our vaasanas keep us in the cycle of birth and death.  To get rid of this sorrow, we have to cut asunder the tree at the very roots.  This breaks the cycle of me going away from my roots, Bhagavaan.  The leaves are the vedas.  The leaves nourish a tree.  Similarly, the Vedas nourish my life.  Later, I use the knowledge learned from the Vedas to attain detachment from this tree of samsaara... 

After several interesting discussions, we ended the class with our 'Unique Statement Review'.  

See you all next week.  

Until then, the MLK Jr. quote (above) is something to ponder upon! 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha. 

Apr 21, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

Here's this week's summary.  We started the class with meditation and chanting Chapter 4 of Bhagavadgeeta.  

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - What is so fragile that just by taking its name, it breaks?!

Our smart students had the answer right off the bat! 

Ans: Silence.

Yes, silence breaks the moment we say the word, silence.  Similar are our shaastras...  The ultimate truth that we are trying to understand is said to be beyond words (anirvachaneeya).  But to understand it, we HAVE to use words.  

After we listen to the words (shravana), we have to contemplate the meanings (manana).  The last step is comprehending it (nidhidhyaasana).  

We started discussing chapter 14.  This chapter is called 'Guna-traya-vibhaaga yoga'.  We had discussed kShetra, the field of action in the previous chapter.  Here, we learnt that each of the elements of kShetra is nothing but a composition of the 3 guNas - sattva, rajas, and tamas.  

• Sattva is predominantly pious in nature, aiding learning, benevolence, etc. 
• Rajas supports activity, makes the person goal-driven and busy
• Tamas makes one dull, indolent, arrogant, and selfish

We need ALL of these at different times.  If we are saatvic or rajasic during the night, we can't even sleep!  We need tamas to sleep.  So on and so forth... 

We can only move from one to another and reach Sattva.  But then, any of the guNas are like shackles that keep us in the cycle of birth and death.  If we have mainly sattva, it is still like shackles, only made of gold :).  Be it gold or iron, who wants to be bound?  Hence, our goal should be to transcend all the guNas!  

To understand this better, we discussed some popular Disney characters and their predominant guNa :) 

We said, 'how about Ursula from Little Mermaid?  What was she like?'  

Similarly, we discussed the tendencies of Mufasa, Scar, Flynn, Belle, The Beast (in Beauty and the beast), Cinderella, Pocahontas, and many more. 

It was fun reminiscing about the movies we had all watched many years ago :).  

We got a solid understanding of the guNas.  

But why are guNas a problem?  

Because of them, we build likes and dislikes.  We will work tirelessly either to obtain what we like or run away from what we don't!  This running itself keeps us in the cycles of birth and death.  

We discussed examples of how our mind works - 

If someone says good things about me, I swell with pride and will be willing to do favors to that person!  

But, if I overhear the same person bad-mouthing me to someone else, I will despise that person!!

Our thoughts change according to the moment.  But our goal is to strive to have no such fluctuations from one end to the other (unlike a pendulum).  

Krishna says we should strive towards being equanimous (samatva).  The best example is a Roly-poly doll.  Since it has a round base, no matter how many times we try to make it fall, it will get back up and retain its upright position.  Things and circumstances keep changing.  But keeping a balanced mind, shouldn't! 

We finished the class with the 'Unique Statement Review' as always.  

We will leave with these thoughts today - 

See you all next week. 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha.

Apr 14, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om, 

We started the class with Gita Chanting. Best wishes to all our participants of Gita Chanting regionals Yagna!! happening this weekend.

We continued our discussion of Chapter 13 values.

Why do we need to live by values?

It is the individuals that make up the society. If the individuals are healthy, noble and divine then the entire society will turn into one too. Individual perfection is the means for total perfection. Bhagavad Gita gives us 20 values to live by as they are prerequisites to gain Self Knowledge. We covered a few topics in our previous class and discussed the rest this week. 

Purity: Not merely the physical cleanliness, but also inner purity in thoughts. 

Group discussion Questions: How to extend personal purity to our surroundings?

How to remove mental impurities such as ego, anger, envy etc…

Steadfastness: consistency of purpose and concentration of all efforts towards achieving goals.

Group discussion Questions: Hitler and Martin Luther King both set goals and persevered to make these goals a reality. What was the difference? 

Self Control; Indifference to Sense Objects

Group discussion Questions: Describe 1. path of pleasant vs path of goodness 2. Suppression vs Sublimation

 Absence of Egoism

Group discussion Questions:

Vishwamitra never gave up trying to achieve his goal of becoming Brahma Rishi. Isn't that perseverance? Why is his early life considered Egoistic?

 Perception of evil in birth, death, old age, sickness and pain 

(Metamorphosis causes pain when we are stuck to a particular stage in life)

Group discussion Questions: was this value responsible for the greater advances we have made in science in the last few centuries?

With a discussion of all the other values, the final value stated was - Perception of the End Of True Knowledge. 

The first nineteen values enumerated by lord Krishna prepares us to recognize the divine. Along with it, developing a sense of deep appreciation and gratitude for the world, nature, our family, friends and even our enemies and every living thing around the world will lead us to true knowledge. Through the vision of oneness we can experience the omniscience and omnipresence of God and become one with him.

With this discussion, we completed chapter 13. The next class we will be starting Chapter 14.

Pranams 

Sirisha and Rashmi 

Apr 7, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

Here's the synopsis of our class this weekend.  The class started with meditation.  

Our class has been practicing Geeta chanting diligently from the very first class of Bala Vihar.  Today, we were going to present it on the stage.  So, we practiced it thoroughly.  

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - Imagine, I was dangling from the edge of a tree branch arching over a river.  The river is infested with poisonous snakes.  Rats are gnawing away at the very branch that I'm holding onto.  An elephant is trying to uproot the entire tree itself. Bees have built a hive, up above in the tree.  A few drops of sweet honey are dripping down.  I am enjoying the sweetness of the drops that come my way.  But the bees from the hive are stinging me too...  How do I save myself from this precarious situation?!! 

We didn't get any positive answers :).  Then we drew the attention towards the first word of the question - 'Imagine'.  So, to get out of this imaginary trouble, all I have to do is - Stop imagining! 😃

In the world too, all the troubles we perceive and presume as ours, are only imaginary! All of it belongs to the kShetra (the composite of the elements we learnt about in the last class).  

The scriptures tell us that NaaraayaNa, the Lord, the indweller of us all, has his hand held out to bail us out of all the perils.  The below picture is a beautiful depiction of the same! 

Would Narayana help anyone and everyone?  God helps he who helps himself...  Meaning, anyone who SEEKS His help will be helped by Him.  For that, we need chitta shuddhi (purity of mind).  For that, we need to develop values.  

In chapter 13, Krishna talks about 20 values that we need to inculcate in order to attain purity of mind.  With a purer mind, seeking eternal happiness is much easier.  

We discussed humility; straightforwardness; non-violence; respecting teachers; etc. 

We have a presumed idea about these words but many times, we don't contemplate their intensity!  For example, we say we need to be humble.  Does that mean we become so subservient that we become a doormat?  Not at all!!  

We asked a question, 'Who all helped you get to Bala Vihar today?'  

Some said, my mom, my dad, I drove myself, etc. 

But we kept asking, 'who else?'  And there was no answer.  

We pointed out, 'Think about all the people that contributed towards making your clothes, your food, the people who made water pipes so you could get hot water to shower, who made your car, even the gas that your car runs on!'   The list goes on... 

When we think about how many people have assisted us in making our lives so comfortable, our arrogance about all the privileges we have will disappear!  We won't have airs about ourselves or look down upon others.  This is what true humility is.  Then we will speak kindly and treat everyone with empathy.  

We discussed a few more concepts and quickly wrapped up with 'Unique Statement Review'.

We headed out to the temple auditorium to present Geeta chanting.  Below is the video to reminisce their wonderful work and Swamiji's blessings.  They were awesome!  Now, it is time to register for the Geeta chanting competition on Apr 20th.  

Chinmaya Vrindavan JCHYKs Bhagavadgeeta Chapter 4

Chinmaya Vrindavan JCHYKs Bhagavadgeeta Chapter 4

We will take leave with this thought to ponder upon.  

See you next week. 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha.

Mar 24, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone, 

The class started with meditation and chanting of Chapter 4, Bhagavadgeeta. 

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - Who am I?  I am light as a feather, but even the strongest person in the world cannot hold me for more than 5 minutes?!  

Our students were spot on.  They answered, 'Breath'.  

Yes, obviously, no one can hold their breath for a long time.  

The breath is one of the 5 elements that our body is made up of - air.  We asked our students to name the other 4.  They were quick to answer - space, water, fire, earth, and of course, air. 

Now that the body is made up of these 5 elements, would it be able to transact with the world without any special devices/organs?  No!  We need our sense organs to perceive the world.  Our students named them - eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and skin.

These can be considered as input devices.  We consume information about the world through our sense organs.  What do we perceive through these organs?  Students again - smell, taste, form, touch, and sound. 

How do we interact with the world?  (Let's roughly call it output devices.)  Our students came up with the first 3 and we helped them with the other 2 - speech, hands, legs, excretory organs, and reproductive organs. 

Who is the one perceiving all these stimuli from the world?  The ego. 

What do we do with all these interactions we have with the world?  We keep it in our - memory.

What do we do with memories?  It stimulates our - mind, and intellect.  

All these factors are termed as kShetra (the field of experience).  This was part of the answer to Arjuna's question at the beginning of chapter 13.  Arjuna had asked Krishna to explain to him about - kShetra, kShetrajna, jnaana, jneya, prakRuti, and puruSha.  

With leading questions, our students pretty much came up with all the answers collectively!  

Our next question - But none of the above things that make up your body is the same from time to time. In fact, we don't have even A SINGLE CELL in our body today that we were born with!!  Cells keep dying and getting rebuilt.  Then what is it that makes us be the same person from birth to death?  Why don't we become someone else along with the changing body?  I don't wake up as my brother or mother or father one day.  How is that? 

Our students said, 'our identity'.  

We asked, 'But I was a 1st grader once, then I am a high schooler and will be a degree holder one day.  So, that identification is changing too!  Then what is keeping us as who we are?' 

Doubtfully, a couple of them asked, 'Consciousness?'

Yes!  They were right.  Krishna said this consciousness is kShetrajna (knower of the field).  

At the microcosmic level, we understood kShetra and kShetrajna.  When taken to the macrocosmic level of the Universe, the same becomes prakRuti and puruSha.  

The noble values that we have to live by - is jnaanam. 

The nature of Brahman is His all-pervasiveness - is jneyam.  

Arjuna's 6 questions in the 13th chapter were answered.  

Our students probably surprised themselves with how many answers they already knew today!  They say 'Don't judge a book by its cover'.  Rightly so, because... 

Let us be rich with content always! 

See you after Spring Break.  

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha. 

Mar 17, 2024 - JCHYK Gr. 10-12 (Sunday AM)

Hari om everyone,

We started class with meditation and Geeta chanting (Chapter 4). 

The Kyun Kyun (QQ - Quirky Question) of the day was - Anything that goes up has to come down.  But what is it that can only go up but never come down? 

One of them said, Knowledge... 

Well..., but we can forget what we have learned.  One may get Alzheimer's and forget everything also..., so, no!  That isn't the answer...

Another student was on the right track - Age!  

Yes!  It can only go up and never come down :).  Why did we bring this up?  Time/age, once passed is never coming back.  So, we should be prudent in using our time well and making the best of it, especially as students!!  

We continued understanding the God principle as per the Geeta.  Krishna had said that he is the substratum of everything!  What did He mean by that?  He gave various examples Himself.  He said, 'He is the sapidity in water; He is the light and heat in the fire; He is the devotion in the devoted; He is Arjuna among warriors; etc.' 

So, essentially, God did not 'enter' into these things at a specific point in time.  He is in and through all the objects, ALL the time.  Can we say when the fire 'became' hot?  Can we figure out when water 'became' wet?  No!  Any water, anywhere, is wet.  Any fire, in any era, is hot.  

When we say He is the Ordainer, we need His presence in and through for anything to function.  In His absence, nothing can work!  

Arjuna wanted to see this form of the Lord that he was hearing the description of.  So, he requested Krishna to show him His Vishwaroopam.  Just as we need a telescope to see objects at a distance and a microscope to see minute objects, to see this divine form of the Lord, divine vision is essential.  Ordinary eyes cannot see it.  So, the Lord gave him divya-dRuShTi (divine vision) to see this rare form of His.  Since Sanjaya was already bestowed divine vision to see the battlefield, he was able to see this blessed form of the Lord as well.  Hanuman who was on Arjuna's chariot flag could see it as well. 

Arjuna described the beauty of the Lord's Vishwaroopa in many verses.  Then he got scared also.  He saw the gory aspect of deluge in that form as well.  He prostrated and apologized to Krishna for any pranks or mistakes he could have made in ignorance.  

We discussed how Arjuna apologized for calling Krishna as - Hey Krishna (black one), Hey Yaadava (cow-herder).  

At this time, the students were appalled that someone would call another person, 'you black one'!  So we discussed how it was not like today where it is a racial slur! Political correctness wasn't the same as today.  In fact, we have friends with names like Krishna (black); Swetha (white); Neel (blue); Harita (green); etc.  The other meaning for the word Krishna is also 'one who attracts'.  

So, Arjuna was apologizing for pranking Krishna or offending Him inadvertently in the past.  (Krishna wasn't offended by anything though).  Then he requested Krishna to come back to his 4 armed form.  Krishna did so.  

Then devotion to the Lord was discussed.  

Arjuna asked - is worshiping 'manifest form' better or 'unmanifest form'? 

Krishna doesn't give a precise answer.  He listed out the pros and cons of both paths and said, 'to each his own.'  One can select either path based on his preference.  

Either way, one has to have 33 virtues like - kindness, humility, simplicity, cleanliness, honesty, etc.  We will discuss these differently again when we get to later chapters.  

We ended the class with our 'Unique Statement Review' from the students.  

In line with our Quirky Question of the day, here's a thought to mull over...  

See you next week. 

Regards,
Rashmi and Sirisha.