FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Beginning Prayers

• Om Saha Navavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namastubhyam
• Ramaya Ramabhadraya
• Buddhir Balam Yashodhairyam

Bhajans:

We learnt a new Shiva Bhajan this week. 

• Siva Shambo Shambo

Stotram:

• GuruStotram (My Prayers, Page 9) - We did slokas 1, 2, 3, 5 and 14
• Lingashtakam:

   We reviewed the first three verses. We learnt the fourth verse this week.

Geeta Chanting:

• We chanted the first 5 verses of Chapter XII. We learnt the 6th verse this week.

Story:

We reviewed the story covered in the last two class by conducting a quiz.  The children participated very enthusiastically.  They were divided into Teams A and B and the result was a tie. 

We continued the story this week.  All the vanaras gathered for the search and Sugriva divided them into four groups.  They were each sent in different directions and were given one month time to search for Sita and bring back news about her.  The group under Satabali went north, the group under Vinata went east, the group under Susena went west and the group under Hanuman, Jambavan, Nila and Angada went south.  Rama felt that Hanuman would be the one to bring news of Sita so he gives Hanuman his signet rings and tells him to give it to Sita when he sees her.  Thus Rama establishes his trust in Hanuman and their bond is formed forever. The vanaras who had gone north, east and west return within a month with no news.  Now all hopes lay on the group that went south.  The vanaras proceeding south come across a cave that smells of lotus flowers, have trees made of gold with emeralds for leaves and rubies for flowers. In the caves lives a tapasvini names Svayamprabha, on hearing Rama's story from Hanuman she transports them out of the cave through her powers.  The vanaras open their eyes and see the blue ocean in front of them.  They are scared of the water and are wondering aloud if they should return.  Hanuman reminds them that they should fulfill their mission and intensify their search.  Unknown to them they are being watched by a vulture who on hearing the name Jatayu calls out to them.  The vanaras who were reminiscing about how Sita was abducted by Ravana and how Jatayu tries to save her finds the vulture and brings him some water. We learn that the vulture is Sampati, Jatayu's brother whose wings got burned by the sun while he was trying to protect Jatayu.  Sampati with his keen eyesight looks across the ocean and tells them that he sees Sita sitting amidst horrible raksasas in a garden in the city of Lanka.  

Now that they knew where Sita was the vanaras have to decide as to whom amongst them will cross the ocean and meet Sita.  All of them discuss how many yojanas they can jump.  Then the wise Jambavan looks at Hanuman and tells him that there is no doubt that only Hanuman is up to the task of crossing the ocean.  He reminds Hanuman that his shoulders are as powerful as Garuda's wings and urges him to use his divine strength.  On hearing this Hanuman feels his hidden strength come out and he grows and grows into an enormous mountain. He is inspired with a tremendous zeal to fulfill Rama's mission.  He tells the vanaras that in order to take the jump he has to press his foot hard on the earth and to do that he had to climb a hill.  He climbs on top of the Mahendra Hill and after praying to Rama, Surya, Indra, Brahma and his father Vayu he presses his foot on the mountain.  It trembles under his foot, water gushes forth from the rocks, the tress shed leaves and and the animals get scared.  Hanuman is now ready to take his jump to cross the ocean.

Activity:

Today, the kids made a Shiva Lingam out of modeling clay. 

Games:

We played Hangman today.

Likhita Japa:
The kids wrote Rama's name 11 times in complete silence.

Conclusion:

We concluded with arti and pledge

Comments:

The kids are doing well in class.  They are participating well during the story and games. We will be starting our Samaskriti practice from the next class so please plan on attending.