February 26, 2012

Beginning Prayers

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

Bhajans:

We learnt the new Rama Bhajan this week. We will be singing this in the Assembly on March 18th, 2012

• Rajathi Rajaya

Stotram:

• Lingashtakam:

   We reviewed the first four verses. We learnt the fifth verse this week.

Geeta Chanting:

• We chanted the first 5 verses of Chapter XII. We learnt the 6th & 7th verses this week.

Story:

We continued the story this week.  Hanuman gets ready to take the jump to cross the ocean and reach Lanka.  He gets in the position to jump and with arms widespread plunges forward.  Maruti meets with multiple obstacles on the way.  First a mighty mountain named Mainaka obstructs him. She offers her hospitality on the request of the Ocean-King.  Hanuman affectionately replies that he will take up her offer another time as he wants to focus on the task at hand.  Mainaka bows deeply and lets him proceed. Sometime later a monster named Surasa emerges from the ocean and ask Hanuman to enter his mounth.  Hanuman tries to avoid him but Surasa is determined that Hanuman enter his mouth.  Hanuman increases his body to a size bigger than the monster's mouth; the monster, the Naga maiden increases her body, Hanuman then shrinks himself to a speck and quickly darts in and out of Surasa's mouth.  Laughingly he says that he has fulfilled Surasa's wishes, Surasa gives his blessing to Hanuman to complete his mission successfully.  Later he is obstructed by a raksasi, Hanuman enters her mouth and rips her body and comes out.  Finally he reaches Lanka. The clever Hanuman decided to wait until dark to enter the city and shrinks himself to the size of a small money.  t dart as he tries to enter the city walls he is stopped by a raksasi who tries to hit him.  Hanuman returns the blow and the raksasi falls down.  The raksasi, the Goddess Guardian of Lanka remembers the prophecy that when a monkey's blow would make her fall, the end of the raksasa race would not be far away.  She realizes that very soon Ravana will ave to account for his sins.  She lets Hanuman enter the city.


Hanuman notices that Lanka is a luxurious, pleasant city, the buildings had perfect architecture, the streets were festive, there were number of temples and palaces with gold cupolas, people were either singing vedic hymns or praising their king, there were lots of music, laughter and dance.  he goes around the city looking for Sita but does not find her.  He enters Ravana's palace and see the women living in a rich atmosphere, Ravana himself is sleeping a regal posture.  he realizes that he would not find Sita there.  As he comes out of the palace he sees a Asoka vana and feels in his heart that Sita would be there. He finds Sita surrounded by ugly, mean raksasis who are forcing her to marry Ravana.  Ravana himself enter the Asoka vana shortly and threatens Sita that if she does not change her mind in two months and marry him he will kill her.  Sita warns Ravana that what he is doing is 'adharma' and that greed will be the downfall of the King and his Kingdom. Ravana angrily returns to the palace. The raksasis fall asleep and Hanuman starts singing the glory of Lord Rama and sings the story of Rama and Sita until that point.  Sita is very happy to hear about Rama but is cautious with Hanuman as she thinks that he might be Ravana in disguise. Hanuman gives Sita Rama's ring and Sita is joyful to set eyes on the ring that she recognizes as Rama's She enquires after Rama and Lakshmana to Hanuman. Hanuman offers to carry Sita on his shoulders out of Lanka but she declines saying that Rama should be the one to fight for her honor and rescue her.  She gives Hanuman a jewel to give as a token to Rama. She asks Hanuman to go back and bring Rama and Lakshmana and blesses him.  With Sita's affection and courageous works Hanuman leaves the Ashoka vana. 

Activity:

None. 

Games:

None.

Likhita Japa:

Conclusion:

We concluded with arti and pledge

Comments:

We started the Samaskriti practice this week and will continue in the next class.  We will be adjusting our class structure to accomodate the practice as we are trying to get most of the practice done during class hours.  Please make sure to bring your child to class for the next few weeks so that we can have meaningful practice sessions with full attendance.

Thanks to all the parents who attend the Biksha and brought sumptuous food.  It was a great afternoon and the students enjoyed the lively exchange with Swamiji.