March 10, 2013

Hari OM!

Beginning Prayers

• Om Saha Navavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namastubhyam
• Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu
• Ramaya Ramabhadraya slokha.
• Budhir Balam

Stotram:

• GuruStotram (My Prayers, Page 9) - We reviewed slokas 1-8.
• Lingashtakam - We reviewed the first six stanzas of Lingashtakam.
• Gita Chanting: We learnt 7 slokas of Chapter 13 

Story:

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 words Hanuman leaves the Ashoka vana. 

Activity: 

The kids colored a picture of Sita asking Lord Rama for the golden deer

Meditation/Japa:

The Kids did Litika Japa today

Games:

Four corners

Conclusion:
We conluded the day with 

• Om Purnamadah

Comments:

 Please encourage them to practice the slokas at home.  Please also have them read the pages that refer to the above part of  the story from the Ramayana book.  We do quizzes in every class and the kids will find this useful. 

Next class is on Mar 17th, 2013.