May 5, 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 1-9.
• Lingashtakam - We reviewed the first six stanzas of Lingashtakam and learnt stanza 7 & 8.

Story:

Vibhisana shares with Rama the preparations that are being made in Lanka for the war. But the immediate issue was to cross the sea.  Rama undertakes a fast for three days but no help seemed to be coming.  Rama is outraged and asks Lakshmana for his bow and arrow.  He shoots at the ocean with anger, the waves are in turmoil, the animals are dying, the Sea God shows himself to Rama and pleads with him to stop.  he tells Rama that it is against the nature of the ocean to be shallow and part to give way for the army to cross the sea, instead he recommends that Rama appoint Nala (son of Visvakarma) as the chief engineer to build the bridge and promised to hold it together for the vanara army to cross.  Rama does so and the the vanara army under the leadership of Nala worked without any rest and the bridge is completed in 5 days.  They use boulders, massive trees and hills to build the bridge and the Sea God holds it together for them.  They write 'SriRama' on every materials and their devotion is the cement that holds the bridge together. Rama, Lakshmana along with the vanara army cross the sea and reach the shores of Lanka.

On seeing the army Ravana's grandfather advised Ravana to do what is just and return Sita to Rama. He tells Ravana that his luster has gone down with Rama setting foot on Lanka.  Ravana gets angry and refuses to listen to reason.  He says that even if the whole world is against him he will fight with Rama.  Rama sends Angadha as a messenger to try to reason with Ravana one last time. But Ravana tries to attack Angadha, Angadha uses his might to rise int he air and flies aways but not without breaking the turrets of Ravana's castle.  Ravana considers this an ill-omen and tries to resort to tricks.  he thinks that if can convince Sita to be with him then Rama will return a dejected man.  he get a magician to make a head like Rama's and takes it to Sita saying that Rama has died in the battle.  sita cries bitterly but in the meantime Ravana's generals come for him as te vanara army has started attacking Lanka. As Ravana leaves sita the false head goes up in flames as for it to maintain its appearance Ravana's presence was needed.  A good raksasi named 'Sarama' explains Ravana's deceit to Sita; sita is overjoyed to hear that Rama is alive and well just as the trumpets blare and the drums of the vanara army sounds. Sita is glad but the hearts of the citizens of Lanka tremble with fear.

Activity: 

The kids colored a picture .

Meditation/Japa:

 Likhita Japa

Games:

Hangman

Conclusion:
We conluded the day with 

• Om Purnamadah

Comments:

 The kids were very enthusiastic to play the Hangman game, they came up with the name, and the clues for their friends to guess! Great job everyone

April 28, 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.

Story:

We conducted a quiz, the kids participated enthusiastically.  We talked about Hanuman's return to India from Lanka.  All the vanaras were excited to hear Hanuman's triumphant shout and started merry-making.  They then made their way back to Kishkindha to give the news to Sri Rama.  Hanuman, being humble, let Jambavan as the elder person to narrate everything to Sri Rama. But Jambavan requested Hanuman to relate everything and so Hanuman did. He also told Sri Rama of 2 little incidents that Sita had disclosed to him to confirm to Sri Rama that it is Sita indeed that Hanuman met with.  So, Sri Rama and the vanara army make their way to the shore and start wondering how they will cross the mighty ocean.  Meanwhile, in Lanka, Ravana is advised by his brother Vibheeshana and his wife Mandodari to give up Sita since it is adharma.  He does not listen to them and asks Vibheeshana to leave him. Vibheeshana decides to go join Rama.

Activity: 

The kids colored a picture 

Meditation/Japa:

 None

Games:

None

Conclusion:
We conluded the day with 

• Om Purnamadah

Comments:

 The kids did a fantastic job in the assembly, they read their lines very clearly and loudly and the rap song was a hit.  Great job!

Next class is on May 5, 2013

April 21, 2013

Hari OM!

Beginning Prayers

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

We spent the day practicing for the April 28th assembly performance

April 14, 2013

Hari OM!

Beginning Prayers

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

We spent the day practicing for our April 28th assembly performance.

March 17, 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:

We continued the story this week.  We talked about how Hanuman, after meeting with Sita, decides to show his strength to the people of Lanka.  He grew really big and started destructing trees and homes and finally Ravana had to send his son Aksa to fight with Hanuman.  He was killed and so came Indrajit, who used his Brahmaastra to capture Hanuman. Hanuman used this oppurtunity to meet with Ravana as the messenger of Sri Rama.  Vibheeshana suggests to Ravana that Hanuman should be treated with respect as he is a messenger but Ravana ignores him.   He orders the rakshasas to set his tail on fire.  Hanuman grows really big again and they set fire to his big tail.  He suddenly gets too small, wriggles out of the ropes that bind him, and moves from one building to another setting fire to Lanka without touching Asokavanam where Sita is staying.  He flies back to the shores of the ocean in India where his friends and Jambavan are waiting to hear news of Sita. 

Activity: 

The kids colored a picture

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 the field trip to Guruvayoorappan temple on April 7th, 2013

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. 

March 3, 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:

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.

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.

Activity: 

Monkey Puppet Art Project

Meditation/Japa:

Games:

None

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 10th, 2013.