NOVEMBER 18, 2012

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 learnt sloka 5 after reviewing the first 4.

Story:

 We talked in detail about what happened after Rama was told that he has to go the forest for 14 years. Lakshmana is angry and wants to fight the king and seize the throne./  Rama explains to Lakshmana haw it was important to obey their father and that he should calm down.  Rama meets his mother Kaushalya and tells her all that transpired and seeks her blessing before leaving.  She is devastated.  Rama then goes to Sita and tries to take his leave but she insists that she will accompany Rama.  Lakshmana states that he will go with Rama as well.  Thus the three of them depart to the forest, amidst a very sad Ayodhya.

We continued the story about how Rama, Lakshmana and Sita seek Rishi Bharadwaja's advice as to where to set up their Ashram.  Rishi Bharadwaja advices them to set up the ashram at Mt.Chitrakuda in Tapovan.  When they reach Chitrakuda they like the environment and Lakshmana quickly puts up a house of mud with thatched roof.  Meanwhile the Minister Sumantra returns to Ayodhya with the empty chariot and seeing that King Dasharatha is grief stricken. That night he confesses to Kaushalya the story of Sravana.  A young prince Dasharatha had learnt the art of shooting at his target without seeing it. One day while he was out hunting he heard the sound of an elephant drinking water and immediately shot his arrow  only to find he had hit a young boy filling water in a pitcher.  His name is Sravana and he says that he was taking the water to his blind parents. Prince Dasharatha asks Sravana's forgiveness as he had shot at Sravana by mistake.  Sravana asks Dasharatha to got to his parents and dies.  On seeing Sravana's blind parents Dasharatha explains his mistake and tells them of their son's death and seeks their forgiveness.  The parents tell Dasharatha that even though he committed the sin unknowingly he will still have to bear the consequences. He too will suffer separation from his beloved son. Thus narrating the story to Kaushalya King Dasharatha breathes his last with Rama's name on his lips.  Ayodhya is in mourning.

Activity:
The kids colored a picture of Rama breaking Rudra's bow.  

Meditation/Japa:
The children did likhita japa today.

Games:

None

Conclusion:
We conluded the day with 

• Om Purnamadah

Comments:

The children really enjoy the Ramayana story and pay good attention during the story time.  They also seem to like the activities they do in this class.

Reminders:
Please try to send the following items in your childs bag:

1. Crayons
2. Pencil
3. Notebook
4. Glue
5. Snack/Drink
6. A folder to keep their pictures/artwork.
7. 1st grade Balavihar books - Bala Ramayan, coloring book and a copy of 'My Prayers'

Next class is on Dec 2nd, 2012.