DECEMBER 9, 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
  reviewed slokas 1-6.
• Lingashtakam - We reviewed the first stanza of Lingashtakam and the learnt the second one. 

Story:

Before we recalled the story we conducted a quiz of the last few chapters.  Team A did better than Team B.  We continued the story. When Lakshmana sees Bharata coming in the forest he misinterprets Bharatha's intentions - he thinks Bharatha is coming to kill Rama.  Rama convinces him that there's no way Bharata would do that.  Bharata is dressed in ascetic clothes just like Sri Rama and tells him how King Dasharatha is no more.  Sri Rama faints on hearing this and on recovering performs the last rites for his father.  Then Bharatha tries to convince Sri Rama to come back and take over the kingdom.  Rama refuses and tell him the greatest philosophy that joys and sorrows come in pairs.  Everyone's got to do what their duty is and whichever way destiny takes them.  Rama has vowed to his father to stay an asceitc life in the forest for 14 years and he will have to keep his word.  On hearing this, Bharatha is sad but agrees to run the kingdom as Rama's representative for 14 years till Rama comes back.  Bharatha then asks for Sri Rama's paduka (Slippers) and takes it home on his head. He tells Rama that his paduka will sit on the throne and rule the kingdome.  Meanwhile, Bharatha will live like Rama, in a hut as an asceitc outside Ayodhya and run the kingdom on his behalf.

After Bharata and his army leaves, Rama tells Lakshmana that they should move out of CHitrakuta since it is too close to Ayodhya and people might keep visiting them from Ayodhya.

They press deeper into the Dandaka forest and are instructed by risi Atri as to where they can set up their ashrama. They go deeper into the forest and find that is very dark and gloomy.  Suddenly they encounter a raksasa and the brothers battle him.  He is the powerful Viradha and has received a boon that he cannot be killed.  Ram and Lakshmana climb on him and cuts off his limbs.he falls down in agony and just when Ram was going to kill him he transforms into a Gandharva.  Having felt the presence of God he is freed from his curse. They proceed further into Dandaka and with the blessing of risi Sutiksna they set up their asrama in a neighboring area. 

Activity:
The kids made a Shiva Lingam out of Modeling clay. 

Meditation/Japa:
The children did likhita japa today.

Games:

None

Conclusion:
We conluded the day with 

• Om Purnamadah

Comments:

The children had a bit of difficulty remembering all the names when we were conducting the quiz. They are very enthusiastic and pay attention when we do the story.  They also are very interested in learning the Guru Stotram and Lingaashtakam. 

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 16th, 2012.