Hari OM Parents,
Today was our second session of Bala Vihar. We started our class with 3 OMs followed by Shlokas- Sahana Vavathu, Vakratunta, and Saraswathi Namasthubyam.
Ganesha Pancharathnam- Kids were able to recite the first 2 lines which they learnt in the first class well and learnt the next two lines.They were able to nicely chant the first verse.
Today was our second session of Bala Vihar. We started our class with 3 OMs followed by Shlokas- Sahana Vavathu, Vakratunta, and Saraswathi Namasthubyam.
Ganesha Pancharathnam- Kids were able to recite the first 2 lines which they learnt in the first class well and learnt the next two lines.They were able to nicely chant the first verse.
Ganesh Chaturthi -Since we celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi recently, we talked about the story of the birth of Lord Ganesha, how Devi Parvathi made Ganesha from dirt, and how Ganesha got his elephant head. We discussed how the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in India which could last for a few days and then the procession for visarjan. Kids were able to explain how they celebrated the festival at home and few said they made clay Ganesha at home and even helped to do modaks and finally left the clay idol in water. Kids were so enthusiastic to share their stories of celebration. They were able to recollect the different names of Ganesha too.
Mahabharata- We recapped what was done in the first class about Veda Vyasa and Ganesha the Scribe. We started the first chapter of Mahabhartha of how King Shantanu of Hastinapur met Goddess Ganga and the condition she set forth to marry him that no questions be asked whatsoever. When Ganga gave birth to the first child, she cast him in the river and this continued for 6 more babies and King Shantanu could not question her. When Ganga was about to do the same thing for her eighth child, King Shantanu could no longer be silent and questioned her action. Ganga explained him the curse of Ashta Vasus by Sage Vasishtha that all 8 vasus be born in the mortal world and will be relieved of their curse as soon as born, except for the one who actually took cow Nandhini will live in the mortal world for long time. Ganga said she was actually liberating them from their curse as requested by Vasus.. Since King Shantanu broke his promise, Ganga left him saying that she will return her son when time comes. She named him 'Devavrata' and trained him as a great scholar and warrior and returned him to Hastinapur who later came to be called 'Bheeshma.
Kids wanted to play a game, but due to lack of time, we decided to do that from the next class.
The class ended after learning the Sanskrit primer and assembled in the prayer hall for Aarathi.
Mahabharata- We recapped what was done in the first class about Veda Vyasa and Ganesha the Scribe. We started the first chapter of Mahabhartha of how King Shantanu of Hastinapur met Goddess Ganga and the condition she set forth to marry him that no questions be asked whatsoever. When Ganga gave birth to the first child, she cast him in the river and this continued for 6 more babies and King Shantanu could not question her. When Ganga was about to do the same thing for her eighth child, King Shantanu could no longer be silent and questioned her action. Ganga explained him the curse of Ashta Vasus by Sage Vasishtha that all 8 vasus be born in the mortal world and will be relieved of their curse as soon as born, except for the one who actually took cow Nandhini will live in the mortal world for long time. Ganga said she was actually liberating them from their curse as requested by Vasus.. Since King Shantanu broke his promise, Ganga left him saying that she will return her son when time comes. She named him 'Devavrata' and trained him as a great scholar and warrior and returned him to Hastinapur who later came to be called 'Bheeshma.
Kids wanted to play a game, but due to lack of time, we decided to do that from the next class.
The class ended after learning the Sanskrit primer and assembled in the prayer hall for Aarathi.
Regards,
Bhuvana and Rukmani
