Hari Om! Parents,
Reminders
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Week 4 Class Update
Class began with writing the Likhita Japa, followed by opening prayers and attendance.
Shlokas
The class learned "Ya Kundendu Tushara Hara Dhavala", the Saraswati shloka, on the occasion of Navaratri and Saraswati Puja.
Mahabharata
The story continues with Duryodhana's evil plan to kill the Pandavas in a wax palace, but they escape to the forest.
Bhima weds Hidimbi and a son, Gatotkacha, was born. Arjuna wins Draupadi's hand at the swayamvara and also weds to Subhadra, who gives birth to Abhimanyu.
Pandavas built Indraprastha with the help of Lord Krishna and Yudhistira is crowned king. The story of Jarasandha is revealed and Bhima kills him. Yudhistira performs the Rajasuya Yagna.
Draupadi laughs when Duryodhana falls into the Maya sabha, offending him. Sisupala insults Lord Krishna and is killed with the Sudarshana Chakra.
Evil Shakuni plots to avenge Duryodhana and the Pandavas are invited to a game of dice. After losing his wealth and kingdom, Yudhistira wagers and loses his brothers and even Draupadi.
Dushasana tries to disrobe Draupadi on Duryodhana's orders, but Lord Krishna comes to her rescue. The Pandavas vow to avenge this humiliation and leave for their 13 years of exile.
India, the Sacred Land
Topic: Festivals, Navaratri and the importance of Hindu celebrations. The children shared their experiences about puja and celebrating festivals with their families.
We assembled in the prayer hall to perform Saraswati Puja and concluded the session with the Pledge recitation.
Week 5 Class Update
Class began with writing the Likhita Japa, followed by opening prayers and attendance. We chanted the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam for Lakshmi Puja during the Diwali celebration.
Mahabharata
We continued with the review of Vana Parva and the Pandavas completing 12 years of exile. Arjuna gets the "Pasupata Astra" from Lord Shiva. He goes to Indraloka and gathers divine astras.
He learns fine art skills from Chitrasena and is cursed by Urvashi. The rest of the Pandavas go on a yatra, where Bhima meets Hanuman. Yudhistira releases king Nahusha from his curse.
Jayadrata kidnaps Draupadi and is caught by Bhima who shaves half of his hair and mustache. The angry Jayadrata does penance and gets a boon to be able to kill the Pandavas.
After the prasanga of "yaksha prashna", Yudhistira gets Yamadeva's blessing to not get caught during the incognito year.
The Pandavas begin the "Agnathavasa" in the Virata Parva. They enter the Virata kingdom with Yudhistira disguised as Kanka, Bhima as Valala, and Arjuna as Brihannala.
Nakula as Damagranti and Sahadeva as Tantripala, Draupadi is disguised as the maid Sairandri.
Bhima kills Keechaka and the spies report the Pandavas' location to Duryodhana. The Kauravas attack the kingdom and the Pandavas join Virata's army to fight them.
Arjuna single-handedly defeats the Kauravas and they retreat. The Pandavas reveal their identity to king Virata as the 13th year of exile comes to an end. Abhimanyu weds princess Uttara.
This concludes the grade 5 review of the story, we will start the grade 6 portion from the next class.
India, the Sacred Land
Topic: Festivals, Diwali celebration. The story of Ramayana and its connection to Deepavali. The story of Lord Krishna and Narakasura. Significance of Lakshmi puja.
Gita Chanting
This year, the children will learn Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita from our Swamiji. Grade 6 is group Partha, and is assigned verses 1-26 to memorise.
More details at: https://www.chinmayavrindavan.org/activities/geeta-chanting
Grade 6 led the Aarti and Pledge recitation in the Prayer Hall. The children did a good job!
- Rashmi Kuroodi and Sangeetha Srikanth
Supplies needed for every class:- Bala Vihar Handbook, My Prayers book, the Junior Class Workbook Part 1 & 2, a notebook and pencils for likhita japa; everything in their Bala Vihar bag
*Reference books - Mahabharata by Rajagopalachari / Mahabharata by Kamala Subramaniam
