Hari Om Parents,
Below is what we covered in the class.
Shloka Chanting:
We started the class with our opening prayers.
We chanted verse 10 of Mahishasuramardini Stotra from My Prayers book - Page 48
Lesson:
India the Sacred Land: Temple presentations by kids
This year our students are learning about temple architecture, various temples, and Theertha Kshetras. To deepen their understanding, we started an activity where each student is presenting on this subject by adding the following aspects in their presentation. We also encouraged the students to choose a temple from their home state or one they frequently visit or plan to visit. This way, the exercise becomes more personal and meaningful, helping students form a deeper connection with the temple and the deity when they visit in the future.
The temple's architectural style
The legend or story behind the temple and its deity
The temple's cultural or spiritual significance
This week, the following students did the presentations:
Ayaan Nayak - Sun temple, Odisha
Aarav Bhalke - Shri Kailasa Temple, Ellora
Both Ayaan and Aarav did a commendable job in learning and presenting their topics.
India the Sacred Land - Guru!
On the occasion of the Adi Shankaracharya Jayanthi on 5/2, the topic of the Guru and Guru Shishya parampara and the following points were covered with the help of this presentation:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1a6L0n83hC5Xtzwc93mGojDq5u763KGsIgcZqF470-3E/edit?usp=sharing
Adi Shankaracharya
Swami Chinmayananda
The Guru in Indian Tradition
Types of Teachers in Indian Tradition
Guru-Shishya Parampara
Secular vs Spiritual Knowledge
Salutations to the Guru Lineage
Story of Sant Namdev
The students delved into the world of synonyms for a Guru, exploring titles like Sadhu, Swami, and Acharya. Many of the kids were surprised to learn about Sant Namdev and his incredible story of getting the darshan of Bhagwan in a Dog!
Mahabharata
Karna's Battle
Karna becomes commander of the Kaurava army and aims to defeat Arjuna.
Bhima avenges Draupadi by killing Dussasana, fulfilling his oath.
A fierce duel occurs between Karna and Arjuna, with Karna's chariot stuck due to a curse.
Arjuna, urged by Krishna, ultimately kills Karna while he is unarmed.
Duryodhana's Grief
Duryodhana mourns Karna's death, crying throughout the night.
Ashwattama advises Duryodhana to retreat, but he chooses to continue fighting.
Duryodhana appoints King Shalya as commander to rally the remaining soldiers.
Pandavas destroyed most of the Kaurava army. Yudhishtira killed Shalya, Bhima killed the rest of the Kauravas, and Sahadeva killed Shakuni. The battlefield was left with dead bodies everywhere, and only a few people, including Ashwattama, survived from the once-huge Kaurava army.
Regards,
Sirisha and Sachin
