Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update

Class Name: Narada Week#25: April 30 , 2017

General Assembly

Aparna Aunty started the GA with three Omkars followed by the Shanti Mantra. Next Sunday, May 7th is Field Day. All classes please report to Green Hope Elementary School by 9:30 AM. Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes. We will play two games: Satodiyu/Lagori and Chain. Dushyant Uncle and some boys did a demo of both the games. Lunch will be provided. Please pick up your child(ren) by12:15 PM. If it rains on that day, we will have classes as per normal schedule and there will be no makeup day. Today is Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti, so we chanted the Shri Guru Stotram

Class

This session we continued the parva of the battle Recap & reflection: Ashwathama (the elephant) is killed. Dhrstadhumya has killed Dronacharya, was it right to kill him on those circumstances? Why? Was happy that was killed by Dhrstadhumya? Why was Arjuna angry? The class reflected on the above question and we discussed these points: Drona was Arjuna’s guru, to see that he was killed defenseless, helpless, when Arjuna only asked to capture him not kill him (Drona)

Arjuna is also unhappy with one more person , even though this person is his family. Yudhisthira as he has lied, although no directly. Dhrstadhumya is upset at these accusations, causing a division in the camp. We don’t think/believe that the Pandavas have an internal conflict or wrong doing on their part. We tend to stereotype the Pandavas are always good and the are bad.

Dhrstadhumya reminds Arjuna how was killed in circumstances that caused the illusion of darkness, killing him in stealth. Your own brother lied about the death of Ashwathama. At that time, , gets really angry, jumps at Dhrstadhumya, and asks him how dare he challenge Arjuna. Bheema intervenes and restrains Satyaki from intervening

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between Arjuna and Drstadumnya.

(Recall Satyaki is related to Pandavas thru , Satyaki is Kunti cousin)Bheema says we should not be infighting amongst us. Dhrstadhumya still furious says had you not married my sister, i would have killed you(Arjuna).

Lord now calms them down and reminds them of the bigger battle to be fought.

Ashwathama, who is now really angry since his father was killed, decides that he is going to attack the Pandavas to revenge. He goes about killing the Pandavas army.

Ashwathama makes a mistake, he unleashes a weapon, called "Narayana " ! Narayana is lord with his accomplice, Vishnu once took a form of half man and half woman - Ardhanarishwara.In that form, MahaVishnu, is referred to as nara. Nari is the feminine form, In Nara is Lord Krishna and his accomplice is Arjuna. When he releases this Astra, Bheema intercepts it but his maze is broken, as is Arjuna’s arrow. When it comes closer to LK, the astra disappears. ` Ashwathama i s dejected and thus ends .

Day 16 begins. This is a short parva, all the conflict that happens in Karna, the love that has for Karna and what he’s asks of Karna.

Karna knows the Pandavas are going to win.

We discussed about relating to this in your own life...... like getting low grads in your favorite subject. You are going to be upset, but you are also going to try very hard to get back to get good grades, an "A"! If it did not happen , you console yourself that you ought to do something different about it. Karna knows the outcome of the war and his promise to his mother to kill none other than Arjuna. What does Karna lack that Arjuna has? Karna did not have a charioteer, Since he is not granted the status of a warrior, since he is not one by birth, no one knows he is Kunti’s son. Karna fights, with whatever he resources he has. On day 16, Karna confronts Nakul and he puts up a good fight . Nakul is defeated badly by Karna and humiliated in front of his men.

Karna asks him to go back since he is defenseless. He advises him to fight with equals not with someone much more powerful.

Karna now retires and reflects upon his approaching end. He envisions defeat and calls Duryodhana. Duryodhana who usually accuses people

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of not doing their best, and he sees that he let Nakul go away. But being a good friend of Karna, asks him what’s bothering you? Karna tells him of the big battle, the next day and tells him his end his nearing but worries about Duryodhana’s life after him. Duryodhana is scared to lose his friend. Karna says he is a good warrior but doesn’t have a charioteer. He suggest only one person to be as good a charioteer as Lord Krishna that is "Salya". Salya vowed to kill Yudhisthira when Jayadratha was killed. Karna asks Duryodhana to ask Salya to be his charioteer. Duryodhana is good at negotiation this with Salya .

To be continued - Day 17 - conversation with Salya , how that plays out with the curses Karna has and leads to his end.

We concluded the class with ending prayers.

Homework

Announcements Please mark your calendars:

 Field Day: Sunday, May 7th from 9:30am to 12:30pm

 Memorial Day holiday - no class on May 28

 KulFest: Sunday, June 11th from 9:30am to approx. 3:00pm

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