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Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update

Class Name: Week# 22: Mar 20, 2016

1. General Assembly

We started the GA with three Omkars followed by the Shanti .

Next Sunday, Apr 24th is Field Day. Please note the following important points

1. It will be at Green Hope Elementary School and starts at 9:30 AM. 2. Students should not bring their Gurukul bags. 3. All children MUST wear shoes. 4. If it rains on the 24th, the Field Day will be held on the following Sunday, May 1st. 5. Every child will be playing two games - Lagori aka Satodiyu aka Pittoo and Dog and the bone. Both games were demonstrated by student volunteers.

April 19th is Jayanti. We chanted two short prayers to Shri Ram.

(1) Raamaaya Ramabhadraya Ramachandraya vedase Raghu Nathaya Nathaya Sitayah pataye namah. (2) Shri Rama Raameti Rame Raame Manorame. Tatulyam Rama Nama Varaanane.

2. Class We started with opening prayers and then chanted and the Values from Chapter 13.

For a change we had students read parts of the chapter followed by discussion – We will try this format after the initial readout from the lead student for the specific chapter

Pragya led a discussion on indicators of

There are four indicators of dharma. These are the rules of society (smruti and sruti), good conduct (sadacara), and pleasure (svasya ca priyam atmanah). Only if all these four conditions are met for a particular activity, we should proceed.

Just like there are varying rules in different countries, on what is illegal and legal, the smruti and sruti are rules that define what is dharmic and not. The smruti and sruti mention that certain things are dharmic, such as being truthful, and others are not, such as eating meat. The sastra also states that having moral values is needed for success, with any other skills.

Ex. Ravan was a devotee of , who sacrificed a head, of his ten, during each ritual to Lord Shiva. Yet, he was not moral, and therefore, instead of being viewed as a devotee he was viewed as a raksasas.

Saksaras are knowledgeable people but saksaras can still turn into raksasas

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Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update

-It also states that our duty should be done, before asking questions, and the answers to the questions will come later.

A perfect dharma must fall under the rules of society, be moral, and provide pleasure. When religions give specific examples of what is dharmic and not, it applies generally. However, there are more complex cases, to which there are no specific examples.

Finally, an event that is dharmic should not...

- Cause negative feelings - Harm others As well as follow the previously mentioned indicators of dharma

2 types of Dharma

Sanatana dharma, which is what everyone follows,

Varnasrama dharma-depends on your role in society.

Dharma- that which holds things together (refers to society being held together by each person). It fits different personalities into society. A society is brought together by people following their dharma, as well. Societies are brought together this way as well.

Dharma gives us materialistic and spiritual prosperity

Sanatana Dharma has 10 values that are always needed. Sanatana means universal or eternal.

1. Fortitude () - Holding on to or keeping/maintaining

There are 3 kinds- Tamasic (sleep, food), Rajasic (money, power), Sattvic (goals, and values)

Sattvic is the good kind of Fortitude and the least materialistic kind.

2. (Ksama)-The best form of forgiveness is not feeling offended in the first place.

3. Control of sense organs (Dama) - not merely following your impulses, such as when angry.

4. Not stealing (Asteya) - not stealing wealth or achievements of others

5. Purity (Sauca)-refers mainly to having pure reasons and motives, as well as physical purity.

6. Control over the sense organs of perception (Indriya-Nigraha)-using senses in a way that will only benefit or be useful to us. This include hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and looking at things that are harmless.

7. Discrimination () -refers to having intellect and control

8. Knowledge ()-not only of reading and writing, but of ourselves.

9. Truthfulness ()-speaking only the truth

10. Having no anger () - knowing when to use anger, and not letting it take control over you.

These values should be practiced 100 percent of the time, in order to be considered to truly have them, irrespective of whether others follow these values.

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Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update

Homework, Announcments

1. All students read Chapter 12 – 4 stages of life of Hindu Culture book, On May 1, Gandhar will lead a discussion on this chapter 2. Field day April 24 3. Gandhar and Rohan to send out summary of Four stages of life and Four classes/caste chapters respectively 4. Value summary teams – please see the class summary and send us your summaries

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Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update

Hindu Culture Assignments Chapter Name Date 1. Definition of Culture Rishi Desai 11/15/2015 2. Basics of Culture Raj Mehta 12/06/2015 3. and Culture Sunny Deshwal 1/3/2016 4. Kanda Sonam Shah 1/17/2016 5. Kanda Dhawal Bhatt 1/17/2016 6. Need for symbols Sindhura Maale 2/7/2016 7. Installation of idol, Symbolism of Lord Saivarun Maale 2/14/2016 8. Symbolism of Lord Shiva Viashnavi M 2/28/2016 9. Sastras Shriya Haravu 3/6/2016 10. History class : Idea ‘Shark Tank’ All 3/20/2016 presentations. Picture day – dress up in Indian clothes Spring break 3/27, 4/3 10. Indicators of Dharma Pragya Haravu 4/10/2016 11. Four stages of life Gandhar M 5/1/2016 Field Day 4/24/2016 13. The four castes/classes Rohan V 5/1/2016 Discover India 5/8/2016 14. Purpose of religious festivals Aneesh Murthi 5/15/2016 15. and Puranas, Anushree Nair 5/22/2016 16. Deven Amin 5/29/2016 17. Puranas 6/5/2016 Kulfest 6/12/2016

Gita Value Assignments Summarize the value and discuss a character from Hindu Culture and/or contemporary times who exemplifies the value , Value Name Date Indifference to sense organs Sevak 2/13/2016 All Gita value assignments due All 5 teams 2/13/2016 Absence of Ego Raj, Deven, Rishi, Saivarun 3/06/2016 Perception of evil in birth, death… Shriya, Pragya, Vaishnavi, Anushri 3/13/2016 Non identification with son, wife, home,,, Sindhura, Sonam, Aneesh (M, G) 5/1/2016 Constant even mindedness Dhawal, Sunny, Vishal, Gandhar TBD Unswerving devotion TBD

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