Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update Class Name: Valmiki Week# 10: 12/09/2012 General Assembly Sridhar Uncle started the GA with three Omkars followed by the Shanthi Mantra, prayer before studies and then Gurustotram. We practiced 3 stanzas of Taitriya Upanishad. Then learned how to chant the fourth stanza. Sridhar Uncle recapped the meaning of the stanzas that we have learned so far. The Taitirriya upanishad is part of the Yajur veda and we are learning the part that describes how students (shisyas) should behave and carry out their duties after they "graduate" from gurukul. Following this would help them as they leave the gurukul to lead a life in the outside world. Having taught the vedas, the teacher reinforces the following instructions through this shloka. Always speak the truth. Follow the path of dharma (righteousness) and act in a virtuous way and always do the right thing and do your duties Don't ignore your studies. As you finish your education give gift to your teacher. Remember to pay off your loans. (Do not get into debt.) Then you can start a family. Take care of yourself, friends and family. Do not neglect your welfare(physical and mental) so you can contribute to society. Remember to share and pass on what you have learned with your family. Treat your parents, teacher and guests like God. Do not neglect your duty to your ancestors/gods, parents and teachers. (Remember without your parents you would not be here.) If you think an actions of yours will be blamed, then do not do it. Only do things that will help family/environment. If you are with your teachers/elders be respectful. Offer them a seat. Class Gitadhyanam (6) Bheeshmadronatataa jayadrathajalaa gaandhaaraneelotpalaa; Shalyagraahavatee kripena vahanee karnena velaakulaa; Ashwatthaama-vikarna-ghora-makaraa duryodhanaavartinee; Sotteernaa khalu paandavai rananadee kaivartakah keshavah. 6. With Kesava as the ferry-man, the ‘river of battle’ was crossed by the Pandavas, whose banks were Bhishma and Drona, whose water was Jayadratha, whose blue lotus was the king of Gandhara, whose shark was Salya, whose current was Kripa, whose huge wave (billow) was Karna, whose terrible alligators were Vikarna and Asvatthama, whose whirlpool was Duryodhana. 'tata' - river banks, 'jala' - water, 'nilotpala' - blue lotus or blue rock, 'grahavati' - shark , ' vahani' - current, 'vela kula' - huge wave or swell, 'ghora makara' - terrible crocodile, 'vartini' - whirlpool, ‘uttirna’ – crossed over, ‘kaivartaka’ – ferry man. This shloka uses the power of metaphors to illustrate the scene of the Mahabharata war - the stage in which Sri Krishna teaches Arjuna the principles of life – The war is depicted as the ‘battle river’ or ‘rana nadi’ which is raging and in flood. In life at various times, whether we are babies, small children, adolescents or adults, we face many obstacles and challenges. In the Mahabharata, the greatest challenge the pandavas face is the war against the Sanskar Academy 1 Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update kauravas. Arjuna is so overwhelmed; he is ready give up the fight against his cousins, uncles, teachers etc. May be the mid-term exams or a report due next week, remind you of one of these huge obstacles! The obstacles facing the pandavas are huge and well co-coordinated like a river in flood, out to destroy everything in its path. The banks of the river which bound the flow of the river are represented by the venerable Bhisma – the grandfather and Drona their teacher. Note that, when the banks are rocky and sloped, the water rushes with great speed (ex: in canyons) and when the banks are sandy, the water is much more calm. In essence Bhisma and Drona set the direction and pace for much of the war. The river is powerful only when it is full of water – Jayadhrata – the commander-in-chief of the Kauravas representing the water in the river. He was everywhere following the edicts of Bhisma and Drona causing trouble to the pandavas. The king of Gandhara (or Sakuni the evil uncle) represents the dark rocks or the blue lotus on which the water smashes against, Salya represents the shark swallowing the enemies and destroying them. Kripacharya represents the water current itself, sweeping away everything entering the river; Karna represents the huge waves or ‘swell’ – also referred to as a ‘billow’. Usually you see huge waves only in an ocean – for example a tidal wave’ – the River of Mahabharata war was so huge, its waves resembled swells in an ocean. Ashwatthama (Drona’s son) and Vikarna (Duryodhana’s brother) are terrible crocodiles and Duryodhana represents the ‘whirlpool’ that sucked the whole Kaurava army into what eventually will be the river of destruction. Duryodhana represents the vasanas (greed, anger, jealousy…) which have a way of sucking the good energies out of not only him, but everyone around him. The challenge facing Arjuna and the Pandavas is graphically described by the battle river with all its parts. Remember ‘Sarvopanishado gavah’ – that shloka also is another great use of metaphors in the GitaDhyanam. How did Pandavas cross all these terrible obstacles – with great help by the ‘ferry –man’ Kesava or Krishna who helps them navigate the dangers facing them in the war. Faith and trust in Lord Krishna (together with your best efforts) can overcome any obstacle Most ordinary men would have given up when faced with so many obstacles, but the Pandavas kept faith and persisted and eventually emerged victorious. So whether the obstacles are illness in family, death of a closed one, loss of a job, nasty deadlines, the exams coming up next week, or something as simple as not getting exactly what you wanted, remember that Krishna is there to lead the way thru your ‘personal Mahabharata’ or battles. In essence, the ‘jagat guru’ or Krishna whom we prayed to in the previous shloka (Krishnam Vande Jagat Gurum) has now taken rein, helping the Pandavas in their quest to defeat the Kauravas and to establish Dharma once again on earth. Arjuna learns and through him we learn how to live a ‘principle centered life’ described in the Gita. When you hear ‘work is worship’ know that this is a basic teaching in the Gita – doing your duty and not being obsessed with the results ‘Karmanye Vadhikaraste’. Finally, Arjuna and the Pandavas are presented with so many obstacles, to illustrate that, you have to chip away at the obstacles with determination and focus and not be overwhelmed or depressed at the magnitude of the task ahead of us – whether it is homework due shortly, mid term exams, SAT exam or the term project. The obstacles also remind us that however overwhelming life appears at present, the troubles we face are a fraction as complex as what Arjuna and the Pandavas faced. If all those problems could be solved by the faith Pandavas had in Lord Krishna combined with their skills and hard work, imagine what you can accomplish with the two ‘f’s – focus and faith. As you study the Gita little by little, the Lord gives us various tools to overcome the obstacles in our life. Game : Mahabharata Jeopardy Sanskar Academy 2 Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update Ruchi-did led the students thru a game of ‘Mahabharata Jeopardy’ Gita 13:8 amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa ksantir arjavam acaryopasanam saucam sthairyam atma-vinigrahah Gita Values discussion – Chant 8th shloka and discuss Adhambitvam : Non-pretentiousness Absence of pretentiousness (don’t boast about your greatness) 1. Project yourself with humility and truth 2. Usually a sign of lack of self-esteem & self confidence – so you start boasting and exaggerating your abilities , plagiarize etc. to impress others 3. Bad because – we are projecting an image that is a falsehood, phony with no end to the pretense : remember, the truth will come out – especially in the age of social media 4. How do you practice Dhambitvam – accept yourself : you are capable of greatness if you work hard and are persistent - no need to pretend 5. Don’t worry about keeping ‘up with the Jones’ 6. Story of Sudama: Sudama and Krishna were students of sage Sandipani – Krishna became king of Dwaraka , Sudama continued to be a humble village Brahmin and was very poor. His wife asked him to approach Lord Krishna for help. Sudama was fine meeting Krishna but did not want to ask anything. Sudhama’s wife remembered that Krishna liked ‘poha’ and sent some. Krishna welcomed Sudama (treated him as a guest with respect – athiti devo bhava) , but knew why Sudama had come – love of Lord Krishna and his own wife – Krishna saw the small bundle in cloth and asked for it – Sudama was embarrassed – but Krishna ate it and was very pleased. Sudama did not have any false pretenses – he was humble. Krishna showered his family with wealth – Sudama remained humble. Lord Krishna accepted Sudama for what he was as did Sudama himself. 7. Danny Alamonte – Living a lie : rise and fall of a baseball start. Falsified his age after his immigration to US from Domincan Republic. Little League 2001 : 46 strikeouts and only one run against him – Team was third in series and first in Latin American little league. Problem : Danny played against younger kids (2 years younger – they were 12). Sports reporters dug into his past and his real birth records were found in Moca – his accomplishments were invalidated. He was declared ineligible, his team was stripped of titles. The team founder was banned for life. His father was guilty as well. 8. Remember Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones – they lived a lie too – used steroids etc to enhance performance and finally did get caught and were disgraced) Homework . 1. Complete 2 out of the three journal entries on Page 15 and bring to class on the 16th.