Bala Ramayana - Class B

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Bala Ramayana Class B Syllabus - Spring 2012 Semester
Bala Ramayana Class B Listing - Spring 2012 Semester

 

April 15, 2012 - Week 14 Update for Bala Ramayanam Class B

Morning Prayers: We practiced and repeated Rama Raksha Stotram. The kids are getting stronger at reciting it in every class.

Story Time: We spent more time on the Ramayana story this class, continuing from where we stopped last class. We are talking about Kishkinda Kanda, explaining the various characters in the story at this time. 

  • Vali's blessing from Lord Brahma that his opponent will lose half of his strength to him
  • Vali fought with the demon Dundubhi in a cave and how Dundubhi was killed
  • Dundubhi's body was thrown far and fell into the ashrama of Matanga Mahamuni disturbing his yagna.
  • Sugriva did not trust Rama's strength and asked him for proof of his strength and ability to fight against Vali.
  • How Sugriva invited Vali to a battle and Tara questioned his motives
  • Sugriva is defeated and runs back to RushyaMukha Parvata

The children will be performing a play at the Final Performance on May 19th - we will be discussing details with the kids and share them with the kids in the next week.

 

April 8, 2012 - Week 13 Update for Bala Ramayanam Class B

  • We began the class with the usual Morning Prayers 
  • Practiced Rama Raksha Stotram up to  first 10 lines.

We proceeded with the following part of the main story part about Ramayana: 

  • Revised the previous class session – Bhakta Shebari and Matanga Mahamuni
  • How Hanuman met and tested Rama & Lakshmana,
  • Flew them on his back to Rushyamukha parvat (mountain) and introduction to Sugriva.
  • Covered Sugriva’s Ministers, especially about Jambavanth and his origin.
  • Vali & Sugriva child hood, Parents Vali’s - Father Indra & Sugriva’s Father – Sun God and their mother Aruni’s story. 
  • Vali’s Strength, nature, Samudra manthanam & how Tara was married to Vali and Ruma was married to Sugriva.

We explained How Ramayana has been divided in to 6+1 episodes: Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkinda Kanda, Sundara Kanda Yudha Kanda & Uttara Ramayanam

We concluded the class with the Rama Raksha Stotram revision.  

 

March 25, 2012 - Week 11 Update for Bala Ramayanam Class B

 

We began the class with the Morning Prayer.

Continuing with the story of Ramayana:

Had a question- answer session with all the kids about the so far covered part of Ramayana including Ravana's ancestral lineage.

  • Resumed where Shoorpanaka with Akampan went to Lanka to inform Ravana.
  • Covered Jatayu's Family and Ancestral lineage.
  • Jatayu's death & Kabandhas story
  • Kabandha's back ground as the Celestial body, Danu. Danu's mischief and cursed by Rishi Sthulshira.
  • Kabandha's cursed cured by Lord SriRama & Lakshmana. 
  • Bhaktha Shebari back ground & Rama Lakshman's Visiting Matanga Maha Muni ashram. Matanga Maha Muni's background.

Concluded the class with the Ramayana Picture puzzle, putting the pieces to gather.

 

 

March 18, 2012 - Week 10 Update for Bala Ramayanam Class B

We had an interesting class this week, combining both the Bala Ramayana Class A and Bala Ramayana Class B, into 1 class. We had very few students due to Spring Break and the Holi Mela.

So we started with the opening prayers.

Story and Quiz Time: We revised the story done so far and then had a quiz between the girls and the boys. The competition format was very exciting for the kids and they participated with enthusiasm. We were very happy to see that spirit among them.

Shloka Time: Kids recited all the learnt slokas so far.

Activity Time: Class ended with the suryanamaskara.

 

February 26, 2012 - Week 7 Update

Morning Prayer: We began the class with our usual Morning Prayers.

Story Time: Then we went in to the main story part about Ramayana:

 

  • Had a question- answer session with all the kids about the so far covered part of Ramayana.
  • Resumed where Shoorpanaka with Akampan went to Lanka to inform Ravana.
  • Taught Ravana' s Ancestral Lineage - Grandfather (Pulasya maha muni), Parents (Sage Vishrava & Mather Kaikasi), Brothers (Kumbhkaran, Vibhishan) & sister (Surpanakha), cousins (Khar & Dushan).
  • Introduction to Kubera, Ravanas war with Kubera and snatching away Pushpak.
  • Ravana’s impressing Lord Shiva and gaining boons from him. Nandi’s Shrap for Ravana.
  • Also covered Jaya Vijay being cursed by the Brahma Manasa Putras in Vaikuntam.

 

Activity Time: The children had a written Quiz activity to conclude the class. 

 

 

February 19, 2012 - Week 6 Update

Vishnu Sahasranamam: We began the class with Vishnu Sahastra Nama Stotras, recited the lines learnt so far and practiced the following 4 new lines :

Yudhishtra Uvacha

Kimekam Daivatham Loke, Kim Vapyegam Parayanam |

Sthuvantha Kam Kamarchanda Prapnyur Manava Shubham ||

Ko Dharma sarva Dharmanam Paramo Matha |

Kim Japanmuchyathe Jandur Janma Samsara Bhandanat ||


Story Time: Then we went in to the main story part about Ramayana:

  1.  Explained the word Ramayana.
  2. Narrated Sage Agastya' s Greatness with 3 other stories as done by Lord Rama to Lakshmana. They are - stories of Bhagiratha- Ganga- Agastya, Agastya-Vatapi , Shivaparvathy Kalyanam _Agastya.
  3. Then we moved on till Lord Rama, Devi Sita & Lakshman settling down in Panchavati, Shoorpanaka entry, misbehaviour & punished by Lakshmana, Lord Rama' s war with Khar Dhushan & Lord Rama Kills them.
  4. Shoorpanaka With Akampan goes to Lanka to inform Ravana.


Conclusion: The class concluded with us teaching all the children with the following 8 lines of Rama Raksha Stotram:

Aasya Shriramrakshastrotamantrasya budhkaushik hrishi |

ShriSitaramcandro devta anushtup Chanda: Sita shakti |

Shriman hanuman keelkam ShriRamcandapreetyeRthe |

Ramrakshastotrajape vinyOgah ||

 

 

February 12, 2012 - Week 5 Update

Hari Om! We started the class with our opening prayer.

Vishnu Sahasranamam: We started our class with Vishnushasranamam. . 

VAISHAMPAYANA UVACHA

Shrutva dharma nasheshana pavanani cha sarvashah |

Yudhishthirah shantanavam punareva abhya-bhashata ||


Story Time: Since we had a very small class due to the inclement weather, we continued with Aranya Kanda and discussed more stories and tales related to Agastya Maharishi. 

RamaRaksha Stotram: This is a very great prayer composed by a saint called Budha Koushika. Several verses are simply quoted from other great stotrams. It is believed that recitation of this great prayer would get rid of all the problems created by the nine planets.

We started learning RamaRaksha Stotram in the class today. We think that our kids will benefit a great deal with both the learning, knowledge and daily recitation of this Stotram. Please help your children practice everyday:

Sri Ganeshaya Namaha
Aasya Shriramrakshastrotamantrasya
budhkaushik hrishi
anushtup Chanda
 

 

February 5, 2012 - Week 4 Update

Hari Om! We started the class with our opening prayer.

Vishnu Sahasranamam: The children did great with repeating the earlier verses we've learnt - please continue to practice with your children at home.

Bhishma Ekadashi: We talked about the significance of Bhishma Ekadashi, which was last Friday - a quick story of Bhishma and his connection to Vishnu Sahasranamam. The kids remember that "Bhishmam Uvacha" is part of Vishnu Sahasranamam. Most of the questions were related to how Bhishma could lie on a bed of arrows :-)

Stories of Agastya Maharishi: Last week, we discussed the story of the wedding of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati and how Agastya Maharishi maintains the balance of the world, as part of Aranya Kanda. We told 2 more stories of the great sage, which the children really enjoyed. 

  • How Agastya Maharishi stops the Vindhya mountains from growing.
  • How Agastya Maharishi kills the demons Vatapi and his brother Ilvala.

The Story of Ramayana: Since we have a few new students, we reviewed the Story of Ramayana told so far with a picture book by the famous artist Bapu - the children enjoyed looking at the pictures and remembering the details of the story connected with the picture. This website has Ramayana pictures by Bapu, though the resolution is much lower than the book we looked at: http://valmikiramayan.net/BapuPic.htm

Krishnashtakam:  We repeated the 1st stanza and then continued with the 2nd stanza of Krishnashtakam - please continue to practice with your children:

Vasudeva sutham Devam, Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam

Devaki Paramanandam, Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum (1)

Athasi Pushpa Sankasham, Haara Noopura Shobhitam

Ratna Kankana Keyuram, Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum (2)

 

Closing Prayers:  We ended the class with the closing prayer.

 

 

January 29, 2012 - Week 3 Update

Hari Om! We started the class with our opening prayer.

Vishnu Sahasranamam: This week, we learnt the next 2 verses of Poorva Peethika - please practice these daily at home with your children:

Quick Pop-Quiz on Ramayana: We have some new students and others who missed the last class. We had a quick pop-quiz to jog every kid's memory on the main events and names in the story of Ramayana told so far. The kids very much enjoyed that and were excited to be able to remember the story.

Continuing the Story of Ramayana: We continued with the Story of Ramayana -  

  • Bharata and Shatrugna returned to Ayodhya with their brother Lord Rama's padukas. Bharata put Rama's padukas on the throne of Ayodhya and served the kingdom of Kosala in the name of Lord Rama.
  • Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, moved on from the forest of Chitrakoota, south into the Dandakaranya (Dandaka forest). Rama and Lakshmana slayed the huge demon Viradha, as large as a mountain, who had been killing all the sages who came to the Dandakaranya.
  • Rama, Sita and Lakshmana then visited Sage Atri's ashram. They were welcomed by Sage Atri and his wife, Sati Anasuya. We talked about the greatness of Atri Mahamuni and the "paati-vratyam" of Sati. We reminded the kids of the word "pati-vrata" that we discussed last week. 
  • Sati Anasuya gave a gift of divine clothes to Sita Devi - these would later be of help to Sita Devi during her captivity in Asoka Vanam.
  • From there, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita visited Agastya Mahamuni's ashram. There is a story that when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati entered into divine matrimony at Mount Kailash in the north, the place was unbalanced because of the large number of holy beings witnessing the wedding. Lord Shiva asked Agastya Mahamuni to proceed to the South of India to balance the world. This was the power of Sage Agastya's divinity and meditation.
  • We started the story of another great Ikshvaku king, Bhageeratha. When King Sagara, Bhageeratha's ancestor, performed an Ashwamedha Yagna, his horse was taken away by Lord Indra and hidden in the cave of the great Sage Kapilacharya (who was also an "amsa" of Lord Vishnu). When King Sagara's 1000 sons disturbed Kapilacharya's meditation, they were turned into ashes. We will continue this story in the next class.

Krishnashtakam:  We started teaching a great Sthotra, Krishnashtakam, to the children today. Krishnashtakam, as its name suggests, has 8 stanzas.The children learnt the first 2 lines today. We will upload the Krishnashtakam MP3 soon so that the children are able to practice during the week:

Vasudeva sutham Devam

Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam

Devaki Paramanandam

Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum 

Closing Prayers:  We ended the class with the closing prayer.

 

January 22, 2012 - Week 2 Update

Hari Om! We started the class with our opening prayer.

Vishnu Sahasranamam: This week, as announced at Assembly-time, we started Vishnu Sahasranamam - Poorva Peethika with the first 2 shlokas. Please practice these at home with your children:

Om Shuklam-baradharam Vishnum shashivarnam chaturbhujam | Prasanna vadanam dhyayet sarva vighnopa-shantaye ||

Vyasam vasistha-naptaram shakteh poutrama-kalmasham |Parasha-raatmajam vande shukatatam taponidhim ||

We discussed the context of the 2 verses:

1. We start our prayers with meditating ("dhyayeth") on Vishnu, who is wearing ("dharam") a white ("shukla") cloth ("ambara"), who is of the color ("varnam") of the moon ("sashi"), who has four ("chatur") arms ("bhujam"), and who has a placid expression ("prasanna") on His face ("vadanam")

2. We offer our prayers to the great Sage Veda Vyasa, who is a treasure of  austerities  or Tapas (Taponidhim) while remembering his lineage - the great-grandson of Vasishta, the grand-son of  Sakti Muni, the son of Paraasara and the father of Suka. 

Continuing the Story of Ramayana: We continued with the Story of Ramayana -  

      • King Dasaratha calls Rama and Queen Kaikeyi conveys to him the news of the boons that she has has asked for. Lord Rama listens calmly and comforts his grief-stricken father - he pledges to carry out the 3 vows so that he can uphold his father's promises. We talked about how Rama is known as the greatest son in our culture.
      • He tells Sita Devi about his 14 years of Vanavaasam - she requests that she would like to join him during his Vanavaasam. Sri Rama is concerned that she will find forest life very hard, having grown up as a Princess. However, Sita insists that it her dharma as a wife to accompany her husband. We discussed the idea of the greatness of a "pativrata" in our culture.
      • His devoted brother, Lakshmana, cannot live apart from Lord Rama and asks to accompany him on the journey.
      • They set out with on a chariot driven by Sumatra. All of Ayodhya followed them because they could not imagine a life without Rama. They stayed overnight on the banks of the River Tamasa. At morning time, Lord Rama asked Sumatra to ride the chariot back to Ayodhya - the citizens of Ayodhya followed him expecting that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita had returned to their kingdom in the chariot.
      • Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were taken across the River Ganga, by the tribal chieftain, Guha.
      • They arrived at the forest of Chitrakoota, where they were welcomed by the great Sage Bharadwaja.
      • King Dasaratha, heart-broken by the vanavasam of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita; called Queen Kaushalya and explained to her about the curse he received from Shravana's parents. He passed away soon after.
      • Prince Bharata and Prince Shatrugna, on returning to Ayodhya, found out everything that had happened and was greatly saddened by them. He was unhappy with his mother Queen Kaikeyi for the destruction that she had caused in the family.
      • After completing the funeral rites for Dasharatha, Bharata started for Chitrakut where Rama was staying. Seeing Rama, Bharata fell at his feet.
      • When Rama asked, "How is father?" Bharata broke the sad news; "Our father has left for heaven." 
      • The next day, Bharata asked Rama to return to Ayodhya and rule the kingdom. But Rama firmly replied, "I cannot possibly disobey my father. You rule the kingdom and I shall carry out my pledge. I will come back home only after fourteen years."
      • When Bharata realized Ramas firmness in fulfilling his promises, he begged Rama to give him his "padukas" or sandals. Bharata told Rama the sandals will represent Rama and he would carry out the duties of the kingdom only as Rama's representative. Rama gracefully agreed. Bharata carried the sandals to Ayodhya with great reverence. After reaching the capital, he placed the sandals on the throne and ruled the kingdom in Rama's name. He left the palace and lived like a hermit, as Rama did, counting the days of Rama's return.
      • We discussed Bharata's greatness as a brother.

We will continue the story in the next class.

Discussion Time: We let the children ask questions and discuss what they had learned so far in the story - the children came up with lots of questions, which we encourage them to ask. We also had a pop-quiz since we would like everyone to remember the names and characters in the story.

Closing Prayer: We ended the class with Closing Prayer.

 

 

January 15, 2012 - Week 1 Update for Bala Ramayanam Class B

Hari Om! We had our first Bala Ramayanam class of the Spring 2012 semester today - we have 4 new students joining our class this semester. We would like to welcome them to the Gurukulam family!

We started the class with a discussion about Pongal and Sankranthi - the harvesting of crops in India that happen during this season, how Pongal is made with the newly harvested rice, the different traditions in India that happen during Sankranthi - kites are flown across the country, the bommala koluvu or kolu (arrangement of dolls and diety figures), making of chakkara (sweet) and ven (spicy) pongal, distributing elu bella, and others.

All the students talked about everything they did during Sankranthi this year.

After that, we talked about the story of Ramayana that we've learnt so far last semester.

We request the parents of our students to repeat the story and let the children practice telling Ramayana to their parents and siblings over the next few weeks.