Dear Parents,
Hari Om!
Since our last update, we have covered the entire Mahabharata story in relative detail, discussing most of the characters, their strengths, weaknesses and how they reacted to different situations that presented in their lives. Some of our students have a good grasp of the story through prior Bala Vihar years, the TV show, Amar Chithra Katha and story telling by parents/grandparents. For others it was all new and must have seemed very complex. We recommend reading an abridged edition such as Dr. Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata (available on Amazon - specifically Chapters pertaining to the Pandavas and Kauravas) during Thanksgiving and winter break to get familiar with the story as it is quite a fascinating one. We will be referring to characters and situations throughout the rest of the year, to illustrate concepts as we discuss the Bhagavad Gita.
Chanting
We have almost completed learning Gita Dhyana shloka, only the last verse remains which we will complete in the next class. We have some very good chanters in our class, so it sounds very nice when we all chant together in the beginning of class. After Thanksgiving we will start learning Aditya Hridayam.
We are also learning to chant Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita. We have learned upto Verse 14. Chinmaya Vrindavan is leading a worldwide effort to set a Guinness record of the most number of people online chanting Chapter 15 together on May 9th 2026. It is not required to memorize the Chapter, reading is fine. Details will come out in a few weeks on how to register for the event. All participants will receive a certificate if we are successful. So do spread the word and have all your family members and friends worldwide learn to chant Chapter 15.
Curriculum
In the last two classes we started the introduction to the Gita with a quiz to understand what it is and what it is not. We also had the students fill out a simple questionnaire on what they expect to learn from this class vs. what their teachers/parents and perhaps other Hindu and non-Hindu peers think they will learn. We discussed the different perspectives and myths surrounding religion, how Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism differs from Abrahamic thought, and finally what matters is to become a seeker of Truth.
In the last class, starting with verse 1 of chapter 1, we discussed the concept of Dharma – that which lifts us up to our higher nature. In Sanskrit, Dharma can take on different, but ultimately related, meanings depending on context. We discussed 4 meanings of Dharma (as essential nature, as Truth, as duty, as values) with examples. Then we discussed how an action is Dharmic only if it is the Right Action (RA) at the Right Place (RP) at the Right Time (RT). If any one of these is Wrong – it is not considered Dharmic. And adharmic actions lead to agitation in the mind. So we need to be alert and intentional in our actions in all places, at all times – this is a basic step towards being at peace. Dharmic action also results in punya while adharmic actions result in papa. Students participated enthusiastically with examples from their own experiences.
Meditation
We also started with a 9 minute semi-guided meditation last week towards the end of class. We have asked our students to try 5 minutes of meditation a day. Ideally at the same time everyday but more important is to meditate daily.
We have class tonight and then we break for Thanksgiving. We will be covering a few more concepts like Dharma in the context of Ashramas and Varnas and factors that obstruct Dharma before we dive into Arjuna's grief in BG Chapter 1 after Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Regards,
Aruna and Sangita
Hari Om!
Since our last update, we have covered the entire Mahabharata story in relative detail, discussing most of the characters, their strengths, weaknesses and how they reacted to different situations that presented in their lives. Some of our students have a good grasp of the story through prior Bala Vihar years, the TV show, Amar Chithra Katha and story telling by parents/grandparents. For others it was all new and must have seemed very complex. We recommend reading an abridged edition such as Dr. Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata (available on Amazon - specifically Chapters pertaining to the Pandavas and Kauravas) during Thanksgiving and winter break to get familiar with the story as it is quite a fascinating one. We will be referring to characters and situations throughout the rest of the year, to illustrate concepts as we discuss the Bhagavad Gita.
Chanting
We have almost completed learning Gita Dhyana shloka, only the last verse remains which we will complete in the next class. We have some very good chanters in our class, so it sounds very nice when we all chant together in the beginning of class. After Thanksgiving we will start learning Aditya Hridayam.
We are also learning to chant Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita. We have learned upto Verse 14. Chinmaya Vrindavan is leading a worldwide effort to set a Guinness record of the most number of people online chanting Chapter 15 together on May 9th 2026. It is not required to memorize the Chapter, reading is fine. Details will come out in a few weeks on how to register for the event. All participants will receive a certificate if we are successful. So do spread the word and have all your family members and friends worldwide learn to chant Chapter 15.
Curriculum
In the last two classes we started the introduction to the Gita with a quiz to understand what it is and what it is not. We also had the students fill out a simple questionnaire on what they expect to learn from this class vs. what their teachers/parents and perhaps other Hindu and non-Hindu peers think they will learn. We discussed the different perspectives and myths surrounding religion, how Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism differs from Abrahamic thought, and finally what matters is to become a seeker of Truth.
In the last class, starting with verse 1 of chapter 1, we discussed the concept of Dharma – that which lifts us up to our higher nature. In Sanskrit, Dharma can take on different, but ultimately related, meanings depending on context. We discussed 4 meanings of Dharma (as essential nature, as Truth, as duty, as values) with examples. Then we discussed how an action is Dharmic only if it is the Right Action (RA) at the Right Place (RP) at the Right Time (RT). If any one of these is Wrong – it is not considered Dharmic. And adharmic actions lead to agitation in the mind. So we need to be alert and intentional in our actions in all places, at all times – this is a basic step towards being at peace. Dharmic action also results in punya while adharmic actions result in papa. Students participated enthusiastically with examples from their own experiences.
Meditation
We also started with a 9 minute semi-guided meditation last week towards the end of class. We have asked our students to try 5 minutes of meditation a day. Ideally at the same time everyday but more important is to meditate daily.
We have class tonight and then we break for Thanksgiving. We will be covering a few more concepts like Dharma in the context of Ashramas and Varnas and factors that obstruct Dharma before we dive into Arjuna's grief in BG Chapter 1 after Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Regards,
Aruna and Sangita
