Hari Om!
Hope the new year brings everyone blessings of good health and happiness!
Here is an update for the class so far:
Mahabharata: We discussed the following episodes:
1. Duryodhana's jealousy looking at Yudhishthira conducting the Rajasuya yajna : Duryodhana could not tolerate Yudhishthira having the respect for all the kings in the realm. He coveted all his wealth. Shakuni pointed out that Duryodhana had all that he wanted - the respect of all his brothers and friends, the vast kingdom of Hastinapura and immeasurable wealth. But Duryodhana was overcome with jealousy and decided to get Yudhishthira's properties by any means, including through a game of dice.
2. The Game of Dice: There were several what-if type questions from this episode-
- what if Yudhishthira had found a way to not gamble or delayed the game until he became very skilled at it
- if he had to gamble, what if he had limited his stake, or stipulated some conditions to protect his interest
- if the Kauravas had quietly enjoyed their victory, without insulting Draupadi and the Pandavas
All these points were then used to see how we would deal with our weaknesses. For example, if we really needed to focus when there is an important test ahead. There were many ideas, including drowning distracting thoughts by wearing noise-canceling headphones! But since thoughts are always around, we explored the idea of being completely present in the moment by connecting with the physical senses that are always in the present.
Here are take-aways from our students from discussions so far:
Karma is the spiritual principle of cause and effect, where a person's intent and actions (karma) influence their future. Good deeds are believed to lead to positive outcomes, and similarly, negative actions result in negative consequences. The concept emphasizes that for every action performed, there is a corresponding reaction.
Vrishank AKarma and Dharma: Karma is a person's action that shapes the outcome.
This means good actions beget good results.
Dharma means being your best self and to follow your own special path.
in life. It also means that you should do your duties, be honest, good and kind.
Vedant A
Pranam
Abhirami Shrinivas
Partha Turaga
