We started the Dharma class with Ganesh bhajan and opening shlokas. Yesterday, being the Bhishma Ekadashi, we learnt a new shlokam which is powerful and equivalent to the Vishnu sahasranamam.

śrī rāma rāma rāmeti rame rāme manorame
sahasranāma tat tulyaṃ rāmanāma varānane

We discussed the meaning of the above shloka and learnt that Bhishma narrated/taught this to Yudhisthira while laying on a bed of arrows.

We had some discussion on why we want to chant the shlokas in general and learn good things. We want to get rid of bad habits and fill our hearts with good ideas, intentions, and deeds. The shlokas help us be positive and differentiate between good and bad behavior!

We also shared the stories associated with Hanuman chalisa :

• Saint Tulsidas ji composed Hanuman chalisa to get courage and get rid of fear of ghosts during his stay in Kashi.
• ⁠The story of how Emperor Akbar had arrested Saint Tulsidas ji but had to release him when lots of monkeys attacked the the kingdom after Tulsidas ji started reciting Hanuman Chalisa.

  dōhā
  śrī guru charaṇa sarōja raja nijamana mukura sudhāri । varaṇau raghuvara vimalayaśa jō dāyaka phalachāri ॥ buddhihīna tanujānikai sumirau pavana kumāra । bala buddhi vidyā dēhu mōhi harahu kalēśa vikāra ॥
  

  We highly encourage parents to discuss what they learnt in the class and if possible, chant the above shlokas and doha to reinforce learning 🙏

  The kids were given an activity to be finished at home. Please encourage them to finish and bring it to the next class.

  Thank you all for bringing your kids to Gurukulam. We kindly request that you to talk to your kids at home so they can share, recollect and reflect what they have learnt or discussed at Gurukulam

  Thanks 🙏

Please check the following links that will be helpful for those who are new this semester. Returning students may also find them useful. Please encourage all children to practice while playing the sruthi box in the background:

• 2.5 kattai (D#) sruthi
• First few Sarali Varsai practice video
• Notation for basic lessons

Topics Covered:

• Learnt telugu aksharams and words that start with these letters ఒ ఓ ఔ అం అః
• Learnt telugu aksharams అఆఇఈ ఉఊఋఋా and words start with these letters.

Homework:

• Learn atleast 2 more words that starts with akshara mala ఒ ఓ ఔ అం అః ( we will discuss them in next class.
• Try to learn atleast one telugu simple sentence so you can share with other students in class, e.g.:
• Andariki Sankranthi Subhakankshalu (అందరికీ సంక్రాంతి శుభాకాంక్షలు)
• Memu Gurukulam lo Telugu nerchukuntunnamu (మేము గురుకులం లో తెలుగు నేర్చుకుంటున్నాము)

Padhyam ( vemana or sumathi sethakam) in the class today.

"నీవే తల్లివి తండ్రివి
నీవే నాతోడు నీడ నీవే సకుడవ్
నీవే గురుడవు దైవము
నీవే నా పతియు గతియు నిజముగా కృష్ణా!"

Neeve Thallivi Thandrivi
Neeve NaaThodu Needa Neeve Sakudav
Neeve Gurudavu Daivamu
Neeva Na Pathuyu Gathiyu Nejamuga Krushna!

Please ask kids to get theit notebooks with homework words written in them.