May

May 15

Today was our last day! We've all learnt so much over the past year, from the ten Avatars of Vishnu, to characters such as Aswathama and Shishupala, and much much more. Today we learnt about Rani Rashmoni, a pious Hindu woman from Calcutta. Rani is very well known for protecting fishermen from taxes put in place by the East India Trading Company. I highly recommend you do your own research on her, as she is a very interesting person, and a role model to us all. Additionally, we discussed some fun Tenali Raman and Akbar/Birbal stories. Lastly, we presented the Nirvana Shatakam to the parents. It was a delight to see the product of all the students' work. See you in September!

May 1

Discussed story of Karthikeya, sati and king Dhaksha

We also practiced nirvana shathakam

April

April 24

Because April 22 was Earth Day, we went through a presentation on how we can help keep Earth clean, while still practicing the Hindu traditions/festivals we know and love. Additionally, we learnt and discussed a story about Indra. Indra had to fight an evil Asura named Vritrasura, an Asura who was preventing many people from getting water. As a result, a fierce battle ensued between Indra and Vritrasura, and Indra won. However, now Indra was very arrogant. He asked Vishwakarma to build him a palace, yet no palace was good enough for him. As a result, Vishnu came to him in the form of a boy. Indra then saw him, and asked him what he thought of the palace. The boy (who Indra didn't know was Vishnu) said that it was one of the best palaces of Indra he had ever seen. Indra was shocked, he said, "What do you mean? I am the only Indra!" The boy then explained that there are multiple universes, each with their own Indra. Indra then realized how he was being too arrogant, and how he should contain that. We then had a discussion about this story.

Continue practicing the Nirvana Shatakam, view the attached pdf for the full prayer and the meaning ( http://theheartofthesun.com/Nirvana.pdf )

As an announcement, we will not be presenting in-person, it will be an online presentation.

April 17

In class, we discussed the story of an Asura with a special ability. This Asura wanted power, so he prayed to Lord Shiva for years. Eventually, Shiva cam and granted his wish: to be able to make anyway fall to ashes if he places his hand on their head. This was an asura who was in charge of many others, who lived a very nice life. Yet one day, he accidentally touched his head making him fall to ashes. The point of this story is to learn the problems with being to greedy, and why we should be staisfied with what we have. We also continued to practice the Nirvana Shatakam by Adi Shanklaracharya, please see the link in previous classes to study.

April 10

We covered the story of Lord Shiva and the the poet- highlighting the need to distinguish between right and wrong and the ability to acknowledge mistakes

March

March 27

Today, we learnt about the story of Kannappa Nayanar. This man was one of the greatest devotees of Shiva, eventually gaining Moksha. Long ago, he lived in a small tribal town, and he had no idea who Shiva even was. One day, he sees a Shivalinga, and is so amazed by it once he learns what it represents. And so, every day, he hunts meat and give it to Shiva so that Shiva doesn't go hungry. Yet every day, the priest would see the meat and push it away before doing his pooja. As a result, Kannappa thought that Shiva ate his meat and was happy. One day, Kannappa realized that Shiva may be thirsty, but he had no way to get water to shiva (as he had no water bottle, or anything like that). In order to give Shiva water, he carried the water in his mouth, and spit it onto Shiva (remember, he doesn't mean to disrespect Shiva, this is all done through innocent devotion). When the Priest comes in the morning, he sees the meat and the spit on Shiva, and so wants to find the culprit. As a result, he forgets to put the "eyes" on the lingam. When Kannappa comes to visit, he sees no eyes on Shiva, and cuts his eye to give it to Shiva so taht he can see. The priest, seeing this, realizes his extreme devotion and praises him. Shiva then reveals himself and gives Kannappa moksha.

From this story we can see how devotion to Bhagvan can come in many ways, and we should do whatever is possible for us to do, so long as there is love and devotion in our hearts when we do so.

Homework is to practice the first three verses of the Nirvana Shatakam by Adi Shankaracharya (see below).

Verse 1

Mano-Buddhi-Ahankaara, Chittaani Naaham

Na Cha Shrotra-Jihveh, Na Cha Ghraan-na-Netre

Na Cha Vyoma Bhoomir, Na Tejo Na Vaayuh

Chid-Aananda-Roopah, Shivoham Shivoham

Verse 2

Na Cha Praanna-Samnyo, Na Vai Pancha-Vaayuh

Na Vaa Sapta-Dhaatuh, Na Vaa Pancha-Koshah

Na Vaak-Paanni-Paadam, Na Chopastha-Paayu

Chid-Aananda-Roopah, Shivoham Shivoham

Verse 3

Na Me Dwesha-Raagau, Na Me Lobha-Mohau

Mado Naiva Me Naiva, Maatsarya-Bhaavah

Na Dharmo Na Cha-Artho, Na Kaamo Na Mokshah

Chid-Aananda-Roopah, Shivoham Shivoham

You can also view the attached pdf for the full prayer and the meaning ( http://theheartofthesun.com/Nirvana.pdf )

March 20

We started class with some students sharing a story that they researched. Students who did not present today should expect to present soon. We followed by practicing the Nirvana Shatakam. An email and WhatsApp message was sent to the parents about this project, and students should practice it. The last thing we did was learn why people wear bindi’s (it was traditionally for religion, but has now become close to a cultural symbol) and why Bhagwan is often represented in a blue color (blue represents infinity and the immeasurable because of the blue sky and oceans).

March 13

Today we learnt a general story, and had a great discussion on its meaning. One day, there was a man who did nothing. He had no job, he would just go around partying, which upset his wife greatly. One day, his wife told him to get a job, so he decided he would start a business to get his wife off his back. He asked everyone he knew, yet, because of his reputation, no one gave him the loan. So, his wife gave him her bracelet, so that he could sell it for some money. When the man went to sell it, because it looked like the Queen's bracelet, he was arrested, and eventually executed. The wife, hearing this immediately went to the palace. There, she made the King and Queen realize that the man didn't steal the Queen's bracelet. Out of anger, the wife threw a torch on the floor, buring the palace and the entire city. While the story is quite gloomy, the following discussion wasn't. The students realized the importance of education and good habits. The importance of not jumping to conclusions, and investigating to see if something is true, while also learning the issues and problems that come with anger.

Homework is to research and be ready to present a story for next class. The story could be a Krishna story, Akbar/Birbal, or any other story with a moral we can learn from. It does need to be too complex, just something entertaining.

March 6

Today we learnt about the Srikalahasti Temple, which is located on the banks of the River Swarnamukhi. The temple's name is significant because of a story about a spider (sri) , a snake (kala), and an elephant (hasti). Long ago, this shiva lingam was in a forest. Every day, a spider would come and decorate the lingam with webs. The snake would do the same thing with rocks, and the elephant with flowers. Whenever the animals did this decoration, they cleared everyone else's. As a result, they all got angry at each other for ruining their puja. One day, they all meet each other at the same time, and in the ensuing fight, they all die. Shiva, seeing this, gives all of them moksha for their devotion, and as a result, we call the temple where this lingam lies the Srikalahasti temple. Additionally, this lingam is also called the Vayu lingam. This is because it is the site where Vayu (god of the air/wind) prayed to shiva, asking him to be a part of Shiva and all life. Lastly, this temple is considered to be very famous because it is the place where the hunter Kannappa was willing to offer both of his eyes to cover blood flowing from the lingam. Because of his extreme devotion, this lingam is very famous (and Kannappa got moksha as a result).

February

February 27

In class today we covered the story of how the Shiva Purana was created.

Long ago there was a small village that contained beautiful murti of Lord Ganesha. Every day, the priest would come and give prasadam to Lord Ganesh, and every day his son would come with him and watch. One day, the priest had to go to the king's palace and do a pooja there, and so he told his son to give the prasadam to Lord Ganesh. So the boy went and gave the prasadam. Yet he didn't see Lord Ganesh come, so he waited for hours, and complained that Lord Ganesh wasn't coming. After a couple hours Lord Ganesh came, saying that he did not think that the boy actually meant for Lord Ganesh to eat the prasadam, he thought he was just keeping it there for the sake of doing it. Because of this boy's dedication, Lord Ganesh would end up telling him the Shiva Purana, which the boy would transcribe for everyone to enjoy. To this day, the Shiva Purana is recited globally.

Homework is to keep on practicing the first two paragraphs of the Nirvana Shatakam written by Adi Shankaracharya.

February 20

Today in class we learnt about Dayananda Saraswati and Jalaram Bapa.

Dayananda Saraswati is most famous for his role in restoring the emphasis on the Vedas in Hindu faith. That said, our main focus on him was his early life. As a kid, he once attended a shiva puja. Yet when here, he saw rats around the murti. Seeing this he became distressed, wondering how Bhagvan could protect us if he cannot protect himself from rats around him. Additionally, the deaths of his sister and uncle led him to question the meaning of life and death. These worries evolved into his desire to reform Hinduism to have a larger emphasis on Bhagavan and the Vedas. He would then fight for this mission.

Jalaram Bapa was a very famous Hindu Saint. Jalaram Bapa was most famous for his emphasis on making sure no one was ever hungry. He would organize ways to make sure that people were not hungry, and invite people to his house if they needed food. Yet he was also a very kind person, and rumored to have mystical powers. One day, a group of traders were walking, when they became very hungry. As such, they decided to shoot a bird to eat. Before they could eat the bird however, Jalaram Bapa found them and called them to eat some food in his Ashram. When they were done. Jalaram told them to open the bag the bird was in, and make sure the bird had not suffocated. Much to the surprise of the traders, the bird was alive. While the story is nice, the important thing to remember is that the greatest dharma you can do is make sure that people are not hungry.

Homework is to practice the first two paragraphs of the Nirvana Shatakam by Adi Shankaracharya.

Mano buddhi ahankara chittani naham

Na cha shrotrav jihve na cha ghraana netre

Na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vayuhu

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

Na cha prana sangyo na vai pancha vayuhu

Na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshah

Na vak pani padam na chopastha payu

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

February 13

Shishupala was a cousin of Krishna, it was said that he would die at the hands of Krishna. Krishna's aunt (wanting to save her son), asked Krishna to forgive him 100 times (thinking that there would be no way Shishupala would do 100 wrong things). One day, at a festival for the Pandavas, Krishna was invited to be the respected guest. This angered Shishupala so much that he started to say one bad thing after another. After the 100th time, Krishna decided to kill him. The purpose of this story is to show how Bhagvan gives us many chances to redeem our mistakes, and (unlike Shishupala) we should take these chances to become better.

We also learnt about Buddha (the 9th avatar of Vishnu) and Kalki (the 10th avatar of Vishnu). Budha first started off as a prince named Gautama, who was predicted as a child to either be a great king, or a great spiritual leader. His father, wanting him to be a king, decided to keep him in the palace, so he would never see the outside and thus never want to leave. One day, Gautama decided to leave, and he saw a sick man, an old man, a dead man, and a spiritual leader. Seeing this, he realized that people become ill, they grow old and frail, and eventually die. Yet he also saw the spiritual leader, who was not disturbed by this. Seeing all this, Gautama decided to become an ascetic, eventually realizing how to have inner peace, becoming Buddha, and leading to the foundation of Buddhism. Lastly, the Kalki avatar has not taken form yet, yet Vishnu will come when humanity truly needs his help. We do not know when this avatar will come, only that he will arrive when humanity is close to its next apocalypse.

Homework is to practice the first paragraph of the Nirvana Shatakam by Adi Shankaracharya, which is below.

Mano buddhi ahankara chittani naham

Na cha shrotrav jihve na cha ghraana netre

Na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vayuhu

Chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

February 6

We started class today with a Vasant Panchami presentation and quiz. Following that, we learnt the story of Aswatthama. Aswatthama was the son of Drona. Together, along with Aswatthama's mother, they lived in a small village. Yet they were very poor. One day, Aswatthama saw his friend drinking milk. Asking his mom if he could have some, she gave him some water mixed with rice flour (because they could not afford to buy milk). Seeing this, Drona became very sad, and instead of focusing on the scriptures (as he had done so far), he decided to teach the Pandavas and Kauravas weaponry. Moving forward, at the battle of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas needed to find some way to defeat Drona, yet none of them were skilled enough to do so. So Krishna came up with a plan. They would kill the elephant Aswatthama, and say that Ashwatthama is dead. They did this plan, and Drona became so sad, he gave up fighting. Later, Aswattham learnt what the pandavas had done, and went to kill them in their sleep. Yet instead, he killed the Pandavas' children. Because he killed innocents, those not in the war, Krishna cursed him, as he had done one of the worst possible actions.

We also started preparing for our end of the year celebration, more details will be sent shortly.

January

January 30

We started class today by hearing some stories about Krishna as a child. Specifically the stories of Krishna and Kaliya, Krishna and Govardhan Mountain, and Krishna eating mud (here is a link to read some of these stories, and more

https://www.tell-a-tale.com/5-childhood-stories-of-lord-krishna-for-kids/amp/).

We also continued learning about Karna, specifically his generosity. It was known that Karna would give anything to anyone that asks, even if it harms himself. Leading up to the war, Lord Indra (Arjuna’s father) disguised himself as a old man and asked for Karna’s earrings and armor. Despite knowing that it was Lord Indra, and knowing that losing these items would make him weak, he still gave it, showing his extreme generosity. Even when he was dying, he fulfilled a wish of Krishna. This act ended up giving him Moksha.

January 23

In class today, we learnt about the story of Krishna’s birth. Long ago, there was a very evil king by the name of Kamsa, who was told that the eight child of his sister would be the one to kill him. So, he locked his sister and her husband in prison, and every time they had a child, he would have the child killed. Yet when the eight child was born, lo and behold, the guards fell asleep, and the gates were opened. The child’s father Vasudava took the child, and put him in the crib of another child. This replacement, when killed by Kamsa, became Durga, and was in fact an illusion. The child that was taken out of prison, his name was Krishna.

Additionally, we learnt the story about Karna. Karna was a chariot drivers son, yet he was very skilled. He would end up learning weaponry from Parashurama (the 6th avatar), yet he was always held back because of his lowly birth, because he wasn’t a prince. One day he entered an archery competition, and he won, beating Arjuna himself. Yet in the end, he couldn’t be acknowledged as the winner, because he wasn’t a prince. Duryodhana, seeing his skill, made Karna king of Agra. Because of this, Karna pledged to always support Duryodhana. This caused us to have an interesting conversation on what it’s like to be friends with someone who isn’t nice to others, and whether or not you should be.

Homework is to research a story about Krishna’s childhood.

January 16

In class today we learnt about the man who wrote the Ramayana, Valmiki. Originally, Valmiki was a robber, stealing from others in order to provide for himself and his family. One day, he meets Sage Narada, who asks him why he does such bad things. Eventually, Valmiki realizes the error in his ways when his family says that they will not share his bad karma. Valmiki realized that he should aim for a good karma. He would eventually be taught how to write great poems, and would later write the Ramayana.

From this story we learn two great things. One, you don’t have to start at the top, you can grow and become great. Two, we are all capable of doing great things, we must have faith that yes, we can.

We covered the story of Vali and sugreeva. Parent teacher conference went well. Most parents were grateful for the online classes and they feel they would not be able to drive every Sunday to the temple

January 9

For Dharma level 5, as part of Rama avatar, he talked about Vali and Sugriva, what happens when assumptions are made, reason why shot Vali from behind a tree.

December

December 19

In class we learnt about Devi Sarasvati, Sati, Uma, and Devi Duga.

Davi Saravati is the goddess of knowledge. As such she is to help us learn the arts and sciences. We discussed the significance of what she wears and holds, and how her birthday is celebrated as Basant Panchami. We also learnt about the kite-flying festival that takes place near Lahore on this day to honor a young boy who chose death over losing his faith. We also learnt the story of how Sarasvati gave intelligence to a boy named Kavasha. This was because some rishis refused to teach him because of his lowly status, showing how all should revive a good education. Refer to pages 11-15 in the textbook for more in depth content.

We also learnt the story of Sati and Uma. A long time ago, Shiva married Sati, daughter of Daksha (Brahma’s son). However, Daksha did not like his daughter marrying Shiva (because he didn't want his daughter marrying someone who puts ashes on his body, lives alone, and has a snake around his neck), and thus he disrespected Shiva several times. This upset Sati very much, causing her to wish for a father who would support her marriage. Eventually, Sati would be reborn as Uma, letting the two of them be reunited once again. This shows the importance of inner beauty (your heart) over appearance. This is a simplified version of the story, so please read pages 37-40.

Lastly we talked about Devi Durga, how she was created, and how she defeated Mahishasura (who thought no woman was strong enough to defeat him). This led to the festival Dussehra, and shows how women should not be thought of as weak, as all women have the strong/powerful Devi Duga inside of them. This story is on pages 41 and 42. We also played a Kahoot to review some material from throughout the year.

December 12

Today was a meditation class. We discussed how surrounding yourself with certain people makes you exhibit the traits/qualities of these people. We also talked about how we want to do good actions, and thus we must be good and surround ourselves with good people. As such, meditation can be very useful as it channels us to God, helping us surround ourselves with a positive influence. Additionally, we learnt how meditation can increase your focus, efficiency, and happiness, and so it makes a lot of sense to meditate for just 5-10 minutes a day to gain these benefits.

December 5

Today we discussed 2 stories about characters from the Ramayana, Ravana (who all of us should know) and Vibhishana (Ravana’s younger brother).

Ravana’s Story: While we know Ravana as the evil King of Lanka who Rama killed in battle, it is also true that Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. One day, Ravana went to Mount Kailash (where Shiva lives) and asked to come with him to Lanka. Shiva said that he cannot, but he will give him lingam to remind Ravana of him, that will also give Ravana a lot of power. The catch is that he cannot let it touch the ground, otherwise it will stay there. Ravana, in his arrogance, accepted this challenge. Unfortunately for him, this lingam ended up touching the ground when a little boy (who was Lord Ganesha in disguise) made it touch the ground. This was because Ravana would not have used the power from the lingam for good, and thus shouldnt be able to have it.

Vibhishena’s story: To summarize, Vibhishena was Ravana’s younger brother who turned sides and helped Rama defeat Ravana. This was because he did not like what Ravana was doing (kidnapping Sita). This led to a discussion on whether what he did was right or wrong. Was he right to help the good guy (Lord Rama), even though he betrayed his family. The class agreed that yes, he was right, because not only was Ravana doing a bad thing, but he was told not to do it by everyone around him (including Vibhishana), and he still did it. We then talked about how this story applies to us in our world.

November

November 21

Today we discussed some stories about Parashurama and his character. To truly understand what he was like, we will discuss a story regarding him, his father, and his mother. One day, his mother ended up breaking a pot. This ended up making Parashurama’s father (Sage Jamadagni) so much that he asked his son (Parashurama) to kill her. Parashurama ended up doing so, and because he listened to his father so attentively, was given a wish. Parashurama then wished for his mother to be brought back to life, which she was. Please keep in mind what this story is trying to explain to us, that Parashurama both listened to and loved his parents, something all of us should do. As such, he is considered to be a great person, because of the respect he had for his parents.

November 14

In class we learnt about Shukracharya, King Bali, and the Vamana Avatar.

Shukracharya was a guru for the asuras, mainly because he was jealous of someone else for becoming the guru of the devas. Shukracharya proceeded to teach the asuras everything he knew, causing them to become very smart and powerful. Thus, the asuras, led by King Bali (grandson of Prahlad, from the Narasimha Avatar story) were able to conquer the Heavens and Earth. The devas, not knowing what to do, went to Lord Vishnu, asking him to save them. Vishnu then came to earth as the Vamana Avatar (a short Brahman), and asked King Bali for 3 steps of land. King Bali agrees, wanting to prove his generosity. The Vamana avatar then grows so large that in 2 steps he is able to cover both the Earth and the heavens. With his third step, King Bali, realizing who he is, asked him to place his foot on him.

Despite Bali’s guru, Shukracharya, telling him not to abide by his promise to save his kingdom, Bali said no. He kept his promise, which is something all of us should think about. Keeping your promise.Because Bali kept his promise, he is now referred to as Mahabali, and Onam is celebrated because of this story.

November 7

Meditation Class

October

October 31

In class, we discussed the difference between Hinduism and other religions such as Christianity. We asked the kids some questions about those different viewpoints.

Next, we talked about two stories pertaining to the secret to success. The first story is about the Asuras and Devas and how they have always had a conflict. And the Asuras believed that the Devas always win, so they went to Bhagwan Brahma and told him how they felt he was partial. So Bhagwan Brahma decided to test them by having a fest, but there were rules that they could not bend their back, elbows. The Asuras tried but failed; however, the Devas fed each other, showing the Asuras that he's not partial, but they have not to be selfish and share.

The second story is about Bhagwan Brahma and his teaching of Da. It starts with everyone being happy externally; however, on the inside, they felt something was missing. So they went to Bhagwan Brahma and asked for help, and he said Da. So they all went about their day and each group the humans, Devas, and Asuras, though they found what Da meant. Devas saw it as control; humans thought it was a giver, and the Asuras believed he was trying to see forgiveness towards others, and once each group practiced those principles, they were happier on the inside.

October 24

We covered Narasimhan avataram . Also discussed the brilliance of Thenali Raman via a story

October 10

In class we covered the story of the Varaha Avatar. We learnt that the asura Hiranyaksha submerged Mother Earth in the ocean, resulting in the suffering of everyone on earth. As such, Lord Vishnu took the form of a large boar and with his tusks, carried Mother Earth out of the water. He would then go into a fight and defeat Hiranyaksha. Due to him arriving in the form of a boar, this third avatar is called Varaha (boar).

Additionally, we learnt another story that goes as follows. A ship breaks down in the ocean, causing many people to start to drown. At the last minute, a boat comes and rescues all but one person, who refuses to climb on because “god will save him.” A second boat then comes, but the same response is given. Eventually this man ends up dying. He would then complain, asking why Bhagwan didn’t save him, the response being that Bhagwan did come, he came as the people in the boat. This reinforces that a) god is in all of us, b) we should not expect Bhagwan to come as Vishnu or Ganesha to save us, rather we should see god in all beings, and see him trying to help us through them, and c) god will help those who help themselves - don’t just pray to do well on your test, study for it. Don't just pray for Bhagwan to save you from the flood, go on a boat and help yourself, Bhagwan’s help will then follow.

October 3

In class we learnt about the Kurma (Tortoise) Avatar of Lord Vishnu. This form was taken by him to hold Mount Madara, which was to be used to churn the Ocean for a Nectar that rid the Devas from being in the weak state they were currently in (due to a curse put on them). The churning of the ocean ended up producing several gifts, such as Devi Lakshmi and the Nectar, as well as problems, such as a poison that would be drunk by Lord Shiva, causing his head and neck to appear blue. All in all, the Davis were able to get the nectar, and become strong again.

Additionally, we covered a story where a king gets so angry due to a broken case, that he sentences a soldier to death, even though the vase broke through no fault of the soldier. Eventually, the king is able to learn from a wise minister the error of his judgement, and sets the soldier free. The purpose of this story is to explain why anger is very bad, and that we should strive to avoid it so that we don’t regret our actions. We also talked about what you should do when you feel angry, mainly that you should remove yourself from the situation, and take deep breaths to calm yourself.

September

September 26

Today in class we covered the first avatar of Vishnu, the Matsya Avatar. We discussed how Vishnu first came as this small fish to Manu, and kept on growing larger and larger, with Manu consistently taking care of this fish. With Manu’s character proven to be great, Vishnu reveals himself to Manu, telling him to get two of each plant and animal, as well as the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages), onto a large boat, to save creation from a massive flood. Manu does this, saving the 4 vedas, as well as all animals and plants. Manu is now the first human, hence his name.

Additionally, we covered the story of Akbar and Birbal met, where Birbal makes fun of Akbar for saying “Which road goes to Agra,” as a road cannot move. This emphasized the importance of words.

Homework today is to be able to recite the prayer Shuklaambaradharam Vishnum properly, as well as understand the meaning. Reference prayer booklet if needed.

September 19

Today in class we covered a brief synopsis of how the class will look like. Dharma level 5 is about the Puranas, with special focus into the Avatars of Vishnu, Shiva, and Ganesh. Class will not consist of much homework, but students should practice some of the prayers that will be taught in future classes.

Going forward, Dharma level 5 will primarily consist of storytelling. Today, we covered two stories.

Firstly, we discussed the story of when Sage Narada visited Mount Kailash and gave Shiva a mango that was to be given either to Ganesh, or Kartikeya. To get the mango, one had to circle the earth three times. While Kartikeya actually went around the world, Ganesh went around his parents (Parvati and Shiva), showcasing how one's parents are one's world, and showing how one should have utmost respect for their parents.

We also discussed the story of how Parvati created Ganesh, and how Ganesh got his elephant head. The purpose of this story was to show the amount of love a parent will have for their child, as well as having the students learn more about Ganesh.