Aum Sri Sai Ram

Schedule Class No : 2 (June topic – Rama )

Topic : Rama – avatar

Animal characters in Ramayana
Group :I and II combined

Class starts with chanting of AUM ( 3times ), vanchanai indri (sloka )

and chanting Aum Sri sai Ram ( 21 times)

Gurus can also recite the everyday slokas for the class, any older and
new children revises their sloka.

For the Topic of the day , it about characters in Ramayana , who

were in animal form , Gurus can start the class revising the sloka
taught in previous class.

Sloka :

Poorvam Raamatapovanaadi Gamanam

Hatwaa Mrugam Kaanchanam
Vaidehi Haranam Jataayu Maranam
Sugreeva Sambhaashanam
Vali Nirdalanam Samudra Taranam
Lankaapuri Daahanam
Paschaad Raavana Kumbhakarna Hananam
Etad Hi Raamayanam

( sloka is about the whole story of Ramayana)

After revising the sloka, Gurus can ask the kids to explain the
meaning of the sloka, understand how much they have understand the
previous class. With todays topic we can start the class discussing
what are all the animal characters are there in Ramayana , children
will come up with Hanuman, valli , sugrivana, jayatu, maricha ,
nalan and nillan. Today it will be the stories of these characters with
interesting anecdote.

Maricha ( the guise of a Golden deer) :

One day, Surpanakha, the rakshasa sister of Ravana, disguised herself as a
beautiful maiden and proposed marriage to Rama. Rama refused her
proposal and directed her to Lakshmana in jest. Lakshmana joked that she
should marry his master Rama. An angry Surpanakha returned to Rama
and attacked Sita. But Lakshmana took out his sword and cut off
Shurpanakha's ears and nose. The humiliated Surpanakha
approached Khara, a man-eating rakshasha, to avenge her with a vendetta
against Rama. However, Khara, his general Dushana and his army of
14,000 were killed by Rama when they attacked him. Surpanakha and her
maternal uncle, Akampana, who escaped the carnage, reached Lanka with
the news and proposed that Ravana steal Sita, Rama's beautiful wife.[3][9]
Ravana started brooding and thinking of his next course of action. He then
flew in his aerial chariot across the sea to meet his ally, Maricha. Maricha
lived in a secluded hermitage on the ocean coast. Ravana informed Maricha
of the death of Khara, Dushana and their army as well as of the insult of
Surpanakha. He told Maricha to turn into a golden deer with silver spots
and graze in the vicinity of Rama's ashram. On seeing the deer, Sita would
surely tell Rama and Lakshamana to catch it. When the brothers left Sita
alone, Ravana would abduct her. Rama, saddened by the grief of Sita's
separation, would be easily killed by Ravana. Maricha, who had a first-hand
experience of Rama's strength, was horrified by the idea. The wise Maricha
attempted to dissuade Ravana by recalling the righteousness and valor of
Rama and warned that this idea would only lead to the doom of Ravana,
Lanka and the rakshasa race. He narrated his first encounter with Rama,
when he underestimated Rama and dismissed him as a boy, how he was
thrown hundreds of leagues away by Rama's single arrow. He followed that
with the story of his second encounter with Rama in Dandakaranya.

Maricha knowing the consequneces turned into gloden deer, so that he would
be killed in God’s hand , than in the hands of demon , ravana without
listening to his words.

JATAYU ( THE EAGLE )

In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Jatayu was the son of Aruna and brother of
Sampati who is a demi-god and had the form of a bird, he was an old friend
of Dasharath (Ram’s father).
He tried to rescue Sita from Ravana when Ravan was on his way to Lanka
after kidnapping Sita.
Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana, but as Jatayu was very old Ravana
defeated him without much difficulty. He cut Jatayu’s wings and injured
him fatally.
When Rama and Lakshmana came there searching for Sita, they found
injured Jatayu.
He was dying but still he informed Ram about his fight with Ravan and also
informed them the direction in which Ravan had taken Sita.
Rama performed the last rites of Jatayu
Sampati Story
Sampati was the elder brother of Jatayu and the son of Aruna. Jatayu and
Sampati were two demigods having the form of birds.
When young they used to compete as to who could fly higher. They fly
higher and higher.
On one such occasion Jatayu flew so high that he was about to get seared
by the sun. Realizing the danger of their situation, Sampati saved his
Jatayu by spreading his own wings and thus shielding him from the hot
flames.
As a result, Sampati himself got injured and lost his wings. Sampati lived
wingless throughout the rest of his life.

Vanaras ( The monkey clan )

Rama and Lakshmana cremated his body and resumed their journey. After
a few days, they reached the banks of Pampa river. Sugriva was the younger
brother of the Vanara Emperor Vali , who ruled Kishkindha. He was
banished by Vali on account of infighting between them. Sugriva made the
hill Rishyamuka as his temporary abode and lived there with a few faithful
followers. Hanuman was the most important of them.

Sugriva and his company saw Rama and Lakshmana roaming on the banks
of Pampa. Sugriva was afraid that they were sent by his brother Vali. But,
the wise minister, Hanuman, allayed his fears. Hanuman went down the
hill, approached the prices and inquired about them.

Rama was instantly attracted by the humility, forthrightness, and wisdom of

Hanuman. He narrated their own story. Hanuman met Rama in the form of
anthanar.

Rama said to Hanuman, “We are in fact search of Sugriva. We seek his
friendship.”

Hanuman expressed great joy at the words and took them to the top of the
hill to meet Sugriva. Sugriva greeted them with sincerity and extended his
hospitality to the brothers. When they were seated comfortably, Sugriva
narrated the story of his fight with his brother Vali. He added, “Rama, both
of us are in the same predicament. So, we need each other’s help very
much.”

Hanuman intervened and suggested that Rama and Sugriva should forge an
alliance. Rama should help Sugriva in regaining his kingdom and then,
Sugriva should help Rama in getting back His wife. Everyone agreed to this
arrangement. Then, Sugriva ordered the Vanaras around him to produce the
bundle of jewels, which fell down from the sky in their midst. When they
raised their heads, they saw a woman being forcibly taken away by a
Rakshasa towards the South. When Rama saw the jewels, He fainted.
Sugriva asked Lakshmana to identify the jewels. Lakshmana examined them
carefully and identified the jewels worn on the feet. He said they belonged to
Sita, no doubt. As he was everyday worshipping her feet, he could identify
only those and not the jewels worn on the rest of the body. The Vanaras
were moved by his righteousness and devotion.

Rama recovered soon and identified the jewels as those of Sita.

Sugriva described Vali’s strength and wanted to see for himself Rama’s
powers. To prove His strength, Rama sent an arrow, which pierced seven
‘sal’ trees in a row and came back to Rama. Sugriva was astonished at
Rama’s power.

They decided that Sugriva should challenge Vali for a fight and when they
were fighting, Rama would kill Vali. Sugriva went to Kishkindha and roared
at the palace gates. Presently, Vali came out and a fierce duel ensued. Rama
could not distinguish Sugriva from Vali as both resembled each other in
every respect, appearance, dress, and weapons used. Rama got confused
and kept quiet.

Sugriva got a good beating at Vali’s hands and returned to Rishyamooka. He

accused Rama of going back on His word. Rama explained the reason why
He had not acted. He said, “Dear friend, go and call your brother once again
for battle. But, this time, please wear a floral garland so that I can identify
you.” Sugriva agreed, went down the hill, and challenged Vali to a fight.

Vali, who was in the midst of his Queens, rose to leave. But, his wife Tara
begged him not to go. She told him, “I sense some danger. Just yesterday,
your brother had a good beating at your hands. Don’t you think something
is strange, his calling you so soon? I fear he has some powerful ally behind
him.”

Vali brushed aside her protests and rushed to meet Sugriva. This time, a
fierce struggle took place. Sugriva was getting tired. Rama, Who stood
behind a tree, took careful aim and killed Vali with a sizzling arrow. Vali fell
down severely wounded. Rama and Lakshmana approached him.

Vali accused Rama of employing deceitful methods to kill him. Rama

explained the reasons for his acting in that manner. He said, “You usurped
your brother’s kingdom. So, you committed Adharma. As a Prince, it is my
duty to restore Dharma. Does not a hunter hide behind a tree and kill a wild
beast?”

Vali was fully reconciled to his fate and died peacefully.

The alliance between Rama and Sugriva brings out some good comparisons
of brotherly affection. Rama and Bharata on one side and Vali and Sugriva
on the other. In both cases, the brothers loved each other very much. But,
the troubles and sufferings brought out the superior virtues of Rama and
Bharata. But, Vali punished his younger brother, Sugriva, when differences
arose between them. The brothers became bitter enemies, whereas Rama
and Bharata each spurned the right to rule the kingdom, when it was
offered to them.

Tale of Nalan and Neelan :

It is well known that during the war between Ram and Ravan, the monkeys
helped in building a stone bridge over the sea upto Lanka. Well! what is not
well known is the work of two monkeys Nalan and Neelan. They were the
ones who threw the stones in the water and made it float.

According to Legend, when the monkeys were doing there job, Lakshmana
who came there asked Rama why only the two monkeys Nalan and Neelan
were entrusted to throw the stones and not the others. Rama told
Lakshmana to hear the story behind this from Hanuman. So Lakshmana
goes to Hanuman who reveals the says that whatever is thrown into the
water by these two monkeys will float. Surprised, Lakshmana asks how
these two got such a boon and from whom. Hanuman says it was not a boon
but a curse and retells the following story.

Once there was a hermit by name Sudekshana. He regularly did puja using
‘Salagramam’ (shiny pebbles from the river bed, which is used to pray to
Shiva) and he kept them in a box. One day after a bath in the river, he came
looking for these but the box was empty. He searched everywhere but could
not find them. Meanwhile, he looked inside his water pot and found that it
was empty, so he went to fetch water. There lying in a small puddle of water
were the stones. He thanked the almighty for showing him the stones and
resumed his ritual.

After a few days when he was getting ready for his morning rituals, he heard
a noise of pots and pans rolling inside his house. He rushed inside to find
Nalan and Neelan playing with his stones and the box lying open in front of
them. As soon as they saw him they ran out with the stones and threw them
in the water. The hermit searched for the stones in the water and got them
out.

The monkeys continued this way and the hermit thought that he should do
something about it. But he couldn’t punish these monkeys who didn’t know
what they were doing. So when the next time they were running with the
stones, he called out a curse to them saying “Whatever you throw into the
water will not drown but float.”

Nalan and Neelan were the ones who were cursed by Sudekshana, so we are
taking there help, concluded Hanuman. So according to the advice of
Hanuman the rest of the monkeys brought rocks to the two monkeys
waiting at the waterfront. Nalan and Neelan then threw the stones into the
water by which the bridge was built.

Jambavan ( the bear )

He was the King of the Himalayas who had incarnated as a bear in
order to serve Ram. Jambuvan had received a boon from Lord Ram
that he would have a long life, be handsome and would have the
strength of ten million lions. Jambavantha was thought to be quite
experienced and clever. Jambavan had a good knowledge of running a
kingdom.
Sugriva’s experts contained Jambavantha, Nala, Neela, Hanuman and
a handful of others. Sugriva was living on mount Rishyamukha with
these advisers. He advised Sugriva to send Hanuman to recognize
Ram and Lakshmana, to find out who they were and what their
intention was.
Later, it was he who made Hanuman realize his enormous abilities
and motivated him to fly over the ocean in search for Sita.
Once during a duel with Ravan, Jambavan was fast and ferocious. He
gave Ravana powerful blows with his hands and ultimately kicked him
on his chest, knocking Ravan unconscious and making him fall flat in
his chariot. Because of this, the charioteer withdrew Ravan from the
battle. Previously, Ravana had dueled Hanuman, who is regarded as
the incarnation of Lord Shiva.

How swami recognized the contribution made in small form by these

people:-

1. Squirrels got there strips , when rama embarrsed the squirrel

thanking them for helping them build bridge.

2. Jatayu was given the highest privilege of rama performing the last
rites for him.

3. Maricha was killed by Lakshmanan

4. Sugriva got his kingdom.

 5. Hanuman accompanied rama back to the kingdom and during the
patabishekam hanuman was upset he was given any job and
hanuman wanted the Job of doing the “sottaku” when rama yawns
…. After patabeishekam , rama was enquiring if everyone in the
function ate so he can have his food. That’s the time , they realised
Hanuman did not have his food, and rama shared his banana leaf
with hanuman, that the reason still bvegatable and fruits are
served in the upper part of the banana leaf and rice and sambhar
in the lower part of the leaf.

Games :

Kids needs to choice any five animals and tell why they prefer and like it.
This can be also played by randomly talking of each of the animal. And
discuss hoe they are important in the society ( sense of co-living needs to be
taught to the kids )

We can discuss the more characters in Ramayana in the next class

Aum chanting and samastha Lok sukino bhavantho

End of class