Part 5: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1🔗

tatrā paśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṛ-n atha pitāmahān ācāryān mātulān bhrātṛ-n putrān pautrān sakhīṃs tathā śvaśurān suhṛdaś caiva senayorubhayorapi

There Arjuna saw, stationed there in both the armies his uncles, grand uncles, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends, as well as his fathers-in-law and well-wishers

Utter confusion, dilemma is the first thing any person has to face in his life for Enlightenment. If we have not yet faced the dilemma, the possibility for transformation has not yet opened. When we are in dilemma, be very clear, the seeking has started in us.

Krsna parked the chariot between the two armies and said to Arjuna, 'Here are the people you wished to see.' Arjuna wanted to see those who were about to fight him and die. Krsna, with no mercy at all, showed him that these were Arjuna's near and dear ones.

Assembled in front of Arjuna were grandfathers and great grandfathers such as Bhisma, his own teachers such as Drona and Kripa, uncles such as Sakuni, brothers and cousins as all the Kaurava princes were, friends and well wishers. At one time or another, each of them had been an object of affection and respect to Arjuna. Now, they were part of this enemy army.

As a ksatriya, Arjuna was no stranger to death and violence. As long as those who faced him were his enemies, Arjuna had no difficulty in carrying out the execution. However, those in front of him now were his relatives - father, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, sons and grandsons. He could not bear to kill those whom he could relate with himself in one way or another. The bonds of family were rooted in his ego and to cut these bonds was to destroy himself. This was Arjuna's dilemma.

To help the child understand the emotions experienced by Arjuna as he realised all of whom were once dear to him, now he has to fight against them, so this created a feeling of "a dilemma"

• 1. Why did Arjuna feel like he was in an dilemma?"
• 2. Have you ever felt as if you were in a dilemma?
• 3. Who are some of the people Arjuna saw on the opposite side of the battle field?
• 4. What happens when you believe death is terrifying?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• 1. Pictures of deer eating grass,

• 2. The lion eating deer,
• 3. The hunter catching the lion
• 4. Plain sheet paper cut in Circular format
• 5. Glue

PROCEDURE

Encourage the children to stick the pictures in the order of life circle. Stick the pictures in the circular form of deer eating grass, the lion eating deer, the hunter eating lion.

Inference:

Connect them to the fact that our life is a circle between birth and death.