Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update
Class Name: Narada
Week# 27: April, 19 2015
General Assembly
Sridhar Uncle started the GA with three Omkars followed by the Shanti Mantra. We then chanted the
Prayer Before Studies, Prayer Before Meals and Prayer Before Bedtime.
Next Sunday, Apr 26th is Field Day. All children should report to Green Hope Elementary School by9:30
AM. All children will be divided into teams and each team will play two games - Dodge Ball and
Satodiyu/Lagori/Pitthu. Some children demonstrated how to play these games on the stage. Please DO
NOT bring your Gurukul bag and wear shoes as you will be running around the field. Lunch will be
provided and you can be picked up by your parents at 12:15 PM.
Class
Nanda Empire
The Nanda started out as rulers of one of the Mahajanapadas – Magadha. Mahapadma
Nanda, the founder of the dynasty, conquered the other Mahajanapadas namely the
Panchalas, Kasis, Haihayas, Kalingas, Asmakas, Kurus, Maithilas, Surasenas and the
Vitihotras.
They are thought of the first Indian Empire. They built up a vast army, consisting of
200,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 2,000 war chariots and 3,000 war elephants to maintain
and expand their empire. They were also known for their immense wealth, which they
amassed with a very efficient tax system. Their unpopularity, possibly due to their "financial
extortion", facilitated a revolution, leading to their overthrow by Chandragupta Maurya.
Chandragupta Maurya
Chanakya was a teacher at the University of Takshila. He was not pleased that the king of
Takshila and Gandhara, entered into a peace treaty with Alexander. He requested other
kings to stand-up to the foreign invaders and King Purushottaman (Porus) heeded the call
and engaged Alexander. Although he was defeated, he inflicted severe casualties on
Alexander and forced him to end his eastward campaign. Chanakya was not fully satisfied
and travelled eastward to the Nanda kingdom to ask Dhana Nanda for his help, but was
refused and insulted. Chanakya vowed to defeat the Nandas. Chandragupta Maurya
happened to meet Chanakya after he left the Nanda court. Chandragupta Maurya also had
his reason to defeat the Nandas as his family was killed by deceptive means by the Nandas.
Chandragupta Maurya asked Chanakya to be his guru and provide guidance. The two
together plotted and defeated Dhana Nanda and established the Maurya Empire.
Chandragupta established a strong central administration with an efficient and highly
organized bureaucratic structure with a large civil service. This was patterned after the text
on Chanakya’s text on Politics – the Arthashastra.
Chandragupta expanded the empire to the south and to the west after defeating Alexander’s
deputy Selucus Nikator and annexed territories in modern day Afghanistan.
Ashoka the Great
After Bindusara's twenty-five year rule, he was succeeded by his son Ashoka, who in his
first eight years of rule did what was expected of him: he looked after the affairs of state
and extended his rule where he could. Around the year 260 Ashoka fought great battles and
imposed his rule on people southward along the eastern coast of India – an area called
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Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update
Kalinga. The sufferings created by the war disturbed Ashoka. He found relief in Buddhism
and became an emperor with values.
Ashoka mixed his Buddhism with material concerns that served the Buddha's original desire
to see suffering among people mitigated: Ashoka had wells dug, irrigation canals and roads
constructed. He had rest houses built along roads, hospitals built, public gardens planted
and medicinal herbs grown. But Ashoka maintained his army, and he maintained the secret
police and network of spies that he had inherited as a part of his extensive and powerful
bureaucracy.
Ashoka converted his foreign policy from expansionism to that of coexistence and peace
with his neighbors. In keeping with his Buddhism he announced that he was determined to
ensure the safety, peace of mind and happiness of all "animate beings" in his realm. He
announced that he would now strive for conquest only in matters of the human spirit and
the spread of "right conduct" among people. And he warned other powers that he was not
only compassionate but also powerful.
The resulting peace helped extend economic prosperity. He gave up the kingly pastime of
hunting game, and in its place he went on religious pilgrimages. He began supporting
philanthropies. He proselytized for Buddhism, advocating non-violence, vegetarianism,
charity and tenderness to all living things.
Ashoka had edicts cut into rocks and pillars at strategic locations throughout his empire,
edicts to communicate to passers-by the way of compassion, edicts such as "listen to your
father and mother," and "be generous with your friends and relatives." In his edicts he
spread hope in the survival of the soul after death and in good behavior leading to heavenly
salvation. Ashoka ruled for 40 years. He sent missionaries to the kingdoms of southern
India, to parts of Kashmir in the northwest, to Persia, Egypt and Greece.
When India gained independence in 1947, Ashoka Chakra was adopted at the center of
Indian flag to represent eternal wheel of law. The National Emblem of India has been taken
from the Sarnath Lion capital erected by Ashoka. The National emblem is symbolic of
contemporary India's reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill.
Following two videos were shown to kids during the class:
Edicts of Ashoka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH63aG1af5E
Mocomi Kids – Ashoka the Great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XojmEmy7kw
Homework
Announcements
• If your child is going to be absent, please fill in the absence form on the website. Please
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Sanskar Gurukul Weekly Update
do not send an email.
• If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at
[email protected]
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