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Saturday, September 19, 2026

Yogic method of service & mental shaoca + 3 more

Baba

Yogic method of service & mental shaoca

Namaskar,

Every human being wants anandam or bliss. But due to their confusion, they run hither and thither for worldly acquisitions and never get satisfied. Those who are fortunate land on the spiritual path. They want to realise Parama Purusa. In the following teaching, Baba uses the example of muddy water to guide sadhakas how they can realise Parama Purusa.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Dirty water analogy

Ananda Marga ideology states, “Suppose there is some article in water, and the water is stirless and clear. Then you will be able to see the article. But if the water is not transparent, you will not be able to see the article even if the water is stirless. So to see Parama Puruśa within the mind, the mind should be transparent and acaiṋcala [calm] – there shouldn't be any movement in it. In order to check that movement one is to practise concentration [sadhana], and for purifying the mind and making it transparent, one is to render selfless service to the society. A sádhaka must remember this fact.” (1)

If the water is muddy and calm then a person cannot see their face in the reflection. And if the water is clean and choppy then also you cannot see your face. So both are needed; the water should be clean and calm. Then you can see your face in the water’s reflection. And this analogy is related with the sadhaka who wants to see Parama Purusa in their mind. If the mind is dirty and filled with all kinds of junk thoughts, then one cannot see the reflection of Parama Purusa. So cleaning is needed. And to clean the mind, as the above quote says, one has to do service.

Unfortunately, some are commonly confused by what it means to do service. They think that, by definition, feeding the poor or giving a donation is service. But that is not the determining factor. If an atheist gives money or food to the beggar that is not service or seva according to Ananda Marga philosophy.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Requirements for doing seva

To do seva the following ingredients are required:

(a) One should think that their energy is coming from Parama Purusa, and that whatever money or strength one has is His - not theirs.

(b) One should view those being served not as a beggar but as a manifestation of Parama Purusa. He has come before you in the shape of a beggar.

(c) One should view themselves also as a representation of Parama Purusa.

So with His strength you are His agent serving Him, with His energy. If you have this ideation then ego will not develop. And if all the above ingredients are enlisted then it is true service. Unfortunately, most of the people do fake service. They think they are doing everything: they are serving beggar, and they are doing it with their own strength and money etc. By this way they create negative samskaras and ego, and ultimately they degenerate.

Fake service has a negative effect. If you are old enough and have several decades of experience in Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, then you can understand how those busy in fake service did not progress as human beings. Rather, they became arrogant, self-centered, and crude. They became aged, but their mental standard went down. They became quite degenerated in comparison to when they first joined the Marga. Sadly, they went in the reverse gear, i.e. opposite direction. And, as you know, Baba has declared Ananda Marga as a man-making mission. But those people could not get the benefit because they were doing fake service. If they had been doing true service they would have progressed a lot.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Example of hypocrisy in sadhana

Some do not do sadhana regularly in their home, but at retreats or at some public gathering where others are around, they like to show how they are above the level of a normal sadhaka. On that occasion, they sit for long hours in sadhana harbouring the strong desire that others should regard them as a great sadhaka. To this end, they sit in some visible place for an extended period in their meditation posture. The sole motive is to project the image that, “I should be revered as a great bhakta.” By playing this external facade, they get “success” to some degree; a few might hold them with great regard. But in the psycho-spiritual field this type of behaviour is terribly detrimental for mental progress.

In sadhana, satya is of utmost importance. So when hypocrisy, external show, and the tendency to glorify oneself are at the forefront, then the mind degenerates. You can easily recognise if one is a fake or top-grade sadhaka by their overall behaviour. It is also meaningful to find out how that person lives in their own house when no one is around.

So there are two classifications: fake sadhakas and true sadhakas. True sadhakas should be venerated, whereas fake ones should be avoided. Those who effortlessly sit for long sadhana feel a strong spiritual surge which gives them the psychic strength to sit for an extended period, and they never feel tired. Because when doing sadhana internal stamina is generated. In contrast, if a person is trying to do sadhana but their mind is not concentrated then soon they will feel very tired. You know sadhana is a science and if one practices sincerely and deeply engages in mantra japa etc, the entire personality will become very positive.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Those indulging in hypocrisy in the name of sadhana know they are hypocrites and Parama Purusa also knows. So that is not spiritual service. By their hypocritical display of sadhana, they cannot please Parama Purusa.

How to clean & calm the mind

To see Parama Purusa, one has to clean the mind with the help of service. There are three types of service:

(a) Physical service to Parama Purusa: Serving the various manifestations of this expressed universe with the ideation of Narayan (God)

(b) Psychic service: Singing and dancing kiirtan is psychic service to Parama Purusa.

(c) Spiritual service: Doing the various lessons of sadhana with the ideation that, “I am doing sadhana to please Him.”

In practicing these three services the mind will be clean. And now we come to the point of how to calm the mind. According to Baba, to calm the mind one has to do dhyana.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

When the mental mirror is both clean and calm, then one can see and realise Parama Purusa and become one with Him. When a sadhaka becomes pure, they will merge into and become one with Him. They become part and parcel of Cosmic Mind, as there is no difference between unit and the Supreme Entity. All feelings of differentiation are due to the dirt of the mind. When the dirt is removed, the unit mind becomes one with the Cosmic Mind.

Conclusion

That is the overall approach for how to clean and calm the mind and see Parama Purusa. On this point Baba says why should one wait for the time of their death, rather one should realise Parama Purusa with this body and this mind. Why wait for the future.

In Him,
Jyotirbrahma

References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Unit Spirit and Cosmic Spirit


== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

That time of crisis

Note: Only those who sincerely practice the higher lessons of sahaja yoga meditation can understand this song in the depths of their heart.

Prabhat Samgiita Intro: The following song paints the picture of one bhakta in the midst of a big calamity - some serious circumstance has occurred like a tragic accident, serious illness, or even death. In that situation, people often feel isolated. They think nobody is there to help. That brings complete misery. Yet, in this world everything is always changing; the days do not remain the same. After tragedy, good times come. 

Those lacking above-average bhakti feel completely lost when a serious crisis befalls them. Their situation is just like a parrot under attack by one cat. When the cat is not around, the parrot repeats the name Rama over and over again like a mantra. Some naive people really think the parrot is a bhakta but when a cat enters onto the scene and stalks the parrot, then in that time of crisis that parrot stops repeating the name Rama. It completely forgets its mantra and just cries. It has no inner connection with that mantra. The sense is that when there is no love for Parama Purusa, then in times of difficulty one forgets their mantra and gets terrified and feels helpless. This is what lower bhaktas do. For great sadhakas the situation is 100% different. 

So this following song depicts the feeling of lower bhakti. When immersed in problems, the bhakta forgets Parama Purusa and sadhana becomes difficult. So this song should be sung by those who have this internal feeling. At the same time, it is important to remember that not every song is for every sadhaka. In this song the bhakta is confiding in Parama Purusa that when a tragedy came then, “I could not think about You, so now I humbly request You, Parama Purusa, to please come in the abode of my mind.”

In the below song, the thunderstorm is a metaphor for tragedies undergone in life. 

"Jhaŕer rate ándhárete, kende chilum vano majhe, 
kaite kathá bujhate vyathá, keu chilo na mor káche..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3199)

Purport:

O’ my Parama Purusa, on that very dark night when a big thunderstorm was raging, I was crying alone in the deep forest. Nobody was there to talk to - to console me - to understand the tale of my suffering. No one was nearby, and I could not feel Your presence. So I felt like I was all alone in that cyclone. 

O’ Parama Purusa Baba, in the height of that wild storm, so many big branches were breaking off the trees and crashing down on the ground. And those tender buds and beautiful flowers were also completely blown off from the limbs of the trees. That very dark, horrendous night was so disastrous. Those blossoms and branches were wailing loud lamentations; every tree was crying bitterly in that raucous, windy night with pouring rain.

O’ my Parama Purusa Baba, the hail is over. With the end of this deadly night, a soft, gentle breeze is in the air. Will you please come in the madhuvan of my mind, in my mental grove, with Your sweet, attractive form? After all, the bad days are over, would You come with Your soft smile. Please bless me and give Your darshana...


Note for Prabhat Samgiita #3199:

[1] Madhuvan: Literally meaning "nectar forest"; But it refers to that remote, isolated, grove in the mind that is filled with spring blossoms, sweet fragrance, aromatic flowers, and a gentle & fragrant breeze. It is that tranquil mental abode where nobody is present except the devotee and the Lord. And there the bhakta and Parama Purusa sit together ensconced in that very divinely intoxicated atmosphere and they share the loving feeling of their heart in a very close, intimate, and loving way.


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Expecting moms

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Pregnant women and female animals may work half of what they usually do at other times; but under no circumstances should they be allowed to do strenuous work, as it may lead to premature delivery or stillbirth." (1)

Unfortunately both in the east and in the west expecting mothers are often put in physically challenging and compromising situations. For instance, many expectant women who have career jobs in the US might work full-time right up until their delivery day. They are often compelled to work, either due to financial or professional pressures. In many countries, expectant women are often forced to engage in strenuous work throughout their pregnancy. These types of critical situations are neither healthy, nor sustainable, nor humane; yet they are pervasive around the globe. In comparison, women in economically wealthier families in the east, generally do not work and are less physically active during pregnancy.

Coerced to return to work

Systematic steps need to be taken to ease the workload of all expectant women. Failing that, the well-being of both mother and baby will remain precarious, at best. When the aim should be to provide a very comfortable and safe environment for all expectant women, especially those in the latter stages of pregnancy. Not only that, a maximum amount of job leave should be given to those moms who recently delivered. But unfortunately, often working mothers return to work as quickly as possible.

One can easily imagine that when mothers do not get resting time before giving birth, then how will that same mother provide love and affection to newborn infants if they are in a rush to return to work. This is a very sad state of affairs and related with the future of the people all over the globe, not just in those local areas. Because without proper love, their child's development is severely hampered and their full psychic growth will be impeded.  So this is a universal issue that needs everyone's attention.

Baba says, "Pregnant women and female animals may work half of what they usually do at other times; but under no circumstances should they be allowed to do strenuous work, as it may lead to premature delivery or stillbirth." (2)

Situation of mothers in so-called developed countries

Those who are forcing or allowing expecting mothers to do engage in physically demanding work or chores during their pregnancy may be developed materially but are not developed on humanitarian grounds - with regards to understanding others' problems. That is why nearly everywhere in the western world, in all offices up to the last stage of pregnancy, women are working as they did when they were in 100% fit and healthy condition. That is why nowadays the most affected on this point are females in western countries. And, in result, serious damage is done to the fetus. One can easily imagine that when mothers do not get resting time before giving birth, then how will that same mother provide love and affection to newborn infants. Because in one week or so they will again join their career jobs. This is a very sad state and demands our attention. Because this is related with the future of the people in those affected areas. And indirectly the whole globe is seriously affected. Because without proper love, their children's development is severely hampered-- the flowering of their psyche and the growth of their brain is impossible because of this problem. Baba addresses this tragic situation in His book, Namah Shivaya Shantaya.

Financially poor mothers in so-called third world countries are also suffering from the same problem of being overworked in the late stage of their pregnancy.

In Him,
Lata’

References
1. Shabda Cayanika - 20
2. Shabda Cayanika - 20


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Watching crime films: outcome

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The base propensities which lie dormant in everyone are easily stimulated by constant association with bad people. Through the united efforts of parents, people living in the locality and educators, it may be possible to save children from bad company. But it is very difficult to save them from the evil influences which reside in their own homes or preponderate in their neighbourhood. The only way to overcome such influences is to popularize the ideals of dharma, spread moral education and train an honest police force." (1)

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "In the modern world there is a wide variety of films which excite the passions and have a degrading influence on boys and girls, adolescents and young men and women. Such films create in cinema-goers the desire to emulate in their individual lives the criminal activities, the vulgar expressions of love, or the adventurous behaviour that they see enacted on the screen. This is another example of how keeping bad company causes depravity. Many cinema-goers imagine that the characters that they see on the screen are their actual acquaintances, but when they try to emulate these characters, they discover that the real world is much tougher than the world portrayed by the cinema. If their family ties are weak, if they are their own guardians or if they have no high ideals to inspire them, it will be extremely difficult, although not impossible, to save them from bad influences." (2)

Note: Now read about the below incident. Then it will be quite clear how the very thing Baba is warning about has taken shape, tragically.

Conclusion

Allowing children to watch such films, and play degrading games etc means knowingly harming them.

References

1. Human Society Part 1, Justice
2. Human Society Part 1, Justice

== Section 3: Links ==

Labels: , ,

Friday, September 18, 2026

Understanding bird-crocodile relation + 5 more

Baba

Understanding bird-crocodile relation

Namaskar,

This letter contains three key sections:

(I) Firstly, Baba guides us that the type of relation that exists between birds and crocodiles is a business relation - not an ideal service relation. 
(II) Next, we learn about how some have grossly misinterpreted Baba’s given paradigm about the selfish bird and crocodile relation as an ideal service relation. 
(III) Finally, we conclude that true service is one-sided - i.e. give, but don't take. It is not a business transaction. And, by this way, an ideal society can be formed.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Bird / crocodile business relation

As we know, bhagavad dharma has four pillars: (1) vistara or expansion, (2) rasa or flow, (3) seva or service, and (4) tadsthiti or attainment of the supreme stance.

Here in His divine discourse - "Plants, Animals and Human Beings" - Baba talks about what is true seva.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The third aspect is sevá or service. In the life of animals, there is no scope for service. There is only scope for mutual transaction, or what we call commodity transaction."

"This is the policy. Perhaps you know the story of the kumiir, which is called makar in Saḿskrta, crocodile in English and magarmaccha in Hindi. The crocodile is a carnivorous creature. Although it likes to stay in water, it is not an aquatic animal. It enters the water to catch its prey, and after devouring its prey it returns to the bank and lies quietly with its mouth open. Small birds often come and eat the pieces of meat stuck between the teeth of the crocodile. What is the result? The birds get their food and the teeth of the crocodile are cleaned. At that time the crocodile does not close its mouth, or else the birds would be killed. This is a commercial transaction."

"Human beings alone have the speciality of service. At the time of doing service, the motive must be that I shall give but not take. Service is one-sided. When human beings donate something, they do not expect anything in return. For example, if you give something to a beggar, you do not expect anything in return. Furthermore, once you have donated something, you forget about it. This is the speciality of human beings. However, some people make donations for other reasons. For instance, suppose a man donates a hundred thousand rupees to a charity. At night he will not be able to sleep because he is continuously thinking that in the morning he will get up and read in the newspaper that he, Chatumal Dakuram Batpari, donated a large amount of money for the public welfare. You should not behave like this. Once you donate something, you should forget about it immediately. A donation is one-way. If you offer flowers to Parama Puruśa, and at the same time you say mentally, “Parama Puruśa, my son has just appeared in his exams, so you must see that he passes very well. Also, my daughter must get a good husband and a good house. And I should be victorious in the court case against my cousin, etc.” – this will not do. You have to offer yourself without expecting anything in return. If you offer yourself completely at that time, you will attain the highest benefit. You will become one with Parama Puruśa, you will become Parama Puruśa. But if you keep one paise out of a rupee, you cannot get oneness with Parama Puruśa because of that one paise. Hence if you want to offer yourself, offer yourself cent per cent. This alone is known as service." (1)

By reading the above, every true disciple of Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji can easily recognise and understand that Baba is guiding us that true seva is selfless and one-sided - i.e. giving to those in need. At the same time, Baba is warning us that we should not be like the crocodile and small birds who are both goaded by self-interest. In the tantra of Ananda Marga, our duty - the dharma of human beings - is to selflessly serve others. 
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

How some are confused

Unfortunately, some have interpreted the above interaction between the birds and the crocodiles as an ideal form of service etc. In their confusion, they have cited the give-and-take relation of the birds and crocodile to be a pure expression of seva - whereby both the birds and crocodile are doing for each other. But that is completely wrong. The bird-crocodile relation, as Baba guides us, has nothing to do with service. Each is motivated by their own self-interest. 

Here we have to bear in mind that crocodiles and birds are animals and if they are making transactions with one another that is quite normal. Because, after all, they are animals and have no capacity to serve. As humans, our standard is entirely different. Service - not selfishness - is one of the pillars of bhagavad dharma. An ideal society can never be formed on the basis of selfish give and take. Baba has clearly mandated that we have come here to serve.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Ananda Marga ideology says, "...The best you can do is only to serve. Remember, you are to serve bearing in mind that every creature is verily the living manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness..." (2)


Ideal way to view others

So selfless service is our way, not the self-centered business transaction as depicted in the crocodile / bird relation. Human society is to be based on service where one has a relation of love and affection with one and all. That is the way to make a great society; selfish opportunists can never form a proper human society.

One important point is that not all in society are in position to give; i.e. they are not in position to participate in a business relation based solely on transactions. Consider a small child, or a sick person, or a disabled individual, or an elderly person, should they just be left to die because they are unable to give something? In that case, what will be their plight? Rather they are to be served. 
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Human beings alone have the speciality of service. At the time of doing service, the motive must be that I shall give but not take. Service is one-sided. When human beings donate something, they do not expect anything in return." (3)

One should not be selfish or business-minded in their dealings. Baba clearly does not appreciate such types of selfish transactions. That is not seva. That is not part of bhagavad dharma. By this way one cannot form an ideal society. About this there should not be any confusion, and verily most sadhakas easily grasp and personify this ideal.

In Him,
Arjuna Deva

References
1. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Plants, Animals and Human Beings
2. Ananda Vanii #23
3. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Plants, Animals and Human Beings


*        *        *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.

*        *        *

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Every heart is welcoming

“Nishár avasán holo, purvákáshe raunga elo, taruń aruń d́ák diye bole…” (Prabhat Samgiita #4614)

Purport:

Now, in the eastern horizon the crimson colour is clearly visible. The night has passed away; the darkness has vanished. Now the rising sun is calling and telling everyone, "Unlatch the doors and windows of your house. Open the entrance way, let the light in, awaken the chamber of your soul, and shake off the dogma of groupism." Indeed the blackness has been removed. The bondage of dogma has disappeared from the mind. A divine age has come.

That which was unrecognizable and unknown in the past, due to the darkness of ignorance, has become familiar and known in the presence of effulgence. All the expressions are part of my family feeling. The birds of distant places are spreading their wings and coming near. Those who were far in the past have become close, my own. Now in the advent of this reddish dawn, the staticity has faded away and each domicile is ready; every heart is welcoming. In days bygone, humans were treating others as distant beings or aliens, but now they can see that all are their own brothers and sisters; whereas yesterday people were thinking that others wereforeign - part of some outside faction. By His grace, the realisation has come that, "All are mine." The depravity of the mental realm has faded away. There remains no distinction, no dullness, no bondage. A bright yuga has arrived.
 
Today, every home has become unlocked and accessible; in that airy dwelling - nothing can impede the refreshing flow of neo-humanism; all have become broad-minded. Humanity is no longer plagued by the rigid outlooks of socio, geo, and religious sentiments. Their vision is expanded - no longer diseased. The rise of a universal fraternity and one cosmic family are entering into their psychic domain. Living beings understand that all are kith and kin. In the past, the intellect was used to exploit others. It was motivated by self, clan, and national interest. Now, reason is guided by universal love and neo-humanism. Each and every jiiva, propelled by spiritual nectar, is concerned for the welfare of all. A resplendent epoch has been born.

The grim days of hatred and exploitation have faded away; Baba, by Your krpa, the age of neo-humanism has come... 


== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

Key strategy for pracara

Namaskar,

When discussing Ananda Marga teachings with negative elements or bad people in a particular area, then it is better not to go alone. Having more than one, two, or three margiis present - or as many as you can take - will give greater psycho-spiritual strength to overpower those bad minds. By this way those negative elements can be convinced and brought into the fold.

This strategy is especially applicable when anyone feels uncomfortable going alone to meet with such anti-social elements, or so-called very famous people. In that case, bring other Ananda Margiis along with you to help convince that party about the ideals of Ananda Marga, and turn them into ardent sadhakas.

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Every human being has certain merits and demerits. Suppose a person has forty  percent merit and sixty percent demerit: the resultant demerit is twenty percent. If a weak person whose resultant demerit is forty percent comes in contact with a person whose resultant demerit is more than forty percent, he will certainly degenerate. Obviously, a thief will not be a durjana (wicked person) for a perfectly honest person because the latter will easily counteract the thief's negative qualities. But for an ordinary person without any notable attributes, the thief will certainly be a durjana. Those with less psychic or spiritual power can easily be influenced by a wicked person. Those who are psychically and spiritually developed, however, are not so easily influenced and for them even a very wicked person may not be a durjana. It is the duty of every human being to avoid wicked people. You may ask, 'Can wicked people ever become virtuous?' Of course they can, but remember that only those people having greater psychic power than them should try to transform them. So what should you do? Instead of going alone, you should take five or ten friends with you so that your collective psychic strength will be greater than theirs." (1)

The same approach applies when addressing those Wts who are not following Ananda Marga WT conduct rules. If you think a particular Wt will not listen to you when you raise the matter, then go en masse with other margiis and address that worker. Then surely you will get success. That is the gist of the aforesaid Baba’ quoted guideline.

in Him,
Harideva

Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, What Should Human Beings Do?


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Way to train

Ananda Marga ideology states, "You exist in a vast, limitless ocean of rasa or essences. A never-ending, radiant wave of manifestations is surging within and without you and radiating through all the ten directions – the indescribable vibrational expressions of small and great, accented and unaccented, eternally flowing thought-waves. Behave properly and reasonably with every expression, with every manifestation of the Cosmic mind. But always remember the One, Who is the essence of all these diverse vibrational manifestations. Train yourselves in the ideal of the lily, which blossoms in the mud and has to keep itself engaged in the struggle for existence day in and day out, parrying, bracing and fighting the shocks of muddy water and the force of storms and squalls and various other vicissitudes of fortune; and yet it does not forget the moon above. It keeps its love for the moon constantly alive. It seems but a most ordinary flower: there is nothing extraordinary about it. Yet, this most ordinary little flower has a romantic tie with the great moon. It has focused all its desires on the moon. Similarly, perhaps you are an ordinary creature – perhaps you have to pass your days in the ups and downs of worldly existence – yet do not forget that Supreme One. Keep all your desires inclined towards Him. Always keep yourself merged in His thought. Go deep into the mood of that Infinite Love. By this your worldly activities will not be hampered in any way."

Kumud candramá dúrete rahiyá yemati rákhaye priiti,
Temati Shrii Rádhá kánu páne cáhi grha káj kare niti.

Ananda Marga ideology states, "No matter what circumstances you are in, never lose sight of the Infinite One. Degradation is impossible for those who have accepted the Supreme Being as the Ideal of their lives. Indulging in mean thoughts only engenders crude vibrations in the Citta, as the result of which you will have to take rebirth in lower species in order to suffer the lowly Saḿskáras created by those crude vibrations. Thus you must arouse higher vibrations in your Citta. Even a man of King Bharata's calibre had to take rebirth as a deer because at the time of his death he was deeply anxious about a fawn. Thus regardless of what you are at present or what you may possibly become in the future, do not digress from the ideal of the Great in any circumstances: do not stray even a step away from the path of realization of Absolute Bliss. Ananda Marga or the path to eternal bliss is the only path for you." (1)

Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Vibration, Form and Colour


== Section: Important Teaching ==

How to curb immigration

Prout philosophy states, "Economic decentralization means production for consumption, not production for profit. Economic decentralization is not possible under capitalism, because capitalist production always tries to maximize profit. Capitalists invariably produce at the lowest costs and sell at the highest profits. They prefer centralized production, which leads to regional economic disparity and imbalances in the distribution of the population. In the decentralized economy of PROUT on the other hand, production is for consumption, and the minimum requirements of life will be guaranteed to all. All regions will get ample scope to develop their economic potentiality, so the problems of a floating population or overcrowding in urban centres will not be allowed to arise." (1)

Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 21, Economic Democracy


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Duty in each stage of life

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Regarding age, it might be appropriate to say that there are basically four stages in human life. In the first stage, the primary duty of the human being is to receive knowledge and do dharma sadhana. In the second stage, one must fulfill worldly duties and perform dharma sadhana. In the third stage, one must see to any remaining family responsibilities and perform dharma sadhana. Finally, in the fourth stage, when the human body has become incapable of performing worldly duties, one must do dharma sadhana alone. So there are no barriers of age as far as the requirements for a sadhaka are concerned." (1)

Note: Some of the religions preach that one should only spend their later years for contemplative activities and the rest of the life should be spent on worldly affairs. In Ananda Marga, we do not subscribe to such a belief. Sadhana is to be performed from the earliest possible moment and extended through the course of one's entire life. So many other worldly duties and responsibilities will come and go, but throughout life one should be vigilant in the practice of dharma sadhana. Waiting till old age will not do.

Reference
1. Ananda Vacnamrtam-3, The Requirements for Sádhaná


== Section: Teaching ==

চিন্তার ফলেই 
“যেখানে আমরা কারণ খুঁজে পাই না, তাকেই ৰলি লীলা | কারণ খুঁজে পেলে তাকে ৰলি ক্রীড়া | এই পরমপুরুষের লীলা-বিবর্তনে জড় থেকে মানসিকে, মানসিক থেকে চেতনে, আর চেতনা থেকে চরমতম চেতন পরমপুরুষেই এক দিনে সে মিশে যাৰে | এক থেক অনেক; অনেক থেকে এক | জীবের উপর পরমপুরুষের নিশ্চয় কৃপা আছে | কারণ, পরমপুরুষের চিন্তার ফলেই জীবের উদ্ভূতি | আর তিনি তাঁর চিন্তারই শেষ-পর্যায় জীবকে নিজের মধ্যে মিলিয়ে নিচ্ছেন | তাঁর থেক ৰেরিয়ে তাঁতেই মিসছেন |” (1)

Reference
1. DMC 1 January 1989 Ananda Nagar


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Very famous but 100% make-believe

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Many of you are aware of the fact that Ramchandra was not an historical figure, but a fictional one: he was an imaginary character to represent an ideal king. Maharśi Valmiki was the first person to give proper expression to that character. But the poet Tulsidas tried still harder, in the Mughal period, not very long ago, to accomplish this through the Rámacaritamánasa, written in the Avadhii language. The Rámacaritamánasa is not the complete Rámáyańa. Tulsidas described the character of Rama as he thought Rama should be; he delineated the character of Rama as he conceived of Rama in his own mind. Tulsidas was a truthful person. He did not name his book the Tulasiidásii Rámáyańa, he named it Rámacaritamánasa [“The Life of Rama As Conceived by Tulsidas”].” (1)

Reference
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya - All Bask in the Glory of Shiva – 1 (Discourse 6)


== Section 4: Links ==





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History of marriage: the defeated party + 3 more

Baba

History of marriage: the defeated party

Namaskar,

I was blessed to have attended all the annual DMC's from 1970 onwards. DMC was such an important and blissful gathering for all Ananda Margiis. In particular, it was a special occasion for Indian margiis as it was a time for the whole extended family to come together. My wife and I would arrive with our family of 15. Then our relatives from thousands of kilometers away came from Assam (far east India), along with my wife's family from Gujurat (West India). We were all living together for one week at DMC. This was common in India as the entire laokika family would take initiation (diiksa) into Ananda Marga sadhana. So there was always a huge family gathering at DMC.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Sadly, some family acaryas were not introducing their laokika relations to the Marga and our AM way of life. This was a mystery. Ultimately, some changed, but many did not.
          

About dogmatic Hindu marriages

The following is a colourful description of dogmatic Hindu marriages, as those marriages are filled with so many degrading rituals. That is why it is so astounding why some family acaryas actively accepted Hindu marriages, i.e. the dowry and all those dogmatic rituals. All margiis know that the dowry is blatantly against Baba's system. And here is more about some of the other rituals:

(a) The bride must wear a long sari and cover her face with a 2 foot long veil. So the female’s face is completely hidden during the ceremony and oath taking.
(b) The Hindu priest ties up the bride and bridegroom by making one knot using the tail from the excess cloth of their dress. They are tied together like two train cars, one in front of the other.
(c) In this manner they both circle 7 times to the fire god while the priest repeats the mantra from ritualistic religious books.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Verily there are so many rituals in this dogmatic Hindu ceremony based on the dogmas of old wherein women were humiliated and the bride's family was beaten and even taken captive by the bridegroom's clan. Obviously Ananda Marga philosophy is against all such Hindu rituals.

Females brutalized: mirror image of dogmas of old

The central point is that current day Hindu marriage ceremonies were born out of dogmatic practices from days of old. Baba describes this in detail in His book, Namah Shivaya Shantaya. Several thousand years ago history witnessed the times when one hill clan fought with other hill clans for superiority. People born of the same hillock were treated and respected as brother and sister in those days of old. But there was strong aggression toward other clans from other hill tops. So fights regularly occurred.

The entire army of that gotra or clan would attack other clans. Even all the youths of that clan would go into battle. And after the attack the victors would arrest all the youths, females, and males. Generally, the males who were not killed were treated as slaves. The females were treated as servants or captured for marriage. So the males were arrested and taken into custody and females were taken captive to be submissive wives of the victorious party.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

The defeated party suffered terribly. The males were beaten or killed, while the females were battered and often bleeding from the head. Under the rule of brute force and cruelty, marriages were conducted. There was the system that a marriage could not take place between two people of the same gotra. Still today it is continuing. Today symbolically this same system is going on in Hindu dogma. Those days in battle they were attacking females with a stick. Often females were wounded and would be bleeding from the head. Now, in place of oozing blood in the battle, the red vermilion mark is made on the forehead. In the past, women were chained, and they were kept in handcuffs; nowadays bangles are used on the wrists during marriages as a show of bondage. Without bangles, marriages are virtually impossible in the Hindu system. Bangles are the sign of slavery. No doubt in the old days those bangles were made of iron while nowadays they are gold, bronze, or silver. But the significance is the same. In those days of old, females were humiliated and today it is still continuing.

The bridegroom's family are the 'victors'

The present day dowry dogma stems from the old days when the victorious clan looted the defeated party. Now the “victorious” male party collects a huge dowry from the “defeated” female family. During those days of old, the army would march in with the commander, prince or leader carried by slaves using poles on their shoulders to carry a small hut that contained the regal prince. Generally, 4 male slaves would carry the prince from the front side and 4 male slaves would hold from the back. In this show of force, the prince would ride while being carried on the shoulders of slaves from one hillock to the next.

Those victors would tie up the sisters from that defeated clan and make them slaves and bring them back to their own clan. Even today, symbolically, everything is present in the dogmatic Hindu marriage system. The groom goes with his marriage party sitting on a horse or carriage; they are the victors. So today’s Hindu marriage represents males as princes and females as captives or slaves. All these things are symbolically included in ritualistic marriages at present. That is why in Hindu dogmatic society the biggest problem is getting your daughter married.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Today the bridegroom party is treated as the victorious group and the bride's party is forced to accept the superiority of the bridegroom. The bridegroom’s party arrives as the victors. And the bride's family is regularly faced with the burden of supplying housing - and all living accommodations - to the guests of the bridegroom family for their entire stay, i.e. up to 7 days during the marriage ceremony. In arrogance, pomp, and show, the bridegroom’s family claims the upper hand.  All these rituals symbolically demonstrate how one clan conquered the other clan and that the wife is subservient to the bridegroom's family.

Because of the superiority of males and exploitation of females, in India the birth of a female is unwanted. Especially these days when medical science is developed. As soon as it is confirmed that the baby in the womb is a girl, the family wants to get rid of that child. Only boys are accepted and welcomed. Everyone is not like that but it is a widespread problem. That is why the government has banned this medical facility. The root cause is the dogmatic Hindu religious marriage ceremony wherein a dowry is paid etc.

Conclusion

In dogmatic Hindu marriages, the status of females is very pitiful and highly insulting. Those with a human heart feel pain by seeing all these tortures to females. That is why Baba discarded and condemned these dogmas and has given equal status to males and females. That is the AM marriage system. It is surprising that some family acaryas attended, witnessed, and appreciated all the Hindu ritualistic events for their own son’s marriage, where a dogmatic priest presided over the whole ordeal.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Altogether this Hindu marriage dogma is suffocating. True margiis never appreciate this - especially the disparaging insult to females in this dogmatic Hindu marriage system. Baba has assured us that the golden day is not far off when by strong, dharmic leadership the dharma of Ananda Marga will spread across this entire universe atlightning speed.

In Him,
Diipavali

~ In-depth study ~

Girl of vanquished party forcibly brought by groom

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "In those days life was full of conflict. There were frequent clashes between the different hills. The people living on one hill treated each other as brothers and sisters, so whenever they wanted to get married, they had to bring men and women from other hills. Those who emerged victorious in an inter-hill conflict would marry the women of the vanquished gotra. These women were brought to the victor's hill bound in chains. Even today in many parts of India the newly married couple knot their clothes together after marriage. This practice is symbolic of the time when the girl of the vanquished party was forcibly brought home by the bridegroom. In ancient days, they were brought home captive, their hands bound in chains. Even today in East India, particularly among the women of Bengal, there is a custom of wearing iron bangles. These bangles, reminiscent of those ancient chains, symbolize that the bride has been brought home captive. Besides that, many women had their heads cracked open in battle. Blood flowed from their gaping wounds. These days, of course, such atrocities do not occur. However, to represent the flowing blood of those wounded in battle a vermilion mark is placed on the forehead of a newly married woman." (1)

   Sadguru Baba says, "As I told you a little earlier, each clan used to live on a separate hill, and the leader of that clan was respected as rśi of the clan. The affiliations of the gotra people were indicated by the name of that particular rśi. After the patriarchal system was established, the members of one gotra would forcibly kidnap women from other gotras to their own gotra, their own hill. Thus immediately after the marriage, the woman's gotra would change, because she was then a member of a different gotra, a separate hill."
   "All this invariably led the different clans into bloody conflicts. Those who were defeated in battle were captured as slaves and the women were taken to the harems of the victors. The victorious clan would then occupy the hill, the gotra of the vanquished clan. Thus within one gotra, there were many sub-gotras, called pravaras."
   "The women were forcibly carried away, their hands bound in iron chains. Even to this day, women in Bengal and some other areas wear iron bangles on their wrists after marriage – the symbols of their ancient servitude. One should clearly understand this. The males who would attack the neighbouring hills would tie up the women and carry them to their own hill. Even today, during the marriage ceremony in certain parts of India, the bride's clothes are tied to the clothes of the bridegroom. This enslavement of the defeated gotra was a great humiliation, especially for the women. Sometimes, during the battle, the men would strike the heads of the women with an axe, causing blood to flow. Up until the present, at the time of marriage, women use a vermilion cosmetic mark on their foreheads – a symbol of blood." (2)

“I'm going to bring you a maid-servant”

Here Baba tells more about the exploitative history of the Hindu marriage system and how it lives on even today:

"Today I will relate to you an episode of Tantric history – an episode which has almost been lost. I think you all know that Sadáshiva was the first Tantric Mahákaola on this planet. His mission was Kurvantu vishvaḿ Tántrikam – “To get the whole universe initiated into the Tantric cult”. To become a Tantric means to fight directly against the opposing forces and obstacles on the path of progress and to preach the lofty gospels of universal humanism. That human beings are the greatest of all living beings is to be proven in action, not in mere words or theoretical moral principles.

"In that early phase of human civilization, there were more rifts and clashes among the different clans and tribes than there are today. It was therefore safer for human beings to live on hills. Later, with the development of civilization, they moved down to the plains and settled in woods and forests. But in those early days, they would sleep in hill-caves after blocking the entrances with big rocks. Fire had not yet been discovered, so they could not protect themselves by burning fires around their encampments in the caves and forests. Fire was discovered much later.

"The hills on which people used to live were called gotras in Vedic Sanskrit. So if a person called Ráma lived on a certain hill, the hill was called “Rámagotra”. Similarly, the hill where Shyáma lived was known as “Shyámagotra”, and all the people who lived on it belonged to that gotra. This was the system followed in that early period of social development. Prior to that [patriarchal system], each hill was ruled by a gotramátá, or clan mother. The clan members would all obey her and would introduce themselves by her name; and likewise the hill itself would be named after that matriarch. These days this system has evolved into a dogmatic clan or caste system.

"So each hill was named after its sage. If Maharśi Káshyapa [The Great Sage Káshyapa] was the leader of a hill clan, that clan was called Káshyapagotra. If Maharśi Bharadvája was the leader, it was called Bharadvájagotra. Thus, the early matriarchal system was followed by a patriarchal system of leadership.

"Those people who lived on the same hill under a common patriarch lived just like brothers and sisters. However, they considered the members of other hill communities to be their deadly enemies. And since all on one hill were brothers and sisters, they could not marry among themselves. So what would they do in order to marry? One clan would defeat a neighbouring clan in battle, and they would forcibly drag the vanquished women, with hands bound, back to their own hill for a life of domestic servitude. The males of the defeated clan were utilized as slaves.

"Even to this day, there is a custom whereby the mother asks her son on the eve of his marriage, “Where are you going?” He replies, “I'm going to bring you a maid-servant.” It comes from those days when the victorious clan would drag the defeated women back to its own hill. Not only that – to bind someone you need a rope or a chain ([now] called a gánt́chaŕá). The women would be brought back in those days with chains on their wrists, otherwise they might run away. The iron bangle that a married woman wears today is a symbol of that early servitude. In those days women also fought in battle, and were often hit on the head and severely injured. A small vermilion mark then came to represent the blood streaming from their cracked heads. But today a woman must wear that vermilion mark if she is to be recognized as married. This is quite different from the original idea. Actually these are all just different dogmas...

"...So even today women bear the mark of servitude by wearing iron bangles on their wrists, thus giving the impression that they have been vanquished; they still use the vermilion which originally symbolized bloodshed; they still tie the gánt́chaŕá after marriage, which symbolizes their being forcibly carried away; and the bridegroom still often says to his mother on the eve of his departure for the marriage, “I'm going to bring you a maid-servant.” How absurd! No one is anyone's servant. The system of slavery was abolished long ago. You should oppose these dogmatic beliefs. They are very objectionable. You should understand the history behind them, and then do the right thing. (3)

References
1. A Few Problems Solved - 3, The Evolution of Human Civilization
2. Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Shiva – Both Severe and Tender (Discourse 2)
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, Bhaerava and Bhaeravii


*        *        *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.

*        *        *

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Come in my abode

“Álo jhalamala nabhah nirmal, ándhár giyeche sare…” (Prabhat Samgiita #4582)

Purport:

Baba, my mental sky is clean; all the darkness has vanished. In the past, for numerous reasons, my home was dirty. Now, by Your grace, it is pure. This is the opportune moment: please come to my home, my Dearmost, come in my abode.

Supreme Entity, I wanted to have You. I have forgotten the stain of all those past happenings that took place over ages and ages. After shaking off all lethargy and drowsiness, with samvit I am awake to receive and have You. I have retained and saved all my flood of tears and kept them for when I get You. Then with my full heart’s content of having You, I will cry out of love and affection at Your lotus feet - my Dearmost, who is living in such a far distant abode.

Baba, because I am following the path of sadhana and bhagavad dharma very strictly by Your grace, people pass judgement and say all kinds of negative remarks about me. But I do not pay heed to their words. In my life You are, and I am treading on that very path which You have shown me. I shall never forget the suffering humanity. By Your mercy, I understand that You have sent me on this earth to remove their suffering, and be deeply involved in doing the work which You told me to do. I am for You and want to satisfy You by following Your order and carrying out Your allotted duties….


== Section: Important Topic ==

Your 50 propensities

Here are the first 49 propensities of the human mind...

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “dharma (psycho-spiritual longing), artha (psychic longing), káma (physical longing), mokśa (spiritual longing), avajiṋá (belittlement of others), múrcchá (psychic stupor, lack of common sense), prashraya (indulgence), avishvása (lack of confidence), sarvanásha (thought of sure annihilation), kruratá (cruelty), lajjá (shyness, shame), pishunatá (sadistic tendency), iirśá (envy), suśupti (staticity, sleepiness), viśáda (melancholia), kaśáya (peevishness), trśńá (yearning for acquisition), moha (infatuation), ghrna (hatred, revulsion), bhaya (fear), asha (hope), cinta (worry), cesta (effort), mamata (mineness), dambha (vanity), viveka (conscience), vikalata (mental numbness due to fear), ahamkara (ego), lalata (avarice), kapatata (hypocrisy), vitarka (argumentativeness to the point of wild exaggeration), anutapa (repentance), śad́aja (sound of peacock), rśabha (sound of bull), gándhára (sound of goat), madhyama (sound of deer), paiṋcama (sound of cuckoo), dhaevata (sound of donkey), niśáda (sound of elephant), oṋm (acoustic root of creation), hum (sound of arousing kulakuńd́alinii), phat́ (putting theory into practice), vaośat́ (expression of mundane knowledge), vaśat́ (welfare in subtler sphere), svaha (performing noble actions), namah (surrender to the Supreme), vis'a (repulsive expression), amrta (sweetness in expression), apara (mundane knowledge)...” (1)

And the 50th propensity and the only vrtti a sadhaka should seek is: para (spiritual knowledge).

References
1. Yoga Psychology, Glands and Sub-Glands

== Section 3: Links ==




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