RELIGIOUS DOGMA:
HUGE WASTE OF FOOD WHILE OTHERS STARVE
Namaskar,
We all know that religious dogma is a major theme throughout Baba's
divine teachings. Over the course of human history religious
rituals, exploitation, and superstition have led to so much
humiliation, misunderstanding, and suffering. And still in this
ultra-modern era, large sections of humanity remain under the cloak
of religious ignorance and dogma.
RECENT EVENT IN GUJURAT:
THE ENORMOUS POURING OF GHEE
Recently in Gujurat, in mid October, a yajina was held where 1.1
million pounds (or 5.5 lakhs kg) of ghee was poured over an idol
whereby worshipers hoped to gain virtue etc. To gain a better grasp
of the sheer amount of ghee used, it would take 50-55 large US
tractor-trailer trucks to transport 1.1 million pounds. That is the
amount that individual worshipers dumped on the idol - there was a
constant flow of people making their offerings. The cost of all that
ghee was 160 million rupees.
Here is more about the scene - plus you may read the attached
newspaper articles for more details.
SPECIAL REPORT AND POEM BY SUKULJI:
THE DOGMATIC GHEE OFFERING IN GUJURAT
(Note: This entire topic was raised by Respected Sukulji who
submitted the attached newspaper clipping and wrote this
particular section of this email including the poem.)
Newspapers highlight with photos that people of Gujrat in India
collected 5.5 lakhs Kg of Pure Desi Ghee and did so-called Abhishek
of the idol of deity Durga during Shardeya Navratra. The title was
"Ghee Ki Nadiyan Bahin". The photo of the scene was also displaying
so many people going through the street full of Ghee touching up to
knees.
The news belongs to Gandhi Nagar Gujrat (India) and is published in
almost all the national level news papers of India on 15th October
2013.
I am attaching the scanned cuttings of the Dainik Bhaskar of this
date which depicts the photo of the function and the Ghee flowing in
streets.
You can also find this in Dainik Bhaskar e-paper of Jaipur (Raj)
publication, of 15/10/2013.
ए अंधश्रद्धा ! तू
कभी घी की नदियाँ बहाती है ,
कभी आग में घी जलाती है।
कभी मंदिर बनाती है,
कभी मस्जिद गिराती है।
और ,
लाशों के सिंहासन पर बैठ अट्टहास करती है ,
भूख और कुपोषण से त्रस्त लोगों का।
तेरी इस लीला ने मचा रखा है तांडव
आपदाओं, अफवाहों और नारियों के शोषण का।
फिर भी,
लोग उमड़ रहे हैं तेरी ओर
विवेकहीन होकर ताज पहिनाने
उदरपोषण कराने का।
Purport of Above Hindi Poem:
Actions of blind believers sometimes flow the rivers of ghee and
sometimes pour it into fire, and construct temple destroying mosque.
This results in death of lacs of people for want of nutrition and
starvation everyday. This seems as if this blindness of believers is
making loud laughter sitting on the throne of dead bodies of these
dying people of starvation and nutrition.
Illusion of blind believers is doing 'Tandava' in forms of natural
calamities, rumors and exploitation of women, yet people are running
towards you mindlessly expecting that you would take care of them.
Here is more of the news...
गुजरात में शारदेय नवरात्र में साड़े पाँच लाख किलो घी जिसका मूल्य
सोलह करोड़ रुपया है, अंध विश्वास और अंध श्रद्धा के नाम पर बहाया गया।
जिस देश में प्रतिदिन लाखों लोग भुखमरी और कुपोषण के शिकार होकर अंतिम
सांसें गिन रहे हों वहां यह कितना उचित है ?
[5.5 lac Kilogram pure ghee costing about sixteen crore rupees has
been poured in streets due to blind believes and superstitions
during 'Shardeya Navratra'. In a country where several lac people
fall prey to starvation and malnutrition everyday, to what extant
this act is right?]
(Note: For more about this incident please see the attached news
article or click on the link at the bottom of this email to see
all new articles on this topicl. This concludes the section of the
letter authored by Dr. T.R. Sukulji)
WHY THEY OFFER GHEE:
THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND THE DOGMA
Here Baba points out how dogmatic-minded worshipers think that their
favoured deities have the same liking as they (the worshipers) do.
"Human nature is such that one thinks that what is dear to oneself
must be dear to everybody. So the ghee-, meat- and wine-loving
Aryans thought that such food items would be liked by the gods
also." (AFPS-1, Tantra and Indo-Aryan Civilization)
Thus those offering ghee to the idol in Gujurat suffer from the same
defective mentality as those degenerated Aryans of hundreds and
thousands of years ago.
OFFER GHEE IN YAJINA IS A WASTE OF RESOURCES:
BETTER IS TO FEED THE HUNGRY, STARVING PEOPLE
Here below Baba points out that the dogmatic offering of ghee to an
idol is a sheer and utter waste food and natural resources. The
proper approach is to serve that ghee to the mal-nourished peoples
of the earth so they can regain their health.
"Those who offer clarified butter in Yajiṋa are misguided. They
think that by offering ghee in the fire, it will rain. Still today
people are following such blind superstition. Science tells us that
when ghee is offered in the fire, the ghee is burnt and the unburnt
carbon particles evaporate in the form of smoke. Everyone knows that
ghee is basically the chemical composition of hydrogen and carbon
and that the water vapor generated by burning ghee is negligible.
Therefore, what will be the magnitude of the cloud formed by burning
even one thousand tons of ghee? It is an utter misuse of ghee. The
proper use of ghee is to feed it to the weak so that they may have a
good health." (Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala)
Thus, those worshipers in Gujurat are terribly misguided and on the
wrong path. That ghee should be used to serve those in need.
Hundreds of millions of Indian citizens lack proper nutrition and
suffer from moderate to severe food shortages while these dogmatic
worshipers waste huge amounts of ghee by pouring it on this idol.
STRIVE TO ATTAIN PARAMA PURUSA
AND NOT FALL PRONE TO HARMFUL, RITUALISTIC DOGMAS
Here Baba points out that the ritualistic offering of ghee is a
direct contravention of bhagavata dharma. A dharmic yajina means
the attainment of Parama Purusa, not the slip into ritualistic
dogma.
"Shaeva Dharma is the dharma for attaining Parama Puruśa, and thus
there is no external ritual in it. It does not enjoin any
ritualistic offering of ghee, or any sacrifice of animals’ blood in
yajiṋa; it is not a path of self-gratification. The followers of
Shaeva Dharma proclaimed in a thundering voice that dharma is the
path leading to supreme attainment – not the path of animal
enjoyment." (NSS, Shiva – Both Severe and Tender (Discourse 2))
WHAT IS THE REAL INNER SPIRIT OF YAJINA:
THE DHARMIC MEANING
"The completion of a Yajiṋa lies in its offerings. Karma and
Yajiṋa are the same and the accomplishment of the four varieties of
Karma lies in offering one’s dearest thing, that is, in offering
one’s own self. Ráma Yajiṋa signifies offering or surrendering
unto Ráma. Viśnu Yajiṋa has a similar significance. The word
Vishnu means all-pervasive. For this reason the accomplishment of
Viśnu Yajiṋa lies in merging oneself into the Supreme Entity."
(Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala)
"Tapah: To undergo physical hardship to attain the objective is
known as Tapah. Upavása (fasting), serving the guru (preceptor),
serving father and mother, and the four types of yajiṋa, namely,
pitr yajiṋa, nr yajiṋa, bhúta yajiṋa and adhyátma yajiṋa
(service to ancestors, to humanity, to lower beings and to
Consciousness), are the other limbs of tapah. For students, study is
the main tapah." (Caryacarya, part 2)
BABA'S SPECIAL TEACHING FROM ANANDA
VACANAMRTAM:
LORD BUDDHA FOUGHT AGAINST THE DOGMATIC POURING OF GHEE
“आचरण ठीक नहीं है, विचार नहीं है, बुद्धि नहीं है, त्याग नहीं है; और
समाज में प्रतिष्ठा का लोभ है | तो, भगवान बुद्ध उनके ख़िलाफ़ लड़ाई
किए | अपने को बनाने का प्रयास नहीं है; और, आग में घी डालकर, घी को
बरबाद करना | जहाँ देश में हज़ारों ग़रीब आदमी हैं, जिन्हें पौष्टिक
खाना भी नहीं मिलता है, उस देश में आग में जलाकर घी को बरबाद करना;
युक्तिपूर्ण है ?
[मार्गी लोग---"नहीं बाबा !"]
कभी नहीं है |
घी, चावल, क्या-न-क्या जलाया जाता है | अरे, तुम्हारे पास अगर अधिक
घी हो, अधिक चावल हो; ग़रीबों में बाँट दो | तू ख़ुद खा ले | अगर
कन्जूस हो, (कुछ लोग कन्जूस होते हैं) तो ख़ुद खा ले |
[हँसी]
हाँ, तो पेट में भी तो आग जल रही है | आँऽ ? उसी आग में स्वाहा कर
दे |
[हँसी]
क्या जी | आँऽ ?
तो, सो नहीं करेगा | कन्जूस है तो, सो नहीं करेगा | किन्तु, वही
यज्ञ करेगा | और क्या करेगा ? और, जितना घर में सड़ा हुआ घी था, उसी
में डाल देगा |
[हँसी]
हाँ | तो, यह सब ढोङ्ग है | तो, भगवान बुद्ध इसका विरोध किए |
विरोध करने में काफ़ी हिम्मत की ज़रूरत होती है | उनमें वह हिम्मत थी |
युक्ति से तुम लोग देखो | एक विशेष नदी को अगर हम पवित्र मान लिए,
और विशेष नदी को नहीं; क्या यह युक्तिपूर्ण है ? Municipality की जितनी
गन्दगी है, गङ्गा में गिरती है | तो, क्या “गङ्गाजल” शुद्ध रह सकता है
? यह किस तरह का logic है ? किन्तु तुम हिम्मत के साथ बोलो; बहुत लोग
तुम्हारे ख़िलाफ़ चले जाएँगे | इसलिए, हिम्मत नहीं रहने के कारण तुम
बोल नहीं सकते हो | तुम ख़ुद महसूस करते हो, मगर बोलने की हिम्मत नहीं
है | तो, भगवान बुद्ध में वह हिम्मत थी |”
(Ananda Vacanamrtam - 15, chapter 10, बुद्ध और अष्टाङ्ग मार्ग
Buddha aor Astaunga Ma’rga, MGD 16 October 1979 Nagpur)
(Here below is a rough translation of the above Hindi discourse.)
There are many whose conduct is not good, are of poor intellect, and
harbour negative thoughts but even then have a strong desire to
receive great prestige. Lord Buddha fought against such persons.
They do not put any effort into to marching along the path of
self-purification or sacrificing for the goal. They never try to
truly develop themselves. They just indulge in ritualistic yajinas
of pouring ghee into the sacrificial fire. Is it reasonable to
misuse and waste ghee by pouring it into the fire in a country where
thousands of people are devoid of nutritious food?
Margiis: "No Baba! Never."
They burn ghee, rice, sugar and what not?... If you have a lot of
ghee and rice, distribute it to the poor or you eat it yourself.
(Some people are miserly) so, if you are a miser then eat it
yourself.
Margiis: Laughter.
Yes, the fire is also burning in the stomach, Isn't it? Burn them in
this fire.
Margiis: Laughter.
What you say, isn't it?
This, they will not do. The misers will also not do like this. But
they will perform Yajina; How?... Pouring all the rotten ghee of
house in the fire of Yajina altar.
Margiis: Laughter...
Yes, this is hypocrisy. Lord Buddha opposed it. It requires much
courage to oppose the social customs. He had that courage.
You analyse this tactfully, that if, you declare a particular river
to be holy leaving other rivers in oblivion, would it be reasonable?
All wastes and dirtiness of municipality are dumped into the Ganges.
So can the water of the Ganges remain pure? What type of logic is
this? But, you don't oppose this courageously because many people
will go against you. You realise but you are unable to speak because
you have no courage. Lord Buddha had that courage.
*Note: A Hindu ritual in which many nutritious commodities along
with a lot of pure ghee is poured as a sacrificial offering into the
burning fire known as Yajina.
-----
(Here below is Sukulji's rough translation of the same Hindi
text.)
Lord Buddha fighted against those of loose conduct, thought ,
intellect, greed of social prestige but no sacrifice for it; and
also who misused pouring ghee* to fire but no effort to develop
self. Is it reasonable to misuse pouring ghee into fire in the
country where thousands of people are devoid of nutritious food?
Margiis-- "No Baba!" " Never".
They burn ghee, rice, sugar and what not?... If you have a lot of
ghee and rice, distribute it to the poor or you eat them yourself.
(Some people are miser) so, if you are miser you eat it your self.
Margiis--- Laughter.
Yes, the fire is also burning in the stomach, Isn't it? Burn them in
this fire.
Margiis--- Laughter.
What you say, isn't it?
This, they will not do. The misers will also not do like this. But
they will perform Yajina ; How?..... Pouring all the rotten ghee of
house in the fire of Yajina altar.
Margiis--Laughter...
Yes, this is hypocrisy. Lord Buddha opposed it. It requires much
courage
to oppose the social customs. He had that courage.
You analyse this tactfully, that if, you declare a particular river
to be holy leaving other rivers in oblivion, would it be reasonable?
All wastes and dirtiness of municipality are flowed in the Ganges,
can the water of Ganges remain pure? What type of logic is this? But
, you don't oppose this courageously because many people will go
against you. You realise but you are unable to speak because you
have no courage. Lord Buddha had that courage.
*Note:- A Hindu's ritual in which many nutritious commodities along
with a lot of pure ghee is poured as a sacrificial offering into the
burning fire known as Yajina.
(If anyone can offer a polished English translation of the above
Hindi discourse, please submit that to us.)
SUMMARY
By all of the above it is quite evident that the scene unfolding in
Gujurat is a breech of dharmic code of conduct. Those worshipers
involved in offering all that ghee are steeped in dogma. Step by
step we should help bring them onto the path - and they should
realise their gross misuse of resources.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Atideva
Note 1: CALL FOR TOPICS
Please submit topics from your area or around the globe. Baba's
teachings are the panacea for all problems, thus report injustices
and dogmas that you hear about and we can apply Baba's divine
teachings and offer a solution.
"A correct spiritual ideology is the only solution to the problems
confronting the world. From this perspective we can call Ananda
Marga ideology the philosophers’ stone. Just as the philosophers’
stone is meant to transform everything into gold, Ananda Marga
ideology can, most definitely, find a just and rational solution
whenever it is applied to any problem." (Problems of the Day, pt
#36)
Note 2: LINK TO MORE NEWS ARTICLES ON THIS
TOPIC
