Baba
Great bhakta
Namaskar,
In Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, many presume that they are great bhaktas, but that is not always the case. Some are great bhaktas, while others are not; and, there are various grades in between. It is important for us to be able to measure and recognise who is a true bhakta. And the way to achieve this is to adhere to Baba's guideline about bhakti.
In Ananda Marga philosophy, bhakti means love for the Supreme Entity; that is the mark of a true bhakta. Certainly all have bhakti, yet so often humans misdirect their inner feeling towards material pleasures.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Bhakti is the life of the bhakta
For the bhakta, by constantly involving in the thought of Parama Purusa, a unique transformation occurs: bhakti becomes his very life.
Bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam
Meaning: Bhakti is the life of the bhakta
Ananda Marga Ideology teaches us, "For a bhakta, bhakti and his life, his vitality, his vital energy, his very existence, are inseparable." (1)
Thus living a spiritual life is what sustains a bhakta. It is not that sometimes they do bhakti, and sometimes they do ásakti (worldly attachment). Rather always they are in that flow of bhakti, and that is energizing - life supporting - for them, not something tiresome.
The relationship between a bhakta and bhakti is just like that of a fish and water. Fish do not feel burdened by living in the water. For them, that water supplies them with all their energy and vitality. It is their life force.
Bhaktas always want to think and live in that spiritual flow - remaining in Parama Purusa's contact. They see all as the expression of the Divine. Bhaktas always ideate in that way. And that gives them tremendous energy; it is the pulse of their existence.
So bhakti is not something extraneous or something burdensome. Rather it is their very life: Bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Who is a fake bhakta
So bhaktas keep the closest link with Him all the time in order to serve Him, directly and indirectly. This service occurs on three basic levels.
Level #1: While living in this world, bhaktas indirectly do seva to Parama Purusa by serving His creation through the four sevas - shudrocita seva (physical service), ksattriyocita seva (security or martial service), vaeshyocita seva (economic service), and viprocita seva (spiritual service). Serving His creation in one of these four ways is physical service to Parama Purusa. That means viewing each and every expression as the manifestation of Supreme Consciousness and helping them according to their greatest need. That is physical service to Parama Purusa.
So if one does one or all four of these sevas then they are performing physical service to Parama Purusa because they are serving His manifested creation. Thus each of the aforementioned four sevas performed by human beings means serving Parama Purusa in one arena, i.e. the physical sphere.
Levels #2 & #3: And in kiirtan, the bhakta lovingly sings the name of Parama Purusa and calls Him into their heart. This is serving Him in the mental sphere. In dhya'na, the bhakta channelizes all their love and all their desires unto His divine Self and by this way they are serving Parama Purusa in the spiritual realm.
In the latter two above aspects, dhyana and kiirtan, the bhakta is rendering service to Parama Purusa directly. Hence in all ways at all times, bhaktas are involved in serving the Lord - i.e. pleasing Parama Purusa.
So if one is not serving society in one or more of the four ways, they are not doing physical service to Parama Purusa; and, if they are not doing kiirtan then they are not doing psychic service to Parama Purusa; and, if they are not doing sadhana then they are failing to serve Parama Purusa in the spiritual sphere. If anyone is lacking in any of these aspects, they are fake bhaktas because they are not serving Parama Purusa. Serving Him is the measure of one's bhakti.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
In countless discourses and in numerous shlokas, Baba has supremely told that bhakti is the greatest treasure and that if one has bhakti then they have everything.
It is interesting then to know: What is it about the path of bhakti that makes it so special; how is it that bhakti differs from the path of material pleasures etc; and, why is it that ordinary people in the society do not place an iota of emphasis on bhakti while Baba gives it top priority.
The overall message is that all have bhakti - all human beings and even some animals. But their bhakti is misdirected; they run towards worldly things. That is why they are never satisfied. Their desire is never quenched. They never feel a sense of true and lasting satiation. Just their longing changes from one object to the next. They are not true bhaktas. They misdirect their bhakti for something material, and do not goad it towards the Supreme Entity.
With true bhakti, i.e. bhakti, where a sadhaka's longing is pointed only towards the Supreme, then only can one feel His grace and feel satiation. Only that unlimited Supreme Entity can satisfy infinite human longing. All should come onto the path of bhakti - till that time their longing will never be satisfied.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Those who are fortunate become bhaktas and the less fortunate waste their time - and in the end they repent. Baba guides us that bhakti is everything.
Namaskar,
At His lotus feet,
Ananda
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga Ideology guides us, "Love and passion are mutually antagonistic tendencies. The attachment for a finite thing is an expression of extroverted energy, whereas the attraction for the Infinite is an expression of the introverted energy. That is why these two can never co-exist. Therefore the aspirant has to skillfully transform passion into love. Do you love your son? No, no you don’t love your son. You love Brahma in the form of your son. By loving your son as a son, you cannot love the Lord. Where there is the feeling of son, there is no Lord and where there is the Lord, there is no son. Where you exist He does not and where He exists you are no more." (2)
True bhaktas view world as expression of Parama Purusa
Ananda Marga Ideology teaches us, "The true devotees love the world, the society and everything around because they perceive each and every manifestation of the artful Prakrti with one universal spirit. They also love the finite, since it is also a portion of the Universal. They perceive worldly pleasures as divine bliss varied by time, place and person. They keep their mind-stuff absorbed in the eternal currents of the divine flow. Such devoted aspirants are the only true enjoyers or rasika and their object of enjoyment is the Supreme Brahma."
"The Veda says: Rasah vae sah."
"Only the knower of the Supreme Nectar is the enjoyer. If the divine bliss is viewed with a vile selfish motive, it turns into poison. If viewed with expanded vision, then it is attained in terms of divine bliss. Those who enjoy the Supreme Eternal are alone the true enjoyers, the true aspirants." (3)
Ananda Marga Ideology states, "O Human beings, in that state, no finite object can colour your mind. You will be beyond all colours or Varńátiita. Then you will be able to give proper treatment to any finite being that you may come in contact with. Give proper treatment to the expression of Brahma in the shape of your father by serving him and paying attention to his comforts. Give proper treatment to the expression of Brahma in the shape of the earth by cultivating it and increasing its fertility. If you give such proper treatment to the different objects, they will not be able to degrade your mind. This is called true Vaerágya."
"Vaerágya does not denote renunciation, desertion or escaping to the Himalayas after leaving one's spouse, child and family. Ananda Marga staunchly opposes such an escapist mentality. According to Ananda Marga, the practice of Dharma by means of Vaerágya is a part of family life." (4)
Baba guides us that bhakti is everything; according to Baba's given measuring rod, everyone can evaluate for themselves how far they are a true bhakta or not.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Bhakti, Mukti and Parama Puruśa
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Bhaktitattva
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Bhaktitattva
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, The Base of Life
== Section: Main Topic ==
Please come to me on this cimmerian dark night
"Eso kájal ráter ándháre, hiyá álokita kare..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1926)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, my Radiant Entity, please come to me on this cimmerian dark night, which is as black as the collyrium. Arrive in my sad heart, and make it refulgent. Light my lamp with Your stick of supreme love and arouse my bhakti with Your unique attraction. Baba, awaken the humanity in me which is in deep slumber - kindly.
O’ Parama Purusa, except You, no one can wipe away this darkness that has enveloped the crudest sphere of everyone’s mind. Without You, human society will not rise up. For the welfare and enlightenment of this entire universe, please present Yourself in every sadhaka’s dhya'na, and make all people blissfully illumined.
O’ Baba, Parama Purusa, I am looking for You in the shadowy dungeons of my existence. I long for You in my difficult days and dreary times and have been desperately, ceaselessly searching You my entire life. Your charming and loving smile is like an ocean or mountain of nectar of the divine world;it will eradicate all the staticity and gloom.
O’ Baba, I yearn for You to shower Your causeless compassion and remove all the misery and woe, and fill my being with Your exquisite resplendence...
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #1926:
[1] Darkness: In this song, the darkness represents dogma, ignorance, and crude state of mind.
== Section: News of June 2018 ==
Margii uprising against Rudranada in Tatanagar jagrti
Namaskar,
Tatanagar margii Dharmendraji was asked by RS not to come to Ananda Marga Ashram. Margiis protested against his expulsion. Please find below message posted by Dharmendraji in WhatsApp group:-
~ Courtesy of WhatsApp Forum ~
~ Courtesy of WhatsApp Forum ~
कल टाटानगर में 3 घंटे का अखंड कीर्तन था और bhukti कमेटी का मीटिंग भी रखा गया था bhukti कमेटी के मीटिंग के अंत में r s दादा न वरूनlनंद Jee ने आश्रम आने पर हम पर सवाल जवाब करने लगे उनका कहना था कि हमें तो ऊपर से आर्डर मिला है आप के प्रतिबंध का उसी समय सभी मार्गी ने RS दादा का जमकर विरोध किया अब यह राजनीति फील्ड तक भी पहुंच चुकी है मार्गी संस्था की संपदा है अगर अपनी संपदा को इसी तरह नष्ट करते चले गए वह दिन दूर नहीं कुछ स्वार्थी तत्व के कारण रणभूमि में परिणित हो जाएगा जो की संस्था के हित में नहीं है
~ Courtesy of WhatsApp Forum ~
--
in Him,
Sambhuti
Note: Those who do not know Hindi, can get some idea about this letter by using the Google translate. Or any type of such electronic devices. Or they can take help from others. Those who can't get help from Google Translate, please contact us and we will provide you with the version translated by Google Translate. --Eds.
== Section: Comment ==
Alert: faulty Guru Puja video
Namaskar,
One video was circulating on Youtube and here is the comment.
#1: See the below screenprint from their presentation. Their explanation about Guru Puru in their youtube video is wrong; their meaning is off the mark. Do not play it. Quacks are busy in polluting our dharmashastra. It is obvious what will happen in giving the loudspeaker to donkeys - only the hee-haw sound comes. So watch out. To know about Guru puja you have to go through Baba's discourses.
#2: Appended after the image are Baba's dharmic teachings on this point from His Guru Puja discourse.
#2: Appended after the image are Baba's dharmic teachings on this point from His Guru Puja discourse.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "What is the meaning of the incantation that is used in Guru Púja? In that incantation the first line is “Akhańd́a mańd́alákáraḿ vyáptaḿ yena carácaraḿ.” I told you in Ánanda Sútram, “Brahmaeva Gurureka náparah”. The secrets of Brahma, His macropsychic and cognitive secrets, are known only to Him, and unless and until He expresses Himself through some physical form, how can His secrets be known to others? And that is why it is said, “Brahmaeva Gurureka náparah”. That is, Brahma Himself is the Guru. There cannot be any second Guru. His secret is known to Him only, and He expresses Himself through a framework, a form. Now generally people say that the form is Guru, but the form is not Guru, Guru is expressing Himself through that form."
"As I have already told you, the expressed universe, this quinquelemental expression of this universe, is very big, but it is not infinite. While creating this universe of ours static Prakrti, the static attribution of Prakrti, had to be used and will be used. Because of the static attributions it cannot be infinite. Certainly there will be bondage because bringing something under bondage is the wont of static Prakrti. Further, because of its shape being to some extent elliptical, it is called “Brahmáńd́a” in Saḿskrta. “Ańd́a” means “oval-shaped”. “Brahma” + “Ańd́a” = “Brahmańd́a”, that is, “the elliptical expression of the Cosmic Entity”. It is the partless expression of Parama Puruśa, which is “Mańd́alákáram”. Parama Puruśa has this type of quinquelemental expression, the universe, and is all-pervasive in nature. Parama Puruśa is all-pervading. For this the English is “pervasive”, the Saḿskrta root verb is “vis” and that is why this all-pervading Entity is also known as “Viśńu”. “Viśńu” means all-pervasive."
"“Tadpadaḿ darshitaḿ yena tasmae Shrii Gurave namah.” You also know that this all-pervasive Entity, this Viśńu, remains untouched by the microcosm. Microcosms cannot come into contact with this Entity without the help of Guru, who is the link between jiiva and Shiva. This link is also a part of Shiva, that is to say, Shiva is Guru. “Tadpadaḿ darshitaḿ” – this link, actually or noumenally, is Parama Puruśa, is Táraka Brahma. It is He who is to be followed. “Tasmae Shrii Gurave namah” means, “I surrender myself at your altar”."
"“Ajiṋánatimirándhasya jiṋ" (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Guru Pújá)
In Him,
Tarakanath
In Him,
Tarakanath
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Use of Injections in Homeopathy Etc
In Shabda Cayanika, Baba says,
“Nowadays, in those cases where there is difficulty getting the desired effect by swallowing the medicine or ingesting it in some other way, or where the effect is delayed, the system of introducing the medicine into the body through injection is widely prevalent. If anything is injected into the body through a needle it is called súcikábharańa. Súcikábharańa existed in Ayurveda in ancient times to a small extent, but this science could not advance much in those days, chiefly due to the influence of certain superstitions among the people at that time. They did not want to allow anything into their bodies through injection, so this science remained unappreciated. Nowadays it is possible to save the patient's life with injections in the case of diseases that are difficult to cure or treat, or in the case of life-threatening disease. Thankfully, modern practitioners of Ayurveda and Homeopathy, willingly or unwillingly, have accepted the use of needles and themselves use them.
Now let us return to the matter of kulyá. Those medicines that need to be kept dry, but which are difficult to make into tablets, were preserved as powders. Medicines preserved as powders are called cúrńa in Ayurveda, for example, bháskara salt cúrńa, gámbharii múla cúrńa, gud́ucii sharkará cúrńa. Medicine preserved in powder form is also called kulyá." (1)
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika, Kulya to Kuvela (Discourse 34)
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
