Baba
What to wear: AM funeral
Namaskar,
When a person dies, then what colour clothes should we wear to their death ceremony? For example, some female Christians wear a black dress when their spouse dies. In the religions around the world, similar provisions of wearing particular clothes exist. What does AM philosophy recommend on this matter?
Vibration of colour
Every colour has a vibration. For example, white colour represents a sattvika feeling. It creates a soothing good feeling in the mind. The colour red generates feelings of himsa (violence) feeling. According to AM philosophy, colour does not represent psychological feeling, but rather each colour affects the mind according to the vibration of the colour. Saffron colour represents sacrifice; and, black has the vibration of sorrow and depression. When people use a specific colour of dress for an occasion it is because of what they have been following as tradition. It is not based on the vibration of the colours.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Which colour & attire in sad occasion
When we are surrounded by sadness; we should use a colour which removes that sadness. But if we use black colour which generates a vibration of sadness then it will not work, it will make the situation worse. That is why when there is sorrow or darkness, then using black colour will increase the sorrow further. That is why it is not recommended to use black colour when attending a death ceremony (shava-satka’ra). One can wear white, but AM philosophy does not recommend any specific colour. This is because Ananda Marga is manava dharma which is for all human beings irrespective of caste, colour, age, race, ethnicity, geographical location etc. So AM sadhakas live everywhere in the world including in rich and poor countries, very hot to very cold climates etc. So recommending a dress code in these circumstances is not appropriate. That is why in AM there is no dress code for observing death ceremonies.
AM philosophy says the dress code should be appropriately made for different types of climatic conditions, needs of people at different locations. Yes---He guides that people should cover their bodies when they go out of the house, which is good for society. But which type of dress to use there is no restriction as long as the body is covered. The question of who is going to wear pants, who is going to wear kurta is according to availability of clothes, and the location where one lives. If one is a poor farmer, how can one afford to use a dhoti or pants? Similarly, if one works on mountains, then their dress will be different, as per the needs of circumstances one is in.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So Ananda Marga is for all. One can die anywhere, and when rules are written for human dharma, then that should be followed. By considering all these factors, AM philosophy made guidelines which can be easily followed by all as well as which are logical. While white dress is good, but it is not strictly recommended that one would wear white colour dress in the event of death. But according to rule, as much as possible one should not wear black colour dress in the event of death because of aforementioned effect of black colour vibration and so should not be used. But if possible white colour can be used because white has a satvik vibration which will lead to reducing the darkness around.
One example: The king of Thailand died in recent years. People were ordered to mourn his death for an entire year, and then after a year it was decided that his body will be burnt. On this occasion it was ordered that whoever has been a public employee in the past or present, as well as people who came from abroad, will wear black dress. Everyone who was present had to wear black clothes. This is dogma. There is no such logic on why such dress colour was ordered. It might be the case that someone has started such a tradition before and people are following it blindly.
AM Guideline: attire
The summary is AM is for everybody, and so in AM there are no specific guidelines in using dress type and colour in observing death ceremonies. People live in very diverse climatic conditions; some live in very cold climates, while others live in extreme hot climates. People in cold climates need to cover their whole body, whereas people in hot climates use dress so their body can get air, and will not be affected by extreme heat. If there were specific rules, then people who live in extreme climatic areas may feel that they are not able to adhere to strict guidelines of manava dharma. For that reason, there is no specific guideline. But in the so called religions around the world, people who follow them blindly buy clothes for specific ceremonies (black dress for the death ceremony).
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
But people who are new in Ananda Marga and whose ancestors were Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus or any other religion, may even try to follow what their ancestors did and follow family traditions. But according to AM philosophy there is no dress type or colour code for death ceremonies. If one has the option, they can wear white but not black. Wearing black dress is a dogma, and one should reject that approach.
In Him,
Nirakara
One note here is that colour is mentioned in the sense of matter (such as dress) but not the colour of human skin. All humans are equal, and skin colour is not a representation of how one thinks. But certainly the colour of material objects has a vibration; one who is crude may not feel it but others can recognize it.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Sad occasion: white attire
Here below is an English summary of Baba’s original Hindi teaching of Svastik Jhan'd'a' (1970).
Various colours each have their own particular effect on the human mind. White colour is the symbol of purity. There is an old tradition in India that at the time of sad occasions they used to wear white coloured dress. That means the pain which has come in the mind due to loss, that loss they wanted to remove by this white coloured attire or garment. Because of this, people used to wear white dress. The colour of sadness is black. If someone uses black dress in an attempt to remove their pain or agony, in result they will only increase their suffering. Because of this, in any sad occasion or mourning ceremony, black colour should never be used. One should use white dress. (English summary)
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
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== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
"Mánavatár mukta dhárá, baháye dile dharáte..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3984)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You have come and unleashed the free-flowing fountain of humanity on this earth. Demons will no longer be able to continue their ugly dance of disaster, looting, plunder, exploitation, and murder.
Since ages, people have been crying in agony and pain. There was so much injustice, suffering, bloodshed, war, and communal rights that were being perpetrated by anti-social elements. Immoralists were using their weapons to torture innocent people in so many ways. With refulgence You came, my Great Entity, and wiped away all suffering and injustices from everywhere.
That time human beings were thinking that they were just animals. They forgot their real identity. Their actions, lifestyle, thinking, and everything was vulgar. They viewed themselves as brutes - nothing more. They were imagining that by indulging in materialism and sensual pleasure they will be victorious and reach their destination. They thought their purpose for coming here and getting this human body was for satisfying their baser propensities. In this transitional period, You have come and made them understand their blunder. They realised their mistake and gave up their debased way of living.
Today, You have come and created a sentient vibration, ignited the light, and removed the pain and suffering for one and all. Baba, this is all Your grace...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology says, “Just see the case of air, light, water, respirations and everything. The need for these things is the same for all individuals. There have been no differentiations. These differentiations that we see in society are creations of vested interests, creations of depraved persons, of degenerated, immoral people. So you should not support these actional defects of immoral persons. You should follow the divine vibrational system, that is, you must not try to find any differentiations among individuals. “Devábhágaḿ yathápúrve saḿjánáná upásate.” It is the wont of divine expressions that there be no differentiations, no class of exploiters and exploited. That is, this wont of not creating any differentiations was not only their duty, it was their upásaná, the desideratum of their existential march.”
“Samáni va ákuti”. When everything cometh from the same source, from the same Progenitor, and when finally everything goeth back to the same desideratum, there must be the same aspirations, the same longing, in the heart of each and every individual. But due to the depraving actions of immoral people, those exploited, those downtrodden people are forced to forget their goal. They are drifted away from the desideratum of their life. This should not be done. Everybody should get the chance to develop their natural longings for Him.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
== Section 3: Links ==
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