Baba’s mandate for initiations
Namaskar,
Up
until 1969, Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha enjoyed a very positive
reputation in the general society. There were plus points in all
directions. Baba was giving blessings, teaching sadhana, and solving
people's personal issues and illnesses so they could serve society. Plus
so many demonstrations were given on samadhi etc. In that wave,
numerous high officials were taking initiation onto the path of AM, and
all their subordinates and family members were also coming. Everyone
wanted to join and AMPS was growing fast.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
From
a superficial perspective, Ananda Marga more closely resembles the
vedic and Hindu traditions than other belief systems, so naturally more
and more Hindus, and in particular so-called brahmins, were entering
Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha. All along, however, Baba wanted to ensure
that no single community flooded and dominated our AMPS. Otherwise,
they would form an overwhelming majority and drag in all their dogma. To
prevent this, Baba firmly stipulated that one's sacred hair and sacred
thread must be cut before taking initiation. In contrast, the religious
symbols of Sikhs were not taken away because they were not a dominant
force in Ananda Marga.
Baba’s new rule for Wts about giving initiations
In
1982, Baba first delivered His discourses on neo-humanism. Those days
Baba wanted us to have contact with more and more people. So He set down
strict stipulations for our Wts. Baba mandated that every acarya must
initiate one person each and every day. Not a single day should go by
without giving at least one initiation.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The
rule was that if one day passed without doing an initiation then that
acarya would lose their acaryaship. If two days passed without giving an
initiation then they would lose their avadhutaship. If three days
passed without initiating anyone, then they were warned of losing their
wt ship. And if 4 days passed, then one was expelled from the ranks.
This was the strict formula that Baba set in place.
Under that
extreme pressure, acaryas were giving diiksa in airports, on buses, at
festivals, and in all kinds of places. They were just grabbing whomever
they could and initiating them, especially if it was late in the day and
they had not initiated anyone yet. The pressure was intense. Not a
single Wt would let a day pass without at least initiating someone,
somewhere. Even PA dada had to partake - no one was excluded; and, in
that way our Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha grew quickly those days.
Margiis also have to get involved
Some
commonly think that it is solely the duty of acaryas to initiate and
create new margiis. But in this regard, every Ananda Margii, family
person, or otherwise has the responsibility of making new margiis. That
is Baba’s given guideline in The Supreme Command.
The Supreme
Command states, “...It is the bounden duty of every Ananda Margii to
endeavour to bring all to the path of bliss. Verily is this a part and
parcel of sadhana, to lead others along the path of righteousness.”
(Supreme Command)
So those who are not acaryas or tattvikas
cannot initiate new people, but they can prepare the ground and convince
and prepare friends, family, neighbours, and “people on the street” for
taking initiation. All have this responsibility. On this matter, Baba
has given the eternal guideline that every Ananda Margii must actively
engage in doing Ananda Marga pracara.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Gradually they will progress
And
we have to remember we cannot wait for people to give up all their bad
habits (smoking, drinking, eating meat, gambling, gaming etc) before
giving them initiation. In this materialistic age, the pull towards
degrading activities is very strong. Most get wrapped up in these vices.
To insist that they give them up before learning sadhana is not very
realistic. Rather, we should initiate everyone.
Early on, Baba
was personally initiating so many who smoked cigarettes. And by
practicing sadhana they gave up that degrading habit. Baba did not
insist that they first give up smoking. First sadhana was given, and as
the mind and body became more sentient, they were in a prime position to
give up those bad habits and lead a more pure life. So we should not
wait to give people initiation. If they are interested in learning
sadhana, they should be taught, regardless of their habits, vices, and
addictions. They should be brought onto the path of meditation and
slowly, slowly they will become adapted to 16 Points - or they will
leave the path of tantra. In either case, our duty is to teach those who
are interested. Some will stay, some will leave, but by getting
initiation all will progress, either in this life or the next.
Just like a tree
Everyone
knows that a tree drops countless seeds to the earth, but only a few
ever sprout and of those few that sprout a small percentage develop into
trees. Yet that big tree dropped innumerable seeds. That is nature's
way. Imagine if the tree dropped only 1 or 2 seeds, and those seeds did
not sprout; then that species of trees would become extinct in a very
short time. For this reason, the tree drops a massive amount of seeds.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
As
pracarakas, we should emulate that tree. Initiate a maximum number of
people and then by the natural process of reduction / weeding out,
people will drift away and some will remain as sympathizers, and
ultimately just a few will become full-fledged practicing margiis or
wts. But to get that few, a huge number of people must be initiated. If
that is not done, we will not get any new margiis at all. So we should
be like the tree and plant the seed of sadhana in a huge number of
persons by giving them initiation.
Let us not forget that Baba
has even given special instructions for performing mass initiations.
This also shows that it is very important to initiate as many people as
possible. So our acaryas should initiate everyone who is interested. And
family margiis should meet new people and prepare them to take
initiation. There must not be a huge, long criteria; rather by their
free choice all are entitled.
Conclusion
All
in all it is our bounden duty to help everybody. We have to bring all
unto the path of Supreme Benevolence. We have to go on doing our duty
without worrying about the results.
Suppose a dada teaches
someone sadhana and that person practices for one day and then that new
initiate dies. Even then per Guru's guideline - i.e. The Supreme Command
- that person is going to get mukti. Because Baba has graciously
guaranteed mukti (liberation) to those who practice sadhana regularly.
That means even those who practice regularly for two days or two weeks,
whatever the time period, that person will attain mukti. Simply because
they repeated a siddha mantra and did the sadhana of Taraka Brahma. Then
there are those who came onto the path of sadhana and then left their
sadhana. Such persons will again get human life because they at least
did some sadhana. In contrast, if one is not initiated - never does
sadhana - and leads a debased life, then after their death they will
just be reborn as a lower being / animal. That is why everyone should
learn sadhana and acaryas should be vigilant to initiate new people.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
And
verily it is the duty of every Ananda Margii to help bring all onto the
path. That means bringing new people to acaryas for initiation,
ensuring all family members are initiated, and introducing one and all
to spiritual ideals and inspiring them to lead a sadhana-oriented life.
So we have to see the big picture.
Our dharmic duty is to teach
and initiate anyone who is interested to learn. That is what Baba wants.
And if someone is not interested then we should try to get them
interested in order to teach them sadhana. If still they are not
interested then do not teach them. After all, we cannot force anyone.
The general rule stands that we should initiate one and all - i.e.
anyone who displays even a remote degree of curiosity or interest in
sadhana and spirituality.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Anand Sagar
~ In-depth study ~
Get all instructions for sádhaná as soon as possible
I close this letter with a few key teachings from our Sadguru Baba.
(A)
First Baba guides us that liberation is a sure guarantee, but one
cannot get mukti if they are not initiated and practicing sadhana. Thus,
in service to others, we should be vigilant to initiate one and all.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The
Supreme Command states, "Those who perform sadhana twice a day
regularly, the thought of Parama Purusa will certainly arise in their
mind at the time of death; their liberation is a sure guarantee..." (1)
(B)
Baba furthermore stresses the importance of getting all the lessons of
sadhana in a timely way. But here again that is impossible if one does
not at least get initiated.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states,"Human
life is short. It is wise to get all the instructions regarding sádhaná
as soon as possible." (2)
(C) Here below Baba graciously declares that "dharma is the property of the masses."
Sadguru
Baba says, "Today, you should remember that Ananda Marga is not limited
to a handful of honest and intellectual people. Rather, it is trying to
rally thousands of people under the banner of one sublime ideology. I
dedicate Ananda Marga in this DMC [Dharma Mahácakra: a spiritual
gathering during which the Guru delivers several discourses] to all
sections of society. Prior to this DMC, I would only discuss
intellectual topics, but from this DMC onwards I have become a man of
the people because I believe that dharma is the property of the masses,
not the exclusive monopoly of a handful of so-called educated middle
class elite. Dharma belongs to one and all. From this DMC, I recognize
it as the property of the common people." (3)
References
1. The Supreme Command
2. Caryacarya - 2, Sadhana, point #8
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, Spiritual Truth Surpasses Everything, 3 January 1979, Patna
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
Warning: when ego-driven
Those
intellectuals and scholars who think about themselves become
narrow-minded and degraded. Under such circumstances, it is impossible
for them to reach Parama Purusa. Instead their mind becomes smaller. In
their next birth they will not even get human life because their mind is
lowly. That is the terrible danger of thinking about oneself: One
becomes an animal or even a lower creature like a plant or an inanimate
object. That is what is explained here below.
Ananda Marga
ideology states, "You see, preya or káma remains busy with finite units
only, and thus, the ego, who is the enjoyer of such fragmentary units,
must be the small ego. It is impossible to develop such an ego which
remains always absorbed in these units. Even people of wisdom, of high
social status – even so-called intellectual and accomplished scientists
and philosophers who are always concerned with earning high respect for
themselves or saving their own prestige – even they pursue sensuous or
fragmentary objects for the gratification of their egos. Perhaps they
deliberately refuse to realize that these petty objectives of their egos
will infuse their minds with meanness, as a result of which all their
egoistic respect, prestige and status will ultimately be pulverized into
dust." (1)
When a person does "service" for their own
self-satisfaction that is not real service. Rather, their ego is
involved and instead of helping others they are ruining and destroying
themselves by becoming more narrow-minded. Their future is very grim.
The answer, as Ananda Marga ideology guides us, is to ideate on the
Supreme and do thinking that you are serving Him. Then one's service
will be true service, and the one doing the service will develop a
magnanimous and selfless outlook, by His grace.
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Supreme Benevolence and Mundane Pleasure
Namaskar,
Ananda
Marga ideology states, "Some people say, "Keep on doing good deeds –
that is sufficient." No, that is not enough. Suppose some people perform
good deeds, but they have no definite goal before them: this will not
produce any good result, their effort will be futile. Suppose you want
to move forward: you should also know which way to move, otherwise your
entire movement will be meaningless. All your time, your hard effort,
and your sincerity will go in vain. Hence it is not enough to simply
say, "Keep on doing good deeds." Even those good deeds should have a
clear goal. Why should I do good deeds? I should have a clear idea in
which direction to move while doing those good deeds." (1)
Note:
In the general society, or even in our Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha,
there are some who think that doing good deeds is enough – as if that is
the height of human understanding and expression. They think that there
is no need for spiritual practice, sadhana, or dharma. Just one should
do as many good deeds as possible. This is one common mentality found
amongst confused people etc.
However,
according to Ananda Marga ideology, doing good deeds alone is not
enough – rather it is an inherently faulty and futile approach. One must
have a goal for all one’s actions, and that goal must be spiritual. One
should do each and every thing to please Parama Purusa.
They will abandon their service work
So
those who simply perform good deeds without having any higher goal
invariably bind themselves. Either they are bound up in the reaction of
their good actions, or they are bound by their own petty satisfaction
for having performed a "good deed". And they will give up their service
work the moment they are confronted with a tough situation.
Ananda
Marga ideology states, "Now, if one wants to do some good deed
excluding Paramátmá that may or may not be a good deed. This will be
sheer selfishness on your part, and nothing good can come from it. This
is why great and realized people not only perform good deeds, but they
also do something more than that." (2)
Ananda
Marga ideology guides us, "To realize Parama Puruśa, one will have to
come in contact with a Sadguru, a competent spiritual preceptor; for
such persons alone can impart suitable lessons regarding spiritual
practice. Through the study of books, one can never attain or realize
the Supreme Consciousness." (3)
If child is very ugly & mentally deficient
Those
who do not have Parama Purusa as their Goal and do social service for
their own, personal self-satisfaction will give up the work the moment
they are confronted with a tough situation. The moment they no longer
derive the personal satisfaction they seek they will halt their
“service” work.
For
instance, suppose one has to serve a leper, and one day they decide
that they do not like feeding that leper. If the person is doing this to
please Parama Purusa they they will understand that it is their duty to
serve and they will serve the leper whether they get personal
satisfaction or not. Whereas if one thinks that “this service work of
for making me happy” then they will stop the work if it does not make
them happy. Plus, when doing the work, most often they are unable to
keep the patient’s welfare in mind.
For
instance, "Shyam" is serving a beautiful, destitute child and indeed
Shyam is happy to help that child. But if the child is very ugly and
mentally deficient then Shyam may not feel joy helping that child, in
which case Shyam may give up his service work. Because he is not
deriving any self-satisfaction from it. Whereas if the aim is to please
Parama Purusa, then there is no issue whether the child is beautiful or
ugly.
Conclusion
Doing
good deeds alone will not suffice - nor will doing service work for
personal satisfaction. One can never get success by these approaches.
One will have to ideate on the Supreme to realise the Goal of life and
properly serve others.
Ananda
Marga ideology says, "To realize Parama Puruśa, one will have to come
in contact with a Sadguru, a competent spiritual preceptor; for such
persons alone can impart suitable lessons regarding spiritual practice.
Through the study of books, one can never attain or realize the Supreme
Consciousness." (4)
Namaskar,
in Him,
Mahesh
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha – 11, What is the Way
2. Subhasita Samgraha – 11, What is the Way
3. Subhasita Samgraha – 11, What is the Way
4. Subhasita Samgraha – 11, What is the Way
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “As a result of sádhaná all three organs, i.e., motor, sensory and práńa, gradually attain composure. When all the organs attain steadiness and composure and are absorbed in the bearing of the Supreme Being, we call it the state of samádhi or trance or absorption. Without this attainment of steadiness samádhi is impossible, for without steadiness meditation (dhyána) is not possible and without meditation samádhi is not possible. The practice of meditation is nothing but the proper control over the mind-like rein with the help of a super-knowing charioteer. In the human body there are approximately fifty vrttis or propensities of minds. The degree of intensity of these fifty vrttis depends upon the different glandular secretions of the body. Thus proper functioning of the mind depends upon the different glandular secretions of the body, upon the afferent power of the nerve-fibres and upon the capacity of the nerve cells to vibrate thought. In other words, with the acceptance or rejection of any of the sentiments, both the human body and mind are influenced.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 5, The Chariot and the Charioteer
Prout philosophy states, “The cry, “Peace! Peace!” has become a craze in the world today. Can anything be achieved by such cries? There is no way to establish peace except to fight against the very factors which disturb peace. Even in the personal life of every human being, there is a constant fight between the benevolent and the malevolent intellect, or between vidyá and avidyá. At times vidyá triumphs, while at other times avidyá wins. In social life, too, this fight between vidyá and avidyá continues."
"Vidyá has to fight avidyá, and in this fight wherever and as long as vidyá remains triumphant, there is a special type of peace which may be called sáttvikii shánti [sentient peace]. Similarly, wherever and as long as avidyá remains victorious in this fight, there, also, a special type of peace prevails which may be called támasikii shánti [static peace]. Thus we find that peace is actually a relative factor." (1)
References
1. Problems of the Day, point #15
छोटा-सा लोभ, ख़ूब छोटा-सा एक सामयिक लाभ के कारण मनुष्य धर्म के रास्ते से हट जाते हैं | प्राचीन काल में ऐसा नहीं था | क्रमशः मनुष्य के मन में जितनी जटिलता बढ़ रही है, मनुष्य उतना insincere बन रहा है | और इसके लिए मुख्य ज़िम्मेवारी है, so-called intellectual लोगों की | अपनी कमज़ोरी को ढाँकने के लिए, छिपाने के लिए, उन लोगों ने क्या किया ? बड़ी-बड़ी बात जनता को सुनाई है | मगर अपने ज्यों का त्यों रह गए |
मूड़ मुड़ाए जटा रखाए, मस्त फिरें जैसा भैंसा |
और खलड़ी ऊपर ख़ाक लगाए, मन जैसा तो तैसा ||
[यह बाबा के कैसेट से सीधे लिखा गया, बाबा का यह असली प्रवचन, अमृतोपदेश है। आनन्द मार्ग हिन्दी पुस्तकों में छपे प्रवचन तो नक़ली प्रवचन हैं, असली नहीं] (1)
Reference
1. साधना की मुख्य बात—सत्याश्रयी बनना, Taking Shelter in Satya is the Essence of Sadhana, NP, EGD 25 November 1978 Bombay
লুকিয়ে না নিলে, তো মানুষ দেৰে না
“ভগবান যদি তোমাকে ৰলেন, "আরে, তুমি তো অনেক পাপ করেছিস, তো তোর পাপটা আমাকে দিয়ে দে” | তখন তুমি কি ৰলৰে ? যে “না, ভগবান পাপটা তোমাকে কেন দৰ ? তোমাকে ভাল-মন্দ খৰাৰ, আদর করৰ, যত্ন করৰ--পাপ তোমাকে কেন দৰ ? আমার যা সুকৃতি তাই তোমাকে দৰ | কিন্তু পরমপুরুষ মানুষকে তো ভালৰাসেন, মানুষ তো পরমপুরুষেরই সৃষ্টি | আর, মানুষকে তিনি পাপের হাত থেকে ৰাঁচাতে চান, তাই তিনি কি করেন ? তাকে না জানিয়ে, লুকিয়ে, তার পাপ চুরি করেন, হরণ করেন | চুরি না করলে, লুকিয়ে না নিলে, তো মানুষ দেৰে না পরমপুরুষকে তার পাপ | ভাল জিনিস দেৰে, পাপ তো আর দেৰে না | তাই যিনি পাপকে হরণ করেন, তিনি হলেন হরি |” (1)
Reference
1. অপ্রকাশিত, ১৯৮৮ আনন্দ নগর, GD 1 January 1988 Ananda Nagar
"Some animals are gregarious and others are not. The tiger is not a gregarious animal – it prefers to move alone. Goats are not gregarious, but sheep, elephants and lambs are. Human beings are social beings. They do not like to remain in isolation." (1)
"You know that humans are gregarious beings. There are some living beings who live in groups or clans, and some who live in isolation. In very olden days, human beings lived in clans." (2)
“You are social beings. One cannot live in isolation. When you feel thirsty, you can’t manufacture a spade, dig a well, and draw water yourself. One person will make a spade, another will add the wooden handle, and another will dig the well — this is how we work collectively. This is the way for human beings to live. In all spheres of human existence, in the aesthetic sphere as well, humanity should live collectively. You should live in unison. You should vibrate together to the same music. You should move in a common psychic flow. You should fight collectively against your common enemies. Unitedly you should face all problems, mundane and supra-mundane. In a word, you must reflect the spirit of harmonious collective living in conformity with the spirit of the Vedic mantra Sam’gacchadhvam’ sam’vadadhvam.” (3)
Note: This is Baba’s special guideline which is lacking these days in the society. All should understand they do not exist alone, by themselves, in isolation. With collective spirit, all have to work together. By that way, many works can be done for the great cause, by His grace.
References
1. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Plants, Animals and Human Beings
2. Namah Shiva Shantaya: Disc 8
3. 5 April 1981
How Mr. M.K. Gandhi harmed India + Asanas: so many benefits
“Early bird” fallacy + Prout: preventing ecological disasters
When money is tight - what to do
Animal suffering & rhino tale
Natural call: keeping clean
Reply to skeptics: singing His glory
Baba’s childhood pledge: obliterate casteism
