Baba
Spiritual life: shelter
Namaskar,
Once I visited one of my friends who worked at the police station. While I was there, one baby was brought to the station by a concerned citizen. The baby became separated from its mother at a local mela (festival), and the baby was crying and crying - longing for its mother. Police officials were trying to help the baby by offering the child some chocolate, fruit, sweets, candy etc. But all their attempts were in vain. I kept wondering, “Why is this baby crying nonstop?” What was missing? What is it that the baby needs?
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As we all know, that baby did not need anything other than its mother. Why mother? Because the baby feels safe when it is under the shelter of its mother. Haven't you seen in your childhood or neighbourhood that when 2 young children of different families quarrel, they claim, “I will tell my mother and she will beat you.” The point being those young kids think their mother is going to solve all their problems. In that way, small babies are care-free. They do not have any problems per se because they rely upon their mother to take care of everything.
Importance of shelter under Parama Purusa
The whole concept of shelter is very significant. Taking the shelter of Guru has tremendous value in the life of a spiritual aspirant. Life is enmeshed in problems; yet those who depend more and more on the Supreme Entity are comparatively stress-free and relaxed. Life is blissful. In contrast, those lacking the feeling of taking shelter in God, live in a quagmire of problems. In spite of having all worldly luxuries, they still live in hell - in tension. To remove that, they get addicted to alcohol and other vices. So taking shelter in Guru is very meaningful in day to day life.
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It is illustrated in Ananda Marga ideology, "Mahat prpaeva bhagavat krpaleshadva", meaning the grace of Guru is everything.
We can say that Sadguru gives His special grace when a bhakta takes shelter in Him. In spiritual life, His grace is everything. So when grace is everything and grace is related with the feeling of shelter under the Guru, and when the feeling of shelter is associated with the feeling of the presence of Guru, then feeling Guru's presence is paramount. Because without feeling His presence one will not feel His shelter.
For the bhakta, Guru's presence means, "very close proximity with my own existence." So to take shelter in Him, the existence of both Guru and the bhakta is required. Those who do not have shelter become terrified in the face of difficulties and adversities. Whereas those who have taken shelter under Parama Purusa never feel helpless or scared when danger falls because they think the All-Powerful Entity is going to resolve everything.
Namaskar.
At His feet,
Satya Prakash
Presently, each and every margii is aware about Guru sakash. The sadhaka feels, "Baba is in my close proximity - showering His grace." In Ananda Marga, each and every day starts with Guru sakash.
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Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Gurusaka'sha means 'near the Guru, under the Guru's umbrella, under the Guru's wings, in the Guru's shelter'." (1)
Guru sakash can only be done when one has this basic feeling or ideation: "I am under His shelter" or "He is, that is why He will give me the shelter", and "He is here with me". Sadguru has graced every bhakta to feel, "Parama Purusa is easily accessible, He is around me. Not only around me but very close and intimate." This special feeling is a great boon in the life of any sadhaka: To experience what it is like to live under His shelter.
Reference
1. Yoga Psychology, Under the Shelter of the Guru
* * *
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 ==
Your divine colours
“Jeoná jeoná dure jeoná, je bá tomáy eta bhálobáse go…” (Prabhat Samgiita #0579)
Purport:
O' Parama Purusa, please do not go, do not go, do not go far away. I want to hold You close, as my nearest One, as my very own. O’ my Dearmost, don’t You have love for those who love You very much?
The flower blossoms in the terrace in the morning when sun rays appear. Smeared with Your divine colours, my mind bathes in the full moon night. In this beautiful ambiance, my mind only runs towards You. In spite of the fact that You are unfamiliar and unknown to me, I feel that You are very familiar and well known to me. You are my dearest One. You know this truth, so then why do You feign ignorance and remain aloof and distant?
Baba, You are very close and most loving to all. Please shower the nectar of Your heart upon everyone. O’ Parama Purusa, You are the eternal companion to all in their joys, sorrows, victories, and humiliations. You are present with all of Your children, always. Please do not forget this eternal truth….
“Jeoná jeoná dure jeoná, je bá tomáy eta bhálobáse go…” (Prabhat Samgiita #0579)
Purport:
O' Parama Purusa, please do not go, do not go, do not go far away. I want to hold You close, as my nearest One, as my very own. O’ my Dearmost, don’t You have love for those who love You very much?
The flower blossoms in the terrace in the morning when sun rays appear. Smeared with Your divine colours, my mind bathes in the full moon night. In this beautiful ambiance, my mind only runs towards You. In spite of the fact that You are unfamiliar and unknown to me, I feel that You are very familiar and well known to me. You are my dearest One. You know this truth, so then why do You feign ignorance and remain aloof and distant?
Baba, You are very close and most loving to all. Please shower the nectar of Your heart upon everyone. O’ Parama Purusa, You are the eternal companion to all in their joys, sorrows, victories, and humiliations. You are present with all of Your children, always. Please do not forget this eternal truth….
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Fish justice prevalent
Namaskar,
These days fish justice is a common phenomenon in society. Sadly, those who are exploited the most don't even know that they are being exploited. For example, capitalists are exploiting in all spheres of life, but the common people think that those capitalists are helping them. In the US and many places, the people think that those big corporations are providing jobs, food, and stability, and are thus doing a great service to society. Yet those capitalists are doing this for their own selfish profit motive; they have no regard for the common people.
In our Proutistic outlook, we know that the entire property of the cosmos belongs to Parama Purusa, but the common people in materialistic areas think that those wealthy people are fortunate and blessed - regardless of how they acquired their riches and fortune.
How blind people think
In India, the people think that the super rich did some great virtue in their past life and that accounts for their tremendous wealth in this life. And those same commoners believe that, “I am poor because of my past misdeeds.” So they accept the tyranny of those capitalists.
The west is exporting pseudo-culture everywhere by various media. Yet naive people think that the west is helping them and they feel proud and glorified by adopting western pseudo-culture. But, by that way, those simple communities are being degenerated and swallowed whole by those big capitalist entities.
Conclusion
So wherever you look exploitation is going on. Yet the people are not aware. That is the sad state of affairs these days. Mass awakening is needed to turn this situation around. When people become cognizant of the presence of exploitation, then the tides will begin to turn in the right direction.
In Him,
Harideva
There are examples of fish justice. In Samskrta literature different words and analogies have been formed based on the characteristics of various creatures. The below teaching on fish justice is one such example. The main purpose is to educate the public about the inherent qualities of those animals and demonstrate how this concerns our human society. To this end, in Samskrta literature, there is an abundance of words and phrases related with the natural world, i.e. animals, birds, and various other creatures.
Here below is an English summary of Baba’s original teaching from Shabda Cayanika in Bengali:
The reign of fish is known as matsya-nya'ya (fish justice). Fish justice means a disorderly, unjust condition where the strong eat the weak. When this situation arises in our social life then we say that in society fish justice is going on. (English summary) (1)
Reference
1. English summary of Shabda Cayanika - 20 Bangla, disc 156
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Don’t advise these people to get married
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Marriage is slightly different from other natural functions in life, such as eating, sleeping, etc. Marriage is not so essential for life as are food and sleep. The need for marriage differs with individuals. That is why in the opinion of Ananda Marga every individual has complete freedom in matters of marriage. For example, marriage of those persons who suffer from some physical or mental disease, or who are not financially well off, or whose present circumstances are not favourable for marriage (i.e., where marriage can cause unhappiness), is not desirable. Those who are constantly engaged in the fulfilment of an ideal, or those who have to spend the greater part of their day in earning their livelihood or some mental occupations, should not marry, because they will not find it possible to fulfil their family commitments properly. The marriages of such people are harmful to the society in many cases. Although marriage is not desirable for those who are suffering from some disease or whose circumstances are not favourable to getting married, there remains a possibility of their indulging in vices stealthily if they are not married. To avoid this, they should work for the attainment of some high ideals or do rigorous spiritual practices. The psychological degeneration which is inherent in the suppression of psychic tendencies can be avoided only by an effort to fulfil a lofty ideal.” (1)
Note: Remember one should know and propagate that under the certain circumstances marriage is harmful. According to Ananda Marga philosophy, marriage is undesirable for the following types of people:
(a) Those who suffer from a physical or mental disease: In the society there are so many children born disabled with genetic diseases and birth defects. This can be significantly reduced if the parents are healthy.
(b) Those not financially well off: If a person lacks the financial means to raise a child and provide for them then they should not reproduce. In many financially impoverished countries, children are forced to work as servants or kids have to beg by the roadside. That is disgraceful. Those who cannot feed their children should not marry.
(c) Circumstances are not favourable for marriage: If marriage will lead to unhappiness then those persons should not marry. For instance, those working at their job for 18 - 22 hours a day cannot attend to the children. So they should not marry otherwise their children will suffer. Those kids will not be mentally or emotionally developed. In result they will be destructive forces in the society. Those types of children commit heinous acts like mass shooting, or they feel alienated and resort to drugs etc.
(d) Those constantly engaged in the fulfilment of an ideal: Wts, lfts, even dedicated margiis who want to devote 24hrs time for the welfare of society should not marry. They will always be engaged in serving the society, and, if married, their unit family would get neglected.
(e) Greater part of their day in earning their livelihood or some mental occupations: Researchers, writers, artists, scientists, and those who are intellectually and spiritually committed to a high degree in a given endeavour should not marry because they do not have space in their mind for anything else.
Reference
1. A Guide to Human Conduct, Ahimsa
== Section: Comment ==
Re: What is free will
Namaskar,
Free will is the capacity to decide what to do and what not to do. Humans have this quality, not animals. People constantly decide what to do after weighing the pros and cons, the positive and negative. So Parama Purusa has given humans a lot of latitude and freedom, which animals do not have. Animals are guided purely by instinct. By seeing one particular dog then you can understand how other dogs of that breed behave. With humans, one cannot generalise in this manner. Everyone has their own unique way of making a decision, even under the same circumstances. This is due to free will. The central idea is that God has given you the capacity to do wrong or right. And that is free will. And due to this freedom you are rewarded or punished also. For example you have the capacity to beat or serve others also. If you beat and abuse others you will be punished. And if you serve others you will be rewarded. Again, the freedom to do whatever you wish is free will. Some people misuse it and some utilize ir. For instance, after death there are many who get punished and have to return to animal life due to their bad decisions. They misused their free will. In contrast, those who follow the path of righteousness realise God. This is the central idea of free will.
in Him,
Brahma Prakash
Note: Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic: Free will for some is boon and others curse
== Section ==
Have you seen the naked dance of evil and heard the hypocritical and raucous laughter of the divisive forces - Ananda Vanii #42
“Despite its advent onto this earth many thousands of years ago, humanity is not yet capable of building a well-integrated and universal human society. This is in no way indicative of the glory of human intellect and erudition. You, who have understood the predicament, realized the urgency, seen the naked dance of evil and heard the hypocritical and raucous laughter of the divisive forces should throw yourselves into this noble task without further delay. When the ends are just and noble, success is inevitable.”
Note: The above is one of Baba’s original Ananda Vaniis. These original and true Ananda Vaniis are unique, eternal guidelines that stand as complete discourses in and of themselves. They are unlike Fake Ananda Vaniis which are fabricated by most of the groups - H, B etc.
== Section ==
Understanding Surrender - 2
"A jiṋánii often becomes fatigued with the continuous cultivation of knowledge. Sometimes, after prolonged thinking, the brain simply refuses to function any more and it becomes increasingly difficult to implement one’s internal thoughts and ideas. What happens at that time? Knowledge concedes defeat and the ego has no choice but to surrender. Finally, one is compelled to plead, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please help me, please save my prestige.”" (1)
Note: In the life of a sadhaka on the spiritual journey, the first and foremost ingredient is surrender. Yet surrender itself is defined and described in a multitude of ways. In the above quote however, surrender is explained in a very simple manner.
Reference
1. AV-8, Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night – 2
== Section ==
WT Conduct Rules: casteism, provincialism,
nationalism, or communalism will not be tolerated
Baba says, “You will always think in terms of Cosmic brotherhood and act accordingly without fail. Any sectarian view or narrowmindedness such as casteism, provincialism, nationalism, or communalism will not be tolerated.” (1)
Note: In the above rule, Baba is giving one golden teaching. Unfortunately, nowadays because some are not following this guideline – and instead falling into the trap of groupism – the present situation has developed.
Hence those entrapped by these diseases of narrow mindedness etc, if they are using saffron dress then they are just fake WTs. We should judge the calibre by seeing the conduct. And these conduct rules are the measuring rod.
Reference
1. Point 4 of ‘Fourteen Points’
== Section ==
এখন তোমরা যেনে রাখৰে, এই পৃথিবীতে এমনই যে এখানে স্থিরতা কোথাও নেই; চঞ্চলতা আছে | সংগ্রাম-রাহিত্য কোথাও নেই; সংগ্রাম সৰ সময়ই আছে | কেউ যদি ভাবে যে peaceful coexistence থাকুক, সেটা মানুষের একটা ৰড় মানবিক সম্পদ, তারা ভুল করৰে | ওটা ৰড় মানবিক সম্পদ নয় | কারণ ওটা জৈব-ধর্মের বিরোধী | (1)
Reference
1. Giitay Dharma Deshana-2
== Section 4: Links ==
Postings to Read
Meditation Checklist
What is payment of interest of samskaras
How party system ruins democracy
Why same mantra