Baba
Teen cruelty
Namaskar,
Nearly every day, in an unprecedented manner, we hear shocking news about our teenagers committing heinous crimes: bullying, theft, murder and more. This is most rampant now in the materialistic nations. Teens regularly engage in bloody, deadly shootings in high schools and college campuses, where teachers and students are indiscriminately killed. And the attacks are becoming more gruesome and more prevalent.
What has experts and officials concerned is that such types of unruly and ghastly incidents are becoming more common. Indeed, studies reveal teen violence is at an unprecedented high. Especially in our so-called advanced nations where youths are engaging in terribly destructive and savage behaviour.
The questions naturally arise: How and why are such horrific tragedies increasing? Why are children in “First-World” countries resorting to such dastardly acts? These are a few of the burning questions of the day. Side by side, our Revered Sadguru Baba has already addressed and given the solution to these types of tragic social woes.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Fatherless child
Baba clearly unveils that an imbalanced or broken family severely adversely affects the children’s growth and thrusts them into “a sea of troubles”. And what was happening 8000 years ago, is again happening now.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The male libertines would not take responsibility for their offspring. They used to wander freely, and as a result, the entire responsibility for raising the children in their infancy would devolve on the mothers. But it was not possible for the mothers alone to bear the responsibility of maintaining the children, as a result of which many children died in early infancy. Those who survived felt themselves to be in a sea of troubles after they were weaned from their mother’s breast milk. Then they would be deprived of their mother’s love, since she had to take care of the next baby. Those were the days of the prehistoric humans." (1)
In His above guideline, Baba is graphically showing what happens when the mother is unable to provide a proper environment for their child. Specifically, when the father abandons the mother and child then the mother is left to carry the full burden of rearing the child(ren) all by herself. As a lone parent, she is unable to secure and provide the food and spend ample time nurturing and loving the children. It is just not possible to work all day and then raise the child as well.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "It is extremely inconvenient and difficult for her [the mother] to give her child all-round grooming [and love] and make adequate provision for food, clothes, education and medical care all by herself." (2)
The key missing ingredient is that when children are not given the heartfelt love and attention that they need, then those kids have little chance of ‘making it’ in the world. They may not physically die, but internally there is a terrible void that casts a dark shadow on their entire existence.
Libertine life: child harmed
Here following Baba points out how one of the key aspects needed for the wholesome development of the child is motherly love and affection. And that love cannot be fully provided in a child-care situation. It is just not the same. And if that love is blatantly missing or absent – for whatever reason – then the child’s emotional growth will be severely hampered and stunted. They will lack those “sweeter and finer sensibilities” that are unique to human existence and so very vital for each and every person.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "It was not easy to know the fathers of children even in the case of the so-called householders, far less in that of the libertines. Children would know only their mothers. And after they were weaned, they would forget their mothers also. Thus being deprived of motherly love and affection at a very early age, they had no opportunity to develop the sweeter and finer sensibilities of the human mind. The human mind, the human intellect, was nipped in the bud; those people had no opportunity to blossom, to gladden the heart of the world with their sweet joy." (3)
The overall message is that strong, cooperative parental involvement is needed in raising a child. A certain physical and psychic base or stability must be provided by the father and the mother should have ample scope to shower her maternal love and compassion on the child. These are the necessary ingredients and when they are missing then the whole situation turns sour. In that case, the child cannot grow properly and often their entire life ends up in disaster.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Child of “developed” & “undeveloped” nations
Nowadays in our so-called third and so-called first-world nations, there is a blatant dichotomy – though admittedly this gap is fast decreasing as materialism continues to spread its web-like grip throughout this earth.
In general though, especially in places like east, mothers keep their children nestled in their arms and under their close care throughout the day. No doubt they may not be able to supply the child with huge material wealth, but the children grow in an intact family surrounded by caring parents and concerned grandparents and a number of aunts and uncles. But first and foremost, the mother’s entire focus of life is on the child and that yields a tremendously positive result. Internally, the child feels nurtured and secure.
Sadly this family tradition is now slipping away as capitalism and materialism sink deeper into the fabric of eastern society. Materialism and lack of motherly love are the cause behind the ruination of the family.
Emotional deficiency
Keeping this in mind, in some of our nations, the general tendency is quite different. Divorce is rampant, often times both parents have full-time jobs, and in some cases the parents just prefer their own privacy away from their children. With these factors having a dominant effect, there is now an entire generation of children coming into the world who lack that most basic and fundamental human need: Love – motherly love.
On the outside it may sometimes look like those children have everything: a fancy house, all the technological games and gadgets, and so many toys and gifts etc. But on the inside their heart is not satisfied. Due to the pressure of circumstances or outright neglect, they did not receive that loving compassion that is so much required for their welfare.
In result, these children could not create a loving relationship with others - all due to their own emotional deficiency. Because of years of neglect or partial neglect, they have a disconnect with the greater society. They do not look upon others with love and affection. The results thereof are absolutely disastrous. As kids, this may not be so apparent as those young children are still young. But as they grow and interact with the world they become extremely harmful - they are veritable threats to themselves & the greater society. They harass their colleagues, elders, children, and the disabled and infirm.
Violent video games, movies, television, escalates
Putting such alienated persons in jail is not the proper answer either, nor is a juvenile detention center. But because that is what is "easy" to do, the so-called stewards of society ship these troubled persons to such institutions.
So the situation is indeed grave. And it is compounded by modernity wherein children are surrounded by violence that is glorified in the form of video games, movies, television, novels and more. This leads children to think of human life as negligible; even they lose the demarcations between real and virtual. Top of all, lack of motherly love is the chief problem for kids in materialistic countries. And as Baba says, that casts them into a “sea of troubles”.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Lack of parental love it will escalate
That is why today we see children getting involved in an unending array of cruel and unsightly behavior. In the recent past such incidents were unheard of. So this is a new and developing phenomenon in the top capitalist countries and other western “first-world” nations,.
For example, just in the recent days, weeks and months, teens across North America have blown up schools, lit innocent classmates on fire causing severe burns, murdered teachers, robbed the elderly, etc. These are the common events. Indeed now there is an unending stream of teenage crimes being committed – and they are crimes of the worst nature.
The response that most states are taking is to try these youths as adults and put them in prison for years and years. (Note: In the some countries, a life sentence means the entire life whereas throughout much of the world a "life sentence" means 10 - 20 years.) But that is not the solution. Rectification and reform time may certainly be necessary, but a prolonged jail term is not nipping the problem in the bud. If we do not address this core issue of a distinct lack of maternal and parental love, the current problems will only escalate.
Child grows in neglect, loneliness or alienation
Overall, the situation of our youth is quite awful in many of our so called first-world countries. But it is not solely limited to those places. Because as Baba points out the problem begins and ends with motherly love.
From a very early age it is absolutely imperative for the child to constantly receive love and affection by having close contact with the mother. Then and only then will the child develop properly emotionally. Yet in many western households, the infant sleeps in their own room, separate from their parents. In that case, the alienation starts at a very young age. Only with an upsurge of love, will the child’s heart be content and they will not become a burden on this earth.
But when the child grows with an empty or rejected feeling inside due to being tossed aside by the parents, then this psychological void is not easily fixed. For instance, when the children return home from primary and middle school to an empty household, then they feel so lonely. And this loneliness or alienation becomes a lifelong problem in which case those children can do untold harm to others. Plus if they become parents themselves then they will do the same mistreatment to their children. So that negative cycle continues on and on.
At the present moment, there is a terrible crisis going on, especially in our so called first-world countries where the conditions are distinctly less favourable for our young. Step by step this is turning into an epidemic.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
This entire topic is extremely urgent to the well-being of any society. Here are some of the key points:
1. Certainly children need food, medical care, clothing and all the minimum requirements, but those alone are not enough. Children also need love and affection from both parents.
2. One parent alone is not enough. A child needs both a father and a mother. In particular, Baba points out in His Yoga Psychology book that females possess more sentimental quality - as that quality is less present in males. This plays a huge role in the development of the child - so long as the mother is not shackled by all kinds of existential pressures: providing food, clothing, housing for the entire family etc. So really both a father and mother are needed - as males bring to the fold a more logical and stern approach that is needed for keeping children in line, as well as financial means for raising the child.
3. Neo-humanistic education is needed wherein children can develop genuine love for the society. If they get all their social skills from Hollywood movies and video games, then that will be a purely negative teaching. All kinds of benevolent human interactions are needed, especially with the parents.
4. Incarceration is not the answer to childhood alienation and their resultant crimes. Rather, all the missing pieces noted above need to be instilled in the mind of that youth or kid. Then they can start to grow and by Baba's grace overcome the difficulties.
With our heartfelt compassion we will bring the entire humanity into one neo-humanistic flow where all feel cared for and loved.
Ananda Vanii states, "Marching ahead is jiivan dharma (the characteristic wont of life). To march ahead, carrying all, viewing the world humanity as an integral entity, is the principal aspect of jiivan dharma. Resolve courageously to observe this jiivan dharma…" (4)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Balakrsna Deva
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga families around the globe
On the positive side, around the globe our Ananda Marga parents are inculcating a greater and greater sense of neo-humanistic values into their children’s lives and this obviously is having a beneficial outcome. Plus with the growth of cooperatives and Master Units parents have a better opportunity to spend more and more time with their children– when their little ones are in the tender stage of infancy. So by Baba’s grace we are seeing that fatherly support and motherly love and affection that is so vital for the welfare of the child.
Women not confined to the home
Here no one should be left with the idea that women should remain at home always and they are not to interact in the general society. Baba's clear-cut guideline is that women can and should work outside the home as needed.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "I cannot support the “lofty wisdom” of those people who advise women to spend their lives at home cooking with appliances such as ladles, tongs and pots, because this runs counter to reality." (5)
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Generally it is desirable for women to earn an honest livelihood remaining at home. If it is not possible to maintain the family in this way, women may find employment in more physically strenuous work such as government service, business, etc., outside the home. No one should be conservative or superstitious in this regard." (6)
Yet under such circumstances, parents will have to take care and devote ample and sufficient time for the child.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
References
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya: Shivokti - 2
2. Human Society - 1, Social Justice
3. Namah Shivaya Shantaya: Shivokti - 2
4. A’nanda Va’nii #43
5. Human Society - 1, Social Justice
6. Caryacarya -1, Livelihood of Women
== Section: Important Teaching ==
What is your role in His divine drama
Ananda Marga ideology states, "In His drama there will always be new characters every moment. Some will be rich, some poor, some intelligent, some foolish, some stout, some thin, some black, some white – but all are the dramatis personae of His drama. The one who is playing the role of a king today and the one who is playing the role of a subject are all acting according to His direction. Those who are playing the roles of unhappy characters are standing on the theatrical stage and shedding tears, and those who are playing the roles of happy people are laughing. But all these tears and laughter are within the drama. A devotee well understands this secret of His drama. He who is playing the role of a king in the drama may be a poor man in real life, and at the end of the play he goes home and chews on dry crusts of bread. But in the drama he was a king."
"In fact, all the people in this universe are playing the roles allotted to them, but that does not mean that they will truly become that role – they will be as He wishes them to become. Each and every living being is the progeny of Parama Puruśa. All exist with Him, and ultimately they will all merge in Him. So no one should even belittle oneself. A drop of water and the entire quantity of water in the ocean are all the same water. The difference is only that one is very small in quantity and the other is vast. When the drop of water identifies itself with the ocean, then no one will call it a drop any longer – for it has become one with the ocean." (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, What Are the Noble Truths?
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How patriotism is dangerous
Prout philosophy states, "According to PROUT, there are two types of sentiments – positive sentiments and negative sentiments. Positive sentiments are synthetic in nature. They unite society and elevate humanity, enhance collective interests and encourage progressive development. Negative sentiments are narrow in scope and divide society...Some negative sentiments include communalism, patriotism, nationalism, provincialism, lingualism, and racism." (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 21, Nuclear Revolution
Difference between pápa & sin
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Another thing to bear in mind is that “sin” in the English language is not the pápa of Sanskrit. As already said, “sin” means to go against that prescribed in the Bible. But pápa is explained in the phrase Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiid́anam – that is, “Any action by one individual which leads to the development of others is puńya [virtuous deeds], and any action which does the opposite is pápa.” (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Niiti and Dharma
Prout philosophy states, "According to PROUT, there are two types of sentiments – positive sentiments and negative sentiments. Positive sentiments are synthetic in nature. They unite society and elevate humanity, enhance collective interests and encourage progressive development. Negative sentiments are narrow in scope and divide society...Some negative sentiments include communalism, patriotism, nationalism, provincialism, lingualism, and racism." (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 21, Nuclear Revolution
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Difference between pápa & sin
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Another thing to bear in mind is that “sin” in the English language is not the pápa of Sanskrit. As already said, “sin” means to go against that prescribed in the Bible. But pápa is explained in the phrase Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiid́anam – that is, “Any action by one individual which leads to the development of others is puńya [virtuous deeds], and any action which does the opposite is pápa.” (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Niiti and Dharma
== Section 2: Links ==
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