Baba
Solution to pressing issue
Namaskar,
(a) Poverty: Nowadays, some opt for feticide due to financial pressures and economic constraints. The solution is that in an ideal Ananda Margii life the caring and rearing of a child is society’s responsibility.
(b) Career Aims: Nowadays, many involve 50 – 60 hrs per week in their career to gain prestige, status, and financial wealth. When both male and female engage in this way, there is no time or desire to raise children and instead they end up leading animal life where pregnancy and children are just the by-product. So people opt to do feticide. The solution is that in an ideal Ananda Margii life, people will not define themselves by their career, and they will not have to work as much. Hence there will be time and mental space for society building, i.e. rearing and raising children.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Margiis: engaged in higher pursuits
(c) Sex is for Enjoyment: In materialistic communities, sexual gratification is viewed as the be-all of life and the key to happiness. In that situation, there are bound to be a high number of unwanted pregnancies because people were only maintaining sexual relations for animalistic pleasure. The solution is that ideal Ananda Margiis will be engaged in higher pursuits and realise spiritual bliss. Then feticide will become a non-issue.
(d) Gender Bias: In certain countries there is tremendous preference to give birth to boys, not girls. This leads to a certain number of abortions each year. In the life of an ideal Ananda Margii, there will be gender equality and hence there will not be a bias for girls or boys. Every child will be welcomed, irrespective of their gender.
Who can procreate, who cannot
(e) Cohabitation: In this materialistic era, males and females cohabitate and mix freely, causing unwanted pregnancies etc. For ideal Ananda Margiis, only those who are married will cohabitate.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
(f) Genetic Diseases / Birth Defects: In materialistic societies, there are no restrictions on who can produce children. When couples find their unborn child has a brain problem or deficiency, they may opt to abort the pregnancy. Those adults who are predisposed to genetic diseases should not reproduce. In ideal Ananda Margii life, only those of a proper standard and good health have the opportunity and right to bear children.
Drugs, intoxicants cause birth defects
(g) In the life of an ideal Ananda Margii, pramitahara is followed. So ideal Ananda Margiis only eat sentient food and strictly avoid all kinds of intoxicants. Side by side, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) warns, “Don’t drink alcohol, smoke, or use illicit drugs, and get medical conditions like diabetes under control before getting pregnant. Research suggests that many other important health behaviors may play a role in birth defects prevention.”
Every ideal Ananda Margii always remember that (1) life is not for carnal desires, (2) sex is not a tool for happiness, and (3) it is important to follow the dos and don’ts: proper diet and dealing, no use of intoxicants, no free mixing of the sexes, no pseudo-culture / sensual movies etc, and other approaches.
Those who are sincere Ananda Margiis – i.e. those not drowned in pseudo-culture – can realise this and bring this into their own life practice immediately. This letter is about practicing this point first on the individual level.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Feticide: mother & child as victims
In today’s world, feticide is an often misunderstood issue, especially among materialistic-minded folks. As Ananda Margiis we must not be influenced by the various groups arguing one way or another on the issue.
We are to take a step back and see the big picture and apply the golden teachings of Ananda Marga ideology. We should embrace the mother and child as victims and give the child scope to lead an honourable life. The innocent child’s life must not be aborted. In our human family there is no scope for feticide. Each and every human life is invaluable and sacred and cannot be ended unjustly by committing this serious sin of feticide.
There is only one circumstance wherein feticide is permissible and morally acceptable. If the pregnant mother’s life is in danger – and if a team of doctors fully agree that the mother cannot survive – then feticide may be performed to save the mother’s life. That is the only instance when feticide can be condoned: Only to save another life. In all other circumstances, the baby’s life should be saved and cherished and the mother given proper standing in society.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Práńáh yathatmano’bhis’t’áh bhútánám api te tathá;Atmaopamyena bhútánám dayáḿ kurvanti sádhavah.
Ananda Marga Philosophy guides us, “Just as your life is extremely dear to you, similarly the lives of others are equally dear to them. A person who thinks thus and shows mercy on other creatures is really a sádhu, or virtuous person.” (1)
Conclusion
There is no question of trying to forcibly impose a no-abortion rule on the entire society. First, a tremendous amount of education is needed. Only then will the grip of pseudo-culture on society be loosened. Invariably though, then people will understand the futility of materialism and aim for something higher. Then all the ideals expressed in this letter will surely take shape.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
To implement the lofty teachings of neo-humanism and create a feticide-free society, we must follow the various do’s and don’ts of Ananda Marga conduct rules. Then the sin of feticide will become a thing of the past.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Laksmii & Ramakrsna
Above are some of the common reasons (a) why people opt for feticide in the present-day materialistic society, (b) why no ideal Ananda Margiis will ever opt for an abortion, and (c) how these issues will be averted in the future.
~ In-depth study ~
How family planning operation is disastrous
Ananda Marga Caryacarya guides us, “For married persons: Keeping in view the progress of society, fit persons should have more children and unfit persons should have less. Of course for want of proper education even the children of fit parents may become a liability to the society rather than an asset. Hence it is better to restrict oneself to producing that number of children for which proper upbringing is possible. But at the same time, attempts at birth control by physical damage to men or women, or by permanent destruction of their procreative capacity, can never be supported, because such attempts may bring about a severe mental reaction in them at any time. But if one has to accept permanent birth control for some special reason, then permission should be requested from the ácárya/á. The ácárya/á in such cases will ascertain the views of the Ácárya Board and then guide the person.” (2)
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “Certain inhuman birth control practices have been forcibly promoted. Not only are such practices detrimental to a healthy human body and mind, they cause physical deformity, disturbances and misunderstandings in family life, and mental derangement and debility. Those inflicted with such psychic ailments lose the courage to face adversity in life and the power to fight for social justice.” (3)
Beware birth control methods that deform the body
Ananda Marga Philosophy guides us, “It is completely wrong to propagate the idea that a rapidly increasing population will affect the collective economic structure. Today capitalists are trying to check population growth by propagating birth control because an increasing population is detrimental to capitalism. In a collective economic structure there will be no need to support birth control. Rather, an increasing population will help in the production of the essential commodities.” (4)
Ananda Marga Philosophy guides us, “If people living in capitalist countries voluntarily adopt birth control methods to avoid economic hardship, perhaps we should not criticize them. But it should be mentioned here that using birth control methods which deform the bodies of men and women or destroy their reproductive powers forever cannot be supported, because this may cause a violent mental reaction at any moment.” (5)
Capitalist propaganda: overpopulation
Prout philosophy guides us, “Vested interests do not favour population growth because this will mean sharing mundane property at the cost of their hoarding. Capitalism would like the extinction of the intellectual class as this would give it free scope for exploitation. The intellectual class usually belongs to the middle income group. Capitalists encourage family planning and birth control to check the growth of this middle class, thus these measures are a creation of the capitalist order.” (6)
Prout philosophy guides us, “Due to age-old superstitions the common people does not take help of these measures. It is the middle class intellectuals who adopt these practices and become the victims of them. A Proutistic order would vehemently oppose this move. There is immense potential for maintaining the population of the world. By scientific advancement it may be possible for human beings to live on tablets. The real glory of humanity lies in creating conditions for adjustment with natural processes rather than in curbing normal processes by artificial measures.” (7)
Prout philosophy guides us, “Artificial sterilisation means making males or females artificially sterile. This has certain adverse effects on the mind and body of human beings. Sterilisation brings glandular changes and changes in the hormone secretion of the glands which ultimately affects mental expression. Due to these changes a man may become like a eunuch. According to PROUT only severely handicapped people and born criminals should be sterilised.” (8)
References
1. Yoga Psychology, ‘Instinct & Devotion’
2. Caryacarya - 3, Physical Restraint
3. A Few Problems Solved-9, Population Growth and Control
4. A Few Problems Solved-9, Population Growth and Control
5. A Few Problems Solved-9, Population Growth and Control
6. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
7. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
8. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
You are hiding Yourself
"Bha'lo ba'siyachi, toma're ceyechi a'ma'r maner mainjus'a'y..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3185)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, You are my most close, my dear most. I deeply love You with all my heart. I always yearn for You in my mental abode, in the jeweled casket of my mind. My Nearest, I want You. Why are You remaining distant. You know me yet You are not understanding the pain of my heart, my hopes. At a distance You go on smiling sweetly in Your charming manner. Why do You do like this, all the while remaining distant.
O’ from afar You go on watching sweetly with Your enchanting look. Why do You do like this. By this way You pull my heart; my core gets taken away. All the sweetness of this universe is filled with Your nectar. By Your divine liila of darkness and effulgence, You are hiding Yourself within. To realise You, to understand You is very difficult. Only by Your grace can one gain Your intimacy.
O’ age after age, so many yogis have been ensconced in Your shravan, manan, niddhidhyasana, japa, kiirtan, and dhyan, but without Your divine grace nobody can realise You. In each and every atom, proton, electron, and neutron as well as in the stars, galaxies, and nebulae - all are singing Your glory, greatness, and magnanimity. They are spreading the love of Your causeless grace.
O’ Parama Purusa Baba, I always long for You; I want Your proximity in the abode of my mind and heart. I want to have You. Baba, You are my nearmost and dearmost...
"Bha'lo ba'siyachi, toma're ceyechi a'ma'r maner mainjus'a'y..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3185)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, You are my most close, my dear most. I deeply love You with all my heart. I always yearn for You in my mental abode, in the jeweled casket of my mind. My Nearest, I want You. Why are You remaining distant. You know me yet You are not understanding the pain of my heart, my hopes. At a distance You go on smiling sweetly in Your charming manner. Why do You do like this, all the while remaining distant.
O’ from afar You go on watching sweetly with Your enchanting look. Why do You do like this. By this way You pull my heart; my core gets taken away. All the sweetness of this universe is filled with Your nectar. By Your divine liila of darkness and effulgence, You are hiding Yourself within. To realise You, to understand You is very difficult. Only by Your grace can one gain Your intimacy.
O’ age after age, so many yogis have been ensconced in Your shravan, manan, niddhidhyasana, japa, kiirtan, and dhyan, but without Your divine grace nobody can realise You. In each and every atom, proton, electron, and neutron as well as in the stars, galaxies, and nebulae - all are singing Your glory, greatness, and magnanimity. They are spreading the love of Your causeless grace.
O’ Parama Purusa Baba, I always long for You; I want Your proximity in the abode of my mind and heart. I want to have You. Baba, You are my nearmost and dearmost...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Showy sadhana is useless
Ananda Marga ideology says, “People’s life becomes mechanical, if they are overwhelmed with the sentiment that they must do such acts, must perform such yajiṋa, must rise in this manner and sit in this manner and get up in this manner and so on. Such a person is not happy and this type of ritualism cannot be called real Karma. To serve others at one’s sacrifice is called penance. In the absence of love any service or penance is for show and is therefore fruitless. All ritualistic devotion, sham penance, counting beads etc. are meant only for public show and true love and the Supreme goal are lost from sight. Brahma cannot be attained through actions, since the sweetness of joy is lacking in such ritualism. On the other hand the divine bliss is easily attainable to those who base their sádhaná on love.” (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Spirituality is internal - not external show
Here Baba condemns the use of such dogmatic malas and rosary beads etc.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "I have said it before and I say it again, that Sádhaná means fight against Avidyá. This fight is internal, not external. External or ostentatious fight will achieve nothing. In such a fight one's entire capability culminates in the acrobatics of dressing and decorating of one's exterior with málá (a rosary or string of beads for saying prayers), tilaka (a conspicuous mark between the eyebrows with sandalwood-paste or vermilion, jholá (a little sack for the rosary) and candan-chápa (or the mark of sandalwood paste on the forehead, arms and chest). Instead, spiritual aspirants have to fight against their inner, base propensities, and when they will wear the crown of victory, they will then realize that there is absolutely no difference between them and Brahma – they have become Brahma Himself." (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 6: Avidyá
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Cranium of future humans: large head and weak legs & arms
Ananda Marga Ideology guides us, "I have also said that in the future the number of vrttis may further increase. The more complicated social life, family life, the realm of thought and the realm of intellect become, the more vrttis will develop. For example, the vrtti, cunningness, may be expressed in many more ways. To fulfil their desires, people will develop different types of cunningness which may become different vrttis in future. For example, the cunningness required to procure an object by devious means, the cunningness needed to give a promise knowing full well that one will never keep it, and the cunningness required to trick someone into believing that one did not tell a lie when in fact one did tell a lie, may all become separate vrttis in future.” (1)
Ananda Marga Ideology guides us, "Thus, in the future, as people’s thought processes become more complicated, many new vrttis will develop. The number of vrttis may not stay at fifty. Just imagine the situation that will arise in the future as a result of humanity’s ever increasing thirst for knowledge. To meet these developments the nerve cells and nerve fibres will have to become more complex. Consequently, the human cranium will become larger and the size of the head will increase. The hands and feet will become weaker and weaker and human beings may even lose the ability to walk. Today, the human toes have almost stopped functioning – in spiritual actions we have almost no use for them – whereas at one time, when we used to walk on four legs, we used our toes as much as our fingers. The front legs were used less and less, and were transformed into arms, and thus these days it has become almost impossible for us to crawl on all fours.” (1)
There was a time when humans would run on four legs
There was a time when humans would run on four legs, but today they cannot do that. After a time, children feel uncomfortable crawling around on all fours and try to walk on their hind legs. In the initial stages, when they try to stand up, they soon fall down. Again they stand up, again they fall down. When they finally develop the habit of standing on two legs, there are corresponding changes in the physical structure so that the use of their arms becomes less. In the future, the legs will be used less and less and the capacity to move on them will decrease. The arms will become thin, and the head will become abnormally large.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam-8, Sádhaná, Abhidhyána and Kiirtana
== Section 3: Links ==
