Ananda Marga Universal Forum: Parama Purusa & the need for praise + 7 more

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Parama Purusa & the need for praise + 7 more

Baba

Parama Purusa & the need for praise

Namaskar,

Ananda Marga teachings are rational and scientific, and offer a sublime spiritual cult. But some skeptics challenge our foundational principles. We should know how to respond to those accusations. Here is one case sudy.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Query of skeptics

Some think that, "Just as I like to be praised, in the same way Parama Purusa also likes to be praised. He wants others to do all types of practices like kiirtana and bhajans because He wishes to be praised. However, when we humans hanker praise, Parama Purusa warns us that we will become small-minded and degenerated."

Those skeptics argue, "How interesting it is that when Parama Purusa wishes to be praised then everything is fine and well, but when humans wish to be praised it is looked upon as lowly." This is the way some wrongly accuse Ananda Marga philosophy.

"As you think so you become"

The next question is why is it that Parama Purusa guides us to repeat His name, sing His glory, and meditate on Him. Why is He the focal point of all our practices? The answer is not that He is longing to be praised. Rather, His desire is that we should progress on the path of spirituality. He wants His progeny to be liberated. And the way to achieve that status is to think of Him.

The science at work is: "As you think so you become." He wants that His progeny should progress and this is the only way: To think about His Supreme Self. If one thinks about their own petty existence they will degenerate. Whereas, if anyone thinks about His greatness and sings His praises, they will become great like Him. That is the reason why humans repeat His name.

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "The characteristic of Parama Puruśa is that whosoever takes His ideation, become as vast as Him by His grace. “Brhatvadá Brahma Brḿhańatvád Brahma”. The word Brahma means very great. Is He only great? No, He is great, Himself and can make others great; so, He is called Brahma. When, by taking His ideation human mind becomes like that of Parama Puruśa." (1)

"If one ideates on Parama Puruśa…"

That is the inner secret. The unique characteristic of Parama Purusa is that He can make others great and the formula is to think of Him. When anyone ideates on Parama Purusa, they take on His supreme qualities and ultimately become one with Him.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "If one ideates on Parama Puruśa one will acquire His qualities. People ultimately become as they think: Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii." (2)

Conclusion

So there is no question of Parama Purusa wishing to be praised. Rather, He wants that we should sing His glories and think of Him so that we can attain liberation. By ideating on His divine Self, sadhakas become like Him: free of all bondages and perfect in all respects, i.e. liberated.

Namaskar,
in Him,
Sudha’sarita’

~ In-depth study ~

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Sádhaná broadens and enlarges the mind. How? It is the innate characteristic of the human mind to become as it thinks – Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii [“As you think, so you become.”] To associate oneself with Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity, is the actual sádhaná. There is no one greater than Parama Puruśa, and so, when the mind ideates on Him, it expands.” (3)

Sing the Lord’s glory in a loud voice

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “If anyone is to be praised in this world, if anyone’s virtues are to be extolled loudly through kiirtana, it should be Parama Puruśa...devotees will openly sing praises to Parama Puruśa. Kiirtana means, as I said a little earlier, to sing the Lord’s glory in a loud voice.” (4)

Ananda Marga ideology teaches, “Human beings are advised to only do Hari kiirtan, kiirtan on the Lord. Kiirtaniiyah sadá harih. Human beings should always think of Him, they should always praise Him, they should always sing and dance in His name and make others sing and dance in His name too.” (5)

After reading the above guidelines, it is very clear that bhaktas should always praise the Supreme Entity, Parama Purusa.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Longing for praise is deadly

Ananda Marga ideology states, “The followers of the path of shreya will naturally have to fight against their saḿskáras of preya, their animal propensities. They will have to control their…longing for praise.” (6)

Ananda Marga ideology says, “Worst of all, those people, by hankering after others’ praise, become worse than ordinary people.” (7)

By the above teachings it is evident praise leads to one’s downfall.

Voice of skeptics

In Ananda Marga philosophy, there are some teachings that state that Parama Purusa should always be praised. Verily, as Ananda Margiis we do all kinds of spiritual practices: sadhana, kiirtan, and singing bhajans etc. And in these practices we are calling and praising Parama Purusa. At the same time, our Ananda Marga scripture also states that humans should not desire to be praised as it is harmful. For any bhakta, these two points are 100% complementary.

However, some skeptics openly challenge: On the one side Ananda Marga teachings issue the warning that praise is dangerous and harmful, and on the other side the guideline is given that Parama Purusa should always be praised. And that is the point this letter has addressed and verily reconciled.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Parama Purusa does not suffer from any want

Here first is another reply to their accusation that, "Parama Purusa is looking for praise."

One should have this logical understanding firmly set in the mind: Parama Purusa has created this whole universe. He always remains in nityananda (eternal bliss). He does not need anything from anyone in any sphere of life. Parama prakrti is at His calling and can provide whatever He wishes. Indeed Parama Purusa does not need humans to do anything for Him, including praise.

Ananda Marga ideology says, "“O Lord, Thou art the creator of this universe. This universe is full of gems and jewels. So do You require anything from a poor man like me? Nothing. All the gems and jewels, everything, all the wealth of the world, belongs to You. And Your grhińii, Your spouse, is mahámáyá. She is Your spouse, and according to Your order and desire She will supply You with anything. In Nagpur You may say, ‘Oh, mahámáyá, I want a mango,’ and then and there it will be furnished. Mahámáyá is Your spouse, so there cannot be any want, there cannot be any shortage in Your store." (8)

So that is the reply: Parama Purusa is Bliss Personified and complete unto Himself. This whole expressed cosmos is His creation and He has no want, and thus does not need praise from anyone.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

References
1. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 19, The Supreme Aesthetic Science and the Cult of Devotion
2. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10, Vaedhii Bhakti and Shuddhá Bhakti
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, Tantra Is Sádhaná, Sádhaná Is Tantra
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, How Should a Devotee Behave?
5. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10, Ideation on Brahma
6. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Supreme Benevolence and Mundane Pleasure (Shreya and Preya)
7. Subhasita Samgraha - 12, How an Ideal Person Should Live
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Prańáma Mantra

* * *

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 ==

Soul-stirring new beats

"Ele álor váne, dolá diye kotháy lukiye gele, sumanda samiire, suvás bhare diye man mátále..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1132)

Purport:

O’ Parama Purusa, You came with the flood of cosmic effulgence, bliss; Your presence transformed my whole existence. After spiritually vibrating me and filling my mind with bhakti, where have You hidden Yourself? I can’t see You. You have saturated the gentle breeze with Your unique fragrance. Supreme One, You divinely intoxicated my mind with sublime longing for You. After gracing me in this way, where have You gone?

O’ Supreme Entity, Baba, everyone yearns for You - to get You more close. No one wants to leave Your presence for even a single moment. By having You, the heart basks in bliss. Every bhakta wants to surrender unto You and always remain under Your shelter. Cosmic Entity, whatever sweetness exists in their mind, they want to pour at Your lotus feet and satisfy their age-old longing to please You.

O’ Bhavatiita, Baba I request You to grace me and come near in madhura bhava and remove all my imperfections. Kindly make me pure so I can realise You fully. Supreme One, please come, with new rhythm, song, melody, and tunes, and with Your heart-exuberating, soul-stirring new beats. Parama Purusa, Baba, please shower Your causeless krpa’ and make my life successful...

Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #1132:

[1] Bha'va'tiita: This is one of the names of Parama Purusa and describes one of His infinite attributions. In His stance of bhava’tiita, Parama Purusa is beyond all thought conception. Bhava means thinking, and atiita means beyond. So bhavatiita means the Entity who is beyond all thought. If one tries to think of Bhavatiita - i.e. the Supreme Entity - then one’s mind gets suspended in His ideation and ceases to function. It is akin to the doll of salt that tries to measure the depths of the ocean. It dissolves before reaching the bottom and becomes one with the ocean. Similarly, the mind cannot reach that Entity who is Bhavatiita. As the unit mind tries to think of Him, the mind actually becomes one with Him, by His grace. That unit mind loses its individuality and merges into Him - it cannot remain separate. That is why He is called Bhavatiita.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Parama Purus'a, the Supreme Reality, is beyond all speech and thought: He is beyond the reach of the vocal cord. So He is bha'va'tiita ["beyond bha'va"]...The more one thinks of His infinite qualities, the more one becomes speechless, the more deeply one becomes absorbed in Him." (1)

[2] Madhura Bhava: There are different spiritual relations / bhavas a sadhaka may have with Parama Purusa. For instance one may view Him as Father, or Friend, or Master, or Loving, i.e. madhura bhava etc. These relations have varying degrees of closeness with Parama Purusa. Of the four, madhura bhava is very intimate and close.

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Madhura bháva is a very exalted bháva, for this bháva fills the mind with sweetness and bliss and leads the aspirant to the closest proximity of the Lord. To a person who is predominantly a devotee of the Lord, everything tastes sweet, there is nothing bitter in the creation of Parama Puruśa. He is attracting you through the ectoplasmic world, binding you through the bonds of love." (2)

Ananda Marga teachings state, "The spirit of madhura bháva is as follows: “He is so vast, endowed with innumerable attributes, yet even then He loves me. He is so great, yet He is still my most intimate friend, so very close to me. What joy! What joy!” This is madhura bháva." (3)

So the path of madhura bhava is always blissful.The bhakta wants only His sweet proximity and one gets His intimate companionship by His grace.

Note: If you wish to listen to the audio file of this song let us know.

References
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 19
2. Namami Krsnasundaram, Disc: 27
3. Namami Krsnasundaram, Disc: 27

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Eradicating social stigmas

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Casteism is a burden on the Hindu society. All the year round they preach casteism but on the polling days they decry it. This is wholly undesirable. It is better to avoid all titles. Titles signify the caste. If casteism is to be wiped out, it is incumbent to discard the titles. It is commendable if everyone adopts uniformity on title – Deva *. Persons using a particular word more often will influence their minds with the meaning of that word. People are reluctant to use the word dása because this word signifies slavery. Whenever the so-called low caste people catch an opportunity, they declare themselves as belonging to the so-called elevated caste, etc. It is an ideal to become deva and for this reason Deva title should be adopted." (1)

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Titles of the present society have undergone considerable changes during the past fifty years, the cause being that everyone aspires to pertain to an elevated caste. The so-called Shúdras also use the sacred thread. This is only an effort towards the concealment of one’s identity. By this means, they conceal only their disregarded status. This is to be regretted. It is consequent on social debility that they harbour the desire for changes in their situations. It is out and out purposeless to convene All-India Conferences or particular castes. All of them desire to assert and establish their rights. This is simply misuses of energy and money." (1)

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The consent of those embraced must be sought for before renaming them in Saḿskrta. Language has got nothing to do with religion and as such, there is no reason for anybody depreciating the use of Saḿskrta. In this connection it may be added that the great emperor Aurangzeb used the term sudhárasa (juice of nectar) for mango (original Saḿskrta term for mango is ámra) and saddharma for Islam." (1)

So many areas of the globe are affected by caste, race, and communal feeling. Here above Baba gives the perfect antidote and solution to such narrow-minded and harmful thinking.

* Note: The title Deva should be suffixed to males and the suffix Devii should be suffixed to females.

Reference
1. Tattvika Diipika, 5th part, Ánanda Púrńimá 1957

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Very applicable to Covid-19 era

According to Prout philosophy, "For the all-round welfare of human beings, society needs to follow some fundamental socio-political principles. Without the firm foundation of such principles, disunity, injustice and exploitation will flourish."

"First people should not be retrenched from their livelihood unless alternative employment has been arranged for them."

According to Prout philosophy, “In the Pathan period and at the height of the Mughal empire, Zamindars or landlords were permitted to maintain military forces. This practice was banned at the end of the Mughal period and the start of the British period. As a result, many soldiers from military communities like the Bagadis of Ráŕh and the Cuyárs and Lodhas of Midnapur were retrenched from the armed services. Consequently, they became criminals. Even thirty to forty years ago, members of these communities were still engaged in antisocial activities, but now they have virtually ceased this practice. If these people had been inducted into the military or the police, they would have earned a proper livelihood without being compelled to harm the society. Their destiny would have been quite different.”

“Now you understand the consequences of retrenching people without arranging a suitable alternative livelihood for them.” (1)

Note: Here it should be understood that the term retrenchment means losing one's job. The worker has been dismissed, fired, or let go whereby they no longer have a job. The term retrenchment is commonly used in Australia and South Africa. People from other regions may not be familiar with this usage of the term.

Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell-16, Three Cardinal Socio-Political Principles

== Section: Comment ==

Re: Gautam's reply on BQ Kolkata

Namaskar,

Thank you Gautam sarkar dada. now at least I am delighted. Namaskar. please do not allow any one for that matter to harm any of the BABA'S properties.

at His feet,
Ac. Cinmayananda Avt.

Ananda Marga school
Kithandur, Thotli - P.O.
Kolar - District Karnataka
Pin code - 563101
Phones: 91-8152-247350 / 222122
Mobile : 91-9448310979/ 91-9591091046

- Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic: Gautam's reply on BQ Kolkata

== Section: Hindi Quote ==

भक्तों को, बाबा का विशेष आश्वासन - २

(जिसको इष्ट निष्ठा नहीं है, वह यह निम्न आश्वासन नहीं समझ सकता)

“कोई घबड़ाने की बात नहीं है |