Baba
Story: how to stay inspired
Namaskar,
In the 1970's when Baba was in jail, in Patna, then one margii went to see Baba inside the jail. And Baba asked, "How is it going on?" The simple margii replied innocently, "Baba, there is so much negative propaganda. Nobody is listening these days to our call."
Then Baba smiled and told the margii, "Your only duty is to be strict in Sixteen Points. As much as you are strict in Sixteen Points, you will get direct guidelines and inner inspiration from Parama Purusa to move forward. If you are loose or lax in Sixteen Points, then you will lose the inspiration to do pracar. Even you will lose the inspiration to do anything, i.e. any type of social service."
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Baba continued, "So the best thing is to be strict in Sixteen Points. Do not allow any negativity to enter into your mind. Thinking about negative things, the mind will only become more depressed. The duty of sadhakas is to keep the eyes fixed on the Goal. The goal is Parama Purusa."
So in this way Baba has steered everyone's vision toward the path of dharma—toward the ultimate Goal.
How to overcome dilemma & confusion
Usually when there is a dilemma (dvidha’) or confusion (dvandva) about what to do and what not to do, initially people get flustered and frustrated. In that confused state, most of the time what they do exacerbates the situation and creates more problems.
Because the general tendency of the human mind is to run toward external objects and lowly desires such as money, name and fame, or power etc. This is the common temptation. Human beings have crossed thousands and thousands of animal lives in which they were only dominated by basic propensities—animal instincts. So those lower, debased propensities are very familiar whereas higher values are not. And the supreme veracity and dharmic teachings do not reflect in the mind until the mental plate is cleaned.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So only when Sixteen Points is practiced more and more, only then does dharma become a force in the mind. Only then does the mind become more pinnacled and pointed. Whatever human beings do in that condition is very meaningful and valuable—and they will not harm anyone. Whereas if one is not following dharma then they will not only harm others but themselves also. So following Sixteen Points means following dharma and by that way there are benefits in all aspects of life.
Where to fix our eyes
In various discourses, Baba guides us that our eyes should be fixed on Parama Purusa. Inviting unnecessary thoughts and filling the mind in that manner is very detrimental. If anyone fails to keep their eyes on the Polestar, then on a dark night that person will certainly lose the path. So the eyes should be fixed on the Goal. And that Goal is Parama Purusa—none else.
Namaskar,
In Him
Kaosikii
~ Related teachings ~
Ananda Marga philosophy states: "Now to materialize any principle or ideology, one requires firmness, especially those who provide leadership to society, those who are the pioneers, the vanguard of a new movement. “We must keep the goal fixed before us, and keep moving towards the goal. We shall never deviate from our goal, whatever the obstacles or hindrances in the way. Once we start moving, we shall never stop or look back”." (1)
Ananda Vanii states, “The movement and the path, the means and the chariot are all inseparably linked. The path is not always easily accessible, smooth and littered with flower petals; nor is it always inaccessible, thorny and covered with stones. One must keep one’s eye fixed on the Goal. This Goal provides inspiration, supplies the means for forward movement and makes the little lamps of life infinitely effulgent. Since eternity this very Goal has provided and is providing inspiration to all and will continue to do so in future; and by revitalising the life-force as if with a flow of water, it will make the earth ever full of sweetness, and at the same time it will keep the triumphant flag of humanity flying on top of the golden mountain peak. So let one’s vision be fixed on the goal. There is no necessity to think of anything else.” (2)
Parama Purusa is our Goal. And the only way to keep the eyes fixed on the Goal is by strictly adhering to Sixteen Points. That is the path of our forward movement. And that is the way Baba directs us that we should proceed.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Vanii says, "Be firm on sixteen points. Unite all the righteous forces. All the tall talks of the evil forces will be silenced." (3)
What to do in this time
So in this organisational crisis and transitional period which we are facing today, our duty is to be more and more strict in 16 points. By that way, inner strength will develop. And Baba will guide us how to carry out His mission; Baba will make us the medium to execute His work. So when our organisation is struggling and stuck during a period of pause, then we should see the situation more again carefully and grab hold of Baba's teachings.
Baba says, "Pause means the gathering of momentum for speed in the subsequent phase. If one closely watches the effect of speed on a particular community or the entire humanity, one sees that generally people eulogize the period of speed. However we cannot afford to ignore the state of pause, because by judging what the previous state of pause was like, we can discern the speed of the next phase." (4)
Optimism is life
So this pause period does not mean frustration for one and all. Rather big training is going on and society is preparing to move forward in the proper direction.
Baba says, "There are some people who are pessimistic. They say that the society around us is very bleak, that it has no expression of vitality and that is seems that everyone is in deep slumber. Pessimists say this because they have never made any detailed study of human history, nor do they care to. Had they done so, they would certainly be optimistic, because if they had looked carefully at the symptoms of pause, they would have realise that significant preparations were being made for the subsequent phase of speed. So under no circumstances should human beings be pessimistic. That is why I am always an incorrigible optimist, because I know that optimism is life." (5)
“I am also with you”
About transitional periods Baba guides us in the following way:
Baba says, "In the present day also, you can see for yourself how the social movement is grinding to a halt. When social progress loses its velocity it is called 'yugasandhi' (transitional period) in Sam'skrta. You have all been born in such a transitional period and have assembled here today. In the future, the honest and virtuous people of the society will respond to Your call and will unite. The same polarization is taking place now as occurred in the past: the honest people are with you and will remain with you; the dishonest people will oppose you now and will continue their efforts to block your progress in future. Whenever there is a war between dharma and adharma, you are sure to be victorious. You are not alone-- dharma is with you, the benevolent intellect is with you, and I am also with you." (6)
Human unity is purely an ideological unity
As we all know, without unity and the development of one human society, nothing will be achieved. So now samghe shakti, unity is needed. And that must first be established within our own organisation. The best way to achieve this is to follow Baba. And following Baba, means adhering to His divine guidelines.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Human unity is purely an ideological unity, which means unity in the psychic sphere. Where there is psychic unity, physical unity will also occur. In the realm of unity, unity is always psychic – ideological unity means unity in the subtlest level of the mind. However, psychic or ideological unity may be affected if we encourage the exploitation of one group by another. So to avoid this there should not be any scope for exploitation [groupism] in society." (7)
References
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Shiva – Both Severe and Tender (Discourse 2)
2. Ananda Vanii #67
3. Ananda Vanii #44
4. Prout in a Nutshell - 7, Dynamicity and Staticity
5. Prout in a Nutshell - 7, Dynamicity and Staticity
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, The Transitional Period
7. Prout in a Nutshell - 3, 'Talks on Prout'
Plagiary?
It is the accepted international standard and Baba's system not to copy another's work and publish it in your own way. Baba has given a very strict rule on plagiarism. Why is Baba against plagiarism or stealing someone's work? There are many reasons:
1) It is against the code of asteya (non-stealing).
2) Countless stories of bhaktas need to be published. But some do not want to do the hard work of compiling and writing these stories, so they just steal them from others. But new stories need to be told, otherwise so many unpublished stories of sadhakas will be lost and forgotten forever. So watch out for story thieves, and kindly help them not to steal by posting on social media in their own way. If you want to forward this story then attach the following yellow section with the story:
“Courtesy of unknown bhakta via Ananda Marga Universal (https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/)”
This will be treated as the standard protocol.
* * *
The below section is an entirely different topic, unrelated to the above material.
It stands on its own merit as a point of interest and ideological awareness.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
“Tumi, bhálobese chile, tái ki ele, phúler parág rág anurág mishiye dile...” (Prabhat Samgiita #3279)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, You loved me. Is that why You came to me? You are so great. You interweave Your love and affection with flower fragrance. Today my entire being feels awakened and loved with Your sweet arrival.
Supreme Entity, before Your advent, human beings were in the dark. They were drowned in the depths of materialism, busy daylong in mundane acquisitions. They were in a closed room, riddled by a narrow, dogmatic mindset and could not think or conceive of anything beyond the periphery of matter. Such was the horrific condition of depraved humanity. In that dark hour, You blessed all. By opening the doors and showering humanity in a deluge of light of neo-humanism and spirituality, You have divinely intoxicated everyone's mind and transformed one and all.
Baba, my Parama Purusa, with the colourful flambeau of Your exquisite supreme love, human life started swinging. Everyone became charged by Your dharmic call. Holding aloft the flag of hope, You stood in front of all, mercifully led the way, and showed everyone the path of Supreme fulfillment.
Baba, You have blessed me so much...
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Just 4 times food
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “There are many people who are otherwise good but have no control over the food they eat. It is very important that whatever one gets should not be taken indiscriminately; rather, there should be control over food, and at the same time it should be nutritious.” (1)
Note: All the rules given in Ananda Marga teachings are rational and scientific. They are firmly grounded in logic and the spirit of welfare. With regards to the above conduct rule, people have a strong inclination or weakness for food. For instance, even if a person has just taken a full belly of food, but if they see something that entices them then they will eat it. But eating food in an untimely way - i.e. when one is not hungry - ruins one’s digestion and eventually leads to numerous diseases. To help and protect our Wts from such weakness, Baba has given the rule that they may eat only four times in any 24-hour period. By this rule, Baba is ensuring that there will be a sufficient gap in between meals. That helps in digestion and keeps the system strong. So that is why our Wts are only allowed to eat four times per day.
Then there is the matter of only eating four items in a given meal. Here again this rule was given for the welfare of our Wts. In some places huge feasts are commonplace where 50 - 100 food items are available at a single sitting. And in the temples, the Lord must be fed 56 items of fresh food at every meal. The point is that in the religious traditions, feasting is front and center. But that leads to health issues and one’s premature demise. Combining different types of food is harmful to the body as some foods get digested by alkaline juices and other items by acid. If one eats a huge variety of food at one meal then one is far more likely to combine foods that are not complementary to one another, thereby causing serious problems for the stomach. By restricting the number of foods and following this simple rule, that pitfall is essentially avoided.
So all the rules and teachings are for our overall well-being and progress.
The more family people adhere to the rules given for Wts - such as fasting four times per month, or restricting one’s food intake in the above ways, the more they will be benefited.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, The Seven Secrets of Success
== Section 4: Links ==
