Baba
Monumental question
Namaskar,
Parama Purusa has created this universe; it is His mental projection. So if Parama Purusa stops thinking about Mr. X then immediately and instantly Mr. X will cease to exist.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Without His wish, not even a leaf of a tree, nor even a blade of grass can move." (1)
Analogy of demon
Now let’s take the example of a demon. Prakrti has provided the demon energy with the permission of Parama Purusa. And that demon has the free will to misuse or use that energy. Prakrti has made the system that if anyone misuses their energy they will get punished. So if the demon kills an innocent person, the demon will be punished. At the same time, Parama Purusa has also granted free will and created the system of reward and punishment.
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So when we say that without His grace or desire a blade of grass cannot move, that is true in the macro sense. But that same Parama Purusa has granted unit beings the freedom to act. That is why when anyone does any harm to others, the doer of harm undergoes punishment as well. So no one can blame that, “Parama Purusa is responsible, and He [Parama Purusa] is directly killing others with the demon’s hand.”
Free will, reward and punishment
The contrast of happy and horrifying and joy and sorrow is what makes films captivating. And that is keenly related with why Parama Purusa has designed the cosmos in this way?
Parama Purusa has granted free will and made this system of reward and punishment to open the door for human beings to one day become one with God - if they so choose. If He hadn’t created this system of free will and reward and punishment then everyone would get moksa as a matter of course, just as every created being makes it up to first human life automatically, without any effort. So if all got moksa automatically, this world would not be so colourful. To make this world interesting, Parama Purusa has granted free will and with it, the system of reward and punishment governed by prakrti. By this way the entire universe runs.
Think about it in this manner. Suppose you are the director of a movie. To make your film interesting, you will create a villain to provide an antithesis to the hero, otherwise your film will be monotonous and branded as a flop. It is the contrast between good and bad that makes films dynamic and captivating. And that is the aim of the movie director. That is also the reason why this universe has been created by Parama Purusa in this way: To make it interesting.
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Conclusion
When anyone does any harm to others, the doer of harm undergoes punishment. So no one can blame that, “Parama Purusa is responsible for the sin committed by human beings.”
Namaskar,
In Him,
Nandita’
~ In-depth study ~
Prakrti is a blind force: that’s why it burns the child’s hand
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “You know, the Universe, Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Cognition, functions with the help of the Supreme Operative Principle [prakrti]. The Operative Principle [prakrti] is actually a blind force, it cannot do anything without the help of Consciousness, without the help of the Cognitive Faculty. Electricity is a crude blind force, but if helped or utilized by the human brain, the human consciousness, it will render so many services. But without the help of human brain, it may have its destructive role. So, these blind forces cannot do anything concrete without the help of consciousness. Similarly in this universe, in the universal sphere, there is the Cosmic Cognition, we say Parama Puruśa, the Cosmic Cognitive Faculty, and He functions, He does all His universal duties, all His parental duties, with the help of that blind force. But in units, where the individual consciousness, or individual cognition, is not in a position to control that blind force, that individual will be ejected away from the proper path. And such a thing happens.” (2)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “The instrumental cause of the metamorphosis of this universe is the three principles of Prakrti. Prakrti is an entity which is doing something, but it cannot be the material cause or the efficient cause because behind the actional faculty of Prakrti there is no scope for any moral principle. Shakti or energy itself is a blind force – if it is not supported by intellect or prajiṋá it is always crude and static. Suppose an electric hammer is being operated, and a child accidentally inserts its tender hand under the hammer. The hammer will automatically smash it – its blind force will not spare the innocent child’s hand. Hence the sádhaná of Prakrti divorced from the touch of Shiva (consciousness) is highly dangerous. The Cognitive Principle itself is both the material cause and the efficient cause of creation.” (3)
Why Parama Purusa is not the cause
Parama Purusa is the source of all the energy. So if one demon in human form is twisting an innocent person’s neck, the energy of the demon’s bad action is coming from Parama Purusa. Because the act of twisting demands energy. And all energy is supplied by Parama Purusa. If He does not supply energy for even one second, then that demon’s muscles will not function. And the demon will be unable to twist that person’s neck. So some may say that Parama Purusa is the cause.
But to run this universe properly, Parama Purusa has created the system whereby prakrti maintains all the workings in this cosmos. For instance, prakrti (aka the cosmic operative principle) has created fire with the permission of Parama Purusa. Although ultimately, it is Parama Purusa who has created fire since He controls prakrti, it is prakrti that manages everything. And prakrti has made fire in such a way that if anyone touches it they will get burned. Even if an innocent infant touches fire that baby will be burned. So Parama Purusa is not directly responsible for burning that child. Rather, on His own Parama Purusa would not burn the child. Only because everything is governed by prakrti and prakrti is blind, that is why the child gets burned.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night – 2
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 13, Subjective Approach and Objective Adjustment
3. Ananda Marga Ideology Way of Life - 11, The Omni-Reflective Cognitive Consciousness
* * *
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 ==
“Tumi kato liila’ jano…” (Prabhat Samgiita #0311)
Purport:
Parama Purusa Baba, You know how to play a grand variety of cosmic liilas. You play so many types of divine dramas. To spiritually intoxicate my mind, You play a gamut of supreme plays with me. Sometimes You make me cry, and other times You make me laugh. Baba, You shower Your exquisite blessing in countless ways.
My nearest Entity, Baba, there is nothing that can remain hidden from You. You know and see everything. In each action You exist; You are always there. Without Your grace nothing can happen. You are present in every work. Whatever I do, wherever I go, You are there - watching. Nothing can be done secretly. In Your unfathomable play - liila khela - the whole universe is dancing at Your feet.
Baba, You flood the world with Your smile and laughter, as well as with torrential tears of joy. You shower rays of happiness upon all, and side by side You witness the troubles and torments people undergo. My Supreme Guide, Baba, I love You, knowingly and unknowingly. Your songs of love flow throughout this cosmos.
Parama Purusa Baba, You know how to play a variety of liilas….
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0311:
[1] Liila': In this universe there are innumerable events taking place. When we know the cause of a particular event then that is kriida. And when the cause is not known then it is liila. If the cause was initially not known, and later on becomes known, then that event becomes kriida. Thus as one's knowledge increases - and more and more events can be rationally explained - then for that person the scope of kriida is increased.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "There is a subtle difference between liilá and kriid́a. When the cause of an effect is easily discernible it is called kriid́a, but when the cause is unknown and only the effect is easily discernible it is called liilá." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 11, To Know Him Is to Be Free from All Fetters
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Revolution: defeating a demon
Ananda Marga story states, “At first, the demon was quite unwilling to hold any discussion with them. At last, seeing them many in number, he said with reluctance, “Well, I have no objection to talk with some of your representatives.” In the course of discussion, the demon pretended that he did not deny that the demands of the humans were legitimate but where is the money? “In order to rebuild the state,” he said, “expenditure has to be curtailed; exports have to be increased and imports decreased, and it is necessary to accelerate the production of agricultural and industrial goods. If people today are busy with trifling demands, how then is it possible to rebuild the Very Odd Kingdom? So people should raise only one slogan today ‘Labour – more labour – and still more labour!’ Demands of housing, education, medical treatment – we have heard enough of your demands! Now I advise you, forget your demands for the right to higher wages, education, medical treatment, and better accommodation, for the time being – and go and labour hard!””
“The representatives of the human beings said “How wonderful! But then the question is, if you don’t accept our right to live how can we labour hard?””
“The discussion was interrupted. The demon and his associates now became active to create divisions among the youth. They said to the religious leaders, pundits, priests and mullas (religious leaders), “Do you see what is happening? Religion is becoming polluted, society is becoming polluted, everything is spoiled. After some time perhaps these loutish youth will say, ‘These pundits, priests and mullas, they are the parasites of the society; They suck the lifeblood of humanity by taking advantage of the weakness of their minds!’ So a big group of priests, pundits and mullas joined the demons. They declared, ‘What people are saying now is sheer injustice. People starve as a consequence of their own sins committed in their previous lives. So to fight for the establishment of their rights is to try to overmaster God!’”
“But there were some good people even among the priests and mullas and pundits, of course. They declared, “What the prince’s group, the human beings, are saying, is right. To support them is right”. Ministers and vice-ministers were giving them high posts in government service. Some were trapped in this way, too, but most of the people said, “We are going to be deceived by such temptation no longer – we have long been cheated for our foolishness, but no more!!””
“The Strange Demon noticed that each of his arrows was missing its target. Then he captured some good orators by spending much money. The work of these orators was to make the rank and file of human beings understand that the proper way to achieve their demand was to bear injustice silently and not resort to struggle. “By tolerating injustice,” they said, “When a person becomes non-violent, a kind of spiritual power awakens in him. And as a result of this spiritual power peace and equality prevail throughout the country. So you should rather engage yourself in the practice of self-purification than have recourse to struggle.” But the humans paid no heed to this either.”
“Now the demon became restless. He began to run to and fro like an insane person, tearing his hair and shouting violently. In no time his mask of gentleness was rent asunder. Then he started crying out loudly in his demonic tongue.”
“O devils, O demons,
Man-eaters, ghost-children,
Where are you my friends and comrades
Come and save me from the humans.
O black-marketeers and bribers,
O pot-bellied
Come, O come! Where are you??
I am going to be killed by Humanity.” (1)
Reference
1. The Golden Lotus of the Blue Sea
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Materialism & morality are mutually exclusive
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The characteristic (dharma) of the mind is to seek the infinite. The mind attains this goal by concentrating on a particular ideation. As material objects are finite, those who accept them as the aim of life eventually feel frustrated. They fail to attain bliss because neither wealth nor material objects can be enjoyed infinitely. Moreover, those who make material objects their aim in life find their self-interests in conflict with those of other people. They try to deprive others, to protect their own endless greed for wealth and material objects. There will have to be a continuous pressure on the minds of these people to keep them away from material objects. People cannot tolerate such imposition and, on becoming disgruntled, take the path of revolution or counter-revolution against those who pressurize them.”
“Materialism functions by imposing social pressure on people to enjoy material objects; and accepts that as the only mode of operation. Thus, in materialistic countries or societies, people look at one another with suspicion and act according to the information given by the intelligence agencies. In the absence of spiritual ideas, firmness of morality cannot be established. The apparent morality in a materialistic society is nothing but an immoral alliance to protect self-interests.”
Reference
1. Tattva Kaomudii, Questions and Answers on Ananda Marga Philosophy #45
== Section 4: Links ==
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