Baba
The company you keep
Namaskar,
Baba has blessed us with all the guidelines for leading a spiritual life. And, side by side, He has kindly alerted us about all the pitfalls as well. In this dual regard, the friendships and company we keep plays a big role. As we know, the friends we have and the people around us play a significant part in our all-round progress. By remaining in the midst of noble-minded people the mind moves on the path of vidya, whereas when surrounded by undesirable people then the opposite occurs.
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Keeping of good company leads to liberation
Here are some of Baba's key guidelines in this regard.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "A good person or a sa'dhaka needs proper maintenance, for in a world of constant change, care must be taken that the change be always towards the better or the higher. Keeping good company is essential for this positive development. While bad company strengthens the bondage of the soul, good company is conducive to liberation and salvation. The keeping of good company is conducive to liberation and is known as satsaunga in Sanskrit. When satsaunga is followed, either physically or mentally or both, the subconscious mind, and thus the conscious mind, are charged with better and higher influences. This change will move the follower forward towards higher and better goals. The alternative is asatsaunga, the keeping of bad company, which leads one into greater and greater bondage." (1)
According to Sadguru Baba, good company or satsaunga leads to liberation whereas bad company brings one under bondage.
Bad company will cause you to repent your whole life
And here following Baba explains in very colourful language and clear-cut examples about this entire phenomenon.
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Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Humans will have to move ahead by carefully watching those with whom they will associate. What is the result of keeping good company? By spending time with good persons, a deep impression is imprinted on the mind, causing the desire to be good, to rise in the mind. On the other hand, if one chooses to associate with drunkards, a desire will eventually come in the mind, what is the harm if I drink a little wine? The same sort of thing will happen if one lives with thieves."
"To give an example, a person is standing beside a tea-stall. There the flavour of the tea floats to the nose, and then the person says, 'Bring a cup of tea here, too'. In this incident, the flavour of the tea affects the mind. If that person had not remained near the tea stall, the smell would not have reached the nose and perhaps that person would not have taken tea for two or three days. This is the influence that association has on the Mind."
Ananda Marga philosophy says,"Hence humans should choose their company very carefully, for, a mistake in this will cause them to repent their whole life. Even parents who are not good should either send their children to live in a student hostel or keep them with some of their relatives who are good. One must be very strict in this. In Tantra it is said:
"Satsaungena bhavenmuktir asatsaungesu bandhanam".
Tasmat Asatsaungamudran'am' Sa'mudra Parikiirtita."
Ananda Marga philosophy says,"The Tantrik practice of Mudra' Sadhana means to associate with good human beings in order to attain liberation...Hence good association results in salvation and bad association results in bondage. Hence evil company must be avoided." (2)
Merely being around pseudo Ananda Margiis is enough?
Sometimes people fall into the trap of thinking that merely being around pseudo Ananda Margiis is enough - i.e. that is good company, i.e. satsaunga. And generally this is true since usually as Ananda Margiis we sing kiirtan together, do sadhana, and collectively engage in service projects etc. Even then sometimes it can happen that there can be a few margiis together, but their company is not satsaunga.
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Because for one reason or another, their talk might be about pseudo-culture movies, or they may be just involved in rajasik activities like shopping or going out on the town etc. Or sometimes it can been seen that when travelling together they will listen to pop music, eat fast food, or the like. And sometimes margiis engage in petty discussions - just mundane things. So 100% of the time we should be vigilant to ensure that our time together is satsaunga, and we should ensure that as individuals we are adding positively to the collective flow and keeping all our social interactions sentient and Baba-centered.
Here are some topics to discuss: how to better follow 16 Points, Baba dreams, favorite aspects of spiritual life, Baba stories, sentient diet and health, how to remember Baba during one's daily routine, or any number of social or spiritual topics which help cultivate a subtle vibration in the mind. Another option is to read Ananda Marga books like Ananda Vacanamrtam - or listen to the audio version - and engage in svadhyaya etc. Indeed, there are countless topics to explore so we should always be keen to ensure our interactions are always satsaunga for one another.
Conclusion
We should always try and surround ourselves with good people, i.e. dharmikas; this will bring us along the path of the divine. As Baba neatly explains, good company lessens one's radius with Parama Purusa and bad company pulls one farther from the Lord. That is the primary difference between satsaunga and asatsaunga.
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Namaskar,
IN HIM,
Vshvavya’pii
(Val Linmar)
~ In-depth study ~
Dry intellectual discussion as extravaganza
Ananda Marga ideology says, "So while selecting company, you should be careful whether its discourses, its activities, its plans or programmes are to decrease the distance between you and your Lord. This is Satsaunga, good company. Otherwise it is Asatsaunga. Even intellectual discussions of a high order may not be Satsaunga if it has got nothing to do with lessening the distance between you and your Lord, you and your Goal. That type of intellectual discourse, in my language is called intellectual extravaganza. Baoddhika Amitavyayita´. Satsaunga and Asatsaunga. When it goads you on the path of the Lord, it is Satsaunga. From this moment, you should always try to have Satsaunga." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Sat means “Truth”, that which is unchangeable, the Absolute. Only He is unchanging, so He alone is Truth. Sauṋga means “company”. So satsauṋga means “the company of Parama Puruśa”. But a second meaning is also there. This term is also used to describe the company of good people. The first is internal, the second external. As we said above, internal satsauṋga is given through our growing love for Him, and this, if the sádhaná be done faithfully, is an eternal satsauṋga. But external satsauṋga must be sought out by us, by our careful choosing of the company we need. Time spent with others who are also actively seeking His internal [satsauṋga], will give very much momentum to your own sádhaná.” (4)
Helping children have good companions
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “If the parents or older members of a family are quarrelsome, the children will also become quarrelsome due to constant association. Similarly, if the women of a family have a highly critical nature, the children will invariably become critical because they will learn how to criticize from their elders. Children will also tend to become depraved if they associate too closely with older children in schools or colleges. When they stay among children their own age, however, they generally play in an innocent, joyous way. Childhood companions should be selected with great care, but young children are incapable of doing this.”
“The base propensities which lie dormant in everyone are easily stimulated by constant association with bad people. Through the united efforts of parents, people living in the locality and educators, it may be possible to save children from bad company. But it is very difficult to save them from the evil influences which reside in their own homes or preponderate in their neighbourhood. The only way to overcome such influences is to popularize the ideals of dharma, spread moral education and train an honest police force.” (5)
How materialism ruins the mind
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “In the modern world there is a wide variety of films which excite the passions and have a degrading influence on boys and girls, adolescents and young men and women. Such films create in cinema-goers the desire to emulate in their individual lives the criminal activities, the vulgar expressions of love, or the adventurous behaviour that they see enacted on the screen. This is another example of how keeping bad company causes depravity. Many cinema-goers imagine that the characters that they see on the screen are their actual acquaintances, but when they try to emulate these characters, they discover that the real world is much tougher than the world portrayed by the cinema. If their family ties are weak, if they are their own guardians or if they have no high ideals to inspire them, it will be extremely difficult, although not impossible, to save them from bad influences.”
“As long as those who become criminals due to keeping bad company are not transformed into habitual criminals, they will return to their normal good behaviour as soon as they give up the bad company. Therefore, during the trials of such criminals, corrective measures should be taken only after giving due consideration to the company they keep and the influence of this company on their behaviour. But in the case of those who have become habitual criminals, simply removing them from bad company will not suffice, because they themselves are their own bad company. For them, stricter measures will be needed.” (6)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 33, Satsaunga
2. Karma Yoga in a Nutshell, Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Auto-Suggestion and Outer Suggestion
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Guhá and Satsaunga
5. Human Society - 1, Justice
6. Human Society - 1, Justice
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Qualification of Prout leader
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Human beings will have to develop their social structure, economic principles, spiritual practice – in fact everything in life – in consistence with the principles of dharma because dharma is the divine law." (1)
Note: In His above teaching Baba is guiding us that all aspects of life including our socio-economic system must be grounded in dharma. That means to be a leader of Prout one must be a dharmika - a practitioner of bhagavad dharma. Now and again, some become enthralled by hearing the tall talks of various atheistic social leaders. And in their mind they think that such speakers are ideal Prout leaders. But Baba has put an end to this misconception. Because, in His above teaching, He has firmly declared that only those spiritual aspirants who strictly follow the divine code of dharma are qualified to be the leaders of Prout, not any type of atheistic or quasi social reformer etc.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, Opposition to Dharma Will Certainly Invite Destruction
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Subtle aspect of forgiveness
This following teaching has two main parts:
(a) If someone harms you in personal life and their behaviour is rectified and they feel repentant then you should forgive them - highlighted in green.
(b) If some wrongdoer harms the society then you should force them to rectify themselves - highlighted in yellow.
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “The faults of others should be excused as far as possible. If you find that the conduct of an individual is antisocial, you should try to reform his or her nature by resorting to whatever severe measures may be necessary. Remember, he or she is not your enemy, but his / her conduct is the enemy of your society.” (1)
Note: In His various teachings, Baba says that it is bad to prematurely forgive someone, i.e. if the wrongdoer’s conduct has not changed. However, if the person is repentant and they have truly transformed themselves then, in our personal life, it is incumbent upon us to forgive them. And that forgiveness should be done in the proper spirit.
In the world, there are two types of forgiveness. One is real and one is pseudo. For instance, suppose there are two teenagers, Rob and John, and they get into an argument. Ultimately, Rob beats John and the police arrest Rob. For this crime, Rob felt repentant and his personality changed. Seeing this transformation, John said, “I forgive you for beating me.” But if that John is just offering forgiveness to ease the hatred and pain in his own mind then that is just pseudo-forgiveness. Forgiveness is not done merely for one’s own comfort and relief. When forgiving anyone, one must have a genuine feeling for the next person’s welfare.
Reference
1. Caryacarya - 2, Society, point #19
== Section: Important Teaching ==
You do not have the moral right to punish one whom...
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “The habit of making wagers is extremely undesirable. You must avoid lotteries and gambling." (1)
"Prerequisites for shásti:
a) Before punishing a person you should consider whether you love him/her or not. You do not have the moral right to punish one whom you do not love.
b) Punishment should be meted out to reform and not to cause suffering.
c) The quantum of punishment must not exceed the quantum of love.
d) If some innocent person is pained by any of your actions, then without considering whether he/she is your superior or inferior, you should sincerely seek his/her forgiveness; this will only enhance your prestige." (2)
References
1. Caryarcarya, part 2, Society, point #38
2. Caryarcarya, part 2, Society, point #39
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Misuse & abuse of expressing gratitude
Namaskar,
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states: "Hypocrites are: Those who are ungrateful to their benefactors." (1)
This point is critically important yet so misused. If a bad person helps you then blindly supporting them in return is not good. Unfortunately, to express their gratitude some naive people end up start supporting those wrongdoers. By this below incident it will be very clear.
Karna was a great hero warrior in the Mahabharata. His only flaw was that he supported the sinful Duryodhana. He blindly supported all the unjust actions of Duryodhana because Duryodhana saved him in a very difficult situation. Karna could not understand the real spirit of this dharmic point. Ultimately Karna’s actions were a blow on dharma and in an untimely way he was killed.
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What to tell your notorious, old helper
Baba has stated that Karna should have politely requested Duryodhana, “O’ Duryodhana, you are my friend and you have helped me a lot in my times of difficulty. I feel gratitude for you and that is why I am advising you not to harass and malign innocent people. Do not do injustice with others. The harmful things you are doing will only invite a terrible catastrophe. For your welfare, I am requesting you to refrain from engaging in these evil misdeeds.”
If Karna would have advised Duryodhana in this manner that would have been real gratitude towards his well-wisher. By hearing Karna’s dharmic expression the evil-minded Duryodhana might have gotten very reacted and tried to retaliate. But regardless, that was the only way. Instead, Karna openly supported whatever sinful dealings Duryodhana did. In result they both met their untimely death. And Karna’s life became a negative example and the epitome of the misuse of the above point from Caryacarya.
A similar turn of events is unfolding these days in our AMPS. Many margiis feel gratitude towards certain dadas / dids , and, in result, those margiis support the wrongdoings of those Wts. By this way they are causing terrible harm to dharma and AMPS at large.
Some key examples are:
- (a) Dharmendra Sinha and Sunil Ananda of Tatanagar who blindly support H group / Rudrananda;
- (b) Bibhanshu Maiti & Tapan Biswas of Delhi, and Nirmal Biswas of Mumbai who blindly support B group / Sarvatmananda;
- (c) Narada (Suva), Dhruva (NY), Dhyanesh (Mumbai) who blindly support H group Rudrananda;
- (d) Kewal Sinha, Kishan Singh Sood, and Dr Bhaskar of Patna who blindly support B group Sarvatmananda.
These aforementioned people in their delusional way think they are properly following this below point from Caryacarya. But that is wholly wrong. These people got support from their factional party leaders; and to return the favour they outrightly ignore their sinful misdeeds and lick their feet to express their gratitude for their help.
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Ananda Marga Caryacarya states: "Hypocrites are: Those who are ungrateful to their benefactors." (2)
In Him,
Ramdhan
References
1. Caryacarya, part 2, Society, point #5b
2. Caryacarya, part 2, Society, point #5b
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
