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Thursday, March 30, 2017

Baba’s praise of Karl Marx, Buddhism, Shankaracarya + 2 more

Baba

Baba’s praise of Karl Marx, Buddhism, Shankaracarya

Namaskar,
Some think that Baba's mere mention of a particular personality means that that individual is great - and we should therefore follow all their teachings. Now
let’s research and find out the truth. First take this example regarding the philosophy of communism and its founder.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


What about Karl Marx and communism

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The fundamental principles of Marxism [Communism] are unpsychological, irrational and anti-human...the concepts of dialectical materialism, the materialist conception of history, the withering away of the state, proletariat dictatorship, classless society, etc., are defective ideas which can never be implemented. That is why the post-revolutionary stage in every communist country has suffered from turmoil and oppression." (1)

Karl Marx propounded the philosophy of communism and those teachings buckled the knees of the whole humanity. Indeed Marxism / Communism has been the cause of so much torture, chaos, and horror.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "When Karl Marx said that property should be owned by the state, by communes, he went against human psychic passion and urge." (2)

Verily on countless occasions, Baba has exposed the defects and inherent loopholes of communism. Even then in one or two accounts Baba has appreciated Karl Marx in a of particular way.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Marx was a good man. He had strong feelings for suffering humanity, and out of compulsion to do something he wrote his theory." (3)

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "It should be remembered that Karl Marx never opposed spirituality, morality and proper conduct." (4)

However Baba's appreciation of Marx on these points does not mean that as Ananda Margiis we should appreciate all aspects of Marxism.

What about Shankaracarya


As many know, Bhagavan Shankaracaryaji introduced the dogmatic and impractical teachings of mayavada (illusion theory) and created so many problems in the society with his numerous religious dogmas - including caste dogma.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The question arises whether or not adherents of Máyáváda should eat. I suggest that they should not eat, because the rice, dal, rasagollá and rájabhoga that they will eat are also Máyá. I will go one step further and say that they should not live either, for in order to live one must breathe in and breathe out, and air is also Máyá, so they should stop that breathing in and out….The fundamental tenet of Máyáváda is that your body has no existence and thus you have no connection with the rest of the world, for human beings are connected to the rest of the world through their bodies. How can there be any practical application of Máyáváda without the existence of the physical body? There cannot be. Moreover, as I have already said, the Máyávádins should give up food, since they have no body. Thus it follows that the practical application of Máyáváda is impossible; it is a mere fantasy.” (5)

So it is clear that Shankaracarya’s mayavada doctrine  is a nonsensical, bogus philosophy. Even then Baba has openly appreciated a few of Shankaracarya's teachings like bhakti being the best path. Ananda Marga philosophy espouses the excellence of bhakti. But that does not mean that we Ananda Margiis should begin adopting all those others teachings of Bhagavana Shankaracarya like mayavada - world is an illusion - and stop doing service to the society. To do that would be entirely wrong and an injustice to the humanity.

What about Buddhism and Jainism

Some of Bhagavan Buddha's teachings have created huge problems all around the globe. That includes Buddha’s entire nihilistic philosophy of dukha-vada and his wrong definition of ahimsa. Plus because of Buddhism, medical science was tossed aside for centuries; and another problem is that Buddhism turned human beings into cowards. Indeed there are many central defects which Baba exposes about Buddhism. And similar is the case with the Jain religion propagated by Mahaviira Jain.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Why have Buddhism and Jainism not stood the test of time? Both these religions suffer from two main defects which have undermined their popularity. Gaotam Buddha failed to propound any clear idea about God and the ultimate goal of human life, and he did not try to build a human society based on his teachings. Mahaviira Jain, first of all, gave too much stress to nirgrantha vada or going about naked. Primitive people did not wear clothes, but they began to cover their bodies due to changing climatic conditions. After they grew accustomed to covering their bodies, they began to feel ashamed if they went about without clothes. Hence, Mahaviira’s philosophy of nirgrantha vada never gained mass support. Secondly, he placed too much emphasis on forgiveness and mercy. He taught people to forgive their worst enemies, even if they were as deadly as scorpions and snakes. As a result of this teaching, people lost the will to fight against the enemies of society. So, although the teachings of Buddha and Mahaviira Jain were not based on dogma and did not deliberately mislead people, they failed in the course of time because they were not sufficiently comprehensive and well-balanced." (6)

Even then on certain points Baba has appreciated some of Buddha's teachings like the 'Cakkhuna Samvaro sadhu' shloka, and the eight fold path. Those points are wholly consistent with Ananda Marga teachings.

So Baba has appreciated Bhagavan Buddha and Mahaviira Jain on various levels such as on the tenet "live and let live." And Baba has given entire discourses on some of Buddha's teachings - such as "Lord Buddha's Cardinal Principles" - because those teachings are rational. But that does not mean that the entire body of teachings of these two thinkers should be wholly embraced by Ananda Margiis.

On that basis of this limited appreciation it does not mean that Ananda Margiis should therefore start following all those other aspects of Buddhist dogma. Rather we must always raise the banner of Ananda Marga.

Conclusion


In a line we can say Baba appreciates those thinkers when their guidelines are rational; and, Baba criticises those thinkers when their teachings are irrational. That is the sole reason behind Baba's praise and condemnation of any philosopher religious or social leader. So just because Baba appreciated a certain thinker or writer on single point, it does not mean that

Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
Supakash
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


(Note: Please also bear in mind that Buddha's teaching of samayak samadhi is different from Ananda Marga spiritual samadhi.)

References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 21, Nuclear Revolution
2. Yoga Psychology
3. Prout in a Nutshell - 17, Suppression, Repression and Oppression
4. Humans Society - 2, The Vaeshya Age
5. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 7, Párthasárathi Krśńa and Vishuddha Advaetaváda – 1 (Discourse 13)
6. Prout in a Nutshell - 4, Religious Dogma – Excerpt B


== Section 2: Hindi Quote ==


कोई भी किसी भी time में

“तो, और घबड़ाने की बात नहीं है इसलिए भी कि—परमात्मा सामग्रिक रूप से सबके साथ हैं | और वैयष्टिक रूप से हर जीव के साथ हैं | कोई भी किसी भी time में, किसी भी वक्त, किसी भी समय; ऐसा मनुष्य के जीवन में, कोई भी दुःसमय नहीं आ सकता है, जिस वक्त मनुष्य महसूस कर सकते हैं कि—वे अकेले हैं; he is never alone | कभी भी वे [जीव] अकेले नहीं हैं | वे तुम्हारे साथ दुःख में भी हैं, सुख में भी हैं | बात है कि तुम अपनी बुद्धूपनी के कारण सुख के time में उनको भूल जाते हो; और दुःख के time में रो-रोकर आकाश फटाते हो, चिल्लाते हो; यही करते हो | किन्तु बात सो नहीं है, वे हमेशा तुम्हारे साथ हैं | परमात्मा हँसते हैं—जब [सुख] के time में तुम कहते हो, "अरे, परमात्मा जहाँ हैं रहने दो |" और दुःख के time क्या करते हो ?  अपनी छाती पीटते हो | तो उस वक्त भी वे हँसते हैं—"अरे, तुम दो दिन पहले बोल रहे थे, 'जहाँ हैं वहाँ रहने दो' और अब छाती पीट रहे हो, कि होलइ गे, कि होतइ गे |" अहिं ना ?*”

[यह प्रवचन-अंश, बाबा के कैसेट से सीधे लिखा गया है । बाबा का यह असली प्रवचन, अमृतोपदेश है। आनन्दमार्ग हिन्दी पुस्तकों में छपे प्रवचन तो नक़ली प्रवचन हैं, असली नहीं हैं -- बंगालीकरण (बँगलाइजेसन) के तहत उनकी बर्बादी की गई]  [1]

Reference
1. अप्रकाशित, हिन्दी, MGD, September 4, 1978 Patna


== Section 3: Links ==
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Sunday, March 26, 2017

Self-watch + 3 more

Baba

Self-watch

Namaskar,

After reading Baba's various discourses about ego (ahamkara) and vanity (mada), then slowly, slowly it dawned on me what ego is. I realised that one need not be a king or queen to have an inflated ego. Anyone can suffer in this way. But, previously I was blind about this, so I thought I was 'ego-free'. Until Baba's discourses slowly shined the light on me and I began to understand my problem, by His grace. It was especially helpful to discuss Baba's discourses and teachings with good sadhakas. Then I became more aware about what ego is, and how it expresses itself. That is how it began to dawn on me that indeed I do have an inflated ego. And the danger about it all is that when one has an inflated ego then one cannot do proper sadhana. And that was my problem.
Contributed to http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Common signs of an inflated ego - 1


Here are some common signs and signals about whether one has a bigger type of ego or not. Everyone can read these criteria and decide for themselves if they suffer from this malady of being puffed up with vanity and having an inflated ego.

(A) When I did anything, then I used to have an underlying feeling that others should recognise, praise, or appreciate my efforts. This was my inner urge. I was thinking that I had done some great things and I wanted to hear a 'thank you' or some words of praise. And if this did not happen, then I would become disappointed, dejected, slightly depressed, or even furious. To the degree one suffers from this, it means they have ego. And that ego will impede one's sadhana. Of course, Baba is the real Doer - He inspires us to act and graces us to be able to do something. So really there is nothing for us to be egotistical about. It is all Him. But even then the unit ego likes to relish in the idea that 'I am great'.

(B) When walking into a room or arriving at a place or when meeting someone, I would always think that the next person should greet me first. I was thinking that others should serve me. Either they should take my coat, or bring me my food, or something. This was my expectation. So that was all the disease of my own ego, nothing else. I was thinking that due to my talents or seniority or for any reason, that others should greet me first and pay their salutations and honour me. They did not have to garland me, but I was feeling that something big or small should be done to distinguish my standing from theirs. That was my anticipation and expectation. And if it did not happen then I would feel uncomfortable, sad, or even miserable. So this was all the expression or disease of my inflated ego. This is another way to recognise if one has an over-active ego. When in truth one should be unconcerned and unaffected about how one is received by others. Rather one should be ever-ready to greet others first, which leads us to the next situation.

Common signs of an inflated ego - 2


(C) The next expression of ego is if one does not like to give respect or recognition to others. That is another sure sign that one's own ego is too big. I was thinking that their presence or their actions pale in comparison to mine. In that case why should I recognise them, rather they should appreciate me. This also was or is my problem. Of course the answer is that we should see all as the expression of Parama Purusa and one should not think that, 'I am I, and the next person is Joe or Shyam'. Rather we are to think that all are Parama Purusa. That is the only cure. Then one will be anxious and ready to greet each and every entity in this manifested universe. But my habit was not to do like this. I was constantly measuring myself up to others and calculating if I was better than them or not, in which case I would not recognise them but would wait for them to recognise me. This led to so many complexes - superiority or inferiority etc. All of which is a result of having too much ego.

(D) This next scenario may have been the worst of all because it was all happening internally. Even when I was all alone, when I performed any action, or did something 'good', then I was reassuring myself and thinking that I am the doer of many great works. I was petting my own ego that I did a particular work etc. In fact, this was how I made it through all my days. I would constantly stroke my own ego, subtlety telling myself that I was great. It was all happening within. And that type of harmful disease severely hampered my second lesson. I could not see Baba in anything because my own ego was always dominating. And when sitting in sadhana, it was even worse. The real answer, as we all know, is that He gives us all our energy and our duty is to serve Him. That is how we are to view our actions in this world. But because of my defective thinking, I could never ideate in this way and my practice of brahmacarya was negatively affected.

(E) So the above are ways in which ego expresses itself. And it is not always so blatant or glaring. It can be done in a small or almost unreognisable ways, so one has to be careful and perfectly honest. Otherwise you will not be able to identify the problem, yet it will hamper your sadhana, and also others will surely recognise it. So one should never harbour any type of feeling that others are low, or that I did this or that, or that I am better, or that others should recognise me. These are all lowly expressions of one's own unit and petty ego.

The great irony of it all


As one Dada once told me, the ironic thing about the ego is that most think that they have no ego. That's because people do not understand what are the manifestations of having an ego. When in fact having a big ego is one of the more common maladies on this earth in this present age. One need not be a king, sports hero, president, or movie star to have a big ego. Many have this problem and it deteriorates their well-being.

Because of the dominance of one's ego, people get sad or depressed, suffer from inferiority or superiority complexes, and cannot do proper sadhana. Because in sadhana their mind just spins around their own unit existence and cannot swim in the vast ocean of cosmic consciousness. If one thinks all day about their own so-called glories then they cannot do sadhana. In that predicament, one cannot overtly recognise why they cannot do sadhana. One will just think that sadhana is impossible or that Baba is not gracing me. One will not think that their own ego is the stumbling block - the real impediment.


Conclusion

The only way out is to do honest introspection and really ask yourself if any of the above egotistical situations apply to you. Do I expect praise from others; do I have feelings that I did something; do I want others to recognise me etc etc. One should be extremely honest in this regard. That is the way back onto the path of sadhana.
Ultimately, one has to cultivate the idea that Baba is doing everything. To gain success in this, one should do sincere sadhana, surrender unto Him, and ask for His divine compassion.

The greatest tragedy of a big ego is that one will go away from Parama Purusa. Because when ideating on one's own unit self or ego, then one cannot even think about Parama Purusa - let alone feel His presence. Rather one will just be involved in their own name, fame, and prestige, and then that mind will not flow towards Parama Purusa. That is why the ego is very bad and can destroy one's life as a sadhaka.

In Him,
Mukta
Contributed to http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

~ In-depth study ~


How to overcome trappings of the ego


Sadguru has given us the best way to overcome the bindings of the unit ego. In various Prabhat Samgiita compositions, Baba has given us this golden teaching:

'O Parama Purusa, due to the trappings of my own ego and unit existence and I cannot get close to You. That is the painful truth of my life. So Baba I request You to please grace me and remove my ego. On my own I cannot solve the problem. So please shower me with Your divine compassion such that I should never ideate on my own unit things, but rather always focus on Your lotus feet. O' Baba, please be gracious. I am completely depending on You. You are my Saviour and You have have accepted me as Your disciple and if I remain dirty then it will not be Your glory. In this way, take mercy on me-- on this poor and helpless soul-- and cleanse me of all egoistic feelings and make me Yours. O' my Baba, please be gracious...'

Here is also one teaching from our Beloved Guru that is especially helpful for curing an over-sized ego.

Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Bear in mind that you have a duty towards – indeed, you owe a debt to – every creature of this universe, but towards you, no one has any duty; from others, nothing is due." (1)

When sincerely followed, this above teaching along with regular meditation, will help one get onto the right path. In this regard, sadhana is essential, because only sadhana transforms and cleanses the mind deep inside.


Two flows of mind

The physical body flows in one direction. Each and every day it grows older and moves closer to death. But the mental body flows in two directions. It can go up or down. Like a river, it is easiest for the mind to flow downstream, into the depths of hell. But with sadhana, the mind can also flow upstream to the top of the mountain, to the height of human glory. But that takes energy and effort. Only with sadhana can one overcome petty feelings and make the mind expansive. Here the point is that human life is most often like a river flowing downstream in that the unit ego will just involve in itself because that is easy, ultimately making the mind smaller and smaller. By His grace, when doing sadhana, the mind grows in magnitude and becomes God-centered. Then and only then can the mind flow upstream and reach that divine abode. So we must put forth effort and then by His grace the mind will easily flow in this direction until we attain Him.

References
1. Caryacarya - 2, chapter 1, point #3
Contributed to http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


== Section 2: Important Teaching ==

So-called ghosts won’t terrorize the Ánanda Márgiis

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Sometimes you went to a particular house which is, suppose people say it is a haunted house. There are some haunted houses in each and every town, and I have already told that if you get any such haunted house, you just purchase it or use that house because ‘ghosts’ won’t terrorize the Ánanda Márgiis, [Bábá, laughing] because each and every Ánanda Márgii is a "ghost"."

    [laughter]

Sadguru Baba says, "शिवस्य गणः | शिव का गण है | They are followers of Shiva. The ghosts will not terrorize "ghosts". (1)

Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, chapter 17, MGD 19 October 1978 Patna
Contributed to http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

What disciples should do

WT conduct rule states: "We are all the children of the same Father, we are all the members of the same family. By fighting against all kinds of evil forces, we will establish the glory of our Father and the glory of our family." (1)

Note: A few bad Wts are going astray from this fundamental rule by spreading the poison of groupism and creating division throughout our AMPS and the greater society - all of which is against the ethic of neo-humanism. This is all happening due to greed, lust of power, desire for prestige etc. Unfortunately such persons are still walking around in WT garb and continuing to harm His mission. Such is the effect of their divisive ways. They have destroyed the sanctity and unity of the family. Now is the time for ideologically-minded margiis and Wts to rally and rectify such workers, thereby building a monolithic AMPS.

Note 2: Those who are sincere margiis adhere to this above cited rule since the spirit of this conduct rule is common to one and all.

In Him,
Ashish
Contributed to http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Reference
1. Point #13 of '14 Points', WT Conduct Rules


Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

~ Legal Notice ~
©2017 Ananda Marga Universal Forum. All rights reserved. Ananda Marga Universal Forum content is the intellectual property of Ananda Marga Universal Forum or its third party content providers. Ananda Marga Universal Forum shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Any copying, republication or redistribution, part or full, of Ananda Marga Universal Forum content, including by framing or similar means, is against the court of law and expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Ananda Marga Universal Forum.
This email contains four sections:
1. Posting: Self-watch
2. IT: So-called ghosts won’t terrorize the Ánanda Márgiis
3. IT: What disciples should do
4. Links

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Baba’s indirect style + 3 more

Baba

Baba’s indirect style

Namaskar,

All have seen how Baba would point out the defects of a particular person or group without naming them specifically. That way the general population could get the overall guideline in the most palatable way possible. Side by side, those sadhakas who were keenly aware would always know about whom Baba was speaking. This latter assembly could then benefit most from Baba's discourse.

About Islam


Here is an example of an indirect teaching where Baba is discussing the Islamic faith:

Ananda Marga ideology states, "There are some people who have the opinion that men are especially favoured by Parama Puruśa and that women are not; or that one man is equal to three women. This is dogma. These absurd ideas all originated in dogma. Any intelligent person can easily understand that these propositions are totally hollow and irrational. “The intellect of one man is equal to the intellect of three women” – it is a ridiculous statement. In reality, there may be some cases in which the intellect of one man may be equal only to that of two women. But then there may be other cases where the intellect of one woman may be equal to the intellect of twenty men. Such intelligent women can be found in the world. Or if we speak only of physical weight, then we may find some woman who weighs more than two men. Theoretical statements should not be accepted here." (1)

In His above teaching Baba is not merely denouncing sexist perspectives but is clearly critiquing the dogmatic ways of Islam. Only in Islam is it thought that three women are equal to one male. So here, without stating it outrightly, Baba is denouncing this point about the Muslim faith. Those in the know clearly understand this, whereas those with a less pointed intellect will not. So here Baba is critiquing Islam which claims that three women equal one male.


On Judaism, Islam, & Christianity

Here is an indirect teaching which Baba has given about Semitic religions:

   Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Almost every religion has claimed that only its followers are God's chosen people and that the rest of humanity is cursed and bound by the chains of Satan. One religion has declared, “Our prophet is the only saviour. There is no escape from mundane sufferings except by taking refuge in him.””
   “Another religion has declared, “I am the last prophet. Prayers must be said before God a specific number of times in a certain manner each day. Special animals must be sacrificed on particular days. These are the wishes of merciful God. Those who follow these injunctions will attain heaven on the Day of Judgement.””
   “Yet another religion says, “Know ye, my son, thy God is the only God. All other gods are false gods.” Just imagine, all these religions preach universal fraternity, and yet this universal fraternity is kept within the confines of their own community. Humanity gasps for breath at such preposterous claims of universal fraternity.”” (2)


Without naming the above religion, Baba is making clear-cut reference to the defects of the various Semitic religions. Baba is indirectly stating that it is Judaism, Islam, and Christianity that each lay claim that, "Our prophet is the only saviour."


About Gandhi


Here is an indirect teaching which Baba has given about M K Gandhi, India.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Who are responsible for the distress of these millions of refugees? Those demons in human framework, whom those poor fellows trusted; to give ovations to whom those people rushed to meetings with thousands of garlands; for whose satisfaction people used to don special kinds of [white] caps to cover up their sins." (3)

By reading the above, some may wonder who are these people in white caps, whereas others may think that Baba is merely talking in general about those who do wrong to the people. Those with greater insight understand that Baba is directly condemning the hypocrisy of M K Gandhi of India. It was Gandhi who divided the country of India, thereby leading to the displacement and death of millions of innocent citizens. And still today his supporters use white caps. Baba is stating that Gandhi is that demon in human framework whom those poor fellows entrusted.

On communism


Here is an indirect teaching which Baba has given about communism:

Propounder of Prout states, "I cannot support the attitude of those who denounce capitalism at every opportunity, because this allows capitalists to become alert and invent more scientific and devious ways to exploit the people. Those who lack a constructive ideology will never be capable of destroying capitalism." (4)

At first glance, some may just conclude that Baba is against capitalism or the enemies thereof, but that is not the main essence of His guideline. The unnamed ism that Baba is denouncing is socialism / communism. Such leftists always criticise the status quo of capitalism but have defective teachings of their own. So that is what Baba is clearly teaching in His guideline. Baba fundamental critique of communism is that it lacks a constructive ideology.

About Shankaracarya


Here is an indirect teaching which Baba has given about Shrii Shankaracarya ji:

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Once a certain mahápuruśa who happened to be an orthodox Máyávádin was walking along the road in Kashi [adjacent to Varanasi]...one morning a wild bull suddenly started to charge that mahápuruśa, so he ran away as fast as his legs could carry him. A logician who happened to be standing nearby asked the mahápuruśa, “Well sir, if you say that this world is unreal, then the bull is also unreal, so why are you running in fear?” That mahápuruśa would not accept any defeat in logic and replied, “My running away is also unreal.” This is the way things went on for many centuries." (5)

In the above story, Baba is talking specifically about a particular philosopher and his teaching. Some may just think this is a humorous tale or some random anecdote. However, here Baba is referring to the Shrii Shankaracarya ji and his teaching of mayavada, or illusion theory. Baba is telling us, in a psychological and humorous manner, that mayavada is 100% impractical, i.e. just a bogus theory that is impossible to follow in day to day life, and that Shankaracayara was incapable of following his own philosophy. Baba is guiding us that Shankaracarya was the one who ran away as fast as his legs could carry him.

On Semitic religions

Here is an indirect teaching which Baba has given about Semitic religions:

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “At one time people were told that this world is for human enjoyment only, so the existence of all the plants, of all the birds and animals, in the world is intended merely to provide objects of enjoyment for human beings. Their hopes and aspirations, their intense desire to live, their pains and pleasures, their affectionate family or community lives are simply without value. However much a baby goat may wish to live, the main consideration is how much meat that kid carries on its frame. This defective philosophy has made people ruthlessly violent – even more dangerous than blood-thirsty tigers. Tigers kill only to fill their stomachs, to preserve their physical existence; whereas human beings kill animals mostly out of greed. Generally people have resorted to hypocrisy to camouflage this instinct of greed; they have killed animals on the pretext of pleasing the gods, while actually their main motive in doing so was to please their own tongues. These are all the inevitable results of such defective philosophies.” (6)

In His above teaching, Baba is guiding us that followers of the Semitic religions (I.e. Judaism, Islam, & Christianity) look upon this earth as a place for their enjoyment

About Indira Gandhi


Here are a few examples of Baba's teaching via His indirect voice. Here first Baba is talking about Mrs Indira Gandhi.

Ananda Marga ideology says, "Suppose an evil force says, “I, the lord of a certain country, will destroy Ananda Marga from the very root.” A dha'rmika should maintain patience, should be patient. Because the day is soon to come when that evil force is going to be destroyed. Its weapon will serve as a boomerang for its own death. And this happened in the near past, as you all know." (7)

To innocent people, the above guideline may just be about keeping patience in the face of evil, etc or they may have some other notion. Whereas a proper sadhaka clearly realises that in the above teaching Baba is pointedly referring to the audacious talk and quick demise of Mrs Indira Gandhi. She is the "lord of a certain country" who vowed to "root out" Ananda Marga. So Baba is guiding such sadhakas that just as in the recent past, in the future also no enemy will ever be able to take down Ananda Marga ideology.

And this next guideline is working in a similar manner.

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "You have seen with your own eyes that in the past certain powerful persons thought, in their extreme vanity, that they could make or break anything. They perpetrated indescribable tortures and atrocities on Ananda Marga. But even in the face of such torments, Ananda Marga held its head high. There is no power in the universe, in the heaven or in the underworld, which can annihilate Ananda Marga, because Ananda Marga is established on the solid foundation of rationality and righteousness. If those wicked forces engage in fight with Ananda Marga, they will themselves be pulverized: they will be crushed like ants." (8)

In this above teaching Baba is again indirectly talking about Mrs Indira Gandhi as well as other malevolent forces that tried to destroy Ananda Marga. It was Indira Gandhi who upon attacking Ananda Marga was to be pulverized and crushed like an ant.

Conclusion

As sadhakas we are to propagate His teachings to one and all. We have much to learn from Baba's style of communication. Our approach should be both psychological and palatable. We should perfectly follow Baba's example.

We should always evaluate with whom we are speaking and then apply the proper voice. With those whom we are more close we can avoid lengthy talks and descriptions and use very direct language such as "Do this..." or "Don't do that...". And with those who are less close, we will have to take a more measured and calculated approach. By this way, step by step, we will be able to share Baba's teachings with all, in the best way possible.

So understanding Baba's indirect use of language offers two distinct benefits:
1) We can better understand and apply Ananda Marga ideology to daily life circumstances.
2) We can better present His teachings to various types of people.

Namaskar,
In Him,
Nirakar


On Christianity

   Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Some people say that human beings will one day have to face the Day of Judgment, Doomsday. Let us see how far this is correct. Rationally speaking, does it make sense? Where will the dead bodies of human beings remain, in their graves? Won't those dead bodies turn into soil beneath the ground? Near the knee, and in some other place, the bones of a dead body remain undecayed for eight to ten years. The remaining portion becomes part of the earth. So where will those bodies stay after death? In the graveyard? Isn't it possible that a farmer will plough that ground? Under such circumstances, when the body, cells and nerve fibres no longer exist, where will the departing minds and souls rest?"
    "Now, what is death? After death the mind becomes suspended, and the mind and átman become dissociated from the decaying body. So on the Day of Judgement, who will rise from the grave? The body cannot rise since it has already turned into soil. And where will the bodiless mind go? And when the mind is suspended, the jiivátmá cannot function either. Here is another point – human beings do not have to wait for the Day of Judgement." (9)

In His above teaching Baba is making reference to Doomsday and indirectly speaking about Christianity.

References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 15
2. Human Society - 1
3. Liberation of Intellect: Neo-humanism, Disc: 10
4. Problems of the Day, #3
5. Namámi Krśńasundaram, Disc: 10
6. Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 14)
7. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6
8. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Forward Movement Is the Essence of Life
9. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Superstitions about Death


*        *        *

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 ==

Having human body is not enough to be called as human

Ananda Marga ideology says, "Those who have established themselves in their spiritual being through the practice of spiritual cult are the real human beings. Others, who do not move on the subtler and sublime path of spirituality, and behave like animals, are humans only in name. Human beings alone have the privilege to do sa'dhana'. Animals, because of their intellectual deficiencies, are unable to adhere to the spiritual cult..."
 "Human beings, on the other hand, have the capacity to develop even in the spiritual realm. Those who do not pay heed to this special gift are animals, nay, even worse than animals. Animals are unable to make efforts for their spiritual development, whereas humans do have this ability." (1)

Note: Generally people think everyone with a human body as being human, but according to Baba's above teaching all are not human. In the above guideline Baba differentiates how and why.

Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Mysticism and Spirituality


== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

This earth is not permanent abode


Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Human beings come onto this earth for a very short period, and within this short period they are required to complete everything. So there is a great deal of work to be done, but the time is very short. Thus intelligent people make the best use of every moment of their time - wasting one's time is the height of foolishness. Why? Because no human being will remain on this earth for long, and the very goal of human life is to attain Parama Purusa, the Supreme Stance. Human beings, while moving forward towards that Goal which is fixed before their minds, will have to perform many worldly duties. That is why it is said, 'Keep one hand on the feet of Parama Purus'a, and with the other hand do your mundane duties'." (1)

Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Let Chattisgarh Have a Brilliant Future


== Section ==


उनसे permission नहीं लेकर, उनका पाप ले लेते हैं |

“ये जो तगड़े भक्त हैं, वे नहीं चाहेंगे कि अपना पाप परमपुरुष को दें | वे कहेंगे—"नहीं-नहीं, तुमको मिठाई देंगे, फूल देंगे, यह देंगे, माला देंगे | पाप नहीं देंगे, पाप नहीं देंगे | हमारे पाप का बोझा हम्हीं को ढोने दो"—यही कहेंगे | किन्तु परमपुरुष का तो बहुत प्यारा है मनुष्य | उनके भक्त बहुत प्यारे हैं | तो, इसलिए परमपुरुष क्या करते हैं ? न, उनसे permission नहीं लेकर, उनका पाप ले लेते हैं | किसी से permission नहीं लेकर, अगर किसी की चीज़ तुम ले लिए, तो उसको कहते हैं चोरी करना | To take something without permission | उसको चोरी कहते हैं | तो, परमपुरुष चोरी करते हैं | क्या चोरी करते हैं ? न, पाप | Permission माँगने से, अनुमति माँगने से भक्त अनुमति नहीं देंगे | बोलेंगे—"नहीं, और सब कुछ देंगे, पाप नहीं देंगे, आपको |" तो, पाप को वे चोरी करते हैं | चोरी करते हैं इसलिए उनका नाम है हरि | हरि की शरण में आ गए हो | और घबड़ाने की बात नहीं है |”
[यह बाबा के कैसेट से सीधे लिखा गया, बाबा का यह असली प्रवचन, अमृतोपदेश है। आनन्द मार्ग हिन्दी पुस्तकों में छपे प्रवचन तो नक़ली प्रवचन हैं, असली नहीं]
 
[1]

Reference
1. हिंदी, अप्रकाशित,Transcribed ver. GD 12 August 1978 Patna

== Section 4: Links ==
More important letters

Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

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This email contains four sections:1. Posting: Baba’s indirect style
2. IT: Having human body is not enough to be called as human
3. IT: This earth is not permanent abode
4. Links






Thursday, March 9, 2017

Dogmatic marriages & subjugation of girls + 2 more

Baba

Dogmatic marriages & subjugation of girls

Namaskar,
Here we uncover the shameful chapter of human history where members of one gotra would forcibly kidnap women from other gotras. And that message is conveyed still in traditional Indian marriage ceremonies. This letter concerns the Hindu dogma pervasive in traditional Indian marriage ceremonies where the female / bride is presented as the defeated party and captured as slave, while the male / groom is viewed as the victor-hero-king. Baba reveals the historical background of this dogma and how humiliating it is for the bride.

The entire marriage solemnization is essentially a dramatization of what took place on the battlefield in those olden days when the king and his victorious army would invade, attack, besiege a different hillock inhabited by a competing clan. The victorious king would beat and bloody all the females and capture them for his use - as slaves, servants, concubines etc. This is the gory and shameful scene that would take place and this entire drama is portrayed in today’s Indian marriage ceremonies. It grossly undermines and violates the dignity of women.

The key point is that the male and female, groom and bride, are not on equal footing. The red mark on the bridge signifies her crushed head. When today a bride is marked by that red color it is a sign of her submission. It is completely humiliating. Baba explains this here below - read carefully.

Females: defeated in battle & captured as slaves


Ananda Marga philosophy states, “All this invariably led the different clans into bloody conflicts. Those who were defeated in battle were captured as slaves and the women were taken to the harems of the victors. The victorious clan would then occupy the hill, the gotra of the vanquished clan. Thus within one gotra, there were many sub-gotras, called pravaras.” (1)

Men would strike the heads of the women with an axe, causing blood to flow

 
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The women were forcibly carried away, their hands bound in iron chains. Even to this day, women in Bengal and some other areas wear iron bangles on their wrists after marriage – the symbols of their ancient servitude. One should clearly understand this. The males who would attack the neighbouring hills would tie up the women and carry them to their own hill. Even today, during the marriage ceremony in certain parts of India, the bride’s clothes are tied to the clothes of the bridegroom. This enslavement of the defeated gotra was a great humiliation, especially for the women. Sometimes, during the battle, the men would strike the heads of the women with an axe, causing blood to flow. Up until the present, at the time of marriage, women use a vermilion cosmetic mark on their foreheads – a symbol of blood. However, Shiva, by introducing the Shaeva system of marriage, brought an end to this shameful chapter of human history.” (2)

Forcibly kidnap women from other clan


Baba says, “each clan used to live on a separate hill, and the leader of that clan was respected as rśi of the clan. The affiliations of the gotra people were indicated by the name of that particular rśi. After the patriarchal system was established, the members of one gotra would forcibly kidnap women from other gotras to their own gotra, their own hill. Thus immediately after the marriage, the woman’s gotra would change, because she was then a member of a different gotra, a separate hill.” (3)

So this is the long and tortuous history and still today in some form or another this is going on in that the females are taken from the defeated party. The bridegroom is the victor and the female is the subordinate. The symbols remain firmly in place in today’s typical Indian non-margii dogmatic marriage ceremonies. There is a clear-cut winner (bridegroom) and a vanquished party (bride). On the one side there is the vanity ridden winner (bridegroom) party and the other side humiliated party (bride). This is the shameful history and painful chapter of dogmatic, Indian marriages.

See here below this photo of a recent marriage ceremony. While looking at the photo try to identify as many of the dogmas which Baba has pointed out above. Then compare your list with what has been described below beneath the photo.



So many of the dogmas which Baba has pointed out are present in the above scene from a recent, traditional Indian marriage ceremony.

1. The girl has a vermilion mark on her forehead. As Baba has pointed out this signifies the blood rushing from the female’s head when they were brutally ransacked and attacked and taken away as slaves / captives by neighoring clans.

2. The groom has just arrived mounted on a decorated horse. So he is the key figure, just as in olden days the victorious king would arrive on horse as the commander of the army when claiming victory. Furthermore, the groom arrives surrounded by people standing around him just as the victorious king would have a retinue of foot soldiers in his entourage as he arrived on horseback.

3. The girl’s arm is covered by bangles which signify her capture and bondage. In the past the women were bound in iron chains and forcibly dragged away. The victorious party treated those females as their booty, one of the rights of victory. That is the meaning and history of the bangles which females wear today in the marriage ceremony.

4. Often the girl applies a mark upon the groom. This symbolises her accepting defeat to the victorious male king. It is a demonstration of submission. This sets the tone of a male-dominated society where the female is the property of one male.

5. This entire marriage scene is taking place at the bride’s family property just as the king’s victorious party would march upon the defeated clan / hillock and capture all their females.

6. This whole scene depicts the humiliation of females and how they are subservient to the dominant males.

As Sadguru Baba points out, this whole scene is quite humiliating and denigrating for those girls but due to their ignorance they feel ecstatic and glorified during this ceremony. When that girl was small she was taught that a one fine day she will become the property of another family. So they believe that this is a respectful and dignified outcome - i.e. to live as the property of someone else.

These are not innocent affairs


This defective mentality is similar to that of a caged bird that has been caged for so long that it cannot conceive of its own freedom. It likes that small, puny cage.

Baba is warning us about this dogma and it is our duty to educate the public and remove this social injustice and gender difference. Females are not anyone’s personal property. A few confused or very new margiis attend this dogmatic Hindu marriage ritual. But every true Ananda Margii must think long and hard before attending any such type of event etc - sincere sadhakas understand they cannot support or attend this Hindu ritual / dogmatic Indian ceremony. After all, these are not innocent affairs, but rather represent the imposition of dogma and the exploitation of women.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Renaissance people will have to start a movement immediately to fight against all these disparities; otherwise if fifty percent of the population, that is the ladies, remain downtrodden, how can there be all-round progress of human society? So these are all the social duties, the social responsibilities of the Renaissance movement. Renaissance people will have to wage war on these disparities, these inequalities – they will have to be rooted out of the society.” (4)

Conclusion


The above about Indian dogmatic marriages. Our Ananda Marga revolutionary marriage system is completely different - it is grounded in neo-humanism and dharma. Most Ananda Margiis perform Ananda Marga marriage ceremonies. But some pseudo people do both.

The purpose of this letter is to educate everyone that dogmatic Indian marriage do not give equal status to females and it si quite humiliating. The duty of all Anada Margiis is not to participate in such marriages and try to educate and convince the hosts about the harmful symbolism. By this way this dogma can one day be eliminated.

Namaskar.
In Him,
Sulekha' Singh



References
1. Namah Shiva Shantaya, Shiva – Both Severe and Tender (Discourse 2)
2. Namah Shiva Shantaya, Shiva – Both Severe and Tender (Discourse 2)
3. Namah Shiva Shantaya, Shiva – Both Severe and Tender (Discourse 2)
4. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Renaissance in All the Strata of Life


== Section 2: Important Teaching ==

Special place for sadhana?

You might have heard some people say that, “This place is very good for sadhana.” Especially you will hear this in Ananda Nagar, Jamalpur, Tiljala, Ranchi etc. They like to create the feeling that in order to get a special blessing you have to come in Ananda Nagar, Jamalpur, Tiljala, Ranchi etc and sit under that particular rock or tree etc. And then only sadhana will be best. Because that place emanates a spiritual vibration. Baba’s below teaching debunks this idea.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “To differentiate between different places for sádhaná, to consider one place more suitable than another, or to regard a particular spot as good and another bad, is to divide Brahma. Every place in this creation is the manifestation of the Supreme Cosmic Entity (Brahma), and to call one place good and another bad is to attribute these qualities to Brahma. If sádhaná is based on the consideration of good and bad, it will never be possible for one to develop the feeling of oneness with the rest of creation. One will never be able to love others as oneself. To Brahma every place is the same, and sádhaná can be practised anywhere.” (1)

If some place is isolated or a natural setting and there is no pollution of any kind, then that is suitable for sadhana in comparison to a noisy bus stop that smells like an open sewer. That is based entirely on the environmental qualities. The above teaching debunks the myth that some place is spiritually important whereas other places are not.

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, Why Are People Afraid of Intuitional Practice?




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This email contains three sections:1. Posting: Dogmatic marriages & subjugation of girls
2. IT: Special place for sadhana?
3. Links


Story: anger & hate + 2 more

Baba

Story: anger & hate

Note: This is a devotional story so those who do not have reverence for Baba may not understand it.

Namaskar,

Many know that in the 70's when the mass of Wts were called for reporting and RDS with Baba, then it was so crowded. The rooms were small and everyone had to squeeze into just a few rooms.

During one such occasion, Dada SN arrived and was told that all workers should place their bags and blankets into a particular room. There was hardly any space as hundreds of workers were putting their belongings in that same place. Anyway, somehow Dada SN ji found a tiny space. He spread his blanket halfway and placed his bag on top. Then he went off to attend his various meetings etc.

He felt hatred towards them

That evening when Dada SN ji returned, he saw that his belongings were not there. So he mistakenly thought one other Dada had intentionally tossed his things aside and taken his spot. When Ac Dada SN ji awakened that Dada and told him of the problem, the Dada did not even realise anything wrong had happened. He had no idea as his own things had also been shifted. After all, it was a small space that was filled with hundreds of Wts who were coming and going with their belongings.

Without thinking deeply and without asking others for help, Dada SN ji became extremely frustrated. In addition, it was a fasting day and that made his frustration mount even more. Internally he was thinking that many of these other Wts were just like monkeys, i.e. uncultured and uncivilised, just worthless people and he felt hatred towards them. Dada SN did not complain openly but those were the thoughts floating in his tumultuous state of mind.

Baba lovingly feigned anger to rectify Him


The next day Dada SN ji was called before Baba for reporting. Baba looked at him and in His loving liila He scolded him. Baba feigned anger and said, you must not harbour any hatred towards anyone. While pretending to be angry, Baba lovingly scolded Dada SN in this manner.

Dada was shocked to hear this. First because he had not complained to anyone about the incident; he had not shared his thoughts or feelings with anyone. Just Baba was peering into his mind. Secondly, he realised that he must reconsider his relations with other workers and never harbour any hatred or malice towards them. In Ananda Marga ours is a family feeling. Dada SN ji came to understand that he must have respect and love for all because of their inherent link with Parama Purusa.


Benevolently point out wrongdoers

This above story shows that we must not hate anyone. That does not mean that we cannot point out their wrongdoing. Rather we should oppose those who contravene various codes, and do’s and don'ts; they absolutely should be reprimanded and rectified. So we should take a stand against those wrongdoers, but only with the sweet motive to clean them of their faults. One should not loathe or harbour hatred towards them.

Ananda Marga ideology states, “You have no right to hate anyone. Do not be afraid of nature either. The thunder and the roar of the oceans hide His sweet music within their apparently frightful sounds. Fear none and hate none. All are One.” (1)

Ananda Vanii guides us, “You have no right to hate even a single living creature. The best you can do is only to serve. Remember, you are to serve bearing in mind that every creature is verily the living manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness. Remember also that the credit of service is not yours; it is due to the Supreme and the Supreme alone, whose ideation has inspired you to acquire the capability of rendering service.” (2)

Conclusion


Here following is Baba’s great teaching where He guides us about the importance of pointing out the wrongdoing of close persons. Just like how parents lovingly point out the faults of their kids, similarly with love we are to create the requisite circumstantial pressure so those who are very, very close to us - margiis, Wts, laokik relations, colleagues, and other respected persons etc - can mend their ways.

Here is an English summary of Sadguru Baba’s the below Hindi teaching: If our own person or relative deviates from the truth or is lacking sincerity, oppose him, do not tolerate him. It does not matter if he is our own relative. If our own person is dishonest and insincere then he is more dangerous. Why? If there is a snake outside it is dangerous, but if a snake comes inside the house it is more dangerous. Therefore he [our close person] should be opposed more strongly. (3)

अपना आदमी हो, घर का आदमी हो ; कोई सत्य से इधर-उधर हट गया, sincerity की कमी जिनमें है—उसका विरोध करो, बर्दाश्त मत करो | अपना आदमी है तो क्या है | अपना आदमी अगर असाधु है, insincere है, तो, और भी अधिक ख़तरनाक है | क्यों ? बाहर में अगर साँप रहा, वह जितना ख़तरनाक है, घर में अगर साँप घुस गया तो और भी अधिक ख़तरनाक है | इसलिए, और भी, उसका अधिक विरोध होना चाहिए |” (4)

In His above guideline Baba explains that bad elements in society are dangerous, but bad elements inside your house - inside your organisation - are more dangerous. Do not tolerate them, benevolently oppose them. So they can rectify their ways and become an asset to our Ananda Marga society.

Namaskar,
in Him,
Dayananda

References
1. 25 May 1969 DMC, Ranchi
2. Ananda Vanii #23
3. Taking Shelter in Satya is the Essence of Sadhana, EGD 25 November 1978 Mumbai -Trans: Dr. T.R.S.
4. Sa’dhana’ kii Mukhy Ba’t – Satya’shraii Bano, EGD 25 November 1978 Mumbai,

Warning about 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) The individual who steals gets degenerated and it sets a bad example in the social sphere.

3) It impedes social progress as others will not be inclined to pursue new and original work as they think that others will just steal it.

4) It breeds a society of lethargic people who will always wait for others to create something new. It is just like those who are lazy in the kitchen do not cook - just they wait for others to prepare food and then they steal it away and devour that food.

5) 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.


== Section 2: Main Topic ==

I had forgotten You completely, yet

Note: Only those bhaktas who feel a devotional vibration in their heart can understand this song in the depths of their core.

"Ámi, tomáy bhúle giye chinu, tumi nije mor páne ceyecho..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0629)

Purport:

O’ Parama Purusa, I had forgotten You completely. Yet, You came forward and looked towards me in a very compassionate way and and blessed me with bhakti. I deviated from the path which You had shown me, i.e. the practice of sadhana and Sixteen Points. I was not following bhagavata dharma, but rather but groupism. I fell from the path of neo-humanism but You lovingly pulled and brought me back onto the path of Ananda Marga. You forgave me and placed me back on the path of righteousness. With affection, You lifted me up and put me on Your divine lap. It is Your grace, Your unconditional love.

Although a planet is far from its nucleus star, can that planet ever drift far away from its star? No, that star attracts that planet incessantly towards itself. O’ Parama Purusa, in the same way, You also are pulling me always towards with love and affection. Many times I left my sadhana, and then You lovingly called me back and goaded me onto the path of bhakti. You are ever-caring.

Baba, The waves of the ocean drift far away - very far. But those waves never leave the ocean. The ocean always calls them and attracts them. With my ignorance I always lose sight of You. You are so gracious: You also constantly call me and pull me back towards You, and keep me under Your shelter. This is nothing but Your karuna, Your grace...



Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

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Baba


This email contains three sections:1. PS #0629: I had forgotten You completely, yet
2. Posting: Story: anger & hate
3. Links


Sunday, March 5, 2017

Fast to death: Avt capitulates to Gandhian way

Baba

Fast to death: Avt capitulates to Gandhian way

Namaskar,

You may know that Dada MC and his core supporters, under his direction, have declared to fast unto death, i.e. Gandhian style. And that is against the basic fundamentals of Prout. It helps the enemy because Dada MC and his supporters are destroying their own existence by declaring a hunger strike. Nowhere in Ananda Marga philosophy, or the teachings of neo-humanism, nor in Prout philosophy will you find any guideline that says to fight exploiters by doing a hunger fast. Rather, when fighting enemies one should strengthen themselves in all sorts of ways. The Gandhian way of fasting is just the opposite; it is suicidal.


Outlandish idea

You can imagine that you are attacking an enemy and in the middle of the war you announce the outlandish idea to adopt a Gandhian method whereby from now on, “All my commanders, troops, and soldiers will begin a fast unto death. And by this way we will march to victory and defeat our enemies.” However, by this outlandish Gandhian approach you are actually destroying your entire army and helping your enemy. That is why the Gandhian approach is suicidal.

Here the point is that with the strength of the body, mind, and intellect you are trying to defeat the exploiters. But the Gandhian way is to starve that same body, which in turn will adversely affect the mind and intellect. After a few days that person will lose their strength; in a short span they will become so depleted they will be unable to think or walk. That is why this type of protest is not only ignorance but suicide. Only the enemies are benefited by this slow, steady death of a Gandhian hunger fast.

That is exactly what is going on in AMPS protest movement. They are going to fast unto death. So it is a failed strategy.

Actually, the spirit of Dada MC’s overall plan of fighting against injustice is very good. But his approach is bad. Let me explain further. MC is trying to fight against all sorts of exploitation in AMPS. Indeed that is the need of the day. But his modus operandi, i.e. Gandhian approach of fasting to death, will harm all his fighting troops.


Conclusion

Nowhere in Ananda Marga philosophy, or the teachings of neo-humanism, nor in Prout philosophy will you find any guideline that says to fight exploiters by doing a hunger fast. Rather, when fighting enemies one should strengthen themselves in all sorts of ways. The Gandhian way of fasting is just the opposite; it is suicidal.

In Him
Kripal Singh

Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Some people are of the opinion that only humanistic appeals and no other approach can effect a change of heart. Although the principles of such people may be high, in reality the soil of the earth is extremely hard. Their appeals to do good cannot easily gain support. What are humanistic appeals, or satyágraha?...in simpler language, they are a way to compel people to move.” (1)

Dada MC: As you probably know this refers to Dada Mantracetanananda who has declared that he will fast to death and some of his supports have declared they will accompany him.


References
1. Human Society - 1, Social Justice



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Saturday, March 4, 2017

Crisis: what we can do + 2 more

Baba

Crisis: what we can do

Namaskar,
These days there is a serious water crisis around the globe affecting around 300+ million people who are suffering from lack of food, water, and daily needs, and thousands are dying. Many countries are experiencing a severe drought, in one region or another. See the list appended below.

Indeed, the environmental problems which Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar brought to light in the following Prout discourse more than a quarter-century ago are now becoming obvious to all. If people had paid attention when He first gave this warning, this current water problem would have been controlled or averted entirely.

The below image depicts the serious drought conditions in Somalia. Due to lack of food and water people are dying.

(Below Photo: Courtesy of Farah Abdi Warsameh, AP)



The above image depicts the serious drought conditions in Somalia. Due to lack of food and water people are dying.

Although researchers now understand the problem, they do not have the proper solution. So this teaching needs to be propagated. Then it can be solved.

Prout teachings offer simple and clear-cut answers. But because leaders are not paying heed they cannot solve these growing and ongoing environmental issues of drought, water crises, flood, and pollution etc.

Regardless what governments, corporations, and NGO's decide, we as Ananda Margiis and Proutists should each do what we can individually in our personal life and collectively. Every concerned person can help solve the matter by planting a tree and conserving water.

The below image depicts the serious drought conditions in Somalia. Due to lack of food and water thousands are dying. Here is one photo of child.

(Below Photo: Courtesy of Farah Abdi Warsameh, AP)


The above image depicts the serious drought conditions in Somalia. Due to lack of food and water thousands are dying. Here is one photo of child.

In the general society, people know the problems but not the solutions. It is our duty to share Prout’s answers with all. Kindly read the below key guidelines from Prout philosophy for how to resolve this burning issue of water crisis, drought and starvation. Please educate those in your community.

Every margii can help solve the matter to some degree by planting trees in your area, conserving water, and propagating of Prout's teachings.

Namaskar,
In Him
Brahma Prakash

~ In-depth study ~

  • Here below is an excerpt from the discourse, "Water Conservation", given by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, the Propounder of Prout.

Constructing more deep tube wells is not the answer

Water Conservation, 25 March 1989, Calcutta

If it does not rain anywhere on earth for only one year, all life on the planet will be destroyed. This is because all creatures – from the smallest organisms to the largest animals – need water. If there is no water, first the small creatures will die, then the ecological balance of the planet will be lost. Next, human beings will also die, and soon the earth will become a barren wasteland.


Global Water Crisis

In the near future there will be a severe crisis in many parts of the world. Many large rivers like the Ganga, the Jamuna and the Thames are already very polluted. People cannot drink this water, and if they even wash their hands in it they can become infected. The only solution is to rely on rainwater. We must collect the rainwater, develop the science of making artificial rain through helium or any other process, and bring the clouds which rain over the ocean onto the land. Constructing more deep tube wells is not the answer. Rather, we must catch the rainwater where it falls. Many ponds, canals, dams, lakes and reservoirs should be immediately constructed to catch the rainwater and store it for drinking water. This is the only way out of the water crisis that will confront humanity in the very near future.

In the physical sphere there are two types of calamities – natural calamities and those caused by human beings. Today most calamities are caused by human beings, but sometimes natural calamities like typhoons, floods, droughts, earthquakes, etc., also occur. Although different types of calamities may confront humanity, doomsday will never happen. The very idea of doomsday is based on dogma.


Land area of the Indian subcontinent is decreasing

The calamities caused by human beings are mainly of two types. First, many calamities are caused by the bifurcation and trifurcation of society. The bifurcation of society is exemplified by the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the recent war between North and South Vietnam. The division of India into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is an example of the trifurcation of society.

Calamities are also caused by the destruction of the environment and the indiscriminate exploitation of subterranean resources such as coal, oil and water. One of the greatest causes of environmental destruction is deforestation. Due to deforestation, the rain clouds coming from the Bay of Bengal travel all the way across India and rain on the Arabian Sea. That is, clouds which once rained on Magadh now rain on the Arabian Sea. Consequently, the water level in the Arabian Sea is gradually rising and the Bay of Bengal is becoming more salty. The result is that the water level around the coast of India is rising, the land area of the Indian subcontinent is decreasing and soil erosion is increasing. Approximately two-thirds of the surface of the globe is water and one-third is land, but due to deforestation the water portion is increasing and the land portion is decreasing.

Another cause of environmental destruction is the exploitation of subterranean resources. Deep cavities have been formed in the earth after extracting subterranean resources, and these cavities should be properly filled. In some countries it is the practice to use sand to fill the cavities created by mining underground coal. If these cavities are left unfilled, the surrounding regions are more likely to experience earthquakes than other areas. Moreover, the unfilled cavities can severely weaken the surface structure of the earth, causing whole regions to collapse.

Afforestation is the only solution to desertification


In some Arab countries, huge amounts of money have been made by extracting oil from under the ground. Several years ago the leaders of these countries realized that the supply of oil would not last forever, so they started to think about the future of their countries after the supply of oil was exhausted. They became concerned that the level of the water-table was falling and the sizes of the deserts were increasing. To solve this problem, they decided to import soil and sweet water to create dense forests. Now the trees that they planted are eight to ten years old, and last year it was reported that they experienced floods for the first time. Many of the local people had never seen floods before, and young children even cried in alarm at the sight of the rain!

The exploitation of subterranean water reserves is contributing to desertification in many parts of the world, and as the subterranean water level recedes, the soil near the surface dries out and plants wither and die. This has already happened in many parts of Rajasthan. Afforestation is the only solution to desertification. Human beings have suffered from water scarcity and drought in the past, and this problem will continue unless proper care is taken in the future. If deforestation and the indiscriminate exploitation of subterranean water reserves continue, it is likely that many parts of the world will face severe water shortages within 5 years until these issues are resolved. The only way to avoid such a catastrophe is to immediately implement a decentralized approach to water conservation. (Water Conservation, 25 March 1989, Calcutta)
  • Here above is an excerpt from the discourse, "Water Conservation", given by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, the Propounder of Prout.

Courtesy of San Jose Mercury News

“Extreme even in a state infamous for extremes, Santa Barbara is wet above but desperately dry below — and must grasp for solutions to cope with a future California climate that could deliver wetter storms but also deeper droughts.” (Courtesy of San Jose Mercury News)


Drought disasters

(Courtesy of Unicef)


The following eleven countries are experiencing severe droughts / disaster. Around the globe, approximately 300+ million people are suffering from severe drought, and lack of food, water, and daily needs.
  • Ethiopia
  • Eritrea
  • Somalia
  • Sudan
  • Uganda
  • Afghanistan
  • China
  • India
  • Iran
  • Morocco
  • Pakistan

*        *        *

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 ==

“Ghosts” are figment of imagination


Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "I had a certain acquaintance whose garden was quite large. One night his wife thought she saw a ghost in a corner of the garden. In Bihar, a female ghost is called `chudel' in Hindi. At the sight of the imagined ghost she cried out in fear, and fainted. She never regained consciousness and died some time later. The next night the same gentleman came out of his house at the same time. He also thought he saw the ghost. `Why should people have to die one after the other in this way?' he thought. Stepping forward to strike at the imaginary ghost with a stick, he suddenly saw that it was nothing but a bush which, in the moonlight, looked just like a human being. His wife had died for nothing, terrified by the deceptive image of a bush. Most so-called ghosts are like this. Towards the end of the rainy season rotting vegetation often gives out a gas, called marsh gas or will-o'-the-wisp, which bursts into flame when it comes in contact with oxygen. This burning gas may easily be taken to be a ghost. This is how a fear complex can develop." (1)

Note: In His various discourses, Baba clearly states that there is no such thing as “ghosts”; so-called ghosts do not exist. Most often, people in their mind imagine that there is a “ghost”, as is the case in the above example. When in fact there is a perfectly rational and logical explanation. People imagine it and become convinced that it is real.

Reference
1.  Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, How Should a Devotee Behave?


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