Baba
Superstitions in AMPS etc
Namaskar,
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The social laws of the Marga do not only make no distinction between one person and another, but ensure that both sexes have to share equal responsibility in life. All social superstitions, such as discrimination against widows, etc., are discarded.” (1)
India Superstition: torture of widows
In various countries widows were not given equal rights. This was especially the case in India in certain communities.
(a) Widows were forced to remain celibate for the rest of their life.
(b) Widows were made to wear white uniforms.
(c) Widow were not allowed to participate in any festivities.
(d) Widow were forced to lead the life of a hermit and follow very restrictive conduct rules regarding food, and lifestyle habits etc.
(e) Due to childhood marriages, sometimes the infant of 2 or 3 years of age would become a widow and that child was forced to do twice monthly ekadashii fast without water. And their parents used to eat fish in front of that small child. And that infant would cry. What to say about food, the baby widow was not allowed to drink water. In severe conditions they would pour water in her ear to cool her down. This barbarous treatment went on for hundreds of years. This all happened due to the superstition of widowhood. That widow was treated as a demon who swallowed her husband. That was the belief.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "उस time में कम उमर में शादी होती थी | तीन-चार साल की बच्ची विधवा हो गई | तो, हम जानते हैं बङ्गाल में वह तीन-चार साल की बच्ची को भी एकादशी में उपवास करना पड़ता था---निर्जला, निरम्बु, without water | तो वह रोती थी, बच्ची तीन साल की विधवा | तो वह तालाब में ऐसे बैठ सकती थी, किन्तु पानी पी नहीं सकती थी | और, जब अधिक चिल्लाती थी, तो relative लोग क्या करते थे ? तालाब से थोड़ा पानी लेकर उसके कान में डाल देते थे; मुँह में नहीं---यह क्या है ? Dogma | तो, मनुष्य-मनुष्य में भेद है ? और उसी बच्ची जो बाप-माँ, वे बैठकर मछली और भात खाते थे | यही सामाजिक सुविचार है ? इस dogma के ख़िलाफ़ तुम लोगों को आवाज़ बुलन्द करनी है |" (2)
Superstitions in AMPS
(a) If you are born in a particular caste then you will be in central office.
(b) If your mother tongue is of a particular language then only can you govern a unified AMPS.
(c) If you are born in a particular country then you can get a top or key post like SS or central.
(d) If you are born as a certain gender then you have to be subservient to the other gender.
Ananda Marga philosophy does not support these above or any superstitions. But the organisation AMPS which is made to propagate Ananda Marga philosophy is slowly drowning in superstition. We have to be alert. Now please see what Baba says about superstition.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Superstitions have not left any field uncontaminated. In the social sphere there is no dearth of superstitions. Witchcraft, discrimination against widows, etc., are curses in society only due to such superstitions. In the psychic sphere there are deep-rooted superstitions such as the belief in ghosts (bhút), etc. Not only this, but superstitions related to shráddha [funeral ceremonies], etc., have also bound down even the progeny of a person. In the spiritual field, also, ignorant people have been forced to do many things only because of the deep-rooted superstition of heaven and hell. All these only disturb psychic equilibrium and bring about discord and worry in society. For the preservation of peace, the fight against superstition is of prime importance." ( A Few Problems Solved - 7, Social Psychology)
Europe: Superstition about illegitimate children
A similar thing happened in Christian countries also. For example, in Ireland if a girl got pregnant out of wedlock she was forced to live in a caged house. In that segregated place, cut off from the rest of society, the girl would lead a life of humiliation. After giving birth she was basically separated from her child. Just during specific times those women would take care of the child and then spend the bulk of the time as slave labour for the church. When the child became a year old that child was forcibly separated from the mother as punishment to both the mother and child for giving birth out of wedlock. This was due to the superstition that both child and mother were both work of the devil. And they should not live in the society otherwise the society would get destroyed. When the mother was outside the compound she was forced not to talk with anyone about the child. By this punishment, both mother and baby were terribly harmed. The child was emotionally scarred as that baby did not get love and affection it needed and the mother was also scarred as she lost her child. Ultimately, the church put the child up for adoption and that child was often abused by the adoptive family.
Africa: torturing children as being the devil
In Africa there are thousands of innocent kids no older than 3 or 4 years of age who are accused of being the incarnation of the devil. Those kids get beaten and removed from their homes. Those kids are completely alienated as no one wants to go close to those kids. So those children start living in the street like dogs. At times a few good people care for them, but thousands of those innocent children die of neglect. This entire scene is similar to the Salem witch trials in the US during the 1690’s when certain women were declared as being witches and they were often tortured to death.
Conclusion
In our Ananda Marga there are no such superstitions. Widows are not harshly labeled as outcastes etc simply because they are a widow. Widows are granted the same rights and respect as everyone else. And children born out of wedlock are also given 100% of the rights as those kids born to a married parents. Those born out of wedlock are not stigmatized. Baba has given Ananda Marga to eradicate all sorts of religious superstition and dogmas.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Satyadras’t’a’
~ Courtesy of CNN ~
“CNN: Excavations have uncovered "significant quantities of human remains" at a former home for unmarried mothers run by nuns in Ireland, officials said Friday. Tests indicated they belonged to young children. An investigation was opened following public outcry when a local historian said in 2014 that she believed the bodies of 800 children could be buried on the site of the former St. Mary's Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway. The remains were found in the chambers of an underground structure next to a septic tank which could have been used for sewage storage or treatment, the Commission on Mother and Baby Homes said in a statement Friday.” (3)
~ Courtesy of Wikipedia ~
“Wikipedia: Recent reports by UNICEF, UNHCR, Save The Children and Human Rights Watch have also highlighted the violence and abuse towards children accused of witchcraft in Africa. Accusations of witchcraft in Africa are a very serious matter as the witch is culturally understood to be the epitome of evil and the cause of all misfortune, disease and death. Consequently, the witch is the most hated person in African society and subjected to punishment, torture and even death.”
“The victims of witchcraft accusations in African societies have usually been the elderly, the disabled, albinos and anyone who was considered different. In recent years due to the impact of rapid urbanisation, economic decline, as well as the HIV/AIDS pandemic, children have become more and more the victims of witchcraft accusations, especially orphans. Child victims of witchcraft accusations are more vulnerable than adult victims as they cannot defend themselves as they are confronted with physical and psychological abuse from their family and community. Children accused of witchcraft may be subjected to violent exorcism rituals by African Pentecostal-Charismatic pastors who mix Christianity with African witchcraft beliefs. Such exorcism may include incarceration, starvation and being made to drink hazardous substances. In other cases accused children are expelled and end up living on the streets, are trafficked and in some instances they are killed.” (4)
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Ananda Marga – A Revolution
1. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Ananda Marga – A Revolution
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 13, chapter 4
3. Courtesy of CNN
4. Courtesy of Wikipedia
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