Baba
Backdoor dogma
Namaskar,
Since 1990, there have been innumerable cases wherein margii families have secretly chosen to observe the anniversary of the death of their cherished relative. For instance, if someone dies on July 1st, then the prescribed system as per Caryacarya is to mourn and observe the death for no more than 12 days. That means, by 13 July, all public ceremonies and gatherings related with the mourning of the deceased must be completed.
Annual death ceremony of relatives
But some families are opting to celebrate the death for years and years, by honouring the anniversary of the death each year on July 1. They mark those celebrations by announcing and holding a grand kiirtan gathering, without telling general margiis ahead of time that this is actually a death-day observance. So it is all done surreptitiously. Then once everyone arrives and the program is going on, they are eager to count how many attended so they can brag to their non-margii relatives about how many they fed etc. At the end of the gathering, they distribute food and clothing, and garland the deceased margiis's photo etc. Just as is done in Urs (Islamic annual death ceremony).
To some naive persons this may sound "honourable" or "respectful", but it is 100% against Baba's system. Sadly, nowadays in our Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, one dogma is piggy-backing itself on top of an existing one. Specifically, the existing Urs (Islamic annual death ceremony) dogma has been redecorated and given a place in as an annual death day ceremony for Ananda Margiis who have passed away. Some may think this is something glorious, but this runs contrary to Baba's teaching. It is a dogma that must be removed.
What about only 12 day mourning period?
Baba has declared that the period of mourning shall be 12 days - no more.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "The period of mourning should not extend beyond twelve days." (1)
To observe an annual death day ceremony is against Guru's guideline and against His wish.
Not pleasing Guru
However, certain families justify that, “When so-called mahaprayan is observed every year as Urs (dogmatic Islamic ceremony) in Tiljala, then why can't we (i.e. the family) observe the death of our dear loved one, each year on the anniversary of his death.”
They innocently think that by honouring the death day annually, they are pleasing both Baba and their deceased relative. But in reality they are satisfying neither. Because (#1) to please Baba one must follow His teachings, and (#2) there is nothing one can do to please a deceased person.
So by observing the annual death day, neither party is pleased. Firstly, Guru is not pleased because the annual death day programme runs contrary to His teachings; secondly, there is no way to please a deceased person as they are beyond pleasure and pain.
Unfortunately people have fallen into this trap of the annual death day ceremony of their relative because that is the prevailing Islamic dogma and that is what certain group leaders have popularised in Ananda Marga. This is the predicament and the new dogma that is growing.
Deception: annual death-day food at dharmacakra
Sometimes, after performing various dogmatic rituals in their home on the anniversary of the death of their loved one / ancestors, they bring a donation basket of food and sweets to the local jagrti and children's home without telling anyone that it is the food of a death day ceremony. Attendees of dharmacakra are not aware of the situation and are thus fed this sinful food. This is the deceptive way some are carrying out the yearly death day ceremony. So beware.
Why do they do this so secretly? Because those hosts know that death day food is forbidden in Ananda Marga so they employ this deceptive tactic. They know that if they openly tell that, “This is a food offering on the annual death day of my father etc,” then margiis will not eat that food. So the family honouring the death day keeps quiet and simply offers the food without telling anyone. In this way, margiis are duped, eat that food, and the family making the offering thinks in their dogmatic way that their forefathers in so-called heaven will get a blessing. But this is their ignorance.
Here we have to remember that in some places like India, people commonly do such things on the death day of their ancestors, and the margiis do not realise what is going on. They just think that person or family is being genuine and generous. They do not suspect that this food is from the sinful annual dogmatic death day ceremony. But unfortunately that is what it is.
Watch out: suddenly became very generous
In that case, in each unit the BP must keep accurate records of who died and when. And if they notice a pattern of food offerings on the annual death day then they must confront the person.
The duty of margiis is to point out and punish those offering and feeding others this type of sinful food at dharmacakra. Because what they are doing is dogmatic, deceptive, manipulative, and harmful. It is just like if someone is secretly lacing your sentient meal with onion, garlic, animal lard, or small pieces of beef. Thus we must not tolerate those who are secretly offering dogmatic death day food (fruit, sweets, feasts etc).
In any unit if it is seen that someone has suddenly become very generous on a particular day, and it becomes known that this is the death day of their ancestors, then everyone must be vigilant to point out that individual and root out that dogma. It should not be allowed to flourish, masked in deception etc. So the duty of the BP is to mark the dates and keep a careful eye.
Ananda Marga Carycarya says, "Shráddhánna: Shráddhánna (food offered at a memorial service) is neither priityanna nor ápadanna, hence it is not to be taken." (2)
MPD copied from Islamic annual Urs
The "founders" of so-called mahaprayan have described the dogmatic MPD program as sad and solemn. By their description it is clear that they just copied the Islamic dogma of annual Urs by doing mass feeding and distributing clothes etc. Below is an excerpt from some of their emails that displays their way of describing the so-called mahaprayan gathering.
PRS Kolkata propagates, "The Solemn Observation...With tears in eyes and hearts full of His memories...The anniversary of Mahaprayan of Shrii Shrii Anandamurtijii has been solemnly observed today...where His mortal remains were cremated...Central and global workers first went to His quarters to garland His Pratikrti and did Gurupuja in that vibrating room. Led by Ac. Kinshuk Ranjan Sarkar, all came to Baba's memorial ...There was mass feeding of more than a thousand poor people and about 500 persons were given new clothes...Exactly at 3.30 pm, the Maha Kiirtan.”Over the years, this is the way or style that B group PRS has announced the gathering. And still this is going on. This same course of events happens in the dogmatic Islamic dogma of annual Urs programs of Ajmer India. So MPD is not some glorious thing invented by certain Dadas, rather the so-called mahaprayan program is just the prevailing dogma that is common in Islam. Baba condemns such antics.
>From top to bottom - the "solemnity" and sadness to food distribution etc - the whole so-called mahaprayan agenda is painted in the colour of the dogmatic Islamic annual death ceremony. For that reason and more, mahaprayan is just one dogma.
in Him,
Shankar Basu
~ In-depth study ~
The Islamic Urs festival is an annual death ceremony held at Ajmer, a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, which commemorates the death anniversary of the Islamic Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, (founder of the Chishtiya Sufi Islamic order in India). This annual death ceremony ritual is held over six days and features night-long dhikr / zikr qawwali singing. The anniversary is celebrated in the seventh month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Thousands of Islamic pilgrims visit the shrine from all over India and abroad.
For deeper understanding about Islamic 700- year old annual death ceremony dogma please see this below link. All should so-called mahaprayan is adopted from this Islamic ritual.
References
1. Caryacarya - 1, Shráddha Ceremony
2. Caryacarya-2, Society, Point #37
== Section 2: Hindi Quote ==
तुम्हें help करेंगे
“निडर बनो | हिम्मत के साथ आगे बढ़ो | परमपिता तुम्हारे साथ हैं | वे हैं इसलिए तुम्हें साधना करने कि ख़्वाहिश हुई है | तुम आगे बढ़ते रहो, एक दिन परमपिता के पास अवश्य पहुँच जाओगे | वे साथ हैं, हर हालत में तुम्हें help करेंगे |”
[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. सर्वाजीवे-अमृतत्वमेति, Sarva’jiive-Amrtatvameti, NP, GD, Allahabad, maybe 1/1/1968, Date unknown
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Animals also use herbs
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Since the advent of living beings on this earth, medicines have been used. Dogs, cats, snakes, mongooses-- all animals, in fact all beings-- need some kind of medicine in various conditions. When wild animals become sick, they rub their bodies against certain trees and plants to cure their ailments. This shows that all living beings are more or less acquainted with some types of medicine." (1)
Reference
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, 95 edn, p. 28
== Section 4: Bangla Quote ==
পরমপুরুষকে স্মরণ করৰে
“ভয় থেকে ৰাঁচৰার উপায় হ’ল একটা | কি ? না “বৈরাগ্যমেবাভয়ম্” | পরমপুরুষের শরণ নেওয়া | কারণ যম পরমপুরুষকে ভয় পায় | সৰাই পরমপুরুষকে ভয় পায় | আর যাকে সৰাই ভয় পায়, তুমি যদি তাকে ভালৰেসে ফেললে, তাহলে অন্যেরা তোমাকেও তো একটু-একটু ভয় পাৰে | “
[হাসি]
তাই যে সাধক, সে কোনও কিছুকে ভয় পাৰে না | আর, তার মনে যদি কখনও মনের ইশান কোনে একটুও ভয়ের কৃষ্ণ মেঘ দেখা দেয়, সঙ্গে-সঙ্গে সে পরমপুরুষকে স্মরণ করৰে | ৰলৰে, “আমি তোমাকে ভালৰাসি, তাই আমি আর কাউকে ভয় পাই না |”
[“ৰাৰা, ৰাৰা, ৰাৰা !”]
কল্যাণমস্তু |” (1)
Reference
1. GD 24 February 1980 Calcutta
== Section 5: Links ==
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