Baba
Marriage alert
Namaskar,
Marriage is an important element for the health and well-being of any society or community. Humanity has witnessed how some insular communities suffer terribly when the male and female from the same extended family or similar bloodline marry. This can be extremely damaging to their offspring. To safeguard us from such tragedies and promote genetic diversity within the Marga, Sadguru Baba has given the following guidelines concerning marriage.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “The guardians should not allow matrimony between persons connected with each other either on the paternal or the maternal side for three generations, ascending or descending.” (1)
Ananda Marga teachings guide us, "At the time of marriage the bride and bridegroom should not have any direct relationship three generations above and three generations below. If this condition is not met, the marriage should not be solemnised." (2)
Alarming situation
The above rules are very important to bear in mind - especially in this day and age when the number of Ananda Margiis is quite limited. And of those initiated, the number of active margiis is even more restricted. Since the start of our AMPS, just over half-century ago, there has been an abundance of marriages within that smaller community of active Ananda Margiis. This is especially the case in India.
Now then is the time when a catastrophe could happen - i.e. a contravention of the rule about no blood relation for three generations up and down between the bride and the groom. As family trees can become quite intricate, it may sometimes seem too complex to calculate. In that case the best option is to consult with any professional in the field of genealogy. Even in the villages there are specialists who can evaluate the case in an accurate manner. And if in your area you cannot get a convincing answer, then you may write us for support.
The main problem is that due to marital relations between people of the same or similar lineage / bloodline, there is a spike in birth defects. This has been scientifically proven and demonstrated through case studies on communities where marriages have been made between people who are closely related. In this regard, love marriages are the worst. Because when allurement and infatuation trump all, and sensuality is the motivating factor then the marrying couple does not care about a rational approach. On this point, love marriages are not safe as they do not consider the bloodline. A thoughtful approach to arranged marriages is the proper way to proceed.
This theory about not marrying within the same bloodline does not just apply to human beings. This phenomenon is true throughout the natural world, i.e. the animal and plant kingdoms. If animals and plants are from distant genealogies then their progeny and reproduction will be very healthy and strong. And if they are inbred, they will be sickly and die prematurely.
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Conclusion
This letter is a warning that there should be at minimum a three generation gap - and the more distant the better. The marriage of union between closely related individuals is very dangerous and detrimental.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Viniit
Case study: how marriage was cause of congenital disorder
A marriage was performed in North India as per the Ananda Marga marriage ceremony system. Miirabai, the niece of Tarakanath, married Gagan, whose father is the second cousin of Taraknath’s father. The marriage was well attended by more than a dozen Wt Dadas and Didis. And two family acaryas performed the marriage. However, before such a marriage was held, there should have been an in-depth review by a specialist to ensure this marriage was in concert with Sadguru Baba’s teaching about the separation of bloodlines for three generations. Tragically, without checking the marriage was solemnised and when their first child was born the baby had a congenital disorder. By reviewing the whole situation they found out that the marriage was consanguineous and that was the cause. In that case, not checking the bloodline / lineage became deadly.
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~ In-depth study ~
Consanguineous Marriage birth defects
~ Courtesy of The Guardian ~
"Marriage between first cousins doubles the risk of children being born with birth defects, according to a study seeking answers to the higher than expected rates of deaths and congenital abnormalities in the babies of the Pakistani community.
Researchers have concluded that the cultural practice of marriage between first cousins is a bigger factor than any other – outweighing the effects of deprivation in parts of Bradford, where the study was carried out. Marriage to a blood relative accounted for nearly a third (31%) of all birth defects in babies of Pakistani origin.
The risk of having a baby with birth defects – usually heart or nervous system problems which can sometimes be fatal – is still small, but it rises from 3% in the general Pakistani population to 6% among those married to blood relatives. The researchers also found a doubling of the risk in the babies of white British women who were over the age of 34. That increased risk, rising from 2% to 4%, is already known." (Courtesy of the Guardian)
The stories you need to read, in one handy email
~ Courtesy of The Guardian ~
"Every year there are about 90 more baby deaths than would be expected in the Pakistani community in England and Wales because of birth defects. But the issue is highly sensitive because marriage within families is an established cultural tradition.
Previous studies have caused controversy but the lead author of the paper, Dr Eamonn Sheridan from Leeds University, said there has been strong community involvement in the Born in Bradford study, which has been following the health of 13,500 babies delivered in the Bradford Royal Infirmary between 2007 and 2011." (Courtesy of the Guardian)
Anticipated health risks to their offspring
~ Courtesy of NIH ~
"Consanguinity is a deeply rooted social trend among one-fifth of the world population mostly residing in the Middle East, West Asia and North Africa, as well as among emigrants from these communities now residing in North America, Europe and Australia. The mounting public awareness on prevention of congenital and genetic disorders in offspring is driving an increasing number of couples contemplating marriage and reproduction in highly consanguineous communities to seek counseling on consanguinity. Primary health care providers are faced with consanguineous couples demanding answers to their questions on the anticipated health risks to their offspring. Preconception and premarital counseling on consanguinity should be part of the training of health care providers particularly in highly consanguineous populations." (Courtesy of the National Institute of Health)
References
1. Caryacarya - 1, Marriage Ceremony
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam-7, Bhaerava and Bhaeravii
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
I visited innumerable so-called holy places
“Kon ajánáy chile bahu kál, áj, jánár jagate esecho …” (Prabhat Samgiita #2700)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, in which unknown divine world have You been for such a long time. I have no idea where You were. Today, You have made Your advent into the known world. You have blessed me by coming close into my grasp. You were the moon of the far distant sky in Your stance as Nirguna Brahma. But now You are floating in the depths of my mind. You have come as Taraka Brahma and allowed me to make You mine.
O’ Parama Purusa, the Divine Entity, I have wandered around the so-called holy places of innumerable villages, towns, and cities with the hope of having Your darshan. Baba, I went to Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, and Jamalpur in search of You. But my longing was not quenched; You were not seen in any of those places. I did not get You anywhere. Seeing my dogmatic state of running from one tiirtha to another, You were smiling at me from afar - remaining way beyond my reach.
Baba, today I realised that to attain You Your karun’a’ is the essence; there is no other way to get You than by Your mercy. For this reason, on the path of spirituality, knowledge and intellect accept their defeat. One cannot get You with karma and jinana. Only You can be attained by Your divine krpa’. Parama Purusa, You are compassion personified. You saw my condition and blessed me with the realisation of this very important, eternal truth: That without Your help nobody can attain You. You are love-personified.
Baba, please shower Your karuna’. I do sastaunga pranama to You….
“Kon ajánáy chile bahu kál, áj, jánár jagate esecho …” (Prabhat Samgiita #2700)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, in which unknown divine world have You been for such a long time. I have no idea where You were. Today, You have made Your advent into the known world. You have blessed me by coming close into my grasp. You were the moon of the far distant sky in Your stance as Nirguna Brahma. But now You are floating in the depths of my mind. You have come as Taraka Brahma and allowed me to make You mine.
O’ Parama Purusa, the Divine Entity, I have wandered around the so-called holy places of innumerable villages, towns, and cities with the hope of having Your darshan. Baba, I went to Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, and Jamalpur in search of You. But my longing was not quenched; You were not seen in any of those places. I did not get You anywhere. Seeing my dogmatic state of running from one tiirtha to another, You were smiling at me from afar - remaining way beyond my reach.
Baba, today I realised that to attain You Your karun’a’ is the essence; there is no other way to get You than by Your mercy. For this reason, on the path of spirituality, knowledge and intellect accept their defeat. One cannot get You with karma and jinana. Only You can be attained by Your divine krpa’. Parama Purusa, You are compassion personified. You saw my condition and blessed me with the realisation of this very important, eternal truth: That without Your help nobody can attain You. You are love-personified.
Baba, please shower Your karuna’. I do sastaunga pranama to You….
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology states, “This lacuna in the physical sphere, and the consequent disparity, is the noumenal cause of all phenomenal troubles. Due to this noumenal cause, peace in the psychic sphere is being disturbed again and again.”
“With this end in view, with the sole purpose of removing physical misery and affliction, and keeping in view the higher goals of human life, the Prout philosophy has been formulated. There was no alternative but to propagate the Prout philosophy. Had it not been done, maybe human sorrows and sufferings would have been perpetrated for centuries together. Mean opportunists would have continued their exploitation, taking advantage of the simplicity or intellectual deficiency of the innocent and credulous masses. This exploitation has been perpetrated mainly in three ways: oppression, suppression and exploitation.” (1)
Note: As explained above, Prout philosophy has been formulated by Baba for two fundamental reasons:
(a) To keep the mind fixed towards the Goal - Parama Purusa.The overall idea being that any theory that does not have a spiritual Goal and only focuses on solving society's problems will not only render itself useless but will prove to be disastrous also. History has shown this. Here following is further explanation.
(b) To solve all the problems in human society.
In the first paragraph of Baba's above cited message, He is giving His special guideline that Prout is spiritually-based, and that it "keeps the Goal firmly in front of one's eyes." And by this divine ideal, Baba has given Prout to alleviate the problems in all the sphere's of life.
And in the second paragraph of the above quotation, Baba is telling us that materialistic approaches like communism utterly fail to properly guide the society. Communism attempted to cure the social ills by redistributing the wealth etc. But without a proper goal, communism only wreaked havoc on the people and created more problems and worse destruction. So any socio-economic theory must be spiritually based-- this is Baba's teaching in Prout. Baba describes this in various discourses including “The Future of Civilization.”
Unfortunately these days, in a few materialistic countries some are claiming that certain non-margiis are top-grade Proutists. Such persons wrongly think that spirituality is not needed for being a Proutist. Their understanding is comparable to one blind person's evaluation of an elephant. Blind people conclude that an elephant is like a rope or a pillar, depending upon what part of the elephant that they touch. So their limited understanding is devoid of any greater meaning. Similar is the understanding of those who think that Prout can be led by non-margiis. Their level of understanding is no better than that of one small kid.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, The Physical, Psychic and Spiritual Strata
==
Section 4: Links ==
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For posting translation / जो अंग्रेजी नहीं जानते :
Those who face difficulty in understanding English should copy sections of the post, paste them into Google translate, choose whatever language you like, and the post will be translated then and there into your selected language. In this way you will get some approximate idea of the subject discussed. Here is the link for Google translate: https://translate.google.com.
This email contains four sections:
1. PS #2700: I visited innumerable so-called holy places
2. Posting: Marriage alert
3. IT: Proutist must be theist
4. Links
