Baba
See: Tiljala idol worship
Namaskar,
Baba places great importance on the study of history as it enables both individuals and communities to learn from past mistakes and thereby progress. Failing that, without the study of history, people commit the same old blunders over and over again. In which case, they remain shackled by the crimes of the past and are unable to advance. So the review of history holds a unique place for the progress of any society.
As Ananda Margiis, we must know the history of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha (AMPS) and our stand on key events. Please read this below letter as an historical account which was first posted nearly four years ago on this network. But sadly, since that time Tiljala has continued to indulge in this ritualistic dogma on an annual basis. This is wholly against the teachings of Sadguru Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Those who in the name of the beginningless, endless, formless Brahma worship idols, are indulging in deliberate slander. You must not give indulgence to this type of Mahapápa (great sin).” (Caryacarya - 2, Sádhaná (Intuitional Practice), Point #18)
In Him,
Govind Ghosh
Ananda Marga News Bulletin Moderators
Note: This below letter was written in October 2015.
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Namaskar,
Now see the latest development unfolding in Tiljala. At our programme, our Dadas have started doing “idol worship.” Just see what is going on.
In the below images, see how our dadas decorated Guru's photo in the fashion of idol worship. Below are two photos. On the right is the idol of the elephant god Ganesh. This is the way dogmatic Hindu worshipers decorate and address the idol of the elephant god, Ganesh. And on the left is Sadguru’s image, and sadly it is decorated in the same style as the dogmatic worship of the idol Ganesh. This is the type of display our dadas have created with Guru’s image - all done in the vein of idol worship.
As every disciple knows, Sadguru Baba's photo should not be put up on the internet or mass emailed etc. Guru’s photo is for bhaktas only. It is not meant for circulation on the internet / mass media. This letter is related with dogma of idol worship going on in Tiljala. It is an important issue. Yet without this visual display it would be hard to convey the matter to readers whereby everyone could understand the extent to which this dogma is going on in Tiljala. So a photo was necessary; and for this reason, a white-silhouette of Baba was used in the below photo(s). So where the white mark is used to be Guru’s image. That is the left side photo below and the right side is the elephant god Ganesh. Hindu worshipers use the right side and the inventors of so-called mahaprayan use the left. Those dogmatic Hindu worshipers openly announce that they are doing idol worship. In contrast, the left side which is done in Tiljala is not announced as idol worship. Yet in practice and in action it is idol worship. it is just like even if you change the name of a hot Mexican chili pepper to the name of a sweet dessert, but still it will be an extremely hot chili pepper that will burn your esophagus. So, regardless of what they call it, the left side and the right side are the same dogma - i.e. idol worship.
Here again, in the above images, see how our dadas decorated Guru's photo in the fashion of idol worship. Above are two photos. On the right is the idol of the elephant god Ganesh. This is the way dogmatic Hindu worshipers decorate and address the idol of the elephant god, Ganesh. And on the left is Sadguru’s image and sadly it is decorated in the same style as the dogmatic worship of the idol Ganesh. This is the type of display our dadas have created with Guru’s image - all done in the vein of idol worship.
Idol worship is against Caryacarya
What our Dadas are doing is completely against Sadguru's guideline in Caryacarya.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Not to call a thing what it is, but to call it something else, is known as slander. Therefore those who in the name of the beginningless, endless, formless Brahma worship idols, are indulging in deliberate slander. You must not give indulgence to this type of Mahapápa (great sin).” (1)
Namaskar,
in Him,
Renuka Chatterjee
See here below another photo of the scene in Tiljala how they are doing idol worship as dogmatic Hindus do with the mythological elephant god Ganesh.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “You boys, you girls, you the spiritual aspirants, must always remember that you must never surrender at the altar of dogma. In the past, dogma committed so many nuisances, dogma created so many fissiparous tendencies in this human society. Your slogan should be “Dogma – No more! Dogma – No more!” Establish yourselves above the boundaries of dogma, and be established in the excellence of human glory.” (2)
Contradiction: all-pervasive Entity ⇒ idol worship
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “If idols made of wood, clay, iron or any other metal are accepted as objects of meditation, then what will be the result?” It is said, Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii [“As you think, so you become”]. The aspirants’ own entitative existence will be turned into clay, metal or wood – a state which in the scriptures is called Prakrtiliina. It is a dreadful state” (3)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “The mind is extroverted by idol worship and is attracted towards finite objects. If the mental force is directed towards finite and crude objects, then the person is ultimately converted into crudeness. As you think so you become. In the name of the universal all-pervading entity, idol worship is not permissible. An idol is a finite object. Is it not self-contradictory to call Brahma the all-pervasive entity and then to advocate idol worship? If idol is Brahma, the seat where it is installed is certainly outside Him! It is simply a paradox.” (4)
References
1. Caryacraya - 2, Sadhana, point #18
2. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Dogma – No More)
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, The Intuitional Science of Tantra
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Spiritual Practice and the Cosmic Science
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