Baba
Namaskar,
In
Ananda Marga, we all know that Baba graciously guides us that spiritual
attainment is one beautiful and blissful process whereby one actively
directs their mind towards God - wherein all the mental propensities are
channelised towards Parama Purusa. And in Ananda Sutram Baba gives this
eternal truth.
Brhades'an'a'pran'idha'nam' ca dharmah
“Meaning: To long for and run after the Great is dharma.”
"When
knowingly one tries to attain the Great...that bearing is called
dharma, and the effort involved is called dharma sadhana." (1)
Hence
to get success, longing for the Great is needed. Otherwise - without
desire - how can one get Parama Purusa. The key point is properly
channelising or goading one's mental desires towards God. Thus desire is
one integral and important ingredient for attaining Parama Purusa.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Dogma #1: misguided way to deal with desire
However, Yudhis'thira is recommending a defective vision that one should completely rid the mind of desires.
The Yaksha asked: "What is that, by giving up which, man becomes rich?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Desire, getting rid of it, man becomes wealthy."
So
Yudhis'thira's reply is not proper. Rather his answer is similar to the
dogma of Buddhism where they try to empty the mind and remove all the
desires. But this just hinders one's ability to progress. In numerous
places Baba says attempting to rid the mind of desires is impractical.
Ananda
Marga philosophy states, "Sarvacintá parityágo nishcinto yoga ucyate
[“When the mind is completely free of thoughts, when the mind is
completely thought-less, that state of mind is called yoga”] – from the
standpoint of applied psychology, such an idea is defective." (2)
The
whole point being that true wealth - spiritual wealth - is not a result
of getting rid of one's desire but rather a result of channelising
one's desire to the Supreme.
Ananda
Marga ideology guides us, "You must withdraw your mental propensities
from all external objects – no matter what they might be – and
channelize them only towards Parama Puruśa." (3)
That's
why in Ananda Marga we do not try to empty the mind, instead our way is
to fully aim the mind in pin-pointed fashion towards Parama Purusa
Baba.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Dogma #2: females confined to house - always
In
this next point, Yudhis'thira is putting forth one view about females
that they should always stay at home. But in Ananda Marga we do not
subscribe to such ideas.
Rather,
in all the spheres of life - from the right to do spiritual practices
to the right to pursue professional employment opportunities - in
dharmic fashion Baba provides all the rights and privileges to females
as well as males. With regards to gender issues, Baba has created
perfect balance, opportunity, and harmony, considering the strengths and
needs of everyone.
In particular on the point of working in society, Baba encourages females to engage in employment outside the house.
Ananda
Marga Caryacarya states, "Women may find employment in...government
service, business, etc., outside the home. No one should be conservative
or superstitious in this regard." (4)
Thus,
the stand of Ananda Marga is very clear: Women have the opportunity and
right to seek out professional employment in society.
Yet
Yudhis'thira is giving one dogmatic reply that females have no role on
this earth except to remain at home - confined in the house.
The Yaksha asked: "Who is the friend of one who stays at home?"
Yudhishthira replied: "The wife."
So
by Yudhis'thira's reply it is clear that he is telling that females
should never leave the house. But this is not appropriate for today’s
modern humanity. So this notion that women are to be bound to the house
is completely against the teachings of Ananda Marga.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda
Marga Caryacarya states, "Women may find employment in...government
service, business, etc., outside the home. No one should be conservative
or superstitious in this regard." (5)
Dogma #3: wrong equation for happiness
In this section we examine another from Yudhis'thira's teachings whereby he gives one view of happiness.
Here first though is Baba's dharmic guideline:
Sutra 2-3 "Sukhamanantama'nandam" (6)
In
the above su'tra, Baba is guiding us that human desires are infinite
and that the only way to satiate one's desires is by the attainment of
Parama Purusa. That alone leads to real happiness. Because the divine
love of Parama Purusa is limitless and can therefore satisfy human's
infinite desires and longing. In contrast, running after limited objects
will not work. That will not give real happiness. True happiness can
only occur when one search is towards God.
However, Yudhis'thira is giving one incomplete reply that leads in the wrong direction.
The Yaksha asked: "What is happiness?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Happiness is the result of good conduct."
So
Yudhis'thira's reply is not aligned with our Ananda Marga principles
because there are numerous atheistic people and ritualistic worshipers
who may have good conduct but they will never be truly happy. Because
true happiness or bliss only comes from a God-centred existence and the
attainment of Parama Purusa.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
The
Mahabharata epic is full of fanciful tales, mythological events, and
dogmatic replies that run wholly counter to dharma and the teachings of
Ananda Marga. So one should be cent per cent careful when hearing the
words of Yudhisthira or others from this epic, and not think they are
automatically aligned with AM ideology. Remember, Sadguru Baba’s
teachings of AM are wholly unique.
Ananda
Marga philosophy says, "Ananda Marga is a revolution. It is not only a
spiritual revolution but also an economic, social and mental revolution.
The economic system, the social structure, the trend of thinking, and
the spiritual practices prescribed in our Ananda Marga are not only new
but something quite different from the established ideas and practices
in these spheres of life." (7)
In Him,
Nis’t’ha’
References
1. A'nanda Su'tram, 2 - 6
2. Discourses on Krsna and the Gita, “Prańipátena Pariprashnena Sevayá” – 2
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, The True Nature of Bhakti
4. Caryacarya - 1, The Livelihood of Women
5. Caryacarya - 1, The Livelihood of Women
6. A'nanda Su'tram, 2 - 3
7. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Ananda Marga – A Revolution
अकोला धर्म महासम्मेलन
अकोला की पावन नगरी में यूनिटी मूव्हमेण्ट और स्थानीय मार्गियों के सहयोग से 15, 16 और 17 अप्रैल को तीन दिवसीय धर्म महासम्मेलन का आयोजन किया गया जो कि सफलतापूर्वक सम्पन्न हुआ। आचार्य बोधज्ञानानन्द अवधूत और आचार्य बालकृष्ण गोतरकर ने इस समारोह को सफल बनाने में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई।
सम्मेलन में महाराष्ट्र विशेषकर विदर्भ, उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार, मध्य प्रदेश, झारखंड, राजस्थान, छत्तीसगढ़, बाली (इण्डोनेशिया) और वियतनाम से आए हुए मार्गीगण सम्मिलित हुए। आनन्द मार्ग के अवधूत और अवधूतिकाएं भी भारी संख्या में उपस्थित थे। तीन दिनों तक प्रतिदिन सुबह शाम आनन्द मार्ग दर्शन से सम्बन्धित आध्यात्मिक विषयों पर आचार्य सुष्मितानन्द अवधूत, आचार्य ज्योतिप्रकाशानन्द अवधूत, अवधूतिका आनन्द कौशिकी आचार्या, आचार्य जयदेव, आचार्य परमेश्वरानन्द अवधूत और आचार्य रूपातीतानन्द अवधूत ने सारगर्भित प्रवचन दिया। उनके प्रवचन का सार तत्व यह था कि मानव जीवन आदर्शाभिमुखी प्रवाह है। जिसके अनुसार मानव जीवन का एक मात्र लक्ष्य है परमात्मा को पाना। परम पिता परमात्मा की गोद में बैठ कर शश्वत आनन्द प्राप्त करना। आनन्द मार्ग की साधना करके प्रत्येक पुरुष, महिला और युवा वर्ग इस लक्ष्य तक सुगमता से पहुंच सकते हैं। सम्मेलन के दौरान 24 घण्टे का अखण्ड कीर्तन भी किया गया। कीर्तन के समापन पर आचार्य वन्दनानन्द अवधूत ने कीर्तन की महिमाओं के बारे में अत्यन्त सारगर्भित प्रवचन दिया।
धर्म महासम्मेलन अकोला के महेश भवन में सम्पन्न हुआ जो कि तीन दिनों तक सुबह 4:30 बजे से लेकर रात्रि के 11:00 बजे तक आध्यात्मिक तरंग से ओतप्रोत रहा। प्रतिदिन सुबह 5:30 बजे कीर्तन गाते हुए प्रभात फेरी निकाली गई। समारोह के दौरान दिन भर भजन, कीर्तन, सामूहिक साधना, प्रवचन, प्रभात संगीत, सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम और अकोला के युवक-युवतियों को दीक्षा देने के कार्यक्रम अनवरत चलते रहे। सम्मेलन के दौरान अधिकांश मार्गियों ने बाबा की उपस्थिति को महसूस भी किया। ज्ञातव्य है कि बाबा अकोला में धर्म महाचक्र करना चाहते थे किन्तु कुछ अपरिहार्य कारणवश यहां धर्म महाचक्र सम्पन्न नहीं हो सका था। इस परिपेक्ष्य में देखा जाए तो यह धर्म महासम्मेलन अकोला की ऐतिहासिक घटना के रूप में सर्वदा याद किया जाएगा।
17 तारीख को आनन्द मार्गियों ने अकोला की सड़कों पर शोभायात्रा निकाली। मार्गियों की हाथों में तख्तियां थी जिनमें "आनन्द मार्ग अमर है", "मानव मानव एक हैं", "मानव का धर्म एक है", "मानव समाज एक और अविभाज्य है", "एक चूल्हा एक चौका एक है मानव समाज", "विश्व बन्धुत्व कायम हो" जैसी प्रेरणादायक बातें लिखी हुई थीं। जुलूस में चलते हुए मार्गी गण "बाबा नाम केवलम" की धुन पर कीर्तन भी गा रहे थे। कुछ आनन्द मार्गी नगर के लोगों को आनन्द मार्गदर्शन से सम्बन्धित पर्चियां भी बांट रहे थे। स्थानीय मीडिया (टेलीविजन और समाचार पत्रों) में इस धर्म महासम्मेलन से सम्बन्धित समाचार लगातार छपते रहे। इस बीच महाराष्ट्र के प्रबुद्ध मार्गियों और मार्ग के सन्न्यासियों की बैठक हुई जिसमें आनन्द मार्ग की गतिविधियों को ग्रामीण स्तर तक विस्तार करने की रूपरेखा तैयार की गई।
सम्मेलन के अन्तिम दिन अर्थात 17 अप्रैल की रात्रि को संगठन के अध्यक्ष आचार्य रूपातीतानन्द का प्रवचन हुआ। प्रवचन के बाद स्थानीय आचार्य बालकृष्ण गोतरकर ने इस आध्यात्मिक सम्मेलन को सफल बनाने में योगदान देने के लिए सभी लोगों के प्रति आभार प्रदर्शित किया। इसमें कोई शक नहीं अकोला में आयोजित यह सम्मेलन हमेशा याद रखा जाएगा।
( आचार्य भावमित्रानन्द अवधूत )
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