Baba
Ananda Marga vs dogmas of epic
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
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.
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.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
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
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
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== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
PS Intro: This following song is not a very common type of Prabhat Samgiita. In this song, the scene unfolds wherein Parama Purusa is sitting listlessly in the flower garden all by Himself, and the bhakta is trying in many ways to attract His attention. So Parama Purusa is just playing His liila because although He knows everything, here He is pretending as if He is unaware that the bhakta is close by. This type of liila is displayed in this following song.
"Tomáre dekhechi jabe cámpár vane takhan pápaŕi d́háká madhu chilo..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0531)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, the day when I saw You in the campa’ flower garden, that time also the flower's honey vessels were covered by its petals. Underneath the flower petals, there was an accumulation of nectar. I looked toward You with my eyes full of great longing, expectation, and anticipation; but, that was all in vain because You did not respond to me in that hour. One thing is beyond my understanding: Why were You just sitting there listlessly in that flower garden - You did not seem to notice me at all.
O’ Supreme Entity, in various ways I tried to attract Your attention. When I came into the garden I intentionally placed my foot on some dry, crunchy leaves hoping that by that sound You would hear me and wonder, “Who has come, who is here.” Yet, alas, You did not pay any heed. Even though You were not looking towards me, still You were pulling my heart very strongly by the string of bhakti. In spite of Your playful indifference, in my heart the lamp of hope was still glittering. I was keeping the feeling alive within me that Your liila will change and You will kindly look towards me.
So again I tried to attract Your attention. This time my heart was filled with fear and shyness; I could not gather the courage to go directly in front of You. So I just continued moving from a distance with gentle steps looking towards You with sincere longing and yearning. Slowly, slowly - from time to time - I was staring at You with anxious and hopeful eyes, hoping that at least You will bless me by looking towards me and calling me closer to You. Alas, all my wishes and dreams were in vain. That day I understood how Your liila generates a blissful pain in my heart.
O’ Parama Purusa Baba, even then I continued on with the idea that this liila will end soon, and You will look towards me. That moment the whole atmosphere was charged with the sweet aroma of all those blossoms in the garden. Baba, Your liila is unfathomable. Although You did not look towards me that time, deep within my core I felt that You are more close than ever. Baba, You graciously pulled my entire existence towards You with the invisible flow of bhakti and tied me in the bond of Your supreme love...
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
About conjugal relations
In His below teaching, Baba is discussing the history of marriage and guides us that marital relations are between a male and a female. Baba does not mention any other type of arrangement, such as relations between the same sex, either female and female or male and male. Thus, no Ananda Margii should get swept up in the wave of same sex marriage that is happening in the west. Every Ananda Marga should hold firm to Guru’s teachings and adhere to the dharmic tenet that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “To slay the disarmed, to slaughter women, children or old people, to murder those who had surrendered or to kill those running away for their lives from a fight went against the grain of kśatriya conscience. In essence, the valour of the kśatriyas was instrumental in their surpassing the animal stratum as they learnt to understand human values. It was this sense of values that raised conjugal and domestic life to human standard to a great extent. Instead of conjugal relations being limited to the status of enjoyer and the enjoyed, they began to contain a sense of duty. With the establishment of conjugal relationships a sense of duty awakened in the father towards his children. Consequently, as soon as the responsibilities of mothers lessened to some extent, women became dependent on men for their food and clothes, particularly during the period of pregnancy and during the post-delivery period. As a result, married couples, though belonging to the same group, began to emerge in previously male-centred households. As families were male-centred, male-dominated groups became evident and clan mothers lost their previous authority.” (1)
Reference
1. Human Society - 2, Kśatriya Age
== Section 4: Links ==