Baba
Robber’s experience at DMC
Namaskar,
In 1957, during the Jamalpur days, Baba used to visit many small towns, even villages, to give general darshan and Dharma Mahacakra (DMC). On one of those tours a DMC was held in the village of Arraha (Bihar). As Ananda Marga was new in those days, guidelines like 16 Points, basic dos and don'ts, general conduct rules, and organistional regulations had either not yet been given by Baba or were not commonly known. In particular, in that DMC, many different kinds of people were present, and some had just taken initiation.
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On the whole, in His discourses, Baba regularly tells many spiritual topics and stories, and in the culmination of His talk Baba often gives some words of inspiration. He graciously says things like: “You are moralists”, “You are sadvipras”, “It is your duty to save the earth”, “You are following dharma”, “You will be victorious” etc. This is the usual way Baba concludes His discourses, and, at that time, DMC was also ending in that way.
“Victory is yours”
So, in that particular DMC in Arraha (Bihar), one robber was also in attendance, and, at the end of Baba's discourse, that robber did not hear anything other than “Victory is yours”. Then, at the very end of DMC, Baba blessed everyone with His varabhaya mudra.
After DMC finished, the robber asked one margii, 'Baba's blessing is truthful, I think.’ The margii replied, 'Yes, why not? What Baba says is the truth.'
Hearing this, the robber became very happy because he was planning something, and he thought that, ‘Baba blessed me, and now I will be victorious if I execute the plan.’ The robber’s plan was to rob a bank, along with his gang. But, when he attempted that robbery, he was arrested by the police and put in jail. His relatives used to visit him there, and, through his relatives, the robber passed this message to that margii, 'What Baba says does not have any meaning.' After hearing the robber’s message, the margii felt bad and decided to visit that robber in jail.
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Visiting robber in jail
After arriving at the jail, the margii asked the robber, 'Why are you doubting Baba’s words?'.
The robber replied, 'You remember that day when Baba blessed those who were sitting in that room - around 30 people were there. And Baba blessed us with His varabhaya mudra. We were both sitting there, but now I am in jail, and so Baba's blessing does not have any meaning.’
Furthermore, the robber said, 'I clearly remember on that day that Baba said, “Victory is yours”. So I took that as a green light for my next robbery. I thought that when I had Baba's assurance and blessing that “Victory is yours”, then I never thought that I would be arrested for any robberies. But, as I am now in jail, I am thinking that Baba's blessing - “Victory is yours “ - and all those types of blessings which He gave in that DMC are meaningless.’
From the above account, it is evident that some simple people can become very confused by Baba's discourses, and, clearly, the robber misunderstood the whole teaching.
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Wrong vs right understanding
If negative or selfish people aim to use this quote - “Victory is yours” - for their own self-interest, that is their foolishness. And that is what happened in the case of the robber. In the story told above, the robber heard Baba say “Victory is yours” and the robber mistakenly thought that Baba was blessing him for the robbery. With that misunderstanding, the robber carried out a heinous act and ultimately ended up in jail. This was the result of his gross misunderstanding.
In general, when Baba gives these inspiring words, “You are moralists”, “You are sadvipras”, “You are the vanguards”, “It is your duty to save the earth”, “You are following dharma”, “You will be victorious”, then Baba's words do not mean that all those people present that day would be victorious in whatever type of work they do. Those words do not mean that regardless of one’s good or bad character or moral conduct, everyone in that DMC would be victorious regardless of their plan. It does not mean that irrespective of one's moral conduct, all sitting there in DMC that day will be victorious.
When Baba showers His blessing, “You will be victorious”, He is referring to those who have wholeheartedly embraced the grand ideals of bhagavata dharma (i.e. AM ideology) and overcome all dogmas, superficiality, and selfishness. Such persons will be victorious.
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Conclusion
Baba's teachings are for eternity and not for particular individuals per se. The key point is that only those with good conduct and discipline can be called dharmic, moralist, or sadvipra. And it is only those people with a high standard of conduct - i.e. those who actually follow universal dharma - who will be victorious. So that is the essence of Baba’s words in that DMC.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “You should always bear in mind that victory does not mean the victory of weak human beings – it means the victory of dharma, the victory of Iśt́a. Intelligent people who move firmly along the path of dharma and sit on the lap of Iśt́a are destined to be victorious. In this case also victory does not belong to such people – victory belongs to Iśt́a.” (1)
At His feet,
Ramanuj
References
1. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 12, Where There Is Dharma There Is Iśt́a, and Where There Is Iśt́a There Is Victory
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
The balm of peace
“Áj egiye calo sakal mánuś bhái, ámantrań sabáre jánái...” (Prabhat Samgiita #0968)
Purport:
My dear human beings, today let us advance forward and embark on our collective march towards our cherished neo-humanism. We invite one and all. Brothers and sisters, everyone come; no one is neglected; nobody should think they are left out, not a single individual is alien. All are my kith and kin and invited on this grand occasion. We have to remain united and move together to form one human society.
My sisters and brothers, due to infighting between different theories, dogmas, clans, countries, and the battle over what is “mine” and “yours” etc, all kinds of fissiparous tendencies have divided our human society into pieces. Our universal family is rolling in the dust. The demons have pulverized us by injecting narrow-minded, pseudo-ideologies, and dogmatic religious teachings. Various myths and gospels have segregated one person from the next. They all preached the false message of the superiority of their clan, religion, or group. And they have destroyed the unity of the entire cosmic society. We are to make one universal human family which is all-inclusive and based on neo-humanism. Our goal is Parama Purusa. We are all one—our Father is the same Supreme Father. Ours is a paternal family relation. Now we should come together and march forward hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder and wipe away the tears of the suffering and bring them unto the balm of peace. We are to establish ek manav samaj—one human society.
My dear brothers and sisters, the peace and tranquility of our universal family was poisoned by myths, gospels, and dogmatic teachings. The flower pollen of peace and tranquility has become one with the dust. These anti-social elements do not want to see people living together in harmony. So they have inserted the seeds of division and tainted the moonlight too. O’ fellow travelers of the path of life divine, come - we can resolve whatever problems that arise By the grace of Parama Purusa, victory is ours. With a strong hand, row the boat, fighting against all obstacles. Let us move forward by His grace…
“Áj egiye calo sakal mánuś bhái, ámantrań sabáre jánái...” (Prabhat Samgiita #0968)
Purport:
My dear human beings, today let us advance forward and embark on our collective march towards our cherished neo-humanism. We invite one and all. Brothers and sisters, everyone come; no one is neglected; nobody should think they are left out, not a single individual is alien. All are my kith and kin and invited on this grand occasion. We have to remain united and move together to form one human society.
My sisters and brothers, due to infighting between different theories, dogmas, clans, countries, and the battle over what is “mine” and “yours” etc, all kinds of fissiparous tendencies have divided our human society into pieces. Our universal family is rolling in the dust. The demons have pulverized us by injecting narrow-minded, pseudo-ideologies, and dogmatic religious teachings. Various myths and gospels have segregated one person from the next. They all preached the false message of the superiority of their clan, religion, or group. And they have destroyed the unity of the entire cosmic society. We are to make one universal human family which is all-inclusive and based on neo-humanism. Our goal is Parama Purusa. We are all one—our Father is the same Supreme Father. Ours is a paternal family relation. Now we should come together and march forward hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder and wipe away the tears of the suffering and bring them unto the balm of peace. We are to establish ek manav samaj—one human society.
My dear brothers and sisters, the peace and tranquility of our universal family was poisoned by myths, gospels, and dogmatic teachings. The flower pollen of peace and tranquility has become one with the dust. These anti-social elements do not want to see people living together in harmony. So they have inserted the seeds of division and tainted the moonlight too. O’ fellow travelers of the path of life divine, come - we can resolve whatever problems that arise By the grace of Parama Purusa, victory is ours. With a strong hand, row the boat, fighting against all obstacles. Let us move forward by His grace…
== Section 3: Links ==
