Baba
Story: My life changed
Namaskar,
At that time in 1978, I had completed my first year engineering exam and came to the village to spend my summer vacation. As president of the Rural Students Welfare Foundation of Orissa (RSWFO) organization, I went to inspect one unit with Shri Jena. While coming back by bicycle, Mr. Jena asked me whether I knew about Ánanda Márga. Immediately, I replied in the affirmative and added that this was an organization that was involved in so many murder cases.
When he asked where I gathered such information, I told him that I came to know from my friend who had read about it in magazines and the newspaper. Then he tried to convince me that this organization primarily taught yoga and meditation. And he informed me that he had met the Propounder who had already fasted for more than 5 years.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
This reply really touched my heart. I had heard that the great rsis / risis of old used to fast for years together. But to think that such a Personality was available in this present era was quite a surprise for me. And it was even more astonishing that my friend had personally met Him.
Next, he showed me the book, “Idea and Ideology”, and read the first sentence: “The centrifugal activity of the Macrocosmic Nucleus is known as saiṋcara.” Hearing this, I became convinced that such words couldn’t have been written by a murderer. Certainly the Author must be great. And I was thinking that I could see Him as He is still alive.
“Sir, I have only ten rupees in my pocket and if..."
Since Jena was preparing to go back to his college for his M.Ed. course, he advised me to learn meditation from the principal of the Ánanda Márga school in Sambalpur, which was nearby my engineering college. When I went to AMPS (Sambalpur) to meet the principal, I was surprised to find him in sannyasi dress - and he greeted me with namaskár - as per the Indian custom. Whereas I greeted him with, “Good afternoon” - as per the English style. I did this because I had understood that he was the principal of the English medium school.
The principal talked about yoga and meditation, and, after some time, I was ready to learn. After teaching me the process, the acarya asked for Guru dakśiná.
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Immediately I started thinking, “Initially, these sanyásis told me they would teach me meditation at no cost - free. Yet now here they are asking for money.” I was mentally upset and was thinking that they were just like all the others who in the name of dharma / religion were actually doing business.
I humbly replied, “Sir, I have only ten rupees in my pocket and if I give you that amount it would be impossible for me to pay for my bus fare to go back to my hostel.”
Then he smiled and replied, “Our Guru doesn’t ask for any money. For Guru dakśiná, are you ready to sacrifice your life at the altar of Guru’s feet.”
Blessed to get the noblest Guru
Immediately, I started repenting about what a bad idea had entered my mind. And I began thinking that this Guru is the real Guru of the highest order. Money or anything material is nothing compared to sacrificing my life for Him. I became overwhelmed with joy at the prospect that I had been blessed to get the noblest Guru - whom I could meet and speak with in the future.
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Over time, my ácárya and I established a good relationship; he used to guide me whenever I used to go to school. My ácárya’s love, affection, and sacrificing nature attracted me towards Ánanda Márga.
By this way I came into Ananda Marga.
In Him,
Narayan Panda
Reflection
When doing dharma pracara one must never conclude that someone is “a lost cause”. All are the children of Parama Purusa - no one is hopeless; at any moment a person may come onto the path of dharma, by His grace.
At the same time, it is commonly seen that those who are passive, and do not care about what is going on in society, generally do not become Ananda Margiis. Whereas, those who take a keen look at society - and have either positive or negative opinion of Ananda Marga - are the best people to try and bring onto the path.
In the above account, most of the other students in the college did not know anything about Ananda Marga - neither positive nor negative. And they did not enter the Marga. In contrast, those who held an active opinion - plus or minus - about Ananda Marga, were more inclined to become dedicated Ananda Margiis. So those who have heard negative things about Ananda Marga, but want to know more, can easily become convinced. And they may become a sadhaka and an asset.
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By studying the history of our Ananda Marga, it is clear that this is a common theme and good criteria for determining who is more apt and inclined to an Ananda Margii.
in Him,
Ananda Sharan
Note 1: Related material from Pandaji
Shrii Jena was studying for his MA degree in English at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar when he founded the Rural Students Welfare Foundation of Orissa (RSWFO). And in 1975, I joined the Rural Students Welfare Foundation of Orissa (RSWFO). Those days RSWFO used to invite the top students of the postgraduate classes to rural areas and they used to tutor high school students in physics and chemistry. Similarly, other top post graduate students taught mathematics, Sanskrit, English during the summer and over the durga puja holidays.
When I completed my intermediate in science in 1976, I became the president of this organization (RSWFO). The basic objectives were to: (i) guide rural students who were weak in math, English, and Sanskrit to prevent them from dropping out, and (ii) introduce rural students to sporting activities etc.
During summer vacation in 1978, we organized ten units in different villages to tutor rural high school students. Top grad students and post-graduate students volunteered and made this possible. In turn, our organization (RSWFO) provided those graduate and post-grad students with food, shelter, and a travel allowance. Philanthropic people in the villages donated for this noble cause.
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Plagiary?
It is the accepted international standard and Baba's system not to copy another's work and publish it in your own way. Baba has given a very strict rule on plagiarism. Why is Baba against plagiarism or stealing someone's work? There are many reasons:
1) It is against the code of asteya (non-stealing).
2) Countless stories of bhaktas need to be published. But some do not want to do the hard work of compiling and writing these stories, so they just steal them from others. But new stories need to be told, otherwise so many unpublished stories of sadhakas will be lost and forgotten forever. So watch out for story thieves, and kindly help them not to steal by posting on social media in their own way. If you want to forward this story then attach the following yellow section with the story:
“Courtesy of unknown bhakta via Ananda Marga Universal (https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/)”
This will be treated as the standard protocol.
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Another thing to bear in mind is that “sin” in the English language is not the pápa of Sanskrit. As already said, “sin” means to go against that prescribed in the Bible. But pápa is explained in the phrase Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiid́anam – that is, “Any action by one individual which leads to the development of others is puńya [virtuous deeds], and any action which does the opposite is pápa.” (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Niiti and Dharma
== Section ==
Re: About health and hygiene
It seems that the way things are done in India are differently approached but I never gave it much thought until you brought it up.
In this instance, I learned that the use of underwear, or laungota, is mentioned on 16 points because of the dominance of discussing men's issues, not women's in India. It now makes sense. That is, even if not on 16 points charts, naturally, women need to be cognizant of what to wear, too. I always thought that the laungota was mentioned only because it is a special type of undergarment that the regular public uses, but that doesn't apply to sisters because there is no special garment, so it is not talked about on 16 points chart. But what you said makes sense, that Didi acaryas would discuss such things with sisters.
Another example that was brought up in the past in our email campaign was the use of oil on joint hair, yet another of our 16 points. Western margiis were shown basic use of oil. We had no idea that it should be put on top of our heads until you brought up the topic and enlightened us. So, it is not listed as such on 16 points charts. So, the email campaign set me straight about using oil on the top of the skull. So, on behalf of all margiis outside India, thank you.
So, if there are any other type of differentiations about 16 points for sadhakas outside India please let us know. It will be greatly appreciated.
