Baba
What about praying
Namaskar,
The basic formula of AM philosophy is this: Asking for something from Parama Purusa is bad. Asking for Parama Purusa is good. In certain deeply spiritual Prabhat Samgiita compositions, the sadhaka is making a request unto Parama Purusa.
For instance, suppose in a song the bhakta is saying, “My Parama Purusa, please grace me, and give me parabhkati, the highest yearning for You, and take me onto Your lap.” Seeing this, some may think that this is a form of prayer. And, of course, we all know that AM philosophical teachings guide us that prayer should never be done. How then to reconcile the two.
A closer examination shows, however, that the above two stances are not contradictory. Firstly, in spiritual life, the sadhaka has every right to ask Parmama Purusa for bhakti, i.e. for His grace and closeness. Secondly, prayer carries a completely different meaning and vibration because in that case one is asking for some type of material boon or worldly request from Him. The basic formula of AM philosophy is this: Asking for something from Parama Purusa is bad. Asking for Parama Purusa is good.
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Distinction: PS & AM discourses
The next key point to bear in mind is that in Prabhat Samgiita does not preach AM philosophy but rather presents the mentality and wants of various grades of sadhakas. Those songs reflect the inner thinking and feeling of those particular grades of sadhakas. For instance, C-grade, i.e. lower grade bhaktas, harbour all kinds of worldly and selfish desires, and those various mentalities have been captured in some PS compositions. Similarly, other compositions reflect the heart-felt feeling of top-grade bhaktas. Thus, Prabhat Samgiita stands as testimony of the mentality of various levels of sadhakas as they proceed along the path of spirituality; those songs express all the challenges, hardships, desires, yearnings, and wants of those bhaktas, whether they be first class or third class sadhaka.
In contrast, AM discourses guide us about what ideal sadhakas should do. Ananda Marga philosophy traverses the gamut of human knowledge and beyond, in both individual and collective life. And, as followers of the path of Ananda Marga, we are to adhere to those codes and principles and implement them personally and in social life. So those AM discourses set the standard for human conduct and inform the reader about the ideals of AM teachings.
With this clear distinction in mind, kindly continue reading and consider the following.
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Every bhakta should know this
As Ananda Margiis, we should know this response: Why in Ananda Sutram is prayer deemed as useless etc, yet in Prabhat Samgiita there are numerous instances of the sadhaka praying for something, such as the removal of their pain.
First and foremost, we have to remember that Prabhat Samgiita is for all, i.e. for all levels of bhaktas including those lower sadhakas and 3rd class bhaktas. Such persons like to pray to Parama Purusa and they will even ask Him for mundane things. This is not the ideal approach, yet that is the reality. There are numerous grades of bhaktas and the collection of songs of Prabhat Samgiita has something for them also where they can engage in prayer and ask something from Him etc. Third class sadhakas can use Prabhat Samgiita in this way. But those types of songs are for beginners and lower grade sadhakas. And by this way, step by step, they grow and become great sadhakas, and no longer engage in prayer.
In contrast, AM philosophical teachings outline the ideal way - the path of the highest grade of bhaktas. Because in His philosophical teachings He is teaching us what we should do.
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Why prayer is dogma and wrong
“Prárthanárcaná mátraeva bhramamúlam.” (2)
In His above teachings, Sadguru guides us that any type of prayer to Parama Purusa is “useless”. That is why in our Ananda Marga we do not pray to Parama Purusa. Because when He is all-knowing and all-benevolent, then surely He is more about our needs than we are. Anyone who has studied even the basics of Ananda Marga philosophy understands this fact: A true sadhaka will never pray to the Lord.
The basic formula of AM philosophy is this: Asking for something from Parama Purusa is bad. Asking for Parama Purusa is good.
Conclusion
In the large majority of Prabhat Samgiita, the sadhaka is asking for Parama Purusa, i.e. His grace and closeness etc. And that is proper according to AM teachings. Thus, the compositions of Prabhat Samgiita are in complete concert with the teachings given in the paragraph appended far below from Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy book. The basic formula of AM philosophy is this: Asking for something from Parama Purusa is bad. Asking for Parama Purusa is good.
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In Him,
Ananda Tandava
~ In-depth study ~
Prayer is a loaded word
Here is another angle to the issue. Prayer is a loaded term just like the term harijan. Those born in India know that the literal meaning of 'harijan' is a bhakta. But if you tell anyone that, "You are a great harijan", then they will feel insulted as the colloquial meaning for harijan is an untouchable, i.e. a member of the lowest caste. Whereas if you tell someone that, "You are a great bhakta", then they will be very pleased. Yet the literal meaning of the terms harijan and bhakta are the same. The problem is that the term harijan carries with it a social stigma or being lowly.
Similarly, in the English language, the term prayer comes with a big baggage of dogma. If you mention the word prayer to anyone raised in an area where the Semitic religions are dominant, then they will already have a preconceived notion about it. They will think according to their own local religious dogma. That usually means asking God for something mundane or some boon etc. And it also means bowing down to those religious priests etc.
So that is a major reason why not to use the term prayer. Because it is a loaded term that carries with it a big bundle or dogma, just as the term harijan is taboo, or a social stigma for most people in India. Indeed, the term prayer means something different to everyone and is often associated with the dogmatic religions where worshipers ask for their selfish desires to be fulfilled. Finally, asking Parama Purusa for parabhatki is not a form of prayer - it is bhakti.
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The basic formula of AM philosophy is this: Asking for something from Parama Purusa is bad. Asking for Parama Purusa is good.
AM philosophy: do not pray
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours.” (1)
The basic formula of AM philosophy is this: Asking for something from Parama Purusa is bad. Asking for Parama Purusa is good.
References
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?
2. Ananda Sutram 3-11
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Your blissful presence
"Bandhu a'ma'r eso go pra'n'e..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0275)
Purport:
O' my dearmost Baba, please come into my heart. The whole universe is ensconced in Your divine flow. Now the sky is full of beautiful poems; and, the moon cannot control its smile. Indeed, the moon's smile brings blissful dreams. Baba, this entire universe is radiating with Your divine love.
Baba, how unique and exquisite Your love is. It awakens ever-new rhythms in my heart. O’ my dearmost Baba, when You have already been caught then why do You continue to hide. Why are You playing this liila with me. Baba, please look towards me in Your sweet and loving way.
Baba, by Your grace I will always move ahead on Your path. I will entertain Your mind in all kinds of ways. Baba, due to Your blissful presence, my mind is divinely intoxicated, and it has lost all its fear-- those fears are entirely gone, vanished. Only Your sweet love remains. Baba, with full surrender I will go on marching ahead singing Your love songs.
Baba, I love You; please come into my heart in a still more intimate and charming way...
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology says, "A crow has a natural premonitive instinct regarding storms. An owl and to some extent a dog can sense beforehand the possible occurrence of an earthquake or some other unforeseen natural calamity of great magnitude. Such power of apprehending phenomenal vibrations exists not in ten or twenty but in innumerable species of birds. Such a power is indeed of paramount necessity in their rigorous struggle for survival. Such a power did exist, too, to some extent, among the prehistoric people. But today, in this age of so-called civilization, human beings, having become extremely ease-loving, have lost that power through misuse and lack of necessity; just as their tails, their ability to move their ears and their capacity to hold things with their feet have disappeared. Now the hairiness of their bodies and the strength of their teeth and nails are also becoming extinct. The greater the pre-occupation of creatures with the struggle for existence, the necessarily greater must be their power of premonition or prescience of impending danger, or else their existence will be effaced from the surface of the earth -- this is the law of nature." (1)
Note: People often think that animals are lowly and neglected beings but that is not true. As Baba points out above, animals are far more aware about naturally occurring phenomena than human beings. On this point animals are highly instinctual and are always surveying the scene. They can forecast and predict a wide array of storms and natural calamities - and save themselves from impending disasters.
In the above quote Baba indicates how humans also used to have such abilities, but now with the onset of modernity and a comfort-oriented lifestyle, humans have lost this skill. So now people are entirely dependent upon science to forecast the weather etc. But as developed as science is, scientists (meteorologists and seismologists) are still in the dark about earthquakes. They are unable to predict when and where an earthquake might occur; whereas various animals like dogs and owls have this unique innate gift.
That's why when earthquakes occur in various regions, it is reported how street dogs and other animals were behaving abnormally beforehand. They were restless, walking around whimpering, and running out of the buildings or caves. The dogs knew about the impending disaster that was about to strike. Often zoos also report how so many of the animals cry out several minutes before the first tremors of an earthquake are felt. So they run out of their shelters, buildings, or caves.
In contrast, modern scientists generally do not have any idea that an earthquake is about to occur. But dogs know. And those people who understood why the dogs and other animals were upset were able to help themselves and others also. At the same time, those dogs living with human dogs are losing that ability.
So in future, we should rely upon animals to guide us about when and where natural disasters will strike. While dogs can often detect impending earthquakes, crows can sense cyclones. Similarly there are numerous animals that are acutely aware about impending storms and natural disasters. And by that way they are able to save themselves.
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Vibration, Form and Colour
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Planet can support us all
Prout philosophy states, "Does a population problem actually exist? This issue should be considered in the perspective of two vital factors - the availability of food and the availability of space. Today human beings have enough resources to manage their food. Planet Earth is rich enough to feed a far greater number of people than the present population....[So] The tragedy is that there are enough resources to supply proper food to all human beings in the world, but the defect lies in the present approach of the existing socioeconomic systems." (1)
Population Growth
Prout philosophy states, "Is the population problem really a natural problem? The population problem should be considered in the context of two vital factors – the availability of food and the availability of space. Today human beings have sufficient means to manage their food. The earth is abundant enough in food resources to feed many times more than the present population. Due to lack of coordinated cooperation, collective effort, a proper ideology and sound planning, society has been fragmented into many belligerent groups and sub-groups, and rich and poor nations have been created. As a result of this fissiparous tendency, society is presently incapable of producing enough food to meet human requirements. The tragedy is that even though there are enough resources to supply nutritious food to all the human beings on the planet, due to the defective socio-economic systems, an efficient method of distribution has not been developed."
"Moreover, there is no shortage of living space on the planet if the existing space is properly utilized. Because the earth has been balkanized due to so many arbitrary social, economic and political restrictions and the pervasive influence of evil dogma, people are unable to tackle problems in a natural way. If there were maximum utilization and rational distribution of all natural resources, pressing socio-economic problems could be easily solved."
Prout philosophy states, "It is a law of nature that a mother is provided with sufficient breast milk to feed her newly born baby. In the same way nature has generously provided sufficient resources to meet the food and other essential requirements of all human beings. People need to utilize these natural resources in a proper way. Shortages of food or space cannot be blamed on nature. These problems are essentially the results of the mistakes made by human beings."
"It is a fact that the population of the world is rapidly increasing, and consequently many people have become frightened. In capitalist countries there are sufficient reasons for such fear. In these countries an increase in the population means a corresponding increase in the poverty of the people. But there is no reason for such fear in a collective economic system. In the event of shortages in food and accommodation people will collectively convert barren land into arable land, increase agricultural production by scientific methods and produce food by chemical processes using the potentiality of earth, water and air. And if this earth loses its productivity, then human beings will migrate to other planets and satellites and settle there."
Prout philosophy states, "If people living in capitalist countries voluntarily adopt birth control methods to avoid economic hardship, perhaps we should not criticize them. But it should be mentioned here that using birth control methods which deform the bodies of men and women or destroy their reproductive powers forever cannot be supported, because this may cause a violent mental reaction at any moment." (2)
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 13, Population Growth and Control
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 13, Population Growth and Control
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Before the Himalayas
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “In the distant past, some areas of India did not exist: There was neither northern India, nor D’aba’k nor Samatat’ areas of Bengal, but there was Old Gondwana. That was about 300 million years ago. At that time, the major parts of Sind, the Punjab, U.P., Bihar and Bengal did not exist. They were all submerged under the vast oceans. The Himalayas also did not exist. But the Vindhya mountain range and its sister ranges, Sa’tpura’, Sahya’dri, Rajmahal and Ra’mga’r’h did exist. These mountains were very high, and always snow-covered.” (1)
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 3, The History of Bengal – 1
== Section 4: Links ==
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