Story: kiirtana & pracara
Namaskar,
Margii J approached various margiis to lead the kiirtan and in this way the time slots were taken - but still more people were needed. Margii J then asked one non-margii student - whom we shall call as "Ram" - who was from that area and now lives in the nearby town.
Ram had some musical ability and would regularly attend and participate in non-margii kiirtan gatherings during purnima (i.e. the full moon) and other occasions. So he was quite familiar with traditional Hindu kiirtan. When Ram was asked by margii J to lead parts of the upcoming Ananda Marga akhanda kiirtan program, he replied, "Why would you want me to do this, I am not an Ananda Margii. I have never sung the Baba Nam Kevalam kiirtan." They talked for a little while and ultimately Ram consented and agreed to lead a 2-hour time slot in the upcoming kiirtan program.
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When the day of the gathering arrived and his turn came to lead the kiirtan, Ram along with his musician friends began to play. They were supposed to sing for 2 hours. But Ram liked it so much that he continued leading the kiirtan for 6 - 7 hours, and he never became tired etc. In fact, as time went by he became more and more energised by the kiirtan mantra and felt so much bliss. Ram's mind became completely transformed, and he fell in love with the Baba Nam Kevalam kiirtan.
After the program Ram continued to sing kiirtan whenever he could, and soon he took initiation and started doing sadhana regularly as well. Ram became an established sadhaka. So this is the story of how kiirtan is an excellent tool for Ananda Marga pracara and creating new margiis.
Here are some reflections from the above story.
How to make new margiis without acaryas
Acaryas and tattvikas are not always available immediately in every locale. So if someone wants to learn about mental peace, yoga, meditation, or the yogic lifestyle and you are not finding an acarya or tattvika etc, then in that case every sincere margii should introduce that interested person to our AM kiirtana. After half-bath, both should sit or dance together and sing kiirtana. By this way, any margii can create new sadhakas. And in the future when the opportunity arises, those who are interested will get initiated into Ananda Marga tantra meditation.
In those older days when kiirtana was new then if any kiirtana program was organised in a village etc then leaflets or invitations were sent to thousands of non-margiis to come and participate. By this way so many margiis were created and this above story itself is one example. Nowadays due to various excuses and justifications, this tradition has almost disappeared.
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When Mahasambhuti comes, He comes for all - not only for the entire human society, but animals, plants, i.e. everyone. For non-margiis, He has given kiirtana. Those non-margiis who are not even initiated can do kiirtana and attain perfection. Although they do know that Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji is their Guru, He will accept and bless them. So this is one way how, without the help of any acarya, one can reach the final fulfilment of human life.
For all these reasons it is our moral duty to invite non-margiis to sing kiirtan in all opportunities. Whenever kiirtan is done then Baba’s photo is not needed. Dancing around Baba’s photo is a dogma that started after 1990. Earlier, when dancing kiirtan there was just the pratika. The photo is for bhaktas only.
Another way to bring non-margiis is to have them join dharmacakra by sitting in the back and following whatever they can without creating any nuisance. Overall, kiirtan is the best way to bring non-margiis into Ananda Marga.
More takeaways from the above story
1. Guru's guideline is to invite non-margiis for kiirtan. The main reason is that the Baba Nam Kevalam kiirtan is a siddha mantra. It is spiritually charged by Mahasambhuti. So anyone who sings it or hears it will be benefited.
2. People enter into Ananda Marga in various ways. Some are attracted by service, others by philosophy, some by sadhana, and others by kiirtan. So it is very important to invite non-margiis to come and sing kiirtan.
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3. When anyone achieves perfection in kiirtan - i.e. kiirtan siddhi - then the sound of kiirtan always resounds. Even when there is no physical sound per se, but their mind is suffused by the sweet sound of kiirtan.
All benefited by kiirtan - whether they like it or not
Ananda Marga ideology states, "At the place of kiirtana, not only the people who are themselves doing kiirtana will be benefited, but also those who are not participating – and even those who are not participating and who do not even like it – they will also be benefited! Those who listen sincerely to the chanting of kiirtana will be benefited and those who do not listen sincerely but simply hear inadvertently without any respect, they too will be benefited. “shraddhayá helayá vá” – “either with veneration or without”." (1)
Namaskar
at His lotus feet,
Sagar
During the 1970's, Shrii Jaiprakashjii (i.e. margii J), of Chapari bhukti - Eta district (Uttar Pradesh), was organising an extended akhanda kiirtan program and he needed volunteers to lead the kiirtan during different time periods.
~ In-depth study ~
Baba says, "If you have even only one minute’s time, do kiirtana for one minute. If even two or three people gather together, they can do kiirtana collectively; if one thousand people assemble together, then also they can do kiirtana. When you do kiirtana and move towards Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Father, then in Parama Puruśa’s mind also there will be a flow of bliss, because so many minds are coming towards Him with love. He will feel very happy. Seeing the bliss of His devotees, Parama Puruśa will also become overwhelmed with joy, because of His enormous love for His devotees. “How good these devotees are!” – He says. Parama Puruśa loves each and everyone, but He loves those who do kiirtana still more. He will say to them, “Come, come, come – come near to Me.” This is the proper way to serve Parama Puruśa in the mental sphere." (2)
Those who do kiirtan become purified
Ananda Marga ideology states, "If people do kiirtana with distinct expression of the mantra, their mouths become pure, their tongues become pure, their ears become pure, their whole bodies become pure - and when so many parts of the body become pure, the átmá (self) also becomes pure. By kiirtana you become as pure as if you have taken a “holy dip in the Ganges.” What does a holy dip in the Ganges mean for a sádhaka? It means doing kiirtana constantly." (3)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "I have already said, and I repeat it again, that now the time has come to manifest the glory of kiirtana. And I also want to say further that those who wish to attain spiritual progress in their sadhana will have to do more and more kiirtana. By kiirtana, the mind becomes pure, and with this pure mind, one can do sadhana." (4)
Baba says, "Instead of wasting your time in gossiping, in useless idle pursuits, you should do kiirtana even for two minutes or five minutes, whenever you get the opportunity. It is foolish to waste one’s valuable time in gossiping." (5)
Kiirtana very helpful for sadhana
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "If the mind is made pure even for five minutes by kiirtana, then if you do sadhana for only five minutes, your sadhana will be very good - you will surely attain spiritual progress." (6)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Kiirtana [is] the most essential aid for sadhana." (7)
When singing kiirtana
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Suppose, while doing kiirtana, one lady asks another, “Well sister, what did you cook today?” This will also be heard by the practitioners of kiirtana. To prevent these undesirable sounds from being heard, it is advisable to play some instrument during kiirtana. A mrdauṋga [a kind of drum] or some similar instrument should be used, but one should not play any heavy-sounding instrument like a d́hák [a large drum played with sticks], a d́hol [a loud drum] or a gong. The mind prefers to hear a sweet sound, like that of the mrdauṋga, than a harsh sound. Some time ago I mentioned that Bhola Mayra said that when the cookawing of crows and the beating of drums stop, human ears get some relief. People do not like to hear such harsh, unpleasant sounds. The sound of the mrdauṋga may not be perfect, but it has one quality: it is very sweet. Thus, whenever a distracted mind hears the sweet music of a mrdauṋga, it returns to the proper place. A remarkable science lies in kiirtana." (8)
One's whole existence becomes involved
Ananda Marga ideology states, "What do you gain by doing kiirtana? Several sense organs become engaged. The tongue is occupied. So during that time you won’t have thoughts like, “I will eat this, eat that;” no kind of greed will remain. The sense of taste and taste buds are obstructed. The ears are busy hearing the kiirtana, so they have no scope to go elsewhere. The mind is always thinking of that, so it also has no scope to go elsewhere. And if kiirtana is combined with dance then one’s attention is directed to the rhythm of the dance. As a result of the dance, hormones are secreted from the glands. So under no circumstances can the mind degenerate. There is no way for it to go down. This is the way of the wise." (9)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "When kiirtana was first invented, the psycho-philosophy behind it was this: at the time of kiirtana, the vocal cord sings, the ears hear, and the hands and feet dance, and thus all the organs are kept preoccupied with the divine. They are not allowed to move wherever they want but are kept engaged. There is a popular Indian superstition that when ghosts are not kept busy they break the necks of their prey. Similarly, if the sensory and motor organs are not kept engaged in the attainment of the divine, they may lead one astray. Kiirtana is therefore most beneficial as it keeps all the organs fully engaged in a spiritual pursuit. However, while doing kiirtan, if one listens to anything else, the mind will be diverted." (10)
Chant kiirtana aloud
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Kiirtaniiyah sadáharih one should always sing the glory of the Lord. It is the frailty of human beings that when a few of them group together, they indulge in criticizing or mudslinging others. This leads to psychic degradation. In fact people should perform such actions which will lead to psychic elevation, actions which give the mind no scope for degeneration. The easiest way to do this is to sing the glories of the Supreme Entity whose very thought automatically elevates the mind. Chanting the name of Parama Puruśa aloud is called kiirtana; For, the vibration created in the atmosphere by kiirtana will influence others also. But if one’s mental ideation is conveyed only to Parama Puruśa without affecting other human beings, this is called bhajana. So bhajana is purely personal; it has no collective aspect. Kiirtana is more beneficial than bhajana, and hence it is said kiirtaniiyah sadá harih: whenever you find time, do kiirtana loudly and you will never become degenerated because by chanting the Lord’s holy name the mind remains elevated. Mudslinging and criticizing is thereby stopped forever, and hence kiirtana averts the degradation of the human mind. You should always remember that in every sphere of life – social, political, economic, psychic, and spiritual – you should always follow the principle of “taking the opposite stance”: there is no exception to this rule. Victory will surely be yours." (11)
Kiirtana solves all problems
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Now, whatever might be the physical miseries – be they natural or man-made – if people collectively chant kiirtana, the calamities are dispelled then and there. In case of natural calamities like flood, famine, drought or epidemic, or man-made calamities, miseries and tortures – if kiirtana is chanted with maximum sincerity, it will bring direct relief in no time." (12)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Kiirtana is not only helpful in the realm of spirituality, but also in all spheres of life; it banishes physical troubles and tribulations as well. Kiirtana fights against all mundane difficulties and finally one becomes victorious." (13)
References
1. 16 May 1982, Kiirtana Dispels Calamities
2. 17 May 1982, Kolkata, Serve the Supreme by Kiirtana
3. 15 May 1982, Kolkata, Kiirtana: The Panacea for all Afflictions
4. Neo-Humanism in a Nutshell - 2
5. 15 May 1982, Kolkata, Kiirtana: The Panacea for all Afflictions
6. Neo-Humanism in a Nutshell - 2
7. Bliss of Kiirtana, p.5
8. Ananda Vacnamrtam - 9, Discrimination in Rights
9. Ananda Vacnamrtam - 10, The Supreme Entity – the Non-Doer
10. Ananda Vacnamrtam - 9, Discrimination in Rights
11. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 11, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
12. 16 May 1982, Kolkata, Kiirtana Dispels Calamities
13. Ananda Vacnamrtam - 22, Kiirtana Dispels Calamities
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Current affairs: Prout solution
Prout philosophy states, "Now, suppose a man seems to have good relations with his neighbours, but it becomes apparent that he is about to murder his wife, what should be the duty of the neighbours? Will they remain tight-lipped, sit quietly with their arms folded, and dismiss the situation as purely a domestic affair, thereby making the murder of the woman easier, and thus assist in establishing static peace? No, that is not the dictum of human dharma. On the contrary they should rush to the house, break down the door, save the woman, take suitable action against the male tyrant, and in this way come forward to establish sentient peace. Likewise, if any country perpetrates atrocities on its minorities or attacks a weak neighbouring country, then the other neighbouring countries should, if necessary, resist the oppressor with the force of arms, and thereby come forward to establish sentient peace." (1)
Note: In His above teaching, Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, the Propounder of Prout philosophy, guides us that we must not sit idle and passively watch oppressive nations siege, attack, and destroy other countries. Remaining on the sidelines as Russian forces bully and bomb Ukraine is not in accordance with Prout philosophy. The only way to establish sentient peace is to step up to the aggressors and defend and save those under attack. So the key point is that intervention is needed.
Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #15
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