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Thursday, February 29, 2024

Fallacy about MPD song + 5 more

Baba
Fallacy about MPD song

Namaskar,

Generally speaking, when a person longs for the proximity of their lover, then that constitutes a melancholic love song. That lover could be mundane or divine. The great 16th century bhakta Miira's love (prema) was directed towards Lord Krsna, whereas today's youths in materialistic societies are infatuated (kama) with the opposite sex.

Here we examine worldly love (mundane infatuation) songs to make the point clear about melancholy. Yet all know that some Prabhat Samgiita are also melancholic songs and related with divine love (prema) for Parama Purusa. But unfortunately that melancholic Prabhat Samgiita was stolen and declared as a theme song for a death ceremony. For clarity please go on reading.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Example: mundane melancholic song

In worldly "love songs" (mundane infatuation) that appear on the radio, as well as in poems, folk songs, dramas, literature, and pseudo-culture parties etc, there are countless examples, where a person expresses their pain of having their lover so far away. For example, in those worldly love (kama / infatuation) songs, there are lines like: "I can't stand having you gone", "Why did you leave so soon", "I can't live without you" etc.

The aforementioned lines from crude love (kama / infatuation) songs reflect a person's agony of feeling that their lover is away. They cannot stand the pain of separation. This is a very common feeling when two close persons are infatuated with one another. Those lines express worldly feelings of love and intimacy.

How do mundane melancholic feelings develop? Suppose someone is singing, "Why did you leave me."  Here, this expression means a person loves their dearest so much that even a short span of separation feels like an eternity. They want to be close yet due to circumstance they are not - hence their pain and misery. They want to be near their beloved and that is why they sing, "Why did you leave me?" So those lines - "Why did you leave me" - do not mean that their lover has died etc. This is just the expression of worldly love (kama / mundane infatuation) - i.e. melancholic longing for the one with whom they are infatuated.


Mystic poets: melancholic song

And there are spiritual love songs made famous by mystic poets like Rabindranath Tagore, Vidyapati, Surdas, Miirabai, Kabir Das and so many others who have written countless melancholic love songs about the Divine. In such compositions, they sing, "O my Dearmost, where have You gone, I am desperate and lost without You."
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

For instance, the Prabhat Samgiita composition, #2085 "Tumi esechile...", is a melancholic song where bhakta was blessed to have the close proximity of Parama Purusa in the past but now in his meditation Parama Purusa is not coming in that very intimate way. So the sadhaka feels melancholic longing (prema) for Him. This is not  a death or so-called mahaprayan theme song. But unfortunately that melancholic Prabhat Samgiita #2085 was stolen and declared as a theme song for a death ceremony MPD. For clarity, please go on reading.


Melancholic song: spiritual yearning (prema) in PS

Here the point is that when the lyrics of a song express that a lover does not feel proximity to their beloved to the extent that they desire, then that song is a melancholic love song. Again, this may occur in mundane life or spiritual life. Certainly, melancholic songs are an important element in the life of a bhakta. In Indian languages, it is called virah, (melancholy). In Prabhat Samgiita, as we know similar lines are used to express feelings of melancholy. In Prabhat Samgiita the link between bhakta and Parama Purusa is based on spiritual yearning (prema).

Those who do regular sadhana sometimes feel the close proximity of Parama Purusa and other times feel that He is distant and far away. Despite their yearning, the sadhaka does not feel that Parama Purusa is coming as close as he (the sadhaka) wishes. And that gives the feeling of melancholy in the heart of the sadhaka who is trying to meditate and gain His proximity. In that mental state, the bhakta sings songs like:

“Tumi esechile ka'u ke na' bole, Na' ja'niye gele cale…” (PS #2085)

"Oh my Lord, You came in my mental abode, then without telling me You went away. Now I am trying to meditate on You in dhyana but I am not getting You." This is  melancholic longing (prema) for Him. This is not a death or so-called mahaprayan song. But unfortunately that melancholic Prabhat Samgiita #2085 was stolen and declared as a theme song for a death ceremony, i.e. MPD. For clarity please go on reading.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Conclusion

A melancholic song does not mean that Parama Purusa has died. In melancholic songs, the sadhaka does not feel the close presence of Parama Purusa in his heart. Parama Purusa is not coming as close as the bhakta desires for Him to come. That is the meaning behind this type of expression: "O Lord where have You gone, why have You left me."

So a melancholic song does not mean the death of Parama Purusa. A melancholic Prabhat Samgiita composition can’t be labeled as a death day song. Yet some “”great” people have assigned this melancholic song - Tumi esechile ka'u ke na' bole, Na' ja'niye gele cale (PS #2085) - as the theme song of MPD dogma. That is sad.

Namaskar,
Sastaunga Pranam to Baba,
Vinay

Who did like this

The dogmatic inventors of so-called mahaprayan are the ones who have labeled these melancholic PS compositions as MPD songs.


~ In-depth study ~

Short history of melancholic songs


There is a long tradition of melancholic songs across numerous communities and societies, spanning many languages and regions. As we see, such songs are used in both mundane relations and spiritual life. The essential meaning is that of yearning to be with your dearest one again - in a more close and intimate way.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

In mundane love (kama or infatuation), two young hearts fall in love, i.e. worldly attraction. In times of longing, they sing this type of song: "O' my dearest, where have you gone. I love you. I want to be with you." In this manner they express their melancholic feeling. So this line does not mean that their lover has died. It means that they yearn for closer proximity with their most intimate companion. Whatever their current situation may be - they desire more closeness. That is the overall spirit of worldly, melancholic songs. And we see this expressed in so many avenues such as film, drama, dance, literature etc.

Similarly, bhaktas sing melancholic songs for the Lord. Those songs also do not imply death. It just means that such bhaktas want to be in closer proximity with their Dearest One, in a more intimate and personal way. There is no question of the death of Parama Purusa. Rather to have melancholic longing, one already feels a high degree of closeness with Parama Purusa. The deep yearning for even greater intimacy is what is termed as melancholic longing in spiritual parlance. That is what this genre of Prabhat Samgiita songs are all about: Longing for greater proximity with Parama Purusa.


Bogus logic & dogma, death song

In Prabhat Samgiita and poetry there are various moods: Melancholy, nostalgia, anger, desperation, joy, romance, and so much more. Unfortunately some have infused the dogmatic notion that our melancholic songs of Prabhat Samgiita are about so-called mahaprayan. But any rational-minded margii easily understands that melancholic songs are not death or "MPD" theme songs.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Here is the clear-cut answer: The deeply melancholic Prabhat Samgiita compositions are not songs of death.

We all understand that Sadguru Baba knows the feelings of all His bhaktas and how they relate and express their love towards Parama Purusa Baba. Each and every kind of inner expression (i.e. love or prema) is present in Prabhat Samgiita. Accordingly, bhaktas can sing and express their feeling. If you go through the meanings and purports of those songs it is evident that these compositions are for a bhakta to express their deep love and affection for Parama Purusa.

The thread of this letter is wrapped around the notion of melancholic love songs. In common parlance, everyone is aware about love songs. In this genre, love can be directed in a worldly way (kama or mundane infatuation) based on mundane attachment towards humans, or in a spiritual manner (prema) based on bhakti for the Lord.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


*        *        *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.

*        *        *

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Understanding Guru’s teachings

Ananda Marga ideology, “Saḿgacchadhvaḿ” “moving together” does not mean march or double march, here “moving together” means that all portions of society, all portions of the collective body, should have the spirit to move ahead. Suppose you have gathered sufficient money, and there is no dearth of food in your house, but the remaining portion of society, your neighbours, your friends, are suffering from a dearth of money, or food, or clothes. Then it means that you are not following the spirit of “saḿgacchadhvam”. “Saḿgacchadhvam” means to build a strong, well-knit society where there shall be no exploitation, no superiority complex or inferiority complex.” (1)

In all realms, Baba's teachings are crystallized points of dharma - very concise. So to properly understand any guideline or teaching, it demands a little concentration or mental thought. For example a group of fools may think that by walking together to McDonald's for a hamburger they are following samgacchadvam, since they are all "moving together". But that has nothing to do with samgacchadvam.

Here the point is that a literal interpretation of Guru's teachings will never work. Rather, a greater explanation is needed to get the proper picture. That is why when Baba has given the pin-pointed sutras of Ananda Sutram, then side by side He also gives a purport so that those distilled teachings, i.e. sutras, can be understood in the proper way. This should be done with each and every aspect of Sixteen Points. Because Guru's teaching is distilled and given in seed form.

Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Will there be bloodshed in AMPS

Prout philosophy states, "As an example of the communal approach of the Government of India, take the case of Bengal. At that time reservation in the Bengal assembly was for 250 seats. 250 seats were created as part of provincial autonomy. Of these 250 seats, 120 were for Muslims, 80 were for non-Muslims, 25 were for British merchants – for the British businessmen of Calcutta to contest elections – a few were for Zaminders, a few were for universities, and a few were for labour leaders. The total: 250. In Bengal at that time, 45% of the population was Muslim and 55% was non-Muslim. That is, the land of Bengal was not only physically divided but also mentally divided, as a result of which Bengal was divided on the basis of communal consciousness, which is unnatural. Communalism is unnatural. Again today, the foolish leaders, the political leaders, are encouraging this very sentiment. And I fear that if it is not controlled in the proper time – it is the most opportune moment to control it – if it is not controlled in the proper time, the country will face further disintegration." (1)

Note: These days in AMPS it has become the fashion to announce that, "Regardless of your group affiliation you are welcome to attend our program." People feel glorified saying this these days. But we should understand the history because this is not a new approach, nor something grand. This type of defective mentality stems from the communal award, which the Britishers imposed on India in that pre-1947 era. In that era, people were not looked upon as members of universal humanity, but instead were identified by communal affiliation. Ananda Marga philosophy is strictly against the communal award. As long as one is viewing themselves and / or recognising and identifying others with a certain group (i.e. communal consciousness), then that individual is not a true Ananda Margii - what to speak of being a neo-humanist. Our first and foremost duty is to adopt and uphold the tenets of universalism and one human society. So this line they people preach - "Regardless of group affiliation..." - is not something to gloat over or brag about. That does not make one open-minded or great, rather degraded.

Remember this happened in the pre-divided India before 1947, and India suffered a bloody division. And now this is going on in AMPS, and the concern is that it will lead to a similar result.

Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 18, The Dangers of Communalism


== Section: Important Teaching ==

How sun-warmed water is good for health


Ananda Marga philosophy says, "When children are massaged with oil and then bathed in sun-warmed water it increases their vitality. Sun-warmed water is also beneficial for older people, however for older people it is not good if the temperature of the sun-warmed water is greater than the temperature of the body." (1)

Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 3, Disc: 17


== Section ==

धर्म की रक्षा मनुष्य कब करेंगे, कब नहीं करेंगे?

“कहा गया क्या ? न, "धर्मः रक्षति रक्षितः |" जो धर्म की रक्षा करते हैं, धर्म भी उसकी रक्षा करता है | और, देखो मनुष्य के जीवन में बड़ी-बड़ी घटनाएँ बहुत कम होती है | जीवन छोटी-छोटी घटनाओं से पूर्ण है | बड़ी-बड़ी दो-चार घटनाएँ जीवन में होती हैं |
तो, धर्म की रक्षा या धर्म का प्रतिपालन, केवल जो तुम बड़ी-बड़ी घटनाओं में करोगे---सो बात तो नहीं है | हो सकता है कि किसी विशेष मनुष्य के जीवन में बड़ी घटना---जन्म और मृत्यु के सिवाय, और एक भी नहीं हुई | यह भी तो हो सकता है | तो जनम के time में धर्म की रक्षा वे कैसे करेंगे ? वह तो एकदम बच्चा है | और, मौत के वक्त, मृत्यु के time में उसको तो होश नहीं है---उस वक्त धर्म की रक्षा कैसे करेंगे ?

इसलिए धर्म की रक्षा मनुष्य करेंगे हर घटना में, छोटी-छोटी घटनाओं में, छोटी-छोटी बातों में | Even हँसी-दिल्लगी में भी मनुष्य धर्म से हटेंगे नहीं | तो, जीवन की हर घटना में धर्म की रक्षा करनी है | और जो धर्म की रक्षा करते हैं, धर्म भी उसकी रक्षा करते हैं | तो, "धर्मः रक्षति रक्षितः |”

[यह प्रवचन-अंश, बाबा के कैसेट से सीधे लिखा गया है । बाबा का यह असली प्रवचन, अमृतोपदेश है। आनन्दमार्ग हिन्दी पुस्तकों में छपे प्रवचन तो नक़ली प्रवचन हैं, असली नहीं हैं। बंगालीकरण (बँगलाइजेसन) के तहत उनकी बर्बादी की गई]   (1)


When to skip observing dharma
when to follow dharma when not


Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Those who protect dharma, dharma protects them. One should always protect dharma, in both big and small ways. If one thinks that they will only follow dharma in some big events, and not in small ones, then those big events may not ever come in their entire life. It may be that in their whole life, besides their birth and death, not a single big event happens. Yet at the time of birth how can one protect dharma. At that time one is just a small infant and cannot do anything. That infant is totally unaware about the events going on around them. Then how can they protect dharma. And at the time of death, a person is senseless. In that case also how can they protect dharma. For this reason, dharma should be protected always. In small and big ways-- even in jokes and humor dharma should be protected. Those who protect dharma, dharma protects them: Dharma raksati raksitah." (2)


References
1. हिंदी, (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 32 (H), p.86-7)
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 32 (H), p.86-7


== Section 3: Links ==





Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Only solution of Israel-Hamas war + 3 more

Baba

Only solution of Israel-Hamas war

Note: This letter is only for those who have reverence for Sadguru Baba Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji and try to follow His Ananda Marga ideology.

Here we must remember that Baba guides us that open and healthy debate is welcomed on points of philosophy. Some may wrongly think that we are not permitted to point out any religion etc. However, Baba's guideline is that we must not mock their beliefs, but on points of philosophy, open and respectful debate is needed.

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Different views can be compared and presented in philosophical books. The philosophical and psychological loopholes in an argument may be pointed out without being disrespectful." (1)

Namaskar,

Nowadays, there are so many communal and religious clashes all over the globe. And steps are continually being taken by various governments and diplomats in hopes of ending these conflicts. Perhaps no better example of this is the ongoing battle between Israel and Palestine and the events unfolding in Gaza. Over the past years and decades, many have tried to intervene, but to no avail.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Both the Jews and the Muslims feel that Israel is their religious holy land. In that situation what can be done to resolve the matter. Some have proposed peace treaties and accords, others have argued for a single or two-state solution, and various theories and platforms have been presented. But to date, nothing has worked. The conflict rolls onward, waxing and waning through periods of modest unrest to full blown invasions.


When Jews & Arabs become tired


According to Prout, the only way to permanently resolve this clash over Israel is when both the Jews and the Muslims in that region give up their religious dogma and adopt the tenets of neo-humanism. When everyone in the region views one and all as children of the same Cosmic Entity, they will become true human beings, i.e. neo-humanists. And there will be sentient peace in the region.

Hearing this, some may be skeptical that this can ever occur. They may think that the situation is utterly hopeless, and reason that the region will not suddenly adopt neo-humanism. And that is true. But there is one other factor at play.

Ultimately, humans become tired of war. We saw this in India with the constant feuding between the various kingdoms. And we saw this after the World Wars in Europe. In both cases, the people became battle weary, and, little by little, they began to work and live together in a more cordial manner. And this same process will unfold in the Middle East as well. Step by step, the Jews and the Arabs will tire of all the bloodshed, and they will be forced to live together under the pressure of circumstance. Over the course of time, from one generation to the next, they will engage with one another more and more. And their ties to their own religious dogma will wane - as we see happening now wherever materialism is in vogue. When they no longer identify with any particular religion there will be great scope for the mass propagation of neo-humanism.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

As Ananda Margiis, it does not mean that we can now sit back and wait till that glorious day. Rather, we should always be vigilant to preach the gospel of neo-humanism and Prout. The groundwork should be set otherwise the opportunity will be entirely lost. The more pracara is done, the more inroads will be made into those communities.


Blueprint for peace

Verily, this is the blueprint for peace between any warring parties, not just Israel and Palestine. In order for there to be peace, both parties will have to give up their dogma and embrace the universal approach of neo-humanism. And this occurs over a continuum. Some followers of Judaism and Islam may quickly be attracted to Proutistic ideals, while for others it may take more time and struggle. But one thing is sure, until they give up their religious dogma, there will never be a solution in sight. Their attacks, battles, bombings, and bloodshed will rage on, regardless of how many peace talks and diplomatic sessions are held. Only the adherence to neo-humanism can deliver a unified, peaceful society.

So there is a big job to do. As Ananda Margiis, our first and foremost endeavour is to keep Guru’s teachings intact. And then we have to embody and propagate His divine  ideals. And verily with His very advent as the Taraka Brahma, already Sadguru Baba has set the winds in motion for this grand change to occur. Remember, peace and unity cannot be achieved so long as both parties adhere to their religious codes. Ultimately, they will have to come under the banner of neo-humanism. There is no other way.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Judaism, Christianity, Islam: One SC holy place


From Wikipedia: “The Temple Mount (Hebrew: הַר הַבַּיִת‎‎, Har HaBáyit, "Mount of the House [of God, i.e. the Temple]"), known to Muslims as the Haram esh-Sharif (Arabic: الحرم الشريف‎‎, al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf, "the Noble Sanctuary", or الحرم القدسي الشريف, al-Ḥaram al-Qudsī al-Šarīf, "the Noble Sanctuary of Jerusalem"), a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is one of the most important religious sites in the world. It has been venerated as a holy site for thousands of years by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

So the question is: When will this ongoing rift over Israel be resolved. According to Prout, the answer is never - i.e. so long as Jews identify as Jews and Muslims identify as Muslims, there will never be a solution. So long as they both blindly hold on to their religious beliefs and feel that theirs is the word of God, there will be no answer to their discord and religious quarrel.


All Americans would have to be removed

Regarding Israel, Baba has given that the land originally belonged to the Jews. That is an historical fact according to Ananda Marga teachings. 

Prout philosophy says, "The case of the Jews who expanded into Palestine is similar. Palestine originally belonged to the Jews and the Arabs drove them out." (2)

At the same time, the Muslims think that it is their land and that the Jews only captured it after World War II. And there is some credence to this as well. But the Jews feel it is their ancestral property and the Palestinians have no right to be there. All in all, both parties are blindly attached with their religion. 
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Although from an historical perspective, Israel is the land of the Jews, but the situation is more complex than that. Because if you say that the Jews should get 100% of the land due to the fact that they were the inhabitants several centuries ago, then the same theory can be applied to numerous other lands. All Americans would have to be removed from the USA and only native people could stay; plus the upper caste of India would have to be fully removed since they were intruders long back. And similar things would happen in Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, white Mexicans from Mexico, Sri Lanka, white Brazilians, white Canadians, Filipino mestiz from the Philippines, and numerous other countries. So giving Israel exclusively to the Jews is not necessarily the solution.

In Him,
Mahadeva
(Marcus Shapiro)

~ In-depth study ~

Who is a fake Jew, fake Muslim, & fake Christian

In this letter, the terms Muslims, Jews, and Christians have been used to denote those who follow their respective religions very strictly. Those who do not follow their religions in a strict manner are fake, according to their scriptures. To understand this more clearly please consider the following:
  • Some people say that, “My Christian friend loves all human beings.” But that person who loves all human beings is a fake Christian because they are not following their religious scripture, i.e. the Bible.
  • Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Almost every religion has claimed that only its followers are God’’s chosen people and that the rest of humanity is cursed and bound by the chains of Satan. One religion has declared, “”Our prophet is the only saviour. There is no escape from mundane sufferings except by taking refuge in him.”” Another religion has declared, ““I am the last prophet.” Or, prayers must be said before God a specific number of times in a certain manner each day. Or, special animals must be sacrificed on particular days. These are the wishes of merciful God. Those who follow these injunctions will attain heaven on the Day of Judgement.” Yet another religion says, “”Know ye, my son, thy God is the only God.” All other gods are false gods.” Just imagine, all these religions preach universal fraternity, and yet this universal fraternity is kept within the confines of their own community. Humanity gasps for breath at such preposterous claims of universal fraternity.” (3)
  • If someone says, “I know many Muslims who are vegetarian”, but according to their religious scripture, the Quran, those are fake Muslims.
  • If someone says, “I know many Muslims who love all human beings”. In response you can say, “According to their religious scripture, the Quran, those are fake Muslims.”
  • If someone says, “My Jewish friend drives their car on Saturdays”, then that person is a fake Jew according to Jewish scripture, The Torah.
  • If the Muslim living around the corner dances and sings, then according to Islamic scripture that person is a fake Muslim.
  • If Mr So and So communist is a devout theist, then according to the Communist Manifesto he is a fake communist.
  • Or if someone says that, “My Muslim friend is very kind to non-Muslims”, but according to the Quran that person is not a true Muslim.
  • If a Christian does not go to church on Sunday and instead does meditation on the Supreme Consciousness then they are fake according to the Bible.
  • If a margii smokes and eats meat then according to Ananda Marga philosophy that is a fake Ananda Margii.
  • If someone proclaims, “I am Muslim and I am a vegetarian” then the answer is that according to Islamic law you are not a true Muslim.


Strict believers: IRA terrorists & Muslim jihadis

With this clear understanding please read this following section about strict Muslims, Jews, and Christians etc.

Remember those who are ordinary believers sometimes become more dangerous. When their clerics or priests teach and remind them of the importance of submission towards their so-called holy scripture, those non-believers fully engage and try to become strict. They start following those so-called scriptures in a very rigid manner. They become absolutely brutal. That is what happened with those suicide bombers - i.e. IRA terrorists in Ireland and Muslim jihadis. The problem is when the scripture itself is ghastly then it can be used to goad strict followers to commit heinous crimes against humanity. That scripture should be wholly condemned by logic, reasoning, and open discussion. Then people will realise that the Quran, Bible, Torah or Puranas are fake and harmful. Those scriptures are not helpful in uniting human society, rather they are filled with all kinds of poisons.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


True Jew killed Prime Minister of Israel

If we do not expose the inherent defects of those faulty scriptures, then teenage Muslim boys and girls will read the Quran and engage in terrorist activities as the Quran condones that approach. Or teenage Christians will read the Bible and stone someone to death for leading a promiscuous life.

Another key part of the conversation is this. Some naive people think that those Islamic terrorists are radicals and not Muslims. But the reality is that those terrorists are the true Muslims as they strictly follow the word of the Quran. Similarly, the Jew who killed Prime Minister Rabin of Israel was a very strict Jew. Their scripture says to kill heretics and he did. And those Christians involved in the Rwanda genocide and the Crusades were true Christians, according to the Bible. 

The conclusion is that those defective scriptures should be condemned in a very psychological and convincing manner. People should know that that those scriptures are harmful and against humanity. One should be very careful to ensure that critiquing religious dogmas is done in a very respectful and dignified manner. A band-aid will not solve this serious problem that is plaguing the world. Rather in a very respectful manner we have to unmask the flawed disastrous writings of those faulty scriptures.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Religions can never bring unity

Ananda Marga philosophy states:

“Q. How far is the unification of all religions possible?”
“Ans.: – To seek infinite bliss is the only dharma of humanity. Humanity has but one dharma. Thus, the question of the unification of religions does not arise. The apparent dissimilarity between various religions arising due to differences in their ritualistic practices is not a spiritual difference. Whenever rituals dominate and efforts to attain bliss are feeble, whatever that may be, it is not spirituality.” (4)

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Human unity is purely an ideological unity, which means unity in the psychic sphere. Where there is psychic unity, physical unity will also occur. In the realm of unity, unity is always psychic – ideological unity means unity in the subtlest level of the mind. However, psychic or ideological unity may be affected if we encourage the exploitation of one group by another. So to avoid this there should not be any scope for exploitation [groupism] in society." (5)

References
1. Human Society - 1, Moralism
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout, Unity & Synthesis
3. Human Society - 1, Moralism
4. Tattva Kaomudii - 1, Some Questions and Answers on Ananda Marga Philosophy – Excerpt B
5. Prout in a Nutshell - 3, 'Talks on Prout'


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Why maximum four times

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “There are many people who are otherwise good but have no control over the food they eat. It is very important that whatever one gets should not be taken indiscriminately; rather, there should be control over food, and at the same time it should be nutritious.” (1)

Note: All the rules given in Ananda Marga teachings are rational and scientific. They are firmly grounded in logic and the spirit of welfare. With regards to the above conduct rule, people have a strong inclination or weakness for food. For instance, even if a person has just taken a full belly of food, but if they see something that entices them then they will eat it. But eating food in an untimely way - i.e. when one is not hungry - ruins one’s digestion and eventually leads to numerous diseases. To help and protect our Wts from such weakness, Baba has given the rule that they may eat only four times in any 24-hour period. By this rule, Baba is ensuring that there will be a sufficient gap in between meals. That helps in digestion and keeps the system strong. So that is why our Wts are only allowed to eat four times per day.

Then there is the matter of only eating four items in a given meal. Here again this rule was given for the welfare of our Wts. In some placed huge feasts are commonplace where 50 - 100 food items are available at a single sitting. And in the temples, the Lord must be fed 56 items of fresh food at every meal. The point is that in the religious traditions, feasting is front and center. But that leads to health issues and one’s premature demise. Combining different types of food is harmful to the body as some foods get digested by alkaline juices and other items by acid. If one eats a huge variety of food at one meal then one is far more likely to combine foods that are not complementary to one another, thereby causing serious problems for the stomach. By restricting the number of foods and following this simple rule, that pitfall is essentially avoided.

So all the rules and teachings are for our overall well-being and progress.

The more family people adhere to the rules given for Wts - such as fasting four times per month, or restricting one’s food intake in the above ways, the more they will be benefited.

Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, The Seven Secrets of Success


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