Namaskar,
Sadguru Baba benevolently guides bhaktas in all situations and in all circumstances. Sometimes that guidance comes in the form of sweet words and affection to help the sadhaka advance; and, other times that guidance comes in the form of mock scolding and feigned anger to fuel a sadhaka's progress. In both instances, His aim is the welfare of the sadhaka.
Externally to the unknowing observer, His "scolding" and feigned anger may look like something terrible, but the bhakta knows that it is just His divine play. Baba's eternal stance is one of perfect composure and deep prema. Externally, He may act angry because that is the needed medicine to help that disciple. For this reason He pretends to be angry.
That is the way of Sadguru: To love unconditionally and make a show of punishment. That is the contrast. Yet both avenues are wholly grounded in the spirit of welfare. By this dual approach, He hastens one's journey towards that Supreme stance.
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Those whom He loves most
It happens, however, that some may misunderstand His dramatic show of punishment. Pseudo-sadhakas mistakenly view His form of Va'madeva - as being something really unkind. But His show of punishment and feigned anger and scolding can never exceed the prema and closeness which He has for that sadhaka. In that sense, He only expresses His feigned anger towards those whom He loves most. That is the special point to always remember.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “The quantum of punishment must not exceed the quantum of love.” (1)
So ultimately, whether He is using affectionate words or tough language, it is all an expression of His boundless prema - whereby He is bringing the sadhaka closer.
Here following is one beautiful story which perfectly encapsulates the above ideal. It is an account of one of Baba's visits to Jaipur, Rajasthan. By His grace, I was personally present on this magnificent occasion.
The date was 12 October 1964 and we were blessed by Baba to receive Him in the evening time. Just prior He had been in Allahabad and Agra. And on Monday, the 12th of October, Baba traveled via train from Agra to Jaipur. Many of us had the good fortune to receive Him that evening in Jaipur. The next day, Tuesday October 13, Baba blessed all in DMC. It was a grand event and we were all ensconced in His spiritual flow.
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And then at midday on Wednesday, October 14, Baba was making His departure from Jaipur in order to take a plane journey to Bombay (Mumbai). And it is this momentous occasion that I am going to relay to you now in full detail.
Baba's unique query to margiis
Baba's farewell to Jaipur margiis: Do you want to remain with Parama Purusa and serve society or become one with Parama Purusa.
Firstly, it should be noted that during Baba's stay in Jaipur He showered immense grace and He was also quite stern and strict with margiis on points of sadhana, service, and sacrifice. Some new margiis became affected by His feigned scolding. Yet, at the time of His farewell, Baba beautifully cleansed the mind and filled it with bhakti. It was His ahaetukii krpa'.
Here then is a word for word rendition - from my journal of that day - of Baba's farewell from Jaipur on 14 October 1964. Baba spoke the following:
BABA: "There are some great bhaktas who want to remain with Parama Purusa in liila bhava always, and while with Him they want to serve the society. Wherever Parama Purusa goes and takes form as Taraka Brahma, then those bhaktas always want to accompany Him and perform service."
BABA: "And some other great bhaktas just want to become one with Parama Purusa."
BABA: "So it is up to a bhakta’s desire and accordingly Parama Purusa will bless them with what they want."
BABA: "But the true enjoyment is to be with Parama Purusa in liila bhava and serve the society. That is great and I also want that service to be done to the society. Ultimately though, it is up to the bhaktas to decide what they want."
MARGIIS: "Baba, we want to serve the society and be with You".
BABA: "Yes, that is also what I want."
"It is My duty to clean you"
Baba's farewell to Jaipur margiis: "It is My duty to clean your mind"
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Then Baba said, "There is another point I want to tell."
BABA [referring to Himself]: "Baba sometimes can become very tough. He sometimes plays a very tough role. And also in this DMC, a few margiis were thinking that Baba is really tough. So we have to think, is it that Baba is really being tough, or is it that He is just playing to show His toughness. Is He just adopting a role of toughness. The answer to this is only known to Baba because otherwise people would not be afraid or take it seriously."
Then, with those still around Him and addressing one and all, Baba faced towards another margii and started talking.
BABA: "You know I am your gula'm ("servant") and when I see any wrong or negative thing in your mind then it is My duty to clean your mind. It is just like a "servant" who wipes up the dirt from the house to make it clean. Similarly, it is My duty to clean your mind. So I am doing My duty."
BABA [citing one Urdu poem]: "I am your "servant" and you are my master...".
BABA: "So it is My duty to clean you."
BABA: "Having a human body and an animal mind, doing great work is not possible. You are sadhakas; you have to do something great - something meaningful. And a sadhaka can do anything and everything.”
Then Baba emanated a very strong spiritual vibration. And those present started crying in bliss and the air was filled and flooded with devotion and longing for Parama Purusa. The margiis all felt so blissful and they could not control their tears. And they started singing one song: "Baba, please do not go, You are mine. Please remain permanently mine..." Baba was sitting there quietly the whole time. In that highly-charged atmosphere, Baba took leave of us and went to catch His plane for Bombay (Mumbai).
For their welfare
Here below are some of Baba's special guidelines that a true Guru must "scold" as well as love. Only feigned punishment and only showering grace will not do. Both sides are needed.
Nigraha'nugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiyate
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "One who only punishes a person is not a Guru, and one who only loves is also not a Guru...excessive love and affection spoils a person. Only one who does both these things is a real Guru. That is why people should be trained with both love and punishment. Where love fails, punishment helps." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "A spiritual guru must be well-acquainted with all the processes of sádhaná, must have the capacity to convince others, must possess complete knowledge of the scriptures, must know many languages, and must have comprehensive knowledge and intellect, plus some extra qualifications. What are those qualifications? Nigrahánugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiiyate – “the guru must possess the capacity both to punish, and to love, or bless, his disciples.” Punishment alone, without love, is not good. Love and punishment should go together, and the degree of punishment should never exceed the degree of love. Then only can one be called a real spiritual guru." (3)
Prabhat Samgiita #4528 expresses a similar idea: Lord, those whom You feel are very close to You, You discipline them for their welfare. In my day to day life and in my happiness and sorrow, You are always with me as my very close and intimate own person. In the pitch dark night, You are the jewel that provides the pathway and effulgence that makes my path and destination clear. But even then I do not look towards You. Your degree of discipline does not exceed the quantum of prema. You love so much and discipline just a little. Parama Purusa, You are very kind and merciful.
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Conclusion
The most magnificent aspect of Baba’s loving scolding and feigned punishment is that by this way He secretly takes away the sins and bad samskaras of His disciples. He removes all their physical, psychic, and spiritual bondages, ailments, and weaknesses which were hindering their path of progress - in all realms of life. By His feigned punishment one’s entire personality is transformed and enhanced. It is His boundless krpa.
History has witnessed that when He was doing dharma samiiksa then thousands and thousands of people underwent much discomfort and difficulties in order to stay in Kolkata in hopes of getting His blessing in the form of prema and feigned punishment. Sadhakas left their hearth and home, and waited 15 days - even months - without proper food and sleep, and with great difficulty, for the opportunity to have dharma samiiksa to get the prema and feigned punishment of the Sadguru.
Words lack the capacity to express the true beauty and joy of His love - and the blessing of His feigned punishment. After getting His grace, one’s whole personality was entirely refined. The sadhana one could not do earlier was now easily done. One’s status of mind increased exponentially in the subtle, spiritual sphere.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
This is the special outcome of Sadguru’s prema and feigned punishment. Those who understand that He scolds due to His unfathomable love are the true disciples. Blessed are those who had this experience and realise this fact in their own life.
Namaskar,
At His feet,
Shriikant
Still happening today...
Some people think that now there is no opportunity to get that type of special blessing. But they should know that Parama Purusa is the Eternal Entity who exists always so His liila also goes on. Now and in the future, bhaktas are receiving and will receive His grace - always. For example, if non-sadhakas and bad people commit a mistake, they do not get atonement quickly. But in a sadhaka’s life, there is a special arrangement. For their mistake they will quickly get a serious punishment. Those practicing sadhana realise this. Baba is the Sadguru so He is helping His disciples in various ways. The way He was doing as Mahasamabhuti, now He is doing invisibly: He is helping. One can realise this in their life. If one is sincere in sadhana, they will feel that Guru’s love and punishment is for their progress.
~ In-depth study ~
Five faces of Sadguru Taraka Brahma
From this story we can understand that as a Guru Baba loves and pretends to punish - all done for our welfare. And in His teachings Baba describes how Parama Purusa has 5 faces or 5 personalities. From left to right they are Va'madeva, Kalagni, Kalyan Sundaram, Iishana, and Daksineshwar. And all are needed.
And it is His face or form as Va'madeva that He strongly seemingly scolds and rebukes us. Whereas other times He is just a little bit angry, or more gentle, or more calm, or extremely sweet and charming etc. So He has various approaches yet all are needed-- and all are grounded in His deep and infinite love.
In the above story about Baba's departure from Jaipur, He is explaining the inner beauty and working of Va'mdeva. The inner spirit of Va'madeva: The all-knowing and all-benevolent Baba can only feign punishment to those who already have a high degree of prema for Parama Purusa, and vice-versa. To experience Baba's form in va'madeva shows that one has reached a certain qualification as a bhakta. Because to get His feigned anger, one must be deserving - one must love Parama Purusa dearly.
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Baba loves those whom He pretends to punish - for them He has far more prema. That is the divine equation. That means He has to bestow in His role as Kalyan Sundaram.
Those who experienced His Va'madeva form were blessed to receive His special grace-compassion. And those who could not get scolded by Baba in those days were not up to the mark; so Baba had left it upon prakrti to reform them. Because He only scolds those who are really close to Him. That is His divine liila and the inner secret behind His feigned scolding.
Who can be called a Guru
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "You must try to arouse the seed of benevolence that lies hidden in the inner recesses of the human mind. How can this seed be aroused? Human beings will have to apply all sorts of measures – persuasion, scolding etc.; and at the same time you will have to continue your efforts so that the dormant seeds of psychic potentialities express themselves. And with their expression, the whole society will be benefited. Today human beings must be inspired and motivated, and thus discipline is essential. To impose discipline is not bad. It has been said in the scriptures: Hitarthe shásanam ityarthe anushásanam. “That discipline which leads to the welfare of all human beings is called anushásanam.” Society requires enforced discipline. In the scriptures it is also said: Nigrahánugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiyate: “One who is capable of punishing or rewarding one's followers is called a Guru, a true teacher”. Only one who can discipline as well as love a person, can be called a Guru." (4)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Human beings are the progeny of Parama Puruśa and are thus the objects of His love and affection. Whatever might be the nature of the sins they commit, they will never be deprived of His affection. Parama Puruśa may scold them, but He can never hate them. He will simply shake the dust off their clothes and take them onto His lap." (5)
You are always very close as my own & intimate person
Prabhat Samgiita #4528 expresses a similar idea. To whom Sadguru loves, He punishes also to exhaust their samskaras or to make them better.
ápan bolei karo shásan
duhkhe sukhe ápanár jana
ándhár ráte mańir matan
álo jvalo tákáini,
bhuleo kabhu bhávini
The above stanza from Prabhat Samgiita #4528 says a similar thing. Lord, those whom You feel are very close to You, You discipline them for their welfare. In my day to day life and in my happiness and sorrow, You are always with me as my very close and intimate own person. In the pitch dark night, You are the jewel that provides the pathway and effulgence that makes my path and destination clear. But even then I do not look towards You. Your degree of discipline does not exceed the quantum of love. You love so much and discipline just a little. Parama Purusa, You are very kind and merciful.
References
1. Caryácarya Part 2, Society, Point #39c
2. A Few Problems Solved - 5, Shrávańii Púrńimá
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 21, The Criteria of a Guru
4. A Few Problems Solved - 5, Shrávańii Púrńimá
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, A Few of Tantra's Special Characteristics
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.
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Marching on path of supreme fulfillment
"Toma'r na'mer tarii beye bhese calechi sudu're..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3937)
Purport:
My Supreme Entity, by Your grace I am rowing the boat of Your name, singing Your glory, and floating toward the far distant spiritual land. Baba, because I am dancing in Your divine tune, I know I will never lose my path; victory is assured. With Your eternal song as my rudder guiding me along, I never feel lost or frustrated.
Parama Purusa, in my personality there is no hypocrisy. And there is no painful, hellish thorns of self-aggrandisement, (asmita'). It is Your immense kindness. My heart is pure and straight. In my life’s zig-zag path, the high and low tide comes and goes, but in my soul everything resonates in the eternal vibration of Your omnkara, the sound of the ankle bell. Your sublime presence encompasses all.
Parama Purusa, I am moving forward towards You with my heart and mind and do not have any desire to look back. Baba, with Your krpa’, I never wander around or fall from the path of dharma sadhana. Nor do I unnecessarily waste my time recalling all those old forgotten memories of my distant past. Continuously, You keep me marching along the path of supreme fulfillment.
Baba, I am under Your shelter, and in my meditation and dhyana I always sing Your name. It is Your causeless grace on me…
Exploitation & language
Ananda
Marga philosophy states, “People must raise their socio-economic
consciousness, know who their exploiters are, expose psycho-economic
exploitation and become imbued with fighting spirit. While you should
encourage the use of all tongues, this does not imply opposing the study
of other languages. Language in itself is of secondary importance; of
primary importance is the cultural and socio-economic consequences of
linguistic imperialism. (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Some Aspects of Socio-Economic Planning
Daughters safeguarded by inheritance system
Ananda
Marga Caryacarya states, “Sons and daughters will inherit in equal
shares the movable and/or immovable property of their parents. The
daughter will enjoy the immovable property during her lifetime, but will
not have the right to transfer it to others. The property will revert
to her father’s family after her death.” (1)
#1:
The AM system of inheritance follows the patrilineal order wherein the
father's land is passed down to his sons. That is the baseline.
#2:
At the same time, the AM system of inheritance makes the very unique
stipulation that as long as the daughter is alive she has her given
right to access her father's property. This is very important as suppose
the daughter is married with children and living with her husband's
extended family, and then suddenly her husband undergoes an untimely
death and she is widowed and the children are fatherless. In turn, the
husband's family may no longer welcome her on their land etc. In that
case, given the AM system, the daughter has every right to go back with
her children to her father's property where she will have access to her
fair share. By this way, the daughter and her children will be safe and
secure. And, of course, if her husband was himself a landowner,
independent of his extended family, then the wife will inherit that land
as well.
#3:
The son's situation is different. If he is married and his wife does
then he will not have access to any land owned by his wife's extended
family. So the son must rely exclusively on his paternal property, and /
or whatever property he may have acquired on his own.
#4: So in our AM system, in any family both the sons and daughters will be safe and secure and have access to land / property.
#5:
it goes without question that if there are no sons then the father’s
property will be divided accordingly amongst his daughters. And those
daughters can one day leave that land unto their children according to
the AM system of inheritance.
Reference
1. Caryacarya - 1, Ideal System of Inheritance
Careful when using fans
Shabda Cayanika states, "If a hand fan is used in a small room it certainly generates some breeze but that breeze does not give much relief from the fatigue of summer. Such a breeze within those small confines becomes more and more injurious to health with every passing moment. The breeze of an electric fan within a closed environment is even more harmful. If a person sleeps with this kind of a breeze they feel heavy when they wake up; a weak or sick person feels feverish. The breeze generated by a fan within a confined space is called kut́heru; since ancient times it has been considered as something which should be avoided." (1)
Reference
1. Shabda Cayaniká Part 5, Disc: 29
Most misused Ananda Vanii- Ananda Vanii #54
Note 1: This Ananda Vanii is extremely misused. For example when thieves do a burglary they use this vanii and justify that they are involved in the struggle for dharma. And when group organisers go against neo-humanism and form their groups then they console themselves that they are playing diplomacy for dharma. Even murderers use this for their work - murdering for dharma. Because of the severe twisting of the teaching contained in this vanii, such persons get severely punished by nature. So everyone should be aware.
Note 2: The above is one of Baba’s original Ananda Vaniis. These original and true Ananda Vaniis are unique, eternal guidelines that stand as complete discourses in and of themselves. They are unlike Fake Ananda Vaniis.
Festival - Niilkantha Divas - 12 Feb 2024
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