Baba
Story: pre-Wt era
Namaskar,
Sadguru Baba started this great organization (AMPS) in 1955. Initially, there was not a Wt system. In the very beginning, in those early days, there were only regular margiis – not even family acaryas or tattvikas. That time, only Baba was giving initiations. He was personally doing everything. Not only initiations, but Baba was teaching asanas to the margiis and even demonstrating all the poses Himself. That was part of the beauty of those early days. But, unfortunately, those present could not understand that Baba is Parama Purusa. They mostly perceived Him just as an extraordinary guru.
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Also, when going to DMC then the family margii serving as Baba’s PA would live together along with Baba in the same room. Each with their own cot side by side. In that early stage of AMPS, the margiis were few in number, and the organisation had little means. So when Baba was visiting anywhere it was generally not possible to arrange a separate room. In addition, in that era there were not a lot of activities and programs going on so they could manage with having less space. Finally, Parama Purusa Baba wished to present Himself as a common man and bring people close.
Over time, the system changed and PA margii would take a room next to Baba’s. So PA would not stay in the very same room as Baba – but that was years later. In addition, in those early days Baba was still working in His government job and helping fund the organisation. During this time, He initiated many margiis, whenever He had time – after His government office hours in His personal quarters or whenever.
The creation of tattvikas
Gradually, many good margiis came into the fold, by His grace. With the gain in momentum, a training session was arranged wherein Baba started giving tattvika classes. Around that time, Baba was delivering His teachings on AM philosophy which came into print as the books “Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy” (1955), “Idea and Ideology” (1959), and “Ananda Sutram” (1962). Naturally, it was needed to have qualified disciples to explain and spread these teachings.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
For this reason, Baba was leading tattvika classes. During the time of tattvika training, there was a very strict routine with a focus on personal discipline. Many margiis from far and wide participated. Most of them passed and became tattvikas, by Baba’s grace. In the next session, Baba blessed them and made them family acaryas.
With the rise of family acaryas, Baba stopped performing the initiations Himself, though certainly Baba remained ever-active in countless works. Indeed, He was involved more deeply because a huge number of initiations were done by the new tattvikas, and Baba was giving PC (personal contact) to new margiis as well as expanding the organisation on many fronts.
The basic progression was:
1. First Baba was initiating new people Himself.
2. Then the system was made whereby margiis had to get permission from Baba before bringing a new person to Him for initiation.
3. Thereafter, Baba created tattvikas and then family acaryas to initiate new people. By this time Baba had stopped performing initiations.
From village to village, town to town
As the community of Ananda Margiis grew, so many activities and events were happening. DMCs were going on all over, and many villages were blessed by Baba to host DMC – especially in Bihar and in northern Bihar. Baba was doing maximum pracar there – where He literally traveled from village to village, town to town. Baba reached many places where even travelling by bullock carts was not possible. He went by elephant – how wild it was! Human beings could not even walk to those areas due to the deep mud. What a divine liila those days! There are countless stories recounted by margiis. How sweet and blissful it was.
Limitations of family life
There were a few who thought that there was no long-term need for a sannyasis order (i.e. our WT cadre) in Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha. They gathered that the creation of Wts was just a temporary phase and that family persons will again gain full control of AMPS. Most notably, family acarya Pratapaditya fell in this category. From time to time he would write and express this view; and there were others who espoused this perspective as well.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
That said, family people have certain limitations and time constraints: raising kids and managing their families, professional obligations, local relations etc. So family people do not have the flexibility that wholetimers have and hence cannot do the things which WTs can do. Anywhere, anytime those Wts can be sent from one corner of the globe to the other. And they will stay there permanently till the next order comes. They have to attend to calamities and manage the relief work and provide services etc. How can family persons take up that task when they have children, jobs, and the responsibility of running AM in their local area etc.
So if anyone is still thinking that the creation of the WT cadres is just a temporary measure because the Wt cadre was not introduced in the very beginning (i.e. 1955), but rather in 1962, then they should consider 16 Points, paincajanya, kiirtan, fasting, Prabhat Samgiita, neo-humanism, master units, gurukul, tandava / kaoshiiki, and sentient food etc. These practices were also added later on, i.e. after 1955, as the organisation became more mature. It is akin to how when a baby is born it just has smooth skin, and then as the years go by that baby grows into adulthood and grows a mustache and beard.
Accordingly, Sadguru Baba introduced more and more elements as the organisation matured. Obviously, these “additions” by Baba were not just temporary measures, but part of the working protocol of AMPS.
Conclusion
Those with a deeper understanding know that Baba planned everything ahead of time. And when it was the opportune moment then in a methodical manner He introduced new points. It is just like how parents do not send their infants off to university for higher studies. They wait until the time is right: When the children are older.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Similarly, when there was a certain need etc, Baba would introduce something new. Or, at least, on the surface it looked like that when actually He was just implementing those things which were already in His mind. So it was just a matter of how He was playing His liila.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Sarvya’piii
* * *
The below section is an entirely different topic, unrelated to the above material.
It stands on its own merit as a point of interest and ideological awareness.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
"A'kasher ta'ra' mor, ekata'ra' eki sure geye caleche..." (Prabhat Samgiita #4716)
Purport:
The music of my heart and the stars of the sky are all singing in one tune and melody. Parama Purusa, You are; that is why the world exists: It is revolving around You as You are the nucleus, the controller of everything, and the essence of this universe. Everything is dancing around You.
Baba, in Your beautiful creation, everyone is wreathed together in one garland. The ever-glowing flame of Parama Purusa is lighted in every heart. The illusion about mine and others is diminishing. All feelings of narrow-mindedness and selfishness are evaporating. Here in this world everyone has come to become one.
Those who think that “all are mine and nobody is other or alien” and look upon all with equanimity are sadhus - pious people. Good sadhakas and bhaktas look upon all as part of their universal human family. They view everyone equally and love each and every being. The mind heavily influenced by avidya maya has brought all these fissiparous tendencies. That selfish and ignorant mind has caused all these problems of greediness, groupism, and other divisive tendencies like infighting, casteism, racism, and geo, socio, and humanistic sentiments.
Baba, Your liila is endless...
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
History of DC chant
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Dharmacakra is a congregation of spiritual aspirants for collective performance of Iishvara Prańidhána and spiritual discussions. All will sit in rows adjacent to each other. Women and men will sit in separate rows. Anyone joining dharmacakra (after Iishvara Prańidhána has started) will silently occupy a suitable seat in proper order…The following mantra will be recited three times at the beginning of Iishvara Prańidhána: Saḿgacchadhvaḿ...” (1)
Here are some basic facts about the history of dharmacakra and the use of the saḿgacchadhvaḿ mantra in Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha.
(a) The very first dharmacakra was held at the opening DMC on 1/1/55.
(b) Our saḿgacchadhvaḿ chant was first recited at that inaugural DMC (1/1/55) directly before Baba gave His blessing. And verily every DMC discourse concludes with Baba reciting samgacchadhvam and giving His blessing. This continued up to 1990.
(c) Sadguru Baba’s earliest writings about the saḿgacchadhvaḿ mantra were in Caryarcarya part 1. When Baba first dictated Caryacarya -1 in Bangla then it was included in the chapter about dharmacakra. We do not have a copy of that Bangla edition, but here below is a copy of the first English edition. Scroll to page 38 in the below scan:
(d) Of course, years later on 12 October 1978 in Patna, Baba delivered an entire discourse titled "Saḿgacchadhvaḿ" which is included in His Ananda Vacanamrtam series of discourses.
Reference
1. Caryacarya - 1, Dharmacakra
== Section: Important Topic ==
About blissful, intense kiirtana
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It is said about the way in which the Paramátmá [Supreme Soul] can be seen in the átmá: In the same way that something can be seen in a mirror, a person can see the Paramátmá by analysing the átmá...Just as a reflection is seen in water, Parama Puruśa can be found in the gandharvaloka, that is, in the study of musical science." (1)
Note: Everyone knows that in our Ananda Marga philosophy it is explained that atma is a reflection of Paramatma. It is just like seeing the reflection of the sun in a mud puddle. It is not actually the sun but a reflection. That is similar to how our atma is a reflection of Paramatma.
When bhaktas do kiirtana and bhajan in a very intense way then a deep vibration is felt in the mind and a blissful feeling comes. That blissful feeling of intense kiirtan is coming from the gandhavarloka - i.e. higher state of mind. In other words, from a lower state your mind gradually reaches a higher state where you feel that special bliss which is gandhavarloka. Those who are good sadhakas have realised this in their life many times.
Reference
1. Shabda Cayaniká Part 1, Disc: 5
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Must read this if poor sadhana
Here is the English summary of Baba’s below Hindi teaching.
After involving in mundane works one is generally plunged in worldly thoughts. So then if one sits in sadhana, in the mind you will think that 'Tomorrow I will go to Arariya town. Indeed I have to go in the morning. I will have to catch the first bus'. You will sit in sadhana and go on thinking like this. In this situation what should you do? Before sitting for sadhana you should do kiirtan-- either 2 min, or 5 min, or 10 min. So first one should do kiirtan. Because by doing kiirtan the mind will get elevated. After that immediately one should sit in sadhana. Then you will see that there will not be any worldly thoughts. Then sadhana will be proper...Do not worry you have learned sadhana and I am always ready to help and serve you.Ananda Marga ideology states, ““अधिक दुनियावी चिन्तन के बाद जब साधना में बैठता है, उस वक्त होता है---बैठे हुए हैं, तो भी मन में सोच रहा है कि---'कल तो अररिया जाना है, morning में जाना है, first bus से जाना है' | साधना में बैठ गया, और यही सब सोच रहा है | तो, इसलिए क्या करना चाहिए, साधना में बैठने से पहले, दो मिनट हो, पाँच मिनट हो, दस मिनट हो, कसकर कीर्त्तन कर लो | कीर्त्तन करने से, कीर्त्तन के प्रभाव से मन ऊपर उठ जाएगा | उसके बाद फ़ौरन साधना में बैठ जाओ, देखोगे दुनियावी चिन्ताएँ नहीं रहेंगी |”
“तो, यह तो सब ठीक है | और {घबड़ाने की भी} घबड़ाने की कोई बात भी नहीं है | साधना तुम लोग सीख ही लिए हो | और, तुम लोग को help करने के लिए, सेवा करने के लिए, हम तो तैयार हैं |” (1)
Note: Every sincere Ananda Margii wants to do sadhana. Yet most of the time this aforesaid problem occurs. And our Guru understands this. That is why He has graciously given such a beautiful solution, as mentioned above. I think many may be following His divine guideline; and for those who are not, they should do so from now onwards, i.e. sing kiirtan before doing sadhana.
Reference
1. Átmatiirtha, V24 25(H), 22 Nov 71 Purnea, Bihar AV24-25
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