Baba
Profile of two families: raising non-margiis
Namaskar,
Once when I was travelling across Delhi sector I came across a distinct contrast between two "Margii" families. And that may shed insight into the direction in which we need to move.
The father in one family was a very committed margii who was stationed all across India for his governmental job yet wherever he was placed then first and foremost he was doing Baba's work. However, in his home, he was quite relaxed and felt that when the children get older then he will introduce them into Ananda Marga way of life.
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Wife & children remained non-margii
Unfortunately, his wife was hardly an Ananda Margii and as time went by the children hardly knew of Ananda Marga life practices. And when the time came that the father hoped to bring them into Ananda Marga sadhana, the children wanted no part of it. Already the damage was done. Their minds and hearts were elsewhere. And that is why to this very day, in his own home that father is nearly an alien. He worked hard to build Ananda Marga everywhere but there is not even a trace of Ananda Marga in the very house where he lives. And indeed his children have grown and they have no sadhana in their lives and no relation with Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha.
In the end, the father was essentially ousted from his own house - and here is how that fateful end came to pass. After his retirement, the father was no longer traveling or posted afar so he was quite eager to increase his spiritual practices as he had more time. During this transition to living at home full-time, he was singing Prabhat Samgiita and chanting kiirtan regularly, plus he was doing paincajanya daily, keeping a strict sentient diet, and doing asanas and sadhana etc.
Sadly, it was not long before his now grown children and spouse came to him and requested that if he wishes to live like this then best will be if he passes his days on his ancestral property in the village area. Because his family members were completely fed up with his Ananda Marga way of living. Thus, he was basically deported from his own abode. That is the tragic ending.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Raise children in margii way of life
All want our Ananda Marga to flourish. Over the course of history each and every society has also realised that for the successful continuation of their community, the children or youth of that society must be brought into the fold. That is the common belief and understanding.
The same is the case with our Ananda Marga: It is imperative that our margii children grow up to be strong, committed Ananda Margiis. This will be good for their individual development; it will be good for the society; and it will be good for the cohesiveness of our Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha.
Unfortunately, in many, many units around the globe, our margii children are not making it into our Ananda Marga way of life - not at the rate that is necessary. Too many are falling between the cracks and not growing up to be involved members of Ananda Marga society.
So it is our duty to work hard on drawing our youths onto the spiritual path in the coming days, months, and years. To this end, it is important to both identify the problems and put forth practical solutions. As we overcome the present obstacles, a greater number of margii children will become strong bhaktas of Baba and great sadhakas in the society.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Lure of materialism
Perhaps the greatest hurdle of today for margii children is that they are vastly outnumbered. In India, the situation is a bit better in a few of the village areas, but even then throughout the vast majority of Delhi sector and across the globe, our margii community is outnumbered in the greater society. We are basically flooded by the common masses in each and every region.
In such a scenario, our children invariably attend schools where they are the only Ananda Margii; or, at best, those margii children are part of a very small minority. In that case those young impressionable minds are surrounded by all the ways of the common people: Tamasik food, pseudo-culture dress, mundane television shows, gaming, sensual talk - indeed everything from materialistic values to religious dogma.
Naturally then our margii children get affected by seeing what those around them are doing. That is the reality of what is happening and we cannot blame them for that. Rather it is up to us to make the situation more favourable for them. And that is what Ananda Margiis across the globe are striving for: To create sentient environments in which to raise our children.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Second case: Raised according to AM ideals
Here we come to the next case study: An Ananda Margii family where the situation turned out quite differently. In this second margii family, the father was extremely determined to raise his children as true Ananda Margiis. The mother was basically supportive but not quite so active in this matter. All in all, despite being surrounded by non-margiis, those children grew up in a distinctly margii environment. They were all sent to Ananda Nagar to receive an Ananda Marga education, when home then special children's dharmacakras were arranged for them, and from top to bottom every effort was made to involve and surround the children with Ananda Marga activities. And the final outcome is that all their children grew up to become inspired sadhakas who are solid participants in today's Ananda Marga society.
These are two case scenarios - of many possible situations. Sometimes the mother is more of a bhakta than the father, and various other scenarios exist. But one common factor seems to be that the children need maximum positive exposure to Ananda Marga way of living at an early age in order to grow up to be strong Ananda Margiis - otherwise it is a losing battle.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
A list of solutions
Here are ways to help make our children into good sadhakas and established Ananda Margiis. These are things which we, as Ananda Margiis, have inculcated into the lives of our own children in our home as well as things we hope to bring into their lives in the near future:
1. Bring them into Ananda Marga life as early as possible. Their food habits and bed-time stories should all be sentient based and flavoured with the sweetness of bhakti and neo-humanism.
2. By the age of three or four, try to make their formal education immersed in Ananda Marga ways of doing and thinking. Songs and games should be universal in nature and kiirtan should be incorporated into their daily life. One minute or two minutes of kiirtan can be done before their various activities.
3. Margii children should be encouraged to play and interact with other margii children. If there are no other margii families in the local school district then try and make arrangements for margii children to play together after-school or on the weekends. This is what we have done and it has had a big effect.
4. The celebration of Ananda Marga festivals is also a great way to bring children into the flow of our Ananda Marga. Instead of them thinking that various dogmatic religious holidays are the best time of year. Rather, may we educate our children about our Ananda Marga festivals and in our own house those days should be treated with a wonderfully festive and holiday atmosphere.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Weekly children's dharmacakra
5. Attending the sectorial retreats on an annual basis is also an important aspect. The children should meet all our acaryas and be comfortable with our Ananda Marga way of life. Going twice a year to big retreats throughout their childhood will help them establish the base that Ananda Marga is their home and family. Then even if they are not able to attend an Ananda Marga school, there remains a distinct memory of Ananda Marga in their childhood.
6. The key point is to bring Ananda Marga into your child's life from the very outset of their existence and to increase those activities as the child grows. The content of their activities, the friends they have, and the emphasis that we as parents place on Ananda Marga all help to establish our children onto the proper path.
7. On Sundays, it is very good to have two dharmacakras: either one after another or going on simultaneously. The latter may be better. In either scenario it is needed for there to be a weekly children's dharmacakra that is perfectly Ananda Marga based yet also suited to the needs and interests of the children. The DC should be age-appropriate where games, puzzles, song, dance, meditation, stories, and philosophical tales are all merged into one.
No doubt this era is a difficult one but by Baba's grace we can create that special environment wherein we raise true Ananda Margiis. And indeed this is Baba's Supreme Command: "It is the bounden duty of every Ananda Margii to endeavour to bring all to the path of bliss. Verily is it a part and parcel of sadhana to lead others along the path of righteousness."
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The stark consequence of not bringing our margii children into Ananda Marga way of life is that as they grow and assume more responsibilities, then we will become aliens in our own houses. That is the very real outcome when our children grow and are not interested in Ananda Marga teachings.
The great importance of primary education
Here is Baba's key guideline about the importance of early childhood education, i.e. inculcating the ideals of Ananda Marga to children at an early age.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "We must start primary schools throughout the entire world to create a spiritual urge amongst the little pupils. I am not in favour of starting colleges; I am in favour of starting primary schools. In the entire world we have got one degree college at Ananda Nagar and thousands of kindergarten schools. That is why it is desirable in the first phase to start many primary schools instead of colleges. Merely opening high schools and colleges without a proper system of education will not serve the purpose. Rather, thousands of kindergarten and primary schools must be started with this new system of education, to create a spiritual urge amongst children throughout the entire world." (1)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Children will become assets of society in the future to the extent that their parents or guardians discharge their duties properly." (2)
Conclusion
By Baba's grace as we follow His universal ideas our Marga will be flooded with the grand participation of more and more of our children. May this moment come at the earliest.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Move along the Path of Righteousness with the spirit of Universal Fraternity, victory is yours. The blessing of Parama Purus'a is always with you." (3)
As margiis, as mothers and fathers, as acaryas, and as sadhakas, it is our combined and collective responsibility to bring each and every child into a spiritually inspired and spiritual way of living. All should come into our Ananda Marga society and become the pillars of the future humanity.
Namaskar,
In His service,
Tripti
Following AM is the highest order
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Suppose a physician says, “As a human, you require animal protein for your health;” but suppose dharma says, “No, a human should not take carnal food;” then in that case you will have to follow dharma and not the physician, because the order of dharma is above all other orders. Dharma is the highest Lord, the highest authority." (4)
References
1. Discourses on Neohumanist Education: Prama - 4
2. Human Society - 1, Education
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Universal Fraternity
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Jaeva Dharma and Bhágavata Dharma
* * *
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: Important Teaching ==
Only aim
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Sarvadharmán parityajya Mámekaḿ sharańaḿ vraja – “Casting aside all other mental preoccupations accept the One alone as your last refuge."" (1)
Note: A common pitfall is that people view their various mundane engagements as their main work. But that is not one's principal dharma. And if one pursues their daily activities in this manner, the mind drifts far from Parama Pursusa and the path of spirituality. This sutra guides us that the way to overcome this is to consciously harbour cosmic ideation before attending to any daily duty or mundane task. Thus when engaged in various works — eating, bathing, sleeping, dancing, walking, cooking, making money etc — one must take cosmic ideation (Brahmabhava) so the mind is always immersed in His thought. Then one will always bear in mind that the sole and only aim of human life is to realize the Supreme. That is the proper spirit of Baba's above teaching.
Reference
1. Namami Krsnasundaram, Párthasárathi Krśńa and Pariprashna (Discourse 24)
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Comparison: ripus vs pashas
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Any action that creates a very unwholesome reaction in one’s own body and mind, and provides a lesson and momentum to that person to steer clear of such a thought or action, creates a reactive mentality against that type of action. That sort of reactive mentality is called Ghrńańá or hatred. Hatred is an imposed fetter on the mind. So it is included in the list of eight Páshas or fetters of the mind. That which is inherent or intrinsic in the mind and expresses itself in the external world is called Ripu or enemy. There are six Ripus – lust, anger, avarice, blind attachment, vanity and jealousy. That which originates in the external world and influences the mind is called Pasha. Thus Ripu is intro-external and Pasha is extro-internal." (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 12, Sin, Crime and Law
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Distortion in AMEP: flawed publication
It is most unfortunate that 65 years later, we still have key errors in our foundational AM books like Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy. See how the yellow highlighted section is completely wrong
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Kśititattva is thus cruder than the rest of the factors. Kśititattva has shabda tanmátra, as we find sound travelling through telephone wires made of solids. Solids can be touched; they have a definite shape and taste. Lastly, it is only a solid particle which has smell. Earth, therefore, has all the five tanmátras.” (1)
Note: The above yellow highlighted section is completely wrong. The sound waves do not travel through the telephone wires, rather those sound waves are converted into electrical energy. Kindly read the below explanation from one technical institute.
“When you speak into a landline phone, your voice travels in small sound waves. The sound waves are carried to a thin metal disk inside the phone, called a diaphragm, and are converted into electrical energy. The electrical energy travels over wires to another phone and is converted from electrical energy to sound waves again which can be heard by someone on the other end of the phone.” (Courtesy of Virginia Tech University)
As Ananda Margiis, it is our duty to make sure our books are printed and published properly.
If anything is not clear, kindly write us: https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/ or anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, What Is This World?
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Life of a so-called ghost
Ananda Marga philosophy, “You may have heard that some people after married for second time, “see” the spirit of their deceased wives or husbands. These are but the plays of the mind. After remarriage some weak-minded people who believe in ghosts, keep thinking about their first wives. They keep imagining that their first wives have resented their remarriage and that their spirits will now come to punish them or their new spouses, and their second wives also often think thus. As a result both of them “see” imaginary spirits, believing that they really appeared, and give a start in fright. Sometimes they faint or inarticulately repeat those very things which they had expected those so-called spirits to say and people take for granted that they are possessed by ghosts. In such a condition, as the conscious mind (kámamaya kośa), is wholly or partially absorbed in the sub-conscious mind (Manomaya Kośa), the consciousness of reality becomes impaired. Such people then, heedless of propriety and the respect due to their elders, openly express the imagination of their sub-conscious minds. When the exorcists come to exorcise the “spirit” they try to set right the mind of the patients by making them inhale the smoke of different objects; they try to bring the conscious mind to normalcy and awaken the Kámamaya Kośa by arousing in the nervous system the sense of reality with blows or abuse. To confound and distract the assembled spectators they mumble and mutter a few mantras or incantations. You may have encountered yet another type of demoniacal possession, which does not weaken the conscious mind very much in the wakeful state; but during sleep such strength of mind does not exists, and as a result during sleep, while lying on his back, the person sees nightmare of imaginary ghost sitting on his chest. Dreaming is an act of the sub-conscious mind. In the dream state the imaginary ghost of the sub-conscious mind takes form beautifully and repeats verbatim to him the language of his imagination. In the dreamful state he feels stupefied with fear, due to this excessive stupefaction he starts groaning, and people take it to be demoniacal possession. Thus what is generally called a “nightmare”, is usually the vision of a person whom the dreamer had oppressed in the past and whom the weak-minded oppressor now “sees” after that person’s death. So you see how blatantly harmful it is to give indulgence to fear. All this is in reference to bhaya-vrtti or fear instinct only, but actually this observation is true of every ectoplasmic occupation or vrtti. To attain Brahma you must rise above all ectoplasmic occupations. Without the suspension of the vrttis it is impossible to attain Brahma.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 5, The Chariot and the Charioteer
== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==
तुमने ममता से मेरा हाथ पकड़ा, और मधुर स्नेह से
प्रभात संगीत 1077: उत्ताल सिंधु उत्क्रमी तुमी, ऐशेछिले मोर घरे...
भावार्थ
बाबा! तूफ़ानी महासागर के भयंकर ज्वार की तरंग को पार कर, तुम मेरे हृदय में आये, मेरे घर में आये। तुम तो एकान्त पथ के यात्री हो। अनेक प्रकार की विपरीत परिस्थितियों में भी तुम भयभीत नहीं हुये, रुके नहीं।
हे परम पुरुष! तुम्हारे स्वागत हेतु, नियम के अनुसार मैं कोई तैयारी नहीं कर सका, इसलिये मैं तुम्हारा सही ढंग से स्वागत ही नहीं कर पाया। क्षोभग्रस्त मेरा मन तुम्हारे लिये लालायित था । और मेरा दुखी हृदय आॅंसुओं से भरा था।
बाबा! मैंने तुम्हारे लिये कुछ नहीं किया, न तो साधना ही की, न सेवा, और न ही सोलह विंदुओं का पालन। मैं केवल मृग मरीचिका के पीछे व्यर्थ ही दौड़ता रहा। नये सूर्य के उदय होते ही तुमने ममता से मेरा हाथ पकड़ा, और मधुर स्नेह से मुझे उचित दिशा दिखाकर आनन्द के रास्ते पर ले आये।
बाबा, तुम मेरे घर में आये, यह तुम्हारी परम करुणा और कृपा ही है, और कुछ नहीं।
== Section 3: Links ==
