Baba
We only salute Parama Purusa
Namaskar,
In our Ananda Marga, our goal is Parama Purusa – not any second or third entity. Parama Purusa is the focus of our each and every thought, word, and deed. He is our ideal. Naturally then, when we do namaskar, we are paying salutations to Him, i.e. to that Supreme Consciousness residing within another unit being. We are not saluting any unit individual, per se. Only we are paying our respect and homage to Parama Purusa, in the form of that person, when we use the namaskar greeting.
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Unfortunately, some completely misunderstand this basic aspect of our Ananda Marga way of life. They think that during the namaskar salutation (a) others are saluting them, or (b) they are saluting another human being. This wrongful approach leads to ego and vanity in the mind of those receiving namaskar. And those doing namaskar develop feelings of inferiority, and all kinds of complexes in the mind. In addition, they are doing the namaskar greeting improperly. In that case, the whole namaskar salutation is ruined, and one will be degraded. The aim is to save anyone from degradation and keep all moving on the sentient path.
Dogma: people bow & salute other humans
Although we use the namaskar greeting on a daily basis, here is Baba’s clear-cut guideline about this practice. After reviewing this guideline we will apply our litmus test and see who is misguided and ignorant about the namaskar salutation.
Baba states that when doing namaskar, we are paying salutations to Parama Purusa – The Divine Entity. In the dogmatic religions and in the kingdoms of old, people would bow and salute other human beings. Our namaskar mudra is not at all like this.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, “Tadekam’ jagatsa’ks’iiru’pam’ nama’mah. “If there is anyone to whom spiritual aspirants should surrender, if there is anyone to whom they should pay salutations, it is Parama Purus’a.” The system behind salutations is to look for the Supreme Being that is the inner essence of a person, and to pay salutations to that Parama Purus’a.” (1)
So when doing namaskar we are recognising the Supreme within another jiivatman, we are not bowing or greeting another human being.
Conclusion
This is the fundamental guideline about doing namaskar: we are saluting Parama Purusa in the form of a unit being. For others it may look like we are saluting human beings, but that is not what we are doing. When we do namaskar, we are paying salutations to Parama Purusa - not x, y, z.
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at His lotus feet,
Niranjana’
Namaskar to whom
Ananda Marga ideology says, "What is our style of extending goodwill? We do, Namaska'r. That is, “I pay respect to the Supreme Entity residing within you.” You should remember this. “I concentrate all the good feelings of my mind here in the trikut'i [between the eyebrows].”
“In your mind there are so many propensities. Propensities are called vrtti in Sanskrit. So there are so many vrttis, so many propensities..."
"So many thoughts are in your mind. But you should concentrate all your thoughts at a particular point, here – that is, with all the strength and goodwill of your mind you are doing this – you are touching these two palms here [trikut'i]. That is, you are concentrating all your goodwill here, because you are paying respect to Parama Purus'a residing within this body...[pointing to different people]. First do this."
"And not only mental concentration, you are human beings, you have got so many sentiments also. Human sentiment, you know? When you feel much joy you burst into tears, when much sorrow you burst into tears. These are sentiments. And human beings are guided by sentiment, more by sentiment than by logic, you must not forget it – more by sentiment than by logic. So your sentiment is also there, so with all the concentration of your mind and with all the sweetness of your sentiment, from the very core of your heart, you are paying respect to Parama Purus'a residing within human structure. So you do this [palms together at mid-point of chest], and say, Namaska'ra." (2)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, The Intuitional Science of Tantra
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Parama Puruśa within Everyone
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Two mudras for health: all should know
These two mudras - uddayan mudra and utksepa mudra - are very important for all-round health as they serve as prevention and treatment for numerous diseases. In the Ananda Marga Yogic Treatments book, these two mudras are pervasively used. So all should know how to practice these mudras - i.e. when to inhale and when to exhale etc. The instructions are printed in Caryacarya part 3 for all to see. Everyone has access to this knowledge. People should therefore take it upon themselves to acquire the foundational knowledge of basic Ananda Marga practices, like these two important mudras.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Ud́d́ayana mudrá: Standing, place the hands above the knees and bend forward a little. Gradually breathe out, to a state of complete exhalation. Keeping the breath out, draw the abdomen and lower abdomen inward as hard as possible, to touch the spine. Maintain this position for eight seconds. Then gradually inhale fully. Practise eight times.” (1)
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Utkśepa Mudrá: This mudrá should be practised in bed immediately upon waking. While lying on the back, one should flex both the arms and legs, bringing them over the chest, and then return them immediately to the extended position. After doing this three or four times, sit up in bed and drink a glass of cold water without allowing the water to touch the teeth. After this you should expose the navel area to the air, and walk up and down in this way for some time in the open air.” (2)
References
1. Caryacarya - 3, Mudrás and Bandhas
2. Caryacarya - 3, Different Yoga Practices
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Kalachand’s wrath against Hinduism
Prout philosophy states, “The second inviolable principle is that people should not be forcibly converted from one religion to another. People will not leave a religion if it is able to guide them properly on the path of Dharma….”
Prout philosophy states, “There is a well-known story about a Zamindar from Bengal called Kalachand Roy, later Kalapahar, who was a follower of Kálii. He worshipped a stone image of Kálii with great devotion. At that time some invaders, belonging to another religion, started a campaign to destroy all Hindu temples and deities. When Kalachand’s temple was about to be destroyed, he prayed to Kálii saying, “Mother, I do not have the power to protect you, so please protect yourself.” But how can a stone idol protect itself? In due course his temple and idol were destroyed, and Kalachand lost faith in Kálii. He was converted to the religion of the invaders, and became known as Sheik Kaluddin Khan. He launched his own campaign of terror throughout Bengal and Orissa and forcibly converted people to his new religion. He disfigured deities, destroyed temples and threatened people with physical violence to convert them. Once he travelled to Kashi and set about converting a widow who also happened to be his elder sister. She refused to succumb to his threats, and scolded him mercilessly for his bad behaviour.”
Prout philosophy states, “This made him realize the error of his ways, and he abandoned his campaign. If Hinduism had not practiced idol worship, Kalachand would not have been converted. Because of his forcible conversion, Kalachand became extremely hostile towards Hinduism and launched his own campaign of terror against it. A religion [in real sense dharma] should be so strong that no one can be converted from it.” (1)
Note: In the last paragraph the term religion was used but the real sense is dharma. Baba is talking about dharma, because as we know all religions have defects.
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell-16, Three Cardinal Socio-Political Principles
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Incense is a pollutant
Ananda
Marga ideology guides us, "If peoples blind attachment to sacrificial
rituals and love for outmoded customs are intense, they will not
disappear when confronted with logical arguments or shaken by the first
jolt caused by psychic clash. But if one can create a suitable
environment of constant psychic clash their blind attachments are bound
to disappear. Some people believe that the fragrance of the sacrificial
smoke purifies the air and kills germs. This is not true. On the
contrary, the increase in the amount of carbon particles makes the air
more impure. A highly pungent smell is much more effective in destroying
germs. Thus, due to the impact of constant psychic clash, people
eventually understand the defects of old systems and ideas." (1)
Some
have taken to the practice of lighting incense when doing meditation or
in other gatherings etc. They do so under the dogmatic belief that it
will make the air cleaner and the room more sentient. But nothing could
be further from the truth. In His above teaching, Baba clearly guides us
that the burning of incense increases the level of carbon dioxide and
pollutes the air. So there is not an iota of truth to the notion that
incense cleans the air. That is just a dogma of religious ritualism.
Everyone should be aware about this.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 8, Struggle and Progress
== Section: Important Teaching ==
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. (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 AV 24-25
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology states, “The benefit of kiirtana is that one whose mind is dirty becomes purified and one whose mind is already pure becomes even purer. One whose mind is holy becomes even holier. One whose mind was soiled but is no longer so is vimala, and one where it is not known if there was dirt in his or her mind or not, but at present there is not, is called nirmala.” (1)
Note: In the mirror of a pure mind Parama Purusa can be visualised. In this above teaching Baba is giving the way how to clean that mind by kiirtan. That is why after one after kiirtan, sadhana is better.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 9, The Source of Internal Stamina
== Section 4: Links ==
Degrees of bhaktas
Receiving Baba with PS
Story: backlash to principled life
Should we do “moment of silence”?
How kiirtana got ruined
