Era of degraded stars + 4 more

Baba

Era of degraded stars

Namaskar,

In this era of rampant materialism and social media, there are many pop stars, dancers, singers, and influencers etc who garner large fan-bases and make huge fortunes by indulging in degrading and lewd behaviour. By exciting and appealing to the lower propensities, those pop stars / social media moguls earn tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars. The common people become absolutely enthralled with those stars and revere them like demi-gods.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/ 

How pop stars harm humanity & enhance their prestige
 
The awful ripple effect is that those degenerated performers poison the minds of impressionable youths, and even some adults. Kids and young adults get derailed and led into all kinds of negative dealings: sensual life, drugs, sex crimes, bad habits, pseudo-culture, half-naked dress, tattoos, intoxicants etc. Instead of honing in on their studies and getting engaged in sentient pursuits, youths are led down the path of hell. Those stars have the power to misguide an entire generation of youths. That is one aspect.
 
Next, to preserve their image and show themselves as caring and concerned activists etc, those same pop stars donate towards good causes, such as the homeless, the environment, underprivileged youth etc. Seeing their “generosity”, the common people get doubly-duped and hold that pop-star in an even higher place of honour. When the reality is that those degraded stars are doing far more harm than good to the society. The lives of so many innocent teens get polluted and ruined by the negative example of those pop-artists, actors etc. But with the millions those stars earn from licentious activities, they donate some pennies to good causes, thereby enhancing their image.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
 
The situation is just like:

• International pimps donating to shelters that rescue and rehab victims of human trafficking.
  
• Sexual predators donating to women’s shelters.
  
• Logging companies donating to green environmental groups.
  
• The meat industry donating to medical research to find a cure for heart disease.
  
• Candy companies donating to fight childhood obesity.
  
• Drug cartels donating to drug-addiction groups.
  
• Big mafia bosses donating to community action and crime-prevention groups.
  
• The US giving arms and money to both (a) terrorist / guerrilla organisations and (b) for humanitarian aid efforts.
  

Their donation is a masquerade

Those with a clear vision can see through this sheen. They understand the ways of those pop stars are no different from chemical companies or the petroleum industry donating to environmental causes. That donation is done to masquerade their real efforts and intentions, which is to turn huge profits by ravaging the environment. And sometimes, those company executives get a seat on the board of directors of those environmental groups.
 
So it is all just a ploy. By their day to day operations those negative companies destroy society or the environment, and side by side they give money to good causes to present themselves as being concerned about the welfare of society. For instance, the large cigarette companies used to give huge donations to cancer research foundations, yet those same cigarette companies would make exponentially more money by selling addictive, cancer-causing nicotine to the unsuspecting public. This is the way things have been going on in this materialistic era because the public is blind.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Conclusion
 
The chief solution is maximum public education. Once the people understand that those stars are harming far more than they are helping, that will be a big step in the right direction. At the same time, it is our duty as a society to ensure pop artists, media icons, and influencers are of strong moral character.
 
Namaskar,
In Him,
Sudhiir

~ In-depth study ~
 
Characterless, drunken, or greedy artists are social liabilities
 
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The youth of a country are attracted to artists; it is therefore the duty of society and the state to monitor these artists’ ideals and character. Otherwise they may exert a harmful influence on young men and women who are the future hope of society. For this reason it is essential for artists to have impeccable conduct, a healthy lifestyle and strength of character. If those whom youths respect as ideal men and women possess an ideal character, the characters of those whom they influence will no doubt also be positively affected. In addition, ideal artists and actors who have a strong character will be able to express their artistic brilliance more sweetly and completely. Characterless, drunken or greedy artists will be considered liabilities by their fans and society.” (1)

How imposing pseudo-culture destroys a society

By injecting sensually-oriented films and music into a society, an entire people will fall into steep degradation. That is how one community captures and exploits another.

This below teaching well describes how the US exports pseudo-culture and Hollywood production to the entire world. For example, in the case of India, there was a high standard of moral values, and on that very basis films, dramas, and writings had moral teachings based on tantric ideas. Nowadays, pseudo-culture has been thrust upon India whereby the Indian population has become completely obsessed with Hollywood style; sadly they have lost the basic value of human life. Indian youths are falling prey to the western US pseudo-culture way of everything. Youths want to give up all traditional Indian values and become western. This type of inferiority complex has essentially ruined their way of thinking. This happened because the wealthy US imposed their pseudo-culture enterprise on the poorer population.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

   Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Suppose a particular group has a high standard of arts (theatre, cinema, etc.), but the number of rich people in that group is comparatively few. The culture of another group, on the other hand, is very undeveloped, but among them there is a greater number of wealthy people. Now, the latter group wants to maintain its exploitation over the group that has a more developed cultural heritage, because one way that psycho-economic exploitation can paralyse people in the psychic sphere is cultural exploitation – to impose vulgar cinemas and dramas upon those good people.”
   “As you know, the mind has a natural tendency to degrade itself; it flows more easily downwards than upwards. So if some people, by virtue of their wealth, impose vulgar cinemas and dramas on others, this will break the latters' spines and they will become paralysed. And those paralysed, spineless people will thenceforth never be able to stand unitedly against cultural or any other kind of exploitation. They will never be able to do so, because mentally they will be completely dead – their capacity to raise their heads in protest will have been crushed forever. How can they raise their heads again?”
   Ananda Marga philosophy states, “This exploitation in the cultural sphere is accomplished by the propagation of pseudo-culture. Every honest, virtuous, rational person must fight against this pseudo-culture, and inspire others to do the same. If this is not done, the future of humanity will be sealed. It is proper for human beings to struggle for political freedom, for social emancipation; but if their cultural backbone is broken, then all their struggles will end in nothing – like offering ghee into a fire that has died out.”
   “If one's spine is shattered, it is impossible to hold one's head erect. Can those whose necks and backs are crushed under the weight of pseudo-culture, be expected to hold their heads high in any sphere of life? Hence it is the bounden duty of every rational person to save innocent people from pseudo-culture.” (2)

References
1. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
2. The Liberation of Intellect: Neohumanism, Exploitation and Pseudo-Culture (Discourse 7)

*        *        *

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

*        *        *

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Magical spell

“Runu jhunu runu jhunu núpur báje, din gune kál gune phálgune…” (Prabhat Samgiita #0317)

Purport:

O’ Parama Purusa, I can hear the runu jhunu runu jhunu sound of the nupur. I have been counting the days and tracking the moments. Baba, in the middle of this spring season, You came amidst the flowers. Your exquisite arrival is so blissful.

O’ Parama Purusa, with all my heart I want to make You my own - in my remembrances, in my manan, in each and every prahara - all the 24hrs. Now that You have come, please remain here, in Your most attractive mohan form, along with me forever - making my heart overflowing with bliss.  

Parama Purusa, with Your rhythmic tempo and exuberant sweetness, with which mystical, magical spell have You spiritually intoxicated the world. You are the dignity and pride of everyone. You are the quintessence of all. Today, by receiving Your sway, all dance. By Your energy and by Your grace, all are prancing and rejoicing….


Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0317:

[1] Runu jhunu: The sound of omnkara.

[2] Nupur: This universe exists in the mind of Parama Purusa and is marked by three processes: creation, sustenance, and destruction. Those processes are represented by three sounds: A - U - MA. That is the sound of omnkara. Thus Parama Purusa is dancing in the rhythm of creation, sustenance, and destruction. These are the sounds emanating from the ankle bell of Parama Purusa.

Ananda Marga ideology states, “Listen to these three sounds of aum: a, u, ma. They represent the creation, the retention [or preservation], and the destruction. The first sound, a, represents creation; the second sound, u, represents retention; the third sound, ma, represents destruction. So all those innumerable sounds, all those fifty sounds, are represented by these supreme sounds, a, u and ma; and collectively a-u-ma becomes aum.” (1)

For unit beings the sound they hear depends upon the degree of their realisation. If, by His grace, their mind is in an exalted state then they will hear the full omnkara sound. If one's mind is less elevated they will hear a different type of sound like the roar of the ocean, the sweet melody of the flute, the chirping of the crickets etc. At different stages of realisation the sadhaka can hear these sounds as detailed in the discourse, “The Six Stages of Realization.”

So it is all dependent upon the quality of mind. That determines which sound a person will hear. It is similar to someone looking at a very colourful flower. If their eyes are perfect they will see all the colours of that flower. And if their vision is compromised in any way or if they are colour-blind they will only see one or two of the colours. It depends upon the quality of their vision. In the same way, hearing the omnkara sound is wholly dependent upon the quality of mind of the aspirant.

[3] Manan: This is the contemplation or ideation of the Supreme Entity by repeating the Lord's name or remembering His tales in the mind. This special process Baba has described in-depthly in His various teachings of devotional and spiritual life.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "To attain Him human beings have to take recourse to shravana (constantly hearing His name), manana (constantly ideating on Him) and nididya'sana (constantly meditating on Him). The Supreme Entity is Gurha, that is, He is lying hidden in the innermost recess of the human entity. To attain Him one must penetrate deep within oneself, and for that the development of an introversial outlook is essential." (2)

[4] Prahar: Each day is broken up into eight segments or eight periods. And these periods are known as 'prahar'. In that way, each prahar is three hours in duration. Here Baba explains more about prahar and various other segments of time.

Baba says, "The verbal root 'mas' means 'to measure'. By adding 'ghain' to 'mas' we get ma'sa whose etymological meaning is 'a measurement of time' or 'a period of time'. Thus ma'sa in this sense means 'era', 'lunar year', 'lunar month', 'lunar day', 'solar year', 'solar month', 'fortnight', 'week', 'solar day' or ahora'tra (from sunrise to sunrise), prahara (three hours), hour, minute, second, fraction-of-second and so forth -- all of these." (3)

[5] Mohan: Parama Purusa has infinite attributions and in His role as Mohan and He attracts bhaktas towards Him. 
 
  Ananda Marga philosophy states, “When I lose myself, when ́I’ becomes dear to that Entity, when ́I’ becomes the source of joy to that Entity, a stage is finally reached when my unit existence is completely lost in that Entity. The losing of oneself, the state of being lost or as a matter of fact, the beginning of the process of losing oneself to the very source of joy, is known as mohanavijiṋána, or the science of supra-aesthetics. And the Entity to whom we lose ourselves is Mohana, or the embodiment of enchantment. Parama Puruśa is Mohana as He enchants one and all. Had not Parama Puruśa enchanted the world, no one would have wanted to live here.”
   “Can you imagine the gravity of the countless problems in the world? Exasperated at the acute problems, human beings would have bidden goodbye to the world and fled. But one fails to do this because one has come under the overwhelming influence of Mohana, i.e., Parama Puruśa and thus has become unable to flee from this world. Even if one does not like this world, one somehow remains here due to love for Parama Puruśa. And when one falls in love with Parama Puruśa, and when one is dear to Parama Puruśa, where will one go? For this very reason it has been said that human beings invented Dharma as a result of their love for Mohana, or due to falling into His charming clutches.In this way, Dharma or spirituality first appeared in human life.” (4)

References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam-14, Acoustic Roots
2. Tattva Kaomudii - 3, Integral and Non-Integral Outlook
3. Shabda Cayanika-2, Disc: 13
4. Prout in a Nutshell - 10, Aesthetic Science and Samgiita

== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

Wrongly blaming Parama Purusa

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Logically it has been proved that the experiencing of the reaction (karmaphala) of an action cannot be evaded. That being so, blaming God (Bhagaván) for the consequences of our actions or praying to be released from bearing the consequences is only foolishness. One who performs actions will have to bear the reactions also. If you plunge your hand in fire you will surely burn it. To blame God for burning your hand is merely ignorance or stupidity. It is the nature of fire to burn, and whatsoever comes in contact with it will be burnt. Similarly, it is a self-evident law of Prakrti or Her very nature that all actions will have reactions. God (Bhagaván) is not in the least responsible for it. The performer of the actions is responsible for it. The performer of the actions is responsible for the reactions also, since God has not performed the actions. He cannot be responsible for the reactions. It is only people who are responsible for actions as well as for bearing the consequences of these actions." (1)

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Both needed: good works + fight injustice

Ananda Marga ideology says, "You must continue doing good to society, and at the same time must fight against the bad...On the path of dharma, one is not only to do noble deeds; one must also fight against the dishonest people both are virtuous actions. There are many good people in the society - noble people engaged in noble deeds - who are not ready to fight against wrongs and injustices. This sort of passive benevolence does not really promote the cause of human progress in the world. What is desirable is to acquire virtue by doing noble deeds and fighting against all sins and crimes. Both are mandatory, both an integral part of dharma." (1)

Note: If we follow Baba's above mandate, our organisation will be free from all kinds of negativity. Stagnant-minded people will not get the opportunity to pollute Baba's ideology by imposing their dogma.

Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, What Should Human Beings Do?

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Prout: cause of most wars

Note: In Prout philosophy, the terms shudra, ksatriya, vipra, and vaeshya are commonly. But some readers find it difficult to understand in a substantive way who these people are, and how to recognise them in the present day society. The following section is a very good description for understanding who is a vipra. 

After reading Baba’s below guideline it will be clear that Dick Cheney, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, bin laden, Hitler and thousands more around the globe are negative vipras, i.e. recent and present day intellectual satans who created wars. 

Prout philosophy states, “At the slightest sign from the vipras [ministers], major wars break out in different countries and states. The vipras  [intellectual demons] themselves do not fight. By whispering of war in the ears of the king, they send kśatriya generals into battle. Kśatriya soldiers, running the risks for the vipras  [intellectual satans], wage war on land, on sea and in the air, and the vipras [intellectual demons], understanding their physical and mental weaknesses, entice them with food or money, or inspire them with hollow, idealistic-sounding slogans, and land them in a holocaust.”

“Thus in the Vipra Age kśatriyas [military personnel] fight and die while shrewd vipra ministers receive triumphant ovations. This happens in every country where vipras [intellectual satans] play a dominant role. The names of vipra ministers are blazoned across the pages of history, but history does not record the numbers of soldiers who died on the battlefield or how many of them saw their golden dreams fade into darkness under cannon fire.”

Prout philosophy states, “When a vipra minister dies, the newspapers write it up elaborately. Condolence meetings are held; condolence messages come in by the thousands; flags are flown at half mast; and marble statues are erected at intersections in public parks. But the press will never acknowledge the kśatriyas [soldiers] whose blood enriched the ground for the harvest of victory. And actually, why should they? How can so many names be published in a newspaper anyway!”

“All the great warmongers, the great politicians of the world, belong to this vipra gang of satanic intellect. At their command, or due to their fiery lectures or diplomatic intrigues, millions of foolish shúdras have lost their lives and thousands of hot-blooded kśatriyas [soldiers] have served as instruments in the slaughter.”

“The pages of world history reveal that all the crusades and jihads of the Middle Ages were plotted by these satanic vipras [religious priests]. Caught in their intrigues, the shúdras [common mass] took the beatings; and the kśatriyas [soldiers] fought as religious warriors, but never thought deeply about whom they were fighting for.”

Prout philosophy states, “Was it only in the Middle Ages that this happened? In today’s world also, satanic vipras [war-mongering intellectuals], the protected agents of the capitalist vaeshyas [wealthy exploiters], have led and are continuing to lead millions of people along the path of death and destruction. Evil vipras [demonic intellectuals] are fanning the flames of the vaeshyas’ [wealthy exploiters] insatiable, demonic hunger. Neither the shúdra masses [common citizens] nor the warlike kśatriyas [soldiers] are responsible for the problem of the millions of refugees in different countries, for the heart-rending cries of the mothers, wives, sons and daughters of the soldiers who died on the battlefields, for the blazing flames of communal riots, for communalism itself, provincialism, nationalism and casteism. The responsibility lies with a small group of shrewd vipras [intellectual satans and religious priests] who, out of petty self-interest, have instigated the shúdras [common people] and kśatriyas [soldiers] to commit heinous acts.”

“The meanness and brutality of such vipras [intellectual demons] put on a ghoulish graveyard dance, seeming to make a mockery of the vipras’ intellect. In the Vipra Age the vipras [religious priests] drew power from this type of brutality, and through a staged display of black magic, vipras bestrode society. In the Vaeshya Age the vipras [intellectual demons] commit similar sins in order to shine like fancy shoes on the feet of the vaeshyas [wealthy exploiters].” (1)

Reference
1. Human Society part 2 - The Vipra Age

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Prout song

- FEE FY FO FUM -

Morality is the demand of the day
Prout' the cry of the suffering humanity.
Wise you be, may not or may,
If sincere, success a certainty.

Fee Fy Fo Fum.

Expel the demons from physical stratum.

Fee Fy Fo Fum.

Expel the exploiters from economic stratum.

Fee Fy Fo Fum

Expel the brutes from psychic stratum.

Fee Fy Fo Fum

Expel the parasites from spiritual stratum.
Human body is to serve one and all,
Human mind to attend Cosmic Call,
Human spirit at the alter Supreme,
Surrender and be Supreme.

Note: Baba has given this Prout song after coming out from the jail. Those days, in each and every program, all the Wts and margiis were singing this revolutionary song. Now is the time to bring it back. We should put forth this call to the people - all our brothers and sisters of this universe.

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Human tongue has six tastes

Baba says, “The six tastes are: tikta – neem (bitter); kat’u – chilli (hot and spicy); kas’ava – plantain (alkaline); lavan’a (salty); amala (acidic); and madhu (sweet).” (1)

Note: Not only are there six tastes in the human palate but those type of foods should be taken in a distinct order. Bitter taken in the beginning and sweet in the end.

Reference
1. Ideal Farming, Some Important Crops

== Section 4: Links ==

Postings to Read

Bringing new people onto the path 

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2017/10/sadhana-queries.html

Bank account & sadhana

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2016/10/those-committed-in-sadhana-4-more.html

Religion vs dharma

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2017/10/ananda-marga-alone-is-dharma-how.html

Cow's milk not sentient--when?

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-most-of-time-cows-milk-is-tamasika.html

How pranayama helps

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2013/10/why-some-cant-do-proper-meditation.html

Those beings in Shabda Cayanika stories

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2023/06/so-called-ghost-2-more.html

Degradation of cultural programs + 3 more

Baba

Degradation of cultural programs

Namaskar,

When some attended DMS, in the past, they were very surprised to see the teenage girls dancing in programs at a religious function. It is unusual to have a young girl dance at a dharmic program. To understand this we have to look back at history. These days in the general society dance is usually associated with crude and lewd displays that excite the lower cakras. So people were very surprised to see this going on at dharmic gatherings. Their reaction and comments are very meaningful because in the general society mostly sensual things are done in the name of dance and drama.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Cultural programs: past & present

Thousands of years ago, Lord Shiva introduced music, dance, and dramas purely for spiritual occasions. That tradition continued for thousands of years, but recently in the last few hundred years it became terribly degenerated. When done in a proper way, song, dance, and drama will enhance the mind; but, if done in a tamasik manner it will degrade the mind. Ananda Marga philosophy is expansive and all-inclusive. That is why Baba has prescribed numerous avenues to goad the mind towards the Supreme Goal. And that comes within the field of aesthetic science. Our cultural programs are a part of aesthetic science.

According to Ananda Marga philosophy, the science of music should only be used for psycho-spiritual development, not any other reason. Otherwise, it is just a case of misuse. The problem is that professional artists from the general society are immersed in pseudo-culture and lewd dealings. And when they come onto the platform of AMPS, they carry their pseudo-culture baggage with them into our RAWA programs, sometimes. That is why in AMPS functions also, sometimes those watching the programs felt their lower cakras were getting stimulated. We should be watchful that such programs are condemned as they defeat the original purpose of RAWA programs. Such artists should be banned from performing on our AMPS stage. But that is not happening, and that is disgraceful.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Judge for yourself

You can watch and judge for yourself how far it is ok or not. And, at the end of the cultural program, if your mind became more spiritually inclined, then that was a good cultural program. And if the mind remained as is then it was a waste of time. And if the mind went down and the lower propensities were stimulated, then that was a toxic, harmful affair as you got degraded. In this way you can evaluate the calibre of the program. If many sincere margiis do this then this problem will be solved forever.

“Create a taste for spirituality”

At grand functions like VSS camp, ETC camp, DMS, retreats and other big occasions, cultural programs are always held. Unfortunately, sometimes these presentations have been called cultural programs when in reality they are not up to the proper standard. On this point, before calculating things by our own way, let's see what Sadguru Baba says:

"Your physico-psychic activities are architecture, literature, dance, music – they are all your physico-psychic movement. And this movement is from crude to subtle, starting from the cruder arena and moving towards the subtler arena. That’s why in Ananda Marga I encourage this physico-psychic movement: because it will help you in moving towards the subtler world, in moving towards the supreme spiritual goal...For physico-psychic movement, I encourage boys and girls to start work in the RAWA [Renaissance Artists’ and Writers’ Association] movement." (1)

According to Baba's above guideline when dance or music goads the mind to a sentient and spiritual outlook and the mind starts thinking about Parama Purusa, then that type of dance and song is called a cultural program. Whereas, if any dance, music, or song does not goad the mind toward divinity and instead goads the mind towards the lower cakras, i.e. carnal and worldly attractions or animal propensities, then that is not a cultural program. This is our standard according to Ananda Marga philosophy.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Cultural programs are for pleasing the Divine Entity

In many parts of the world, bhaktas sacrifice animals in front of their chosen idol / deity and think that Parama Purusa is pleased by their action. But Parama Purusa is not pleased by such heinous acts. Similarly, we must evaluate how far today's "cultural programs" are pleasing to Baba.

Before 1990, cultural programs at DMC were presented in a very sentient manner. The girls dancing in cultural programs were below puberty and the music was always well suited. So the mind was always goaded towards the higher cakras. Unfortunately, after 1990, similar thought and care were not always applied to the cultural programs. Due to alluring, provocative, and sensual displays, some of the post-1990 cultural programs have directed the mind towards the lower cakras. The onus is on us to have to critically evaluate whether our cultural programs are according to His strict standard.

Even then, certain so-called top Wt organisers of cultural programs are giving the logic that the programs since 1990 have all been in accordance with the appropriate standard. But such organisers are not being truthful with themselves. Remember, a cultural program means goading the mind towards divinity, otherwise it is an exposé of pseudo-culture.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

How idol worshipers fall prey to self-befoolery

On various occasions, we Ananda Margiis are called upon to arrange or attend cultural programs. So we should carefully evaluate whether such dance and music programs are up to the mark. Do they truly goad the mind toward the thought of the Supreme, or are they just a mundane show, or even worse do those so-called cultural programs degrade the mind. So we have to give an open and fair estimate.

We should not befool ourselves as idol worshipers dupe themselves and degenerate, ultimately turning to stone. Those followers think they are worshiping God, but because they are concentrating on a piece of stone their mind gets degenerated. In their heart of hearts no idol worshiper wants to become stone, but ultimately it happens. Similarly, no Ananda Margii wants to degenerate themselves by participating in some "cultural program". But degrading cultural programs will goad the mind in the wrong direction.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Your honesty and support are needed

Think about a recent cultural program at some organisational function. Or perhaps you may have seen or heard about a program at DMS in the post 1990-era wherein 14 - 25 year old girls and boys dance together. Then honestly ask yourself if seeing that dance - you can ask yourself, no need to tell anybody - goaded your mind towards Parama Purusa or somewhere else. If it was going somewhere else, then do not attend or support such programs. Otherwise, you are merely befooling yourself.

Not only that, even if your mind was ensconced in Parama Purusa by His grace, then even then you should come forward and join those who oppose such so-called cultural programs. Because over the years some have complained about these so-called cultural programs and how they do not goad the mind towards the Supreme but rather push the mind in the other direction. Many people are not elevated like you, so you should be sympathetic and support their cause.

Up to 1990, cultural programs were done regularly. But then the girls were below 8 years of age and all aspects of the program were very sentient. So the programs achieved the goal: The mind was led in a proper direction, not a negative one.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

We should be honest with ourselves. We go to DMS not for carnal satiation or to satisfy our lower propensities, nor for all kinds of TV channel delights or Holly / Bollywood movie scenes. Going to a dharmic ceremony should entail strict adherence to a code of discipline and not any negative encouragement of the mind.


A few guidelines for our cultural programs

Here are a few guidelines to ensure our cultural programs at AMPS functions server the right purpose:

(a) Girls below puberty should dance for a co-ed audience, whereas those girls above puberty can dance to an all female audience.

(b) When any drama or dance occurs that requires boys and girls to dance together, then similar aged girls should play the role of boys. And they too should be below the age of puberty.

(c) Even then small girls should not wear revealing or Hollywood type of dress. The music also carries a vibration, positive or negative microvita. So we should be sure it is sentient.

(d) If the song or dance degrades the mind then the entire cultural program is a complete failure and a danger for society.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "If someone makes a sound like 'ra, ra, ra -- cha, cha, cha' or if someone sings, 'Follow my song! Let us sing and dance our way to hell', these are sound inferences, but they carry a very crude idea." (2)

(e) One thing we should never forget is that the purpose of such cultural programs is to elevate the mind of the entire audience toward the thought of the Supreme and drench the mind in bhakti. If any such program fails to do so it is not worth being called a cultural program; rather it should be called a pseudo-culture display.We should not let such scenes unfold in our own Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha cultural programs.


Conclusion

We are to ensure that all our cultural programs are done with the right idea in mind and goad the mind unto Him, Parama Purusa. That will be a culture program in the real sense of the term. Not only that, they help elevate our standard and invariably more people will be drawn to attend.

In Him,
Pramila’ Devii

We should be honest with ourselves. Baba is our greatest Self. He is our greater "I". We should not try and hide behind any hypocrisy. We should only support those cultural programs that goad the mind toward the higher cakras. And He knows if that is happening or not. He knows the truth. If you watch something that is degrading to the mind - and you know it is wrong - but you have a stake or personal interest in the program and you do not want to admit it is wrong, then you should be honest and not lie to yourself. Otherwise Baba will know as He sees and watches everything.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


~ In-depth study ~

Giving a voice to the voiceless

This letter is not based on a single ETC or DMS or ERAWS or other such cultural programs. This is a general trend and this comment is related with all recent cultural programs. It is a wide-spread issue related with all cultural programs.

I have personally talked with so many margiis and wts and I am writing with their voice in mind. Because they are not in direct control of the program so they do not have a voice per se. So this is their voice - I am speaking on their behalf. That is why when such programs are being held many sadhakas of the Marga do not like to participate. They wish to keep their mind pure.

RAWA programs and cultural programs can be held for all kinds of venues, not just huge occasions. They are also appropriate for any local or unit gatherings, functions or festivals etc.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Impressionable youths affected by artists

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The youth of a country are attracted to artists; it is therefore the duty of society and the state to monitor these artists’ ideals and character. Otherwise they may exert a harmful influence on young men and women who are the future hope of society. For this reason it is essential for artists to have impeccable conduct, a healthy lifestyle and strength of character. If those whom youths respect as ideal men and women possess an ideal character, the characters of those whom they influence will no doubt also be positively affected. In addition, ideal artists and actors who have a strong character will be able to express their artistic brilliance more sweetly and completely. Characterless, drunken or greedy artists will be considered liabilities by their fans and society.” (3)


Artists must goad the mind towards the Supreme

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The nature of art is such that in order to develop it subtle intellect and appreciation as well as deep sensitivity is required. Thus, during that time that artists do not devote to their artistic efforts, they often feel compelled to express their subtle intellect, appreciation and deep sensitivity in a demeaning way. Due to this psychological tendency, we generally find that artists whose singing, dancing, acting or other artistic achievements earn the unstinting praise of hundreds of spectators express their subtle artistic power in quite opposite ways in private life through the pursuit of material gratification. Thus we hear obscene language from devotional singers and observe a strong worldly attachment in detached spiritual aspirants. Those who are fanatically sanctimonious in their youth become immoral lechers in middle age. Actors are no exception. The only way to save oneself from this kind of psychological degradation is to keep one’s mind constantly engaged in the thought of the Great and to always look upon the world with sweet, benevolent sentiments. Artists and actors must never forget this even for a moment because they have a great responsibility to society and an immeasurable influence over it.” (4)


Debauched artists not allowed

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Unlike in the past, people today do not want to establish separate theatrical societies for artists because of immoral conduct. Actors are now a part of society and this will continue. This is necessary in the greater interest of society. Although actors are not fully accepted in Indian society today, in practice they are becoming or are in the process of becoming fully accepted. So under these circumstances strict vigilance should be kept over the purity of their individual conduct. They should not become the cause of a disease which invades the whole social body like a cancer. If actors and actresses fail to acquire a basic level of personal purity or are reluctant to acquire it, it will be the duty of society and the state to compel them to lead good lives by creating circumstantial pressure. No matter how talented they may be, immoral actors and actresses will have to be deprived of their right to exhibit their artistic talents, and sent to reform schools.” (5)

Importance of RAWA cultural programs

Ananda Marga ideology states, “You are not merely an animal: simply eating, drinking and sleeping is not everything for a human. A human has a subtler life, a more charming life, a more fascinating life, so your physical existence moves towards your psychic existence, and this movement is your [quest] for higher life, your [quest] for subtler life, that is, your physico-psychic movement, starting from the physical level and moving towards the psychic level. Your physico-psychic activities are architecture, literature, dance, music – they are all your physico-psychic movement. And this movement is from crude to subtle, starting from the cruder arena and moving towards the subtler arena. That’s why in Ananda Marga I encourage this physico-psychic movement: because it will help you in moving towards the subtler world, in moving towards the supreme spiritual goal...For physico-psychic movement, I encourage boys and girls to start work in the RAWA [Renaissance Artists’ and Writers’ Association] movement.” (6)

References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Human Expressions and Human Movements
2. Microvita in a Nutshell, Smell and Microvita – Excerpt C
3. Human Society - part 1, Various Occupations
4. Human Society - part 1, Various Occupations
5. Human Society - part 1, Various Occupations
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Human Expressions and Human Movements

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Whisper in Your ear

"Toma'ri deoya' pra'n'e, toma'ri deoya' mane..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3624)

Purport:

O' Parama Purusa, You are the Giver of Life. This very existence of mine has been bestowed upon me by You. This very mind of mine has been given to me by You. Now, by Your grace, my whole mind and heart, which have been given to me by You, are focused solely on Your meditation - ideating on You. O' my Lord, You are my Goal, and my sadhana revolves around You. I am thinking only about You. By Your grace, I understand that everything belongs to You. Except You, nothing exists. You are everything. 

O' unkind One, I love You so much and am crying for You. I have so much longing for You and want that You should come close to me - in my sadhana, in my dhyana. Besides You, there is no one who is mine. I do not have anyone. But You are not coming close. Why do You remain far away, O' Heartless One. Why do You remain forgetful of me? Why are You not coming near and instead going to some far distant place? O' Parama Purusa, please come close; those thoughts and feelings which I have kept in the casket of the inner core of my heart I want to whisper in Your ear. And among them, one is my intense desire to get You. I have so many intimate things to tell You. I have so many thoughts to share with You. My only request is that I should get You.

O' Parama Purusa Baba, due to my crude mind, for ages and ages I remained oblivious about You. I was not keeping You in my mind. Baba, I do not know how long it has been that I have forgotten You. During that time, I just danced in the rhythm of this mundane, crude material world. I was just infatuated, intoxicated, and engrossed with the fleeting allurements of the relative sphere. O' my Dearmost, today You made me understand that I am only Yours. By Your infinite compassion, all my thoughts, plans, programs, aspirations, sorrows, happiness, desires - everything revolves only around You. Baba, You are my Polestar; You are my everything, I surrender at Your lotus feet...

== Section: Important Teaching ==

How to keep avidya maya away

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “Sometimes it may happen that a man was a degenerated man. When he was a bad man, he was eating, drinking, and making merry, but as soon as he starts sádhaná, he is to face so many obstacles, so many hardships. He has become good, but be has to undergo so many troubles, so many problems. What is this? Why? Do you follow what I said? Why? The reason is that the pendulum moves. When it starts coming in the opposite side when its upward movement ends and the downward movement starts. The moment he becomes a good boy, becomes a sádhaka, the reaction of his bad actions starts.” (1)

Note: Avidya maya does not harass you for no reason at all. Avidya maya applies the arsenal from the collection of your previously accumulated negative samskaras, which have yet to be requited. Suppose you did some sin or wrongdoing in the past and never faced the reaction of that bad action. In that case, that samskara is still part of the arsenal of avidya maya. And you will have to face that reaction. But in spite of such retaliation if you continue doing your sadhana then avidya maya will walk away and will not bother you anymore due to your sincerity in sadhana.  

Reference
1. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14, Action and Reaction

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Baba’s teaching about future became reality

Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Human beings will definitely be able to increase human longevity by scientific techniques. In certain special cases they will even be able to restore life to dead bodies. The endeavour to expedite the advent of that auspicious day of science is certainly an important part of social service.”

Ananda Marga philosophy says, “One day human beings will also learn how to produce human babes in science laboratories. Perhaps then it will be possible for human beings to place an order for their children and to get children according to their choice. Why should these laboratory babes lag behind modern humans with respect to intellectual and spiritual wealth! Those opposed to science today challenge, “Let human beings demonstrate that they can produce living entities!” By producing laboratory babes, the human beings of the future will give a befitting reply to this challenge.”

“The development of intuition will make human beings more spiritually inclined. What Saguńa Brahma [the Qualified Supreme Entity] is directly doing today will be done increasingly by the human beings of tomorrow. In that age the reproductive capacity of the human body will gradually cease to exist.” (1)

Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #25, 1959

== Section 3: Links ==

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