Baba
AM & protest fasting
Namaskar,
Much is often made in the press and amongst the general populace about those who engage in protest fasts. Such persons are hailed as heroes and luminaries by the common people and pundits. But in our Ananda Marga way of life, this type of Gandhian approach is not supported.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “So, you should neither encourage voracity, nor should you undergo fasting for a long period of time.” (1)
Do we follow Gandhi?
Those who resort to employing Gandhian philosophy and Gandhian techniques will never get success. Baba has declared how the efficacy of Gandhi's teachings died long ago.
Prout philosophy says, "The philosophy of Gandhi died before India got independence – it died long before Gandhi died." (2)
As disciples of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji, we should propagate His ideals of Prout philosophy and not get sidetracked by these defective methods used by pseudo-reformists.
Who gets attracted to pseudo-reformists?
According to Prout, everything in this universe has some redeeming value. Everything has at least a minimal amount of sentient properties or sattvaguna. After all, even garbage can be converted into compost or energy. But that does not mean that one should go around collecting garbage and stuffing it into their house.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
As Ananda Margiis and adherents of Prout teachings, however, we should not get swayed by that slight glimmer of pseudo-reformists. We should not start following their ways. Because we know that the teachings of Prout philosophy are perfect in all respects. In that case, why should we be even remotely moved by some populist preachers.
Here we can only conclude that only those not familiar with Proutistic teachings and only those lacking in tantrika sadhana could get attracted by any such fake type of movement. So with open arms we should try and bring them onto the proper path. That is our sacred duty. As Ananda Margiis and Proutists, we are firmly rooted in our AM way of life and do not peer for answers or inspiration in any other direction.
History: uninformed Proutists revere JP Narayan
Here is a very relevant and meaningful story that relates well with the protest type of fast that pseudo-reformists undertake. As many may recall, back in 1975 Jaya Prakash Narayan - a disciple of Gandhi - started an anti-corruption movement that became extremely popular with students across India. The movement was called Sampurn' Kranti (Sampoorna Kranti) or Total Revolution. People flocked to his meetings.
At that time, certain uninformed Proutists also became attracted to JP Narayan's Sampurn' Kranti or Total Revolution movement. Upon hearing this Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar lovingly scolded their incharges for their wrongful approach. Better is that you should propagate Prout / Ananda Marga ideology. Do not be attracted by Gandhian movements. That Gandhian philosophy is dead.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In this way, Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar guided those uninformed Proutists for their misplaced sentiment in JP Narayan's Sampurn' Kranti movement. Then He ordered Ac Raghunathji to address the matter. So Ac Raghunath published a book aimed at educating uninformed Proutists so that they would not get befooled by or attracted to JP Narayan's movement. Raghunathji's book was called: Sampurn' Kranti Kii A'dha'rshila' (Foundation of Sampurna Kranti or Total Revolution).
By this way, everyone in AMPS and all Proutists clearly understood that our job is to propagate Prout / Ananda Marga ideology and not get allured by other types of movements based on faulty teachings. And indeed, as it turned out, JP Nararyan's movement came into power in 1977 via Parliamentary elections. But in a short 2 1/2 year period that government became wrought with cheating, scandals, corruption, and worse. By 1980, that party was voted out of office, and they lost all their power.
How should we help them?
So again, the Proutistic ideal is do not run off and join other half-baked movements just because they have become popular etc, rather one should propagate the ideals of Prout philosophy.
It is unfortunate that a few people do not know the above history because sometimes a few of our dear and respected brothers and sisters in AMPS seemingly get hooked into this same exact problem. A few margiis and Wts are quite enamoured with those conducting protest fasts etc, but this is just a display of outdated Gandhism etc. And some margiis are anxious to praise those involved in protest fasts, and paint them as great social leaders etc. I cannot fault those margiis / Proutists - all I can do is blame us for not having educated them to follow Prout, and not any outdated Gandhian approach like a protest fast.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Back in the 1970's this was all addressed by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, as He did not want any margii or Wt to support this type of display. But because margiis do not know this important history, a few uninformed Proutists may still be defending and rallying around those staging protest fasts. I feel confident that any margii temporarily swayed in such a direction will immediately right their course after hearing the above account.
What is fate of unfortunate people?
Here is an analogy that is also pertinent to this whole affair. There was a person drinking sweet, purified water. But, as fate would have it, he also suffered from an inferiority complex and was therefore easily swayed when he saw what others were doing. One day he saw 100 buffaloes drinking muddy pond water. By seeing so many buffaloes slurping up all that water - influenced by their sheer numbers - the man became attracted and joined them in drinking that muddy water. The man thought that this muddy water must be better than what he was drinking because 100 buffaloes were drinking pond water while he had been drinking his pure water all by himself.
This man wrongly concluded that the "better product or plan" was determined by the vast number of followers. That is why this foolish man walked away from his pure, sweet water and started drinking the dirty pond water with those herds of buffaloes.
Similarly, on this earth, there are many who could not come close to Sadguru Baba, i.e. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji, the Taraka Brahma. Yet these very same persons began hovering around fake gurus like x, y, and z etc. That was the unfortunate fate of such people. They could not realise the Divine Personality of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji and instead got allured by the hoards following these fakes.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
When I think about that, I feel pity for them. Actually they do not have experience in bhakti and Ananda Marga ideology; that is why they are easily affected by crowds in other camps. Such persons do not like to come to small, dharmic, spiritual gatherings like dharmacakra, and instead are attracted to major dogmatic happenings like the khumba mela etc.
Conclusion
Baba describes this lowly mentality in His discourse, “Shreya and Preya”, from Subhasita Samghraha - 3. We should gently educate such people who follow dogmatic people simply because they are popular. By employing psychological pracara methods, we may positively affect their forward movement, by His grace. When their bhakti grows and their mind gets clear, then those same people will not run towards the crowd. Rather, with their increased bhakti and viveka they will easily see through the fog and march on the path of dharma.
Namaskar,
Vinay
No protest fasts
In our Ananda Marga, we have our allotted fasting days for physical health, psychic clarity, and spiritual surrender and upliftment. Beyond that, we do not engage in fasts for social causes or injustices. Rather, we use our allotted strength and stamina to put an end to all exploitation. Resorting to fasting as a form of protest is not our way.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “So, you should neither encourage voracity, nor should you undergo fasting for a long period of time.” (3)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Seven Secrets
2. Prout in a Nutshell - Part 15, Defects of Communism – Section C
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Seven Secrets
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Why are You playing this liila
"Dayál prabhu bolo go, tomáy, dayál náme keno d́áká hoy..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0341)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, please tell me why people call You Daya’l, O’ Merciful One. If You are so merciful then why do the soft, fragrant blossoms have thorns. Those flower petals are very tender and supple, yet they are surrounded by sharp, prickly needles. Can’t You make all flowers have only silky, smooth surroundings without any prickles. The mountain spring is very beautiful and pure, but it always has to suffer the pain of running through the rough, jagged, mountain path. Can’t You have all mountain streams gently flow without hitting any pointed stones. That will be wonderful.
Baba, why are You called Merciful. The lotus and lily flowers are aromatic and lovely but they blossom in the dirty pond. Why don't You provide clean water. Can’t You make all lotii take birth in a pure environment without any mud. Human life is filled with happiness and cheerfulness and gradually moves towards decay and old age. Can’t You create a human life that always remains youthful, devoid of the effects of aging. The cluster of lamps of stars always have to wait for amavasya, the pitch dark night, in order to glitter. Can’t You make stars that shine all the time and are never faint.
People have given Your name as 'Merciful', but when You are playing this type of liila, why is that Your name? The small child is like the softness of one tiny flower, but always the baby cries and cries. Can’t You make all infants be happy and joyful always without ever sobbing. Why does the smiling moon only shine between the slits of the patches of dark clouds. The moon hardly gets an opportunity to glisten in the sky. Can’t You make a moon that is always beaming and never blocked by the clouds. In this world, You have created the gentle, sweet breeze. The soft, tender, fragrant air disappears with the arrival of the hail, thunder, and lightning storm that ruins the scene. Can’t You make it so that all breezes remain soothing and calm and never get overrun by wild thunderstorms. It is so ironic how people call You ever merciful, when Your working style is the exact opposite...
Action by B group against CC
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Haven't we any social responsibility for dead persons? When the necessity arises, we should offer shraddhá for them, not barley or wheat or woollen clothes or wrappers or ghee or sesame. What can we do? As long as a man is here in our society we ave a social responsibility for him. Human beings are social beings, we have a social responsibility for them. And when the leave this world and go to the other world, they go beyond the scope of our responsibility. We cannot render any service to them. Our social responsibility is over as soon as the cremation is done."
Ananda Marga ideology states, "So what can we do? We can say “O Parama Puruśa, while that man was with us we tried our best to do whatever we could do. But now they are beyond our scope, they are beyond our jurisdiction, so please do take care of them.” This much of a request can be made by us, and nothing more than that. And the Ananda Marga shráddha is just like that. Here we require no edibles, no clothes or anything else. We offer our shraddhá, and we do nothing else, and we can do nothing else." (1)
Note: Baba's above teaching is cent-per-cent clear and straightforward. When a loved one dies, then we do not offer any physical items - neither food, nor clothing, nor anything else.
For Ananda Margiis, Parama Purusa is that Eternal Divine Entity so there is no question of His death.
But those who don’t have bhakti are most unfortunate and they treat Sadguru as a mortal human being. They think their god is dead. And annually they host a death day gathering with dogmatic offerings - food items, clothes, etc. And this is against Caryacarya on two fronts:
(A) Caryacarya states that the mourning period shall last no more than 12 days, but B group disobeys this point of Caryacarya.
(B) Caryacarya guides us that the offering food and clothes to the deceased on the annual death day is forbidden, but B group disobeys this point of Caryacarya.
In Him,
Premprakasha
Reference
1. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 3 - Shraddha
"Dayál prabhu bolo go, tomáy, dayál náme keno d́áká hoy..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0341)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, please tell me why people call You Daya’l, O’ Merciful One. If You are so merciful then why do the soft, fragrant blossoms have thorns. Those flower petals are very tender and supple, yet they are surrounded by sharp, prickly needles. Can’t You make all flowers have only silky, smooth surroundings without any prickles. The mountain spring is very beautiful and pure, but it always has to suffer the pain of running through the rough, jagged, mountain path. Can’t You have all mountain streams gently flow without hitting any pointed stones. That will be wonderful.
Baba, why are You called Merciful. The lotus and lily flowers are aromatic and lovely but they blossom in the dirty pond. Why don't You provide clean water. Can’t You make all lotii take birth in a pure environment without any mud. Human life is filled with happiness and cheerfulness and gradually moves towards decay and old age. Can’t You create a human life that always remains youthful, devoid of the effects of aging. The cluster of lamps of stars always have to wait for amavasya, the pitch dark night, in order to glitter. Can’t You make stars that shine all the time and are never faint.
People have given Your name as 'Merciful', but when You are playing this type of liila, why is that Your name? The small child is like the softness of one tiny flower, but always the baby cries and cries. Can’t You make all infants be happy and joyful always without ever sobbing. Why does the smiling moon only shine between the slits of the patches of dark clouds. The moon hardly gets an opportunity to glisten in the sky. Can’t You make a moon that is always beaming and never blocked by the clouds. In this world, You have created the gentle, sweet breeze. The soft, tender, fragrant air disappears with the arrival of the hail, thunder, and lightning storm that ruins the scene. Can’t You make it so that all breezes remain soothing and calm and never get overrun by wild thunderstorms. It is so ironic how people call You ever merciful, when Your working style is the exact opposite...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Action by B group against CC
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Haven't we any social responsibility for dead persons? When the necessity arises, we should offer shraddhá for them, not barley or wheat or woollen clothes or wrappers or ghee or sesame. What can we do? As long as a man is here in our society we ave a social responsibility for him. Human beings are social beings, we have a social responsibility for them. And when the leave this world and go to the other world, they go beyond the scope of our responsibility. We cannot render any service to them. Our social responsibility is over as soon as the cremation is done."
Ananda Marga ideology states, "So what can we do? We can say “O Parama Puruśa, while that man was with us we tried our best to do whatever we could do. But now they are beyond our scope, they are beyond our jurisdiction, so please do take care of them.” This much of a request can be made by us, and nothing more than that. And the Ananda Marga shráddha is just like that. Here we require no edibles, no clothes or anything else. We offer our shraddhá, and we do nothing else, and we can do nothing else." (1)
Note: Baba's above teaching is cent-per-cent clear and straightforward. When a loved one dies, then we do not offer any physical items - neither food, nor clothing, nor anything else.
For Ananda Margiis, Parama Purusa is that Eternal Divine Entity so there is no question of His death.
But those who don’t have bhakti are most unfortunate and they treat Sadguru as a mortal human being. They think their god is dead. And annually they host a death day gathering with dogmatic offerings - food items, clothes, etc. And this is against Caryacarya on two fronts:
(A) Caryacarya states that the mourning period shall last no more than 12 days, but B group disobeys this point of Caryacarya.
(B) Caryacarya guides us that the offering food and clothes to the deceased on the annual death day is forbidden, but B group disobeys this point of Caryacarya.
In Him,
Premprakasha
Reference
1. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 3 - Shraddha
