Fri 02 Aug 2013 21:45:38 -0000
Baba
== GOD IS NO MORE - GONE FAR AWAY ==
Namaskar,
This is highly related with every sadhaka of Ananda Marga.
BABA IS PARAMA PURUSA GOD - SUPREME ENTITY
Everyone in our Ananda Marga is aware about Baba's - God's - highly
meaningful teaching from the shloka, 'Dúrát sudúre tadihántike ca
pashyatsvihaeva nihitam' guháyám'.
The basic idea is that those who think God is far push Him so far
away that the distance is too great to be measured; whereas those
who feel that God is close and inside their heart then for them He
becomes so close that there is no gap. He is verily within the
deepest core of your I-feeling. So this is one important devotional
teaching about how one should cultivate their relation with God.
The tragedy is that some of our Wts involved in hosting a ceremony
that says God is far cannot understand the essence of God's above
teaching. The proof is that their own designated program undermines
the very foundation of devotional life.
Their chosen program states that God is gone and that has a very
dangerous repercussion. If one thinks that God is gone then it is
impossible to bring Him close inside the heart. That is the
guideline and warning that Baba has given in His aforementioned
shloka, 'Dúrát sudúre tadihántike ca pashyatsvihaeva nihitam'
guháyám'.
Clearly then this essential teaching was not adhered to when our
brothers and sisters devised their program. Indeed, such a program
fails to practically and theoretically reflect the spirit of God's
teaching of durat sudure; instead their program dictates that God is
far away and gone.
At the same time, we all know there are many Ananda Margiis who
understand Baba's devotional guidelines and cultivate that closeness
with Him and hold Him in their heart.
THEY ARE BELOW THE REALM OF ANANDA MARGA
INSTEAD CLING TO RELIGIOUS DOGMA
Unfortunately, some of our respected brothers and sisters hosting
such a dogmatic program could not reach up to the realm of Ananda
Marga spiritual teachings. They could not grasp God's devotional
guidelines. Please excuse me, but what could be the reason why they
fell into the ways of certain dogmatic religions that depict the
death of their God as a symbol to reflect their faith.
Instead, due to a certain quality of mind, those organisers who host
the program that pushes God far away fell distinctly into the ways
of the dogmatic religions. A few select religions depict their God
in a state of death. Naturally, then they feel separated from and
far from their Lord. And a few in Ananda Marga have unfortunately
succumbed to this same net of religious dogma.
On their chosen annual occasion, they adopt a very similar ideation
that pushes God far, far away. Tragically, even after being in
Ananda Marga for so many years, some could not link up with a deeper
relation with Baba in sadhana and dhyana.
Yet God has devoted countless pages in His teachings to the
importance of various bhavas for realising Him in dhyana. Plus He
has given the practical approach in His Supreme Command by stating
all must do sadhana twice daily regularly. All this leads to the
ideal that we are to realise Him within and that He is ever-present
in the heart. That is the essence of our spiritual approach.
Sadly, the adherents of this program completely missed this
entirely.
OTHER TYPES OF PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GIVE THIS UP
Here is more about those dear brothers and sisters who cannot give
up this dogmatic program. Namely those leaders who invented this
dogma. Because if they do it will be looked upon as a sign of
weakness. Plus for them, this is their chosen method to raise
maximum financial donations. Bound by this mind-set, they rely very
heavily on making big money off of this event.
Unfortunately, some of their followers have become deeply involved
in this as well. Those loyal adherents follow and tell others about
this program. That enhances their prestige and standing with the
organizers.
Yet, we recall however that everyone in Ananda Marga has devotion -
without that they could not have come in contact with Taraka Brahma.
Bhakti then is the unique and inherent quality of every Ananda
Margii. Bhakti is the feeling that Parama Purusa is with me and I
have a link with Him. This is the special feeling of every Ananda
Margii. And God warns that this devotional feeling must be protected
at all cost.
"The devotional sentiment is the highest and most valuable treasure
of humanity...This element of devotion, the most precious treasure
of humanity, must be preserved most carefully. Because it is such a
tender inner asset, to preserve it from the onslaughts of
materialism, one must build a protective fence around it, just as
people put up a guard-rail around a small tender plant." (1)
So God clearly tells us that the greatest asset a person has is
their devotional feeling and this must be guarded very strictly.
Tragically, the annual death day program squashes the tender bud of
devotion that lies in the heart. It suppresses one's natural
devotional inclinations - severely hampering spiritual life. So this
type of program is quite harmful. But due to pressure and other
reasons, certain people still follow it.
MOST MARGIIS HOLD GOD CLOSE INSIDE
Then there are the vast majority of margiis around the globe who
feel God in their depths of their heart and they have the intuitive
feeling that such a program that pushes God far away is against the
devotional ethic of Ananda Marga. That is why most have completely
rejected it. For this reason, units arounds the globe have basically
dropped it entirely.
MOST MARGIIS CELEBRATE GOD'S ETERNAL PRESENCE
The wide scope of Ananda Margiis celebrate God's divine presence
each and every day through kiirtan, dhyana, 2nd lesson, Guru Puja,
Guru Sakash, Prabhat Samgiita etc. In that case what is the logic or
reason for following the rituals of any program that says that God
is gone. Obviously it makes no sense; it is irrational; that is why
it is a dogma. Those who can recognise this as a dogma are those who
feel Baba in their heart. That is why the mass of Ananda Margiis
have outrightly rejected that it as one dogmatic function - nothing
more.
So again, the mass of margiis feel God's sweet presence in their
heart, and that is why it is completely natural for them dismiss any
program which wrongly states that God is gone.
MUST OPPOSE DOGMAS THAT UNDERMINE OUR
SPIRITUAL APPROACH
Here below Baba clearly guides us that as Ananda Margiis, as
dharmikas, we are to oppose all such dogmatic programs.
"I have already said that Ananda Marga is the first movement aimed
at liberating spirituality from the unwholesome influences of dogma.
Hence you must not in any way encourage dogma. Rather, you should
carry on an endless fight against dogma. And while fighting against
dogma, you will realise the actual truth, and when you will come in
contact with truth, you will be established in real spirituality."
(2)
Thus when any program states that God is gone, and when our Ananda
Marga spirituality states that Baba is always with us, then it is
quite clear that our duty is to oppose and eradicate this dogma. And
that is exactly what is happening nowadays.
IT MAKES ONE FEEL FAR FROM PARAMA PURUSA BABA
Any program states that God is far away and gone will ruin one's
spiritual life. That is what Baba is warning us about in His below
guideline.
"If someone continually thinks, "Parama Purus'a is far from me",
then He will seem to be truly far from him. If in their ignorance
people think that Parama Purus'a is far from them, then He may
indeed remain far from them - so far that in future, even if one
cries oneself hoarse, one's cries will never reach Him." (3)
Thus those who observe any ceremony that pushes Baba away can never
come close to Parama Purusa. That is the veritable fact.
One of the most central tenets of tantra and the path of Ananda
Marga is the eternal presence of God. Above all else this must be
upheld, yet for the last 23 years, the inventors of one program have
been undermining this essential point of Ananda Marga devotional
life.
INHERENT CONTRADICTION BY SAYING BABA IS GONE
Every true bhakta in our Ananda Marga feels that Baba resides in the
heart. And that is His explicit guideline as well:
"Vrnda'vanam parityajya pa'damekam na
gaccha'mi..." (PS 4425)
"I am always eternally present in Vrindavan, in the hearts of
devotees. That is the Guru cakra. I do not go even a little away
from that. I am eternally present along with the devotees."
Yet the main message of a certain program hosted by some of our
brothers and sisters each year is the exact opposite: That God is
far away - gone.
REAL FESTIVAL OF ANANDA MARGA:
VIJAYA OTSAVA
Those who have devotion towards Guru will follow Him; they will do
what He says. And when our Ananda Marga festival of Victory Day,
Vijaya Otsava, often occurs on the exact same day as this program
that pushes Baba far away, then one has to choose to either follow
Guru or the inventors of this dogmatic program. Either one has to
follow the dharma of Ananda Marga or the dogma of one group.
True bhaktas will surely follow Baba and His eternal dharma.
And indeed, this issue will come up year after year as Vijaya Otsava
and the anti-devotion program are going to coincide again and again.
Those who follow the real teachings of Ananda Marga will celebrate
Vijaya Otsava whereas those who blindly cling to the skeletons of
dogma will solemnly observe the anti-devotion program. Obviously,
best is to follow Guru and His shining ideals and that is what most
in Ananda Marga are doing.
THE LORD IS ALWAYS WITH ME
"The best way is the path of devotion, complete surrender. Say “O
Lord, I am your creation, I’m a small being, I am a unit being,
completely depending on your mercy. I want psycho-spiritual
progress, I want to move along the path of psycho-spirituality.
Please help me.” And when one wants this aim sincerely, from the
core of the heart, certainly it will happen. And that’s why I say
nobody is insignificant, nobody is weak, nobody is helpless. The
Supreme Lord, Parama Puruśa, is with you, He will always be with
you. So, this progress, this psycho-spiritual progress, which is
called “Mokśa” in Saḿskrta, is not a very difficult path, is not
at all a thorny road. What is it? It is a very easy and very
pleasant journey. Depend solely on Him, as a little child depends
solely on the mother." (4)
NEVER FORGET THIS FACT
"Dhruvásmrti, that is, when one never forgets the fact that Parama
Puruśa is with me, He is my Supreme Desideratum, such a mental
condition, rather such a stance, is called dharmamegha samádhi. One
must try one’s best to attain this supreme stance of dharmamegha
samádhi." (5)
IF YOU REMAIN FAR:
BECOME NEGATIVE MICROVITA
"Some people have such an insatiable thirst for material gain that
their minds run continuously from object to object, leading them far
far away from Parama Puruśa. Their minds are in perpetual motion,
but they don’t get anywhere, rather like bullocks trudging endlessly
around the oilman’s mill. After death such people become
videhaliina." (6)
HE IS WITHIN YOU - EVERY MOMENT
"He lies hidden in you and in you every minute particle of this
universe in both His individual and pervasive associations.
Cherishing a strong desire to know and understand Him, think of Him,
ideate on Him, meditate on Him – you will certainly attain Him."
(7)
MUST IDEATE ON HIM
"Those who want the Supreme Entity will have to ideate on Parama
Puruśa alone. People may attain limited achievement in terms of
occult power through the grace of the gods and goddesses – whether
belonging to Tantra or Purana – but they will remain far away from
the attainment of the Supreme Entity." (8)
BABA RESIDES IN THE HEART
Baba is with us every step of the way - always in our heart and
mind. In that case where is the scope to observe the fake mahaprayan
which states that Baba is gone. Rather, He is always with us.
"Vrnda'vanam parityajya pa'damekam na
gaccha'mi..." (PS 4425)
"I am always eternally present in Vrindavan, in the hearts of
devotees. That is the Guru cakra. I do not go even a little away
from that. I am eternally present along with the devotees."
Namaskar,
In Him,
Ashish
REFERENCES
1. Liberation
of Intellect: Neo-Humanism, Disc: 1
2. PNS Part 18, p.14
3. Subhasita
Samgraha part 12, 'The Secret of Dharma Lies Hidden in the Mind'
4. Subjective Approach and Objective
Adjustment
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Lord Buddha's Cardinal
Principles
6. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell, Ekendriya – 1
7. AMIWL - 6
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 11, The
Psychology behind the Origin of Tantric Gods and Goddesses
Prabhat Samgiita
"A'loker a'nanda tumi dhara'te nebe esecho..." - P.S. 3104
Purport:
O' Parama Pursua, the blissful Entity, the embodiment divine
effulgence, You have taken advent on this dusty Earth. It is
Your grace. You have saturated everything with Your flow of love
and sweetness. You have changed the dry and stony heart into
something very soft.
O' my Lord, Your sweet smile is unforgettable, Your voice is
charming and attractive. Everyone says that they love You - and
I also tell like that with my heart. So why are You keeping me
away.
O' Divine Entity. O' Baba, whether You like me or not, but
please do not continue to ignore and forget me. You are very
close. Please make me aware how You are playing Your liila with
my mind. Baba, You are bliss Personified. You have taken advent
on this Earth to inundate all with love and devotion...