Baba
Baba story: kiirtana tunes
Namaskar,
I remember being in Jaipur DMC in 1984. Those days our AMPS was growing fast. There was bliss in the air, and the whole atmosphere was devotionally charged. When Baba would magnificently come onto the dais then thousands and thousands of Ananda Margiis - Wts and family people alike - were raising the Jai slogan. The sound was thundering and echoed all around.
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Kiirtan in filmy tune
Those days our AMPS was a veritable force. Everyone was linked with Baba; everyone was there because of Him. It was all so beautiful. Those days Baba would also graciously sit and remain on His dais during the singing of kiirtan in DMC. When I close my eyes then my mind easily floats in the blissful direction and automatically I feel renewed. I can feel His sweet touch, by His grace. At that DMC, something else happened that I will never forget.
During the Jaipur DMC program (1984), Dada D was leading the kiirtan. But he was doing something different. Dadaji was using a famous Bollywood tune for the kiirtan and just adding the words Baba Nam Kevalam. But the whole melody and vibration of the tune was infamous for being from the Indian film industry.
Wt rebuked by Baba
Sadguru Baba was sitting on the dais, when He heard Dada D singing kiirtan according to some filmy, Bollywood tune. Immediately, Baba stopped the kiirtan. Then, with His feigned anger, we all saw Baba lovingly rebuke and affectionately scold that Dada for leading and singing kiirtan in the tune of a filmy song. Baba loudly expressed His dissatisfaction in front of one and all. Everyone heard it. The kiirtan stopped and Baba was publicly scolding this Dada for his misdeed.
Naturally, this is all His liila - always Baba is loving, just He feigns anger in order to demonstrate that this is a matter we should take seriously. After this liila, Baba changed His mood and gently guided us that kiirtan should be sung according to the tunes and melodies, i.e. raga and raganiis - used in Prabhat Samgiita. At that time, Prabhat Samgiita was still relatively new but already there were hundreds of songs and there were plenty of charming melodies to choose from.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
How to make best kiirtana tunes
From that moment on, Dadaji heeded Baba's call on this point of kiirtan. Throughout the rest of that 1984 DMC tour - in Daltonganj, Kota, and Varanasi - Dadaji always sang kiirtan using Prabhat Samgiita melodies. Actually, he would begin the kiirtan using the very tune of the Prabhat Samgiita that was just sung. So whatever Prabhat Samgiita was performed in DMC, that same tune was used for the first kiirtan. And then Dadaji would lead the kiirtan using other melodies of other Prabhat Samgiita compositions.
Everyone was enjoying this new system and all were floating in His bliss. Since Baba has given us countless ragas and raganiis - tunes and melodies - in His vast Prabhat Samgiita collection, we can all sing kiirtan using tunes most appealing and moving for us. That is also the beauty. That will keep our kiirtan practice sentient and vibrated.
Pollution of kiirtan by filmy tune
Singing kiirtan according to the tune of Prabhat Samgiita is not just a rule for rule's sake. Sadguru Baba's directions are filled with deeper meaning and our welfare. So in this case also, there is a whole science of mind involved. And many may already be aware about this.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
For instance, suppose someone saw some pop-culture film last month or even 20 years ago. Then if that person starts singing kiirtan according to the main theme song of that movie, then that person's mind will be cent-per-cent involved in the movie itself, not Parama Purusa Baba. Their lips will be singing kiirtan but their entire mental plate will be involved in that movie. We all know that the nature of mind is to be drawn towards baser propensities / animal vrttis. And if during kiirtan the mind is given a strong reminder about some famous movie, then it will easily run in that direction. And the whole flow of kiirtan will be lost.
In contrast, if during kiirtan one is singing using the melody of Prabhat Samgiita, then even if the mind gets distracted from the kiirtan, it will still be involved in a spiritual ideal. Whereas if the mind runs in the direction of a Bollywood filmy song during kiirtan, then all kinds of mundane images will flash on one's mental plate.
So we should be strict. The whole import of kiirtan is to sing for Parama Purusa and keep the mind linked with Him. Our kiirtan is not for selfish pleasures or thinking about worldly allurements. So using filmy tunes in our kiirtan chant is against the sanctity of our devotional practice.
Mind adversely affected
Using a filmy tune for kiirtan is just like replacing sandalwood incense with marijuana smoke or the smell of alcohol. Instead of having the fragrant smell of sandalwood all around, the smell of drugs and alcohol will be spreading all over and the mind will get negatively affected. Similarly, when we pollute our sentient kiirtan environment with filmy tune, then the mind will be adversely affected.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
Baba has blessed us with all kinds of teachings and practices to goad our mind towards eternal bliss. Thus we should all pay heed to Baba's warning and not use filmy tune with kiirtan and instead sing kiirtan using the sweet melodies and tunes of Prabhat Samgiita.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Tanmay
~ In-depth study ~
Baba says, "Memory should be of the actual experience of the mind in the course of meditation (sa'dhana'), the bliss that you enjoyed during kiirtan (spiritual chanting) memory should be like this. That is, never should it be centred around yourself. In that case there won't be any waste of time and energy." (1)
Truly intelligent people do kiirtana
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It is the endeavour to ensconce the microcosmic entity, the individual entitative rhythm, in the eternal being, the infinite rhythm of Parama Puruśa. So among all forms of saḿgiita, kiirtana is the best; and saḿgiita means dance, song and instrumental music – all three. So kiirtana is not just song. Dance is also a part of it, and instrumental music is also a part of it. This combination of dance, song and instrumental music creates such a pure and heavenly atmosphere that what happens to a person? A person will forget himself or herself. This is the charm, the excellence, of kiirtana. So those who are truly intelligent should certainly do kiirtana. So those who are truly intelligent should certainly do kiirtana either in public, or – if they feel rather shy – in private.” (2)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Therefore, it is the scriptural direction not to sing any song after kiirtana, because other music is within the scope of aesthetic science and the kiirtana comes within the scope of Mohana Vijiṋána. This Mohana Vijiṋána is the supra-aesthetic science. “Bhakti tattva” is supra-aesthetic. Therefore, kiirtan is, in its essential form, with devotion, it is in the form of “Ota” and “Prota”. So in the life of a spiritual practitioner (sádhaka), in the life of a devotee (Bhakta), kiirtana is most essential.” (3)
References
1. Baba in Fiesch, p. 147
2. A Few Problems Solved - 4, Supra-Aesthetic Science and Music
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 19, The Supreme Aesthetic Science and the Cult of Devotion
Plagiary?
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.
* * *
Defect of hell
Following is Baba’s comment on Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Ananda Marga ideology says, “The truth of the matter is that everyone moves according to one’s karma. To expand psychically is natural – no one is born dhármika or adhármika, righteous or unrighteous. Even after death one will not go the flaming fire of hell. According to our philosophy there is no hell or heaven. If the Lord taught righteousness to some and not to others, that would not be fair. And if, for that reason, one got to heaven while others didn’t, would that be fair? That would also be favouritism. But this very thought, of eternal heaven or hell, is faulty. It is a defective approach. People speak like this due to ignorance and lack of proper philosophical understanding. Today’s progressive human society cannot have any respect for these ideas.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Superstitions about Death
It is the accepted international standard and Baba's system not to copy another's work and publish it in your own way. Baba has given a very strict rule on plagiarism. Why is Baba against plagiarism or stealing someone's work? There are many reasons:
1) It is against the code of asteya (non-stealing).
2) Countless stories of bhaktas need to be published. But some do not want to do the hard work of compiling and writing these stories, so they just steal them from others. But new stories need to be told, otherwise so many unpublished stories of sadhakas will be lost and forgotten forever. So watch out for story thieves, and kindly help them not to steal by posting on social media in their own way. If you want to forward this story then attach the following yellow section with the story:
“Courtesy of unknown bhakta via Ananda Marga Universal (https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/)”
This will be treated as the standard protocol.
* * *
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 ==
Defect of hell
Following is Baba’s comment on Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Ananda Marga ideology says, “The truth of the matter is that everyone moves according to one’s karma. To expand psychically is natural – no one is born dhármika or adhármika, righteous or unrighteous. Even after death one will not go the flaming fire of hell. According to our philosophy there is no hell or heaven. If the Lord taught righteousness to some and not to others, that would not be fair. And if, for that reason, one got to heaven while others didn’t, would that be fair? That would also be favouritism. But this very thought, of eternal heaven or hell, is faulty. It is a defective approach. People speak like this due to ignorance and lack of proper philosophical understanding. Today’s progressive human society cannot have any respect for these ideas.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Superstitions about Death
== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==
बाबा! तुम मेरे ध्यान साधना, कीर्तन भजन और हर प्रकार के चिंतन में तुम आते सदा आओप्रभात संगीत 2070 तुमि एशो आमार मने, आमार सकल भावनाय...
भावार्थ
हे परमपुरुष! कृपा कर मेरे मन में आओ, मेरे विचारों में हमेशा आओ। मेरे ध्यान साधना, कीर्तन भजन और हर प्रकार के चिंतन में तुम आते सदा आओ, सदैव ही उपस्थित रहो। हे, प्रभु मैं तुम्हें अपने सभी कार्यों में खोजता रहता हॅूूं अतः इस प्रकार तुम्हें प्राप्त कर लूंगा।
बाबा! मैं तो केवल तुम्हें ही चाहता हॅूं। मैं तुम्हें दिन के प्रकाश में चाहता हॅूूं ताकि मैं डरूं नहीं, अंधेरे कुसंस्कार पाप डोग्मा आदि से लड़ सकूॅं। कृपा कर मेरे मन के सभी नकारात्मक भाव हटा कर उनके स्थान पर अपने आत्मिक अमृत को भर दो ताकि मै उन दैत्यों से निडर हो जाऊँ । मेरी जड़ जगत से संबंधित सभी इच्छाओं को हटा कर उनके स्थान पर ब्रह्मभाव भर दो।
हे परमपुरुष! मैं तुमसे एक के बाद एक अपनी इच्छा की पूर्ति करने की याचना लगातार कर रहा हॅूं, और मैं इसकी कभी चिंता ही नहीं करता कि मैं तुम्हें क्या दूॅं। बाबा, मैं तो तुम्हारे सामने भिखारी हॅूं, सदा ही और अधिक, और अधिक ही मांगता रहता हॅूं । वास्तव में मैं सदा ही भौतिक जगत की चीजों की चाहत में अपने हाथ फैलाये रहता हॅूं। अब मेरे मन की इस तुच्छ आदत को दूर कर दो, इस गन्दी मनोवृत्ति से मुझे मुक्त कर दो। बाबा! कृपा कर मुझे वह भक्ति-अमृत दे दो जिससे मेरी यह धन-दौलत, मान सम्मान की भूख सदा के लिये मिट जाये।
== Section: Important Teaching ==
More powerful than collective mental strength of 100,000 people
plus longevity and victory
Here Baba demonstrates that by doing sadhana properly and adhering to His tenants of 16 Points, then by His grace one's mental strength will increase.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "What is the best way to strengthen the mind? The best and proper way is to strictly observe the 16 Points. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more your mental strength will increase. It will increase so much that it will be more powerful than the collective mental strength of 100,000 people. In a psychic clash they will have to concede victory to you... So you must endeavour to develop your psychic strength - this is your bounden duty. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more psychic strength you will acquire. It will not take you long." (1)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "If you follow Sixteen Points, your longevity will be greater." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology furthermore states, "Be firm on sixteen points. Unite all the righteous forces. All the tall talks of the evil forces will be silenced." (3)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, An Exemplary Life
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, Devotion and the Realm of Intellectuality
3. Ananda Vanii #44
== Section 3: Links ==
