Baba
Professor’s PC: vanity removed
Namaskar,
Adhya’ Shankar Pandey was a longtime, dedicated Ananda Margii and a professor of philosophy at Ranchi college. And it was his regular manner to publicly glorify Baba and preach His greatness.
Professor T is skeptical
One day, as per his norm, Pandey ji was extolling Sadguru Baba’s virtues and speaking of His omniscience, whereby he drew the attention of one of his colleagues, Professor T, also of the philosophy department. Professor T had heard Pandey speak over and over about Sadguru Baba’s glory, and he, i.e. Professor T, was intrigued, though quite skeptical, as he could not fathom how Baba could be all-knowing. To put it more bluntly, Professor T felt quite certain he would be able to pose questions to Baba that He could not answer. Professor T kept all these thoughts to himself and simply inquired how he could meet Baba. Pandey ji instructed him that first he must take initiation from an acarya.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Baba quizzes him in PC
After taking initiation and practicing sadhana for a short while, Professor T was blessed with the opportunity to see Baba, and he arrived with a list of abstruse, arcane, and esoteric queries and philosophical problems to put forth to Baba - to see if really He would know the answer. Professor T followed the proper protocol upon entering for PC, and as soon as he was about to raise his first question, Baba immediately asked him a question from the curriculum of Professor T’s classes, and Professor T could not answer.
Then, one after another, all-knowing and all-benevolent Baba proceeded to pose question after question based on material from the very philosophical texts that Professor T was assigning to his students. Yet Professor T was unable to reply to any of Baba’s queries, which were related with the curriculum of his own classes. This went on for some time and finally Baba said, “What! You do not know the answer to any of these questions of philosophy. This is your curriculum from your classes and this is your supposed area of expertise. You are a professor of philosophy, and this is material from the very classes you convene. But when you yourself do not know the answers then how are you capable of teaching this topic of philosophy. You are categorically unfit to be a professor of philosophy!”
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Feeling completely overwhelmed by Sadguru Baba’s grand personality, Professor T was humbled and completely surrendered himself at His lotus feet, and Baba showered His blessing on him. When Professor T emerged from the room he was a changed man - wholly transformed. No longer was he encumbered by a huge ego which was a terrible impediment for him. Now he could easily proceed along the path of bhakti and Ananda Marga sadhana, by Baba’s grace.
Takeaway
In this instance, all-merciful Parama Purusa Baba saw that the vanity of knowledge was Professor T’s chief stumbling block for advancing in spiritual life. And that type of ego is not easy to remove or overcome. In His divine role of Darpahari, the One who lovingly crushes the ego, Baba benevolently removed Professor T.’s black spots, purified his mind, and lightened his load of samskaras.
And verily, for any sadhaka, one should remain free from all vanity, and if it creeps up and rears its ugly head, that sadhaka should surrender their ego unto Him and surely omniscient, all-loving Sadguru Baba will be gracious. Baba is the caretaker of all bhaktas, sincere sadhakas, and everyone. And He is always there to help you advance along the path of universal welfare.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In Him,
Vinay
Note: This story was recounted by brother Ramlakhan ji of Ranchi.
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga ideology states, “If so-called intellectuals (jiṋániis), puffed up with the vanity of knowledge, want to attain more knowledge they should be told to perfect the cult of action and devotion first, thereby smashing their vanity. So let the jiṋánii tell the masses that Brahma is attainable only through self surrender, proper questioning and selfless service.” (1)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “No matter how vastly learned you may become in worldly knowledge, without Sádhaná you can know nothing about Brahma, for along with your knowledge of these lores, a vanity of knowledge will also grow in you. With this result, you will go on enhancing the volume of your burden unnecessarily by habitually giving importance to your small ego. This burden becomes the cause of your sufferings and enjoyments, not of your salvation.” (2)
References
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 7, The Five Kinds of Conscience (Viveka)
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 2, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 3
Plagiary?
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 ==
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Recipe for success - 1
Namaskar,
Every human being wants to be successful. Who does not want to be successful? Whether in the realm of art, law, medicine, schooling, business, literature, science, or architecture - or any other field or endeavor - everyone wants to be successful. Knowing how to be successful then is an important recipe.
Baba has graciously given us His special guidelines wherein He explains how the 'Seven Secrets of Success' apply not just to spiritual life, but to worldly life as well. And the first secret of success is shraddhá.
Unique aspect of shraddhá
Of course, all the aspects of the Seven Secrets of Success have their own unique utility. At the same time, Baba gives marked importance to the point of shraddhá. As He tells us, there is no direct English translation for the term shraddhá, yet in its more traditional usage, Baba describes shraddhá as the following.
Verily, Baba neatly describes how shraddhá manifests in day-to-day living. Suppose there is a father and a son. The boy wants to study engineering, but the father is pressuring him to study medicine. Yet the boy has little or no interest in becoming a doctor. In that case, if forced to pursue medicine, the boy will not get success. Because Baba's entire point is that to get success in worldly life, one must have a strong fascination, passion / keen interest for what they are doing. Then and only then can one get success. That is the key point.
Tragedy of today's modern society
Unfortunately, in today's materialistic society, where money is the be-all and end-all, so many people in so many lands engage in work or jobs that they do not care about. They have little or no interest in their day-to-day endeavour. But they do it to earn money, gain prestige, please their parents, or ensure their survival etc. This is the way in so-called first world and various so-called third world nations.
There are innumerable cases of this round peg in a square hole phenomenon. That means there are so many people who have a keen interest in one realm, but spend all their time doing something else - either to earn money, or due to family pressures etc. Haven't we all gone into a shop or office and noticed that the people working there appear to be going through the motions like robots and have no real interest in what they are doing. The same happens in student life as well when children are pushed by their parents in a particular direction.
In that case, according to Baba, that worker or that student cannot get success. Because, as Baba guides us, one can only be successful if they have the requisite inner motivation, strong fascination, passion / keen interest and inspiration for what they are doing. That is the special point Baba is making about shraddhá and how to apply the Seven Secrets of Success to worldly life.
Baba has blessed us all with great teachings which lead us to success, including how to utilize the Seven Secrets of Success in our worldly endeavours. So we should pay heed to this doctrine not just in spiritual life but in all our worldly dealings as well.
Baba says, "You, boys and girls, should remember the points and do accordingly. It will help you in your all-around success." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Seven Secrets)
Namaskar,
Bhakti Bhusana
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 sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Your most blissful form
"A'ndha'r sa'gar pa're esecho, esecho ru'per sama'rohe..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0810)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You have come here after traversing the ocean of cimmerian darkness in the festival of form and colour, smiling with the glittering of refulgence and beaming with the flow of intuition. It is Your grace.
The Parama Purusa, the Supreme Entity which was previously beyond the reach of ordinary people, has now come within the reach of all. You have come in the form of Mahasambhuti, floating in the waves of tune and melody to inundate everyone's mind with bliss. It is Your krpa’. Now everyone's heart is bursting with euphoria. It is Your karun’a’.
Baba, You have taken advent on this earth to fill everyone's heart with divine love. Please come to me in Your most blissful form with compassion and affection, softly, very softly, arrive to my kutiir (hut) with crest and trough.
Baba, You have done everything for me...
Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #0810:
[1] This line of Prabhat Samgiita symbolizes how before the creation started Parama Purusa was alone and He was just existing as divine effulgence. And all around Him was blackness - no form, no shape, no colour. Everything was dark because darkness has no colour etc. And such a state of blackness is the Cimmerian darkness. But now when He has created this expressed universe it means Parama Purusa has Himself manifested or He has appeared in different colours and shapes, in the forms of various created beings: flora, fauna, animals, plants, human beings etc. That is why it is said that after crossing the Cimmerian darkness You have come in the festival of form and colour. (1)
[2] Parama Purusa took the form as Taraka Brahma. Now bhaktas can have His closeness.
Reference
1. Please refer to the shloka, Na' sadiiya sukta, from the chapter on the Vedas, from Subhasita Samgraha-16, Agra DMC 1984.
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Recipe for success - 1
Namaskar,
Every human being wants to be successful. Who does not want to be successful? Whether in the realm of art, law, medicine, schooling, business, literature, science, or architecture - or any other field or endeavor - everyone wants to be successful. Knowing how to be successful then is an important recipe.
Baba has graciously given us His special guidelines wherein He explains how the 'Seven Secrets of Success' apply not just to spiritual life, but to worldly life as well. And the first secret of success is shraddhá.
Unique aspect of shraddhá
Of course, all the aspects of the Seven Secrets of Success have their own unique utility. At the same time, Baba gives marked importance to the point of shraddhá. As He tells us, there is no direct English translation for the term shraddhá, yet in its more traditional usage, Baba describes shraddhá as the following.
Verily, Baba neatly describes how shraddhá manifests in day-to-day living. Suppose there is a father and a son. The boy wants to study engineering, but the father is pressuring him to study medicine. Yet the boy has little or no interest in becoming a doctor. In that case, if forced to pursue medicine, the boy will not get success. Because Baba's entire point is that to get success in worldly life, one must have a strong fascination, passion / keen interest for what they are doing. Then and only then can one get success. That is the key point.
Tragedy of today's modern society
Unfortunately, in today's materialistic society, where money is the be-all and end-all, so many people in so many lands engage in work or jobs that they do not care about. They have little or no interest in their day-to-day endeavour. But they do it to earn money, gain prestige, please their parents, or ensure their survival etc. This is the way in so-called first world and various so-called third world nations.
There are innumerable cases of this round peg in a square hole phenomenon. That means there are so many people who have a keen interest in one realm, but spend all their time doing something else - either to earn money, or due to family pressures etc. Haven't we all gone into a shop or office and noticed that the people working there appear to be going through the motions like robots and have no real interest in what they are doing. The same happens in student life as well when children are pushed by their parents in a particular direction.
In that case, according to Baba, that worker or that student cannot get success. Because, as Baba guides us, one can only be successful if they have the requisite inner motivation, strong fascination, passion / keen interest and inspiration for what they are doing. That is the special point Baba is making about shraddhá and how to apply the Seven Secrets of Success to worldly life.
Baba has blessed us all with great teachings which lead us to success, including how to utilize the Seven Secrets of Success in our worldly endeavours. So we should pay heed to this doctrine not just in spiritual life but in all our worldly dealings as well.
Baba says, "You, boys and girls, should remember the points and do accordingly. It will help you in your all-around success." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Seven Secrets)
Namaskar,
Bhakti Bhusana
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Old trend in modern AMPS era: innocent people attacked
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “You are possibly aware of the fact that there was a time when people used to bother too much about castes. And in this regard, they displayed terrible intolerance. Caste-discrimination was about to strangle humanism. In many cases this happened. People belonging to the so-called lower strata of society were not really considered human beings. In certain spheres they were treated worse than animals. It was not thought that a food item must be discarded – it is not considered so even now – when a mouse, a mole, a fly or mosquito touched it. But what to speak of it being touched by certain so-called lower-caste people or their entering the kitchen or their sitting in the kitchen veranda – in certain cases, they were even barred from entering the courtyard of the house. Although it was loudly claimed that everything is the manifestation of Brahma, Sarvaḿ khalvidaḿ Brahma, in reality all kinds of casteism were concealed within the boundaries of religion.” (1)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “In those days the boomerang of this religious bigotry did not spare even the heads of society. On the contrary, it was Brahmans who did the greatest injury to other Brahmans. The descendents of Krttivas Thakur (his nephew’s line) had to carry a social stigma because Krttivas Thakur had committed the offence of translating the Rámáyańa into Bengali. A high-caste Brahman was downgraded due to leaving his village to settle in another. Thus surnames like Banerjees became Kusháriis, Batabyals, Máscaŕaks; similarly, Chatterjees were downgraded to Káiṋjiilals, Pákŕáshiis; Bhattacharyas became Chakravartis. For a petty offence a person was expelled from his or her caste or expelled from his or her religion. People were forced to renounce their religion or undergo various kinds of persecution under pressure of circumstances. Looking more closely, it would seem that in those days the only job of one class of people was to find fault with others, to ruin people in the name of religion.” (2)
In AMPS also
Note: In the past, innocent people were harassed, expelled, tortured, outcasted, terrorised, and killed by their own religion - for various reasons and under various pretenses. These days unfortunately a similar thing is going on in AMPS. The various factions harass, threaten, beat, and expel those who are not their yes-men, i.e. those who do not participate in their narrow agenda.
At the time of DMS or other functions, many in our AMPS may be facing this very situation. They may not be allowed to stay in certain places because they are not in a particular group, and they may not be allowed to attend a particular dharmacakra etc. And they may even be subjected to threats, attacks, expulsion, and worse.
In contrast, obedient supporters of those group leaders are rewarded with higher posts, regardless of their low character and sexual misconduct. Such yes-men become purodhas and high post holders etc, while qualified WTs, margiis, and LFTs are pushed aside, humiliated, threatened, and attacked etc. They face all sorts of problems and difficulties and are even barred from having their daughters married in Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha.
References
1. Shabda Cayaniká Part 4, Disc: 23
2. Shabda Cayaniká Part 4, Disc: 23
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How Buddhism became atheistic
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Buddha opposed those ritualistic religions in clear language and advised people to follow the path of morality. He said, “Prepare yourself and truth will spontaneously manifest itself before you.” Buddha did not say anything specifically about Iishvara, his views about átman were vague, and he clearly rejected the Vedas; for these reasons the doctrine of Buddha was branded as atheism." (1)
Reference
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 18
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Awake-sleep cycle and cancer
Remaining awake after midnight and sleeping after sunrise comes under the definition of being awake at night and sleeping during the day. And that very condition invites cancer:
Ananda Marga Yogic Treatments says "Persons... [who] sleep during the day and keep late nights are most likely to be attacked by cancer." (1)
Note: Sleeping during the day does not just mean at taking a nap in the afternoon or in the late morning. Sleeping during the day also means not getting up in the early morning for paincajanya.
Reference
1. Yogic Treatments, Cancer
== Section 4: Links ==
