Mahaprayan of bhukti pradhan of Muzaffarpur

Baba

Mahaprayan of bhukti pradhan of Muzaffarpur

Namaskar,

It is with much sadness that we share the news of the mahaprayan of Shrii Omprakash Dev ji of Muzaffarpur. His Mahaprayan occurred at 11pm on 2nd August due to a heart attack. Tragically, at the time of his mahaprayan Omprakash ji was only in his 50's. His cremation was held today, 3rd August, in Muzaffarpur.

Shrii Omprakash Dev was a dynamic senior margii who was currently serving as the bhukti pradhana of Muzaffarpur. Indeed, everyone was aware that he was extremely active in all facets of our AM way of life and deeply committed to the tenets and teachings as given by Sadguru Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji. Omprakash ji took on a leading role in all development and service work in Muzaffarpur. And he was also keen in attending to all AM spiritual and bhakti practices. Often he would lead very sweet kiirtana sessions for hours on end.

Inside and out, Omprakash was a veritable dharmika who stood tall for Proutist ideals and ever-ready to take a strong stand against injustices and exploitation. Verily, for his many talents, kindness, strengths, and overall commitment to Ananda Marga, we have lost a very dear brother in the mahaprayan of Omprakash ji. He touched the hearts of many and will be sorely missed.

May we all take solace in the fact that Shrii Omprakash Dev ji was a bhakta of Sadguru Baba. Certainly he will attain mukti or moksa, accordingly. Baba will lovingly bestow His infinite grace.

in Him,
Caetanya Deva 

Note: Here is an alert for those cremating a dead body in India or Indian managed cremation homes around the world. Their custom is to put the fire in the mouth of the deceased to initiate the burning of the body. This is prohibited in AM as it is uncivilised. So watch out; do not allow this. If you are not careful, they will end up cremating the body in this manner. Make them aware ahead of time. 

Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "The practice of putting fire into the mouth of the dead body is repulsive, it should not be encouraged." (Caryacarya - 1, Disposal of the Dead Body)

~ In-depth study ~

We have seen that when somebody dies then in offering their condolences people say now Mr So-and-so is sitting on Baba's lap. On other occasions when telling a Baba story people also say, "Such and such person sat on Baba's lap." But these days the trend is that "sitting on Baba's lap" is used more in connection with death. And that causes some confusion in reader's mind. To unknot the situation please read below.

Dogma: if "on Baba's lap" only used for death

Here are quoted lines from recently posted emails on various forums, wherein the writer uses the phrase - "in Baba's lap" - with the occasion of death:

- "May Parama Purusa Baba accept her in HIS divine lap"

- "We pray to Baba - please give him shelter in his lap... "

- "May his soul rest in the lap of our beloved BABA"

- "Now she is taking rest in Baba's Lap."

- "May Baba accept him in HIS divine lap....."

- "May he rest in HIS loving lap of eternity."

- "We are sure that Baba has taken him in His loving lap."

- "May his soul rest in Baba's lap forever."

- "Let her rest peacefully in Baba's Lap - which she always desired."

- "now he is in beloved Baba's lap"

- "May his soul get peaceful place in His lap"

- "He is now in Bábá's loving lap"

- "May Baba bless him with a seat in His lap."

- "May BABA accept him in HIS divine lap!"

- "May Baba take him in his eternal loving lap."

- "May his soul rest in peace taking shelter in Baba's lap."

- "Please keep him on Your lap forever."

- "We all collectively pray to Baba to take him on Baba's divine lap forever.”

All of the above lines are commonly written in eulogizing the deceased. These days mostly it is used in a eulogy and rarely used to recount one's intimate spiritual experiences - unfortunately. By this way, the phrase "in Baba's lap" is being misused and step by step the real meaning is being forgotten as now people more commonly use the phrase to eulogize those who have died, and much less so to express their inner feelings of bhakti. Unfortunately, the meaning and inner spirit of the phrase is getting lost.

Baba story: "sitting on Baba's lap"

Some time ago after dharmacakra, a senior margii was recounting his experiences of having dharma samiiksa with Baba. He said, "After being lovingly scolded by Baba for my wrongdoings, then He called me close and placed me on His lap - I remained there for some time soaking up His love - and He blessed me."

We all enjoyed hearing about his personal account with Baba during dharma samiiksa. When he finished telling his factual and historical event, there was a call for questions. Various people posed their queries. Towards the end, one new margii raised his hand and asked, "How did Baba bring you back to life?"

Everyone stared at the new margii in amazement. There was a look of astonishment all around - people were really shocked to hear him say this. The new sadhaka sensed that something was wrong He said very matter-of-factly, "I thought that sitting on Baba's Lap means that he (the margii) died - that is why I asked that question."

This was quite eye-opening for those of us in the room: Through our language and expression we had unknowingly taught someone to think that being on Baba's lap is the equivalent of death. Because it seems that nowadays people only use the phrase "Baba's lap" when a person has died, such as "Let him rest peacefully in Baba's lap", as if in order to sit on Baba’s lap one has to die. But that is false. Sincere sadhakas regularly sit on Baba’s lap in their meditation. It is His grace. It is just like a child need not die in order to sit on his father’s lap.

The idea is that this phrase - Baba's lap - has been linked with death due to extreme overuse. So for some time if sadhakas use this phrase exclusively for spiritual purposes, that will be best. The phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", should not meet a similar fate. It should not lose its pure spiritual quality and just refer to one's death. That will be very negative.

Baba would bless bhaktas and place them on His lap

There are tens of thousands of recorded stories by sadhakas where they use the phrase, "on Baba's lap", when describing their experiences of being with Baba: He used to bless them and bring them on His lap. People should understand the deeply mystical value of this expression, and not just think that Baba's lap means death, i.e. that you can only sit on His lap at the time of death. Still today there are thousands of margiis walking this earth who sat in Baba's lap. And not only that, there are countless more sadhakas who were blessed by Baba in dreams and sadhana wherein they sat in His lap. And still today this deeply intimate experience is attainable by sadhakas, by His grace.

There are so many ways an aspirant can reach unto Baba's lap including in sadhana. That is the main idea that should be preserved. Sadhana is a spiritual practice and one can sit on Baba's lap in sadhana. We should make it cent-per-cent clear to one and all that the phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", does not mean death.

"Mahaprayan" means death of mortals - confirm for yourself
from the Samsad Bengali-English Dictionary

Mahaprayan (Death): Many are aware that mahaprayan (death) is the common term used in India and especially in our Bengal to describe the death of any human being, even ordinary people. In that way, the obituary columns of the newspapers of Bengal regularly cite the mahaprayan (death) of various persons of society who died or passed away.

Some may get confused and wrongly think that the word 'mahaprayan' (death) is one extraordinarily term of bhakti to be used in association with Parama Purusa. But that is not at all the case. Rather to do so is only to undermine the eternal presence of Parama Purusa. That is why no bhaktas ever use the word 'mahaprayan' in reference to Lord Shiva or Lord Krsna. Because Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna exist eternally. Then there is no question of Their mahaprayan (death).

Baba is Parama Purusa so He is eternal and there is no question of His mahaprayan.

Here it should be known that the convention of an annual death day ceremony (i.e. shraddhainjali or mahaprayan) is a foundation of the Islamic tradition. Muslims are well known for this, and their approach of an annual death day ceremony was adopted by the leader of a particular group in AMPS. So no one should think that mahaprayan is some type of sacred event. It is done on the death day anniversary of Muslims.

And for those who need still more technical proof then all this can be clarified quite readily by referencing the dictionary. Specifically in the Samsad Bengali-English dictionary 3rd edition on page 848. Checking there it will be confirmed that the word 'mahaprayan' means death. Which is why it is used to refer to the passing away of even common citizens. And that is the case in this letter also. The term mahaprayan means death and this is the ideal term for this purpose.

Mahaprayan is only for humans not for Sadguru

Here it should be qualified that there is both real mahaprayan and fake mahaprayan. Real mahaprayan marks the death of any ordinary human being, just like the aforesaid news. This is the proper use of the term: To note a person's departure from this earth. That is the meaning of the mahaprayan term and that is the standard way the term is used in Indian languages.

Then there is the fake, or so-called, or dogmatic mahaprayan. That is when certain vested interests try to apply the mahaprayan term to Parama Purusa. This is grossly inappropriate because when Parama Purusa Sadguru Baba is that Divine Entity who is beginningless and endless and resides always in our heart, then it is entirely wrong to proclaim that He is gone.

That is why rational margiis are protesting; because the Oct 21st program is so-called mahaprayan. So-called means that something is fake. Parama Purusa is eternal, thus for some vested interests to declare "mahaprayan of Parama Purusa" is nothing but so-called mahaprayan.

Mahaprayan only really happens in the case of human beings, not Parama Purusa. Those doing mahaprayan for Sadguru are hypocrites. On the one side in meditation they ask His grace thinking that He is ever-present, and on the other side they think that Baba has passed away. That is their hypocrisy.

== Section 2: Links ==

Shravanii Purnima - August 3rd, 2020

• Sadhana & history
  

• How to start cemetery sadhana
  

• Washing away sin
  

• Shravanii Purnima
  

• Why this festival
  

• Envious Wt
  

• Our festival

Recent postings

• Delhi Prout exploits females
  

• Margii rights vs group fight
  

• We can't forget our dada
  

• Confusion about laungota
  

Other topics of interest

• How AM books were made...

• Human, but beast life
  

• How Sarvatmananda befooled margiis of Bengal

More important letters

• Rudrananda with his main henchmen

• Pranavatmakananda spread false things in book

• Why abortion is sinful in AM

• Coward avadhuta don't prefix or capitalize

• Trick to get top post

True beauty + 3 more

Baba

True beauty

Namaskar,

Beauty is a big trend all around the globe these days - now more than ever. All want to become stunningly beautiful. But tragically, people are looking for beauty in all the wrong places - i.e. externally - and it is wrecking their lives. Their misguided search for beauty leads to anxiety, depression, divorce, trauma, frivolous expenses, financial debt, and all kinds of psychic complexes and afflictions.

We may even find traces of this ill-conceived quest for beauty in our Marga, though in the general society it is much more rampant, exponentially so. We should all be aware, lest we fall into a similar pattern. Also with awareness comes the ability to help others and convince them of the truth in a compassionate way through logic and reasoning.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com


Whimsical & fleeting styles

The trends about what is beautiful vary from place to place, but now in this materialistic era, the prevailing parameters of beauty are based on the most superficial aspect of the human experience. In the US and Europe, white-skinned people generally think that "having a tan" makes them more beautiful. Most everyone in those areas wants a tan, or brown skin. To get that, they may lie in the sun, lie on a tanning bed, or even have it sprayed on like paint.

In some places, now it is more fashionable or beautiful to have light or white skin. For this reason ladies may not even go outside in the sun for fear that their skin will get too dark. Yet these trends come and go like the wind. One day one wishes to look dark, and the next white. It can flip-flop anytime. Yet on these whimsical and fleeting styles, people form their harsh judgments of a person and formulate their own look as well.

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "The notion of what is beautiful or ugly, or good or bad in human beings changes from age to age, and in different environments. Those who are black-complexioned will say, “How beautiful black is. Why is that man so white? Has he contracted leucoderma (white leprosy)? How repulsive, how utterly repulsive!” That is, human judgement is relative; it changes according to time, place and person." (1)


External search for beauty is foolishness

And not just skin colour, but each and every aspect of the physical body has a trend, or look, or way that is deemed as beautiful. And people go to the ends of the earth trying to achieve that. They may spike their hair, expand their lips, paint their face, tattoo their body, pluck their eyebrows, squeeze their feet into small shoes, whiten their teeth, grow their nails, paint their toes, and the list goes on and on.

They may even visit plastic surgeons to make their nose or other parts "absolutely ideal", i.e. beautiful. They may body pierce themselves all over thinking that this makes them attractive. Or they may get a liposuction or tummy tuck in order to make themselves look skinny. In the past in some countries, being fat was a sign of wealth and prosperity - they all wanted to be fat. That was desired and beautiful. Now, in those same places, all that has changed. Especially where the internet is easily accessible- all want to be thin now, because that is the rage in the west.

No matter where one resides, to gain that look - of being beautiful - people are willing to do anything. Even in tough economic times - when money is sparse - people are spending thousands and millions even billions of dollars on various cosmetic medical procedures or beauty supplies in order to enhance their look. It is a mega industry at present. The global cosmetic products market was valued at USD 532.43 billion in 2017. And the one who suffers most is the individual - they become a victim of the times. They ruin their peace and composure by indulging in this quest for beauty externally, which in truth is destined for failure.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com


People lust after the dominant trend

The cosmetic industry gets articles published in magazines and creates a demand for their products and procedures by injecting inferiority complexes in the minds of the people. Common citizens think the way they are is not good enough. And they aspire to achieve the look promoted by the billion dollar cosmetic industry. Because that industry is blasting them with radio ads, infomercials, internet ads, and through television. By this way the people get lured into thinking how they should look. And most often this resembles the dominant culture. That is why black people in the US straighten their hair and Chinese people in the west want to fix their flat nose etc. They think the way they are is not sufficient and they get caught up in the whirlpool created by the cosmetics industry. And even white Americans become victims and spend huge money to look like the models publicized by the beauty industry.


Exploitation by beauty industry

1. Although beauty varies from place to place and era to era, people in the same place and in the same era lust after the same look. They all want to be thin, or have their hair in a particular way, and dress according to the day's fashion etc. In essence, they become mirror images of one another - when in truth diversity is the spice of life. Mother nature makes us all different, even if our parents are the same. By this way the gene pool of our human society gets stronger and more developed. To recreate the same look is to going against nature.

2. The beauty business corrupts people's mind into thinking that beauty only resides on the outside. They have so many tricks for brainwashing people, especially young women and teenagers. This is their big market and they spend huge money convincing them. In turn, the beauty industry takes in billions. The entire situation is most unfortunate.

3. People naively think that by becoming more beautiful then all their problems will be solved and everything will be alright - i.e. they will be happy and all will adore them. This is their day-dream fantasy as well as the reason why they go relentlessly after external beauty.

4. Now more and more people are goaded toward external beauty at a younger age. This imposes a terrible inferiority complex that "I am not beautiful enough." Generally self-conscious feelings about one's looks occur when one is going through adolescence. But today, in some countries girls of 3 or 4 years of age are being dressed up like dolls and the children get the teaching early on that external beauty is everything. This is a terrible tragedy and brings about the demise of the human condition.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com


Searching beauty in wrong place

The next - or obvious - question then is why do they do it. Why do people long for external beauty? The answer we all know. When people do not seek peace within then their mind turns to the external sphere for happiness, acceptance, and approval. And one of the closest external qualities we have is our bodies. People seek attention and respect based on their external looks, i.e. "beauty". Their figure, hair, shape, softness etc. But this leads them nowhere other than their demise.

And tragically the trend is only growing. Now more than ever people are mentally imbalanced due to materialism, and in that precarious state they invariably look more for external beauty as validation of who they are. This makes them more insecure and worried and ultimately sets them up for "the big fall" when their beauty invariably wanes as the body decays. So it is a vicious cycle.

In contrast, if one is able to find peace within, then they are not so concerned about their superficial looks. Already they have found beauty and value in life. And that is the real beauty that will bring peace and happiness.


Real beauty lies here

Here Baba graciously guides us where our real beauty lies.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Perhaps you know that mental beauty exercises some degree of influence on the human body. A woman who is unattractive but is mentally elevated or has a loving nature will look beautiful to others. You must have heard that to a child, the most beautiful woman in the world is his or her mother." (2)

Beauty - ie lasting beauty and attraction - lies in the benevolence and sentientness of mind. As a person gets to know your mind, then they will find you to be more and more beautiful, so long as your mind is spiritually inclined. That is why people who come close to you and become your friend value you for your behaviour and conduct, not for your looks. So long as one's mind is vibrated, one's conduct will be proper, and others will be attracted to you. So the point of allurement is the mind not the body. That is where lasting beauty exists. That is Baba's guideline.

Proof of this is that these days so many marriages are made based on purely external beauty and sexual attraction. But then, as they get to know one another and see how the other thinks and behaves, then they develop distaste for one another until finally they fight, beat each other, and ultimately divorce. Countless high-profile, glamorous marriages have been destroyed in this way. And it happens to common people as well.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com

The point is that if you do not like the way a person thinks and behaves, then they will not be beautiful to you, regardless of how physically attractive they are. And vice-versa. Whereas, if one's behavior and dealing are benevolent and charming, then everyone will be attracted to you and find you to be beautiful. That is Baba's magic formula. If one is concerned about beauty - they should ensure they are concerned about their psychic beauty, not the physical one. Only the beauty of the mind can bring about happiness and welfare to oneself and others. Only then can one be truly beautiful in the eyes of others.

By adhering to 16 Points, doing sadhana, singing kiirtan, and being strict in yama and niyama, then one's beauty will increase more and more.

Conclusion

Those who give value to spirituality naturally lose any longing for superficial external beauty. It fades away. And those involved in intellectual pursuits also forget about their superficial beauty. So committed Ananda Margiis place no value in external beauty. But those who are neither spirituality or intellectually inclined lust after external beauty. You know their status is worse than animals.

Namaskar,
In Him
Lalita’

~ In-depth study ~

Both parties get defeated

All in all, running after external beauty is a no-win situation for anyone, neither for materialists nor for spiritual aspirants. Materialists, or common people, bank all their happiness on external beauty and allurements, which is itself fleeting. Most of the time people are too self-conscious to delight in what beauty they do have, and even if they do enjoy their "beauty" what they fail to realise is that their beauty will not last. It is impermanent, temporary. It will wane, wane, wane with the passage of time. Seeing this, people get distressed and depressed. They worry about thinner hair, flabby thighs, droopy skin, and so many other things. To make matters worse, people are living longer now than ever before so while their "beauty" may begin to decrease after the age of 30, 35, 40, or 45, they now live longer, up to 80, 90, or 100 and in that case they merely extend their days living in that depressed state. Such is the fate of materialists.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com

And people run into trouble by running after external beauty. At the time of death they get turned into bodiless microvita. Such a horrible future.

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Those who have some aesthetic attraction for physical objects like money, ornaments, etc., become kinnaras after their demise...they prayed to Parama Purus'a for beauty instead of for Parama Purus'a Himself. Such people, after their demise, attain the status of kinnara devayonis." (3)

So no one benefits by running after external beauty - yet so many engage in this way.


One era beautiful - other era ugly

Ananda Marga ideology says, "Just imagine the situation that will arise in the future as a result of humanity’s ever increasing thirst for knowledge. To meet these developments the nerve cells and nerve fibres will have to become more complex. Consequently, the human cranium will become larger and the size of the head will increase. The hands and feet will become weaker and weaker and human beings may even lose the ability to walk...Today we think that such people will look very strange, but in the future one may hear people commenting, “Oh, how handsome he looks with eyes as small as little peas and arms as thin as jute sticks. He can’t hear anything with his ears. In fact, he hasn’t got any ears at all! What an attractive man.” Although it seems slightly repulsive to us, this will become the standard of beauty in future. People will judge beauty according to the standards of the day, saying, “Oh, those stick-like arms of his make him look so handsome. The fellow can’t walk properly. How wonderful.” And if someone can walk, people will say, “How indecent that fellow looks hobbling around on two legs!” But if he crawls along the ground they will say, “How wonderful, how beautiful!” If we were to see this sort of scene today, however, we would say, “How unsightly. That fellow is uglier than an owl.”" (4)

References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Sádhaná, Abhidhyána and Kiirtana
2. Microvita in a Nutshell, Disembodied Souls and Microvita – Excerpt B
3. Microvita in a Nutshell, Disembodied Souls and Microvita – Excerpt B
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Sádhaná, Abhidhyána and Kiirtana

*        *        *

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 ==

You are ever-gracious

"Ke go tumi ele man ma'ta'te manorathe..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0412)

Purport:

Who are You who has come on this auspicious morning riding a mental chariot and spiritually intoxicated my mind. By Your august arrival, You have stirred my consciousness. You are so gracious; please tell me Who You are. Resplendent One, You have appeared in my mind on my Guru cakra and immersed my entire existence in cosmic bliss.

My Supreme One, You have come treading the path of spiritual refulgence, taken away everyone's unit worldly vibration and mundane attraction, and removed the stain from their mind. You have satiated their heart and mind by pouring Your infinite cosmic waves of bliss. All are in brahmananda.

Who are You who has come treading the path of melody, tune, song, and dance. You have removed everyone's unit rhythm and infused all with Your celestial heavenly tune by pouring Your supreme cadence. You have come to sing the songs of bhakti to everyone and satiate their heart.

Who are You who has inundated the entire universe with blissful songs. You are ever-gracious...

== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

Infects the entire society

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Do not tolerate injustice. This will...will cause a serious carbuncle to grow on the vast body of society. That carbuncle will be so poisonous and infectious that it will infect the entire society. Do not allow such a thing to happen under any circumstances. Now that your eyes are opened, keep following the practical path." (1)

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 5, Yatamána – 2

== Section: Important Teaching ==

He "stole" Mt. Everest

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Mt. Everest, of the Himalayan range is the highest mountain in the world. This fact was established by Ra'dha'nath Sikadar. Most probably he named the peak after his supervising officer, the Surveyor General of that time, Mr. Everest." (1)

Note 1: Baba is revealing the reality that Ra'dha'nath Sikadar of India first established the truth that Everest is the highest peak in the world. Hence credit should be given to Ra'dha'nath Sikadar, not Mr. Everest. But Mr. Everest took the credit and kept it in his own name. Otherwise the name would be Mt. Ra'dha'nath.

Note 2: Generally speaking, people are not aware how this illustrious mountain of the Himalayan range was named. In particular, why was a European given for this peak when other Himalayan peaks are named in Sanskrit - like Mt. Kaela'sh.

Note 3: During the British rule of India, the 'Surveyor General' post was occupied by Mr. Everest.

Reference
1. Varn'a Vicitra, Sanskrit Grammar Book, last discourse part 1

== Section: Comment ==

Alert: be mindful before writing on social media

[12:18PM, 4/12/2017] Prof. R P. Singh: कोलम्बस अगर शादीशुदा होता तो अमेरिका की खोज नहीं कर पाता (Courtesy of What'sApp Forum)


The gist of what is written above in Hindi is that if Christopher Columbus had been married he would not have discovered America.

But the statement is flawed. First is that Columbus was married. Second, Columbus did not discover America. Already millions of Native Americans were living in the America before Columbus went there. So what is written above is incorrect.

You know this is also against the code of Caryacarya, as Baba says do not give any false answer.


Details about Columbus's wife

Here are some more of the specifics about Columbus's marriage:

Filipa Moniz Perestrelo was a Portuguese noblewoman from Porto Santo Island, in Madeira, Portugal. She was the wife of Christopher Columbus, married in 1479 in Vila Baleira on the island. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Conclusion: Any sincere margii should not write on any social forum or anywhere before thinking twice. Otherwise you will lose your credibility in the eyes of others.

in Him,
Chandradeva Singh

== Section 4: Links ==

Recent postings

• We can't forget sour dada
  

• Confusion about laungota
  

• Human, but beast life
  

• Crutch of Dada Maheshvarananda

• Fictitious things in Prout Journal
  

Other topics of interest

• How AM books were made...

• How Sarvatmananda befooled margiis of Bengal

More important letters

• Rudrananda with his main henchmen

• Pranavatmakananda spread false things in book

• Why abortion is sinful in AM

• Coward avadhuta don't prefix or capitalize

• Trick to get top post