Baba
One spoon food
Namaskar,
Nowadays, a dogma is going on in certain parts of India: When people start their meal, they put their first morsel of cooked oily food aside. That first morsel is noted as an offering to animals. And once that morsel is set aside, then those people eat their entire meal. The question is, what happens to that first morsel of cooked oily food. Generally that morsel of cooked oily food is put on the roof, or placed behind the house, or in some cases it is thrown away etc.
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That is why we say it is purely a token offering. Those "donors" think service was done to those animals and that their duty is complete. That is their defective mind-set. They feel wholly satisfied that their moral and social obligation is now fulfilled. When the reality is that they did not do any meaningful service to animals or plants.
Initially good but now became dogma
When this practice of setting aside a morsel of food first began it was ok. Those rsis were eating simple boiled grasses that were easily digested by those animals. And in that era there was no environmental crisis. There were huge forests that contained ample bounty for all animals. So those rsis would make small offerings to the animals to show their sympathy and concern. They were teaching the common people to view those creatures in a benevolent manner.
But now that practice of setting aside a morsel of food is just dogma because the typical human food of today is oily and many cases spicy, and is harmful for animals. The times and conditions have changed drastically and a completely different approach is needed.
It is just like how the Sikh religious followers of old knotted their hair in one ball on top of their head because they had to be ever-ready and alert about being attacked by Muslim aggressors carrying big sticks etc. The hair knotted on the head would soften any blows. So that top-knot was a matter of survival. But nowadays that same ritual has no value. Because no one is being attacked in that manner yet still those Sikhs abide by that rule - but it no longer carries any meaning.
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Same is the case of setting aside a morsel of cooked oily food for the animals. The purpose and meaning of that offering has come and gone. Today, different measures need to be taken to help the animal and plant kingdoms.
Spices, sugars, & oils: harmful to animals
Here we have to keep in mind that in those few instances where the animals do receive that food, their health is jeopardized. Because the food that is set aside often contains spices, sugars, and oils that are harmful to an animal’s health and well-being. Those animals - birds, dogs, & monkeys etc - are not meant to eat salty, oily, sugary foods etc. That is not animal food. If they eat that food they will get sick, suffer from disease, and die a slow, painful death.
At the same time it is quite evident that tremendous service is needed in this realm. The sorrowful and pathetic conditions of the animal and plant kingdoms are continuing along a downward spiral. In the streets one can see scrawny, malnourished horses carrying huge loads until those over-worked horses collapse half-dead on the ground. Cows are kicked and forced to eat plastic, garbage, and soggy cardboard as they have nothing else to eat. And the condition of Indian street dogs is epic.
Desertification is becoming more common as forests are cleared without any thought for how sustainable harvesting can be done. The problems are countless – both in the cities and the countryside.
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With the forest ravaged and disappearing quickly, the birds and wild animals have mostly lost their natural habitat etc. India, like much of the world, is full of environmental imbalances and the animal and plant kingdoms are suffering terribly. Yet, those who set their first morsel aside somehow feel they have done their duty. When the dire need is a distinct call to comprehensive action.
Dogma infiltrated WT Training Centre
In the face of these ecological tragedies and zones of destruction, the common people should be seriously motivated to act in a meaningful way to help rectify the situation and serve those suffering beings. But there is a distinct deficit in this realm; the work that is needed to be done is not being touched. Because in certain parts of India, they feel justified that setting aside a morsel of food is sufficient. So it is just their dogmatic notion that by setting aside a morsel of food that the animals are being served. The reality is that tremendous efforts need to be made. The prevailing Hindu dogma of offering a morsel of food is doing nothing to help the animals, and in many cases it hurts them as that food is not animal food.
Tragically, now this dogma is not just prevalent in the general Hindu society of India, but there are some margiis and dadas swayed in this direction as well. Moreover, in certain WT training centres they are preaching and teaching this policy of setting aside the first morsel of food. The trainees are taught this religious dogma – in place of being taught so many dharmic ideals. In turn, when they graduate from TC, they teach others this approach of setting aside the first morsel of food. In systemic fashion, this dogma is being spread around and reinforced by our very own Dadas.
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Real service to animals
The overall spirit behind offering one spoonful of food to animals is very good, but unfortunately nowadays the practice has become dogmatic. Here is a solution to again make this a dharmic endeavour:
(a) Purchase a stock of dry whole grains and / or seeds to serve to animals and keep this in your home.
(b) Whenever you sit down for a meal, first take Brahma bhava (Cosmic ideation) and take a small amount of that those whole grains and seeds from your main stock (i.e. container A) and place it in small container, i.e. container B.
(c) Before each meal take a small amount from container A and put it into container B, until a moderate amount of those whole grains and seeds that have been collected in container B.
(d) When time permits, take container B outside and place it in a strategic place where animals can find it and safely eat.
(e) By this regular practice, those animals are served and the person serving with proper ideation will gain mental expansion. The outcome will be more love and affection towards the entire creation.
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Conclusion
Our duty is to help, serve, and protect the animal and plant kingdoms in a meaningful manner. Adopting this harmful Hindu dogma of offering the first morsel is not the solution. We should educate the public about Sadguru Baba’s many plans and programs that aim for the welfare of animals and bring ecological balance.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Sahadev
PCAP & CL
In addition, we should follow Baba’s guidelines about PCAP & CL.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Bhúta Yajiṋa means services rendered to any created entity of the manifested world. For example, watering trees, serving cattle, undertaking scientific explorations and doing anything for the sake of welfare." (1)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Parama Puruśa will be pleased when you serve His creation – not only human beings, but also plants, animals, and the rest of creation. That is, bhúta yajiṋa, pitr yajiṋa and nr yajiṋa are to be performed. Those who have this feeling are in the real sense of the term human beings. Just having the body of a human does not make a person a real human being, a rational being. Those in whom this feeling has arisen will be called followers of Bhágavata Dharma. They are doing the sádhaná of Bhágavata Dharma." (2)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, The Requirements for Sádhaná
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Where polo began
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The well-known modern game of polo originated in Manipur's Kobe Valley...Originally, only royal princes used to play the horse-riding game of polo. For that a very hard ball was needed. The kind of bamboo that was used used to grow in the eastern portion of Rarh, in slightly salty soil. Still today the best bamboo for making polo balls grows in the Uluberia subdivision of Howrah District and in Midnapore District's Tamluk subdivision." (1)
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 3, Kakubh to Kavaśńa (Discourse 17)
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Misusing intellect to amass material wealth
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "The path of the vipras is crooked and so is the path of the vaeshyas. The difference between them is that since the vaeshyas' crooked intellect has no trace of spiritual consciousness, it often proves to be suicidal."
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "A dreadful calamity will befall society if those who have intellectual capacity squander it by running after mundane pleasures instead of utilizing it to realize spiritual bliss – if they utilize all their intellect to fatten themselves by sucking the vital juice of others. So there can be no social welfare until this type of mentality is eradicated or rendered ineffectual through circumstantial pressure. No political leader or governmental or social system can build a welfare state, a socialistic state or an ideal society if they neglect this fundamental disease. If those who go around looking for opportunities to enlarge their stomachs by sucking the vital force of others continue to control society or the nation through their own group of sinners, what can one expect to see in such a society except a horrid picture of hell!" (1)
Reference
1. Human Society - 2, The Vaeshya Age
== Section 3: Links ==
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