Re: Dispute in Unit - Need Your Suggestion

Baba

This email contains two sections:
1. Posting: Re: Dispute in Unit - Need Your Suggestion
2. Links

Re: DISPUTE IN UNIT - NEED YOUR SUGGESTION

Note: A link to the original letter on this topic has been appended below.

Namaskar,
Recently, one unit  was embroiled in a debate about whether to lead an akhanda kiirtan program for the inauguration of a slaughterhouse. Some in that unit documented their concerns and made an appeal for help. That posting was titled, "Dispute in Unit - Need Your Suggestion."

Thereafter, many letters were received from margiis from around the globe.

Here is a small yet representative sampling of responses that supported the notion of doing kiirtan at the slaughterhouse inauguration.

In Him,
Paresh
Moderators


Here is response #1:

Reply to "OUR REQUEST - PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE"

I think margiis should do kiirtan but not with ideation of let there be successive slaughterhousing, but with ideation of purification and Supreme. Simply go there and do it like you could do it in any other place or like with closed eyed. Concentrate on kiirtan, not on place.

Namaskar, Atmajotii.
(Krasnodarskij Kraj, Russia)


Here is response #2:


आदरणीय दादा श्याम नारायण जी,

सादर प्रणाम,

कीर्त्तन कहीं भी कभी भी या किसी के यहाँ भी बड़े उत्साह के साथ तथा पूर्ण समर्पित भाव, निष्कामता व भक्ति के साथ करना चाहिये, मोके को हाथ से नहीं जाने देना चहिये । चाहे आदर्णीय महुम्मद जी पापी, पुन्यवान, सहायक अथवा दुशमन ही क्यों न हो । हर समुदाय को सम्मिलित करके, कीर्त्तन का भाव, पधति—महत्व समझा व सिखा कर पूर्ण सहयोग दो । भेदभाव, भावजड़ताएं, अधिक ज्ञान प्रदर्शन आदि मार्ग में उचित नहीं है । सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनाम सर्वे सन्तु------------------- । हमारा तो मार्ग ही है--- आत्म मौक्षार्थम जगत हितायच । सर्वजन हितार्थाय सर्वजन सुखार्थाय ।

एक साधारण व सरल मार्गी । कोई भूल हो तो कृपया क्षमा करने का कष्ट करें ।

बाबा जी के श्री चर्णो में

B.K. Tantia


Here is response #3:.


Namaskar,

I believe it should be done, but with the caveat that you must be allowed to distribute a flyer (done in a very diplomatic way) that condemns the practice of slaughtering animals.  This is just another opportunity to address a group that otherwise would never have the opportunity to hear our message.

- Anonymous


And Many More Letters:

And many others responded with similar logic and reasoning in support of participating in the kiirtan program at the inauguration of the slaughterhouse. So the above neatly encapsulates the prevailing those for those who support the kiirtan program.

In the next instalment we shall examine the other side of this issue.

== Section 2 ==

Links

Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic:

http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2014/10/dispute-in-unit-need-your-suggestion.html

Re: Why AM Projects Start & Collapse + Mahaprayan of One Didi

Baba

This email contains 5 sections:
1. Comment: Re: Why AM Projects Start & Collapse
2. News: Mahaprayan of One Didi
3. End Quote: Why Some Purodhas Dig Their Heels On Mahaprayan Issue
4. PS #4342: आज, अजाना पथिक परमपुरुष बाबा आये हैं
5. Links

RE: WHY AM PROJECTS START & COLLAPSE

Note: This is the second letter in this series. A link to the initial letter has been appended below. - Eds

Namaskar,
Very interesting insight. While some sincere and honest WTs resort to "business" to sustain projects there are others who discourage margii
involvement (sometimes resorting to hooliganism) in local projects especially when funding come from corporate donors or government. The
reasons are quite obvious- namely self interest and fraud. These WTs with the blessing of "central/s" are never transferred. They remain in the
project indefinitely and pay regular bribes to to seniors who turn a blind eye to gross mismanagement, embezzlement and corruption. A generally
corrupt relationship develops between WTs and their seniors. It is a well known fact that corruption is cancerous.

Its is also well documented that Baba was vehemently against corruption and ill-gotten proceeds. Really sad that sections of our Ananda marga has become tainted.

BNK
Amrit

== Section 2 ==


MAHAPRAYAN OF ONE DIDI

Dear brothers and sisters,

Namaskar.
It is with much sorrow that I share with you news of the mahaprayan (death) respected senior Didi - Avadhutika Ananda Mandakini Acarya. Didiji's mahaprayan occurred on Monday evening (IST) - 03 Nov - as she suffered from respiratory arrest. The hospital staff did their mightiest efforts, but alas at this age of 64, Didi passed - i.e. mahaprayan.

Many are aware of Didiji's numerous deeds for humanity in the form of children's homes and schools - most recently as DSL Alkola. Really though, Didiji was posted throughout India and always with the grace of Baba she created service projects to help suffering humanity. And helped in many other ways.

Far and away her greatest gift was her example itself. Her selflessness and courage may be best exemplified during the horrific 1982 attack on Bijon Setu. Goondhas of the Communist party hatched their gruesome plan to attack and Didi was caught in their deadly grip. Only by Baba's grace, the scene shifted. With her dharmic spirit, she was able to recover physically and psychically from that most traumatic event. And she remained undaunted and continued in service to the Lord.

May we all take solace in the fact that respected Avadhutika Ananda Mandakini was a devotee of Sadguru Baba. Certainly Didiji will attain mukti or moksa, accordingly. Baba will lovingly bestow His grace.

With deepest regards,
Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
Lalita

Note 1: MAHAPRAYAN (DEATH DAY) IS ONLY FOR HUMANS

PARAMA PURUSA IS ETERNAL

Here it should be qualified that there is both real mahaprayan and fake mahaprayan. Real mahaprayan marks the death of any ordinary human being. 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 Himself. This is grossly inappropriate because when Parama Purusa 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.

Note 2: MAHAPRAYAN COMES FROM THE ISLAMIC TRADITION

* Mahaprayan (Death): Many are aware that mahaprayan (death) is the common term used in India and especially in Bengal to describe the death of an honoured or even ordinary person. 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 devotional term 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 devotees 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 those in Tiljala. 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 on page 742. Checking there it will be confirmed that the word 'mahaprayan' means death. Which is why it used to refer to the passing away of even common citizens.

Note 3: STORY- SITTING ON BABA'S LAP MEANS DIED?
(contributed by one margii)

Recently after dharmacakra, a senior margii was recounting his experiences of having dharma samiiksa with Baba.

He said, "After being punished by Baba, 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 story, there was a call for questions. Various people posed their queries.

"HOW DID BABA BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE?"

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 awry.

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 hi father’s lap.

SITTING ON BABA'S LAP

MUST NOT ONLY REFER TO DEATH

At that moment I thought that everyone, new and old, should be clear about the real and devotional meaning of this phrase, "being on Baba's lap." It should not become stigmatized such that it only means death. Because in its true sense, the phrase "being on Baba's lap" really does carry a highly devotional and sweet feeling.

It is just like how a small child sits on its parent's lap. In a similar way, a spiritual child (human being) sits on the lap of Parama Purusa. By Baba's grace this can happen anytime in one's sadhana, especially in dhyana. Such a phrase then should not become  stigmatized because too many people only use it at the time of death.

We should be careful that we do not relegate "Baba's lap" only to the point of death.

The connotation of death must not become synonymous with "being on Baba's lap." Because the phrase - "being on Baba's lap" - is a devotional experience that can happen today itself in sadhana, and especially in dhyana. The phrase "being on Baba's lap" should not lose this quality and only mean death. It should not meet the same dark fate as happened with the term harijan.

"SITTING ON BABA'S LAP" MUST NOT MEET SAME FATE AS "HARIJAN"

As we all know, these days in India nobody uses the term harijan to mean "a devotee". Whereas 70 years ago it was used in that way. The term harijan did mean bhakta. But ever since the time of Gandhi when he glued the harijan term to the lowest so-called caste, i.e so-called untouchables, nobody uses the the harijan to mean devotee. Never. Because the term harijan has been stigmatized to mean "untouchable". Nobody uses it to mean "devotee", but that is the original and true meaning of the word.

The phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", should not meet a similar fate. It should not lose its devotional quality and just refer to one's death. That will be very negative.

BABA WOULD BLESS DEVOTEES AND PLACE THEM ON HIS LAP

There are 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 devotional 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 dhyana wherein they sat in His lap. And still today this deeply devotional experience is attainable by sadhakas, by His grace.

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

DOGMA:

NOW "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 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."

- "Please keep him on Your lap forever."

All of the above lines are commonly written in eulogizing the deceased. Of course, it is fine to write like that. Here the point is that this same phrase "in Baba's lap" should also be used when describing one's devotional practices and experiences. But these days mostly it is used in a eulogy and rarely used to recount one's devotional 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 devotional feeling. Unfortunately, the meaning and inner spirit of the phrase is getting lost.

== Section 3 ==

The section below demarcated by asterisks is an entirely different topic,
completely unrelated to the above material. It stands on its own as a point of interest.

*************************************

Why Some Purodhas Dig Their Heels On Mahaprayan Issue

"Those who are egotistic will not accept their mistake even when they discover it. They will say, “You see, it seems I made a mistake and So-and-so has pointed it out. This is a great insult to me – I cannot tolerate it! Though he may have spoken the truth, it is beneath my dignity to accept it. It is too humiliating! If I even admit that I have harmed the people, that will be a great slur on my character – how can I allow that to happen? So I will continue to maintain that what I have done is right. This may harm people, but I must make sure that my prestige is not injured.”" (The Liberation of Intellect: Neohumanism, Disc: 11)

*************************************

 

 

== Section 4 ==

 

~ आज, अजाना पथिक परमपुरुष बाबा आये हैं। ~

प्रभात संगीत 4342: अजाना पथिक आज एशेछे, तारे घरे...

भावार्थ

आज, अजाना पथिक परमपुरुष बाबा आये हैं। इस भव्य अवसर को न गंवा देना, हृदय सेे उनका स्वागत करो और विना समय खोये अपने घर में,  अपने हृदय में ले आओ, और चारों ओर फैल रही उनकी दिव्य चमक से अपने हृदय को संतृप्त हो जाने दो। अब जड़ता, तन्द्रा और निद्रा में समय नष्ट करने का अवसर नहीं है।

 बाबा आपके लिये, मेरे लिये , सबके लिये आये हैं, हर स्थान और हर देश  के लिये आये हैं। वे दूसरों का दुख और रोना  देखकर द्रवित हो जाते हैं और वे मुस्काने लगते हैं जब अन्य लोगों को मुस्काते देखते हैं। वे सब को चाहते हैं।

उनकी कृपा से, यह समय उनके चरण कमलों में सब कुछ समर्पित कर देने का है। इस अवसर को गंवा देना बुद्धिमत्तापूर्ण नहीं है, बाबा आये हैं उनका स्वागत कर घर में ले आओ।

- Dr. T.R. Sukul


Following is the phonetic spelling in Roman Script of the above purport:


~ Āja, ajānā pathika paramapuruṣa bābā āyē haiṁ ~

Prabhāta saṅgīta 4342: Ajānā pathika āja ēśēchē, tārē gharē...

Bhāvārtha

āja, ajānā pathika paramapuruṣa bābā āyē haiṁ. Isa bhavya avasara kō na ganvā dēnā, hr̥daya sēē unakā svāgata karō aura vinā samaya khōyē apanē ghara mēṁ, apanē hr̥daya mēṁ lē ā'ō, aura cārōṁ ōra phaila rahī unakī divya camaka sē apanē hr̥daya kō santr̥pta hō jānē dō. Aba jaṛatā, tandrā aura nidrā mēṁ samaya naṣṭa karanē kā avasara nahīṁ hai.

Bābā āpakē liyē, mērē liyē, sabakē liyē āyē haiṁ, hara sthāna aura hara dēśa kē liyē āyē haiṁ. Vē dūsarōṁ kā dukha aura rōnā dēkhakara dravita hō jātē haiṁ aura vē muskānē lagatē haiṁ jaba an'ya lōgōṁ kō muskātē dēkhatē haiṁ. Vē saba kō cāhatē haiṁ.

Unakī kr̥pā sē, yaha samaya unakē caraṇa kamalōṁ mēṁ saba kucha samarpita kara dēnē kā hai. Isa avasara kō ganvā dēnā bud'dhimattāpūrṇa nahīṁ hai, bābā āyē haiṁ unakā svāgata kara ghara mēṁ lē ā'ō.

- Dr. T.R. Sukul

== Section 5 ==

Links

Here is the initial letter about AM Service Projects

http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2014/10/why-am-projects-start-collapse.html


Other Letters of Interest

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/11/open-reply-to-vishvadeva-more.html

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/11/trouble-falling-asleep-nightmares-see.html 

 

 

Reply To Kiirtan Used As Bait by Dr TRS

Baba

This email contains four sections:
1. Overview
2. Letter: Dr T.R. Sukulji's Response
3. Links

Those coming here from the email to read Sis Shivanii Mehta's letter please scroll all the way down to the bottom...

== Section 1  - Overview ==

Namaskar,
This email addresses how in Brisbane unit in Australia they circulated a brochure about their retreat, when in actuality they wanted to observe mahaprayan. But since mahaprayan is not popular - even controversial - they just called it a retreat.

To sidestep the situation, in their brochure they used the term "samkalpa divas" instead in one place and then in another put the term mahaprayan in parentheses. Plus they were promoting this as a kiirtan event.

Their overall tactic was to get people to attend and then do mahaprayan ceremony at the end.

So one margii wrote a public letter about this entitled - "Kiirtan Used As Bait." A link to this email is appended below.

In response, Sis Shivanii Mehta wrote a reply (publicly circulated - link appended below) where she told that they were just doing kiirtan on October 26, and it was not mahaprayan per se.

But in reality, it was an MPD / annual death day gathering that finished on the 26 - as per Tiljala's manner etc.

Seeing Sis Shivanii Mehta's letter, Dr. T.R. Sukulji wrote this following reply (see below section 2.) This is followed by a related Baba story in section 3.

Kindly read and review all.

in Him,
Sadashiva Mehta

== Section 2 ==


Dr T.R. Sukulji's Response

Namaskar.

The letter of respected Shivaniiji  mainly contains following three points:-

(a) The decoration and the overall surroundings of mpd programme hall.

(b) Kiirtan and MPD talk.

(c) Suggestions.

As regards point (a) above , only those, who have attended the function can better debate  but I can not as I have never attended such programme/s.

Regarding point (b) I would only say that the bliss experienced in kiirtan "Baba Nam kevalam" is universal and any one can have it anywhere, if he does it regularly. Rev. Baba has said, "Even if you get a single minute free; you should utilize it in kiirtan, whenever two margi brothers meet they should do kiirtan etc". So it is the influence of that universal siddha mantra Baba Nam Kevalm not of the MPD function or gathering on account of it.

MPD is a dogma created by those who want to hold leadership under their control for selfish motive like dogmatic Hindu pundits who lost their wisdom and truth creating different rituals.

If we rely on the book written by respected Nagiinaji (which is also published as titled "Ananad katha" in different magazines of AM during Rev. Baba's time) we will find that Rev. Baba had finished his mortal samskaras in the early age . Since there were no samskaras for which the physical body is needed to undergo the reactions , He tried twice to leave it but due to excessive requests of Nagiinaji and others He continued in the same physical body with His samkalp for the welfare of suffering humanity and graciously He gave AM philosophy, living in that astral body for more than thirty years. So, to talk about His departure in any form is unfair. Those who have had an opportunity to touch Him they felt nothing except bliss. That is why His mystery is still unknown even to those who claim to have remained physically very near to Him. He Himself gave Him the name of "Ajana Pathik" . 

This is just to say that remembering His Death day as MPD or with any other name is jeopardizing His status of Muktpurush, Sagunbragma, Mahasambuti which He graciously displayed before us practically, otherwise these terms were beautifying  the books of philosophy only.  In this connection it is also important to mention here that Rev. Baba has graciously met physically to many bhaktas after 1990 and Ac Parasattananda Avt is one of them. Ac Parasattananda's story I have mentioned in my earlier letter a few months back.

[See story appended below in section 3 titled: Baba Story: Saved From the Jaws of Death - Eds]

Those who are interested they may contact him at Ranchi (India) at  present. He was lying unconsciously since more than a month and being shifted from one place to other and one hospital to the other and  finally declared to be dead by doctors at Delhi. How he  has found second birth due to Rev. Baba's grace he will tell you in detail.

So, it is evident that death day / mahaprayan / shraddhainjali etc are the dogmatic functions of the common people in the different sections of the society and they have no significance as per AM philosophy. 

In connection to the point (c), she has rightly said that we should care for our children and future generation and not act following dogmatic ways which have no place in Ananda Marga or the "path of bliss". 

Respectfully

Dr T R Sukul.

== Section 3 ==

Links

To read the letter - Kiirtan Used As Bait - click below:

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/10/kiirtan-used-as-bait-open-letter-to.html


To read Sis Shivanii's Letter see below:

Namaskar 
I feel that writing about a retreat you have not been to or have not interviewed people who attended and then to make such claim so public is not wise. Baba advises to Think twice before speaking.

By the way, there was no big Pandal and tomb to adorn. There was No Big Baba photo. In fact, there was only an A5 size photo and beautifully simple pratik which sat so blissfully on a little table ... which viewed so miniscule compared to the large hall with Baba Himself gracing so grandly and peacefully. Absolute joy. Please join us next time.

About MPD talk? There was none. There was brief mention on the last day of retreat that Guru departure fell close to the day we had retreat and there were new people attending so it was polite to briefly mentioned that it meant the physical departure of our dear Baba. It took less than a minute and that was that. No celebrations nor wakes nor dogma. Lots of bliss. Sorry to dissappoint you, Dada.

I feel that instead of intellectuallising and politicising a devotional gathering, you should attend more often and more sincerely with deep devotion for supreme himself. 
May Baba grace you more than ever to be open that all groups love Baba and just show it in their own sentimental way. This kind of talk I expect from my children not seniors. You and others have to stop this weightless chatter. Please. For the sake of our children and generations to come.

Namaskar
His Shivanii

Dispute in Unit - Need Your Suggestion

Baba

DISPUTE IN UNIT - NEED YOUR SUGGESTION

Namaskar,
One well-wisher* of Ananda Marga  - Mr. Kareem Mohammad - just started a new business. He is opening a slaughter house that will process around 200 animals everyday.

Since Mr Mohammad belives in religious harmony, for inauguration of his slaughterhouse he invited Vaisnavas to sing Hari Ram Hari Krsna kiirtan for six hours.

But those vaisnavas refused because they do not support the slaughtering of animals - they regard that as sin. So they adamantly declined the invitation.

So then in desperation, Mr. Kareem Mohammad has requested us to arrange the six-hour kiirtan and feast at the inauguration ceremony of his slaughterhouse.

A big debate has ensued.

Some support the idea of conducting the kiirtan and say that it is no problem. The kiirtan will purify the whole environment. We can sing and then have a feast there. There is not need to worry that on that site they will be slaughtering animals - that is of no concern. The kiirtan will make everything pure.

Other margiis vehemently opposed this. They told that it will be a violation of our main dharmic principles and Caryacarya. Doing the kiirtan there means condoning the animal slaughter. So we must not do this.

Then supporters of the program gave this counter response. Our Ananda Marga Caryacarya does not support the annual death day ceremony and the feast of that ceremony, i.e. shraddhanna. But even then we do kiirtan and eat at such programs because the kiirtan purifies everything. So why not do kiirtan and eat at the slaughterhouse and enjoy a feast there.

OUR REQUEST - PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE

So now the question we present to all margiis is this:

Should we do the 6-hour kiirtan and feast at the inauguration of this slaughterhouse or not??

Namaskar,
in Him,
Shyam Narayan

NB - This kiirtan / feast will be from 9a to 3p and then the slaughterhouse factory will begin its operations.

* Mr. Kareem Mohammad is a well-wisher as he donates money - from time to time - to our children's home.

Violent Movies Make Kids Criminals + दीपावली की चमचमाती संध्या, तुम्हारे दिव्य प्रेमदीप से प्रज्ज्वलित हो गयी है।

Baba

This email contains four sections:
1. Quote: Violent Movies Make Kids Criminals

2. PS #1894: दीपावली की चमचमाती संध्या, तुम्हारे दिव्य प्रेमदीप से प्रज्ज्वलित हो गयी है।

3. Comment: Re: Baba Story: Deadly Entertainment
4. Links

Violent Movies Make Kids Criminals

   "Many people in society do not become criminals because of physiological or hereditary factors. Nor do they become involved in criminal activities due to the influence of base propensities, or due to lack of education or social control. Yet today civilized society looks down on them because they are criminals when they could have been revered as ideal human beings with impeccable characters if they had been given a proper environment."
   "They are glaring examples that honest people can become dishonest as a result of environmental pressures. The sensitive, honest son of a villainous father is compelled to participate in antisocial activities out of fear of paternal abuse. This creates a habit which eventually becomes part of his nature." (Human Society - 1, Justice)

   "In the modern world there is a wide variety of films which excite the passions and have a degrading influence on boys and girls, adolescents and young men and women. Such films create in cinema-goers the desire to emulate in their individual lives the criminal activities, the vulgar expressions of love, or the adventurous behaviour that they see enacted on the screen. This is another example of how keeping bad company causes depravity. Many cinema-goers imagine that the characters that they see on the screen are their actual acquaintances, but when they try to emulate these characters, they discover that the real world is much tougher than the world portrayed by the cinema." (Human Society - 1, Justice)

Example: 8-Year-Old Boy Killed His Grandmother

Note: Below is a recent news report. An eight-year-old boy shot and killed his 87-year-old grandmother directly after playing a violent video game. Such video games are graphic interactions where players ruthlessly and mechanically kill all kinds of people etc. According to Ananda Marga philosophy, we know that such games have dangerous effects on participants, especially impressionable youths. These games deeply  engage players who become deeply involved and engrossed - they think they actually killed those people. They become so brainwashed that they cannot differentiate between their computer world and real life affairs. We must not allow children to see such violent movies and play such violent video games. So many dastardly crimes have occurred because of these violent video games and movies.

Here following are select excerpts of that news report.

(CNN) -- An 8-year-old Louisiana boy intentionally shot and killed his elderly caregiver after playing a violent video game, authorities say.
Marie Smothers was pronounced dead at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head in a mobile home park in Slaughter, Louisiana, the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Department said in a prepared statement. Slaughter is about 20 miles north of Baton Rouge. Authorities identified the woman as the boy's "caregiver," without stating whether she is a relative. But CNN affiliate WBRZ reported that the woman was the boy's grandmother. Smothers was 87, public records show. "By accounts of relatives of the victim, as well as friends of the family, the victim and the juvenile had a normal, loving, relationship and even shared the same bedroom," the sheriff's department said…

Violence in video games
While the motive is unclear, the sheriff's department implied the child's activities in a violent virtual world may have led to the killing.
"Although a motive for the shooting is unknown at this time investigators have learned that the juvenile suspect was playing a video game on the Play Station III 'Grand Theft Auto IV,' a realistic game that has been associated with encouraging violence and awards points to players for killing people, just minutes before the homicide occurred." (Courtesy of Cable News Network)

 

 

== Section 2 ==

 

~ दीपावली की चमचमाती संध्या, तुम्हारे दिव्य प्रेमदीप से प्रज्ज्वलित हो गयी है। ~

प्रभातसंगीत 1894 - आलोकोज्जवल एई सन्ध्याय....

भावार्थ

ए परमपुरुष! इस दीपावली की चमचमाती संध्या, तुम्हारे दिव्य प्रेमदीप से प्रज्ज्वलित हो गयी है। तुम वह दिव्य सत्ता हो जिसके मन की मधुरता ने कृपालुता से मेरे सभी दोष और दुर्गुणों का मेरे मानसिक पटल से सफाया कर दिया है। तुमने मुझे स्वच्छ और शुद्ध  कर दिया है। ए दिव्य! वह कौनसी सत्ता है जिसने बड़ी दयालुता से मेरे मानसिक आकाष में पदार्पण किया है।

ए परमसत्ता! तारे और ग्रह सभी तुम्हारे लिये प्यार भरे हृदय के दीप जलाते हैं। तुम्हारी अनन्त भव्य सत्ता को देखकर यह महान चाॅंदी की चमक वाली आकाशगंगा भी अवाक् रह जाती है। ए प्रकाशमान! तुम नाचते जा रहे हो और मेरे अत्यंत उत्प्लावित हृदय में तैर रहे हो जिससे वह स्वयं चमक रहा है, तुम्हारी  दयालुता महान है।

हे बाबा! मैं सैकड़ों जन्मों से तुम्हें चाहता रहा हॅूं और असंख्य जीवन और मृत्युओं के चक्र के बीच तुम्हारे लिये तरसता रहा हॅूं, और तुम्हारी कृपा से मैंने बार बार नया जीवन पाया है और हमेशा  तुम्हारी चाह को मन में बसाया है। मैं अपने हृदय के प्रत्येक अंश  से तुम्हारे प्रेम के  लिये तरसता रहा हॅूं। तुम्हारी कृपा से मेरा मन तुम्हारे गहरे आकर्षण से भर गया है और मैं भक्ति के प्रकाश  से भर गया हूँ  । तुम्हारी अहेतुकी कृपा से मैं तुम्हारे दिव्य प्रेम से छलक रहा हॅूं।

ए दिव्यसत्ता, परमपुरुष! आज तुमने इस दीप्तिमान दीपावली की रात को मेरे हृदय में आने की अपार कृपा की है।

- Dr. T.R. Sukul

Following is the phonetic spelling in Roman Script of the above purport:

~ Dīpāvalī kī camacamātī sandhyā, tumhārē divya prēmadīpa sē prajjvalita hō gayī hai ~

Prabhātasaṅgīta 1894 - ālōkōjjavala ē'ī sandhyāya...

Bhāvārtha

ē paramapuruṣa! Isa dīpāvalī kī camacamātī sandhyā, tumhārē divya prēmadīpa sē prajjvalita hō gayī hai. Tuma vaha divya sattā hō jisakē mana kī madhuratā nē kr̥pālutā sē mērē sabhī dōṣa aura durguṇōṁ kā mērē mānasika paṭala sē saphāyā kara diyā hai. Tumanē mujhē svaccha aura śud'dha kara diyā hai. Ē divya! Vaha kaunasī sattā hai jisanē baṛī dayālutā sē mērē mānasika ākāṣa mēṁ padārpaṇa kiyā hai.

Ē paramasattā! Tārē aura graha sabhī tumhārē liyē pyāra bharē hr̥daya kē dīpa jalātē haiṁ. Tumhārī ananta bhavya sattā kō dēkhakara yaha mahāna cāĕndī kī camaka vālī ākāśagaṅgā bhī avāk raha jātī hai. Ē prakāśamāna! Tuma nācatē jā rahē hō aura mērē atyanta utplāvita hr̥daya mēṁ taira rahē hō jisasē vaha svayaṁ camaka rahā hai, tumhārī dayālutā mahāna hai.

Hē bābā! Maiṁ saikaṛōṁ janmōṁ sē tumhēṁ cāhatā rahā hĕūṁ aura asaṅkhya jīvana aura mr̥tyu'ōṁ kē cakra kē bīca tumhārē liyē tarasatā rahā hĕūṁ, aura tumhārī kr̥pā sē mainnē bāra bāra nayā jīvana pāyā hai aura hamēśā tumhārī cāha kō mana mēṁ basāyā hai. Maiṁ apanē hr̥daya kē pratyēka anśa sē tumhārē prēma kē liyē tarasatā rahā hĕūṁ. Tumhārī kr̥pā sē mērā mana tumhārē gaharē ākarṣaṇa sē bhara gayā hai aura maiṁ bhakti kē prakāśa sē bhara gayā hūm̐ . Tumhārī ahētukī kr̥pā sē maiṁ tumhārē divya prēma sē chalaka rahā hĕūṁ.

Ē divyasattā, paramapuruṣa! Āja tumanē isa dīptimāna dīpāvalī kī rāta kō mērē hr̥daya mēṁ ānē kī apāra kr̥pā kī hai.

- Dr. T.R. Sukul

== Section 3 ==

Re: Baba Story: Deadly Entertainment

Namaskar to all
Story is so inspiring sometimes we also do mistake . i am going to spread this message in all my groups and will request people to follow and i will be there with them to do so. Because what i learned is instead of saying GO AND DO its better to say LET'S DO.

Namaskar,
Manisha Devi

Note: Here is that story....

== Section 4 ==

Links

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/10/shraddhainjali-in-tiljala-today.html

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/10/religious-bigots.html

MAHAPRAYAN OF YOUNG AVADHUTA

MAHAPRAYAN OF YOUNG AVADHUTA

(Courtesy of Ananda Marga Google Groups)

Namaskar,

Today (Oct 11) at 6.15 pm, at Kolkata hospital, young and energetic dada Abhayshankarananda passed away. He was only 43 years  old.

After Banglore DMS, he suffered from some unique infection in his hand while travelling in train. He was immediately admitted in to hospital. The deadly infection spread throughout his body. He could not recover since then.

He got very sick on way back to Kolkata after the Bangalore DMS (In the beginning of Sept). He was rushed to the Ruby hospital in Kolkata where Doctors said that some flesh eating bacteria had attacked and paralyzed his entire body. He was kept in ICU for about 12 days in Ruby Hospital. When there was no sign of any improvement rather his health was deteriorating day by day, he was shifted to the Apollo Hospital (The best Hospital in Kolkata).

There doctors suggested that his left hand had to be removed in order to save his life as the bacteria was spreading from there and all agreed on that and finally his left hand was removed. But even then there was no improvement that doctors had anticipated. Doctors tried their best  but eventually could not do anything to save him and he breathed his last at 6:15 PM this evening.

Dada Abhayashankaranandaji was only 43 years of age, dynamic,sweet and smiling nature,very hard working, very responsible truly an asset for Baba's mission. He became acarya in the year 1999 and became avadhuta in 2003. He was the EI -1 central, managing Education department, Children Homes Dept. and personally looking after the Children Home and degree college at Ananda Nagar.

== Section ==

The section below demarcated by asterisks is an entirely different topic,
completely unrelated to the above material. It stands on its own as a point of interest.

***************************************
Whom We Should Honour

“To those who think for all . . .
who offer others seats of honour and respect . . .
who venerate others, instead of waiting to be venerated –
to them I dedicate this book with humble esteem and deepest salutations.”
(Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Dedication page)

- Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

Note: In the above lines, it is obvious we should give first priority to honouring those whom nobody honours.
***************************************

Help - What Should Be Done

Baba

HELP - WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

Namaskar,
Here we, the members of our bhukti, present to you one troubling issue and we eagerly await your advice.

BACKGROUND

Approximately six months ago - "Mahesh" as we refer to him here - was initiated into Ananda Marga sadhana and became an active member of our bhukti. For the years and decades before that - since his birth - he was a devout Hindu.

As a Hindu, Mahesh regularly observed his grandfather's mahaprayan (annual death ceremony) for the past 20 years. Since his family is a big land owner, they had the finances to host large mahaprayan gatherings complete with a grand feast for the entire village, extensive clothing distribution, and comprehensive medical camps.

All this was regularly organised on the anniversary of Mahesh's grandfather's mahaprayan. The belief was that by this annual program, his grandfather would accrue virtue in heaven and be more comfortable. The food they served, the clothing they distributed, and the medicine they dispensed would directly benefit their grandfather in heaven - per Hindu custom.

ISSUE-AT-HAND

The problem now is that Mahesh is an Ananda Margii and his grandfather's death day anniversary is fast approaching. And this year, Mahesh is eagerly planning for a grand mahaprayan commemoration and wants to invite Ananda Margiis from all over - from all the surrounding units etc.

In our unit, we have been divided as to what should be done. In private meetings, in Mahesh's absence, we have vociferously debated what to do.

(a) Some have advocated saying nothing and allowing him to host his annual mahaprayan program for his grandfather - and margiis may or may not attend.

(b) Some have advised that Mahesh should hold the program as usual, only the name of it should be changed to samkalpa divas.

(c) Others said let the program go on as is, but Ananda Margiis must not attend. This would obviously strain our relation with Maheshji.

(d) Some argued that the program must be stopped entirely. Then some inquired why should it be stopped.

They replied that, “Any annual mahaprayan observance is a shraddha ceremony.”

“So”, was the response.

Then further reply was given, including a full review of Ananda Marga teachings.

ANANDA MARGA - THE PATH OF BLISS - WILL LOSE ITS MEANING

“Well, according to Ananda Marga philosophy and Caryacarya, any kind of death related ceremonies like cremation, shraddhainjali, shraddha, burial, or any type of ceremony for the deceased, the person who died, or the grieving family must be done within 12 days of the time of death. Ananda Marga is the path of bliss and sad ceremonies are not to be repeated - month after month, year after year. Otherwise Ananda Marga - the path of bliss - will lose the meaning of its name, and it will be called sad (dukha) marga, not the path of bliss. So there is no scope for an annual shraddha / death day / mahaprayan program in our Ananda Marga.”

NOT EXTEND BEYOND TWELVE DAYS

Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, "The period of mourning should not extend beyond twelve days. If you wish, you can perform the shráddha ceremony any day within this period according to convenience. During the period of mourning you should not subject yourself to unnecessary mortification or ostentatious penance." (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

PSYCHIC SUPERSTITIONS OF GHOSTS, SHRÁDDHA

Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, “The psychic superstitions of ghosts, shráddha, etc., also do not find any place in the Marga. Ghosts are only imaginary, and performing shráddha by giving dána [gifts] to Brahmans to take a departed soul across the Vaetárnii River [the mythological river which must be crossed to enter heaven], is only a psychic misrepresentation inculcated from the very beginning. These ideas are not rational, and therefore believing in them is not correct. This is the view taken in the Marga.” (AFPS-7, Social Psychology)

SOUL DOES NOT GET ANY ADVANTAGE FROM THE SHRÁDDHA

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “The departed soul does not get any advantage from the shráddha ceremony [memorial ceremony]. It is only meant for the psychic satisfaction of the person performing it.” (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

SHRÁDDHA CEREMONY TO BE USELESS AND MEANINGLESS

Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, “What happens when a man dies? Death results in the loss of any physical relationship between the human mind and the human body ( i.e., the protozoic & metazoic cells and their minds). The nerves are dead. Therefore, the mind, on the physical death of the individual, does not remember anything physical. It is for this reason that we hold the Shráddha ceremony to be useless and meaningless. This also explains the English saying: out of sight, out of mind. But the longing for the Macrocosm is psycho-spiritual in character and therefore your mind is engaged in it even after the death of your physical body.” (SS-18, Knowledge and Human Progress)

SHRADDHAINJALI IS ALSO SHRÁDDHA

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “In each and every corner of the world there is some usage or other prevalent among the human race of that area regarding their duty to deceased persons, to the dead. This event, this observance, is known as “shráddha” in Saḿskrta. There are innumerable types of observances, but they all come under the same heading, shráddha.”

CHEATING BUSINESS - 1

Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, "Now let us see some of the prevalent usages of the world in connection with this shraddhá, or shráddha. When you offer something with shraddhá, it is shráddha. A priest may say that your father will die only once, and so after his death you should arrange for a sufficient quantity of food-stuffs, a sufficient quantity of edibles, a sufficient quantity of clothes, etc., for him. And that has been done in India for about five thousand years, since the time of the Atharva Veda. And people have generally offered rice and sesame, also honey and ghee, to be consumed by that person who has left the world.”  (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

CHEATING BUSINESS - 2

Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “In some other corners of the world, people wait for forty days, and after forty days they offer a particular type of prayer, and that prayer is supposed to make the position of the dead person secure. Is this logical? Certainly not. All these things done in the name of shráddha are nothing but a cheating business.” (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

BARLEY, WINE, WOOL FOR DEAD

Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, “In prehistoric times also, those people of less-developed intellect used to think in this same way, that even after death people require worldly objects. So in prehistoric times also you would find, looking within the graves, that they used to offer barley (at that time wheat was not popular), wine, honey, such things. And even now in India during shráddha they use these things – barley, wine, wool – so that the dead person will wrap that woollen cádar around themself, etc.” (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

THEY ARE LESS DEVELOPED IN INTELLECT

Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, “Now, as I told you, in all corners of the world this type of exploitation is going on. And why are the people being exploited? Because they are under the veil of superstition. They are superstitious people. They are less developed in intellect.” (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

After this long deliberation of Baba's teachings,  but even then some dogmatic-minded margiis do not like to give up their old rituals. So we ask your help.

So now we bring this ideological conundrum to you. You see the issue that we are faced with and you now know the background of this case. And you are aware of the four basic "solutions" that have been put forward, enlisted above.

We humbly ask you: What should be done? What is the best way to proceed?

Kindly reply at the earliest because this matter is eating away at the core of our unit as there have been many heated debates about this and we really need to find some resolution - fast.

Awaiting your counsel.

in Him,
Pradiip Roy
Unit Secretary

Antidote of Food Poisoning

*********************************************
Antidote of Food Poisoning

Baba says, "Antidotes of poison - green turmeric, spinach leaves, basil...mainly black basil and secondly white basil or any kinds of basil." (SC-20 Bangla, disc 156)

Baba says, "If some negative effect is going on due to food poisoning or because of eating poisonous fish, then without any delay a sufficient quantity of spinach leaves should be eaten and by that way the poison will be antidoted."  (SC-20)

Note: These above quotes are excepts from a particular discourse in Shabda Cayanika.

*********************************************


== Section  ==

Links

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/09/mahaprayan-of-muslim-abdul-rajjak.html

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-can-i-protect-my-child-from-sexual.html

          

Woman's Mahaprayan in Rajasthan: MPD #16

Baba

This email contains three sections:
1. Posting: Woman's Mahaprayan in Rajasthan: MPD #16
2. End Quote: Who Is Intelligent
3. Links

WOMAN’S MAHAPRAYAN IN RAJASTHAN: MPD #16

Namaskar,
Here is the scene from my Rajasthan where they are performing the mahaprayan (death ceremony) of one woman. In the Jain tradition, they parade the person through town to the cremation ground whereby the deceased is in an upright, seated position. That way the townspeople can see who died.

As you can see, they carefully wrap white cloth around the body of the deceased - including the forehead - in order to ensure she remains seated upright. No one should think this person is merely injured, and still breathing. She is dead; this is the occasion of her mahaprayan, and the white cloth is used to keep her propped up in one grand chair so all can see her.

This is in stark contrast to most traditions were the deceased is carried in a lying position with their face to the sky. One other point of note is that people are said to acquire virtue for touching / carrying the dead body and that is one reason why many rally around and are eager to participate.

Finally, family, friends, and well-wishers are paying their last respects prior to bringing the deceased to the cremation ground. Final preparations are being done.

And the newspaper announces this as a mahaprayan - as that is the second to last word in the heading of the article. So the mahaprayan program is common for ordinary citizens in my Rajasthan. But in my Rajasthan nobody does the mahaprayan of Lord Shiva or Lord Krsna.

So no one should naively think that the mahaprayan program is something glorious only to be used in a very special manner - for Taraka Brahma. The mahaprayan program is for the death of any common or unknown person who has made his departure from this world. That is why this mahaprayan is not used for Taraka Brahma because He did not depart - He is the eternal Parama Purusa. This is never done for Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna. So the mahaprayan program is just for ordinary humans, i.e. mortals. About this there should not be any confusion.

And as we know, in our Ananda Marga, there is no such thing as a yearly death ceremony or annual mahaprayan program.

"The period of mourning should not extend beyond twelve days." (Caryacarya-1, Shraddha Ceremony)

Sadguru never dies - even those getting initiated today in Ananda Marga will accept Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji as Guru. So we must think deeply - must contemplate this matter. Baba is Sadguru and eternally present. We must think how far it is just to observe the mahaprayan (death) of that entity?

Namaskar,
in Him,
Champalal Sethi

Note: Search it on Google

Regarding the scene at this mahaprayan ceremony - to learn more about this tradition you can search in Google: “आज निकलेगी महाप्रयाण यात्रा”

== Section 2 ==

The section below demarcated by asterisks is an entirely different topic,
completely unrelated to the above material. It stands on its own as a point of interest.

*************************************************************
Who Is Intelligent

"Undeveloped human beings consider themselves to be very intelligent and thus at every step they invite innumerable obstacles in the material world. Later on, after climbing some rungs up the ladder of evolution, they realize form the core of their hearts the hollowness of their psychic capabilities. It is the natural rule of the universe that those who possess immense knowledge are quite conscious of their intellectual limitations, whereas people with superficial knowledge think just the opposite. The genuine way of learning for seekers of knowledge is to consider always that they know nothing." (AMIWL-10, The Cardinal Spirit of Action and the Supreme Stance of Devotion)

*************************************************************

== Section 3 ==

Links

http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2014/09/negative-repetition-why-religion-is.html

http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-satya-helps-in-sadhana-not-rta-what.html

Post-operative Complications of Circumcision

Baba

WATCH VIDEO: For those who received this in email form, kindly scroll down to view the video.

POST-OPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS OF CIRCUMCISION

Namaskar,
Herein please find a video of a tragic case study of an infant that died due to hemorrhaging (i.e. blood loss) from the circumcision procedure. The short 2min video reviews the medical reports and interviews the parents. It is an informative but not graphic portrayal.

Also read important information from a doctors group about the various harmful complications that often arise from circumcision.

OUTLINE OF HARMFUL COMPLICATIONS FROM CIRCUMCISION

(Courtesy of Doctors Opposing Circumcision)

The immediate postoperative complications of circumcision may be classified as urinary retention, meatitis, meatal ulceration, meatal stenosis, skin tags, adhesions, skin bridges, concealed penis, phimosis, and miscellaneous complications. These complications are iatrogenic.


Urinary Retention

Circumcision sometimes results in urinary retention1 with possible obstructive uropathy.2 Bandages used in ritual circumcision may cause urinary retention.3,4 The plastic ring portion of the Plastibell® may also cause urinary retention,5 which may result in a ruptured bladder,6 renal failure,7 or interruption of circulation in the lower extremities.8,9 Urinary retention caused other complications that led to death in one reported case.10 Urinary retention is not seen in non-circumcised intact boys.


Adhesions and Skin-Bridges

The first step in the genital cutting of newborn boys is separation of the inner surface of the foreskin from the glans penis, to which it is fused at birth. The tearing, which Gracely-Kilgore (1984) compared with “skinning a squirrel,”11 leaves the surface of the glans penis and the inner lining of the foreskin raw. Newborn circumcision wounds are not sutured, so the residual foreskin heals wherever it falls. The residual foreskin may heal together with the glans penis, which results in adhesions that may form a skin bridge,11,12 resulting in tethering.1 Gracely-Kilgore reports that 15 percent of boys seen in her practice had adhesions and three percent required surgical correction.11 Adhesions may require surgical separation by a urologic specialist.13 Adhesions are not seen in non-circumcised intact boys.


***************************** Article continues below *****************************

VIDEO:

DEATH OF INFANT DUE TO COMPLICATIONS FROM CIRCUMCISION

Click here to see the video documentary about the death of a baby who died from circumcision.

Click above to watch the video.

***************************** Article continues below *****************************


Meatal Complications

Meatitis, meatal ulceration, and meatal stenosis are pathology only seen in circumcised boys who have been deprived of the protective foreskin. The connection between circumcision and these iatrogenic pathologies has been known at least since 1921.14 The exposure of the unprotected glans penis to the ammoniacal diaper (nappie) is generally believed to be the cause of inflammation and ulceration.14,15 Persad et al. (1995), however, have suggested that ischemia of the glans penis, caused by the severing of the frenular artery at circumcision, may be the etiologic factor.16 The ulceration may eventually result in the formation of scar tissue, restricting the opening of the urethra. Leitch (1970) reported 8 cases of meatal ulcer and 3 cases of meatal stenosis in a series of 200 circumcisions for an incidence of 5.5 percent.17 A meatotomy may be required to open the urethra.18-19 Meatal complications are not seen in non-circumcised intact boys.

Urinary Tract Infection

Several studies find that more than 50 percent of urinary tract infections (UTI) occur within 12-14 days after ritual circumcision.20-22.


Post-circumcision Phimosis

Oddly enough, circumcision, which is touted to prevent phimosis, actually causes phimosis.22,23 When the circumcision scar forms beyond the glans penis, a phimotic ring results, causing phimosis. Blalock et al. (2003) reported an incidence of 2.9 percent in circumcised boys.23 Leich reported that 11 out of 200 required recircumcision to correct post-circumcision phimosis.17.


Inconspicuous Buried, Trapped, or Concealed Penis

This iatrogenic condition occurs secondary to circumcision.24-30 A second surgery usually is necessary to effect a repair.28-30.


Keloid Formation

Keloids are an overgrowth of scar tissue. Keloids are reported after circumcision.31-33 They require surgical removal and repair.31-33.


Circulation Problems, Ischemia, Necrosis, and Gangrene

Circumcision severs arteries and veins including the frenular artery that supplies the glans penis,16 so it is not surprising that circulation problems are reported after circumcision. Gangrene of the penis,34-36 and of the glans penis,37,38 have been reported.


Miscellaneous Complications

Miscellaneous post-operative complications include chordee,39 inclusion cysts,40,41 lymphedema,40,41 neuromas,42 sub-cutaneous mass,43 and cancer.44

SENIOR ACARYA DIARY ON CIRCUMCISION

Following is Baba's guideline from Senior Acarya Diary where He clearly states that circumcision is not done in Ananda Marga. This is not one of our accepted practices. Instead, after reaching puberty the foreskin should be pulled back. If for any reason, the foreskin cannot be pulled back, then the below process should be done. Be aware that from infancy up to puberty, there is no need to pull back the foreskin.

CARYACARYA Part 2 - BANGLA EDITION

In the Bengali edition of Caryacarya part 2 and point #2 of Sixteen Points, Baba simply gives the instruction to pull back the foreskin. That is point #2 of Sixteen Points - there is no option given for circumcision.

 Note: Beware that from infancy up to puberty, there is no need to pull back the foreskin.

CIRCUMCISION:

A DOGMATIC RITUAL THAT HAS NO PLACE IN ANANDA MARGA

And here below Baba further classifies circumcision as a dogmatic ritual that has no place in our Ananda Marga this as a dogma:

"Certain practices were not originally religious rituals, but traditions or customs. Long ago the Jews started practising circumcision. When Moses converted some of his contemporaries to Judaism, and later when Mohammed converted some local people to Islam, neither prophet dared to instruct their new followers to discard the old customs they followed, consequently the old customs continued after their conversion." (PNS-21, How to Unite Human Society)

So circumcision is nothing but a holdover custom from thousands of years; it not based on science or rationality. And it was adopted by the Semitic religions. Thus this harmful tradition has just been blindly passed on from one community to the next.

in Him,
Pavan

The Immediate Complications of Circumcision & More

Baba

This email contains two sections:
1. Posting & Video: The Immediate Complications of Circumcision & More
2. Links


If you already read this in email form and have come here to see the video, then scroll down to get the video...

THE IMMEDIATE COMPLICATIONS OF CIRCUMCISION

& MORE

Namaskar,
Here is one video (below) that details the process of one infant getting circumcised. The child is loudly crying and suffering. This is typical of circumcision whereby in the religious communities anesthesia is not used.

In addition, please find important and key information from medical professionals and texts from our Ananda Marga literature showing how we do not support the dogma of circumcision.

MEDICAL HISTORY OF CIRCUMCISION
(Courtesy of Video: Infant Circumcision Operation)

Infant circumcision was taken up in the United States, Australia and the English-speaking parts of Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and to a lesser extent in the United Kingdom. There are several hypotheses to explain why infant circumcision was accepted in the United States about the year 1900. The germ theory of disease elicited an image of the human body as a conveyance for many dangerous germs, making the public "germ phobic" and suspicious of dirt and bodily secretions. The penis became "dirty" by association with its function, and from this premise circumcision was seen as preventative medicine to be practised universally. In the view of many practitioners at the time, circumcision was a method of treating and preventing masturbation. Aggleton wrote that John Harvey Kellogg viewed male circumcision in this way, and further "advocated an unashamedly punitive approach." Circumcision was also said to protect against syphilis, phimosis, paraphimosis, balanitis, and "excessive venery" (which was believed to produce paralysis). Gollaher states that physicians advocating circumcision in the late nineteenth century expected public scepticism, and refined their arguments to overcome it.

Although it is difficult to determine historical circumcision rates, one estimate of infant circumcision rates in the United States holds that 32% of newborn American boys were being circumcised in 1933. Laumann et al. reported that the prevalence of circumcision among US-born males was approximately 70%, 80%, 85%, and 77% for those born in 1945, 1955, 1965, and 1971 respectively. Xu reported that the prevalence of circumcision among US-born males was 91% for males born in the 1970s and 84% for those born in the 1980s. Between 1981 and 1999, National Hospital Discharge Survey data from the National Center for Health Statistics demonstrated that the infant circumcision rate remained relatively stable within the 60% range, with a minimum of 60.7% in 1988 and a maximum of 67.8% in 1995. A 1987 study found that the most prominent reasons US parents choose circumcision were "concerns about the attitudes of peers and their sons' self concept in the future," rather than medical concerns. However, a later study speculated that an increased recognition of the potential benefits of neonatal circumcision may have been responsible for the observed increase in the US rate between 1988 and 2000. A report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality placed the 2005 national circumcision rate at 56%.

THE IMMEDIATE COMPLICATIONS OF CIRCUMCISION
(Courtesy of Doctors Opposing Circumcision)

The immediate complications of circumcision may be classified as hemorrhage, infection, surgical mishap, other miscellaneous complications, and death.


Bleeding

The foreskin is highly vascularized,1 so hemorrhage is a particular problem and risk when the foreskin is cut. An artery that passes through the frenulum to provide blood to the glans penis is in danger of being severed.2 Williams & Kapila (1993) report bleeding to be the most common problem associated with circumcision.3

Special clamps are used to crush the skin to provide hemostasis. Old clamps may be worn, deformed, and fail to provide adequate crushing and hemostasis.4 When using the Plastibell® device, failure to tie the string tightly may result in bleeding.5

When a newborn is circumcised, there is great danger from bleeding because the prepuce is highly vascularized and because an infant’s body contains only 85ml/kg of blood.6 With so little total blood volume, a small loss of blood may cause exsanguination, hypovolemia, hypovolemic shock, and death.7-9 The coroner of Dade County, Florida reported the death of an infant from hemorrhage.7 Hiss et al. reported a hemorrhage followed by death.8 The coroner of British Columbia reported the death of a one-month-old infant from bleeding, exsanguination, hypovolemic shock, and multiple organ failure.9


Infection

Infection may range from the trivial to the life-threatening systemic infection.3

Life-threatening infections, includind septicemia and meningitis,10,11 tuberculosis,12,13 wound diphtheria,14 staphylococcus,15 and streptococcus,16 pyoderma17, impetigo,18,19 and scrotal abscess with salmonella infection,20 also have been reported. Scurlock & Pemberton (1977) reported a death from meningitis.11 The coroner of Ontario reported the death of a two-week-old infant from infection with Escherichia coli, intravascular coagulopathy, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.21

There are several reports of a significant increase in urinary tract infection (UTI) after ritual circumcision.22-24

Necrotizing fasciitis25-27 and Fournier’s gangrene (gangrene of the scrotum) have been reported.28 Such infections require extensive debridement (surgical excision) of infected tissue, if the patient is to survive.25-28

Circumcision infections may be spread by hospital workers.16,29,30,32,33 Hospitals are increasingly infected with antibiotic-resistant pathogens. St. Catherines’s Hospital on Long Island experienced an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among circumcised boys in the hospital nursery.31 Any invasive procedure increases the risk of MRSA infection in the newborn nursery.32 Boys who are circumcised have a twelve-times greater risk of CA-MRSA infection.33


Surgical Accident

Circumcision is an imprecise surgical procedure. It is difficult to judge the amount of skin to excise. One problem is the removal of excess skin,3 which may denude the entire shaft of the penis and require an immediate corrective operation by a urologic specialist.34-36 Circumcision may also result in injuries to the urethra, including urethral fistula,37-39 which requires corrective surgery by a urologic specialist. A case of bivalving the glans penis caused by inserting the scissors into the urethra has been reported.40

Due to the difficulty in judging the correct amount of skin to excise, sometimes so little skin is removed that the penis does not appear to be circumcised. This may generate parental complaints and requests for a re-circumcision, although there is no medical indication for the second circumcision. Leith (1970) reported that, in his study of 200 circumcisions, 19 were recircumcisions.41 There is danger of painful erections if too much skin is removed.

More serious surgical mishaps include excision of part of the penis42-45 or glans penis,46-48 necrosis of the glans penis,48 necrosis of the penis caused by electrocautery devices,49-51 and total ablation or amputation of the penis.52


Death

Death may be the result of either bleeding7-9 or infection.11,12,15,21 There is no central registry of circumcision deaths, so the incidence of death from circumcision is controversial. Williams & Kapila (1993) characterize death as “rare.”3 Gairdner (1949), however, reported 16 deaths annually in Britain in the 1940s.53 Circumcision deaths may be attributed to bleeding or infection rather than the underlying circumcision. Few doctors are willing to acknowledge death from an elective, unnecessary, non-therapeutic, allegedly “minor,” surgical procedure. Gellis (1978) estimated there are more deaths from circumcision than from cancer of the penis (which would mean more than 200 deaths per year).54 (Prevention of penile cancer is not a valid excuse for circumcising. See Chapter 3.) Baker (1979) argued that there are at least 229 deaths per year in the United States from circumcision.55 Bollinger (2010) estimates 114 deaths in the United States annually from circumcision-related causes.56


Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous immediate complications of circumcision include life-threatening pulmonary embolism,57 apnea and projectile vomiting,58,59 tachycardia and heart failure,60 pneumothorax,61 and gastric rupture.62

ANANDA MARGA STAND ON CIRCUMCISION

Here below are two documents from our Ananda Marga literature that clearly show that Ananda Marga does not support the dogma of circumcision.

#1: From Senior Acarya Diary

#2: From Ananda Marga Social and Spiritual Practices

Summary: By the above two documents, it is very clear that Ananda Marga is wholly against the procedure of circumcision.

HOW CIRCUMCISION IS DONE
(Courtesy of Video: Infant Circumcision Operation)

A dorsal slit is necessary to slit the foreskin open to open the preputial cavity. After the foreskin has been cut open the bell can be inserted and placed on the glans.In order to apply the clamp the foreskin is grabbed with hemostats as the the bell and the glans have to be maneuvered through the bevel hole.

The arms of the bell are here maneuvered through the bottom of the bevel hole in the base plate. As soon as the bell arms are through the base plate is worked down over the secured foreskin and the plate is seated onto the bell. The top plate is swung around so that it sits over the base plate and the arms of the bell are lifted onto the yoke.

Now the nut is tightened down as far as possible, thereby crushing the foreskin between the bell (cone) and base plate. Tightening the clamp forces the rim of the bell down against the frenulum, which responds by either stretching or by tearing or bleeding.

With the scalpel blade the crushed foreskin is excised against the bell at the base plate and bell junction. All remaining shreds of foreskin above the plate are removed.

Now the nut can be loosened releasing the bell arms from the yoke. Removal of the clamp allows the bell arms to drop back down through the plate. Now the penis is circumcised.

VIDEO

Here is a link to a video that clearly details the process of circumcision and shows how much pain and discomfort the baby must endure. It is an emotionally moving video.

WRONGLY PRINTED IN ENGLISH CARYACARYA BOOK

Unfortunately, the publishers have wrongly printed the English edition of Caryacarya part 2. Because in that book it states that circumcision is a viable option in Ananda Marga. But that is wrong. This book must be corrected at the earliest - accompanied by public announcment / errata page by the publishers.

In Him,
Vijay

Note 1: REPLY TO AC JINANANANDA AVT

In his recent letter, Dada Jinananandji was asking for medical facts against the practice of circumcision.

Dadaji wrote: In fact this habit is not only common with Semitic people but also many African countries, parts of Maharlika ...  They might need a sound explanation on the negative effects of circumcision. any one ?

Reply: The above letter and video - as well as the below letter and video in the links section - offer solid explanations based on medical facts and Ananda Marga teachings why circumcision is dangerous and harmful.

== Section 2 ==

Links

Here below is a link to another article and video about the medical dangers of circumcision.

http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2014/09/circumcision-is-medically-dangerous.html

Mahaprayan of John Doe #3

MAHAPRAYAN OF TOM, DICK, HARRY & EVEN JOHN DOE

~ Part 3 ~

Namaskar,
Here below is a public announcement in the newspaper about the mahaprayan of a British television actor. Using the term "mahaprayan" to signify the death of a human being is a common phenomenon in my Bengal. The term mahaprayan is everywhere; it is widely used for all kinds of people to signify their death. It is not something special or unique. This below person was not an Ananda Margii.

In this article - as well as in its regular usage - the term mahaprayan is used to insinuate the death of a man who has made his departure from this world. That is why this word is not used for Taraka Brahma because He did not depart - He is the eternal Parama Purusa. So the mahaprayan term is for ordinary humans, i.e. mortals.

Some think that we should live happily and not care about all these things. That is the wrong approach and defeats the purpose of creating the organisation. All kinds of societal dogmas were in vogue and Baba created Ananda Marga to eradicate those dogmas. Naturally then we must not allow such dogmas in our very own organisation, AMPS. If we ignore those dogmas it defeats the purpose of the formation of Ananda Marga.

The term mahaprayan is highlighted in purple, i.e. the last word of the heading of the article. If you type this in as a Google search and you will see it there printed as well.

The last word of the title of the above newspaper article is the term 'mahaprayan' in Bengali script:

Here again it should be emphasized that the term mahaprayan means the death of an ordinary human - this is the common usage of the word.

Following is more about the deceased.

Courtesy of the New York Times:
   Rik Mayall, an actor, comedian and writer whose work on “The Young Ones” and other television series helped define alternative comedy in Britain in the 1980s, died on Monday at his home in London. He was 56.
   Brunskill Management, which represents him, announced the death but did not specify the cause. Mr. Mayall was in a coma for several days in 1998 after being injured while riding a quad bike, a four-wheeled vehicle popular in Britain, but he resumed his career shortly afterward and had been working until recently.
   Mr. Mayall was best known for his role on “The Young Ones,” an anarchic and frequently surreal sitcom about four college students sharing a dilapidated house. He played a sociology student and would-be anarchist. He was a creator of the show and one of its writers. “The Young Ones” attracted a devoted following when it was shown on BBC from 1982 to 1984. In the United States it was seen on MTV in 1985 and later on PBS, Comedy Central and BBC America.

THEY NEVER LIKE TO ADMIT THEIR HYPOCRISY

Unfortunately when this point is raised then those in Tiljala never accept that mahaprayan  is merely a death ceremony. So this is their hypocrisy. Mahaprayan is a death ceremony that is what their annual fake mahaprayan (MPD) is also - a death ceremony.

In Him,
Malati Ghosh