Posting: Human Thinking Power: Boon & Curse

Baba

This entire posting is composed of 2 parts:
(1) Posting: Human Thinking Power: Boon & Curse.
(2) Prabhat Samgiita #2523;

== HUMAN THINKING POWER: BOON & CURSE ==

Namaskar,
This letter offers a vital point that every new sadhaka should know. As we know, Ananda Marga ideology offers a dynamic, unique perspective to anyone coming onto the path. Since pracar is one of our first and foremost duties, we should also be aware of this teaching to best introduce it to others.

“AS YOU THINK, SO YOU BECOME”

Ya’drshii bha’vana’ yasya siddhirbhavati ta’drshii

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “As you think, so you become.” (1)

Baba has given this seemingly simple guideline in a number of discourses. Some new people may have heard or read this and think they understand. Other new people may not have yet come across it.

We should ensure that every new sadhaka understands the full import of this teaching because this is one of the very revolutionary aspects of Ananda Marga.

These days, with the great popularity of yoga, most yoga groups solely focus on the physical, or they may include their own interpretation of pranayama as well.

Only Ananda Marga offers the full system for transforming one’s person into godhood. And the above guideline, “as you think so you become”, is instrumental to our approach.

HOW IT WORKS:

DEGRADATION OF MIND

When Baba says, “as you think so you become”, He is telling us that we must have some control or restraint in our thinking.

If one thinks of something mundane or crude they will transform into that object – step by step. That is one part of the equation.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It is the natural wont of the mind to take the shape of its object of meditation. If the object of worship is crude, say money or any crude thing, the mind takes the shape of that crude thing in the course of time.” (2)

And not just money, in this materialistic era people’s minds are riddled by all kinds of thoughts: name, fame, jealousy, stress, anger, fear, enemies, disease etc. By thinking in this way, part, or even all of their mind, gets consumed in that manner. Thus problem festers and grows as the mind gets more degraded.

Wild or uncontrolled thinking is one of the main causes of both psychic and physical diseases in materialistic societies.

Those new to the path of sadhana – and even those not yet on the path – should be informed of the adverse effects of this equation, “As you think so you become.”

HOW IT WORKS:

ELEVATION OF MIND

Then there is the other side of the equation: If we refine our thoughts to focus in a spiritual manner we will move towards the Supreme.

This also we should preach and teach to every new sadhaka. By this way they can not only free the mind of so many fetters and distractions, but one can truly move ahead on the spiritual path.

In Ananda Marga, that is exactly what our system of sadhana is – a methodical manner of thinking wherein the mind focuses on the Ista.

“Concentrated thinking is called “meditation”… In spiritual parlance, when the mental flow is directed towards the goal, that is, the Supreme Entity, it is called “concentration”, but in metaphysical terms, it is a concept of dharma. Concentrated thinking leads to the development of positive ideas…in the process of constant mental flow towards the goal. In the process of meditation the following things are involved – brain cells, apexed or pinnacled psychology, concentrated thinking, Guru cakra and ultimate devotion.” (3)

Thus concentrated thinking is a integral part of our approach. By this way one can transform their entire existence. Even those who are terribly depressed and anxiety ridden can become stellar sadhakas through this method. And this is unique to AM. No one else other than Baba highlights the sublime importance of thinking.

So those new to Ananda Marga should understand that they will not get this teaching nor this practice on other paths and they should clearly understand and experience the dynamism of this practice.

Our mantra japa in first lesson or sixth lesson is the culminating practice of, “as you think so you become.” By bringing the mind back again and again to the idea of the mantra and training the mind to maintain that flow, then one’s entire physical, psychic and spiritual existence gets transformed. Then one veritably becomes divine. Then one becomes Parama Purusa. That is Baba’s teaching for every sadhaka to realise – new or old.

BABA’S MANDATE

Because this principle – as you think so you become – is such an important guideline Baba reminds us of this again and again.

“I told you, or I have been telling you, that a man takes the form of his psychic object; that is, your very existence will be converted into your psychic object. You should select your object very carefully.” (4)

So we should share the import of this concept with all new sadhakas. By this way we too may become more aware of the use of our mantra, either during and / or after sadhana.

As pracarakas, this equation – as you think so you become – is one important point of our approach. So many in the world nowadays are looking for something new. And our Ananda Marga has all the practices they need to transform their life.

So those being introduced to na’ma mantra meditation or first lesson or even just kiirtan, should be made aware of the profound effects of this subtle science.

BABA’S WARNING:

IDOL WORSHIP IS THE WORST

Here Baba points out the very negative effect of dogmatic idol worship. But none should think this adverse reaction is limited to idol worship. Any persistent engagement in crude thoughts (sex, money, greed, jealousy, etc) will turn one into negative microvita.

““If idols made of wood, clay, iron or any other metal are accepted as objects of meditation, then what will be the result?” It is said, Ya’drshii bha’vana’ yasya siddhirbhavati ta’drshii [“As you think, so you become”]. The aspirants’ own entitative existence will be turned into clay, metal or wood – a state which in the scriptures is called Prakrtiliina [negative microvita]. It is a dreadful state.” (5)

The above guideline is a clear warning about what happens to those who fail to understand the real import of Baba’s teaching – “As you think so you become.” In then end they are turned into inanimate objects and negative microvita. It is a frightening outcome.

THEY WILL REMAIN FAR AWAY FROM

THE ATTAINMENT OF THE SUPREME ENTITY

Baba has graciously blessed us with the practical method of how to ideate on Him. We should share this technique with one and all. We should never allow others to settle for any lesser approach. It is everyone’s birthright to get Him – by their thoughts alone, one can attain His eternal shelter, by His grace.

“It is also stated in Tantra that if a person wants only to attain limited progress, one may practise on certain limited ideas. But those who are genuine seekers of Brahma will never agree to worship any finite idea. Those who want the Supreme Entity will have to ideate on Parama Purus’a alone. People may attain limited achievement in terms of occult power through the grace of the gods and goddesses, but they will remain far away from the attainment of the Supreme Entity.” (6)

WILL TAKE THE PATH OF NEGATIVE PRATISAINCARA

“Now, the objectivated [human] mind may move from subtle towards crude or from crude towards subtle, unlike the movements of other entities of this universe. If the movement towards crude is encouraged, the mind – and at the same time the entire existence of the human being – will be converted into crude matter. That is, it will [take] the path of negative pratisaincara. And if the movement towards subtle is encouraged, then one’s entire existence will be converted into either Cosmic Mind or Cosmic Cognitive Faculty. This is the speciality of mind, and that is why it is said:”

[It is the mind that performs good actions and it is the mind that sins. For the mind that is immersed in the thought of God, there is no virtue, no vice.]

[The mind of a person in bondage is attached to his or her objects of enjoyment, whereas the mind of a person who has attained liberation has no mental object.]

““The mind is the cause of bondage, and this mind, this very mind, is the cause of liberation, is the cause of emancipation.” If the movement towards subtle is encouraged, and there is movement with proper acceleration, then what will happen? There will take place one of two different things: either one’s existence will be converted into the Cosmic Mind – that metamorphosis of unit mind into Cosmic Mind is known as the qualified stance – saguńásthiti – or, if the very “I” feeling is surrendered at the altar of Supreme Existence, then the alternative will be that the entire existential factor will become one with the Supreme Cognitive Faculty, with the Cognitive Principle – one will become omniscient, an all-knowing entity.” (7)

THIS RISE AND FALL OF ANTAGONISTIC PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS WILL GO ON

““It is the human mind which is the cause of bondage or liberation. If the mind is in bondage, the person is also in bondage. Similarly, if the mind is liberated the person is also liberated. After all, it is the human mind which engages in auspicious actions. Now, if this mind is kept engrossed in the ideation of Parama Puruśa, then it gets totally merged in Consciousness. In that case, where is the scope for virtue or vice for that person?””
“If an ordinary sinner or a confirmed sinner remains absorbed in the thought of Parama Puruśa to the exclusion of all other thoughts, then his or her mind becomes pointed. This is called agryábuddhi [pinnacled intellect] in Sanskrit. In that state of mind the spiritual aspirant gets well established in pinnacled intellect. Unless and until the ordinary human intellect is elevated to the level of pinnacled intellect or apexed intellect, the continuous rise and fall of innumerable vibrations within one’s existence continues. These psychic vibrations are sometimes the vibrations of virtue, sometimes the vibrations of vice, sometimes the vibrations of the reaction of sinful deeds, sometimes of virtuous deeds. Unless the human mind is pointed, this rise and fall of antagonistic psychic vibrations will go on. The moment the mind is centred on Parama Puruśa, then that mind will naturally become pointed. In that state there is no scope for the rise and fall of any wave – neither the wave of virtue nor the wave of vice. Thus it is said that when a spiritual aspirant is established in pinnacled intellect, there cannot be any question of virtue and vice. A person who has taken the Cosmic shelter goes far above the scope of virtue or vice. This is something very natural.” (8)

CONFRONTED WITH THIS GRIM REALITY ONE SHOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS

Mana eva manuśyáńám káránaḿ bandhamokśayoh,
Bandhasya viśayásaungimuktonirviśayaḿ tathá.

““The mind is the cause of bondage or liberation of human beings. A person under bondage is attached to a mental or physical object, whereas the liberated one is free from all objects.” If the mind is confined to something physical or psychic it is bound to be assailed by either pleasure or pain – it is inevitable. However hard you may try you can not avoid it, because you are so inseparably bound to your objects.”

“It is also true that you will not remain associated with your object forever because the speed of movement of both cannot be equal forever. The person with whom you live with all the warmth of your life will ultimately desert you – it is a cruel game. Confronted with this grim reality one should be very cautious about selecting one’s goal. One thing is clear – the Supreme Entity alone should be accepted as one’s goal.” (9)

ALWAYS KEEPS HOPPING FROM ONE OBJECT TO ANOTHER

Mana eva mauśya nám kárańam bandha mokśayo”.

“In other words the unit attains salvation only when she/he empties her/his mind of all objects. Just as an iron sword can perform acts of cruelty or merely cut the rope tethering and animal, similarly, according to its objective tendencies, the mind can also be the cause of both bondage and liberation.”
“All unit objects are external. Love for such unit objects can never be lasting, for the mind always keeps hopping from one object to another. That is why I say, withdraw your love from the unit and merge yourself in the whole. Don’t mistake the unit for the soul or God. The attainment of one’s inner self is only possible through love for the Infinite. Dońt pretend to be inferior and as a result become lazy. Fill your heart with love of the Infinite, and your soul will be transformed into the Supreme Soul. No worldly happiness is limitless. Dedicate yourself completely to the blissful ocean of the Supreme Soul. Then alone will you realize what happiness really is. This path to attain happiness, this Sádhaná of self-surrender I call absolute devotion. Carry on performing your worldly duties with sincerity, and at the same time think about the pure self within you. Then alone will your Sádhaná be justified. The constant thought of your pure inner Self will certainly one day establish you in your original source, and this is the ultimate aim of Sádhaná.” (10)

ONE SERIOUS SHORTCOMING

“Thus, the mind is behind all our activities, whether we direct it towards worldly objects or towards Brahma. No action is possible without the mind. The mind has infinite potentialities and controlling these infinite potentialities is sádhaná.”
“Though the mind is very powerful it has one serious shortcoming. It cannot think of two objects concurrently.”
“Whenever it thinks it has one single object. Nevertheless the speed of the mind’s action is baffling. While concentrating on a particular work we may also hear others about us [[talking]]. This is due to the fast acting power of the mind, which leads us to believe that the thought currents of the mind are unbroken. For example, while witnessing the pictures in cinema, we also enjoy the dialogue. The activities of the mind can be understood by diligently applying the mind and we see that the mind can do only one thing at a time. Therefore worldly acts and meditation on Brahma cannot be done simultaneously. It is impossible that on one side humans will remain bound up with passion, anger, avarice etc. and on the other, will worship Brahma. The mind must be sanctified for the worship of Brahma.” (11)

WHERE IS THE SCOPE FOR VIRTUE OR VICE

“It is the human mind which performs action…”
““It is the human mind which is the cause of bondage or liberation. If the mind is in bondage, the person is also in bondage. Similarly, if the mind is liberated the person is also liberated. After all, it is the human mind which engages in auspicious actions. Now, if this mind is kept engrossed in the ideation of Parama Puruśa, then it gets totally merged in Consciousness. In that case, where is the scope for virtue or vice for that person?”” (12)

A PECULIAR ENTITY

“This human mind is a peculiar entity. It is the cause of all our sorrows and predicaments, and it is the cause of our supreme bliss. It is the cause of bondage, and it is the cause of liberation.” Now this mind, working within human framework, requires some pabulum for its maintenance. In the human mind there are fifty such pabula. And these are the human propensities, vrttis.” (13)

LIKE A BULLOCK CART WITHOUT A DRIVER

“It is said in Samskrta: Mana eva manuśyánáḿ kárańam bandha-mokśayoh.”
“Now let us analyse how the mind functions. In the physical sphere energy is essential for action. What is energy? Energy is the actional state within a material structure. This energy by itself is a blind force and for its activation intellect must exist: a driver is required to direct this blind force. The support of the intellect is a prime necessity for the operation of energy in this material world. If an useful thing is kept easily accessible to the common people in a country or society, in most cases it is misused or spoiled. Those who are considerate and have the power of judgement should be entrusted with the responsibility of controlling the physical power of common people with their intellectual power, otherwise everything will be spoiled. It is like a bullock which, without a driver, is unable to decide whether to pull its cart towards the right or the left. Only a discriminating driver can control everything efficiently.”
“As people, guided by their intellect, continue to gather practical experiences of the ups and downs of this world, they gradually start to realize that their psychic capacities are too inadequate to accomplish any great task. Then, faced with the stark realities of life, they realize that they have no alternative but to merge with the Supreme Consciousness. At that stage, whatever they do will have a cosmic support and will be genuine. That is why enlightened persons always prefer to remain unified with the Supreme Entity. This is considered the highest attainment of knowledge.” (14)

THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SORROWS

“It is the mind which carries the burden of pains and pleasures. In the mind is the gloomy black curtain of sorrow, and through this dark curtain pierces the silver light and golden glow of momentary happiness. As long as there are other entities outside the unit mind, there will continue to be sorrows and afflictions, desires, passions and pains. As a result of various types of physical or psychic clashes with other entities, the feelings of pain and pleasure rise and fall like bubbles in the mind. If, through sádhaná, people can merge their unit minds with the Cosmic Mind of Parama Puruśa, then the unit minds themselves become the Cosmic Mind: their individual identities are merged in that Cosmic “I”. In that condition, there remains nothing outside. Thus, there is no longer any possibility of physical or psychic clash with any external entity or object. All objects, all ideas, arise out of one’s mind. This is the state of liberation – a state of Cosmic bliss far above the domain of mundane pleasures and pains.” (15)

ACT ACCORDING TO THEIR WILL

“Mind alone is the cause of the bondage and liberation of human beings. Why is it the cause of bondage and liberation? It is because all the beings below human being are bereft of an independent mind. Their minds are guided by their natural instincts. But human beings have an independent mind. They can act according to their will. They can take the track either of bondage or of liberation. This is the fundamental difference between human beings and animals.”
“The mind must always have an object (viśaya). In scriptures, viśaya is known as “ábhoga.” “Ábhoga” means that object which feeds the mind – that is, mental pabulum. If this pabulum is limited, the mind also becomes limited. If the pabulum is infinite, by making an effort to obtain it, the mind becomes infinite. It depends entirely on the will of human beings which pabulum, limited or unlimited, is made their object. Whether a person becomes great or small completely depends on the person’s wish.”

Bandhastu viśayásaungii mukto nirvisáyaḿstathá.

““When the object of human beings is small and they remain fixed to it, they are in bondage. When the object of the mind is infinite, and we get merged into it, as it is not possible to hold it, we call it liberation.””

Páshabaddho bhavejjiivo páshamukto bhavet Shivah.

““The person whose object of mind is limited, is in bondage. When the object of mind is unlimited, it (the mind) cannot be kept within limitations. Then there is no bondage, but liberation.”” (16)

“A’ka’shabhara’ a’jake ta’ra’…” (P.S. 2523)

Purport:

O’ Parama Purusa, the sky of this amavasya night is filled with the stars. The sweet, nectar-like breeze is blowing mildly. The mind is floating in divine ecstasy from the known to the unknown world – towards its final destination. O’ Divine Entity, ensconced in Your ideation, my mind is getting lost in Your divine bliss. The lily flower is constantly looking towards the sky; the aroma of flowers is emanating all around. They have forgotten themselves and lost awareness about their own unit existence. They restlessly move in the attraction of one call. O’ Parama Purusa Baba, in Your longing I am sitting alone, counting the stars. I understand that by Your grace I have lost myself in this beautiful atmosphere and the attraction of Your love. Baba, You are ever-gracious and You are always remaining by my side and guiding me. On this amavasya night my heart is yearning and longing for You. Please grace me by coming closer and still more close…
Namaskar,
In Him,
Pramendra

REFERENCES:
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam – 12
2. Baba in Fiesch
3. Yoga Psychology
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam – 12
5. SS-11
6. Discourses on Tantra-1
7. Neo-Humanism in a Nutshell – 1, Existential Flow and Its Culminating Point
8. A Few Problems Solved Part 5, What is Dogma
9. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell – 6, Ekendriya – 4
10. The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 1
11. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1, The Form of Sadhana
12. A Few Problems Solved Part 5, What is Dogma
13. Ananda Vacanamrtam – 30, The Subtlest Propensity
14. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life -10, The Cardinal Spirit of Action and the Supreme Stance of Devotion
15. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 16
16. Ananda Vacanamrtam – 1, Leaving Bondage

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Longing For Royal Funeral

Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:02:46
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: “Giriish ”
Subject: Longing For Royal Funeral

Baba

== LONGING FOR ROYAL FUNERAL ==

Namaskar,
In His majestic manner, Baba has left no stone unturned; every reply and every answer He has graciously given.

Included in this email is a link to an audio file of Baba’s voice wherein He is even giving instruction on when one should leave their post. Please find it along the upper left sidebar of the blog. Plus the entire transcription of that audio file is contained right here in this email.

WHEN ONE SHOULD GIVE UP THE POST – AND WHY

Baba wants that we should all attain that divine stance of supreme fulfillment and reach unto His loving lap, so He has clearly stated that in our mid to later years, we should leave aside the bulk of our worldly duties and focus the mind inwards – ensconcing ourselves in that sweet bliss. This applies especially to those holding key posts; and this has multiple benefits.

So when a person’s physical abilities are waning and their cognitive abilities are decreasing, they should give up the post. Society should not suffer due to one’s greediness for the post.

Otherwise if one continues to hold onto that social position into their later years, it is neither good for society nor for one’s psycho-spiritual development. That is why Baba says that when one is old, has less energy, and is unable to function properly, one should give up the post and let those who are younger and have ample energy take up the work. When one is holding a significant post then that comes with many responsibilities. If due to old age and feebleness, one cannot attend to those duties properly, they should pass on their worldly responsibilities & titles to their juniors. Then this juniors will attend to that work with greater vigor and society will be benefited, and those who are senior in years can devote more time to spiritual practice. This is the basic approach and this tenet applies to all Ananda Margiis, both Wts and family margiis.

That does not mean that aged persons cannot do any work at all. There are many types of sevas; surely one can serve in some capacity. But that post might have fewer demands. The main idea is that society should not suffer because of one’s compromised abilities and greediness to hold the post. The goal should not be to have a royal funeral in their honor, as a person will become one with that and lowly goal. One should think of and cultivate the desire to attain Parama Purusa. That should be the aim: To become one with Him.

Who can deny the fact that physical stamina and cognitive abilities are needed to hold key posts. If one’s faculties – physical and psychic – are waning, then they will not be able to properly execute their work associated with key positions in society. In that case, they should give up the post.

It is just like if one is a surgeon and their hand is shaking and they cannot recall the next step of the surgical procedure, then who is going to be interested in being operated by that surgeon. On their own accord, that surgeon should step down. That will be best.

Similarly if a pilot is losing his vision and is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, then who is going to want to fly with such a pilot. No one. Because they know the result will not be good.

Unfortunately, due to reasons best known to them, some of our senior members do not recall or pay heed to Baba’s special teaching that when one is elderly and can no longer do then work then one should leave the post.

In order that everyone may benefit from Baba’s divine teaching, here below is (a) the translation, (b) the transcription, and (c) the link to this rare excerpt of this never-before-published discourse of 12 June 1979 (Kolkata).

THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Note: The following is a near literal translation of an excerpt from one of His original discourses. Here follows Baba’s special mandate about leaving one’s post:

“In the past, after attaining 50+ years of age, the people used to go to the jungle. While living there, they would engage only in the study of the scriptures (svadhyaya), discussion on dharma (dharmashastra), bhajan, kiirtan, sadhana, and puja etc.”

“But these days, even after people cross 80 years of age, still they do not like to leave their leadership post of minister etc. Instead they proclaim that, ‘I want to have a state funeral. If I leave the post then how can I get that. It will be impossible’.”

[Then Baba began joking that…] “Even the dead body in the cremation ground does not like to leave the post.”

(Note: Here dead body means those who are fragile yet still holding the post. They are like dead bodies of the cemetery.)

“You all should never do like this. When you see that you have become aged, then give your post to your juniors. At any cost you must not clutch onto your post forever.”

(Then Baba was again making jokes and then He asked one Dada, ‘Would you like to clutch onto your post forever?’. Then everyone started laughing and that Dada replied, ‘No, Baba.’)

“Prepare your juniors and give up your post immediately. ” (12, June 1979)

The above is a near-literal translation of an excerpt from Baba’s original discourse.

ORIGINAL BANGLA + ENGLISH TRANSLATION

(Note: English readers should be aware that the following has been written in Roman Sanskrit, so various letters are pronounced differently from the English alphabet. Please reference the Roman Sanskrit alphabet page from a recently printed edition of one of our AM books.)

Paca’s vars’ hoye gele. Aba’r jungle cale ja’be, keval sha’stra carca’, dharma carca’, sa’dhana, bhajan.

“In the past, after attaining 50+ years of age, the people used to go to the jungle. While living there, they would engage only in the study of the scriptures (svadhyaya), discussion on dharma (dharmashastra), bhajan, kiirtan, sadhana, and puja etc.”

“Painca’sordhve vanam gajah”

After attaining 50+ years of age, the people used to go to the jungle.

“Ekhanto assii vatsar hoye ja’va’r pare mantritva cha’r’ate ca’y na’. Bole a’mito state funeral nebo. A’ge mantritva cha’r’ale to sa’ma’n…hobe na’.

“But these days, even after people cross 80 years of age, still they do not like to leave their leadership post of minister etc. Instead they proclaim that, ‘I want to have a state funeral. If I leave the post then how can I get that. It will be impossible’.”

[Then Baba began joking that…]

To ekhan ei rakamer…Ghat’er mar’a’ tabuo post cha’r’e na’.”

‘Even the dead body in the cremation ground does not like to leave the post.”

“Tomara’ kintu ei samasta karabe na’. Jei dekhale bayas hoye geche, apane junior ke diye post cher’e debe, sange sange post cher’e debe. Kono vya’pa’re post a’nkar’e tha’kibe na’.”

“You all should never do like this. When you see that you have become aged, then give your post to your juniors. At any cost you must not clutch onto your post forever.”

(Then Baba was again making jokes and then He asked one Dada, ‘Would you like to clutch onto your post forever?’. Then everyone started laughing and that Dada replied, ‘No, Baba.’)

“Loka taerii kare post cher’e da’o.”

“Prepare your juniors and give up your post immediately.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN

In His above discourse, Baba is giving the dynamic teaching that one should not hold and clutch onto the post as one crosses into old age when they can no longer do the work. Because ultimately, this human life is a spiritual journey, and one should do sadhana regularly from their very childhood up through their early adulthood and mid-life, and then later on – when one is aged – they should devote their time almost exclusively towards sadhana. That is Baba’s special teaching.

Unfortunately, this teaching is not well-known in Ananda Marga as certain personnel never even attempted to publish this very discourse. Now 32 years have passed since this discourse was first given, and still this unique pravacan has not been published or printed in any language.

Thus, due to their attachment etc, top Dadas are holding onto their post into the very later years of their lives and beyond.

Yet in His above teaching, Baba is clearly giving the hint that post-holders like PP Dada and GS Dada etc should no longer be holding onto their organisational position into the twilight of their lives. Rather they should relieve themselves of such duties after they have become aged and then dedicate more and more time to practicing sadhana. That is Baba’s explicit mandate.

And indeed, up till 1990, Baba was cycling more and more young faces into Centre. This was His regular manner of running the organisation.

COMMONLY HELD DOGMA ABOUT PP

Nowadays though, some holding key posts wrongly think that they should remain in the post until the day they die – whether they can do the job properly or not. That is why some are blaming that the overall posting system is faulty. Because they see what was going on with PP Shraddhanandaji and misunderstand that PP must keep his post forever and ever. They think that PP Dada should hold just keep his post up till his very expiration – regardless of his mental state etc.

But, in reality, this is an incorrect approach. Such a PP should have either handed over his post, or taken a lesser position.

All in all, it is just like US Supreme Court Justices who have their appointments till death. That does not mean though that one should keep their post whether they can do their job or not – whether they have dementia or not. Rather, when they are no longer able to fulfill their duties, then those Supreme Court judges step aside. This is the honest and decent thing to do.

This same ethic and spirit applies to the PP post etc.

Yet certain key post holders do not do like this. Instead they clutch more and more tightly onto their post as their own capacities diminish.

So, now is the time to turn things around and pay heed to Baba’s call that those beyond their capacity should be maximally involved in sadhana etc. Society also should not suffer due to their inability.

THE LINK

Here is the link where one can hear the section from Baba’s original Bengali discourse where He gives this very point that one should step down from their post after the age of 50+, and allow their juniors to carry on with the work.

http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/

Just click on the audio file at the aforementioned link.

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace our Marga will soon overcome the various diseases of extreme groupism and the lust for power and develop into a rational and fit society.

Baba says, “Install qualified persons in power, and the social order which will be evolved by virtue of their leadership [and] will give due importance to one and all.” (A Few Problems Solved – 2)

Namaskar,
Giriish

Note 1: WHY NOT GETTING YOUTHS

Because of this defective atmosphere where Dadas hold onto their post for decades and decades even when they are not well, then it is no wonder why in Ananda marga youths are not coming. It is because old people are sitting there on the post like rocks and the youths do not see any dynamism in that. This stands as yet another reason why we should be adamant to implement Baba’s teaching of not having elderly and decrepit persons still so actively involved in their livelihood and key posts etc.

Note 2: STATUS OF RUDRANANDAJI & SARVATMANANDAJI

Among others, nowadays we see that both Rudranandaji and Sarvatmanandaji are desperately clothing onto their organizational status and still trying to secure the top post for themselves. Yet both are suffering and unable to attend to their duties properly. Rudranandaji has a bad back and cannot attend properly to his work; and, Saravatmanandaji recently had his own episode where he passed out on stage while giving a talk. They are both too feeble to execute their duties properly, and society suffers. That is the end result – plus they miss out on the opportunity to have more time for sadhana.

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

“Patitapa’vana tumi sana’tana, toma’ra iccha’ya cale dhara’ “… PS #4986

Baba, You are Saviour of the sinners. You are eternal, ever-present. This universe moves according to Your desire. We are listening and silently watching Your divine liila. When You give a little energy, only then is it possible for us to do something. Otherwise, nobody can do anything. Baba, please come close, more close into my mind and saturate the core of my heart. By Your grace, I understand You are within all…

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Same Disparity

From: “A. Roy”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Same Disparity
Date: Wed Aug 22 2012, 22:01

Baba

PS Intro: In this following song the devotee is lying at Baba’s lotus feet, ensconced in a’nanda. And in that deeply devotional atmosphere, the sadhaka is desperately calling to all the jiivas to also come close to Baba, the Parama Purusa incarnate, and have His darshan and get His blessing.

“Ba’n’sga’rii bahiye ja’y, saha’s nayane ca’y
Goloker hari a’ji gokule liila’ raca’y…” (P.S. 3658)

Purport:

Today, the Hari of the divine world has manifested His liila in the land of devotees. With His sweet grace He is moving all around playing His divine flute– showering His charming smile and gracious eyes upon all. With reddish lips, He is beckoning each and everyone. He is telling: ‘Come close, come to Me– quickly, as soon as possible, come running, so we can be together up to eternity’. Today that Hari of the divine world is showering bliss on everyone. We are so graced.

Everyone is His kith and kin; all are His own; nobody is alien. No one is far; everyone is close. All are His most intimate ones. By His grace everyone gets Him in their thinking, japa, and meditation. Everyone resides in His mind; everyone has a place in His heart. By His causeless grace, now the river of devotion is flowing at high current. His divine rasa is dancing, overflowing, & splashing in ecstasy. With His fathomless grace the garland of waves is swaying to and fro. All are ensconced in His bliss.

For crushing the dus’t’a (demonic people) and for saving & nurturing the virtuous & dharmic people and for destroying the nefarious and deadly demons, He comes again and again on this earth with the rumble, twang, and beating of His kettle drum. There is no one else on this earth who has such infinite and countless qualities. That Hari of the divine world is the abode of all heavenly attributions.

Come one, come all. The Lord of the universe has come today with gracious splendour, and He is showering His divine liila upon all devotees. He is most loving and ever-gracious…

== SAME DISPARITY ==

Namaskar,

Baba says, “Dignity is attached to post or rank. A station master will take great pains to prepare the railway minister’s visit, but will never trouble himself with the inconveniences faced by the ordinary passengers. Luxurious houses are built for high-ranking officers while the poor live in shanty towns, barely protected from the elements.” (PNS-18, p.56)

Unfortunately a similar disparity is also continuing in our AM. Where so-called high post holding Dadas get the cream of the cake but rarely does anybody bother about juniors and subordinates. Some so-called margiis do not treat common WTs in the same grand way that they treat high-ranking Dadas. Unfortunately where there is post there is prestige. If anyone has a low post then they do not get any prestige. Hence, the same cancerous diseases that the general society is suffering from, AM is also suffering from these days. But our duty is to follow Baba’s guideline.

Namaskar,
A. Roy

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Story: Baba’s Name and Fame

Date: Sat, 04 Aug 2012 20:38:43 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Story: Baba’s Name and Fame
From: “Iishvara”

Baba

== STORY: BABA’S NAME AND FAME ==

Namaskar,
There is one margii professor Chandra Prakash Atreya from Meerut who used to go visit Baba in Jamalpur.

During one of his early visits, he asked one of the rickshaw wallahs, “Do you know Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji?”

The rickshaw wallah immediately replied, “Yes, of course I know him, he has a beard and wears a saffron robe. Just last month he a performed a great yajina where thousands participated.”

Chandra Prakashji then understood that the rickshaw wallah had no idea who Baba is. So he just changed the topic of conversation.

But internally the Chandra Prakashji was thinking, “How strange it is that people are coming from all over India to see Baba, yet the local people have no idea who He is. Baba is not even well-known in his hometown.” These were the types of thoughts spinning in his mind.

So when he arrived at the ashram / office, he could not keep from raising this matter to Baba. (Note: In those early days, the margiis had opportunity to raise all kinds of personal questions and thoughts.)

Chandra Prakashji was given the opportunity to go on field walk with Baba. While walking on the road along with Baba, he said, “Baba, it is very strange that people come from far and wide for Your divine darshan, yet people here in Your locale do not even know You.”

Baba smiled and whispered in the margii’s ear, “Koii ja’n lega’ to kaese ka’m chalega’, jii?”. Meaning: If people knew that Baba is Parama Purusa, how work will be done?

Hearing Baba’s reply, Chandra Prakashji understood perfectly, and he was very grateful that Baba was not famous as He could then attend to His work of propagating the dharma of Ananda Marga ideology to one and all. Chandra Prakashji furthermore understood that if Baba was really famous then hoards of people would flock to Him and he (Chandra Prakashji) would not get opportunity to sit with Baba.

Indeed if the common masses were rushing after Baba because of His name and fame, then qualified bhaktas would get pushed to the side. For all these reasons and more, non-margiis were not allowed at DMC, as that would push margii bhaktas to the last row.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON BECOMES FAMOUS

Here are (a) some of the problems associated with becoming famous, and (b) some of the reasons why it is good that Baba did not become famous.

1) If a person is famous, then there will be all kinds of useless people hovering around. This happens with big-time politicians, sports heroes, entertainers, and all kinds of famous people.

2) In His own divine manner, with His cosmic liila, useless people were kept away and by His grace He brought bhaktas close.

3) Just as children do not want their parents to become super famous as they will have to share their parents with the whole world, and they will be pushed aside, similarly devotees never want their Guru to become so famous that they have to share Him with others.

4) If Baba had become very, very famous then useless people would have crowded the scene and He would not have had time to do anything else.

5) If a person becomes famous then they cannot attack local dogmas and customs like casteism etc. To keep their fame, a person must support all local dogmas, otherwise the common people will strike back and oppose you.

6) Those who are famous are chained to the status quo. There is no other way. They are unable to do any real work and certainly they cannot do anything revolutionary.

7) A famous person’s time is spent preserving their fame; they have no time for anything else. Those who are famous cannot fight against dogma, injustice, exploitation and all kinds of sinful activities, otherwise the sinners will attack and defame them. Famous people have to support sinful forces in order to keep their glory.

8) Those humans involved in running headlong for their own name and fame invariably become small-minded as they think about themselves and not Parama Purusa.

9) The vast majority of people in society are dogmatic etc. To get their support, one must give up their high ideals. Only then can a person become popular – only when they follow and adhere to the same dogmas as the general populace.

10) In India those sadhus who do orchestrate large sacrificial gatherings are very popular, because those sadhus follow all local dogmas. To become famous a person most follow the ways of the general populace and live their dogma. It is analogous to one seeking fame amongst donkeys, then that he must make the sound “hee-haw”. Likewise, to be famous amongst vultures one must eat dead, decaying bodies. In each and every circumstance, to become famous, one must indulge in all local dogmas.

Thus there are any number of negative outcomes if one seeks name and fame.

BABA’S SPECIAL QUALITY OF YASHA

Baba being the Parama Purusa also possesses the quality of yasha, i.e. that He is a polarizing personality: Some revere Him while others detest Him. When Parama Purusa comes on this earth it is always like that. Hence, He can never become so famous that 100% of the population appreciates Him.

Baba says, “Then there is another word, yasha; it means “reputation”. One should remember, here “reputation” has been used both in the extremely positive and in the extremely negative sense. There is positive reputation and there is also negative reputation. Lord Shiva came to this world about 7000 years ago; even now there are many who are His admirers, there are many others who are His opponents. The Iyers in South India will say, “Oh. Lord Shiva was great;” the Iyengars will say, “No, Lord Shiva was not great.” Lord Krśńa came about 3500 years ago; even now you will see there are so many admirers and so many opponents of Krśńa. That is, when Táraka Brahma comes, the entire intellect of the world gets polarized – one north pole, another south pole; one admirer, another opponent.” (Subhasita Samgraha, Part 21)

BABA’S SPECIAL TEACHINGS FOR HUMANS ON NAME & FAME

Here are more of Baba’s special teachings on name and fame. Everyone should pay heed to Baba’s warnings, lest things go awry.

In this first teaching Baba graphically describes the state of one who desires prestige.

Baba says, “Pratiśt́há – the desire to make oneself known. A person influenced by [the desire for] pratiśt́há expects respect from everyone, and hankers after name and fame. This mental state can be easily compared with the mental condition of a beggar. The beggar asks money from others, while the person craving for prestige begs others to give him respect. [The person desires something that] is really meaningless and possesses no value, something that has been fitly compared to the excrement of a pig.” (Ananda Vacamrtam, part 23)

Here below Baba guides us that we have come to this world for a short while – so one should not pass their days desiring prestige, rather one should seek Parama Purusa.

Baba says, “Pratiśt́há shúkariiviśt́ha: human beings come onto this earth only for a short while: after this stipulated period, they will depart. All entities in this world merely come and go, nothing is fixed – everything is moving, and thus this universe is called jagat (root verb gam + kvip = jagat). Jagat means that which has the characteristic of ceaselessly moving on. Another synonym for the word “world” is saḿsára (saḿ – s r+ ghan), “that which constantly changes its place.” When nothing ever ceases to move, then can you remain permanently in this world? Even the effort to establish oneself permanently in this world is unnatural, because this pratiśt́ht́á is as abominable as the stool of a sow. Hence one should give up all these three – abhimána or inflated ego, gaorava or self-aggrandizement, and pratiśt́a or desire for prestige – and worship the Lord.”(Ananda Marga Way of Way Life-11)

In this next teaching Baba guides us that great people are those who are neither bothered by praise or censure. Those who cultivate fame never fall in this category – they must be 100% concerned about public opinion.

Baba says, “Those people are great who harbour no biases and who behave rationally both with those who abuse them give them pain and with those who give them happiness. Such people don’t harbour any feelings of enmity towards anybody and take no-one as their enemy. They remain the same in pleasure or pain whether they have a positive reputation or negative reputation. They are unaffected and unassailed in all circumstances of praise or criticism, pain or pleasure. They attach no importance whatsoever to any of these things. They are meaningless for such people.” (Ananda Vacanamrtam, part 5)

Finally Baba guides us that those who crave fame will never have time to do any dharmic work on this earth.

Baba says, “Nindantu niitinipuńáh yadi vá stuvantu: “If I am too concerned with those who praise or censure me, I will not find time to do my real work. As I have come to this world only for a short period, my only concern should be to keep on doing the duty the Lord has assigned to me. And while doing this allotted duty, I should remember that I belong to Parama Puruśa. I have come form Him, and I will have to return to Him – and to do that, I must complete my allotted duty.”” (Subhasita Samgraha, part 12)

BABA’S BLESSING

Baba has graciously has put us on this earth to propagate a great and noble ideology. The attainment of prestige or fame is a distinct impediment. We must never harbor name or fame. Then the entire life will be spent in petty pursuits devoid of ideology. We should always follow Baba’s divine example and remain out of the public eye, never desiring prestige. Then, by His grace, we will be able to do our real work on this earth.

Namaskar,
Iishvara

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

“Toma’r na’me bha’siye dilum a’ma’r sa’dher tariikha’ni…” (P.S. 4755)

Purport:

Baba, O’ my Dearmost, You are my eternal shelter. All my desires and all my longings are depending solely on You. Baba, my boat is floating along trusting on Your name. I am surrendering everything unto You. Baba, by Your grace the boat of my desires will float along through all the crests and troughs – through all the highs and low – day and night. Baba, I do not have any fear because I am just surrendering at Your alter. You are my shelter. I have full faith on Your name; my whole existence floats in the incantative waves of Your divine name.

Baba, O’ Parama Purusa, You are my Goal; You are my dhyana. You are so gracious; You are always calling me – bringing me closer to You. Baba, on the dark, stormy night in the midst of the loud thunder and streaking lightening, my boat will not shake or tremble because I am surrendering in You. You are my everything.

Baba, on the one side the whole panoramic scene is absolutely brilliant: As I float along on my boat, the entire water, air, and sky are suffused with the golden effulgence of the sun’s rays. Everything is sparkling. Yet on the other side, due to my own faults and shortcomings, my existence is stained – sunk in blackness. Baba, by Your grace, I will carefully sort through all the good and bad things – keeping all the postive attributes and removing all the negative ones. Baba, by Your grace, on this journey all the bad samskaras will be wiped away.

Baba, my whole existence is revolving around You– singing Your name and glory. You are my everything…

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Re: DMS News #12: Uncultured Dance in Cultural Program

Subject: Re: DMS News #12: Uncultured Dance in Cultural Program
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:55:01 +0530
From: dada nitya
To: AM-GLOBAL

Baba

== Re: DMS NEWS: UNCULTURED DANCE IN CULTURAL PROGRAM ==

(Note: This is the twelfth letter on this thread. Please find links to all earlier letters below. – Eds)

Namaskar,

Brother Divyam’shu wrote:

“The fact is that Mr Pathak’s dance programs are strongly influenced by Bollywood sensuality. As a performance director, he takes all his cues from the materialistic movie / fashion industry. That is why there is so much pseudo-culture in his dance productions that are done under the banner of Rawa. So how could a highly posted Dada like Acintanandji think that Pathakji is establishing dharma? Dadaji’s analysis is quite disturbing.”

My reply:

Who will bell the cat? Who will change Sri Mrinal Pathak’s mindset about turning Rawa programs into sensual display? Moreover most dadas and didis are of the same feather and have such fixed mental attitude that is very difficult to change them. Many margiis are reluctant to express their anger when they hear about RAWA cultural function in DMSs, it is only because to whom they will complain?

Actually this adult dance-drama was introduced by Sarvatmananda and Mantreshwarananda and it became a tradition for DMSs; adult dancers were brought and sponsored by this duo during their hey-day in post 1990 era and were financing a lot to the women dancer teams of Bengal and Orissa with 5 star treatment. Though those days are gone and the key persons are changed, yet the same tradition is prevalent.

Such cinematic cultural functions in the sacred holy venue are not meant for any ‘ideological project’, rather it is a very cheap and easy ‘path’ for gaining popularity at the cost of our ideology.

Mrinal Pathak invites young women to ‘appear before international gathering’ in DMS and he lures them ‘you are beautiful, you have talent and you will gain name and fame’. Many margis feel hesitation to allow their adult females to take part in DMS RAWA programmes. Now in Ananda Marg everything is free-for-all, so many WTs are sloping or tending downwards towards mundanity.

Namaskar
Dada Nitya.

On 07/02/2012 10:25 PM, AM-GLOBAL wrote:

Baba

== Re: DMS NEWS: UNCULTURED DANCE IN CULTURAL PROGRAM ==

(Note: This is the eleventh letter on this thread. Please find links to the ten earlier letters below. – Eds)

Namaskar

Jaykrsna wrote:

“All programs should be passed and reviewed by the RAWA dept. or advisory committee of RAWA dept. before being presented in the public forum. Indeed, the in-charge of each & every dept. of AMPS should have proper knowledge of the events and programs of his dept. Otherwise we will have to face this type of blunder on a regular basis.”

Yes, I certainly second this proposal.

Verily, such a system must be in place and practiced otherwise this RAWA debacle will continue. Rather May 2012 DMS was not the first time that Mr Mrinal Pathak presented such a degrading scene on stage. This has been a on-going issue of late.

We should all reflect on the way Baba set up our Marga.

EVERYTHING IS SEPARATE IN AM

Baba has set things up such that we we keep our sanctity by maintaining our proper standard, not by compromising with our values. In the realm of male-female relations, our proper standard is separation, not free and sensuous mixing of the sexes.

Baba has mandated that everything in AM should be separate: For example WWD, our relief activities (AMURTL), reportings, social service projects, LFT trainings, and so much more. There are all separate along gender lines.

1. Jagrtis are not shared between males and females.
2. Co-education is not practiced with students above 10 years of age, i.e. or above the age of puberty.
3. During dharmacakra sadhana is done in distinctly different rows.
4. The organisation itself has an entire separate wing for females, WWD or Women’s Welfare Department.
5. Prout, AMURT, VSS etc also have separate sections for males and females.
6. Reporting is done separately.
7. LFT, Tattvika, and Acarya training is separate for males and females.
8. In-Charges are not mixed. Males are in-charges of males and females of females.
Note: Only in Central Office will the head of WWD be controlled by the General Secretary.
9. During DMC, kaoshikii was also performed separately. And still this practice is maintained.
10. Females doing guard duty for females and males for males; not mixed.
11. Akhanda kiirtana is also done in a separate manner.
12. Madhur Sadhana is not done collectively with the opposite sex.
13. in any gathering, games and sports females & males do not participate together.

Thus, when our entire AM way of life is separated along gender lines, it is shameful that today we are allowing the free and sensuous mixing of the sexes on the stage during our RAWA cultural programs. This sets a bad example for those young dancers and thrusts them into the world of pseudo-culture. Plus it is degrading for the audience to watch. It is a negative scene from all directions.

Namaskar,
Indranath Deva

Note: PREVIOUS LETTERS IN THIS SERIES

#1: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/dms-news-uncultured-dance-in-cultural.html

#2: http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in.html

#3: http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in_17.html

#4: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in_18.html

#5: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in_20.html

#6: http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-6-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in.html

#7: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-6-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in_25.html

#8: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-7-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in.html

#9: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-8-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in.html

#10: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/06/re-10-dms-news-uncultured-dance-in.html

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Next Life: Greed for Name and Fame

Date: 01 Apr 2012 22:46:05 -0000
From: “Hariish Dev”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Next Life: Greed for Name and Fame

Baba
Next Life:

Greed for Name and Fame

Namaskar,
Here below Baba guides us how important it is to keep pure ideation when helping and serving others.

Baba says, “Those engaged in social service devoid of ideation on Parama Purusa, then when performing their good deeds they become greedy for name and fame. And they like to see the newspaper coverage of their great works.”

“So in this case the person falls under the instinct of greed- because he is greedy for the popularity of his own unit name and fame. And due to the domination of this greed instinct, in his next life he will be born according to those reactive momenta– which is depending upon the dominance of a particular vrtii.”

“So in natural course the Creative Principle will provide him with the body of a cat which is always greedy for food. A cat is so greedy that when sneaking into the kitchen to devour some food, even if the cat gets hit and jumps out the window; then just a few fractions of a second later that same cat again tries to enter into the kitchen via the door– to again try to get some food. All due to its avaricious nature.”

“Thus this is the fate and next life of those who cannot control their greed. Here it should also be noted that Parama Purusa did not do anything to create this situation. Rather, according to the desires of the jiiva he will get the new life.” (AV (B)- 10, 22 April ’79)

Namaskar,
Hariish Dev

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They Were Trustless

From: “Marc Pele”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: They Were Trustless
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:07:12 +0000

Baba

== THEY WERE TRUSTLESS ==

Note: A sound file has been placed on the AM-GLOBAL blog that serves as an accompaniment to this below letter. That sound file is called, ‘One Oath Taking Ceremony’. Visit: http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/

Namaskar,
To prepare oneself for this entire topic, please consider the following.

Suppose there is one guru who knows that some of his disciples suffer from certain flaws. That guru calls those disciples near and says, “From tomorrow onwards, you will be given greater responsibility to run the ashram and its activities; promise me that you will not sell the ashram and destroy all the programs. Can I trust you that you will not ruin the ashram?”
By making this type of statement and posing this sort of query, it is very evident that the guru does not trust his disciples. Such a statement does not at all convey a sense faith in his disciples.

Keep the above idea in mind as you read the remainder of this mail.

THE CURRENT SCENE

The present scenario unfolding now in our organisation did not come out of nowhere. There was every indication that such a splintering could and would take place. Baba certainly knew; and if we all think a little bit, it should not have come as a surprise to us either. Please understand that I have full regard and respect for our dear Dadas, only I wish to bring something to the table for everyone to consider and review.

BABA WAS CALLING THEM TO TAKE OATHS

In 1990, as you may remember, Baba was calling Dadas– groups of Dadas, especially Central Workers and other top Dadas– to Him so that they could take an oath in His presence. There was no secret this was going on, as many have heard about this program.

Those days, Beloved Baba was calling several workers or more at a time and asking them, ‘Do you promise to work for the welfare of the mission? Can I trust you to spread my ideology? Are you committed to serving all peoples? Will you keep this organisation unified? Are you to be trusted?’.

To each of these types of questions, all the Dadas present– ie the top Dadas which Baba had called before Him– were required to take an oath to that they would solemnly swear to fulfill their duty to Baba and the Ananda Marga mission. This was the scene which was unfolding in 1990. And those respected Dadas were quite proud to have been called before Baba to take such an oath. They took this to be an honor and and indication of their high commitment to Baba.

WHAT IS THE INNER MEANING BEHIND SUCH AN OATH

With all due respect, however, we should apply a little bit of our own cognitive abilities– by way of analogy– to understand the real meaning of having to take such an oath in the first place.

Suppose there is one guru who knows that some of his disciples suffer from certain flaws. That calls those disciples near and says, “From tomorrow onwards, you will be given greater responsibility to run the ashram and its activities, promise me that you will not sell the ashram and destroy all the programs. Can I trust you that you will not ruin the ashram?” By making this type of statement and posing this sort of query, it is very evident that the guru does not trust his disciples. Such a statement does at all convey a sense faith in his disciples.

With respect to our dear Dadas, I think all readers are by now getting the idea why Baba requested such top WTs to take an oath before Him. Before discussing this further, let’s take a look at another analogy.

Suppose, one day when a father is about to retire from his business and he is going to pass the torch of ownership of all his entrepreneurial interests and land holdings to his son, and the father says, ‘Son, I have worked hard all my life, please promise me that you will honestly watch over my affairs and take care of the family’, then does this not indicate that the father does not have full faith in his son. Otherwise, what was the need for the father to ask such a thing of his son. Such a statement or oath only comes into play, when a father feels that the son cannot be entirely trusted– or not trusted at all.

Or it is just like if there are two friends, and if one says to the other, ‘Listen, I have to go out for a few minutes, please promise me that you will not steal my belongings while I am gone’, then who is going to really think they have any friendship at all, or that the other person can be trusted. And certainly we can all think of so many other such examples– all of which point to a blatant lack of trust for the other party. In essence one is saying, ‘You are not trustworthy’.

Yet this is the very same type of oath which our All-knowing Baba requested from those top Dadas.

Please excuse me for saying so, but this oath was done because Baba was well aware about their inherent tendencies of groupism, division, and power mongering etc. With such ideas floating in their mental plates, how is it that those top Dadas were going to be able to care for the AM mission. Hence, Baba requested them to take an oath– to help steer them away from their negative desires. Yet we all know what happened, we all know how far those our revered Dadas could live up to the oath or not.

OTHERS WERE HAPPY THAT BABA DID NOT ASK THEM

From another perspective, various other acaryas and senior margiis who were NOT asked to take such an oath in front of Baba were relieved, because they felt that having to take such an oath meant that such persons were not up to the proper standard. And indeed it looks like that is the case. There are so many decent acaryas and margiis who are truly committed to the ideals of AM, and Baba knowingly never asked them to take that oath in front of Him. Whereas those who were requested to take an oath back in 1990 are the very ones who have pillaged our AMPS and cracked it into pieces for their selfish ends.

TOP DADAS SAW IT IN THEIR OWN WAY

But as life would have it, those top Dadas who took the oath– ‘I can be trusted to watch over the mission’– had their own perspective of the matter. With all due respect, those esteemed acaryas felt that it meant that they were the ones who were true to Baba.

Hence, they told everyone they knew that Baba took a special oath from them as they thought this would impress others. Indeed they traveled all over Delhi Sector and the entire globe, describing how Baba had specially called them and asked, ‘Can I trust you’ etc. So through their own eyeglasses, they thought that this was Baba’s way of telling them that they are the great ones to run the organisation. But those with a balanced mind can understand the inner truth: That having to take such an oath means that they had a weakness or mental defect. That Baba was saying, ‘You are not trustworthy’. Otherwise Baba would not have been concerned about them in that way.

And indeed, seeing what these oath-taking Dadas have done to our organisation since 1990, it is quite apparent that the all-knowing Baba did not trust them from the outset. That is why He was again and again asking them, ‘Can I trust you, can I trust you’. Please excuse me for saying so, but that is what rationality says. Many of these Dadas are our friends, but that does not exclude us from taking a proper look at the situation. After all we have come to establish AM ideology and serve the humanity, not any other reason.

Note: In AM oaths are taken when a person gets diiksa of various types. We remember our oaths everyday, but this query – “Can I trust you” – is unusual and displays a lack of trust.

DADAS TOOK IT AS THEIR ENTITLEMENT

BUT IT IS JUST THEIR HYPOCRISY

Regardless, our esteemed top Dadas viewed that oath as their entitlement to running the organisation. And not only that, they thought that they should then take similar oaths from the margiis. And that is the very tradition that they started.

After 1990, thinking of themselves as the great ones, those top Dadas began calling all the margiis to their various dogmatic programs like Mahaprayan, and requested those arrivees to take an oath. Such is the grand hypocrisy that has been going on since 1990. See the irony of it all.

Those top Dadas have ruined Baba scriptures, broken the organisation into pieces, created dogmatic tiirthas, pilfered so much money, expelled so many innocent margiis, destroyed the BP system, and countless harm they have done to our Marga, yet they see themselves as being fit to insist that others be true to Baba’s teachings. As if they are the golden watch-bearers to ensure that everything is proper.

For your review, here is the oath which our revered Dadas have been taking from other general acaryas and margiis since 1990. They do this oath of ‘dedication’ or ‘rededication’ at their dogmatic Mahaprayan ceremonies and at other gatherings. The audio version of the oath has been put on the AM-GLOBAL blog:

http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/

So go to the blog and listen for yourself what they are doing, and for your convenience here below is the transcription of that very oath.

“We, say on oath, in the name of Parama Brahma and Marga Gurudeva, that we shall observe uncompromising strictness and faith regarding the sanctity of Ista, Adarsha, Supreme Command and Conduct Rules. We shall actively endeavour to promote, individual and collective well-being, to perform all sorts of actions as desired by Revered Marga Guru. We shall not allow the unity of Ananda Margiis to be jeopardised for any reason. We shall maintain the unity, even at the risk of our life. We shall not, under any circumstances, allow individual interest to stand in the way of collective interest. We shall protect, in all respects and all costs, the dignity of Margiya treasures: The sublime ideology, universal love, and unshakable unity, and the sanctity of our flag, our symbols, and the pratikrti [photo] of Marga Guru.” (Oath taken at dogmatic Mahaprayan programs)

Again there is nothing wrong with the above oath per se. Just it is painfully amusing that the ones administering this oath have utterly destroyed our Marga. They have made a mockery out of unity, they have tossed AM ideology in the dustbin, they have gone against Ista in countless ways, they have stepped on and torn up our flag, and they have time and again put their own selfish and individual interests ahead of the common good– ahead of collective interest.

Thus it is an absolute mockery for them to be administering this oath to well-intentioned margiis and acaryas. And again, the only reason Baba was asking them in 1990, ‘Can I count on you, can I trust you’ was because He was indirectly saying, ‘You are not trustworthy’. That is what He was telling those top Dadas.

Please excuse me as I know how this sounds. However, do not take my word for it, take a look at what has occurred in our organisation since 1990. All because of the lust, deceit, and selfishness of certain people whose names need not be mentioned here. You know who they are.

BABA’S WARNING

Here is Baba’s clear-cut warning that if the people responsible for implementing an ideology are not up to the mark, then there will be hell to pay– the society will suffer.

Baba says, “Even if there is no defect in the philosophy but the person who takes the responsibility of implementing the philosophy is full of defects, then that high philosophy will remain confined to books only. The society will rush headlong to the depths of degradation, and no one will remain to save it. The people’s copious tears will drench their clothes, and they will die, banging their heads against the closed doors of human liberation. For them there will be no escape.” (NSS, Disc 14)

Because our revered top Dadas could not implement AM ideology in their own lives, our organisation has paid the price and indeed the greater society has suffered needlessly at the hands of so many exploiters– because our Marga could not come forward and save them.

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace those true to Him have taken the internal vow to establish His ideology on this dusty earth. Such persons will always be strict in following His teachings. Whereas those who merely brag, that Baba asked them, ‘Can I count on you’, we now know their status. By His grace, a new era of ideology is coming in our Marga.

Baba says, “Where the question of benevolence and malevolence is concerned we will not deviate an inch from our ideology, nor will we allow others to do so.” (NSS, Disc: 14)

Namaskar,
Mahendra

Note: ONE MORE ANALOGY

If anybody is having difficult and still could not understand the essence of this posting then this analogy may help.

Let’s say a husband and wife were at the airport as the husband was about to go away on a business trip. When saying good-bye, just before he was to board the plane, if the concerned husband says to his wife, ‘Please promise that you will be true to me’, who is going to think that their marriage is based on trust and fidelity.

Rather, one gets the distinct idea that the husband knows well that his wife has loose behaviour, or that she has been untrue in the past, or that she has interest in someone else. It gives the distinct feeling that ‘You (i.e. the wife) are not trustworthy’. And it is for this reason, with this doubt and uncertainty in mind, that he is requesting her to promise to be faithful. All because the wife has a distinct tendency to be unfaithful. Otherwise what was the need for the wife to take such an oath when there is a deep & trusting commitment between the two parties, between the husband and wife.

In other words if trust each other and if husband says like that there will be huge disappointment. She will cry out and be angry why he is accusing me, rather than be happy.
PRABHAT SAMGIITA
“Maner ma’jhe kon se ka’je a’cho balo na’…” (P.S. #2033)

Purport:

Baba, You are hiding deep in the recesses of my mind. What You are actually doing there I cannot say. Just You are sitting in the depths of my mind– listening to all my thoughts. Baba You are everywhere: omnipresent. Nothing can remain hidden from You. Baba, it is impossible to hide anything from You — what a torture this is. Your liila, Your divine play, is very vast– verily immeasurable like the infinite ocean. To understand Your divine liila, is very difficult. When I go to measure the depth of Your liila, then my whole existence is lost. Only consciousness remains floating. Mind becomes one with You. And “I feeling” is lost. Baba, if You do not want to be held, please tell me what You want. Your desire is my desire, don’t you know this very fact? Baba, You are eternally hiding in my mind and heart. Nothing remains unknown to You…

*************************************************
Wealth and Sin Live Side by Side

Here is something to keep in mind when viewing those capitalists who are now ruling this earth.
Baba says, “The person who cannot cheat others cannot become a millionaire overnight. You know as I told many times the goddess of wealth is established in sin. Only the person who is a terrible sinner and knows how to cheat others as quickly as possible, only they can be come a millionaire. The goddess of wealth is the goddess of sin.” (Discourse: ‘Introduction of Various local Gods and Goddesses’, AV-11 [H] pg 7)
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Example of Profane Baba Story

From: “Vinay.Deva”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Example of Profane Baba Story
Date: Sun 05 Feb 2012 21:55:05 +1000

Baba

“A’mi toma’y ja’ni, e katha’ vilate pa’ribo na’, na’, na’, na’…” (P.S. 609)

Purport:

Baba, by Your divine grace You are mine. Even though I am aware about Your divine Self, how I can I say for sure that I know You. No, no, no I cannot say. Baba, in spite of my intimate closeness with You, You remain mostly unknown to me. Baba, You are playing an unnamed tune on my mental viina calling me – sitting in my heart constantly.

Baba, in the beautiful dawn hour, when the effulgence of the moon fades away and the petals of the lotus blossom in the pond, I awaken. By Your grace, in that early hour all my lethargy and sleepiness vanishes completely. At that very auspicious moment how can I forget Your heavenly sweetness which permeates all around. Baba, You are so gracious and charming.

Baba, although You are always hiding and trying to keep Yourself out of sight each and every moment, even then by Your grace I know You are everything. In spite of Your on-going, eternal, divine liila of hide and seek, I understand You are the essence behind each and every expression. Baba, You play Your divine flute – all the while trying to remain hidden. Baba, by Your grace I know that You are that singular Divine Entity, yet in Your magical way You express Yourself in innumerable names, forms, and rhythms.

Baba, by Your causeless grace this much I know: You are mine and mine alone…

== EXAMPLE OF PROFANE BABA STORY ==

Namaskar,
The crude expression I came across today while reviewing one book is literally unspeakable – far beyond what I thought someone would include in a publication about Baba. That is why I refuse to even cite the actual word here in this letter.

Suffice to say that the writer allowed his lewd imagination to run wild when describing Baba’s own mother just prior to her giving birth. That is the tragedy involved.
The writer used such an unseemly and ungainly term that it just makes one question what kind of debased mind-set he really has.

WHERE DID SUCH DESCRIPTION COME FROM

After all, those days in the small town of Jamalpur there was no medical report documenting the details of the birth. Such a medical log did not exist.

So then how did the writer come up with this crude way of describing Baba’s mother?

Tragically, the writer just dug into his dirt-stained mind – his own imagination. That is how he wrote this sensual account; he described it totally on his own. The result of which is a crude, beastly description. Really this is too much that such a so-called writer would publicly narrate the scene of Baba’s own mother giving birth in this way.

OUR WAY IS THE SENTIENT WAY

In our AM ideology, Baba Himself has written about many female diseases in Yogic Treatments and never did He employ such a term. Rather Baba always spoke in respectful, sentient language. And it is His blessed example that we are to follow. In fact, nowhere in our AM literature has such term been put in print – nowhere.

So the writer of the book in question totally failed in this regard. Rather than adhering to Guru’s standard, he deviated and chose his own vile word to describe Baba’s own mother during childbirth. And he put that term in a bound book that he is trying desperately to sell in all sectors of the world and on the internet, for all to see.

It is truly unthinkable that in this publication, he resorted to crude, sensual, slang terminology that has absolutely no place on those pages, i.e, in a story about Baba. Let me again reiterate that such a word is not present in any true AM book, yet it was used in this publication.

BABA CONDEMNS SUCH WRITERS OF TODAY

Here following are Baba’s words where He strongly condemns the crude ways of such present-day writers.

Baba says, “It is a matter of great regret that a class of modern artists, in the realms of poetry, novels, cinema, drama, etc., employ all their artistic talents for the sole purpose of kindling people’s crude sensuality, instead of portraying human propensities with the idealistic outlook of a true artist – what to speak of portraying their subtle human feelings. Without supporting conservatism, I would say that this class of artists is truly a blot on society.” (Prout Nutshell – 1, The Practice of Art and Literature)

As we know, ours in AM is the way of sentient, civilised expression. It is a great tragedy then that the said book (noted below) fails in this regard.

Namaskar,
Vinay

Note 1: THIS IS THE BOOK THAT CONTAINS

THE PROFANE BABA STORY

As has been reported by many, the book, “Anandamurti: The Jamalpur Years” written by Devashish (Donald Acosta), is filled with countless mistakes. Nearly each and every page is tainted by factual errors, debased expression, and other problems. And that is the book I am referring to above.

Specifically, the profane story that describes Baba’s mother in a dirty manner just before she gives birth appears on the middle of page 2. If you do not have the book let us know and we will try and help.

Note 2: PRIOR LETTERS ABOUT THIS BOOK

Here are prior letters posted on this network about Devashish’s book, “Anandamurti: The Jamalpur Years”.

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2011/12/devashish-book-half-truth.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2011/12/devashish-book-misinformation-ii.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-falsehood-become-truth.html

*********************************************
Crow and Cuckoo

Baba says, “It is said that there is a particular species of the cuckoo bird that is incapable of nesting and raising its own offspring. So to protect and save her babies, the mother cukoo gently places her own eggs in the crow’s nest, even though the crow is her dreaded enemy. But since the eggs of both the birds looks the same, the crow carefully cares for those cuckoo eggs which were placed in her nest– thinking them to be her own. At the time of birth, the newborn birds of both species are black; so seeing the baby cuckoos, the mother crow does not initially realise that the baby cuckoos are not her own offspring. It is only when the baby birds become a little bigger and start to call out and cry, that the crow realises those are not her babies. Then and there the mother crow becomes very angry, suddenly understanding that it has gotten duped. But because of having given long-term care and developed sincere love for the baby cuckoo, the mother crow gives up the idea of attacking and killing the cuckoo. And instead the mother crow raises the baby cuckoo as one of her own.” (SC-10)
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Key of Unity

Date: Wed 01 Feb 2012 22:06:36 -0000
From: “Liiladhar Karn”
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Key of Unity

Baba

“Toma’r bha’laba’sa’ bu’jhe nijeke khunje peyechi…” (P.S. 4504)

Purport:

Baba You are so gracious. By enabling me to understand Your love I could search for my true self. Earlier I was confused about who I am and I was always feeling sad and pessimistic about my future. But now, by Your grace, in my heart I feel Your love– I feel that I am under Your shelter at Your lotus feet. Baba, now, by Your grace, I understand where I am; my life has become meaningful.

Baba, You are the polestar of my life. By Your arrival, my whole existence is just moving towards You. It is so blissful. Baba, when I get fatigued & tired by involving in the work, and when negative thoughts ruin my peace and tranquility, and when the clouds of hopelessness come– in that dark hour I take shelter in Your divine love.

Baba, my mental sky, my air, my breath, my entire existence, my everything is dancing according to Your sweet melody. My hopes get fulfilled by Your samvit (force of awakening). From the divine land, one unknown angel is beckoning me; O’ my dearmost Parama Purusa, You are that very apsera’ (angel). I have understood this truth in my meditation by Your grace.

Baba, by Your grace, I am completely ensconced in Your love and now I understand that I am completely sheltered in Your lap…

== KEY OF UNITY ==

Namaskar,
By looking around it is clear that this is the transitional period– a time of serious change and struggle in our Marga society. And for all of us– Margiis and many Wts– it is not easy to decide what to do and what not to do. Because nowadays various Wt groups & sub-groups are raising their ugly head: Declaring new PP’s, making claims to power, putting forth their groupist plan etc. And in response some confused margiis/Wts are thinking that they will work independently outside the organisational structure etc, etc. So in various ways groupism and the rush for power are creating a multi-fold, ripple effect.

The answer of course is singular: Creating unity. That is the distinct challenge we face now. That is what we must achieve.

SIMILAR TO A TIME IN THE PAST

But what we may or may not realise is that this condition is similar to the post-Mahabharata period when all kinds of internal disputes and infighting was going on. And in the end they could hardly do anything concrete for serving humanity. Rather the Yadava dynasty destroyed itself after Lord Krsna left the planet.

UNITY IS THE KEY WORD

As we all know, without unity and the development of one human society, nothing will be achieved. At least we can learn from those capitalists & how they have bonded together– albeit superficially–to fulfill their negative agenda.

On the other side of the spectrum in a positive spirit Baba has given that our social movement based on coordinated cooperation and that we should unite. So all around unity is needed to progress.

So now samghe shakti, unity is needed. And the best way is to follow Baba.

Following Baba, means forming unity; whereas groupism is the opposite. And of course the Marga which is unified will have more strength & vigour.

Baba says, “Human unity is purely an ideological unity, which means unity in the psychic sphere. Where there is psychic unity, physical unity will also occur. In the realm of unity, unity is always psychic – ideological unity means unity in the subtlest level of the mind. However, psychic or ideological unity may be affected if we encourage the exploitation of one group by another. So to avoid this there should not be any scope for exploitation [groupism] in society.” (‘Talks on Prout’)

THEN AND NOW

Now because of inner clash we have crippled ourselves such that even the wicked exploiters in society are not feeling threatened by us. Earlier, in those pre-1990 days, they were thinking that AM is one fireball and negative persons were very fearful about us. But not now; now they think that AM is doomed to destroy itself. All due to our present-day disintegration because of groupism. And such disintegration leads to more disintegration, splintering and division. That is why the exploiters in the mainline society are not worried about us any longer.

And regarding the point of disintegration, by seeing the history it is clear that this has happened to so many organisations and religions in the past– where they become one with the dust. This is one negative phase going on. So in our Marga this is the transitional period.

Because all around there is confusion, attachment, and misinformation. Right & wrong news and so many things are floating around; it is hard to know what is correct and what is incorrect. In this condition some people are feeling angry, depressed, frustrated & confused.

And again, the answer lies in unity by adhering to His ideological principles.

BABA STORY: A SIMILAR THING DURING THE 70’S

BABA’S GRAND ADVICE

Similar was the case in the past in the 1970’s when Baba went to jail. That time the conditions were also chaotic. Our Marga was in a complete dilemma about what to do and what not to do.

And then Baba graciously gave margiis the opportunity to visit Him and He guided us about how to proceed. The story goes like this:

When Baba was in jail, in Patna. Then one margii went to see Baba inside the jail. And Baba asked, ‘How is it going on?’

The simple margii replied innocently, ‘Baba, there is so much negative propaganda. Nobody is listening these days to our call. So pracar is not going on. It is very difficult.’

Then Baba smiled and told the margii, ‘Your only duty is to be strict in 16 Points. As much as you will be strict in 16 points, then you will get direct guideline and inner inspiration and strength to move ahead from Parama Purusa. If you are loose or lax in 16 points, then you will lose the inspiration to do pracar. even you will lose the inspiration to do anything, any type of social service. And you may even decide to leave AM.’

Baba continued, ‘So the best thing is to be strict in 16 points. And do not think or allow any negativity to enter in your mind. Thinking about negative things, mind will only be more depressed. The duty of sadhakas is to keep the eyes fixed on the goal. The goal is Parama Purusa.’

So in this way Baba has steered everyone’s vision toward the path of dharma–
toward the ultimate Goal. Indeed that is the way to remain unified.

HOW TO OVERCOME ONE’S DILEMMA OR CONFUSION

SIXTEEN POINTS BRINGS FORCE INTO THE MIND

Usually when there is a dilemma (dhvidha) or confusion (dhvandva) about what to do and what not to do, initially people get flustered and frustrated. And most of the time what they do goes in the wrong way.

Because the general tendency of the human mind is to run toward the external objects or crude ideas such as money, name & fame, or power etc. This is the natural temptation, because human beings have crossed thousands and thousands of animal lives in which they were only dominated by basic propensities– animal instincts. So those natural values are animalistic type whereas higher values, in which case veracity and dharmic teachings usually do not reflect in the mind until the mental plate is cleaned. So only when Sixteen Points is practiced more and more, only then does dharma get strengthened and the mind becomes more pinnacled and pointed. Whatever human beings do in that condition is very meaningful and valuable– or at the very least they will not harm anyone. Whereas if one is not following dharma then they will not only harm others but themselves also. So following Sixteen Points means following dharma and by that way all around benefit happens.

FOCUS ON PARAMA PURUSA

AND BE FIRM ON SIXTEEN POINTS

Also in Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Baba guides us that our eyes should be fixed on Parama Purusa. Inviting unnecessary thoughts and filling the mind in that manner is very detrimental. If anyone fails to keep their eyes on the Polestar, then on a dark night that person will certainly lose the path. So the eyes should be fixed on the Goal. And that goal is Parama Purusa– none else.

BABA says: “Now to materialize any principle or ideology, one requires firmness, especially those who provide leadership to society, those who are the pioneers, the vanguard of a new movement. “We must keep the goal fixed before us, and keep moving towards the goal. We shall never deviate from our goal, whatever the obstacles or hindrances in the way. Once we start moving, we shall never stop or look back.” (NSS, p.16)

So Parama Purusa is our Goal. And the only way to keep the eyes fixed on the Goal is by following 16 Points. That is the path of our forward movement. And that is way Baba directs us that we should proceed.

Baba says, “Be firm on sixteen points. Unite all the righteous forces. All the tall talks of the evil forces will be silenced.” (Ananda Vanii #44)

So in this organisational crisis and transitional period which we are facing today, our duty is to keep unity by being more and more strict in 16 points. By that way, inner strength will develop. And according to His desire, Baba will guide us how to carry out His mission. Means Baba will make us the medium to execute His work. To materialize His desire and achieve the Goal.

PAUSE BRINGS SPEED IN THE FUTURE

OPTIMISM IS LIFE

So when our organisation is struggling and stuck during a period of pause, then we should see the situation more again carefully and grab hold of Baba’s teachings.

Baba says, “Pause means the gathering of momentum for speed in the subsequent phase. If one closely watches the effect of speed on a particular community or the entire humanity, one sees that generally people eulogize the period of speed. However we cannot afford to ignore the state of pause, because by judging what the previous state of pause was like, we can discern the speed of the next phase.” (PNS-7, p.67)

So this pause period does not mean frustration for one and all. Rather big training is going on and society is preparing to move forward in the proper direction.

Baba says, “There are some people who are pessimistic. They say that the society around us is very bleak, that it has no expression of vitality and that is seems that everyone is in deep slumber. Pessimists say this because they have never made any detailed study of human history, nor do they care to. Had they done so, they would certainly be optimistic, because if they had looked carefully at the symptoms of pause, they would have realise that significant preparations were being made for the subsequent phase of speed. So under no circumstances should human beings be pessimistic. That is why I am always an incorrigible optimist, because I know that optimism is life.” (PNS-7, p.67)

BABA’S BLESSING

And about creating unity after such transitional periods Baba guides us in the following way:

Baba says, “In the present day also, you can see for yourself how the social movement is grinding to a halt. When social progress loses its velocity it is called ‘yugasandhi’ (transitional period) in Sam’skrta. You have all been born in such a transitional period and have assembled here today. In the future, the honest and virtuous people of the society will respond to Your call and will unite. The same polarization is taking place now as occurred in the past: the honest people are with you and will remain with you; the dishonest people will oppose you now and will continue their efforts to block your progress in future. Whenever there is a war between dharma and adharma, you are sure to be victorious. You are not alone– dharma is with you, the benevolent intellect is with you, and I am also with you.” (AV-7, p.63)

Namaskar,
Liiladhar

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Baba Story: I Don’t Know How to Surrender

Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:12:23 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: “Jawaharlal Deva”
Subject: Baba Story: I Don’t Know How to Surrender

Baba

== BABA STORY: I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SURRENDER ==

Note: The following story has been recounted by our margii brother, Shrii Nishikant Laghate.

Namaskar,
When I came in contact with Baba in 1966, I went to Jamalpur and He graced me by giving me personal contact (PC). In that personal encounter, Baba pointed out my mistakes and punished me.

Then He ordered me to surrender.

But I had no idea how to surrender. I was totally unaware about what to do.

Mentally I was asking Baba, “How do I surrender? What should I do?”

I was in a quandary as to what to do, i.e. how to surrender. Mentally I was pleading with Him to show me the way.

Then Baba said, “Just become like a very small infant.”

Hearing this I understood what to do and I fell at His lotus feet, giving everything of myself, by His grace, and losing myself in Him.

And Baba blessed me.

REFLECTION

Shrii Nishikant Laghate’s above story brings an important point to light…

Many people think that simply lying in sastaunga pranam is surrender or mentally thinking, “I surrendered” is actually surrendering to Guru. But that does not work; that is not the operative factor. Because when one keeps something for oneself, one’s ego or I-feeling is still active, and that type of “surrender” is meaningless.

Then there are still others who think that surrendering is like a military or police arrest where you just surrender physically, and hold onto your ego, pride, vanity and other mental baggage. This also is a point of confusion. In spirituality there must be cent per cent surrender in the psycho-spiritual realm.

So Baba’s teaching of being like an infant is ideal.

One must think that, “I have nothing – nothing belongs to me – everything is of Parama Purusa.” Then the true feeling of surrender comes.

The infant does not have anything of its own. A small baby does not fall prey to ego, vanity, intellect, or fortune etc, whereas grown-ups often think that they have something (career, house, car, name, fame etc) and then after doing some type of show or drama of surrender, they cannot get success. It does not work.

In the case of an infant, that baby literally has nothing – it surrenders unconditionally to mother, whereby the mother is forced to come to the baby’s rescue. When a sadhaka surrenders with that same psychology (i.e. unconditionally) then Guru is sure to accept.

BABA’S BLESSING

So that is what a sadhak must emulate in their spiritual life when surrendering to Guru. A sadhaka must give everything of themselves, without holding back anything. Then that will be surrender in the real sense of the term.

Baba says, “Prańipáta means complete surrender to the Eternal Entity, Parama Puruśa. The mental attitude that “whatever is, is from Parama Puruśa and nothing is mine” is prańipáta. One who has ego, one who thinks that one’s intellect, wealth and other things are one’s own, is the greatest fool. A person boasts of learning, intellect and fortune. But nothing is eternal. Therefore one who boasts of anything of this world is a fool. The worst psychic knot is the false vanity of intellect. Whatever is, is of Parama Puruśa; nothing is yours. Hence there should be complete surrender to Parama Puruśa. This is the first indispensable factor for mental development. If you really want to serve the world, complete surrender at the feet of Parama Puruśa is a must.” (Ananda Vacanamrtam-1, The Three Factors for Spiritual Elevation)

Baba says, ‘If you want to attain the bliss of Brahma, you must offer your own self. If you want to have the Great “I”, you must give away your own little “I”. You have to give the full sixteen annas, (the full rupee). Giving fifteen annas and holding back one anna will not do. You must completely surrender.” (Subhasita Samgraha-3, Vibration, Form and Colour)

Baba says, “If human beings cannot surrender themselves at the altar of Parama Puruśa they can never attain spiritual progress in life. Without total surrender, Macrocosmic grace is not attained, and without Macrocosmic grace nothing is attained. Besides this there is no other way, (Nányah Panthá Vidyateyanáya).” (Tattva Kaomudi -3, Bhakti and Krpá)

Namaskar,
Jawaharlal

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Baba Story: From Monk to Prime Minister to Dog

From: “Ramlal Deva”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Baba Story: From Monk to Prime Minister to Dog
Date: Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:11:04

Baba

BABA STORY:

FROM MONK TO PRIME MINISTER TO DOG

Namaskar,
In the following three stories, Baba reveals both the past life, status of mind, and rebirth of the once Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

These following stories, recounted by family acarya Dasarathji of Jamalpur, hold great educative value for every sadhaka as they give tremendous insight into how the samskara theory works and how one can attain the supreme rank.

Here following is Dasarathji’s first story…

STORY #1:

WHAT WAS NEHRU IN HIS PREVIOUS BIRTH

“One day while holding dharshan, Baba called me forward and directed me to see the past life of Jawaharlal Nehru. With Baba’s blessing, I began to describe what I saw.”

“In a very mountainous region there is one tree, and seated beneath the tree is a monk doing meditation. The monk is clothed only in a laungota.”

“Baba then instructed me to look into the mental plate of that monk and describe what I saw.”

I recounted, “He has a strong, dominant desire to rule others.”

REFLECTION

By this demonstration recounted by respected Ac Dasarathji, it is clear that in his previous life Nehru was a sadhaka who had a burning desire to get power. In result, instead of getting moksa, that monk was reborn in human form and given the high post – the Indian Prime Minister.

Here following is Dasarathji’s next story…

STORY #2:

A COMPARISON BETWEEN NEHRU AND SUBHASH

“In a second demonstration, Baba compared the lives of Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose. The year was 1962, just after China invaded and captured part of India.”

“Baba called upon me and instructed me to go and see what Nehru was doing. Immediately, within a flash, I could see exactly what was going on.”

“Nehru was in his residence, feeling troubled and humiliated by China’s attack. He was in a state of extreme psychic turmoil and drinking alcohol heavily in his room.”

“Then Baba instructed me to go and see what Subhash was doing. I reported that Subhash was performing meditation in a Himalayan cave.”

“Baba inquired if I saw anything else. I replied that there are many skulls around.”

REFLECTION

By this above demonstration, recounted by Ac Dasarathji, anyone can easily understand the contrasting states of mind of these two leaders. The first was sunk in woe drinking alcohol while the second was a great tantrika doing sadhana.

For those who may not know, at one time both Nehru and Subhash were working together in the same party for India’s freedom. But due to ideological differences, Subhash was pushed away. It was quite natural then for Baba to compare how each of these two leaders “progressed”.

Here following is Dasarathji’s third story…

STORY #3:

NEHRU’S REBIRTH

“Some years later, Baba perform a third demonstration. Baba instructed me to go and see what happened to Nehru after he died.”

“I saw in my mind’s eye that Nehru had been reborn as a dog and was now living a dog’s life.”

“Such is the shocking plight of the once Indian Prime Minister.”

That concludes the three stories recounted by Dasarathji.

REFLECTION

In the cycle of brahmacakra, the starting point of pratisaincara denotes when living beings proceed slowly from plant life to animal life and finally to human life.

Once one attains the human frame they have free will. If with their free will they goad their mind in a positive direction, they will become more and more subtle, refined. They will progress on the path of spirituality. And if they exercise their free will in the opposite crude direction, then they will degenerate and be reborn as a lower being.

As shown above in the first story, in Nehru’s case he passed through the stages of plant and animal life and finally got human life. Then after perhaps his first human life or so, he was reborn as a monk. But at that point, the strong desire came in his mind to rule over others.

Nehru’s dominant desire was not to please Parama Purusa. And when one does not long for Parama Purusa, then one cannot get Him. Rather Nehru’s longing was for power and prestige. In that case moksa was not a possibility. He would have to be reborn so his samskara for power could get exhausted. In that way, Nehru took rebirth and became the Prime Minister of India.

As prime minister, Nehru indulged in all kinds of negative actions and misused his power. He lost all his good qualities and degenerated terribly. Upon his death, prakrti assigned him the body of a wild Indian street dog. So he went directly from prime minister to animal life.

When Nehru finished his life as a dog, then perhaps he was reborn as a monkey or as a normal human being. This is the way the cycle of samakaras plays out. Everyone undergoes the reactions of their past actions. There are no exceptions.

Indeed, what transpired with Nehru was not a rare event. Rather this is a most common scenario. This type of thing happens in most cases. Prakrti does not want people to escape her clutch so she was tempting Nehru with prestige and power. And his mind leaned in that direction, so he remained under the bondage of prakrti. Prakrti verily never wants to release any of her captured souls, just as a master does not want any of his slaves to run away.

To overcome the grasp of prakrti is not easy; sadhana and His cosmic grace are needed – otherwise it is impossible. That is why Baba warns us that without twice daily meditation, one will “throw oneself into the tortures of animal life for crores of years.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Here we have to keep in mind that Nehru’s case is typical, not uncommon. People gradually get human life; some do good deeds and become inclined towards spirituality; and they become veritable sadhakas – either as a family person or a monk. But if during that phase they have other worldly longings, then in their next life nature fulfills that longing.

In that case they are granted power, post, money, name or fame etc, and invariably they misuse their status and pass their days taunting, harassing, and harming others. In that case they get terribly degenerated – as happened with Nehru.

Actually, truly speaking, Nehru was fortunate in that he only fell to the level of a dog, which is a fairly developed being. Many demonic rulers, upon their death, get transformed in stones, sticks, or some virus, bug or worm. From that status it takes thousands and millions of years to come back again in human life. Even then, after getting human life it is not sure that one will utlise the time properly. Greedy capitalists are reborn as pieces of gold or paper dollar notes. All in all it is a very horrifying situation. In that case, it takes an extremely long time to again get human life, crores and crores of years.

Now we can understand how gracious Baba is and how much Baba has blessed us by making it very easy to cross this ocean of bhava, i.e. bundle of samskaras. By practicing sadhana twice daily, one is going to get mukti – liberation. That is His expressed guarantee to all sadhakas of the Marga.

Those not regular in sadhana should start doing from this very moment. One should not miss this special opportunity. Death can knock on your door anytime – then it will be too late. If you are doing sadhana regularly then liberation is guaranteed.

Namaskar,
Ramlal

Note 1: FOR MORE INFORMATION

Those who come are one day going to die. All then are curious to know what happens after death. Those who do not know, please read Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy and Idea and Ideology. In those books you can learn more about life, death, samskara and rebirth.

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How You Can Save Money

Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:39:47 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: J.Deva
Subject: How You Can Save Money

Baba

== HOW YOU CAN SAVE MONEY ==

Namaskar,
In this day and age, people waste a lot of time trying to earn more and more money – laboring anywhere from 8 – 10 hours daily, or even 18 hours in a single day.

Plus most people are totally worried about money – so they think about earning money even when they are not working. They eat, sleep, and dream about it.

In this way their entire psyche and days are consumed.

The general psychology is to earn more and spend more. That becomes their entire life – that is the unfortunate truth. The tragedy is that this human life is about so much more than just collecting money. Human life is far larger than this.

To resolve this critical issue, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji has given a beautiful way of living that is very easy for everyone to do. And by following His guidelines, you are sure to save huge amounts of money.

So if you are suffering from any sort of financial worry or fiscal need, then read this following letter.

THIS LETTER IS FOR EVERYONE

The guidelines in this letter are for everyone. If you are already an Ananda Margii or a sympathizer of the Marga, you will readily see how much you are saving by following AM practices. Plus you may get some new tips as well.

And if you are not yet an Ananda Margii, then by reading the below you will get a clear-cut vision how following our AM way of life will benefit you financially.

Hence this letter is for absolutely anyone and everyone who wishes to save money and live a financially secure life.

NO INTOXICANTS (Part 1)

In Ananda Marga, as we all know, or as new people will soon learn, we do not use any intoxicants – none. This is the first great way of saving money by leading life as an Ananda Margii.

Cigarettes, beer, wine, and hard alcohol are all getting taxed verily heavily by the city, state, provincial and federal government. So the prices of these substances is skyrocketing.

Indeed recently the tax on cigarettes in NY state went up $1.60 to a total of $4.35 on taxes alone, so a pack of cigarettes now costs $9.20 (on average) in NY, and more than that in New York City. Smoking a pack a day over the course of a year would add up to more than $3,650.00 at a minimum. And this type of increase is happening everywhere. The same thing is going on with regards to alcohol.

Since in Ananda Marga we have no interest in or use for cigarettes, or any of these other legal intoxicants like alcohol etc, we are saving a huge amount of money. Just ask any ex-smoker or ex-drinker and they will most assuredly tell you about all the money they are saving by quitting their dirty habit.

NO INTOXICANTS (Part 2)

Then of course there are the illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroine etc. These all cost a huge amount of money – it is big business – but for Ananda Margiis this is a non-issue entirely. Hence big $aving$.

Included in this topic are other health costs and legal fees. If one is using intoxicants of any kind they will certainly have to spend more money on doctors fees, health concerns, insurance premiums, hospital care and other medications etc, since those intoxicants will ruin their health.

In addition, drinking and driving is illegal so if one gets caught by the police they will incur big legal fees in order to clear their name and stay out of jail, if possible. Same is the case if they are caught using illegal drugs. Not only are the drugs expensive and addicting, but one have to spend huge money on attorney fees to clear their name in a
court of law.

So from multiple angles, our clean way of living that is free of any and all intoxicants saves us a lot of money. That is the first great savings for being an Ananda Margii.

FOOD

Our style of eating, i.e. our vegetarian diet, is also a big money saver. In most places, fresh fruit and vegetables are far less costly than meat – both on our wallet and our health. Our daily or weekly shopping is less expensive plus we will not face all the health issues that hinders meat-eaters. So we will not have to pay those big medical bills either.

Various studied show how eating home-prepared vegetarian meals foods is cheaper (and healthier!) than a meat-based diet. Also always look into buying foods in bulk – one can save huge money this way.

There is much more involved in this point of food, but I think most of us are aware about them. And already there is a lot of information out there about the extreme financial and health costs of a meat-based diet.

The only further point that is worth raising on the point of food is that as Ananda Margiis we do not dine in restaurants or hotels. Of course the reason we do not do this is because those places are not sentient: The dishes themselves are dirty, the ingredients are unknown, and the cooks are non-sadhakas. So that is why we do not dine in such establishments. But, on the top, eating in these restaurants is an expensive habit. By not frequenting such restaurants we save a lot of money. What average people spend on a single meal in a restaurant is enough funds for wise, vegetarian shoppers to eat for 1 or 2 weeks at home.

GAMBLING

So much of the world indulges in gambling – either in casinos, or on-line, or at sporting events, or in lotteries, etc. The tragedy with gambling is the the “house” always wins. People waste their time and hard-earned money and come home empty handed. Not only do they lose their money, but they lose their mental balance as well as gambling is
an addition. People go so far as to sell their most valued possessions in order to support their gambling habit. Indeed, even the great King Yudhisthira lost his entire wealth and property in a game of dice. Such are the ill effects of gaming and gambling.

Our Ananda Marga does not allow for this at all.

Baba says, “The habit of making wagers is extremely undesirable. You must avoid lotteries and gambling.” (CC-2, Society, pt#38)

When there is no gambling then there is no question of losing money or wasting away one’s time. This is an absolute money-saver.

LOANS

In our present era, this is a big, big point. So many people around the world, especially in the materialistic western nations, make it a hobby or even career in life to spend money which they do not have.

People incur debt by taking big loans to pay for things that they cannot afford: clothes, fancy meals, i-Phones, sports cars, gadgets, and so much more. By this way they lose money in two ways: Firstly by purchasing a costly item which they do not really need; secondly by having to pay the interest on the loan for that item. Hence it is a double loss.

Yet all “modern economies” around the globe are based on this faulty precept. Not only do individuals and families indulge in this, but entire cities, counties, states and even whole nations embark on this defective manner of taking loans to pay for things they cannot afford.

From beginning to end this is a totally costly and mentally taxing affair. People stay awake at night wondering and worrying about how they are going to pay back their loan. And countries even go totally bankrupt – that we are seeing today.

In Ananda Marga, Baba is entirely against the idea of taking a loan or incurring debt for superfluous items.

Baba says, “To purchase, by incurring debt, serge where tweed will do, or gaberdine where serge will do, is surely against the principle of aparigraha.” (GHC)

Indeed the entire spirit of aparigraha is to live in a simple manner, within one’s means. This is only possible if oe can to cultivate the requisite santosa (mental ease), such that a person will not senselessly run after material goods. As Baba points out in many discourses, the practices of aparigraha and santosa are closely linked.

Baba says, “Human desire knows no end. Millionaires want to become multimillionaires, because they are not satisfied with their million. Ask the millionaires if they are happy with their money. They will say, “Where is the money? I am somehow pulling on.” This answer indicates their ignorance of aparigraha. But such feelings have another adverse effect on body and mind.”

Here Baba continues His discourse.

Baba says, “Out of excessive fondness for physical or mental pleasures people become mad to earn money and amass wealth. As money becomes the be-all and end-all of life, the mind gets crudified. Constant hankering after money results in negligence of one’s health, and this makes the body unfit. Therefore, santos’a sa’dhana’ lies in being contented with the earnings of normal labour, without any undue pressure on the body and mind. To remain contented, one has to make a special type of mental effort to keep aloof from external allurements.” (GHC)

Hence by following yama and niyama and doing sadhana, one can easily become adept at the points of aparigraha and santosa. And this will lead to saving so much money – huge amounts.

Because without aparigraha and santosa, one will become a prisoner to the consumer mentality of “buy this” & “buy that” which is so infested within capitalism.

Hence this topic of loans in highly linked without our mental state and yama and niyama. When the mind is balanced one will steer clear of all kinds of unneeded purchases as well as unnecessary loans, thereby saving tremendous amounts of money.

OTHER WAYS OF SAVING MONEY

BY FOLLOWING OUR AM WAY OF LIFE

Here is a brief list of other ways any sadhaka of the Marga will certainly save money. Again, anyone can follow this approach and get the financial benefits. I invite others to comment and elaborate on these below points.

– Fasting: By fasting 2 or 4 times monthly, we save 1 – 2 months worth of food over the course of the entire year. Plus fasting purifies the body and keeps us disease-free, and away from expensive medical visits.

– Marriage: In some traditions huge money or dowries are paid to get one’s children married. We do not subscribe to such dogmas. Our social ceremonies are free.

– Tiirtha / Pilgrimage: Traveling to so-called holy lands like Mecca, Jerusalem or Varanasi each year is an expensive proposition. In AM, we do not have such destinations – the only tiirtha in AM is Guru cakra.

– Birth & Death: Here again these entail social ceremonies that do not cost any money in AM, whereas in the dogmatic churches and temples, moderate to large sums of money need to be paid. Plus without a large payment, one will not even find a spot in the cemetery or get a good casket, whereas in AM the body is burned at no expense to the deceased or their family.

– Hobbies: In AM, our only hobby is social service and helping others whereas in the so-called first-world nations average citizens spend enormous amounts of money on hobbies and recreational activities. Thus we save a lot in this department as well.

– Psychic Disease: Sadhana keeps the mind balanced and without sadhana people encounter so many mental problems: frustration, depression, angst, phobias etc. In that case they have to spend huge money on psychiatrists and psychologists.

– Inferiority Complex: Anyone with an inferiority is bound to be exploited. Sadhana will free the mind from such complexes.

– Religious Taxes: In most of the religions, the tax for the average member is 10% or so of their total income. In Ananda Marga it is only 2%. Thus we save 8%.

And there are a multitude of other ways in which we save money. Everyone should write in with their experience of how they save money by being an Ananda Margii

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace He has given us the perfect system for living in this era of economic struggle and strife. By following His life principles we are bound to save large sums of money and feel relaxed about our financial picture.

So if anyone is suffering from economic turmoil, just become an Ananda Margii or redouble one’s efforts in following 16 Pts. Then one will be worry-free and unencumbered by economic problems.

Let us remember that human life is short and it is meant for sadhana, not getting caught up in financial concerns.

Baba says, “One should not forget that human life is short. From the moment of birth one slowly and steadily advances towards death with every passing second. This short period of time from birth to death is human life. Human beings have come from the world of invisibility and at the end of this short span of time will return to the world of invisibility. Those people can be called intelligent who utilize every moment of their short life engaged in spiritual practice.” (APH-4)

Namaskar,
Jagatmitra

Note 1: BABA’S SPECIAL ORDER ABOUT LOANS

Here furthermore is another of Baba’s special guideline about taking loans.

Baba says, “I am also giving one more advice in regard to aparigraha. If any Margis have to spend on anything in addition to the fixed expenditure (for example, expensive clothing, ornaments, articles of furniture, marriage, building, etc.), they should, before incurring such expenditure, obtain a clear order from their a’ca’rya, unit secretary or district secretary, or any other person of responsible rank. Similarly, permission is to be obtained before taking loan from any businessman or money-lender.” (GHC)

Note 2: GOOD FOR ONE AND ALL

In this materialistic era, the mass of people weigh most of their decisions on money. People want to know what is most economical. This plays into our favour as this entire letter aims to show the innumerable ways how living life as an Ananda Margii is the best bank for your buck. So this is a good pracara strategy: Save money by becoming an Ananda Margii.

In addition, challenging or severe economic times are mounting, so as Ananda Margiis we need not worry so much since in a multitude of ways our way of life is the most economical. It is a better deal fiscally.

By the above listing of points, it is easy to see how and why our AM ways of life is great in all realms of life, including financially.

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

“Ajuta chande esechile tumi nacite nacite ha’site ha’site…” (PS #146)

Purport:

O’ Baba, with the resonance of melody and in the manana [1] of my heart, and the jingling of the ankle bell [2], You came in countless rhythms, dancing and smiling, smiling and dancing.

You came with the resonance of melody; You came with the manana of my heart, You came with the jingling of the angel bell. O’ Lord you came, You came with the resonance of melody, O’ Lord You came.

You came with the manana of my heart, O’ Lord. You came with the jingling of the ankle bell. O’ Lord, with the resonance of melody, and in the manana of my heart, O’ Lord You came. In the manana of my heart, and the jingling of the ankle bell, O’ Lord You came.

If I blossom as a flower on the branch, then You become fragrance and fill me always. If I become the distant sky, then You become blue and fill me always. [3] O’ Lord, You fill me always. As a blue color You always envelop me.

If I become the distant sky, then You become blue and fill me always. O’ Lord, You fill me always. You surround me from all the directions, You came in countless rhythms, dancing and smiling, smiling and dancing.

O’ Baba, I am never alone. You are always with me, no matter what. You are ever gracious, I surrender at Your lotus feet…

NOTES FOR PRABHAT SAMGIITA #146:

[1] Manana: The contemplation or ideation of the Supreme Entity by repeating the Lord’s name in the mind. This special process Baba has described in-depthly in His various teachings of AM devotional and spiritual life.

[2] Jingling of the Ankle Bell: This song carries great symbolic and is the poetic expression of what the sadhaka feels in dhyana. So the “ankle bell” is not a physical bell attached to one’s ankle nor does it refer to some type of bell that Parama Purusa is wearing around His foot. Rather when the sadhaka realises and feels the proximity of Parama Purusa in deep dhyana, then one hears this ankle bell sound within. That is the meaning of this metaphor in the song. One hears this ankle bell sound when in His close proximity. The phrase – Parama Purusa has come with His ankle bell – is just a poetic expression that holds greater symbolic meaning.

[3] Two More Metaphors: The metaphor of the sky and its blue color indicates how they are inseparable. The sky and blueness cannot be made distinct from one another. The two are inextricably inter-linked. In the same way the devotee and Parama Purusa are inseparable. Similarly, the flower cannot be separated from its fragrance; where there is a the flower there is fragrance and where there is flower fragrance there is the flower. The two are completely part and parcel of each other. Here again this refers to the inherent link between the Lord and the bhakta. Parama Purusa is always with the devotee – one cannot remain separate from the other. Parama Purusa comes with His omnkara dhvani (eternal sound) the bhakta gets attracted and merges in Him.

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Re: Under the Umbrella of Money

Subject: Re: Under the Umbrella of Money
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:41:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ananda Mayii
To: AM-GLOBAL

Baba

== RE: UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF MONEY ==

Namaskar,
Some sadhakas and people who have experienced Baba physically can forget that Baba intends us to experience His Love, and to truly serve His creation in whatever way we are able. Why does this happen? Somehow those people must have decided that to be happy in this life one needs material things; they think it is worth pursuing this crude pleasure-seeking way of life.

PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCH LOST SADHAKAS

Possibly they even fool themselves at first by thinking that Baba will be pleased if they get money and fame or success, or that it may even add prestige to His organisation. Giving in to such thinking goes away from the ideology Baba has given and the example He gave us in His physical lifetime. Such persons drift off into a false dream world.

We have probably all seen this happening to someone or some people we know and love. How to wake them up is a big problem, because the obsession towards material satisfaction is so strong. They don’t want to come out of it – this has been my experience as I see them fall in this way.

THE KEY POINT GETS MISSED

The idea of taking shelter in Parama Purusa is the main idea – of actively seeking the shelter of His blissful lap. This very point is the thing that is missing in the lives of so many people nowadays. In their haste to reject religious dogmas, so many have also thrown out the morality and ethics which lead to a more refined mind and more subtle understanding.

Instead, they decide to just enjoy as much pleasure as possible, and pursue the possibility of riches. They neglect the deepest part of life. They fail to realise the loving nature of Parama Purusa as a shelter to all, as our loving Spiritual Father. They allow themselves to fall into a very cold and scary place which only drives them to act out of fear and hatred. Their small vision traps them in what must be a very helpless state, when the going gets tough.

Only when some big shock hits them do people start to wonder what it is they have been missing. I heard that a world War 1 soldier, who saw the horrors of war, said that noone can remain an atheist in a bunker, even the most hardened men would cry out to be saved from the hell they were living in.

PARAMA PURUSA ALONE IS THE GOAL

Unless the concept of Parama Purusa as the ultimate goal of our lives can be grasped by ordinary people, in the ways Baba has described and emphasised, the deep changes we all hope for in this world cannot fully express. We are waiting and longing for this God Centred life to become a reality.

REFLECTION ON THE SITUATION OF MR JOBS

I wonder how many who are full of praise and adulation for Steve jobs will pause to think that this young man of 56 years with a family, had to die so young. Jobs had full scope to enjoy the pleasures of the worldly existence with his money and success in his endeavours for the work he did. But did he give time to develop his inner life at all? And if not, was it all worth the energy he spent pursuing his dream, that was ultimately so fleeting. How much deep tranquility and sense of realisation did he get. Did he realise that humans and the connection to all the living beings have come from somewhere?

If he did not get this realisation, he will become one with matter; it will take millions of years to come back and get human life etc

Did he at all ponder who or what could be the cause of it all? The Creator of this creation must surely be very Great and benevolent and full of love. Was there time in his busy life to think deeply about why do we come to this earth? For what purpose?

Did he find the deep connection in his life with others and his close ones. Could he spend time daily experiencing his own love and how to appreciate this gift, so subtle, that makes the life so sweet and meaningful. And could he come close to that Eternal Entity who sustains not only him, but this whole world of diverse creatures and plants and inanimate things that contribute to the beauty that surrounds us. Did he take the time to see this beauty and appreciate its subtlety.

I hope so. Certainly, when a person gets obsessed by some worldly thing, it seems hard to get the mind to shift off the track it is on. This is indeed a fact. If he did not do all these things, he will become one will matter and take millions of years to come back and get human life. That is the stark reality.

Let us all consider and ask ourselves, how much time each day to we devote toward our spiritual goal, pleasing Baba and realising Him.

In His Satya
Ananda Mayii

Note: ORIGINAL LETTER ON THIS TOPIC

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2011/10/under-umbrella-of-money.html

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Dhobiya’ Pa’t

To: AM-GLOBAL
From: Ramdhan “Ramdhan@Indianet…”
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:57:21 +0530
Subject: Dhobiya’ Pa’t

BABA

== DHOBIYA’ PA’T ==

Namaskar,
In His AM ideology, Baba scientifically shows what befalls those who chase after name and fame.

STICK TO OLD WAYS

In Brahmacakra, human beings have a special place. Before attaining a human body, one has to cross innumerable steps. Every one of us is blessed by Parama Purusa, in getting a human body. And each if us also crossed similar steps in passing through plant life, to animal life, and finally reaching human life.

When people make one journey, then that part of the journey’s path which they already crossed, they are acquainted with. And even if that part which they crossed was more difficult than the part which is yet to come, still people will not be so enthusiastic about ascending onto the new path. Rather they will like to remain along the old and familiar path.

Two examples can be given:

(1) People don’t like to remove even the difficult dogma which they are used to or adapted to. With this mentality, they go on observing those difficult to follow dogmatic beliefs and rituals because in the past, they did so.

(2) Human beings came from animal life. And there, in animal life only the senses were dominating. Eat, sleep, and sex. By this way, life after life they passed. So all are acquainted with those things. And they do not like to go ahead in following the path of spirituality, which they are not acquainted with. Rather they easily adapt the path of animality.

So the conclusion of these two points is, that the old path is more easy in spite of having big difficulty in that path. People don’t like to ascend and march ahead on a new path. Even if it is more glorious, easy, and charming.

The root cause is, attachment of the previous path. And, fear about the future path.

DEVELOPMENT OF MIND

About the development of human mind and animal and plant mind, Baba is revealing the truth in Ananda Sutram. And there He says, that in the plants, creepers, and shrubs only citta (“done I”) is there. And when living beings develop and progress from plant into animal life, then aham (ego/doer I) is also there. And aham is dominating in their existence. And finally in human beings, the three parts of mind are manifest: mahat, aham, and citta.

So in plant life, citta was dominating. And in animal life, aham or “doer I” was strong. And in human form, i.e. in those who are new to human form — as with animals, “doer I” or ego dominates. And when humans get more advanced, then mind gets more developed, and mahat develops. Which gives the sense of “pure I feeling”. And with the effect of mahat, intuition develops.

So in ordinary human beings, aham or “doer I” is stronger than mahat. And those who are developed human beings, mahat or intuition is developed. If the amount of mahat is more than the amount of aham, then that excess part will be intuition. So when intuition develops, then all great qualities come in that person. Devoid of dominance of mahat, ordinary human beings are easily controlled by their aham (“doer I”).

And with the dominating effect of aham, generally human beings are involved in their name, fame, power, prestige, respect, personal glory, etc. So such type of people’s standard is between elevated humans, and animals. This created world is nothing but the outcome of the divine play of Parama Purusa. So in His cosmic cycle, He made the rule as follows.

Baba says, “Ya’drshii bha’vana’…– As one thinks, so one becomes.” (NKS, Edn.’97, p.195)

CHASE AFTER NAME AND FAME

People give a lot of value of prestige, name, fame, self-glory. And they constantly engage in this. The goal of such persons is their own unit existence, not Parama Purusa. Then in that case what they want, Parama Purusa gives them. In Ananda Vacanamrtam, Baba says, “Ye yatha’ mam pradyante”. What people want, Lord grants them.

HOW IT RELATES WITH THOSE COMING INTO AM

So when Baba blessed the living beings with AM philosophy and created Ananda Margis, then all kinds of people joined. And everyone has their own psychic pabulum. So due to that some of those who joined AM, wanted name and fame. And Baba blessed them.

Those WTs who wanted name and fame, this type of samskara they made for themselves. And Baba blessed them accordingly. A similar thing happened with Margis also, in their worldly life.

But in the journey towards enlightenment/Anandam, one has to move far beyond the dominance of aham (“doer I) — name, fame, self-glory. Because where the dominance of self is there, then cosmic ideation is impossible. That’s why in scripture it is said, “Yahan kam vahan nari ram”. Where there is “I” feeling or worldly thoughts, then ideation on the Supreme is not possible.

So on one side, what disciples want Baba granted. Those who wanted name and fame, they got that. And on the other side, engaging in one’s glory or name and fame, is detrimental for sadhana. So Baba graces also, to remove the attachment from these fetters of name, fame, and self-glory.

Baba says, “Abhima’nam’ sura’pa’nam’…”

“An inflated ego is like drinking wine, self-aggrandizement leads one into the deepest hell, and social status is like the excrement of a pig. Give up all three of these and only sing the glories of the Lord.” (AV-23, p.105)

So Baba says that to engage in one’s own self is not at all good– rather it is negative.

That is why Baba guides us that name, fame, such mundane glory is just like feces of the swine. So those disciples who desired, they got name and fame from Him. And as a Guru, He has to help everyone for their spiritual development. So in due course when such persons make some progress in spirituality, then they get a blow by their self-created samskara of the past. At that moment their prestige, name, and fame pulverizes in front of their own eyes.

THE CASE OF NON-MARGIIS

Whereas in the case of non-Margis, usually the loss of respect happens only in a future life. Just like in the case of Stalin, Gandhi, and present day so-called very respected political leaders, etc. When after their demise people evaluated their work, then their reputation went from heaven to hell. During their own lifetime they had their glory. But later on after their death, people understand who they really were.

DADAS SITUATION

But in the case of Ananda Marg, the panoramic picture is completely different. Because when people start doing sadhana, then the exhaustation of samskaras is quicker than for non-Margis. Those Dadas who have big name, fame, and prestige, when they move one or two steps ahead in their forward movement, then all their prestige smashes and is ground to dust. Countless examples can be given. Every one of us is aware about that.

Most of those Dadas and Didis who got huge honor and respect in AMPS in the past, now in light of the current situation one can see how their prestige became one with the dust. Madhavananda in his own time, was a magnified / glorified personality. Now he is treated as a veritable demon.

Similar is the case of Vishokananda, Prakashananda, Vimuktananda, Tadagatananda, Nirmalananda, Avtk Ananda Maetreyii, and so many such people who once stood in the limelight. But are now part of the blackest history. Many Dadas and Didis names can be found in old AM books, as publications secretary. Most of them now you may not find anywhere in this mortal world. Either they became defectors, or they left and started leading degenerated lives. But those days when their name got printed in Ananda Marga books as the publisher, then they were feeling very great.

Because of all these reasons, sincere Ananda Margis do not give any credence to the post-holding people. Rather, they give more value and respect to those Dadas, Didis, or Margis who have ideal conduct.

Because the situation in our AM is unlike the general society, where post-holders get large respect. Our tantric AM society is unique. Baba has given the scale of character with which one can measure who is who. On the basis of conduct, one should treat others in course to give respect. The concluding idea then, is that, conduct is the ideal scale.

SUMMARY

So this whole history gives a few teachings teachings.

(1) In the spiritual journey, name and fame is not a good thing.
(2) Those who got name and fame, their prestige got smashed to dust in front of their eyes.
(3) Those who have respect today, they should be careful.
(4) Better one should not have yearning for name, fame, and respect in the Ananda Marga tantric system. Otherwise, it will yield the same fate.

Namaskar,
Ramdhan

* THE MEANING OF DHOBIYA’ PA’T:

Dhobiya’ Pa’t: This is the Sanskrt phrase used to describe the process how washermen clean and dry the clothes. First they submerge the clothes in the river water and then lift those clothes out of the water and raise them overhead to quickly air dry. And while in this position the clothes feel as though they are flying high in the sky. And then the next moment, in order to dry them, the washerman sharply smacks those clothes down on the massive hard rocks– whereby a loud cracking noise can be heard. And this entire process culminating in the harsh smacking of the clothes onto the rocks is known as dhobiya’ pa’t. Likewise when self-serving people gain huge public prestige then they feel like they are flying high in the sky; yet invariably the next moment their misdeeds get exposed and their whole public image gets smashed into the dust. In that sense their position or their fate is no different from those clothes which the washerman vigorously whips down onto the hard, unforgiving earth.

Note 1: BABA’S TEACHING FROM NEO-HUMANISM

Certain Dadas/Didis names who are still visible around us on the world map have been mentioned in the below notes & referenced indirectly in this entire letter. Because such Dadas themselves have witnessed their glory reach up to the heaven only in the next moment to find it burning in the hell. And now common Margis are realizing and feeling repentence about the way they were giving honor to those Dadas. So this Baba’s teaching became true:

Baba says, “…People realize, “My God, what a great mistake I made! I worshipped a monkey taking it to be a god! What a great misfortune I have brought upon myself!” (LOI, ed.’87, p.84)

Such Dadas were getting praised by one and all yet later it was discovered that they were the ones who actually ruined the scriptures, took away the Margis’ rights, and so much other nonsense they did. And now they lost all their prestige and all their respect. This is the case with Sarvatmananda & Pranavatmakananda and certainly Rudrananda etc.

Note 2: DEFECTORS OF THE PAST

Tadgatananda and Nirmalananda, Krsnananda, and Prajinananda were treated as great in those days, around the ’70’s. And they used to hold big seminar lectures, and were talking on philosophy etc. They were treated as unparalleled intellectuals. Even today you can see their names in old Seminar Notes. But now people read those names with different feeling. Because, they became defectors.

Note 3: NOT JUST ONE OR TWO CASES

These types of examples are not one, two, or three. There are more than a hundred. But the central idea in each case is the same. That because of their domination of aham tattva – I feeling – they wanted name and fame, and they got it. Everything is changeable in this world. And in sadhakas’ life, change comes quickly. So these dadas’ and didis’ fame turned to infamy. Their saintliness became proved as notoriousness. But by this way, society got benefit and they did too.

Note 4: MORE ABOUT THE PRESENT SCENE

Sarvatmananda and Pranavatmakananda tried to push their names as being the saviours of the archives etc, and especially Pranavatmakananda wanted to bind his name with stories about Baba known as Samsmaran, but all their negative dealings got expoesed how they distorted the scripture and ruined Baba’s various discourses. All these negative deeds these Dadas did so now their name has just sunk.

Note 5: EXPLANATIONS FROM ANANDA SUTRAM

See the following slokas in Ananda Sutram, which explain the evolution of mind as living beings progress from plants to animals to humans.

Here below in sloka 1-14, Baba reveals that as rajogun’a comes to dominate over tamogun’a, the aham or sense of doer-ship, evolves out of the citta.

“1-14. Citta’t gun’a’vaks’aye rajogun’apra’balye aham.” (AS, ed.’96, p.12)

And then in the following sloka, Baba explains that with further evolution towards the subtle, mahat or “pure I feeling” evolves out of the aham, or “doer I”.

“1-15. Su’ks’ma’bhimukhinii gatirudaye aham’tattva’nmahat.” (AS, ed.’96, p.12)

Then in the following three slokas, Baba explains that in plants, citta dominates, in animals, aham or “doer I” dominates, and in highly developed beings, mahat dominates.

“1-18. Mahadaham’varjite anagrasare jiivadehe lata’gulme kevalam’ cittam.”

“[In undeveloped living organisms, creepers and shrubs where aham and mahat have not yet evolved, there is only citta.]”

“1-19. Mahadvarjite anagrasare jiivadehe lata’gulme cittayukta’ham.”

“[In undeveloped organisms, creepers and shrubs where mahat has not yet evolved, there is aham as well as citta.]”

“1-20. Pra’grasare jiive lata’gulme ma’nus’e mahadaham’ citta’ni.”

“[In developed organisms, creepers and shrubs, as well as in humans, there is mahat, aham and citta.]” (AS, ed.’96, pp.13-14)

Note 6: MORE FROM ANANDA SUTRAM

Here in the following sloka, Baba explains that when mahat or “knower I” exceeds aham or “doer I”/ego, then intuition emerges.

1-17 “Aham’tattva mahadpra’balye bodhih.”

“[When the mahat is greater than the aham, the bodhi (intuition) evolves.]”

“Purport: If the dimension of the mahattattva be greater than that of the aham’tattva, the surplus part of the mahat is called the bodhi [intuition].”

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

“Maner ma’jhere base gopan kotha’ shon’o, kichui luka’no ja’y na’…” (P.S.
583)

Purport:

Baba You are sitting in the mind. You listen to all the talks & tales and feelings of the heart. Nobody can hide anything from You. What anyone thinks, You know. Baba, You are everywhere– in each and every iota of this entire universe. Indeed You are so vast & You have manifested Yourself in such a grand way, that beyond You there is no existence of anything.

Baba, You even listen to the very small talks of the mind; You take care of even the most meagre and ordinary matters– just like dust particles. You cannot forget or ignore anyone, and You do not remain oblivious of anything. You take care of everyone. You love one and all. The galaxies & stars which are floating in far away distant places, even those objects are not beyond Your touch. For You everything is close by; nothing is far. And You take care of everything.

The spring which has lost its beauty & the flower which has just bloomed, nothing gets forgotten. Everything has equal importance to You. You are everywhere. There is no place where You do not remain. Except You, there is nothing.

Baba, You are sitting inside the mind and listening to all the feelings and longings of the heart. Nobody can hide anything from You. Baba You are infinite; Baba, You are everywhere…

***************************************
Future Achievements of Prout

Baba says, “In 100,000 years, human beings will conceive of things which are beyond the conception of the human beings of today. These types of changes will occur within the social and economic jurisdiction of PROUT.” (PNS-17, p. 37)
***************************************

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Why Political & Filmy Heroes Are Famous…

Date: 15 Jul 2011 06:55:31 -0000
From: “Gurucharan Deva”
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Why Political & Filmy Heroes Are Famous…

Baba

“Saba’re kari a’hva’n saba’i a’ma’r pra’n’…” (P.S. 2945)

Purport:

The clarion call to one and all. Everyone is my own; everyone is my
pra’n’a; everyone is close to my heart. We are all collectively singing
the song in unison and moving towards the Goal– Parama Purus’a. Nobody
should remain left behind. We should carefully see that nobody should
cry in the society, remaining as downtrodden or as neglected one. We are
all singing the marching song of life collectively, with one tune and
one melody. There is no difference between one human being and another.
Everyone’s desires, hopes, and inspirations are the same. We are all
moving on one path with the inspiration of the great ideology, which
will lead towards greatness…

WHY POLITICAL, SPORTS & FILMY HEROES ARE FAMOUS,

NOT ANANDA MARGIIS

Namaskar,
In our human society, there is no dearth of “celebrities”. In politics,
Hollywood / Bollywood, and sports etc, there are all kinds of heroes who
are famous throughout the globe. They are thought of as being great –
magnificent. They are revered all over and receive huge attention.

People like: Lady Gaga, the late Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan,
Kate Middleton, etc. And not just in the pop industry, rock star politicians
like Prince William and Obama and top capitalists like Bill Gates fall in this
category as well. Then of course there are others like the late Princess
Diana.

All the aforementioned stars are in the limelight and receive tremendous
public adulation 24 / 7, irregardless of what they are doing.

Yet hardly anyone knows of Baba and A’nanda Ma’rga. Taraka Brahma lived
on this earth for nearly 70 years, and hardly anyone is aware of His
arrival.

Our esteemed acaryas and margii brothers and sisters are working
tirelessly to uplift humanity yet they too are basically unknown to the
general public.

What is the reason behind this? Why are self-engrossed stars embraced by
the general public whereas selfless, well-wishers of humanity are
overlooked by society.

THE FORMULA FOR ADULATION

The operative factor at work here is the level of the public
consciousness and the common psyche. People can only appreciate what
they are able to understand. And understanding demands closeness.

For instance, one can only speak fervently of the greatness of Parama
Purusa if and only if one has come close to Him. Without coming mentally
close, then one cannot recognise His grandeur.

But to come mentally close one must be somewhat elevated – and at
present the common public is low. This is not a criticism of society,
just the fact.

That is why we see people expressing unbridled adulation towards stars
dominated by crude, animalistic propensities. Because when the general
public themselves are enthralled with sex, money, alcohol and lowly
desires then their heroes are going to be those (a) who either personify
those tendencies (Lady Gaga, Bill Gates, & Britney Spears etc) or (b) who
present themselves as being slightly higher than the public mentality
(leaders like Obama etc).

Those who more elevated will never be appreciated by the common people.
That is Baba’s explicit teaching (12 Dec ’78)

The entire situation can be likened to 4 of our acaryas going to the
zoo. Then those animals are not going to revere those Wts because they
are meditation teachers and performing all kinds of service and welfare
activities for both humans and animals alike. Those animals – due to
their lower mental standard – are totally unable to conceive of what
those acaryas are. Hence they are not going to become excited when those
acaryas arrive on site. Whereas when the zoo keeper comes with food then
those animals will become quite enthralled.

Or look at it this way: Simple village folk do not revere those who
invented the micro-chip or the space rocket.

Why? Because it demands a certain calibre of mind to recognise real
greatness.

Thus when the public mentality is relatively low – i.e. tamasik in this
materialistic era – then the people whom they revere as being great are
not really great. Just those famous people happen to appeal to the
public standard.

Alluring people onto the path of animality is relatively easy and one
can become an instant celebrity overnight, whereas benevolently bringing
people onto the path of divinity is difficult work and few will be
interested.

NOT GREAT PEOPLE

All too often those people who bask in public recognition and fame
hanker after such praise. In the case of politicians they say what the
public wants to hear and in the case of pop stars they represent the
glamor that the public also desires. Such so-called personalities drink
up public adulation, seek of ways to garner more, and think of
themselves as great.

Here though, Baba clearly says that such famous people are not at all
great.

Baba says, “The person develops a lustful attachment for some external
words of praise, and thus becomes a slave to those words and can never
be a truly great person…They can never become great people. It is bad
to be a slave to worldly words of praise.” (AV-5)

Indeed we see time and again how Hollywood heroes, sports stars and
politicians simply dance to the tune of public approval. Everything they
do is geared toward achieving more fame and notoriety. But this is
nothing but their weakness of mind, not their greatness.

Whereas the true well-wishers of society will always do what is right
and never concern themselves with public opinion.

Baba says, “Those people are great who harbour no biases and who behave
rationally both with those who abuse them give them pain and with those
who give them happiness. Such people don’t harbour any feelings of
enmity towards anybody and take no-one as their enemy. They remain the
same in pleasure or pain whether they have a positive reputation or
negative reputation. They are unaffected and unassailed in all
circumstances of praise or criticism, pain or pleasure. They attach no
importance whatsoever to any of these things. They are meaningless for
such people.” (AV-5)

Thus real greatness lies in living for a high ideal; it is not and
indeed cannot be measured by public approval or fame.

Rather Baba points out that what the common people deem to be great is
not at all great. That is half the story. The other half is that the
general society does not have the requisite quality of mind to see real
greatness – even when it is standing right there in front of them.

Baba says, “The common people misunderstand great people who act on
their behalf and for their welfare, or even if they understand them,
they do not give them their support.” (HS-2)

Hence what the common people think to be great is not great and when
greatness is right next to them then they are totally oblivious that it
is there.

MUST NOT GET DISCOURAGED

Knowing the formula then for achieving fame and social recognition, no
one in AM should then get frustrated because the the public does not
recognise or support us. Our duty is to please Baba and serve Him –
living according to His mandates.

100,000 might attend a rock concert or a sporting event, and only 3 people
may show up to attend one of our talks on meditatio. Even then we should
not be concerned and think that we have failed in some way. The fact
that a few people attend our AM event is not indicative of our ability
or quality, but rather reflects the interest and mindset of the people.

We must always remember that the ideal and message of our Ananda Marga
is far above the public standard. They are unable to recognise it for
what it is. That is why so few attend our programs – there is no second
or third explanation.

Indeed it would be of concern if suddenly we were embraced by the public
and written up in magazines and honoured etc. That would mean we had
fallen from our ideal and had somehow gotten wrapped up in lesser
activities.

In this day and age, people only run after crude Hollywood movies,
liquor, tall talkers, McDonald’s and sensual pleasures – not the dharmic
teachings of sadvipras or Mahasambhuti. Thus it would be of concern if
we were suddenly part of that craze.

The standard of AM is high – far above. The proof being that even though
yoga has become so popular with the masses as tens of millions attend
classes everyday, yet still that is not translating into huge numbers of
new people in AM. If we get even a few new people who are serious about
Baba and Ananda Marga then that is a lot.

So we must not be concerned with numbers or popularity. That is not
where our value lies. Our worth to society lies in upholding the tenets
of AM.

Baba says, “The characteristic of good people is to fight against
injustice, to firmly adhere to truth and righteousness, to protect the
helpless and fight against all evil persons.” (AFPS-5)

We should always remember that life is not a popularity contest – a
competition to garner the praise of others.

BABA’S PERSONAL EXAMPLE

As Baba Himself has said on numerous occasions, we should not bend and
sway according to public reaction. The public is generally low-minded
and fickle.

Again this is not meant as a snub against the common people. Just it is
His liila that He has designed it that way.

So we must always bear in mind that public acceptance and fame is not
our aim and indeed Baba Himself placed little, if any, value on that.

Baba says, “You see now that Ananda Marga’s fame is on the rise. What
should we do? We must maintain our mental balance and remain indifferent
to both praise and slander, to both joy and sorrow. A rich person once
abused Lord Buddha. He remained unperturbed. By refusing to accept the
abuse, he returned the slander. When I was in jail, I was subjected to a
lot of calumny by some people and these very people now praise me. But I
was indifferent to all their slander, and now I do not want their
adulation.” (AV-1)

Always the public barometer is going up and down. Because the public
standard is low and they become easily swayed in either direction.

And the overarching idea is that the public can express appreciation
only according to their own understanding. So when the public is
low-minded we should not expect them to start singing our praises.
Rather we should know ahead of time that they are going to worship the
likes Britney Spears, Obama, and Tom Cruise etc.

Then there is no chance we will become dejected, deluded, or frustrated
– rather unaffected by public praise and censure we will move ahead in
our dharmic works and devotional practices.

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace He has blessed us with eyes to see. We should not care
about public opinion and look only towards Him. Then we will keep a
balanced mind and be ready to carry out His orders and dharmic teachings.

Focusing on Him will lead us to greatness and the Goal. We are to serve
and please Him. That will bring welfare to all. And while we may not get
the respect and praise of the common people, in the due course everyone
will pay heed to what we have done on this earth, by His grace. That is
also His teaching.

Baba says, ‘You should remember that those who are the actual pioneers,
the real vanguard of the society, are always a microscopic minority, but
it is they who are destined to be victorious. Those who once opposed, or
are now opposing or will oppose in the future, will in the future admit:
“Yes, we are now driving our vehicle safely and comfortably along the
very path which that vanguard once opened by clearing the jungle.” This
means that those who cleared the obstacles in the beginning will later
be recognized as pioneers. The funny thing is this, that people do not
give recognition at the time it is due. This is the natural law.” (12
Dec ’78)

Namaskar,
Gurucharan

Note 1: THIS TREND ALSO PRESENT IN AM

Just as the common people are unable to comprehend the greatness of
Ananda Marga etc. It also has to be noted that we have a similar problem
in AM. Many half-margiis or pseudo margiis cannot recognise the calibre
of those who really do follow Sixteen Points. Such half-margiis
complain, “Why are you so radical in your approach – you should be more
moderate and not so strict in following Baba.” Such half-margiis who
complain like this are the same ones who watch pop movies etc. They were
sleeping when margiis rights were stripped away and when Baba’s books
were being distorted and they tossed stones on true margiis who pointed
out these wrongdoings. Finally such half-margiis try to turn AM into a
pseudo-progressive organisation by advocating gay rights and other
social issues that run contraty to the ideals of AM. All because they do
not have the mind to understand Baba’s teachings. So the phnomenon
prevalent in the general society is also present in AMPS, to some or
more degree.

***************************************
Sign of Devotees

Baba says, “When undergoing any trouble then some human beings think
that they are shelterless. But you should always remember that in this
world at any given moment you are never shelterless. Because when Parama
Purusa is with you then how can you be shelterless. So there is no
reason for any feeling of helplessness or fear in any circumstances.
Because when He is with you the strongest and mightiest force of this
universe is with you. Then what is there to be afraid of? If you
encourage fear complex it means you have the forgotten the fact that
Parama Purusa is with you. So those who are sadhakas, those who are
devotees, those who are adherents of the path of dharma, they will
always be fearless. This is the quality of a sadhaka: That he is
fearless. Why is he fearless? Because he knows that the most powerful
entity, Parama Purusa, is with him. So there is a loving relation
between devotees and Parama Purusa– their relation is based on love.
Because of this truth the devotee is never afraid. He will never be
afraid of anyone and under no circumstances will he be perturbed.
Becoming paranoid is not the sign of devotees. Parama Purusa always
remains with you and HE always watches over His devotees. He is always
seeing how He can save devotees from any and all difficulties. So when
in this loving way Parama Purusa is concerned about you, then why will
you be disturbed. You should be fearless. There is no reason for any
sort of paranoia in the mind of devotees.” [SS-16 (H), p. 83, DMC Agra
19 Feb 84]
***************************************

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Who Should Distribute Baba Photos & Films

Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:41:18 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Prakash Deva
Subject: Who Should Distribute Baba Photos & Films

Baba

“Du’rer aja’na’ pathik eseche mor ghare ei viha’ne…” (P.S. 4947)

Purport:

From the distant dawn the Ajana Pathik has come today in my home. About
this very Ajana Pathik, I had longing for Him in my life, in my death,
while awake, in my dream, & in my sleep. All throughout I have been longing
for Him. And that Aja’na’ Pathik has come today in my home.
That very Entity is most loving for me, even more than my own prana. He
is the dearest of dear to my soul. He is more adorable than anything else.
He loves me so much; He knows more about me than I know about myself. What
I know about myself, He knows far more.
That Aja’na’ Pathik is kaladhiish– He cannot be bound by time. So He is
kaladhiish. That Aja’na’ Pathik is also the controller of the time factor
so He is kalatiita– One who works beyond the bondage of time. His glory,
charm, and attraction cannot be expressed in words. Since eternity He has
been hiding in a remote corner of my heart. I have been dreaming of Him
with deep longing for hundreds of lives. That Aja’na’ Pathik has come today
in my home. He has graced me…

== WHO SHOULD DISTRIBUTE BABA PHOTOS & FILMS ==

Namaskar,
Around town and in our email forums, there has been much discussion
about the management and distribution of Baba photos and films as well
as Baba’s other devotional treasures like Prabhat Samgiita etc.

This is an important topic as it is directly related with Ista, the
spread of Baba’s teachings, one’s individual growth as a sadhaka, and
our organisational systems.

So let’s take a look at this critical issue.

SAMGACCHADHVAM SPIRIT

One of the main things that Baba has emphasized is moving ahead in
samgacchadhvam spirit – i.e. working together unitedly toward a common
goal.

Baba says, “The meaning of the sam’gacchadhvam’ mantra should be
realized in life. Always remain united. Solve all problems, big or
small, with unity…” (CC-2, ‘Society’, pt#34)

One can say that for this reason of unity and collective projects, Baba
created AMPS – the tool for spreading His dharmic teachings and programs
in an organised & cohesive manner.

After all, the way to achieve success on this earth is to join together
and work collectively. That makes any job or project infinitely easier.
Even the materialists have learned this basic point. Small businesses
have merged together to create larger companies, and larger companies
have bonded to create bigger corporations, and bigger corporations have
expanded to become world-wide, multi-national enterprises. Their aims
may be selfish, but as a matter of efficiency and approach, the business
world realises that working collectively is the only way to go. In
addition, schools, countries, foundations all follow this same principle.

Naturally then, whether it be on points of pracara, Prout, AMURT,
schools, or the distribution of Baba photos and films, our approach as
Ananda Margiis should be in the spirit of samgacchadhvam, i.e. working
together in an organised way towards a common ideal.

Clearly then, our fundamental manner is to adhere to our AMPS structure
and regulations. Specifically, the distribution of Baba photos and films
should be led and carried out by the corresponding organisational
pathway, such as Public Relations Department and PRS Dada.

That is the way things should work – under ideal or normal conditions.
That is in tune with our samgaddhadhvam spirit.

However, at present, we are not living in normal times. Because when our
organisational structure is cracked, when groupists are doing and dying
for their own fame and power, and when our organisational channels are
no longer doing what they were designed to do, then who can think these
are normal times.

In that case, we have to reconsider the matter entirely.

MANIPULATION OF BABA’S THINGS

When there is care and love, then naturally there will be deep interest
to do things properly. But where groupism is rampant, the desire to
serve the cause of dharma is replaced by the greedy need to rule over
others. Tragically, at present, many of the devotional tools in AM have
been taken hostage by group leaders who suffer from this defective
mentality.

VARABHAYA MUDRA PHOTO: Earlier, all Ananda Margiis had easy access
through the proper organisational channels to a high-quality image of
Baba’s varabhaya mudra photo. However, since 1990, the photo being
distributed has been tainted, faded and lightened such that one can
hardly even see the image. This makes both Guru dhyana and Guru sakash
very difficult.

Actually, the history is that after 1990 the organisation (i.e.
Sarvatmananda’s team) had a perfect negative of Baba in varabhaya mudra.
However, as they were more concerned with power than saving Baba’s
things, they allowed their negative get ruined by mold in the humid
environment of Tiljala. Such was their level of interest.

By the grace of Baba, committed margiis came forward and began sharing a
high-quality photo, much to the displeasure of the organisation. As they
preferred to have full control, whether they were carrying out their
duties properly or not.

Still today this remains an issue. The PRS and other organisational
channels either do not have a good quality photo or they refuse to share
it with others – both of these scenarios come into play.

In that case, how can we sit back and say, that only PRS Dada has the
right to distribute Baba’s photo. Rather, it is the right of every
Ananda Margii to have Guru’s photo for the spiritual progress in
sadhana. In the best case scenario, PRS would have a proper system in
place to get the photo to sadhakas of the Marga. But nothing of the sort
has been done. Rather, PRS refuses to share the photo at all.

So this is a clear-cut instance where the organisation is not serving
the aims of dharma. Thus, bhaktas have been forced to step forward and save
the situation so devoted margiis can get a proper photo. Best of course
is if the organisation properly handles this duty, but when they do not
have the interest nor the desire, then other recourse is needed.

PRABHAT SAMGIITA: This is another blatant example how since 1990 the
organisation has failed to live up to their duties. Instead of following
in the footsteps of Baba’s dharmic example, the groupists in power gave
up the ship on Prabhat Samgiita and (1) sold out to pseudo-culture and
(2) propagated the late PP’s silly rhymes, ridiculously titled as
Shraddha Shuman.

Who can forget how the organisational “leaders” pasted glamorous
pictures of filmy singers on the covers of our Prabhat Samgiita
cassettes and began distributing those cassettes as a collection of
mundane love songs wherein Baba’s divine compositions were sold in the
common marketplaces along side pop-music.

Under such a condition, who can think that the organisational channels
were fulfilling their dharmic duties – rather they strayed deep into the
realm of pseudo-culture and dogma.

They have shown they cannot be trusted.

Plus, that is not all, for years and years in that post-1990 period,
Sarvatmananda and Co. were actively promoting, recording and selling PP
Dada’s silly rhymes, thereby totally overlooking Baba’s divine
collection of Prabhat Samgiita.

All this eerily spells out how the organisational channels were failing
to live up to their responsibilities – thereby forfeiting their duties
to others, i.e. interested margiis and acaryas.

AM BOOKS: Next we come to the publication of Baba’s books. Although Dada
Acyutanandji is working hard and has diligently involved in this
endeavor, Dadaji’s fine efforts have not been enough to overcome the
dark ways of the Kolkata team.

No doubt, Rudrananda is doing zero to publish AM books, but even worse,
in the opposite corner, Sarvatmananda and his cohorts have adopted the
path of Bangalisation. They hastily toss aside and intentionally ruin
English and Hindi discourses – as well as those given in other languages
– and instead they only attend to Bangla discourses. Or they insist that
all discourses be first put into Bengali – even if Baba spoke in English
– in order to put Bengali on top. There are no shortage of examples in
this regard.

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/09/proof-of-distortion-in-new-book-av-11.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/01/problem-will-linger-until.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/06/bangla-and-bangalii.html

These above letters are but a few of the many examples of how such
groupists have ruined Baba’s books. So this is another clear-cut case
wherein the factional heads have gone against the ethic of AM and
destroyed our treasures.

All in all, it is clear we are not living in normal times. Because those
at the helm of the organisation are violating all the principles of AM.
And even worse is that when others try to pick up the responsibility or
correct things, then those factional monsters wage an all-out war
against that innocent margii.

So the whole scene is quite tragic and the only remedy at present lies
in the hands of those courageous margiis & wts who come forward.

Because organisational authorities have no interest in doing their jobs.

DANGER OF “UNITY” OF GROUPISTS

Actually when these groupists bond together, they can create all kinds
of problems. The most glaring example of this is the dogma of Mahaprayan.

As we all know, in Caryacara part 2, Baba has clearly stated that Guru
is infinite and ever-lasting, forever in our hearts.

Baba says, “The one formless, beginningless and infinite Parama Brahma
(Supreme Consciousness) is the only entity to be attained by living
beings – That alone is Jagat Guru (the Supreme preceptor), That alone
has revealed Brahmavidya’ (intuitional science) to us through the medium
of the name and form of Anandamu’rtijii. Unit beings must be made to
appreciate Its majesty.” (CC-2)

Yet, when all the groupists were “united” and serving as footstools to
Sarvatmananda, then in ’90 they unanimously voted to insert the dogmatic
Mahaparyana addendum to Carycarya part 1, essentially stating that Baba
is gone.

Such is the hell that groupists can do when they are all on the same
page, i.e. working together.

WE MUST RECONSIDER

Now let us again return to the main query: Who Should Distribute Baba
Photos & Films?

Given all the information and proofs from up above, we have to
reconsider the situation. Because when the organisational channels have
no desire to attend to this responsibility, then there is no other
option except for others to come forward.

Certainly, the Public Relations Dept should be in charge, but when they
shirk their responsibility, the only recourse is for rational margiis to
take up the job.

MARGIIS ARE THIRSTY FOR BABA’S THINGS

IT IS THEIR BIRTHRIGHT

We must remember that those leaders at the helm of the organisation are
not like some capitalist owners who may do as they please. The only
avenue of post holders in AMPS is to serve Guru and the Marga, beyond
that they have no right.

Thus when top Dadas are failing to carry out their duties and when
devoted margiis around the globe are thirsty for devotional treasures
like a proper Baba photo etc, then other dharmikas must come forward and
demonstrate initiative.

Because, all sadhakas should have proper access to Guru’s gifts.

Baba says, “Human life is short. It is wise to get all the instructions
regarding sa’dhana’ as soon as possible.” (CC-2, ‘Sadhana’, pt#8)

So when Baba’s photo is such an essential part of our sadhana practice
and when His discourses and Prabhat Samgiita are some of our devotional
treasures, then every Ananda Margii has a right to those gifts. That is
Baba’s stated wish.

TEMPORARY SOLUTION

Given the severity of the situation, the only practical way to move
ahead is for interested Ananda Margiis – be they family margiis or wts –
to share Baba photos and Prabhat Samgiita etc. That is the only way to
remedy the situation at present.

But, this is only a temporary measure – a quick band-aid.

The main solution is to clean up the organisation and have people in the
chair who wish to serve Guru and propagate His ideals. Then PRS Dada
should have full authority over the distribution of Baba’s photo etc.

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace He has created AMPS as medium for us to work together in
spreading His ideal. Without that, it would be impossible. So we must
fix the organisation. Till that time – until all groupists have been
removed or rectified – pathways are needed to ensure things like Baba’s
photo get distributed properly to other sadhakas. In that case, any
interested margii can do.

Baba says, “All have come from Him, and therefore all will remain
together. But this is not sufficient. All have come from Him, are in
Him, and will merge in Him, therefore all people will have to live
together. For you, unity is the natural course, and division is
unnatural. You well know that the Cosmic Energy will not long tolerate
what is unnatural.” (Disc MHB)

Namaskar,
Prakash

Note 1: SANCTITY A MUST

Just because margiis and field workers are now involved in sharing
Baba’s image and writings does not mean that they can carry out this
work indiscriminately.

Rather, it should be done with the utmost sanctity and reverence for
Baba’s gifts.

Thus, we should be vigilant that no one go against the ethic of the
Marga in this regard. If that happens, these instances should be
reviewed on a case by case basis, and conclusive action should be taken.

And again, best of all will be if the integrity of our AMPS can be
restored. Then the organisation can resume full authority of all
devotional properties etc. That will be best.

***************************************
About Rich People

Parama Purusa Baba says, “It must always be remembered that the value of
money lies in its proper use. If more money is accumulated than what is
necessary, it becomes valueless for want of use. To the extent that you
keep idle and valueless money with you, to that extent you become
responsible for the injustices done to the hungry and the naked. Your
valueless hoard will have to be made valuable by providing opportunities
for use by others. Those who do not know the right use of money on the
basis of the exchange of mundane resources are in fact the enemies of
society.” (HS-1, p. 41)
***************************************

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Unique & Unknown Power of Human Beings

Date: Sat 01 Jan 2011 06:22:06 +0530

To: am-global@earthlink.net

From: “Priyanath C Mittra”

Subject: Unique & Unknown Power of Human Beings

 

Baba

 

PS Intro: This following song was written in the Urdu language.

 

“Karata’ra ha’ma’re, tumhare liye yaha’n a’na’…” (P.S. 4165)

 

Purport:

 

Baba, O’ my lord, by Your grace I have come on this earth for You.

Baba, whether You love me or not is Your choice, but please do not

play hide and seek with me. Baba, please remain in my close proximity

so I can see and feel Your always. Baba, I also want that You should

love me always. Baba, You are the star of my eye– You are the charm

of my life. Baba, without You my existence is meaningless.

Baba, You are the most attractive and divine Entity– brilliant in Your

divine effulgence. Baba, Your infinite love is expressed in each and

everything of this world: In the flowers’ fragrance, the children’s

smiles, the beauty of the rainbow. All the sweetness comes from You. All

the beauty of the entire expressed world–including the flora and

fauna– everything expresses Your love. Baba, You have saturated this

entire creation with Your grace-compassion. Your love resonates within

each and every thing. The inherent beauty of every entity is the

expression of Your love, the reflection of Your love.

Baba, whether I like it or not, but I am residing in Your heart. I am

within You. Baba, You are the nucleus of this entire creation. My

everything is revolving around You. I do not know which form You are but

the entire universe is within You. Baba, You are surrounding everything.

You are within and without each and every created being. Baba, You are

my Lord; You are my everything. And my only duty is to serve You, to

please You– and do all those things which You like. Baba, You are my

ultimate Goal.

Baba, my Lord, You have brought me on this earth for You– to serve You…

 

Note: The Urdu language originally started around Delhi when outside or

overseas soldiers were not aware how to speak Hindi. But they were going

to the market and speaking in their broken version of the local

language. In this way they started interacting with the common people.

Subsequently, the Urdu language first sprang up and it became known as

the market language. So when Hindi and Arabic were mixed then this new

language took shape. And since this language was spoken by a group of

soldiers using a military uniform (wardi), that is why the name of the

language became known as ‘wardi’. Over time and due to a similarity in

pronunciation, ‘wardi’ became ‘Urdu’. This historical and linguistic

guideline Baba has given in His grammar book.

 

 

== UNIQUE & UNKNOWN POWER OF HUMAN BEINGS ==

 

Namaskar,

With the start of a happy new year, this is an important topic for each

and every sadhaka of the Marga.

 

As Baba tells us, human beings are born with a very special capacity,

but most of the time that special capacity goes unnoticed or even misused.

 

This capacity allows us full control over our future, yet so often

things go awry.

 

All because this unique and unknown power which we have, we are not

aware about or unable to use properly.

 

Just imagine, the greatness all human beings can achieve – and how many

pains and troubles can be averted – if we become more aware about this

innate gift.

 

 

JUST ANIMALS, NOTHING MORE

 

In our western hemisphere, what to speak of not being aware of what

human capacity we have, all too often researchers and scientists are

keen on labeling human beings as beings just animals – nothing more than

a cousin of monkeys and chimpanzees. This only further diminishes our

stature and keeps our unknown capacity even more hidden.

 

 

WHAT IS OUR UNKNOWN POWER

 

Of course, in the eyes of Ananda Marga, human beings are completely

distinct from animals and what distinguishes us from animals is: Free will.

 

Parama Purusa has given us free will – the power to think, choose, and

decide.

 

Baba says, “Human beings have a fully-reflected consciousness which makes

them capable of independent action and also of distinguishing between good

and bad.” (AMEP)

 

And indeed it is our capacity of free will which is our unique and

unknown power. With our free will, we can control our destiny entirely.

 

Yet in one discourse, Baba has famously declared that 99% of human

beings misuse their free will and invite negative samskaras.

 

But it does not have to be like that. We can avert all these problems.

This free will can also lead us unto His divine lap.

 

Thus this concept of free will is like a double edged sword – it can

lead us to the heights of bliss or the depths of hell. It all depends

upon how it is used.

 

 

HOW IT WORKS

 

In so many discourses, Baba guides us that human beings get whatever

they desire. Being the Parama Purusa, He merely nods His approval and

grants our wish.

 

Of course He is goading us onto the path of beatitude, but ultimately He

give us whatever things we wish for. This in turn totally affects not

only our present but our future as well.

 

Baba says, “Suppose a person is obsessed with the thought of doing this

or that, to harm another person. They will receive the body of a pig or

a dog. One who desires to do something good and noble will receive a

good physical body accordingly. ” (AV-10, p.182)

 

Thus whatever good or bad things we desire in this life affect our next

birth also. Here below Baba gives even more examples of this phenomenon.

 

Baba says, “Suppose someone has a desire to eat delicious food. Parama

Purus’a will grant that wish, and the person may be reborn in the next

life as a wolf or wild boar, to eat to his or her heart’s content. A

woman who wishes to adorn herself with ornaments may be reborn as a

colourfully-marked peacock. One day, however, a hunter may shoot the

beautiful peacock with an arrow. As one desires, so one attains…So

before wishing to attain something, one must be extra-cautious. Suppose

a man wants to be a king. In the next life he may be born into the

household of a poor man whose surname is “Raja” [“King”]. He wanted to

be a Raja and he became one! One must be very cautious before wishing

for anything.” (AV-4)

 

Thus the blessing which Baba has bestowed upon us – i.e. the gift of

free will – is a double edged sword. If we desire Him we will get Him.

But tragically, all too often human beings are not aware how powerful

their desires are nor where those desires will lead them. In our

shortsighted manner, we humans long for so many things – house, car,

money, name, fame, job, prestige, opposite sex – which bind us more and

more to the crust of this earth.

 

Indeed, we think we want those things but when we undergo the reaction

to get those things, then our fickle minds have already flip-flopped and

we get stuck with something we no longer want. Such is the way it works.

 

 

NEGATIVE PRATISAINCARA ONLY HAPPENS TO HUMANS

 

Animals are animals and follow their nature – they never get degraded

and slowly move along the path of pratisaincara. In contrast, with our

free will, human beings may rocket ahead toward Him by His grace, or

fall back into the depths of animal life or even be reborn as inanimate

objects.

 

Baba says, “A human being in this life may well be reborn as an animal,

plant or even a rock in the next life.” (AFPS-8)

 

It is due to free will that we may get caught up in negative

pratisaincara. No other beings falls in this way – only humans. We get a

body according to our psychic tendency. Here below Baba explains that

quite graphically.

 

Baba says, “Which animal is the greediest among the animals with which

we are all very familiar? It does not like to give up greed in spite of

ill treatment and humiliations. It is the cat. Yes, after moving a few

steps ahead, the cat forgets that it was beaten. So that particular

person is reborn as a cat after death, because that body affords an

opportunity for the satiation of their greed. When the housewife looks

around inattentively, the cat sneaks into the kitchen through the small

opening in order to reach the milk or fish in the kitchen.” (AV-10, p.184)

 

So the progress of living beings is quite plotted until one attains the

human framework. Then, depending upon one’s use of their free will and

the nature of one’s desires, a person may bounce between human and

animal life hundreds and thousands of times, or more. As Baba tells

above, one may be reborn as a cat in order to fulfill their greed. All

because when in human form one does not exercise their free will

properly. Their mental desires revolve around crude things. Yet, most of

the time people are not aware of the ramifications of this, nor are they

aware that they are fully in control of their own fate.

 

When in fact by their free will they are either (a) making an original

action or (b) undergoing the reaction of their past action. Every event

and incident in life is either one or the other. And both of

inextricably linked to our use of free will. There is no other outside

agency other than our free will that determines our fate in life. We

have our desire and Parama Purusa approves it. That is how it goes.

 

 

WHAT SHOULD ONE DO

 

At this point the whole escapade may seem like an unwinable situation.

Human beings have so many desires and at the same time one is not aware

about how powerful free will is, so end over end one somersaults time

and again from one life to the next, suffering all the pains and agonies

of crude worldly life.

 

One rushes after wealth, sexual satisfaction, revenge, greed and so many

things and accordingly one gets another crude body or even worse

inanimate existence.

 

However it does not have to be like this.

 

By Baba’s grace, there is an easy exit. There is an easy escape route

from this harsh cycle of karma and karmaphala. He has blessed us with

human life and given us an aspiration for the divine. With our free will

then we should just think and ask for parama’rtha.

 

Baba says, “Parama’rtha is that factor which brings about the permanent

cessation of the triple afflictions. Here permanent cessation means

cessation of those afflictions which, once removed, will never return

again in the future. That artha which brings permanent relief from the

pangs of hunger, which is the instrument of permanent cessation, is

called “parama’rtha”.” (AV-4)

 

By desiring salvation, even a notorious sinner like the robber Valmiki

can become a great saint. So when ordinary human beings seek paramartha

then naturally they will be blessed and escape this horrible cycle of

birth, death, and rebirth, which leads to so much suffering and unrest.

By His grace, one will walk this earth as the divine embodiment of

Parama Purusa.

 

That is the proper use of free will – that is the proper use of our

unique and unknown power.

 

 

BABA’S BLESSING

 

By Baba’s grace, He has also given us one other remedy. There is one

other escape. Suppose one does not have any concept of parama’rtha or

anything like that. And suppose one does not know how to use their free

will correctly. Even then an ordinary person can achieve the highest

stance. The way is to simply tell Baba to do according to His wish. With

Him being the Sadguru, one should merely request, “Let your desire be

fulfilled.” That is the essence of His below blessing.

 

Baba says, “Created beings, will have to move according to the Cosmic

will; there is no other way. Learning, intellect and personal status

become meaningless [and will goad one into bondaage] unless they are

directed towards Parama Purus’a. After realizing the Supreme truth

intelligent people start moving according to Parama Purus’a’s desire,

saying, “Oh Parama Purus’a. I have nothing to ask of you. Let thy will

be fulfilled. I want nothing else.”” (AMIWL-10)

 

Namaskar,

Priyanath

 

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Wt Beauty Competition: Part 2

From: George Kourakos
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Wt Beauty Competition: Part 2
Date: Sun 17 Oct 2010 23:11:48 -0000

Baba

“(Tumi) esechile mor bakul-bita’ne na’ baliya’ ka’r ghare…” (PS 4320)

Purport:

Baba, that time the place was surrounded by innumerable bakul flowers
which were blooming and You graced me by coming to my cottage during
that verdant spring season. With Your divine grace, You brought
devotional horripilation (goose bumps) throughout my entire existence
and You also vibrated the very pulsation of my blood. Baba, by having
You in such an intimate and close way, my life has become meaningful. It
is Your grace. Baba, soon after that golden dawn, Your liila moved into
a different phase. Because then You went away leaving me crying all
alone. O’ my dearmost where did You go that time.

Baba, since then I have spent countless days and nights waiting–
sitting by my window threading heaps of flower garlands for You. But
that was all in vain because You did not come. It is painful that now I
no longer see that attractive & charming smile because You are keeping
Yourself distant. Now I no longer see that radiant smile which I used to
see on Your lips when You were with me.

Baba in longing for You, ages have passed since You came close.
Springtime has finished and now summer has come. My entire garden of
those sweet, fragrant bakul flowers has dried up and withered away in
this hot season*. Now that same window– where I used to sit and make
garlands for You and wait– is full of spider webs. Baba, it is so
painful and heartbreaking how You have gone so far away. And my mind is
completely dry in the absence of Your divine presence. O’ my dearmost,
please shower Your causeless grace and appear in my heart in a very
intimate and charming way…

*Hot Season= In the absence of His presence, the sadhaka feels a
distinct dryness in his heart. Summer season– or hot season– has been
used as a metaphor to express that dryness in the devotees heart, where
one’s devotional feeling is lower. And this happens with each and every
sadhaka. Sometimes when one feels dry and out of the spiritual flow then
that is summer season; and when one’s flow of sadhana is good then that
can be compared with springtime because in their dhya’na they feel
greater proximity with Parama Purusa. But when one is experiencing the
dryness of summer, the best thing a devotee can do is to sincerely
request Baba to grace them by coming in their meditation.

== WT BEAUTY COMPETITION: PART 2 ==

Note: This entire issue is related with WT’s. We are not applying such
points to margii life as Baba specifically discussed how Wts must
refrain from such things. Wts have their own conduct rules – because
some are not following this whole issue has come to the fore.

Namaskar,
The wholetimer beauty competition is in full form here in Ananda Marga.
In order to glorify oneself, our Wts have taken to gaorava
(self-aggrandizement). This self-aggrandizement expresses in three realms.

In the physical realm, some Dadas and Didis apply cosmetics, perfumes,
and other beautifying tricks to gain stature, show their spiritual
greatness and “aura”, as well as impress and attract others.

This is the sad state of affairs for some of our Wts. Of course not all
are involved, but tragically some are. All of this and more is discussed
in the first letter of this series which focused on how some Wts are
turning to gaorava in the physical sphere.

In this letter we investigate how this disease of gaorava is taking form
in the mental and “spiritual” realms for some workers. This letter is
written with the benevolent motive to help and remind those who have
lost the path. We must always recall that Baba has given us all the duty
to gently remind and point out any in the Marga who are not following
conduct rules – including Wts.

GAORAVA & INTELLECTUAL LIFE

In addition to the many artificial and superficial ways that Wts have
taken for beautifying themselves in the physical realm, we should also
understand how gaorava gets expressed by Wts in their intellectual life
as well.

For starters, such persons always wish to portray themselves as “knowing
everything”. You may have met people like this. This is also the disease
of gaorava.

They wish to pretend that they are very learned and above the common
people. If we see someone like that we know they are suffering from this
disease.

Baba says, “Many of them try to project themselves as educated by using
their wealth or official status. They open clubs or libraries to impress
upon others that they should not be equated with the common people. They
pretend to understand and know a lot, smile scholastically with closed
eyes, and speak sparingly with reserve and gravity to ensure that they
do not unwittingly expose themselves!” (HS-1)

Such is the way of their behaviour. Baba has painted a graphic picture.
You may recall watching some of our workers fall in this very manner.

Another way this gets expressed is that after teaching a seminar some
big Dadas say, “I think my class was not very good.” When in truth they
wish for everyone to praise their class up to the sky. That is all they
want to hear. The proof being that if you point out defects in their
class they will be furious with you. So their whole intention is to be
complimented and praised. That is also the disease.

In contrast, a mother does not breast feed her baby in hopes of being
praised. This is not her expectation. She feeds the baby with great care
and love out of a deep sense of duty and internal commitment. The mother
neither expects recognition nor wishes to be praised on this point.

And with regards to those wholetimers giving presentations, let us
consider this: If they were delivering their lecture to please Parama
Purusa then there would not be any need to make such a drama in order to
get praised. A true bhakta does to please Parama Purusa and does not
care about praise or censure.

Those whose mind is diseased and are hungry for praise, they are even
ever-ready to do bad things in order to get praised. They do not have
the courage to do good works for fear of being abused. Such persons are
cowards; there are countless people like this in the society – and
tragically some withing the ranks of our Wt cadre.

So if any Dada ever asks such a question – “I think my class was not
very good” – after their seminar or presentation then we know that they
suffer from gaorava or self-aggrandizement, and maybe other psychic
diseases as well.

GAORAVA & FAKE SPIRITUAL LIFE

The next question is how gaorava affects and ultimately ruins spiritual
life. That we should also know as Baba has given the underlying
spiritual science.

Spirituality means surrendering to Parama Purusa and ultimately becoming
one with Him. And tantra means expanding one’s existence
psycho-spiritually with the help of one’s mantra.

When the goal is Parama Purusa, then our each and every activity in our
day to day life is focused on Baba. All our sadhana lessons and
everything we do from morning to sunset, and childhood to death –
everything is spiritually focused. Because the goal is Parama Purusa and
the mind is goaded towards Him.

But those suffering from gaorava think about themselves. Their goal is
oneself – not Parama Purusa. Hence theirs is the path of fake spirituality.

Indulging in gaorava (self-aggrandizement) means falling onto the path
of negative pratisaincara. Why? Because the person is not focusing their
mind towards Ista, i.e. Parama Purusa. Instead they are just involved in
their own personal ego. In that case the mind will become smaller and
smaller and gradually they will not be a normal human being. They will
become degraded.

What to say of mukti and moksa, such a person is sinking deep into the
clutches of animal life. Why? Because the goal was just their own unit
self – i.e. not Parama Purusa but their own little ego. In that case
they are sure to degrade. Hence the path of gaorava is a very dangerous
path.

Here is how the science works.

Baba says, “Ya’drshii bha’vana’ yasya siddhirbhavati ta’drshii – “As you
think, so you become.”” (AV-4)

When you concentrate your mind on your own glory and greatness then your
mind becomes narrower and narrower and degrades, until finally one
becomes crude like stone or metal. That is negative pratisaincara.

Let us remember that a sannyasi means the one who is dedicated to Parama
Purusa and their goal is one: To serve and please Parama Purusa. There
is no second goal. Otherwise they are fake.

TRUE SPIRITUALITY VS FAKE SPIRITUALITY

Hence, in the spiritual realm, is there scope for self-aggrandizement or
gaorava? In true spirituality there is no scope because in devotional
life there is no space in the mind to think about oneself. Devotion
itself means that the mind is focused on Parama Purusa. So there is no
room to think about any other thing – what to say about oneself.

But in fake spirituality there is surely scope. That is why we see many
hypocrites posing as great spiritualists yet their conduct and behaviour
is just the opposite. By this way people can easily recognise who is who.

They hardly like to do sadhana but brag about doing whole night sadhana.
They pretend to be strict when others are around but other times they
are not doing sadhana but watching movies and gossiping. But when they
get the opportunity to sit in front of others they brag about higher
practices and vishesh yoga. They talk about old stories about how Baba
blessed them. It is not difficult to recognise such people. They are
very narrow minded, money minded and groupist. They fight for post and
money. The best thing is to watch how they conduct themselves in private
behind closed doors. Then you can understand their hypocrisy.

WHY THEY FALL IN THIS TRAP

Why do people fall in that trap of gaorava or self-aggrandizement?

The first reason is that all come from animal life and fall prey to
certain lower expressions of mind. This has been described up above.

Secondly, the trend of the general society is towards materialism. That
means people are involved in their own external beauty and wish to
project themselves as being something great, i.e. superior to who they
are. This is all due to their materialistic way of living.

When general flow of society is towards materialism then the mass of
people fall in that trap. They get caught in things like
self-beautification and self-glorification. Then we know they have
fallen into gaorava marga (path of hell) and lost their Goal.

OUR DUTY

Now it is the duty of every disciple of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji to
watch and see if anyone is choosing this wrong path of raorava marga,
i.e. hell. We should try to protect them by pointing them out.

Baba says, “All Ananda Margis, when they see other Margis acting against
the principles of yama and niyama, must make them shun this habit either
by sweet or harsh words or by dealing even more strictly.” (A Guide to
Human Conduct)

Thus it is our duty to open the eyes of those involved in this fake
beauty competition (first) / self glorification (second). If we do not
wake them from their stupor, they will continue to fall deeper into the
dungeon of materialism.

BABA’S BLESSING

Baba says, “It is the innate characteristic of the human mind to become
as it thinks – Ya’drshii bha’vana’ yasya siddhirbhavati ta’drshii [“As
you think, so you become.”]” (AV-4)

Thus those who are just thinking about their own so-called beauty
(first) / own glory and greatness (second) are bound to fall and ruin
themselves. We should help them climb back onto the path of spirituality
and think of Baba. Then they will truly become great.

Baba says, “To associate oneself with Parama Purus’a, the Supreme
Entity, is the actual sa’dhana’. There is no one greater than Parama
Purus’a, and so, when the mind ideates on Him, it expands.” (AV-4)

The list of Didis in physical beauty is much more and their name will be
listed in the next issue. In contrast, more Dadas are seemed to be
involved in gaorava in the mental plane. Please write in with what you
see happening with our workers in this regard.

Namaskar,
Gagan

Note 1: WHAT ONE DADA IS DOING

For example, here is one example of gaorava in the physical realm. There
are many such cases – this is but one.

Dada Rudrayamalananda is constantly applying scented spray and perfumes
in his underarms and clothes. Apparently he has a very bad body odor
problem. But the way to treat this is not by using crude cosmetics.

Those not careful about eating in restaurants and taking tamasik food,
then surely a foul smell is emitted from their body. That accounts for
why some Dadas are using perfumes etc. But that is not good as it goes
against WT rules.

Dada Rudrayamalananda is not a family man. If he was we would have
ignored this mattet. However he is wt and he should follow Baba’s stated
rules on perfume/ beauty products and food. In the next letter other
Dadas will be mentioned.

Baba says, “…Artificially perfumed things should not be used.” (32
Rules for Avadhuta, pt #12)

Baba says, “Perfumed oil should not be used” (32 Rules for Avadhuta, pt #3)

Baba says, “Any medicated soap, but not cosmetic or perfumed, should be
used” (32 Rules for Avadhuta, pt #8)

Baba says, “…Avadhuta shall not…use any article which is
artificially scented.” (32 Rules for Avadhuta, pt #32)

Thus it is quite clear that in various ways Baba wholly condemns the use
of fake beauty paraphernalia. No Didi or Dada is to use such beauty aids.

Naturally, since it is detrimental to one’s spiritual progress, sincere
margiis and devotees do not feel comfortable using cosmetic beauty
products because the goal of life is Parama Purusa – not superficial looks.

Finally, we should all keep in mind that females are more prone to use
such cosmetics. That is a fact. The proof being that the entire beauty
industry is directed towards females. But these days more males have
begun this game as well.

And about food Baba warns Wts about eating in restaurants.

Baba says, “Avadhuta will not take food in a hotel or a restaurant. Even
sattvika food taken in a restaurant will be treated as tamasik.” (32
Rules for Avadhuta, pt #20)

Note 2: MORE ABOUT THIS AILMENT OF GAORAVA

Some fall prey to the psychic ailment known as self-aggrandizement or
gaorava. This is when people feel a need to present themselves as being
bigger or better than what they truly are.

Baba says, “Gaorava is the second type of aham’ka’ra [ego]. It means
“self-aggrandizement”. Puffed up with vanity, a person will want to
project his image in an exaggerated manner. Often we hear somebody say,
for example, that they have a rose the size of a balloon in their garden
– whereas actually the rose may be the size of a ping-pong ball.
Constant indulgence in this type of activity converts the mind into
matter.”

“We have seen bulls moving about in the streets with an air of
arrogance. Such a bull creates a sound expressing the idea that it is
big – Ham bar’a’. But when the bull dies and ta’nt [vina string] is made
out of its intestines and musicians start playing on it, the sound which
is then emitted expresses the idea Tun bar’a’ – meaning thereby that the
bull realizes that others are big, and realizes that he has arrived at
this condition because of his arrogance.”

“In fact the inculcation of gaorava leads one to the worst hell. Just as
there are six layers, or lokas, of the Cosmic Mind above the crude
world, so are there six types of hell, six narakas, below the physical
world. The names of these hells are tala, atala, tala’tala, pa’ta’la,
atipa’ta’la and rasa’tala. Another term for rasa’tala is raorava naraka
– and a person indulging in gaorava will certainly go to raorava
[crudest state of mind].” (Ananda Vacanamrtam-23)

Note 3: FIRST LETTER ON THIS TOPIC

Here is the initial letter on this topic. This following letter
discusses the ways some of our Wts are beautifying their bodies in order
to attract a mate and compete in today’s era of extreme materialism.

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2010/10/wt-beauty-competition-part-1.html

******************************************
LONGEVITY

Baba says, “Spiritual practice makes the mind calm and quiet, and
maintains the nerves in a state of equipoise; and thus spiritual
practice increases longevity. Those Vaishnavites who are vegetarians,
who regularly sing spiritual songs, do meditation, perform virtuous
deeds and think pure thoughts, live longer than ninety years.” (AV-33,
p.113)

Note: By following the devotional cult of AM and abiding by general
health rules every sadhaka is ensured a long and healthy life. That is
Baba’s guarantee.

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

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What Every New Sadhaka Should Know: Part 1

Date: 21 Mar 2010 14:49:01 -0000
From: “Chandramohan Jha”
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: What Every New Sadhaka Should Know: Part 1

Baba

“Toma’ri katha’ bheve ma’rmika anubhave…” (P.S. 3006)

Purport:

O’ Baba, by thinking of You with all the feelings of my heart, my
ba’ndha-bha’unga’ mana [1] is ensconced in bliss and floats towards
infinity. O’ Lord of the divine and mortal worlds, the Soul of the
soulless, even a wee-bit of Your great love is enough to fill my heart
with spiritual bliss and give me goose bumps, horripilation, throughout
my being. Baba, is it You who brings that devotional surge within me.
Baba, thinking about You, my mind is ensconced in bliss.

Baba, You are incomparable in rhythm and most pleasant in aroma. You
have no comparison. In all vibrations, in the quintessence, deep down,
You are the Dearest One to all; You are the nucleus of all the
vibrations. In the garland You are the flower. In the necklace You are
the jewel. In everything You are the best. Remaining in viitara’ga [2],
You smile with the beauty of divine love like flowers. Baba, thinking
about You, my is mind ensconced in bliss.

Baba, in the severe heat, You are those first, cool showers that bring
relief and respite. In the space between the monsoon clouds, You are the
effulgent pole star. In the darkness, You are the beauty of the moon’s
enchantment. Under the hot sun, You are cool shade beneath the trees. In
each and every circumstance, You are the Saviour. Baba, even staying
afar, You stay in my mind’s divine haven. Baba, thinking about You, is
my mind ensconced in bliss.

O’ Parama Purusa, keep me eternally at Your lotus feet…

NOTES FOR PRABHAT SAMGIITA #3006:

[1] Ba’ndha-bha’unga’ mana: This is when the mind is overwhelmed with
joy. Such as when one is extremely happy and bursts into tears or when
one jumps for joy or exclaims or dances. In actuality though it is more
than the joy experienced in worldly circumstances. It is that
inexpressible bliss from the spiritual flow. It happens in the spiritual
realm when one’s mind is totally ensconced in His bliss and one starts
crying uncontrollably. This is a state wherein one completely loses
their composure.

[2] Viitara’ga: This is the state of being beyond any worldly attachment
or attraction – i.e. perfect equanimity in all circumstances. One of the
qualities of Parama Purus’a is vaera’gya. Baba has demonstrated this on
countless occasions. Even when all kinds of serious and critical
problems came in the organisation, then He remained totally unaffected,
keeping perfect composure. For social reasons He may have showed
sympathy or concern, but internally He was totally unaffected. Those
bhaktas close to Baba understand this well.

For instance, before going to jail & whenever there was serious any
catastrophe going on in organisational life, Baba had the divine ability
to give discourses of eternal value. That can only happen when one’s
mind is in viitaraga.If anyone reads that discourse they will not get
any hint about the extreme upheaval going on in the organisation. Such
composure ise not possible by human beings. Being human means being
affected by the bondaage of maya.

Whereas in viitraga the mind remains 100% unassailed by any negativity,
and is just the embodiment of universal welfare. Viitara’ga does not
mean that the Entity in viitara’ga is unpetrubed by the suffering and
tears of human beings. Everyone knows that Parama Purusa loves and cares
so much.

== WHAT EVERY NEW SADHAKA SHOULD KNOW ==

Namsakar,
This letter, the first in a series, focuses on an array of important
points for new sadhakas to know. After all. AM pracar is one of our
first and foremost duties.

Baba says, “…It is the bounden duty of every Ananda Margiis to
endeavour to bring all to the path of bliss…” (Supreme Command)

To this end, a few senior margiis gathered and came up with a few points
– intellectual and devotional – that will be helpful for us to propagate
to new people as they come onto the path. These points will be presented
in an ongoing series of letters.

Please do share your experiences and thoughts as well – because we all
have taken the duty and responsibility under Guru to do pracar and
everyone has their own particular talents, skills and knowledge in this
important arena.

“AS YOU THINK, SO YOU BECOME”

Ya’drshii bha’vana’ yasya siddhirbhavati ta’drshii

Baba says, “As you think, so you become.” (AV-12)

Baba has given this seemingly simple guideline in a number of
discourses. Some new people may have heard or read this and think they
understand. Other new people may not have yet come across it.

We should ensure that every new sadhaka understands the full import of
this teaching because this is one of the very revolutionary aspects of
Ananda Marga.

These days, with the great popularity of yoga, most yoga groups solely
focus on the physical, or they may include their own interpretation of
pranayama as well.

Only AM offers the full system for transforming one’s person into
godhood. And the above guideline, “as you think so you become”, is
instrumental to our approach.

HOW IT WORKS: Part 1

When Baba says, “as you think so you become”, He is telling us that we
must have some control or restraint in our thinking.

If one thinks of something mundane or crude they will transform into
that object – step by step. That is one part of the equation.

Baba says, “It is the natural wont of the mind to take the shape of its
object of meditation. If the object of worship is crude, say money or
any crude thing, the mind takes the shape of that crude thing in the
course of time.” (Baba in Fiesch)

And not just money, in this materialistic era people’s minds are riddled
by all kinds of thoughts: name, fame, jealousy, stress, anger, sex,
fear, enemies, disease and so much more. And by thinking in this way,
part, or even all of their mind, gets consumed in that thing. By that
way, the problem festers and grows.

Wild or uncontrolled thinking is one of the main causes of both psychic
and physical diseases in materialistic societies.

Those new to the path of sadhana – and even those not yet on the path –
should be informed of the adverse effects of this equation, “As you
think so you become.”

HOW IT WORKS: Part 2

Then there is the other side of the equation: If we refine our thoughts
to focus in a spiritual manner we will move towards the Supreme.

This also we should preach and teach to every new sadhaka. By this way
they can not only free the mind of so many fetters and distractions, but
one can truly move ahead on the spiritual path.

In AM, that is exactly what our system of sadhana is – a methodical
manner of thinking wherein the mind focuses on the Ista.

Baba says, “Concentrated thinking is called “meditation”… In spiritual
parlance, when the mental flow is directed towards the goal, that is,
the Supreme Entity, it is called “concentration”, but in metaphysical
terms, it is a concept of dharma. Concentrated thinking leads to the
development of positive ideas…in the process of constant mental flow
towards the goal. In the process of meditation the following things are
involved – brain cells, apexed or pinnacled psychology, concentrated
thinking, Guru cakra and ultimate devotion.” (YP)

Thus concentrated thinking is a integral part of our approach. By this
way one can transform their entire existence. Even those who are
terribly depressed and anxiety ridden can become stellar sadhakas
through this method. And this is unique to AM. No one else other than
Baba highlights the sublime importance of thinking.

So those new to AM should understand that they will not get this
teaching nor this practice on other paths and they should clearly
understand and experience the dynamism of this practice.

Our mantra japa in first lesson or sixth lesson is the culminating
practice of, “as you think so you become.” By bringing the mind back
again and again to the idea of the mantra and training the mind to
maintain that flow, then one’s entire physical, psychic and spiritual
existence gets transformed. Then one veritably becomes divine. Then one
becomes Parama Purusa. That is Baba’s teaching for every sadhaka to
realise – new or old.

BABA’S MANDATE

Because this principle – as you think so you become – is such an
important guideline Baba reminds us of this again and again.

Baba says, “I told you, or I have been telling you, that a man takes the
form of his psychic object; that is, your very existence will be
converted into your psychic object. You should select your psychic
object very carefully.” (AV-12)

Really then, we should share the import of this concept with all new
sadhakas. By this way we too may become more aware of the use of our
mantra, either during and / or after sadhana.

As pracarakas, this equation – as you think so you become – is one
important point of our approach. So many in the world nowadays are
looking for something new. And our Marga has all the practices they need
to transform their life.

So those being introduced to na’ma mantra meditation or first lesson or
even just kiirtan, should be made aware of the profound effects of this
subtle science.

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace He has blessed us with the practical method of how to
ideate on Him. We should share this technique with one and all. We
should never allow others to settle for any lesser approach. It is
everyone’s birthright to get Him – by their thoughts alone, one can
attain His eternal shelter, by His grace.

Baba says, ‘It is also stated in Tantra that if a person wants only to
attain limited progress, one may practise on certain limited ideas. But
those who are genuine seekers of Brahma will never agree to worship any
finite idea. Those who want the Supreme Entity will have to ideate on
Parama Purus’a alone. People may attain limited achievement in terms of
occult power through the grace of the gods and goddesses, but they will
remain far away from the attainment of the Supreme Entity.” (DT-1)

Namaskar,
Chandramohan

Note 1: IDOL WORSHIP IS THE WORST

Here Baba points out the very negative effect of dogmatic idol worship.
But none should think this adverse reaction is limited to idol worship.
Any persistent engagement in crude thoughts (sex, money, greed,
jealousy, etc) will turn one into negative microvita.

Baba says, ““If idols made of wood, clay, iron or any other metal are
accepted as objects of meditation, then what will be the result?” It is
said, Ya’drshii bha’vana’ yasya siddhirbhavati ta’drshii [“As you think,
so you become”]. The aspirants’ own entitative existence will be turned
into clay, metal or wood – a state which in the scriptures is called
Prakrtiliina [negative microvita]. It is a dreadful state.” (SS-11)

Note 2: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Please write in with your thoughts regarding what you feel is very
important to impart to new people on the path.

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Fatigue

Date: Mon 15 Feb 2010 12:23:16 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Fatigue
From: “Ishvara”

Baba

“E sha’rad sandya’ na’ce madhuchanda’, ceye a’che toma’ri pa’ne…” (P.S. 3340)

Purport:

Baba, this beautiful evening of pre-winter is dancing in ecstasy and
looking towards You. In the atmosphere of the sweet fragrance of the
shepha’lii flower, who knows what these beautiful white clouds in the sky
want to express– what loving feeling of their heart they want to
communicate and to whom.

Baba, who can say when the first sunrise happened; nor can anybody guess
when the last sunset will happen. But this beautiful evening of pre-winter
season understands the tale that Baba You know everything and You are
always attracting everyone.

Baba, I have only one longing in my heart: That You please give me
parabhakti. With that strength, O’ Lord, I can get salvation– You. In the
atmopshere of this melodious and colorful evening which is saturated with
the love & fragrance of the shepha’lii flower, I ask, bowing down to Your
lotus feet, that please have karuna’ on me.

Baba, in this divinely intoxicating pre-winter evening, please saturate
my heart with Your divine love…

== FATIGUE ==

Namaskar,
Fatigue is a common human ailment and most suffer from this at some
point or another – almost every day, even when involved in their
favorite activities.

As sadhakas, we can escape this problem of fatigue and invite a
perennial source of energy and inspiration into our lives – by His grace
– regardless of what we are doing.

In order to achieve our goal of self-realisation and service to society,
we should practically and theoretically understand this point of how to
overcome, nay eliminate, fatigue. Then we are sure to be successful.

PART 1:

WORLDLY WORKS MAKES ONE TIRED

Most get tired during the course of their day. Those doing work like
slaves wherein they are doing for someone else’s profit are generally
the first ones to get tired. Their day will just drag forward almost
from the moment it begins. Their muscles ache, their brain gets dull,
and there is little motivation or stamina for them to continue. They
just slog through their day. In your comings and goings around town, you
have surely seen such persons.

Then there are those who seem to truly like what they are doing –
whether it be their job, hobby, sports, or family time. Such persons are
doing with an apparent sense of purpose though in truth they are really
moved by all kinds of worldly attachments, bondages and afflictions such
as name and fame, money, spouse, family, sex, prestige, and so on. They
will sacrifice much to achieve their worldly ends and material
pleasures, and it looks like they can continue forever, but even they
get tired – invariably.

A person may be running, but it will not be long before he cannot run
any more. A person may be eating, a person may be playing music, a
person may be owning a business, a person may be taking care of their
children etc, even then, with their limited physical energy, tiredness
will come their way. Their attraction for tht project will wane and
ultimately they will become fatigued. This is the normal course.

This happens with each and every worldly work – sooner or later. Why?
Because those worldly pursuits, endeavours, and hobbies fail to provide
eternal stamina and inspiration to continue. No matter how
enthusiastically and seriously one is involved, tiredness consumes them.
No material pursuit can provide ongoing energy. Naturally then, fatigue
comes.

That is one end of the spectrum: worldly pursuits.

SPECIAL NOTE

Here we should be aware about one thing. People often move around in the
general society and think that others are great and have boundless
energy. They glorify their neighbors, friends, and acquaintances because
they only see part of the picture. In contrast they know the problems
that come in their own house, but they think others are immune to such
issues. In that state of naiveté and unawareness, they place a gold
ribbon around all kinds of people.

But this is all wrong. None should fall in this type of delusion.
Someone who is very energetic at work and it looks like they have it all
together, just know that is not the full picture. Because all on the
path of materialism are subject to fatigue, frustration, ignorance and
despair. Keep that in mind the next time you see someone around town and
think, “Wow, that person is really great in all respects.”

Never forget, materialists are prone to fatigue – period, no matter how
grand their life may look from the outside.

PART 2:

SPIRITUAL ENDEAVORS GIVE ETERNAL INSPIRATION

On the other end of the spectrum is sadhana and spiritual endeavors. By
Baba’s grace when one is deeply ensconced in spiritual sadhana, then
fatigue never comes. That is Baba’s teaching and all sadhakas in the
Marga may have realised this in the practical sphere as well – when they
are in a proper flow.

First off, as a gateway into sadhana, we all sing kiirtan, which has
been designed in such a way as to fend off any feelings of fatigue.

Baba says, “Now lalita ma’rmik dance can maintain adjustment with
kiirtana without causing fatigue in the human body: that is why lalita
is prescribed in kiirtana.” (AFPS-3)

From kiirtan we transition to sadhana. And in sadhana, by His grace, we
can tap into that perennial source of eternal inspiration. Baba is
always gracious; and with a bit of concentration and devotional flow,
the unit mind can flow on and on in His cosmic ideation. In that case,
there will be no fatigue.

Baba says, “His love is perennial. It is always there. It is for you to
tap His love. It is up to you because the chance has been given to you.
Now it is for you to realize that and open everything. Then you will be
able to enjoy the complete love and devotion which has been showering on
you for time eternal.” (AV-31)

Many in our Marga may have experienced such a state wherein their ista
mantra or dhyana mantra, charged by the Sadguru, vibrates their every
cell and flows along effortlessly – from one repetition to the next,
giving tremendous force to both body and mind.

Baba says, “During meditation, the process of incantation is attuned to
the respiratory system. Once you have mastered this practice, your
incantation will continue automatically…When the process of
incantation is perfectly attuned to the respiration, it will continue
effortlessly.” (AV-8)

With proper determination and practice, and with Baba’s grace, our
sadhana can give us unending strength and energy to delve deeper and
deeper. Every sadhaka is aware that only spiritual sadhana (paramartha)
gives eternal inspiration and keeps fatigue at bay.

So we should all try more and more to experience this flow. Such a
stance can be realised in one’s practical life; we can reach that divine
kingdom where there is no fatigue.

PART 3:

BRAHMABHAVA AND LIVING IN THIS WORLD

Between worldly life and purely spiritual pursuits, there is a middle
ground where one may not be drifting in total bliss unaware of their own
existence, nor consumed by fatigue and frustration. Rather one is
working in world, doing service, and thinking of Him.

At the beginning of this letter, in the first part about worldly
pursuits, we discussed those who work like slaves as well those who do
out of attachment. Both of these types of people are bound to suffer
from fatigue. But there is another category of person doing works in the
world. And this person derives ongoing inspiration for their pursuits.
It is the one ideates on the Lord and is ensconced in Brahmabhava.

Baba says, “Wise sa’dhakas superimpose Brahmabha’va on physical objects
and mental thoughts. At once they cease to be physical or mental, they
become spiritual.” (AV-33)

Baba says, “Fortified with courage and instilled with Brahmabha’va they
face all calamities of retribution bravely. They always consider
themselves pure, for they have purged their minds… Sa’dhakas call it
the combustion of the seed of action in the fire of sa’dhana’.” (AMIWL-5)

By taking spiritual ideation through second lesson and ideating on
Parama Purusa, by His grace, one can spiritualise all one’s actions and
pursuits. In that case fatigue and frustration will never knock on their
door. Because that bhakta sees one and all as manifestations of the
Supreme. In that case their mind is ensconced in the thought of the
Divine, even though they are living and working in this world.

Here is a classic example.

Buddha used to beg but He always did so with the thought of the Divine
in which case his life’s journey of begging was blissful and done for
the great cause, wheres others begging for food begging feel as though
they are just trying to get some measly scraps in which case they are
miserable. For them life is a torment.

So the ideation behind the action is what determines whether that person
is prone to fatigue or not. Those doing with the ideation of bhramabhava
receive ongoing fuel from Parama Purusa for all their pursuits.

In our Marga, you may have seen some Wts who got frustrated thinking
that Baba’s system of starting one project and leaving another project
half done was totally fruitless. They were involved in worldly
measurements and totally missed out on how this was the Divine liila and
His special technique for teaching us everything in a short time period.
Such workers were easily frustrated & often left whereas those doing to
please Him were always feeling buoyant, blissful and ready for life.

Such is the stark difference between those involved in Brahmabhava
versus those stuck in worldly gains and losses.

Although bramhabhava is not 100% spiritual like dhyana because you are
dealing with world, but because of cosmic ideation one is tapping into
His perennial inspiration.

If doing any service project or seva in order to please Parama Purusa,
and not for name and fame etc, then one will get ongoing inspiration and
never be drained of their energy and motivation by fatigue.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO

Our approach then is to do sadhana and ideate when involved in worldly
dealings. Only people become tired and frustrated because of a lack of
Brahmabhava. By ideating on Him, gradually our fatigue will disappear
and we will get renewed energy to do all kinds of good deeds and welfare
projects for Him.

All want happiness but most pursuits invite frustration. Only being
ensconced in the divine only brings lasting happiness.

Furthermore, we should also be careful how the mind flickers. Today we
like this car and that computer but one day those same things will give
us frustration and misery, because the mind has changed. That is how how
frustration comes. Look back at your own life and see the trend and
never get duped or fooled thinking that materialists live a happy and
joyous life. Rather theirs is the path from one frustration to the next.
Only those involved with Parama Purusa are truly happy. Let this be our
endeavour.

BABA’S BLESSING

By Baba’s grace He has blessed us with sadhana and the way to ideate. We
must realise practically and theoretically these gifts. Then we will
never experience fatigue in life; we will always feel that we are sweet
feet of Parama Purusa.

Baba says, “Until that Supreme Goal is reached, you will have to
tirelessly advance, ignoring all fatigue and exhaustion. You must
reflect in your personal life the very spirit of “caraeveti, caraeveti”
– move ever onwards, move ever onwards. May you be victorious.” (SS-18)

Namaskar,
Ishvara

***************************************
The Way Parama Purusa Evaluates

The Divine Measuring Rod

Baba says, “Do not think that those who are highly learned intellectuals
are elevated. In the realm of spirituality even illiterate persons can
reach the Goal, leaving those intellectuals behind. Parama Purusa does
not consider the intellectual qualification or intellect. He evaluates
everyone with the measuring scale of how much love one has for Parama
Purusa.” (SS-14, p. 91, Saharsa DMC, 27 June 1980)

Note: In His above teaching Baba guides us that all that is needed to
get Him is sincere love for since Him. That is the special measuring
rod. That is why those jinanis and groupist leaders who go on inventing
more and more crude theories for their own prestige and power are far,
far away from the goal.

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

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