Baba
Quiet vs loud
Namaskar,
In our Ananda Marga sadhana system, certain practices are done out loud while others are done in a quiet manner. The first part of this letter addresses practices done out loud and the second part examines practices done quietly.
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~ Part I ~
When Ananda Margiis sing kiirtan loudly, that is not done because we feel that Parama Purusa is far away - i.e. up in the sky - heaven etc. We do not feel that He is far and that is not why we sing kiirtan loudly. We sing kiirtan loudly so other people can hear the glorious name of the Lord. That is why we sing kiirtan loudly: To propagate the Lord's glory to those around us.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Why does kiirtana have to be vocalized? The science behind it is that when you do kiirtana loudly your mind remains engaged. It cannot do anything else. At that time it is not possible to abuse someone or to have a worldly conversation. The mind is busy vocalizing, rather I will say that it is given over to the vocalization. The vocal cords are busy in that, the mind is employed in that thought, and the ears are hearing it, they don’t have any chance to go here and there. For this reason the rule of vocalizing kiirtana loudly makes it both heard and sung. Kiirtan is not done softly." (1)
Kiirtana is more beneficial than bhajana
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "The easiest way to do this is to sing the glories of the Supreme Entity whose very thought automatically elevates the mind. Chanting the name of Parama Puruśa aloud is called kiirtana; For, the vibration created in the atmosphere by kiirtana will influence others also. But if one’s mental ideation is conveyed only to Parama Puruśa without affecting other human beings, this is called bhajana. So bhajana is purely personal; it has no collective aspect. Kiirtana is more beneficial than bhajana, and hence it is said kiirtaniiyah sadá harih: whenever you find time, do kiirtana loudly and you will never become degenerated because by chanting the Lord’s holy name the mind remains elevated." (2)
In Ananda Marga, we sing kiirtan loudly so that others may hear - and be benefitted. We do not sing loudly to Him because we think He is in a distant world. Thus our reason for singing kiirtan loudly is only so that this kiirtana mantra will also reach the ears of others.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
~ Part II ~
In this part, Baba is describing various approaches that are done quietly like japa, dhyana, iishvara pranidhana, and other lessons and practices.
Reciting prayers in loud voice is meaningless
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Those who call out loud to attain Him wrongly believe that He is far away from them. However loudly they might call, their call will never reach Him. To call that Supreme Entity the mind must be introverted with proper ideation. The scriptures describe three types of incantation: vácanik (verbal repetition), upáḿshu (muttering repetition), mánasik (mental repetition). Verbal repetition means to call Parama Puruśa loudly on the supposition that He is far, far away. In muttering repetition there is a slight movement of the lips causing the incantation to be audible to oneself only. In the third category of incantation it is the mind which utters and listens to the incantation; no one even gets the least hint that you are engaged in iishvara prańidhána ." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Perhaps you know that japa is of three kinds – vácanika, upáḿshu, and mánasika. Vácanika japa, the attempt to attract His attention by reciting prayers in a loud voice, is absolutely meaningless. Respect, affection, sincerity and devotion are attributes of the inner heart and are not to be expressed loudly in the language of flatterers. Vácanika japa, therefore, serves no purpose." (4)
Your Iishvara is not deaf
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Those who don't have this feeling and think that Parama Puruśa is far away, may cry themselves hoarse, yet their sobs will not be heard by Him. The actual truth is that the Supreme Entity lies covert in the small “I” feeling of all living creatures. So He is not far from anything; rather, He is the very “I” of each and every microcosm. With this idea or feeling in mind, spiritual aspirants should start their spiritual practice. To be ensconced in this supreme idea is the culminating point of all sadhana." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Iishvara prańidhána means to move with accelerated speed towards that Supreme Shelter, God. Therefore, Iishvara prańidhána is absolutely based on bháva, or ideation – it is a mental effort in its entirety. Shouting at the top of one's voice for a big crowd to assemble, or showing devotion by beating drums, etc., has got no place in it. Your Iishvara is not deaf. Don't shout to convey your mental feelings to Him." (6)
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Mother & daughter
Some religious followers call or shout out loudly to reach God whom they think is up in heaven. They think that their God is far away so a booming voice is needed to reach Him. That is dogma.
It is just like if a mother and daughter are sitting near each other then they speak softly, and if they are very far apart physically, they will yell to convey their message to one another. Same is the case of those shouting to Parama Purusa in hopes of getting His favour or boons etc. Tragically, they do not feel He is near.
Every true bhakta has realised that they can communicate with Him silently in dhyana - or anytime. Because always Parama Purusa is present - He is aware of their every thought. We know and feel that He is within,n and that He hears our quietest whisper and even our mental communications.
Conclusion
(A) Kiirtana should be done loudly so others can hear. It should not be done mentally or in a whispering voice. The purpose of singing kiirtana is to raise the glory of Parama Purusa loudly so others may hear.
(B) At the same time, since Parama Purusa is very close there is no need to call Him out loud to communicate your feelings. Sadhana and japa are done quietly.
(C) While singing bhajans, bhaktas sing to the Lord with a soft voice to express for their own satisfaction. Parama Purusa can hear whatever the bhakta thinks, but the bhakta likes to sing in a soft voice.
So kiirtana should be done out loud; sadhana and japa should be done quietly; and bhajans should be sung in soft voice.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In Him,
Shefali Roy
~ In-depth study ~
When we sing bhajans (Prabhat Samgiita), we think Parama Purusa is near and we simply wish to convey what is in the mind. So one’s selection of songs should be well thought out that reflects the feeling of your heart. And certainly over time, that can change and one may have a different feeling to convey to Parama Purusa.
In Ananda Marga, sadhakas sing bhajans thinking that, “Parama Purusa is very close and that He is listening to all I think and say, whether I sing quietly or loudly it makes no difference. He always hears my mental flow.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Maha means “great”; prayan means “departure"
In a related manner it is terribly unfortunate that some of our brothers have gotten confused and think that Parama Purusa is far, far away, and has left to some other world. Their very use of the term -maha prayan (gone far far away) gives this very idea.
Maha literally means “great” and prayan literally means “departure.” So when those organisers first invented this programme they called it mahaprayan because they literally felt that Parama Purusa is far away and gone. That is why they chose that name - mahaprayan.
Such persons cannot think or feel that Parama Purusa lies within, so they started their dogma of mahaprayan. Observing this is a veritable dichotomy. Parama Purusa resides eternally in the heart, and the propagators and supporters of MPD proclaim that Parama Purusa has journeyed far, far away. Such is their misunderstanding. It is a sad and tragic situation. For their well-being it is our collective responsibility to guide and bring them onto the right path.
And indeed, over the years, as they heard more and more margiis tell them that this name - mahaprayan - was against the feeling of bhakti because Parama Purusa Baba always remains in the heart, then those organisers changed their tune. They proclaimed, “We call it mahaprayan but we also think that Parama Purusa is in the heart.” They can never admit any error - and that stalls their growth in all realms, but especially in the spiritual sphere.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 9, “Always Do the Kiirtana of the Lord”
2. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 11, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
3. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 6, Microcosm and Macrocosm
4. A Guide to Human Conduct, Iishvara Prańidhána
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, He Is Even Nearer Than You Think
6. A Guide to Human Conduct, Iishvara Prańidhána
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
You came with the manana of my heart
"Ayuta chande ese chile tumi, nácite nácite hásite hásite..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0146)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, with the resonance of melody, in the manana of my heart, and with the jingling of the ankle bell, You came in countless rhythms, dancing and smiling, smiling and dancing - in my meditation.
You came with the resonance of melody; You came with the manana of my heart, You came with the jingling of the ankle bell. You came with the resonance of melody.
Baba, You came with the jingling of the ankle bell. Parama Purusa, with the resonance of melody, and in the manana of my heart, You came. In the jingling of the ankle bell, Parama Purusa 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. Parama Purusa, 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. Parama Purusa, You fill me always. You surround me from all the directions,
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 #0146:
[1] Manana: The contemplation or ideation of the Supreme Entity by repeating the Parama Purusa's name in the mind. This special process Ananda Marga ideology has described in-depthly.
[2] Jingling of the Ankle Bell: This song (PS #0146) carries great symbolic meaning 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.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “The rhythm in which the vibrational flow of the cosmic mind vibrates the annamáya kośa of individual microcosms – veins, nerves, arteries, blood, lymph, etc. – is the initial stage of the divine cosmic sound. When this sound is heard in the anamáya kośa it resembles that of a cricket. When this cosmic sound vibrates the kámamaya kośa it resembles the sound of ankle bells. In the manomaya kośa it resembles a flute...in atimánasa kośa, the resonance of a gong; in vijiṋánamaya kośa the buzzing of bees or the rolling of ocean waves; and in hirańmaya kośa, a prolonged oṋḿ sound. Thus the cosmic sound is expressed in various ways according to the degrees of crudity or subtlety in relation to the fundamental factors. There are various physical and psychic expressions centring around the various degrees of cosmic sound. When one’s mind is confined to a particular stratum one hears the sound peculiar to that stratum only. A person who lacks concentration of mind cannot hear any expression of the cosmic sound. In the field of spiritual practice the divine sound is expressed in a spontaneous way.” (1)
The medical condition of ringing in the ears is known as tinnitus - it is bothersome, irritating, and a painful condition. In contrast, the divine sound of the jingling of the ankle bell is sweet and blissful.
[3] Two More Metaphors: The metaphor of the sky and its blue colour 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 bhakta and Parama Purusa are inseparable. Similarly, the flower cannot be separated from its fragrance; where there is a 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 Parama Purusa and the bhakta. Parama Purusa is always with the bhakta - one cannot remain separate from the other. Parama Purusa comes with His omnkara dhvani (eternal sound) the bhakta gets attracted and merges in Him.
== Section: Bangla Quote ==
মুখ ৰুজে
“ভাল মানুষ সে নয় যে ৰসে-ৰসে মার খাচ্ছে, অপমান সহ্য করছে, বা শোষণের পর শোষণের পালা চলেছে | আর সে মুখ ৰুজে সেটাকে বিধিলিপি ৰলে মেনে নিচ্ছে | এ সমস্ত ভাল লোকের লক্ষণ নয় | ভাল লোকের লক্ষণ হ’ল যে অন্যায়ের বিরুদ্ধে সংগ্রাম করে, ন্যায়কে দৃঢ় হস্তে ধরে থাকে, দুর্ৰলকে রক্ষা করে, পাপীর বিরুদ্ধে সংগ্রাম করে---সেই ভাল | Goody-goody boys যারা, they are not good boys |” (1)
Reference
1. Transcribed ver.MGD 25 Aug 1980 Calcutta
== Section: Prout ==
What about universal spiritual family
Prout philosophy states, “Ánanda Parivára or establishing a universal spiritual family involves not only a World Government but also a Universal Government. More correctly it is a universal social order. The question is, how can such a Parivára be established? This will certainly come through revolution which may be democratic or undemocratic; or it may be a pyramidical, palace or nuclear revolution. Among all the types of revolution, nuclear revolution is the best. The nucleus of creation is Cosmic Consciousness. It is also the goal of revolutionaries, and whatever they do by way of revolution with this goal in mind leads them to the culminating point of their life’s march. Revolution must have an ideological goal. In essence, revolution means controlling all the three nuclei of the universe – physical, psychic and spiritual. It is possible to make people conscious of Proutistic ideas in a democracy. This consciousness will have a repercussion in elections. Even before elections are held this consciousness may launch a revolution to change the social order.”(1)
Reference
1. Talks on Prout
== Section 3: Links ==
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