Baba
Kurnish in AMPS
Namaskar,
Sadguru Baba places great importance on the study of history as it enables both individuals and communities to learn from past mistakes and thereby progress. Failing that, without the study of history, people commit the same old errors over and over again. In which case, they remain shackled by the pitfalls of the past and are unable to advance. So the review of history holds a unique place for the development of any society.
As Ananda Margiis, we must know the history of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha (AMPS). Please read this below letter as an historical account which was first posted 8 years ago on this very network.
In Him,
Dr. Gopal
Ananda Marga News Bulletin Moderators
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Namaskar,
One terribly humiliating, submissive gesture is being enforced in our Ananda Marga - and some margiis are falling prey to this and becoming victims. There are photos below for you to see.
All this is done to impose an inferiority complex so that margiis will blindly accept and follow the orders of Centre. For this reason this dogma is being imposed.
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Must not do kurnish or bow down to anyone
Next, in His chapter on "Methods of Salutation", Sadguru Baba has given the order that no one is to bow down to anyone else. That is not accepted - in any form.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "Do not do kurnish [a kind of court salute signifying submission to one's authority] to anyone, as you are not anyone’s slave. Kurnish is a symbol of slavery, so as a form of salutation it is strictly forbidden." (1)
Guru directs us that kurnish and any type of bowing are "strictly forbidden."
Origin of kurnish
Here below is the typical position of submission - i.e. kurnish. Notice how the person approaches the king only after removing his shoes so he is barefoot. Plus his torso is folded down and his arms lay limp to the ground. This is a classic position of kurnish whereby one is submitting oneself to someone of power.
See below kurnish
This is kurnish and this is what Baba forbids in Caryacarya in the chapter "Methods of Salutation."
The above image of kurnish is a symbol of slavery: The master - servant relation. This humiliating act is demanded by the king to impose an inferiority complex on his subjects so they do not rise up and object to his wrongdoing and exploitation.
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Handlers of Vishvadevananda ji imposing kurnish on margiis
Now look at the scene unfolding here - this occurred at a DMS. Innocent margiis were forced to bow down in front of the handlers of Vishvadevanandji and touch near his crotch. It is even worse than kurnish.
It is more degrading than the regular kurnish or bowing down. When doing kurnish or bowing one takes a submissive pose, but one need not touch the person or do anything vulgar or humiliating.
But in this scene with the innocent margii, the handlers of PP are forcing him to bow down and engage in the humiliating act of touching near his pubic area. It is a terribly degrading stance and robs one of their dignity. Take a look.
And this is not an isolated instance. This is the regular pattern put in play by the handlers of Vishvadevananda ji. All are forced to come near him, bow down, touch near his laungota / underwear, and put their forehead in that area also.
It is downright humiliating for anyone, but handlers of PP are keen to indoctrinate new and innocent margiis into this unbecoming gesture. That way when Centre engages in wrongdoing then no one will have the strength or courage to object. People will passively accept whatever Centre does.
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Conclusion
All margiis should be aware and not subject themselves to this type of degrading act. In our Ananda Marga there is no system or directive to touch the laungota of those holding the highest post - indeed we do not bow down and touch anyone's laungota.
Dogma of kurnish - no more, no more.
In Him,
Nandan
Note 1: Kurnish is not caran sparsha pranam
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Carańa sparsha prańáma: Carańa sparsha prańáma means to touch the feet of a revered person with one’s hands and then to touch one’s forehead with those same hands. This prańáma should be done only to those who command high regard from the worldly or spiritual viewpoint. As far as possible, do not do carańa sparsha prańáma except to persons such as these. “Never do carańa sparsha prańáma to people whom you do not regard, whoever they may be.” (2)
In our Ananda Marga, there is the system that when one has a great regard and respect for someone based on their dharmic conduct, then one may touch their feet.
“Never do carańa sparsha prańáma to people whom you do not regard, whoever they may be.”
(a) If your respected person is standing then one may touch theIR feet, but that does not mean they should rub your face on their feet.
(b) If your respected person is seated, then if their feet are visible then one may touch their feet, but that does not mean one should rub your face on their feet.
(c) If your respected person is seated and their feet are not visible, then one may touch their knee, but that does not mean they should rub your face on their feet. But under no circumstances should one touch their underwear / laungota, let alone rubbing the face there.
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Note 2: History of Kurnish
THE HOMAGE OF BOMBAY
~ Courtesy of Historical Record of Imperial Visit to India ~
Maharaja of Jodhpur, as became his connexion with the great Rahtor clan. The Mir of Khairpur, who was next, in green velvet and gold with a flat green cap and sirpech, observed the usual Muhammadan custom of The Nawab of Palanpur, who was in white with coloured turban and diamond jewellery, and the ribbon of the Indian Empire, carried the jewelled sword presented to his ancestor by the Emperor Akbar. He bowed reverently on arrival and departure and salaamed profoundly three times to each of Their Majesties.
The Jam of Navanagar, the premier Chief of Kathiawar, bowed and salaamed with both hands to Their Majesties in turn. lie was dressed in white and gold with jewelled accoutrements, and a red and gold puggaree with diamond aigrette and pearls. The Maharaja of Bhavnagar simply bowed. He was clad in white silk with pearls and wore the insignia of the Star of India.
The Raj Saheb of Dhrangadra in gold and yellow performed his Homage in the same way as the Jam of Navanagar. The Raja of RajpipLi wore a gold-embroidered coat and turban with diamond-studded accoutrements and the Coronation medal. He made his obeisance with many bowings. The Nawab of Cambay, who came next, in a black coat, with gold sword-belt and a white turban, made one deep bow to each of Their Majesties. The Nawab of Radhanpur was in white, with pearl and emerald jewellery, and made the kurnish, a salaam with the right hand and a low bow, with a word of reverence, three times to each of Their Majesties.
The Thakur Saheb of Gondal bowed three times to Their Majesties in turn. His Highness was in black velvet embroidered with gold, and wore the ribbon of the Indian Empire and the Jubilee and 1903 Durbar medals. The Nawab of Janjira, in white and gold, also wore the ribbon of the Indian Empire. lie bowed on reaching the platform, and salaamed three times with the right hand. The Sultan of Lahej gave a military salute, and the Fadthli Sultan raided both arms to his forehead with the backs of the hands upwards, and then bowed very reverently. The Sultan of Shehr and Mokalla, in black velvet and a golden cap, bowed with his right hand on his heart.
After these Arab chieftains came the Raja of Dharampur, in white silk with gold embroidery and trappings and a yellow turban. He bowed and performed the kurnish. The Raja of Bansda was next, and did his Homage in the same way, dressed in black velvet with jewelled ornaments; then the Raja of Chota Udepur, in gold-embroidered white with many jewels, who bowed and salaamed to Their Majesties. The Raja of Baria, who was present as a member of the Imperial Cadet Corps, made a military salute. The Nawab of Sachin, who followed him, also wore the Cadet Corps uniform, and, after giving a military salute, laid his sword at the King-Emperor's feet, bowing three times over his folded hands, and repeating the same ceremony before the Empress. The Raj Saheb of Wankaner was next, and made his reverence by bowing. The Thakur. (Courtesy of “The Historical Record Of The Imperial Visit To India”
References
1. Caryacarya-1, Methods of Salutation
2. Caryacarya-1, Methods of Salutation
== Section ==
The section below demarcated by asterisks is an entirely different topic,
completely unrelated to the above material. It stands on its own as a point of interest.
completely unrelated to the above material. It stands on its own as a point of interest.
*************************************
Devayonis Are Under Punishment
Devayonis Are Under Punishment
Baba says, "Videhaliina: those who run after occult powers and think, “I will attain such great occult power that with it, I will move from place to place.” These are all luminous bodies; they are not ghosts, nor are they positive or negative hallucinations...After death, when the mind dissociates from the body, the accumulation of unfulfilled saḿskáras or reactive momenta remains, although the body with the five fundamental factors no longer exists. Thus, the mind cannot function, but it remains in potential form." (Yoga Psychology, p.80)
Note: Videhaliina is one type of microvita that is under punishment. Such type of unfortunate beings got degenerated and became microvita. They could not be reborn as human beings made up of five fundamental factors. Instead, due to their desire for occult powers, they are cast off as beings with only a few factors - they lack the solid and liquid portions. So they are suffering and long to once again get human life. But this will come only after they escape from the noose of the long-term bondage and state of punishment etc.
Those who do not know Ananda Marga philosophy think that devayonis are something great. In the past, with fear, people used to give respectful names to those who terrified them. When common folks saw devayonis they could not understand anything - they were terrified of them.
So just as villagers do not like to call a snake a snake - rather they call them creepers, i.e. any vine that grows by creeping along the earth and bears fruit and flowers. They do this because they are terrified of snakes so they give them a more gentile name.
Similarly we see that people do not call hit-men as hit-men, rather when they see them they address them "Sir." But that does not mean that really they have deep reverence for them. Rather their relation with them is based on fear.
In a very similar manner, the term devayonis term was given. For more details about devayonis read the discourse Faculty of Knowledge-2 (Bangla edition).
*************************************Note: Videhaliina is one type of microvita that is under punishment. Such type of unfortunate beings got degenerated and became microvita. They could not be reborn as human beings made up of five fundamental factors. Instead, due to their desire for occult powers, they are cast off as beings with only a few factors - they lack the solid and liquid portions. So they are suffering and long to once again get human life. But this will come only after they escape from the noose of the long-term bondage and state of punishment etc.
Those who do not know Ananda Marga philosophy think that devayonis are something great. In the past, with fear, people used to give respectful names to those who terrified them. When common folks saw devayonis they could not understand anything - they were terrified of them.
So just as villagers do not like to call a snake a snake - rather they call them creepers, i.e. any vine that grows by creeping along the earth and bears fruit and flowers. They do this because they are terrified of snakes so they give them a more gentile name.
Similarly we see that people do not call hit-men as hit-men, rather when they see them they address them "Sir." But that does not mean that really they have deep reverence for them. Rather their relation with them is based on fear.
In a very similar manner, the term devayonis term was given. For more details about devayonis read the discourse Faculty of Knowledge-2 (Bangla edition).
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