Baba
Namaskar,
Many - especially in the west - are familiar with the Christian dogma that all are sinners and that Christ came to suffer for your sins. That is the baseline of Christianity: That Christ has saved you through his suffering.
A few margiis have emulated the dogma of Christianity and unfortunately created similar such stories about Baba. That is the focus of this letter.
Here following are the ways Christians express their belief that Christ has come on earth to suffer for your sins.
(a) The Bible says: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came in the flesh to suffer and die and by that suffering and death to save undeserving sinners like you and me. This coming to suffer and die is the supreme manifestation of the greatness of the glory of the grace of God. Or to say it a little differently, the death of Christ in supreme suffering is the highest, clearest, surest display of the glory of the grace of God.
(b) The Bible says: It is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we really begin to comprehend the magnitude of both sin in our lives and God’s love for us. Jesus was sent to live as a perfect human being, apart from sin. Yet He was born with sinful flesh, subject to the pulls and temptations common to all of us. Though He was tried and tempted in all points, He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
If Jesus was sent just to prove you could live a sinless life in the flesh, He would have accomplished His goal. He could have just suffered some painless death and been given eternal life. However, it was eternal life that He gave up so that He could give eternal life to people like you and me.
God the Father laid our sins upon Jesus through the beating he suffered (Isaiah 53).
(c) The Bible says: The punches, the beating, the thorns in the head, the mocking, the spitting upon, the whipping and scourging, the rejection, the cries for His death and all the horror of His final hours were necessary to lay upon Him all our sins. We see in this the violence of our own sins upon the life of one who was innocent.
(d) The Bible says: Betrayed into the hands of his enemies by one of His own apostles, Jesus Christ was mocked, spat upon, scourged, crowned with thorns, sentenced to death by crucifixion, and made to carry His own cross to the place of execution. Then He was stripped, fastened to the cross by nails through His wrists and feet, and left to die by asphyxiation. All this He endured willingly for our salvation.
All of the above descriptions from the Bible depict the extreme suffering that portrays the Christian ethic and outlook. They believe that all were born in sin and that Christ came to suffer for one's sins.
Along that vain, someone posted bogus story that mirrors this Christian approach. In the so-called Baba story that is spreading around, Baba is cited as stating the following while speaking to one Dada while He (Baba) was in jail:
"I feel so much pain.
No one else could endure such pain.
Why I endure it?
Because you, My sons and daughters
Are in great danger now.
If I were not suffering
Then you would be suffering
And you would not be able to endure it.
Like the hen and the chicks --
What does the hen do when the chicks are attacked?
She spreads her wings and keeps her chicks safe.
You all are in great danger now --
And I must save you.
If I did not continue My fast,
The suffering would be much greater."
This fake Baba story states that Baba has come to suffer and endure the pain for human beings. Yet as Ananda Margiis we can easily understand that this above portrayal is just a bogus story grounded in Christian dogma of the supreme suffering of Christ. Such a story has nothing to do with the dharma of Ananda Marga. Baba never supported nor acted in ways that even remotely resemble Christian dogma and their sinner psychology - never.
Baba is the tantrika Guru who teaches by His example. And His example is firmly grounded in Ananda Marga ideology - not Biblical Christian dogma.
In His divine liila, Baba has allowed Himself to be placed in jail because He wished to show us how to fight and stand firm against exploiters - even if it threatens or takes your life. So Baba's wrongful incarceration and hateful poisoning stand as an ideal way to teach us, His disciples. With His practical example He is guiding us that no matter how bad things get and no matter the obstacles, one should never cow down in the face of injustice.
This example has nothing to do with the Christian dogma of suffering for his followers and thus relieving them of sin. Rather Baba's example is all about the great fight against injustice. Baba is furthermore warning us that when you raise the banner and hammer against injustice, then you will face an onslaught of retaliation. Even so, do not stray from the ideological tenets. Come life or death, make an ideological stand. That is Baba's divine teaching: To wage a ceaseless and pauseless fight against injustice, ever-ready to face even greater struggle and adversity. And that is what He did.
"The guru teaches us to follow a methodical way of life." (SS-18, Cult of Pinnacled Order)
"His emergence means a new era of white peace and dharma. He needs no sádhaná, but just to set an example to others, He performs sádhaná with the masses." (AV-23, Our Concept of Táraka Brahma)
Hence Baba teaches us through His given discourses and by His actions. And in no discourse, nor by any action, is His teaching about suffering or sin. The Christian dogma is that all are born in sin and Christ has come to suffer for your sins. Baba's guideline is quite different. Ours is a dharmic pursuit against injustice and exploitation as we aim to establish His ideological tenets on this earth.
Thus we do not subscribe to Christian theory of suffering and torment that Christ has come to bear our suffering. We do not apply this dogmatic mentality to our Beloved Baba.
Our relationship with Baba is based on love and affection - always emulating His each and every action.
Now that it is clearly established that we are dealing with a bogus Baba story, then the questions arise in the mind: How and why did anyone spread such a story.
Those people who are half-margiis or partial margiis often have one foot or half the brain in their dogmatic, religious upbringing. So they could not fully embrace AM teachings. Rather they persistently and constantly try to drag their old dogma into AM. And that is exactly what happens in the above bogus story.
Those who grew up in a Semitic region where Christianity was dominant so they still see the world through those eyes - and try to apply to Baba and Ananda Marga. They could not grasp Ananda Marga ideology.
Another angle of vision is that this story was first concocted in the 1970's in NY sector via the Crimson Dawn newsletter magazine. Baba was in jail and to the untrained eye the situation looked bleak. In order to engender support - both moral support and economic support - from NY margiis, someone concocted this story to appease the margiis and bring them close. That person thought that by fabricating a story and making Baba's approach parallel to that of Christ, then the people of NY sector will have greater sympathy for the cause. Since they can identify with Christ. This was another circumstance behind that creation of the false account.
And still today, those who still identify with and take inspiration from the example of Christ, share this story via email. That is why this bogus story has been spreading around lately.
First and foremost, as His disciples, we are to stand tall and protect the sanctity of Ista and adarsha. We are to keep Baba's image pure and blemishless and not let His teachings be tainted in any way. In this case, that means not letting anyone mold Baba according to Christ's example and not letting Christian ideas seep into our Baba stories.
About this we should all be vigilant. We should discard this story immediately and stand on the fundamentals of Ananda Marga.
In Him,
Sudhiira
S. Magliocco
The person who recently circulated this bogus Baba story is Taraka Ghista. He is the one spreading it around on email.
Here it should be added that in her books Didi Ananda Mitra always tried to put Baba and Ananda Marga on par with Christ and Christianity. She wrongly leans on Christian dogma to explain Baba's manner, style, and teachings.
As noted this story was printed, published, and circulated in Crimson Dawn publication in NY in the 1970's
And indeed, Dada Vijayanandji took time to review various such magazines and concluded that many of these printings were false and against the principles of Ananda Marga ideology. Dada Vijayanandji made this statement in a public speech that was recorded.
Such bogus Baba stories etc are not only related with Christian dogma. We see that some are trying to establish Hindu rituals within Ananda Marga through the creation of various tiirtha sites (hold land, and mpd dogma) etc.
Verily all those who could not full link with Ananda Marga pull their old, dogmatic tendencies into Ananda Marga.
And in the past when Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna took form on this earth, then various worshipers applied all kinds of dogmas to them. That is why still today people think that Lord Shiva was smoking hashish / marijuana, and that Lord Krsna frolicked with ladies. These are all the bogus tales of dogmatic worshipers who could not realise the teachings of Taraka Brahma.
And now here we see someone trying to paint Baba in the vain of Christian dogma. That is what we must oppose.
BEWARE:
BOGUS BABA STORY SPREADING AROUND
BOGUS BABA STORY SPREADING AROUND
Namaskar,
Many - especially in the west - are familiar with the Christian dogma that all are sinners and that Christ came to suffer for your sins. That is the baseline of Christianity: That Christ has saved you through his suffering.
A few margiis have emulated the dogma of Christianity and unfortunately created similar such stories about Baba. That is the focus of this letter.
HOW CHRISTIANS EXPRESS THEIR BELIEF:
CHRIST SUFFERED FOR YOUR SINS
CHRIST SUFFERED FOR YOUR SINS
Here following are the ways Christians express their belief that Christ has come on earth to suffer for your sins.
(a) The Bible says: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came in the flesh to suffer and die and by that suffering and death to save undeserving sinners like you and me. This coming to suffer and die is the supreme manifestation of the greatness of the glory of the grace of God. Or to say it a little differently, the death of Christ in supreme suffering is the highest, clearest, surest display of the glory of the grace of God.
(b) The Bible says: It is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we really begin to comprehend the magnitude of both sin in our lives and God’s love for us. Jesus was sent to live as a perfect human being, apart from sin. Yet He was born with sinful flesh, subject to the pulls and temptations common to all of us. Though He was tried and tempted in all points, He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
If Jesus was sent just to prove you could live a sinless life in the flesh, He would have accomplished His goal. He could have just suffered some painless death and been given eternal life. However, it was eternal life that He gave up so that He could give eternal life to people like you and me.
God the Father laid our sins upon Jesus through the beating he suffered (Isaiah 53).
(c) The Bible says: The punches, the beating, the thorns in the head, the mocking, the spitting upon, the whipping and scourging, the rejection, the cries for His death and all the horror of His final hours were necessary to lay upon Him all our sins. We see in this the violence of our own sins upon the life of one who was innocent.
(d) The Bible says: Betrayed into the hands of his enemies by one of His own apostles, Jesus Christ was mocked, spat upon, scourged, crowned with thorns, sentenced to death by crucifixion, and made to carry His own cross to the place of execution. Then He was stripped, fastened to the cross by nails through His wrists and feet, and left to die by asphyxiation. All this He endured willingly for our salvation.
All of the above descriptions from the Bible depict the extreme suffering that portrays the Christian ethic and outlook. They believe that all were born in sin and that Christ came to suffer for one's sins.
THIS BOGUS BABA STORY IS MOVING AROUND
Along that vain, someone posted bogus story that mirrors this Christian approach. In the so-called Baba story that is spreading around, Baba is cited as stating the following while speaking to one Dada while He (Baba) was in jail:
"I feel so much pain.
No one else could endure such pain.
Why I endure it?
Because you, My sons and daughters
Are in great danger now.
If I were not suffering
Then you would be suffering
And you would not be able to endure it.
Like the hen and the chicks --
What does the hen do when the chicks are attacked?
She spreads her wings and keeps her chicks safe.
You all are in great danger now --
And I must save you.
If I did not continue My fast,
The suffering would be much greater."
This fake Baba story states that Baba has come to suffer and endure the pain for human beings. Yet as Ananda Margiis we can easily understand that this above portrayal is just a bogus story grounded in Christian dogma of the supreme suffering of Christ. Such a story has nothing to do with the dharma of Ananda Marga. Baba never supported nor acted in ways that even remotely resemble Christian dogma and their sinner psychology - never.
HIS DIVINE LIILA AND JAIL
Baba is the tantrika Guru who teaches by His example. And His example is firmly grounded in Ananda Marga ideology - not Biblical Christian dogma.
In His divine liila, Baba has allowed Himself to be placed in jail because He wished to show us how to fight and stand firm against exploiters - even if it threatens or takes your life. So Baba's wrongful incarceration and hateful poisoning stand as an ideal way to teach us, His disciples. With His practical example He is guiding us that no matter how bad things get and no matter the obstacles, one should never cow down in the face of injustice.
This example has nothing to do with the Christian dogma of suffering for his followers and thus relieving them of sin. Rather Baba's example is all about the great fight against injustice. Baba is furthermore warning us that when you raise the banner and hammer against injustice, then you will face an onslaught of retaliation. Even so, do not stray from the ideological tenets. Come life or death, make an ideological stand. That is Baba's divine teaching: To wage a ceaseless and pauseless fight against injustice, ever-ready to face even greater struggle and adversity. And that is what He did.
"The guru teaches us to follow a methodical way of life." (SS-18, Cult of Pinnacled Order)
"His emergence means a new era of white peace and dharma. He needs no sádhaná, but just to set an example to others, He performs sádhaná with the masses." (AV-23, Our Concept of Táraka Brahma)
Hence Baba teaches us through His given discourses and by His actions. And in no discourse, nor by any action, is His teaching about suffering or sin. The Christian dogma is that all are born in sin and Christ has come to suffer for your sins. Baba's guideline is quite different. Ours is a dharmic pursuit against injustice and exploitation as we aim to establish His ideological tenets on this earth.
Thus we do not subscribe to Christian theory of suffering and torment that Christ has come to bear our suffering. We do not apply this dogmatic mentality to our Beloved Baba.
Our relationship with Baba is based on love and affection - always emulating His each and every action.
WHY PEOPLE SPREAD SUCH BOGUS STORIES
Now that it is clearly established that we are dealing with a bogus Baba story, then the questions arise in the mind: How and why did anyone spread such a story.
Those people who are half-margiis or partial margiis often have one foot or half the brain in their dogmatic, religious upbringing. So they could not fully embrace AM teachings. Rather they persistently and constantly try to drag their old dogma into AM. And that is exactly what happens in the above bogus story.
Those who grew up in a Semitic region where Christianity was dominant so they still see the world through those eyes - and try to apply to Baba and Ananda Marga. They could not grasp Ananda Marga ideology.
Another angle of vision is that this story was first concocted in the 1970's in NY sector via the Crimson Dawn newsletter magazine. Baba was in jail and to the untrained eye the situation looked bleak. In order to engender support - both moral support and economic support - from NY margiis, someone concocted this story to appease the margiis and bring them close. That person thought that by fabricating a story and making Baba's approach parallel to that of Christ, then the people of NY sector will have greater sympathy for the cause. Since they can identify with Christ. This was another circumstance behind that creation of the false account.
And still today, those who still identify with and take inspiration from the example of Christ, share this story via email. That is why this bogus story has been spreading around lately.
OUR DUTY:
NOT LET ANYONE MOLD BABA ACCORDING TO CHRIST
NOT LET ANYONE MOLD BABA ACCORDING TO CHRIST
First and foremost, as His disciples, we are to stand tall and protect the sanctity of Ista and adarsha. We are to keep Baba's image pure and blemishless and not let His teachings be tainted in any way. In this case, that means not letting anyone mold Baba according to Christ's example and not letting Christian ideas seep into our Baba stories.
About this we should all be vigilant. We should discard this story immediately and stand on the fundamentals of Ananda Marga.
In Him,
Sudhiira
S. Magliocco
Note 1: WHO SPREAD THIS BOGUS STORY
The person who recently circulated this bogus Baba story is Taraka Ghista. He is the one spreading it around on email.
Here it should be added that in her books Didi Ananda Mitra always tried to put Baba and Ananda Marga on par with Christ and Christianity. She wrongly leans on Christian dogma to explain Baba's manner, style, and teachings.
Note 2: VIJAYANANDJI OPPOSED SUCH MAGAZINES
As noted this story was printed, published, and circulated in Crimson Dawn publication in NY in the 1970's
And indeed, Dada Vijayanandji took time to review various such magazines and concluded that many of these printings were false and against the principles of Ananda Marga ideology. Dada Vijayanandji made this statement in a public speech that was recorded.
Note 3: NOT LIMITED TO CHRISTIAN DOGMA
Such bogus Baba stories etc are not only related with Christian dogma. We see that some are trying to establish Hindu rituals within Ananda Marga through the creation of various tiirtha sites (hold land, and mpd dogma) etc.
Verily all those who could not full link with Ananda Marga pull their old, dogmatic tendencies into Ananda Marga.
And in the past when Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna took form on this earth, then various worshipers applied all kinds of dogmas to them. That is why still today people think that Lord Shiva was smoking hashish / marijuana, and that Lord Krsna frolicked with ladies. These are all the bogus tales of dogmatic worshipers who could not realise the teachings of Taraka Brahma.
And now here we see someone trying to paint Baba in the vain of Christian dogma. That is what we must oppose.
