Baba
Story: returning after death - part C
(Note: This is the third letter in this series, links to the two earlier letters on this thread are appended below. -Eds)
Namaskar,
One day in jail while Keshavananda ji was along with Baba then Ramchij Rajawa'r' came up to them and asked if he could tell the story of one occasion how he (Ramchij Rajawa'r') had experienced his own death.
Baba gave His approval so Ramchij proceeded to give his account.
Ramchij Rajawa'r' said: 'Baba, one day I died - I experienced death. I was suffering from a fever lying there on my cot and two uniformed officials (from the death squad) approached and told me in an authoritative voice that my time had come and that I must go along with them. With no other option I followed their order and step by step they led me up to kingdom of Yamara'j (god of death).'
'I waited there with the guards and when my turn came then those two officials firmly brought me before the grand throne of Yamara'j. And they loudly announced my name to the god of death.'
'They said, 'Here before you we have brought the ”ghost of”Ramchij Rajawa'r'.' Ramchij is dead now.
'Immediately, the Yamara'j became furious and he loudly shouted at those two officials.'
'Yamara'j scolded them, 'You neglectful fellows. I Yamara'j (god of death)) did not tell you to bring Ramchij Rajawa'r'. I told you to bring Ramchij Ahir. You have confused the names and brought the wrong person. You completely misunderstood my command. Now go back and return Rajchij Rajawa'r' to his locale and bring me Ramchij Ahir. Immediately do as I say'.'
'They ran across the village and saw Ramchij Ahir milching his cows and then Ramchij Ahir looked over at them and then fell over - he died then and there, at that very moment.'
In that way Ramchij Rajawa'r' recounted his story to Baba one night about how he had been brought to the doorstep of death. And Keshavananda ji heard it all.
For the full story please see links #1 & #2.
But sadly, as the first two letters of this series reveal (links appended below), Dada K completely misunderstood the situation and this bogus story was printed in his own book which misguided margiis about death. Indeed, It was quite remarkable and eye-opening to see just how "off" Dada Keshavananda was with his explanation. I have always had great respect for Dadaji - and I still do - as he served so faithfully as PA. I remember those years well. To see that Keshavananda ji can badly misunderstand Baba's expression just shows that this could (and does) happen to anyone.
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All personal accounts must be ideological
What Baba has told on the public platform and in His discourses is the word of dharma. When others tell us "this" or "that" about their personal experiences with Baba then we have to think in multiple directions how far this is correct or not.
Individual people have their own limited way of understanding and interpreting things. So we cannot always depend on their individual reports as being accurate, perfect, and dharmic.
We can only accept those accounts which are consistent with His divine discourses - i.e. which follow the code of rationality etc. Otherwise, without that, we cannot accept any single individual's report or interpretation as being Baba's actual guideline for the humanity.
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Baba's discourses are dharma, not Dadas' books
At a minimum, we should always evaluate how far any Baba story or account is wholly consistent with Ananda Marga ideology. We should keep this in mind when reading any book written by a Dada. All too often their books are off the mark. This has been and continues to be a problem. Dada Keshavananda's book is a clear-cut example. Please watch for further letters in this series about books by other Dadas that strayed from the path.
Dada Keshavananda's book is not an isolated case. So many books written by Dadas veer off in the wrong direction. If you want to get the right guideline, read Baba's books.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Satiish Deva
Just like the bogus quote
After reading this account of how Keshavananda ji misunderstood Baba, a related point comes to mind: The bogus "merge in mission" quote. That so-called quote is against ideology and against Ista. Baba surely never spoke such words. Only a few innocent margiis misunderstood what Baba spoke when they visited Him in jail, and then that got printed in an unauthorised publication.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
Remember, understanding Guru's expression is not always easy. Plus when visiting Baba in jail then He often remained silent and only wrote a few words on his small piece of slate / chalkboard. This was because speaking took a lot of energy and He was weak from fasting. When He did speak, then it was done in a low voice as the security guard was always close by when Baba spoke with visitors. Not to mention that no pens, paper, or recording devices were allowed to be used when sadhakas visited Baba. So they were forced to try and remember what Baba conveyed. And nobody can remember a spoken idea or paragraph with word-for-word accuracy.
All this goes to show that the bogus "merge in mission" quote really is bogus. There is no rational or logical grounds for its existence other than people misunderstood what Baba wished to convey. As Keshavananda ji did not understand, in a similar manner these margiis also lost the point. They could not understand what Baba told and instead they wrote something else.
First they mis-recalled what Baba spoke and the proof is that the bogus quote goes against Ananda Marga ideals, and then they tried to publish that quote in Baba's name. Hence two wrongs were committed.
Finally, what a sadhaka remembers about their meeting with Baba is exactly that: Their personal account. What they recall from their meeting with Baba should not be quoted and then added to the shastra of Ananda Marga. That is not the way. What they remember is simply their memoir of their time with Baba. It cannot be reclassified and published in Baba's name.
Bogus "merge in mission' quotes
For those not aware, here are the two versions of the bogus quote:
(1) Here is the quote as it appears in the unofficial book - Supreme Expression I - which was published by an outside group / agency:
"If you want to see Me, do my Mission because I am merged with my Mission. I am not this physical body, this physical body is not me. I am in your hearts and you are in mine. Only devotion can demand my physical presence." (Supreme Expression I, p. 57 (1978)
(2) Next is the version of the bogus quote concocted by Ac. Sarvatmanandji & other Dadas in Oct 1990:
"I am not this physical body, this physical body is not me. If you want to know me, work for my mission, because I have merged myself with my mission."
Important Point: Some margiis are using part of this bogus quote to convince others on their own point. Such margiis think that this section proper and correct, but it is not fine. Because when the whole quote is bogus then any part of that quote is also bogus, i.e. not Baba's real quote. It is just like when one bucket is filled completely with cow dung, then any part of that bucket is also cow dung, not nectar. That is why this part "I am not this physical body, this physical body is not me" is also bogus.
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Earlier letters in this series
Here are the two earlier letters about Dada Keshavananda ji's misunderstanding of the god of death story.
#1: https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2017/10/how-dada-k-misconceived-baba-story.html
#2: https://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2016/02/baba-story-wrong-person-died-part-2.html
== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==
मैं उन्हें ये फूल, बाहर हाथ फैलाये पूर्ण साष्टांग प्रणाम करते हुये चरणकमलों में भेंट करूंगा।
प्रभात संगीत 0110: ग्रीष्मावकाशे से यदि आसे —–
भावार्थ :-
यदि ग्रीष्मऋतु में मेरे हृदय में बाबा आते हैं तो, मैं उन्हें विभिन्न प्रकार के ढेरों फूल भेंट करूंगा। मैं , उन्हें अपनी ग्रीष्मऋतु के वे फूल भेंट करूंगा जो मेरे हृदय में सबसे मधुर हैं। यदि बाबा, अरुणाभ आकाश और बेला तथा चम्पा के पेड़ों से सजाये गये मेरे मानसिक बाग में अपने लयबद्ध गुलाबी पैरों से आते हैं तो मैं उन्हें ये फूल, बाहर हाथ फैलाये पूर्ण साष्टांग प्रणाम करते हुये चरणकमलों में भेंट करूंगा।
सुबह और शाम के आनन्ददायी क्षणों में जब समुद्री समीर बहती है तब मेरे मन की कोयल बड़ी लालसा से उन्हें पुकार उठती है। मेरे हृदय के पुष्प उपवन में पलाश की शाखाओं पर बैठा , मेरे आन्तरिक मन का पपीहा , मेरी भक्ति सरिता का प्रवाह लगभग सूख जाने के बावजूद, उन्हें पुकार उठता है।
ग्रीष्म की तपन से मेरे मन उपवन में सीता अशोक के फूल गिर कर विखर गये हैं। इसलिये , मेरा हृदय बाबा से विनम्र निवेदन करता है कि वे दिव्य कृपा करते हुए आ जायें। मेरे ललक भरे मन की गहरी इच्छा है कि वे आकर यहां की हर चीज को बसंत के मधुमय फूलों में बदल दें। ग्रीष्म काल की तेज तपन से सेमर के पेड़ बीजों से लद गये हैंं। अंगूर की लताओं पर अंगूर के गुच्छे तुम्हारे लिये नीचे ही लटक रहे हैंं। और मेरे हृदय के माधवी फूलों के लतामंडप में , भोंरों के झुंड, फूलों पर चारों ओर गुंजन कर रहे हैंं।
मेरे हृदय की ग्रीष्म ऋतु में यदि परमपुरुष बाबा अपनी कृपा की बौछार लेकर आते हैं , तो मैं अपने हृदय की सर्वोत्तम वस्तुयें उनके चरणकमलों में अपिैत कर दूंगा।
== Section 3: Links ==
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