Baba
AMPS book: mermaids exist?
Namaskar,
Baba has told so many truths about this world. He speaks with such clarity, precision, and knowledge on countless subjects: Spirituality, philology, history, art, bhakti, science, social life, economics, health and hygiene, and many other topics. Baba is undeniably the Supreme Authority on all subjects. That is why it is so astonishing to read the below passage.
Sadguru Baba’s spoken discourses are perfect and true. Yet here we have a case of how certain publishers distorted and printed His discourse in such an outlandish manner. Kindly read the following and help bring this matter to the fore so it can be corrected as soon as possible. The way the discourse is now reflects extremely poorly on Marga Guru.
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Example of ludicrous statement in Ananda Marga book
The following bizarre passage comes from an Ananda Marga book printed by Tiljala Publications (TP).
TP wrote in our AM book, "We hear about a marine creature called a mermaid, or matsyakanyá, that lives in some parts of the world. Below the navel it resembles a fish, while on the upper part are flippers; its face resembles a sea lion's. As it is a mammal, it has teats, in the area above the navel. This creature sometimes rises out of the water for a short time showing its upper body but keeping the lower portion underwater; and then again dives deep into the sea. If one sees from a distance only its upper body and its teats, one may mistake it for a human girl. In fact it is a water mammal like a whale or a sea lion." (1)
TP wrote in our AM book, "It is said that mermaids are remarkable for their extreme sentimentality. I remember many years ago some villagers in eastern Indonesia killed a mermaid. Mermaids do not have the strength or intellectual capacity to fight against humans. Many mermaids (about fifty or sixty) came out of the water and flipped themselves up on the beaches and, because they are water creatures, died as soon as they came ashore. The local people believed that they committed collective suicide to lament in a mute protest against human atrocities because an innocent member of the mermaid community was killed." (2)
As is evident, the above two passages are completely zany and ridiculous. In this day and age of ultra-modern science, everyone knows that mermaids (half woman / half fish) do not exist. They are just imaginary creatures from mythology and Hollywood etc. Yet these two passages talk about mermaids as if they are real. And these above passages are from an Ananda Marga Publications book and Guru’s name is on the cover.
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Dolphins not mythical mermaids
1. Actually, in the above passage, Baba is talking about dolphins, i.e. real animals. But those in Publications could not understand this simple fact and they made the passage about imaginary mermaids, which are the product of mythology and legend. But again, Sadguru Baba was describing dolphins.
2. The above bogus passage has been published in an Ananda Marga book. That gives the false impression that Baba Himself spoke in this outlandish way. When in fact it is the editors / translators who are responsible for inserting the mermaid term into this passage. That leads readers in the wrong direction.
3. So the editors / translators made a huge blunder. Baba is talking about dolphins, yet they translated it as mermaids. Dolphins are real; mermaids are fake. Everyone knows that mermaids are mythological. So if a new person picks up this book and reads this passage they will form a very poor opinion of Ananda Marga and Marga Guru. And they will not be inclined to follow Ananda Marga teachings and ideals. Rather they will run in the opposite direction.
4. The above passage is written in a way that positively asserts that mermaids exist. And the passage is falsely attributed to Sadguru Baba, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji. It is beyond all understanding how such a ridiculous and fatal flaw could have occurred. This is the age of science, logic, and reasoning. Oceanographers and scientists have documented all forms of sea life etc. There is no scope for anyone to believe in the existence of imaginary mermaids. So new readers will think that our Ananda Marga philosophy is way off the mark. That is the “gift” that has been bestowed upon us by the editors and translators who have wrongly printed this discourse.
5. Mermaids do not exist; they are mythical, fictional, imaginary beings that are half human and half fish.
6. Baba is talking about dolphins that reside in the Indian ocean and coastal areas along the Indian coastline, as well as in other seas and oceans around the world.
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Conclusion
We all know that being the Taraka Brahma, Baba has perfect knowledge of all aspects of life as He Himself is the Lord of this entire creation. His books should be printed and published in a way which positively reflects this truth. Unfortunately, the ridiculous insertion of the mermaid term into this discourse undermines that discourse and reflects poorly on Marga Guru. This is surely not the way we are to present Baba's writings to the world.
As His disciples it is our duty to raise awareness about these errors, create the requisite circumstantial pressure, and ensure the current Publication in-charges make the appropriate changes and fix this outrageous blunder about mermaids.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The scriptures containing spiritual injunctions must be totally flawless." (3)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Prashant Basu
~ In-depth study ~
Tragically, this error is not an isolated one. There are innumerable errors in Baba's printed and published discourses. As His disciple, one should take the firm determination and vow that Baba's discourses are printed properly. Here below are Baba's teachings on importance and accuracy of scripture:
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "If one is not able to give the people proper guidance, then at least one should not misguide them. One must not divert them from the proper path by exploiting the tender and delicate sentiments of the human mind. In the physical world there should be a strict controller as a shástra – and it is better to have a strong personality than a written book – but in the mental sphere the scripture and the person who upholds the scripture have equal importance as far as their utility and practical value is concerned. There must be an excellent and all-embracing philosophy, in which there should be no loophole in any sphere of mind as far as possible." (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy teaches us,"When the sole purpose of scripture, i.e. dharmasha'stra is to establish the human beings in the stable, exalted position of spiritual ideation, it must be practical, rational, infallible and universal. It must be based on deep eternal truths. It must be a'ptava'kya. A scripture is a guided entity." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Do this, don’t do this – to prescribe these dos and don’ts of life is the duty of sha'stra. And why does the sha'stra prescribe those things? For salvation and liberation sha'stras prescribe these dos and don’ts of life." (6)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The scriptures containing spiritual injunctions must be totally flawless." (7)
Print errata page about this error
On the title page of "The Awakening of Women" the names of two translators are given: "Translated by Ac Vijayanada Avt and Avtk Ananda Ruciira Ac." We do not know how such a gross mistake entered onto the pages of this book, but clearly the translators were involved somehow. Now is the time that those currently involved in the publishing of Baba's books should send out an errata page about this error. Without that, the book might be reprinted in the near future without making any updates. That would only deepen and prolong the problem.
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Mythological tales about mermaids
According to Wikipedia:
- "A mermaid is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish." (Wikipedia)
- "The first known mermaid stories appeared in Assyria, ca. 1000 BC." (Wikipedia)
References
1. The Awakening of Women - Part 2, Section #3 (Sentimentality: A Special Quality in Women)
2. The Awakening of Women - Part 2, Section #3 (Sentimentality: A Special Quality in Women)
3. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 14
4. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 14
5. Tattva Kaomudii - 2
6. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Jaeva Dharma and Bhágavata Dharma
7. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 14
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Incantation terms fails to convey
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “What is incantation? “Incantation” is a Latin term. It means “repeating a particular word”. And that word creates a special type of vibration, and that vibration will have actional effect on the material world. But the Sanskrit term for incantation is mantra. The rudimental meanings of “incantation” and mantra are not the same. Mananát tárayet yastu sah mantrah parikiirttitah – “The sanctified word that helps one in attaining salvation [is a mantra].” So they are not the same.” (1)
As Baba guides us in His above teaching, the English term incantation just means 'repeating something again and again'. That is incantation. Incantation does not lead to liberation. Whereas the repetition of mantra leads to liberation. So incantation and mantra are not the same. There is no proper English word for the Sanskrit word mantra. Although we use the word 'incantation' for mantra but it is not the proper word for the Sanskrit term ‘mantra.’
Ananda Marga ideology states, "In Sanskrit the term Mantra means Manana't talrayet yastu sah mantra parikiirttiah-- 'Manan means 'inner suggestion', 'repetition within'. And Tarayet yastu - 'after this manan, when that entity liberates you from all metaphysical, all psychic and suprapsychic and also from all spiritual bondages, then it is known as mantra: Manana't ta'rayet yastu sa mantrah parikiirtitah." (2)
As explained in Guru’s above teaching, the term “incantation” simply means to repeat a word or phrase over and over again. For instance, if one repeats, 'Tom, Dick, and Harry', 'Tom, Dick, and Harry' again and again, then that very repetition is an incantation. Because incantation just refers to saying or chanting the same words in a repetitive style, again and again. There is no requisite for spiritual progress per se and an incantation does not lead to one’s liberation.
Whereas when a mantra is repeated with proper ideation, then the aspirant will progress along the path of spirituality and be granted liberation, by His grace. The repetition of a mantra brings about that particular result. And that is the essential difference between incantation and mantra. The repetition of a mantra leads to liberation, while an incantation does not. That is why we say that the English term incantation does not accurately represent the Saḿskrta term mantra.
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Incantation and Human Progress
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Oṋḿkára and Iśt́a Mantra
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How dogmatic religions have endured
Ananda Marga philosophy states,"Religions sometimes survive for a long time, even though they are full of dogma. This is because they know how to twist their teachings to deny the truth and adapt to different circumstances. Their purpose is to secure the interests of a special, privileged class. Some religions have also survived because they have associated themselves with God-centred ideas, although they are not God-centred. They make some dogmatic propositions about God an important part of their teaching, and on this basis they sentimentalize the minds of the people. These sentiments penetrate deeply into the human psyche."
"The main weapons of dogma-centred philosophies are:
1) The propagation of stories, myths and parables to create superiority complexes;
2) The propagation of stories, myths and parables to create inferiority complexes;
3) The propagation of fear complex and inferiority complex amongst the people, especially the Shúdras."
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "All religions use these three types of complexes to inject superiority complexes, inferiority complexes and fear complexes into the minds of the people. They propagates parables, myths and stories to inject complexes into people’s minds. Is it not a fact? All religions are based on dogma – they are not based on logic – and they propagate their dogma through stories, myths and parables. All religions propagate that “My God is the only true God. Other Gods are false gods.” When some religions claim that their god is the only true God, it is an example of a dogma-centred proposition. All world religions are based on such dogma-centred theories."
"Take the case of Hindu myths. The authors of Hindu mythologies say that the Brahmans are born from the mouth of Parama Puruśa, the Kśatriyas from the arms, the Vaeshyas from the trunk and the Shúdras from the feet." (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 18 The Excellence of God-Centred Philosophy
== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==
समय समय पर तुम महासंभूति के रूप में आते हो,
परंतु तारक ब्रह्म के रूप में हमेशा रहते हो।
प्रभात संगीत 3331 "रूपेर मेलाय बसे तुमि ..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3331)
भावार्थ
हे अरूप प्रभु! तुमने अपना आगमन इस दुनिया में किया है। तुम अपनी वेणु बजा रहे हो और सब को गीत सुना रहे हो। बाबा! तुम रूपके सागर में स्नान करते हुये, मेरे हृदय को अपनी दिव्य ओंकार ध्वनि से झंकृत कर रहे हो । तुम निर्गुण अवस्था को छोड़कर तारक ब्रह्म के रूप में इस धरती पर आये हो और मेरे सुख दुख में साथ रहते हो। तुम हमेशा मेरे हितचिंतक हो और हदय से मुझे प्रेम करते हो। समय समय पर तुम महासंभूति के रूप में आते हो, परंतु तारक ब्रह्म के रूप में हमेशा रहते हो।
बाबा! तुम्हारी दिव्य वेणु, जीव और जड़, कीट और वनस्पति, स्थिर और चलायमान सब को सदा आन्दित करती है। तुम प्रत्येक कार्य व प्रत्येक विचार मे ममता भर देते हो।
बाबा! तुम्हारी कृपा से तुम्हारी वेणु के स्वर हर कण स्पंदित करते हैं। हे परम पुरुष! तुम काल से परे नादतनु हो, तुम कालातीत हो, तुम समय से परे हो, तुम अपरिवर्तनीय हो। तुम वर्तमान भूत और भविष्य सभी स्थितियों में अपरिवर्तित रहते हो। तुम देशातीत और रूपातीत भी हो। काल तुम्हारे अधीन है ।
हे नादतनु ! हे बाबा! मैं तुम को साष्टाॅंग प्रणाम करता हूूॅं।
== Section 3: Links ==
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