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anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net
The sole way to unify AMPS
Namaskar,
The state of the organisation has changed dramatically from 1991 to
today. One of the most concerning issues is the widening division
between the various groups. Back in 1991, the differences were based
exclusively on power and control; unfortunately, the divide has since
deepened wherein now there are fundamental differences in the dogmas of
the various groups.
Should this trend continue, the groups in our AMPS will be no different
from those negative tribal groups whose internal divides are so seismic
that there is no hope of their ever becoming whole again. We should
check our current situation and work towards ideological unity, lest our
problems worsen. I am not a pessimist rather an optimist.
How ideology became secondary
First we should review Baba's important guideline.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "A study of history will make it clear
that a strong and healthy society has not yet evolved on this planet.
This is mainly due to the inadequate propagation of an ideology.
Although at different times a few people thought of establishing a
strong and healthy society, they used argument and debate instead of
deliberation and reason to convince others of the need for such a
society, and ultimately ended up projecting themselves instead of the
ideology. Thus the ideology became secondary and was ultimately swept
away because people started worshipping them as mahátmas [elevated
souls] or mahápuruśas [spiritual beings]. Due to the absence of an
ideology a strong society could not be established, and many defects
crept into individual life." (1)
Here mahátmas refers to PP Dada being projected as God before margiis.
Unfortunately, this is what what we have witnessed in AMPS in this
post-1990 period. Group leaders and PP Dada were highlighted and revered
- not ideology, not Baba's divine teachings. They created stories and
guidelines based on myth, not ideology. Thus, in various ways ideology
was compromised and that is the root cause of the current problems.
Keeping this in mind, please read the following.
History: exploitation & disunity - 1
Essentially, since 1991, the situation has gotten progressively worse.
By the mid and later part of the 1990s, clear-cut lines were drawn
between the various groups. To recruit members and attract attendees,
the fight moved into the "group doctrine or dirty group dogma" stratum.
The struggle for power mushroomed into the realm of philosophy.
To draw attendees, one team began propagating Kolkata as the epicenter
and laid claim that Tiljala was a veritable tiirtha - place of
pilgrimage. They repeated over and over again that Tiljala is the key
place and this is the way to get Guru's grace. Going to some other place
or tiirtha has no benefit. Our Tiljala is the best one - others are
meaningless. So, all should come for "mahaprayan" and gain Guru's
favour. This was one group's tactic for gaining members, increasing
donations.
In response, another faction began rallying people around the banner of
Jamalpur. According to them, this was the holy spot - the place of
Guru's birth. They claimed that Jamalpur was the top-most and nucleus.
Going to any other "holy land" is useless and serves no purpose. Those
who want Guru's favour must come to Jamalpur. By visiting the various
places where Guru walked and talked, certainly disciples would be
blessed. They made a long kiirtan program every year at DMS Jamalpur to
outdo the 7-day so-called mahaprayan kiirtan. This was their way for
gaining members, increasing donations. And they invented one fake Acarya
Mahasabha in Jamalpur that is happening as we speak to run in
competition with MPD.
History: exploitation & disunity - 2
And other groups and sub-groups were formed based on language sentiment,
geo-sentiment, socio-sentiment etc. The definition of neo-humanism was
changed. People began thinking that following their own faction is
neo-humanism, while others who follow different factions are not
neo-humanistic.
In that way, neo-humanism and conduct rules apply to others, not for me.
For my group interest, I can bend the dharmic codes: Sixteen Points and
Yama and Niyama. Attacking and killing a member of a competing faction
will not be sin because we are the favored party. Such feelings and
sentiments have been incorporated into this new definition of
neo-humanism. The race for power verily spilled over into "group
doctrine or dirty group dogma" interpretation.
The term samaj became a rallying cry for Bangalisation - all should
support Amra Bengali samaj as this was the way to establish Prout per
Guru's guideline. Others refuted this claim and announced that theirs
was the real AMPS as PP dada was now in their control. Expulsions and
victimisation ensued. Neo-humanism came to mean supporting a particular
group camp.
History: exploitation & disunity - 3
Not only that, but each group found virtue in banishing or destroying
the programs of another group. For instance, if one group was planning
on hosting a DMS, then the competing faction found it honourable and
virtuous to shut down or prevent that DMS from happening. Their mind-set
became rigid and static.
Each group declared that, "Baba is on my side" - and they cited various
scriptures in defense of their position. Next, they created Fake Ananda
Vaniis to get people to pay heed to their call. To ensure they had their
chosen person in-charge on the local level, they invented their Fake
Bhukti Pradhan manual. The lines between groups became wider and deeper,
and more and more differences were based on competing "group doctrine
or dirty group dogma" interpretations based on their competing agendas.
Then came the spilling of blood. Dadas were mercilessly beaten and
bruised in Ananda Nagar. It led to a raid that literally killed an
avadhuta. The fight for power led to high-pitched emotional fervor - and
ultimately bloodshed and the loss of life. The divide grew to near epic
proportions.
My group has Guru's favour and others are disgraced
For some years now, "group doctrine or dirty group dogma" differences
and heated outbursts have been at the core of the group fight. Since
1991, === years have gone by - a veritable generation. Now new margiis
are initiated into specific groups with their own PP, their own
festivals, their own DMS and retreats, and their own teachings and
slogans. Baba's teachings have been interpreted according to that group
faction. That is why they think their group is getting Guru's favour and
others are disgraced. Why? Because they are not in my faction. Group
members use such sentiments to portray their group as the blessed one
and by injecting hatred towards others. Tragically, various naive
margiis believe this in their heart.
Those new people - and others as well - have become players for a
particular faction, knowingly or unknowingly. They become indoctrinated
into specific philosophical interpretations. The battle for power has
veritably given rise to nearly unbridgeable "group doctrine or dirty
group dogma" differences.
How to establish unity
We should always remember Baba's below teaching.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Human unity is purely an ideological
unity, which means unity in the psychic sphere. Where there is psychic
unity, physical unity will also occur. In the realm of unity, unity is
always psychic – ideological unity means unity in the subtlest level of
the mind. However, psychic or ideological unity may be affected if we
encourage the exploitation of one group by another. So to avoid this
there should not be any scope for exploitation in society." (2)
The moment we wholly embrace an anti-exploitation movement in Ananda
Marga Pracaraka Samgha and ideological values are wholeheartedly
embraced, then true unity is easily within our grasp.
To bring unity start an anti-exploitation movement
Baba’s pointed directive is to launch an anti-exploitation movement. At
present the various Wt groups are leaders and their sycophants are
exploiting margiis on numerous fronts.
Here is an overview of the various dogmas and injustices imposed by the various groups:
(a) curtailed Bhukti Pradhan rights
(b) manipulated the voter lists for BP elections
(c) continually forced margiis to be subservient to Wts
(d) ruined the ACB (Advisory Committee & Boards)
(e) invented the Fake BP Manual
(f) taken advantage of margiis & WTs financially
(g) victimised countless innocent margiis & WTs who expressed concern about unjust organisational dealings etc.
The key aspect is that all the various central Wt group leaders are
involved in exploiting margiis & wts on these fronts. They all have
been pushing margiis & WTs to the brink for their own gain. And
none of the Wt groups have come forward and made a dharmic stand on
these matters of exploitation. Not a single group has called for the
eradication of the Fake BP manual or other injustices. Only they quarrel
amongst themselves over gaining greater control over the margiis by
using this Fake BP manual etc.
Conclusion
The only way out of this is to launch an anti-exploitation movement.
Then all rational margiis and rational Wts will walk arm-in-arm grounded
in ideological issues – not group membership or other petty issues.
Just as Baba pointed out that in the first half of the 20th century, an
anti-exploitation movement was the need of the day - and that due to a
lack of an anti-exploitation movement during India’s quest for freedom,
India was trifurcated. Similarly an anti-exploitation movement must be
the rallying cry amongst margiis and wts today. That alone will bring
unity in the organisation AMPS.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Viplava
Not for all: News from Jamalpur
The so-called Acarya Mahasabha of H group is being held right now in
Jamalpur, 20 - 25 Oct 2017. The top stooges of Rudrananda have
administered a kind of “virginity test” to see who is the greatest
sycophant, brown-noser to Rudrananda. The most toady and loyal
bootlickers have been awarded the higher posts in Centre and in the
sectors.
In essence, before being awarded the post, the tip of everyone's nose
was checked. If it was brown they were
given a higher post. If not brown, then they were pushed aside and
demoted. Those lickspitters and brown-nosers who have less surrender to
Rudrananda are being demoted from Centre and sectorial posts. Now
Rudrananda’s sycophants are competing amongst themselves over who can
lick Rudrananda’s feet the longest with their own tongue. The winners
will get the higher posts in the future. This ends the satirical portion
of this letter.
~ In-depth study ~
Baba's given teachings - Ananda Marga ideology - are everything.
Ananda Vanii says, "Fight for your Ideology. Be one with your Ideology. Live for your Ideology. Die for your Ideology." (3)
Ananda Vanii states, "Life represents Ideology. Life should be sacrificed for Ideology." (4)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "A bright future awaits you. Your
future is glorious, your future is luminous, your future is effulgent."
(5)
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 5, The Responsibility of Society
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
3. A'nanda Va'nii #14
4. A'nanda Va'nii #15
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 34, Be Free from All Complexes
* * *
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 ==
Baba, You have come in my heart"Esecho ámár hridaye esecho..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0786)
Purport:
O' Parama Purusa, You have come in my heart. In my aching, burning core, You are come like a cool breeze. All my disappointments and sadness have vanished in the wake of Your arrival. My whole life is now filled with joy. Today I have gotten You. It is Your grace.
O' Parama Purusa, in the desert fire and scorching heat, when Rudra is in its full ferocious form, everything is unbearable. In this ghastly, desperate, and horrific situation, in the midst of the booming, roaring thunder and the loud shouting and laughter of the vanity of the demons, when everything is unbearable, You came and filled all with the sweetness of flower blossoms. You made everything serene and sentient. [1] Baba, You removed the fear and terror. You have come.
O' Parama Purusa, in this burning summer, the dry grass in the meadows weeps in hopelessness and despair. All its beauty and charm have vanished. After crying ceaselessly, it was unable to shed any more tears - its agony continues in silence. In the end, after losing everything, all are basking in the joy of getting You. Baba, You have filled the prana (heart) of the entire universe with the melodies of Your sweet tunes. They have gotten everything. In the bliss of getting You, they are dancing.
O' Parama Purusa, You have come in my mind. Baba, I do sastaunga pranam and surrender everything at Your lotus feet...
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0786:[1] In this stanza, the analogy of Rudra is given to show how the situation has become most disastrous where there are big tornadoes, shattering earthquakes, powerful tsunamis, and general mayhem, chaos, and destruction all around. That is what is meant by the line that Rudra is in its element - i.e. full display. So in this dire situation where one is confronted by death, disease, torment, destruction, and disaster all around, in this critical moment Parama Purusa has come and transformed everything. He has filled all with the very tender, cool feeling of the flower. This Prabhat Samgiita uses analogies to provide contrast: When negative things are going on all around, then Parama Purusa comes and makes everything tender and sweet. All the burning and pain is extinguished. That is what is described in this second stanza.
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Easy way to differentiate between mind and soul
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Now you know, in the mind of each and
every living being there is this feeling of “I exist”. There is one “I
exist” in you. “I exist.” “I am.” “I exist.” Mm? This “I” is the
subtlest mind. But don’t you know that there is the feeling of “I exist”
in you? You know it, you know this fact, that there is the feeling of
“I exist” in you. Don’t you know it? You know that there is a feeling of
“I exist” in you. Then, “I know the fact that I exist. I know the fact
that there is a feeling of ‘I exist’ in me.” Now here the “I” of “I
exist”, the subject of the sentence “I exist”, is the subtlest mind. And
the “I” of “I know” – “I know the fact that I exist” – the subject of
the sentence “I know”, that “I” is the átman, is the spirit, is the
soul. It is not mind. There is a feeling of “I exist” in me – “I exist”.
That “I” is the subtlest mind. The feeling that “I exist” is in me, is
known to me. That knowing “I” – “I know that I exist” – that knowing “I”
(the “I” of “I know”) is the átman, the spirit, the soul.” (1)
Note: Everybody has a mind. And the feeling associated with the mind is,
“I am”, “I exist”. That quality is indicative of mind. And everyone
also knows that they exist and that they have a mind. The entity that
knows that they have a mind is the soul. The conclusion is that “I am, I
exist” is the feeling of the mind, and the feeling, “I know I exist” is
the feeling of the atma or soul.
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Longing for the Great
== Section 4: Links ==
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