Baba
Annual death day of margii wake
Namaskar,
One of the motives behind the annual death day ceremony of margiis is pressure from dogmatic Hindu neighbours and relatives. Some margiis observe this ritual to appease their relatives. Extended family members often give pressure to follow the Hindu yearly death ritual on the anniversary of the death of that margii.
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But it should be clear that those involved in observing the annual death ceremony of margiis are not gaining points with Parama Purusa. Rather they are facing degradation. Because one cannot please Baba by indulging in an observance Hindu dogma. But some sadhakas fall into this trap because it is "easy" and a common custom.
Mostly though, in their innocence, margiis are just emulating what they see happening in Kolkata each year. There are a growing number of margii families involved in this annual death day dogma of their relatives. If we do not discourage this ritual, this dogma will spread.
Sending deceased in "heaven"
There is no heaven so there is no need to send food to "heaven". Nor should we offer articles like clothing in hopes that a deceased loved one will get those things when the deceased person reaches "heaven". Yet that Hindu dogma is being dragged into Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha. These days some margiis are distributing blankets, sweets, delicacies, and biscuit packages. They think that by making these offerings here on earth, those same gifts will be bestowed upon their loved one in "heaven". So during their special annual death day ceremony of the deceased margii family member, they are distributing blankets, sweets, delicacies, and biscuit packages as part of the yearly death ritual. Or if the annual death day ceremony of that margii falls on a Sunday, then they are make those offerings before, during, and after dharmacakra.
However, as Ananda Margiis, we should not give an ounce of credence to such ritualistic dogmas. Ours is a rational approach. In the case of deceased margiis, we should know that those sadhakas are under the care of Parama Purusa and have been blessed with the ultimate salvation, i.e. they have become one with Him. In the case of ordinary persons, after death they are reborn to continue their journey along the path of pratisaincara.
Emulating dogmatic MPD program
Some margii families have gotten caught up in annual death day celebrations because the Kolkata faction has reinforced this Hindu dogma of the annual death day ceremony as being something great. By doing this with Baba for their so-called mahaprayan program, they have indirectly or directly influenced the minds of innocent margiis who want to revere their deceased family members. By this chain of events so many have been led astray.
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Conclusion
All family margiis should be aware that the so-called MPD program is not a guiding light for making annual death day observations for their deceased margii family members. This is not the way of dharma and benefits no one - rather the organisers will incur negative samskaras. As sadhakas, we all know that the way to please Him and honour our deceased family member is by adhering to His teachings and guidelines and not getting caught up in various dogmas like punyatithi (Hindu yearly death ritual for the ceremony of margiis) etc.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Kaoshal
~ In-depth study ~
Loss in so many ways
A drunkard offers alcohol to all they meet because the drunkard thinks since he likes alcohol then all must like it. Similarly dogmatic people think that their dogma will be pleasing to others. So they indulge in ritualistic death ceremonies of margiis. But such antics are not supported by Ananda Marga teachings.
Inventors of MPD want to see their dogma spread
In their own manner, the founders of so-called mahaprayan become happy by watching others by inculcating the annual death day ceremony of margiis into their family’s annual death observations.. Baba describes this defective mentality in His below teaching.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Even educated people knowingly submit to dogma. They know that they are surrendering their intellect to dogma, and that the outcome will be undesirable; they know and understand everything. Why, even then, do they knowingly submit to it? They are all deliberate sinners and intentionally accept dogmas as truth. They observe that these dogmas are based on A'tma-Sukha Tattva; but they think, "I don't care whether it does good or harm to others, because at last I have enjoyed some pleasure!" Being motivated by this idea, they enslave themselves to dogmas." (1)
Beware
I know some very good margiis who fought against all kinds of social and religious dogmas, yet when they themselves died, a yearly death ritual ceremony = was conducted per those very same religious dogmas. Essentially, at the time of their death, their own laokik family members argued and debated. Some of those family members and relatives told that the deceased wanted the Hindu, annual death ritual ceremony, while various margiis said that there should not be be yearly death ritual as that runs contrary to the Ananda Marga system. On many of those occasions, those dogmatic relatives won out. So ultimately the very person who fought against Hindu dogma was himself a victim of that same annual death day dogma. Such is the irony.
To avoid this many margiis have made a will indicating their wishes for how their death should be handled.
So if you notice that your own family members are not strict in following Ananda Marga principles, then they may do the same thing for you. They might observe your yearly death-day ritual ceremony per local religious custom etc, and celebrate your death day on a yearly basis. The only way to prevent this dogma from happening is to prepare your will accordingly.
Death comes suddenly. Even in this materialistic era, all around the globe organisations and institutions have protocol regarding death. They have members and key people designate what happens if and when they are no more. Regardless of the age of the prime minister, that leader must write a will.
This is practical matter and we must tell family members about our feeling. That will help in eliminating this dogma otherwise under the pressure of dogmatic Hindu relatives and neighbors, our own family member may succumb to alter of dogma and observe a yearly death ritual program on the anniversary of that margii’s death.
Externally, some margiis may claim that they are observing the death day of their loved one because that is done annually at MPD.
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Annual death day ceremony of BP
It is sad that the Hindu dogma of shraddha or punyatithi has been redecorated and given a place in Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha - not just in the form of so-called mahaprayan but also as an annual death day ceremony for deceased Ananda Margiis. By witnessing the dogma of MPD in Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, which is just a remake of the dogmatic Hindu punyatithi program, some family margiis are inculcating this same dogma with their deceased family members. These family margiis innocently think they are doing something glorious by pleasing all parties involved - wishing that their deceased relative reaches "heaven" and showering praise on Parama Purusa. But Baba is never pleased by the spread of dogma.
So these are the two prevailing reasons and motivations behind the dogmatic annual death of day ceremonies of margiis: (#1) pressure from dogmatic-minded relatives, and (#2) emulating so-called mahaprayan.
Just because one group invented their so-called mahaprayan program based on Hindu dogma does not then mean that all AM family members should create similar programs for their deceased loved one. Doing so invites the unhappiness of Parama Purusa, not His favour. So it is a loss in so many ways.
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References
1. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Sama-Samája Tattva (Discourse 6)
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
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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 ==
O’ Hari, when You become my very own
"Kabe hari ámár hobe, se diner pratiikśáy áchi...” (Prabhat Samgiita #4525)
Purport:
O’ Hari, I am waiting for that blessed occasion when You become my very own. That is my sole desire. Day and night, every single moment, I am thinking of You, counting the days.
O’ Taraka Brahma, I have searched for You in the hills and the caverns, and I have wandered around and performed rituals at countless so-called holy places. I went to many dogmatic religious sites near rivers and oceans. I sought You in the flower garden, forests, and in various tiirthas like - Varanasi, Puri, Mecca, Rome, Jerusalem, and I also went to Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, Jamalpur, and the top of the Himalayan mountain ranges etc - all done in hopes of getting a glance at You. I looked for You everywhere with the hope that somewhere I will find You. But in the end I was only met with extreme disappointment. I could not get You anywhere.
O’ the Eternal Charioteer of this kuruks’etra, You never get any respite. All the 24 hours You are engaged. Friends and foes alike, all take shelter in You. I have heard their stories and they all told of Your greatness...
"Kabe hari ámár hobe, se diner pratiikśáy áchi...” (Prabhat Samgiita #4525)
Purport:
O’ Hari, I am waiting for that blessed occasion when You become my very own. That is my sole desire. Day and night, every single moment, I am thinking of You, counting the days.
O’ Taraka Brahma, I have searched for You in the hills and the caverns, and I have wandered around and performed rituals at countless so-called holy places. I went to many dogmatic religious sites near rivers and oceans. I sought You in the flower garden, forests, and in various tiirthas like - Varanasi, Puri, Mecca, Rome, Jerusalem, and I also went to Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, Jamalpur, and the top of the Himalayan mountain ranges etc - all done in hopes of getting a glance at You. I looked for You everywhere with the hope that somewhere I will find You. But in the end I was only met with extreme disappointment. I could not get You anywhere.
O’ the Eternal Charioteer of this kuruks’etra, You never get any respite. All the 24 hours You are engaged. Friends and foes alike, all take shelter in You. I have heard their stories and they all told of Your greatness...
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
What is the cause of dreams
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “I said a little while ago that dreaming means thinking or recollecting during sleep. Now the first question that arises is this: Why do people not always think or recollect during sleep? During the wakeful state, people are always thinking or recollecting. Even when people meditate in the wakeful state, they are thinking of, or recollecting, Supreme Consciousness. In the waking state, the mind never remains inactive. Then why does it not always dream during sleep? The answer is, the sleeping state means a state of rest for the mind. But if, before or at the time of sleep, one is tormented with deep sorrow, or becomes overjoyed with extreme happiness, or is afflicted with a serious disease, or is brooding over imaginary pains and pleasures – then during sleep if the gases in the body rise and create vibrations in the nerve cells, one starts thinking and recollecting. That is why people do not always dream during every sleep. (1)
Reference
1. Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 16
== Section 4: Links ==
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1. PS #4525: O’ Hari, when You become my very own
2. Posting: New dogma: ADC of margii
3. IT: What is the cause of dreams
4. Links
This email contains four sections:
2. Posting: New dogma: ADC of margii
3. IT: What is the cause of dreams
4. Links
