Baba
Harmful Wts
& Spirit of true Wt
Namaskar,
Renunciation, dedication, and sacrifice are the cornerstones of our
Ananda Marga way of life. Our saffron flag stands for these ideals—as
should our sannyasii order. That is Baba's design and teaching of
madhukarii and ajagarii vrttis from the Acarya Diary.
Madhukar is that black bee which encircles the flowers and only takes
that food which it needs at that very moment—nothing more. That madhukar
does not gather and hoard bucketfuls of pollen to eat later. A step up
is the ajagar, or python, which does not even move to get its food; it
merely eats what comes across its path. So not only does it not gather
extra, but that ajagar does not even spend time hunting for food.
That is why in the aparigraha section of the Acarya Diary, Baba
specifically states that the madhukar and ajagar represent the only two
ways for our Wts to exist in this world. That means that in their
personal lives, our Wt Dadas and Wt Didis are to adjust with the minimum
necessities of life—and not get caught up in materialistic pursuits
like hoarding money etc. Instead Wts are to use their precious time and
energy serving and helping others in all realms, including spiritual
elevation. That is the essence of madhukarii and ajagarii vrttis.
At the same time, in their social service endeavours, Wts can and should
collect money for those projects. In that arena of life—for the service
of others—Wts may seek out and gather donations and build up
organisational bank accounts to sustain those projects. The account
should be submitted to and overseen by a committee. Then there will be
trust and commitment from all involved. In their personal life, Wts must
desist from keeping such accounts. Then they will be in accordance with
the teachings of madhukarii and ajagarii vrttis. Per Baba's direction
in the Acarya Diary, that is the only ideal way to live as a Wt.
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Present day standard in AMPS
Tragically, a few of our Wts have lost this spirit and are instead
running after transitory allurements. With great idealism, they entered
into our Wt cadre, but at some point they got caught up in the mundane
race for material possessions like money, riches, land, property, as
well as post and power. In the wake of that spiritual vacuum, all kinds
of negative habits, tendencies, and diseases crop up, and the spirit of
renunciation fades. Then those particular workers cannot inspire anyone
onto the spiritual path. Thus our numbers in AMPS fail to increase.
Rather our numbers are in steady decline. And the primary cause is that
when any worker loses their spirit of renunciation, then true pracara
work cannot be done.
All should embrace the spirit of renunciation
Only through this pathway of renunciation—madhukra and ajagar—can our
Ananda Marga sannyasii order really be something great: an order that
represents dedication. That is Guru's teaching.
In Ananda Vacanamrtam (Hindi) part 26 chapter 11 titled "Dhvaj
sanket...", Baba has given one special formula related with this very
topic.
“हर मनुष्य को एक-एक aeroplane दे दो बहुत अच्छा | हर मनुष्य को ताकि एक-एक
aeroplane मिले, मैं उसके लिए मैं चेष्टित रहूँगा | ख़ूब ठीक है,
सामूहिक-जीवन में भोग | किन्तु वैयष्टिक-जीवन में त्याग | वैयष्टिक-जीवन
में त्याग नहीं रहने से सामूहिक-जीवन में भोग नहीं होता है | एक आदमी के
पास अगर एक करोड़ रुपया रह गया, और दूसरी जगह सत्तू-मिर्च नहीं मिलता है;
तो उससे समाज का, देश का, राष्ट्र कल्याण नहीं है | वह वैयष्टिक-जीवन में
वह छोड़ दे सब, त्याग कर दे | सब कोई मिलकर खाए, पिए, परम पिता के सन्तान
हैं, सब मज़े में रहें |” (1) (Ananda Vacanamrtam (Hindi), part 26,
chapter 11)
The whole idea of this teaching is that only through dedication and
renunciation in the individual sphere can society prosper. For example,
if anyone collects bundles of money in their own bank account, that
impedes upon the welfare of others. This will not bring any relief to
the common people, rather it will hinder their ability to progress.
So those with money should not indulge in extravagant luxuries that are
beyond the means of ordinary citizens. Until each and every person in
the society can afford those amenities, good people should not use such
luxuries. But when those items become accessible and affordable to all,
then in good faith it is alright for sadhakas to have those items.
Conscientious people use their wealth to raise the living standard of
all. If one truly adopts such ideals of renunciation then they can bring
smiles and happiness to countless people. So the spirit of sacrifice in
one's own personal life is truly something great and honourable. That
is Baba's guideline from Ananda Vacanamrtam.
Baba's example: sacrificing to give to non-margii school
And in His own personal life, Baba was exemplary in this very approach.
For years and years, He traveled by railway, bus, or by foot since that
was the common standard. And the monetary compensation He earned through
His railway job He distributed to various wholetimers etc. Not only
that, before 1970 while He was still working in Jamalpur, Baba traveled
to Ranchi and while there saw a newspaper article about a non-margii
school headmaster's request for money to fix the leaky roof in his
school. The roof was leaking in the students' classroom and the
headmaster requested money 1000Rs for repairs. That very evening Baba
went to the school and donated 1000Rs of His own personal money, i.e.
whatever He had as savings of the last several years. So in all the
ways, Baba's personal way of living stands as the embodiment of
renunciation. We should understand and follow Guru's teaching and adopt
the path of renunciation in our individual lives, especially our Wts.
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Conclusion
Ajagarii and madhkarii vrttis are not some type of punishment to those
wearing saffron. Rather, adhering to this ideal code of aparigraha is
something quite noble—it allows one to fulfill their mission in the true
sense of the term.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The dedicated monks and nuns of Ananda
Marga have accepted their life of renunciation...to further the cause of
human welfare; and through their service, they seek to lead human
beings along the path of righteousness to the abode of Supreme Bliss."
(2)
in Him,
Amrta’
~ In-depth study ~
When corrupt people become the leaders
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "What we see in the market place and
railway stations is the exhibition of half-clad street beggars and
lepers – all stretching out their begging bowls, the only means of
earning their livelihood. They are fortunate if anybody contemptuously
flings a copper coin at them. The old blind beggars wait all day long at
the bridge and lift their bowls as soon as someone walks past them.
Their shrill cries fall on deaf ears only. On the other hand, the
affluence of foods kept ready in luxurious houses to entertain the big
guns of society ridicules the present human civilization." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "As you know, all are the progeny of the
same Supreme Progenitor. He created this universe and He created this
material world, as well as His living children. Now, when he created the
material world, the inanimate world, the plants and the human beings,
common sense says that the entire world belongs to His children
irrespective of caste, creed, religion, nationality, standard of
education, standard of wisdom, or standard of physical, mental or
spiritual strength. It is the vested interests, with their mean and base
motives, that create disparity among living creatures, especially among
human beings. So those who exploit others and want to enjoy this
created world by depriving others of their legitimate and paternal
rights, are the enemies of society. They are the enemies of humanity,
and they are the enemies of the cultured and civilized world." (4)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "The vanity expressed by the so-called
civilized human beings of today is extremely dangerous. These people
hide the cruder propensities of the mind under the cloak of sweet words
and decent behaviour. They are more harmful to the well-being of the
human race than the so-called uncivilized humans, because they are
hypocrites. The defects of the uncivilized humans pale into
insignificance before their abominable hypocrisy. The uncivilized humans
of the past may have killed twelve people at most in the battles they
fought with bows, arrows, sticks and spears, but the so-called civilized
human beings of today kill millions of unarmed, innocent people
indiscriminately with their dreadful and lethal weapons. Human society
of today is being exploited by the so-called civilized people. Such
people should not make themselves look ridiculous by claiming
otherwise." (5)
Wts food disparity: rich & poor
And this same type of disparity occurs on the point of food as well. Top
Wts have private chefs who prepare exotic, sumptuous dishes for them
while the mass of workers suffer from malnutrition by surviving on the
most basic, staple foods—sometimes only living off of the grains served
to feed horses like garbanzo bean feed stock.
Another facet that comes into play is that big Dadas get their money by
taxing the common Wts. In that case, they just view those general
workers as a milking cow—nothing more. Even robbers and professional
thieves take pity and mercy on the poor and do not steal from them, yet
our Central wts have no such conscience. They will place those poor Wts
under campus arrest until they pay all those illegal taxes and dues. And
after collecting those fees, those top workers are not satisfied until
they chew their bones also and get all they can from those impoverished
workers. Verily what they are doing is sinful as they are wholly
exploiting the spirit of dedication of those simple wholetimers.
This is the tragic state of affairs nowadays within our WT cadre.
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References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam (Hindi), part 26, chapter 11
2. A Few Problems Solved - 3, Verse, Mythology, History and Itihása
3. Social Values & Cardinal Principles
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, The Birthright of the Microcosm
5. Ananda Marga Ideology Way of Life - 8, Struggle and Progress
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Bygone era of agriculture
This is an English summary of the original Bangla discourse - Ananda Vacanamrtam - 18 (B) ‘80, chapter 11,:
In the primitive age people were not aware how to cultivate the land.
Still in present day India there are many tribes who follow those
primitive ways. In that pre-historic era they used to burn the forest as
a means of preparing the ground for planting. And when those ashes were
mixed with the soil then the soil would become more fertile.
Afterwards, using pointed stones or some sharp wooden pieces, those
primitive people would then scrape the top layer of topsoil and spread
the seeds.
After the rains came the seeds would grow and the crops would come.
Usually after 3 - 4 years of continuous cultivation, the fertility of
the land would decrease. Then those tribes of the prehistoric era would
leave that place and go to another part of that forest. And in a similar
way they would burn that section of the forest and re-start their
process of preparing the land. This type of cultivation is called
"jum-cha's'a". When the age of jum-cha's'a finished then the age of the
plough came and then people used to cultivate using the plough.
(English summary of Ananda Vacanamrtam - 18 (Bangla) ‘80, chapter 11, MGD, 30 March 80 Kolkata, History of Yajina - 7, p.126)
Note: Here above Baba is revealing the historical facts about how
primitive tribes in the jungles used to live thousands of years ago. It
was only after the mountain age that tribes started agricultural
cultivation. Actually they were under pressure to do something because
they had already killed most of the animal livestock of the jungle. So
up to that time they were living in the mountains and hunting for the
basic needs. But when there was a shortage of animals to eat, they came
down to the plains area and started cultivating the land in the
aforesaid manner. In that early era, they could not even invent a single
simple tool. That is why they were scratching the land with sticks and
pointed stones. Those days people also were moving naked and living in
the trees making nest-type of houses. Animal skins were only used as the
clothes in the winter season.
Reference
1. Summary of Ananda Vacanamrtam - 18 (B) ‘80, chapter 11, MGD, 30 March 80 Kolkata, History of Yajina - 7, p.126
== Section 3: Links ==
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