Baba
Doing for dead
Namaskar,
Here are some points / pitfalls to be aware of when performing a shra’ddha ceremony / death ceremony. But first let us review the real import of our AM shraddha ceremony as per Caryacarya.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya, "The departed soul does not get any advantage from the shráddha ceremony [memorial ceremony]. It is only meant for the psychic satisfaction of the person performing it." (1)
So our AM shraddha ceremony is for the comfort and benefit of those grieving family members, not the deceased.
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List of dogmas in guise of kiirtana etc
During kiirtana and the death ceremony itself, some are placing the deceased’s photo along with Baba’s photo on the puja table. This should be strictly avoided as it is disrespectful to Guru, spoils the pure spiritual ethic of Ananda Marga to only glorify Parama Purusa, and also causes more sorrow for those in mourning as they are reminded of their loss.
They are singing and dancing kiirtana, encircling the puja table, prior to the shráddha / death ceremony with the deceased’s photo on the puja table. This is strictly forbidden in Ananda Marga. We sing kiirtan to the Eternal Cosmic Entity, Parama Purusa - not to any other. So from A to Z, this type of shráddha / death ceremony is infested by dogma. If anyone reads Caryacarya (AM social code) they will see that Caryacarya clearly forbids all these dogmas.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya, "The departed soul does not get any advantage from the shráddha ceremony [memorial ceremony]. It is only meant for the psychic satisfaction of the person performing it." (2)
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 local 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 making those offerings before, during, and after dharmacakra.
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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.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya, "The departed soul does not get any advantage from the shráddha ceremony [memorial ceremony]. It is only meant for the psychic satisfaction of the person performing it." (3)
Trap: pressure from dogmatic relatives
One of the motives behind the annual death day ceremony of margiis is pressure from dogmatic neighbours and relatives. Some margiis observe this ritual to appease their relatives. Extended family members often give pressure to follow the local, yearly death ritual on the anniversary of the death of that margii.
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 observing a local dogma. But some sadhakas fall into this trap because it is "easy" and a common custom.
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.
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Dogma spread
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." (4)
Ananda Marga Caryacarya, "The departed soul does not get any advantage from the shráddha ceremony [memorial ceremony]. It is only meant for the psychic satisfaction of the person performing it." (5)
Beware: they may do this for you too
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 local, 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 this local 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.
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This is a practical matter, and we must tell family members about our feeling. That will help in eliminating this dogma, otherwise under the pressure of dogmatic relatives and neighbors, our own family member may succumb to the altar of dogma and observe a yearly death ritual program on the anniversary of that margii’s death.
Conclusion
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 etc.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Kaoshal
~ In-depth study ~
Photo of deceased heightens sorrow for mourners
As we all know, the various ceremonies given by Sadguru Baba in Caryacarya are to be performed in a way to preserve the sanctity of the function and prevent dogma from entering in. One key point about the shraddha ceremony is that a photo of the deceased should not be on display during this shraddha function. And here is why.
In His Hindi Ananda Vacanamrtam discourse (Abhinivesha se Bacane ka' Upa'ya - 2, 1 August 1968) about how to deal with death, Baba guides us that when the loss is raw for those mourners, then the mind should be diverted away from their loss. That is why during the mourning period, after a death, nobody should talk about or praise the deceased in front of the deceased’s family members. Because that will exacerbate the suffering in the mind of those mourners. Having the photo on display will only heighten the pain of those grieving as it will be a constant reminder of their loss.
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Here is the English summary of a key excerpt from that discourse.
At the time of death and during the shraddha ceremony, it is important to divert the mind of those mourners from their loss. Although diverting the mind from their sorrow is a very difficult task, whatever it may be, but the diversion of mind from their tragedy is the only remedy. (English summary)
Trainees are like the trainer’s personal servants
When new wts were in TC then instead of being taught Ananda Marga ideology, the trainer just treated them like his personal servants, not as true trainees. So instead of being taught Ananda Marga philosophy, those trainees spent their time washing and ironing the trainer’s laungotas and other menial tasks etc. Three or four years in TC is spent in mundane chores. Rudrananda and his stooges are the cause. And the end result is that when various brahmacariis leave TC then they organise all kinds of dogmatic programs whenever the opportunity arises. The root cause is that they received no ideological training when in TC. It is obvious that these wts have no idea about Sadguru Baba’s dharmic teachings.
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Ananda Marga Caryacarya, "The departed soul does not get any advantage from the shráddha ceremony [memorial ceremony]. It is only meant for the psychic satisfaction of the person performing it." (6)
References
1. Caryacarya - 1, Shráddha Ceremony
2. Caryacarya - 1, Shráddha Ceremony
3. Caryacarya - 1, Shráddha Ceremony
4. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Sama-Samája Tattva (Discourse 6)
5. Caryacarya - 1, Shráddha Ceremony
6. Caryacarya - 1, Shráddha Ceremony
More case studies of this dogma
See here below how at the recent shráddha / death ceremony at Riga (Dist- Sitamarhi, Bihar), Wts and margiis followed the “October dogma” that happens each year in Kolkata by performing kiirtana and placing a photo of the deceased on the center puja table. Look here how they are singing and dancing kiirtana, encircling the the puja table, prior to the shráddha / death ceremony. And if you see carefully, you will find a man dressed in white with white hair dancing kiirtan. Just to the left of his leg you will see the deceased woman’s photo on the puja table. This is strictly forbidden in Ananda Marga. We sing kiirtan to the Eternal Cosmic Entity, Parama Purusa - not to any worldly deceased person. So from A to Z, this shráddha / death ceremony is infested by dogma. If anyone reads Caryacarya (AM social code) they will see that Caryacarya clearly forbids all these dogmas like at shráddha / death ceremonies etc.
~ Dogmatic shráddha / death kiirtan with photo of deceased is copy-cat of annual October dogma in Tiljala ~
The above is the scene at the recent death ceremony at Riga. Sadly, they inculcated many of the dogmas that are performed each years in October at the Tiljala compound.
In this next photo, these ten people are reciting the shráddha / death ceremony mantra for the deceased. Reciting the shráddha mantra is appropriate but when this is mixed with all these other dogmas like displaying the deceased woman’s photo etc, then the whole ceremony has gone awry.
Here below is an up-close view of the puja table that was placed in the center of an akhanda kiirtana at the shráddha ceremony / death ceremony. As you can see, the photo of the deceased lady is prominently on display. But this is just one dogma. The photo of the deceased should not be present at the shráddha ceremony / death ceremony. And certainly we never sing and dance kiirtan to any jiiva, i.e. unit being, i.e. deceased human. This goes against the entire ethic of our spiritual approach. In Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, kiirtana is only done to the Supreme Entity - no matter the occasion. That is why this entire scene at the shráddha ceremony / death ceremony is off the mark and fell into the pool of dogma.
~ Dogma: photo of deceased on display on puja table at shraddha / death ceremony ~
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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.
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== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
When sadvipras will rule
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “As the situation stands in the world at present, the rule of Sadvipras as advocated by PROUT is the only solution to this vexed problem. However, it is a fact that the rule of Sadvipras will only come about through the systematic and rational application of PROUT by many highly intelligent people. It is not possible to establish the rule of Sadvipras by blind physical force or idle intellectual extravaganza. So, it is the duty of the vanguard of human society to reveal the present predicament of society to the people so that they can understand the real truth. They should make an all out effort to raise the consciousness of the people at the earliest.” (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 14, Democracy and Group-Governed States
== Section 3: Links ==
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