Baba
Greedy “demon” & central Wts
Namaskar,
We all know Baba places great importance on the study of history as it enables both individuals and communities to learn from past mistakes and thereby progress. Failing that, without the study of history, people commit the same old errors over and over again. In which case, they remain shackled by the pitfalls of the past and are unable to advance. So the review of history holds a unique place for the development of any society.
As Ananda Margiis, we must know the history of the exploitative two-tiered system within our Wt ranks that separates the haves from the have-nots. This completely violates the letter and spirit of what it means to be a Wt and an Ananda Margii.
In Him,
Dr. Gopal
Ananda Marga News Bulletin Moderators
Note: This below letter was first posted on an earlier form of this network in 2010.
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Note: This letter is only for those who have reverence for Sadguru Baba Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji and try to follow His Ananda Marga ideology.
Namaskar,
Unfortunately, in our AMPS there are not one or two but innumerable examples where food disparities are rampant. Top wealthy central stooge Dadas and group leaders eat like kings whereas general field workers struggle hard just to fill their plate and feed simple meals to those around them. And when financially rich central stooge Dadas and financially poor DS, DitS, RS, etc Wts meet for DMS, RDS, IRSS, and camps / or at AMPS Central Headquarters etc, then multiple kitchens are in vogue. According to the depth of one's pocket, one is able to eat something of proper quality or not. Money and sumptuous and decadent meals go hand in hand. Central stooge Dadas devour many luxurious treats by exploiting and sucking the blood of the common Wts by (a) coercive so-called taxes, (b) snatching money by various underhanded dealings, and (c) extortion / collecting bribes otherwise face injustices - it is alleged.
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This problem of gross disparities is present in our central office Ranchi, Tiljala etc. And also various camps (ETC, VSS, PROUT etc), at DMS, and almost wherever there is a congregation of WTs. Only central Dadas are culprits with regards to all the aforementioned disparities. But the situation remains unsolved. Those who are new may not believe all this, but gradually they will also understand.
DMS: Wts had no clean drinking water
The general approach is that when DMS is held in Ananda Nagar for New Year’s and Ananda Purnima / summer, then family margiis generally go for 2 or 3 days. Whereas, Wts allot 7 days for their stay: 2 days before the actual DMS, 2 days after, as well as the 3 main days of DMS. So Wts stay at Ananda Nagar for a total of 7 days.
And I remember how a few years ago during summer DMS Wts paid for food for their full seven day stay at Ananda Nagar. But they did not even get clean, potable water to drink. In desperation they were drinking river water which is polluted and full of soap. When the water level is low then it gets very stagnant and dirty. But that was their only option. And this has been an ongoing debacle during the DMS period.
Funneled money for own luxurious lifestyle
Those in-charges who collected money for arranging the food got a lot of money for this program by taxing individual wts etc. But those in-charges just funneled the money towards their own luxurious lifestyle. At that DMS, they arranged bottled water for their bath and drinking, but they did not give clean water to drink to others. Tragically, this type of exploitation has been an ongoing trend - not an isolated incident. Those at the top of the AMPS pyramid live in the lap of luxury at the expense of others. So-called seniors are living high in the sky while general workers suffer terribly.
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At DMS so many Wts were bedridden, suffering from dysentery, and vomiting. Countless Wts contracted diarrhea, due to drinking bad water, and were left to nearly die, as they were not treated properly. In various cases, those who had extremely serious illness were forced into the hospital in Ranchi. The whole situation was so sad and part of a greater ongoing problem. And on the other side those central wts were feasting and wallowing in luxury etc.
In this type of predicament, there were many issues that demand our review because this is a repeating problem. And one key theme here is: "haves" vs "have-nots". Certain in-charges treat themselves to delicious delicacies while the general workers are the have-nots, deprived of food during DMS. So we should be alert. It should not be that again general Wts are forced to find food for themselves. First however we should review Baba's teachings on this important matter because we can see that what big Wts have been doing the last few years at DMS is no different from the horrific scene depicted in the below two stories.
Story #1: Ghost kingdom
Here we take a look at the notorious kingdom of darkness in His book, "Under the Fathomless Depths of the Deep Blue Sea." In that story, Baba depicts the nasty ordeals of how the ghost leader was notoriously greedy.
Specifically, the ghost sadhu and "spiritual leader", His Holiness Bhutananda Maharaja (note: Bhut literally means ghost) hides an entire tray of sweets. The greedy Bhutananda ghost does not want to share them with anyone; rather, he wants those sweets entirely for himself.
At the same time, His Holiness Bhutananda lets it be known to one and all that he is fasting that day. Yet, secretly in his mind he is thinking about devouring those hidden sweets. Later, while all alone, His Holiness Bhutananda hastily tries to retrieve and eat those sweets, but in his hurry he cannot find them. Bhutananda becomes absolutely furious. The outraged ghost goes on a wild tantrum and starts interrogating & beating his innocent disciples over those missing sweets.
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Greedy Ghost ordered: “Vomit them out! I shall eat them”
Here is the excerpt from Baba's book about the chief ghost:
Then His Holiness [i.e. Ghost Bhutananda Maharaja] turned around in search of the malpo sweets. He was amazed to see that there was nothing there. The sweets were missing.
His Holiness was beside himself with anger. “Hey you fellows, who ate the malpos? Don’t you know they were meant for me? Who ate them? Vomit them out immediately. I won’t spare you until I’ve eaten those malpos!!!”
The disciples said, trembling, “Believe us, Your Holiness, we didn’t eat them. We swear by touching bones, we promise by touching cow-dung, we pledge by touching dead bodies that neither did we eat them nor did we allow a cow ghost or a cat ghost or even an ant ghost to touch them. It is really a strange thing, Your Holiness.”
His Holiness roared, “I don’t want to hear these things; I know you have eaten them. Vomit them out! I shall eat them.”
There ensued a big scuffle between His Holiness and his disciples. An initial shouting match became a bloody battle...Male and female ghosts were arrested in large numbers. Many of them were beaten with sticks to get a forced confession that they had eaten the malpo sweets. No one, however, would confess to such a downright falsehood." (1)
Story #2: Greedy demon's daily menu
Next, in His book "The Golden Lotus of the Blue Sea", Baba describes very colourfully how one demon indulges in sumptuous feasting while his staff is left to starve.
In this particular story, the demon king hoards huge amounts of food and luxuries and leaves his staff to starve: They are deprived of basic food and suffer from malnutrition. It seems similar things are happening with our top dadas.mHere the villain demon is introducing the hero guest, i.e. the prince, to his [the demon's] daily menu.
"Do you know what our daily menu is? We eat golden cakes fried in clarified butter, Pearl water mixed with coconut kernel, spiced Parble curry with salmon fish made of platinum and in the morning we brush our teeth with diamond powder!”
The prince asked, “Is there such an arrangement for everyone here?”
The demon said, “This arrangement is for us only – that is, for those who are learned, intellectual, rich, highborn and aristocratic. Those with whom you associate due to your ignorance – those poor, mean and illiterate people – where would they get such things? They neither know how to cook nor eat. They eat stale rice and scorched eggfruit and they brush their teeth with ash.”" (2)
Seven hundred types of curry, 90 types of sweets
"The next day the prince went to the demon’s palace on invitation. He went there reluctantly, out of sheer courtesy. When he arrived, he found that there was a royal feast. Before him were spread so many dishes and bowls, some of gold, some of silver, some studded with diamonds, all finely carved. He did not even know the names of all the pots and utensils! The distance between some of the dishes was not less than one mile. There were some telescopes also to see the foods kept in the distant dishes. The prince was not familiar with most of the dishes served."
"Fancy rice, fried vegetables, green vegetables, mixed vegetables, breaded vegetables, seven hundred types of curry, roasted meats, braised meats, shik kabab, and besides these, something he could recognize very well – mangoes!"
"There were small langra mangoes of Hazipur, Dasherii mangoes of Lucknow, Alfonso mangoes of Bombay, yellow Jardalu mangoes of Bhagalpur, Fazli mangoes of Malda, Ranipasand, Begampasand, and Kohitoor mangoes of Murshidabad, Sarikhas mangoes of Hooghly, Pearafuli mangoes of Sheorafuli, Begunfuli mangoes of Madras, and so many other kinds as well!"
"Then there were lechees of Saharanpur, Muzzafarpur and Baruipur, watermelons from Lucknow, halwa-sweets; Rabri of Vrindaban, cream sweets, Ghevar sweets of Rajasthan, Shonpapri; Kalakanda Paura from Gaya and Deoghar, Morabba (Jam) from Suri, white milk sweet of Mankar, Sitabhog and Mihidana from Bardhaman, Gaja from Chandannagar, Khaichur of Janai-Dhanekhaii Langcha of Shaktigarh, tasty puffed rice balls from Jayanagar, Sarbhaja-sarpuria of Krsnanagar, Manohara from Beidanga, Chanabara; chanar-jellabee and Raskadamba from Murshidabad, curds from Natore and Nababganj, sweet rice pudding from Dacca, chandanchurd from Pabna, kancagolla of Muragachha (Nadia) and sweet laddu of Delhi..." (2)
In this above section, you have read how the greedy demon was indulging in all kinds of tasty foods.
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Demon forced to eat spoiled, rotten food to his exhausted staff
Now here read below how the demon's own staff was living. They were suffering from severe hunger and malnutrition as they were not allowed to eat any of the wonderful food they cooked for the demon king; rather forced to eat spoiled, rotten food. This was their pitiful condition.
"Let me see those cooks, servants and pages who prepared such delicious dishes and served them so elegantly,” [the hero guest] thought. While passing by the servants’ quarters [of the demon's staff], he suddenly reached the place where the kitchen staff were eating together after the day’s hard labour. They were quite exhausted. Those who had cooked so wonderfully and served so carefully were eating only stale rice, scorched eggfruit and the sour sauce of some leaves, perhaps tamarind."Finally the hero guest, i.e. the prince, retires for the evening but is unable to sleep, thinking of all those starving people.
"The prince returned to his cottage with a heavy heart. So many thoughts were running in his brain. He was thinking that he had made a great mistake to eat and drink such delicious food and drink cooked and served by those poor people. The beautiful eyes of the prince were deprived of sleep that night. He was thinking continuously, “If I cannot free humanity from such meanness, what is the use of my education, my intellect? My coming to this earth as a human being bears no value.”" (2)
So in this story Baba is telling us how degraded demons eat voraciously and do not care about their staff nor their fellow brothers and sisters. Rather they continue to exploit them.
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Conclusion
By His above two stories, we can say clearly that Baba is teaching us that we should treat all with respect and not create a two-tiered system of "haves" and "have nots" on the point of food etc. That is not the way for leaders of society to live - indeed those who contravene this rule are nothing but the enemies of humanity.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "A few become rich and others become poor. In such a condition millions die without food, live without shelter, work without education, suffer without medicine and move without proper clothing. The society then splits into two distinct groups – haves and have-nots. The former is the class of exploiters – the capitalists – and the latter is the class of the exploited." (3)
The greed and deplorable mistreatment shown in the above two stories parallels what happens on a daily basis in AMPS Central HQ.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Ananda
~ In-depth study ~
Duty of supervisory wts
While Baba graphically points out in His above two stories how crude leaders behave, He also clearly outlines that sadvipras should never indulge in such misdeeds, nor support it in any way. Indeed, true sadhakas will always be sympathetic to the plight of the common people and suffering humanity.
Now let us see the conduct rules of Wts: Should our workers eat selfishly or should they share.
Wt conduct rule says, "Supervisory workers will have to take care of each of their supervised staff in all respects." (4)
Ananda Marga conduct rule says, "Setting an example by individual conduct before asking anybody to do the same." (5)
By His above guidelines, it is clear that those in charge of our various AM camps/ or AMPS Central HQ are to pay heed and care for the well-being of the general cadres. And such camp organisers should be sacrificing in spirit and lead by their example.
And indeed the VSS camp is the designated place to put into practice such teachings. That is the main purpose of the VSS camp. Because the VSS camp is the venue where cadres must memorise all the rules, regulations and codes of conduct. Naturally then the leaders of such camps/ or AMPS Central Headquarters should be shining examples of Baba's teachings. There should not be a two-tiered system of "haves" and "have nots" in our camps/ or AMPS Central HQ.
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Horrible future of greedy people
To fully understand the above story as well as how Wts should behave with themselves and margiis, Baba has given some guidelines. Please read below.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Before taking food, ascertain if anybody present there has not eaten. If anyone has not eaten, do not take food unless the person willingly gives permission." (6)
Those who are greedy and eat food selfishly and do not like to share, they fall in this following category.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Suppose someone has a desire to eat delicious food. Parama Purus'a will grant that wish, and the person may be reborn in the next life as a wolf or wild boar, to eat to his heart’s content." (7)
References
1. Under the Fathomless Depths of the Deep Blue Sea, p. 26-9
2. The Golden Lotus of the Blue Sea
3. A Few Problems Solved - 8, The Transformation of Psychic Pabula into Psycho-spiritual Pabulum
4. WT Conduct Rules, Six Additional Rules, pt #2
5. Fifteen Shiilas, pt #8
6. Caryacarya - 2, 'Society', pt #1
7. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, “Ye Yathá Máḿ Prapadyante”
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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 ==
Renaissance movement: rights to all
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "In the social sphere there are several sub-strata, and the real spirit of social progress is to dispel all social disparities. Each and every member of the human society should enjoy equal rights as members of the same family, but there is disparity and it is the duty of the Renaissance movement to dispel the disparity and bring about equality, equilibrium and equipoise amongst human beings."
"There are disparities, disparities of different types and different kinds. For instance, there are biological disparities existing in the society, which are being encouraged by certain selfish persons. The biological disparity between human and animal, between human and plant, between animal and plant – that disparity must not be there. Just as a human being wants to survive, a pigeon also wants to survive – similarly a cow also wants to survive, or a tree. Just as my life is dear to me, so the lives of created beings are also equally dear to them. It is the birthright of human beings to live in this world, and it is the birthright of the animal world and plant world also to remain on this earth. To recognize this right, and to get it recognized by the entire human society, the Renaissance movement will have to do something concrete." (1)
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Renaissance in All the Strata of Life
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Is the head of state to blame
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Without His wish, not even a leaf of a tree, nor even a blade of grass can move." (1)
Parama Purusa oversees everything and all have their role to play - no one can do anything without His approval. He oversees everything. Then how is it that things can go awry? How can "bad" things happen?
One way to understand this is via the analogy of any government. Ultimately, the president of any country is responsible for every action of every government office spanning millions of employees. Some may then accuse and blame the president for the wrong and harmful decisions taken by various employees, such as the lowest level clerk taking a bribe in the village. If one thinks more rationally, we can say that there is a system when the president oversees everyone, and he wants for all to follow the rules and regulations. But certainly it has to be recognised that every governmental employee is responsible for their own dealing. The president is not the cause or reason behind an employee’s wrongful action.
Same is the case with Parama Purusa and His creation. He oversees everything; He watches everything; and, He encourages all to follow on the path of righteousness. But, on their own accord, created beings veer from the path.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night – 2
== Section: News of 2020 ==
Ranchi group's anti-AM work
Namaskar
Namaskar
You might be knowing that Bokaro margis do not support RANCHI AMPS. There was a fight between Bokaro margis and AMPS at Police station. Since RANCHI AMPS do not allow Bokaro margis in Jagriti for Dharma cakra, all Bokaro margis have been doing Dharma Cakra at different place.
In order to avoid future tussles with margis, RANCHI AMPS has converted Bokaro Jagriti into a "AMPS LEGAL OFFICE" and conducted its inauguration. Please find attached innaguration photos.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How we express our reverenceAnanda Marga philosophy says: "...Trtiiyam' Gurupu'janam."
The third point of success is 'reverence to Guru'.
Our Guru is Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji, and as His disciples we hold great reverence towards Him. That's why we don't shake hands with or do just simple namaskar to Guru. Nor do we do pranam to Him by touching the feet.
Disciples always give maximum reverence by doing sastaunga pranam. Sastaunga pranam is only for Guru, and Guru alone. No one else. Such is the greatness of Guru - He is unparalleled.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "The one formless, beginningless and infinite Parama Brahma (Supreme Consciousness) is the only entity to be attained by living beings-- That alone is Jagat Guru (the Supreme preceptor), That alone has revealed Brahmavidya (intuitional science) to us through the medium of the name and form of Anandamurtijii. Unit beings must be made to appreciate Its majesty." (1)
And in Ananda Sutram, Baba has given:
"Brahmaeva gururekah na'parah" (2)
That means, Guru is Brahma. He is everything.
References
1. Caryacarya - II, Sadhana, pt# 1a
2. Ananda Sutram 3 - 9
== Section 3: Links ==
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