Baba
See Gurukula
Note: This letter is only for those who have reverence for Sadguru Baba Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji and try to learn and follow His Ananda Marga ideology.
Namaskár,
In issue #44 of the Gurukula Network, a picture consisting of ladies dressed in clothing contravening AM guidelines has been published on the cover page. See below the scan of the front page of the Gurukula Network, depicting ladies dressed in objectionable attire.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
AM ideology guides us, "Out of their house, women should wear simple and decent clothes and cover their bodies properly." (1)
In a VSS camp i.e. a camp for sports and exercise which is held separately for brothers and sisters, it is a different thing to wear tight fitting clothing suitable for exercise. However, these people have come to attend a Gurukula seminar. And when coming to attend a Gurukul seminar, they should have been guided to be dressed appropriately for the occasion.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
AM guidelines: lewd dress in office
In Ananda Marga, there is a clear-cut guideline about simple and decent clothing for women that covers the body properly.
AM ideology guides us, "Out of their house, women should wear simple and decent clothes and cover their bodies properly." (2)
Dada S responsible
Dada S being a senior AM worker and the Chancellor of all AMPS Gurukulas should pay attention and see that if any AM teaching is violated, he will guide people in the right direction. However, such a mistake has been made with the cover page of our AM magazine, and yet he has permitted this objectionable picture to be published.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
Males will be arrested-1
The clothing worn by the ladies in the above picture is not only too informal for the occasion of the Gurukul seminar but also is revealing in both the upper and middle portions of their bodies. The sleeveless dress worn in the picture often reveals undergarments during movements or in certain postures. In the general society, which is overcome by pseudo-culture, such attire is fully accepted for females, and even encouraged and applauded. But it is not acceptable at Ananda Marga Gurukul seminars.
AM ideology guides us, "Out of their house, women should wear simple and decent clothes and cover their bodies properly." (3)
~ The below is courtesy of Ananda Marga Universal ~
“We see if one gender enters an official public building like a government office, then they are allowed to wear clothing that puts them in compromised positions, both on the upper and middle portions of their body. It may be that when they wear a sleeveless dress or skirt then their underwear and / or undergarment is showing when they sit or stand in a particular way. Or, when they have a lower-than-usual neckline, then aspects of their xxxxx are visible when they lean this way or that. It has become common for their arms, and even armpit, to be completely bare for show. With this gender, it is fully accepted, and even encouraged and applauded to wear such attire.”
Males will be arrested-2
“In stark contrast, if the other gender enters those same offices with a sleeveless shirt, their armpits exposed, or part of their underwear showing, then they will be ostracized, and may even be arrested and put in jail for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. Such is the stark double-standard that exists across gender with regards to dress. That is not rational. The rational approach is that one's dress in public spaces and official places should reflect a sense of decency and dignity - irrespective of one's gender.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
“Again, let me emphasize that here we are not talking about how one dresses while walking casually down the street, or in their own backyard, or in the swimming pool; but, rather, how one presents oneself in important meetings, formal and official settings, in big political meetings, high status offices, and even on serious news broadcasts via TV and internet. In these venues, there is a wide gap of acceptable dress between genders.”
“Unfortunately the general populace is not rational and that is why such dichotomies are going on. If they had been rational the situation would have been different.” (Courtesy of Ananda Marga Universal)
Conclusion
In the Gurukula Network a picture consisting of ladies dressed in clothing contravening AM guidelines has been published. Dada S Avt being a senior worker of AM and the Chancellor of AM Gurukala should pay attention to any violations of AM teaching and guide people in the right direction. Unfortunately, Dada S Avt permits such pictures to be published on the cover page of our AM magazine. Readers are requested to express their concern to Dada S Avt about this wrongdoing (see contact below).
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
At His Lotus Feet,
Samvita’
AM ideology guides us, "Out of their house, women should wear simple and decent clothes and cover their bodies properly." (4)
The main problem is that Dada S Avt, the head of AM Gurukul, has permitted the objectionable picture to be published on the cover of our AM magazine.
Joint hair compromised
The clothing portrayed on the cover page of Gurukula Network exposes the armpits. To wear such clothing, often women remove their axillary joint hair. Joint hair helps in cooling various glands and its removal causes overheating and thereby malfunctioning of various glands. By printing such a picture on AM magazine a tacit approval has been given by Dada S Avt to take the following AM teaching lightly.
AM ideology teaches us, “Never cut the hair of the joints of the body.” (5)
AM ideology guides us, "Out of their house, women should wear simple and decent clothes and cover their bodies properly." (6)
Contact Dada ji:
To keep AM publications pristine, please send an email and express your concern to Ac Shambhushivananda at shambhushivananda@gmail.com
References
1. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Dress
2. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Dress
3. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Dress
4. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Dress
5. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 2, Sixteen Points, Point #3
6. Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1, Dress
The name of Ác Shambhushivánanda Avt can be spelt in various ways as listed here - Dádá Shambhushivananda, Shambhushivananda Dádá, Dada Shambhushivananda, Shambhushivananda Dada, Acárya Shambhu’shiva’nanda.
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
How to overcome suicidal thoughts
Due to lack of a higher goal, if even a small problem arises, people get frustrated and lose interest in life. Those without a spiritual goal lack higher values, and therefore get overwhelmed when they face any of life’s difficulties. For human welfare, the propagation of spirituality is extremely important. If one has a higher goal then they will never commit suicide, no matter the circumstances.
Baba's original guideline
Baba discusses this topic in His Hindi discourse: Kya' Dharma Vaeyas't'ika Jiivana ka' U'rdhva-Sam'vega Hae, athava' Sa'magrika Vishva ka' Tristariiya Mukti Sopa'na Hae? Subhasita Samgraha, Part 15, Chapter 02 (H) DMC 29 July 1980 Ranchi
English summary of Baba's above Hindi teaching
Life becomes monotonous if one is merely engrossed in mundane thinking and worldly works all day long. When non-sadhakas, i.e. those not doing sadhana - reach old age, they say, "Now it is better to die." Even youths who do not do spiritual practices commit suicide when they suffer from feelings of despair etc. Why is this the case? According to applied psychology, I would say it is because they don't have any higher pursuits; hence, the lonely and desperate feelings of sheer monotony consume their mind.
Now, what is the way to prevent such monotony? The objective counterpart of the mind should have such an object which is infinite. Indeed, by coming in contact with such an infinite object of ideation, people will never harbour feelings of monotony - not in any case. That object [Parama Purusa] is ever new, newer, and newest. Parama Purusa is that Entity who is ever new, always new. Therefore, it is the duty of every person to do spiritual practices and prevent any feelings of monotony in life. For spiritual progress, certainly it is everyone’s bounden duty to do sadhana. Verily, by your sadhana you will be able to protect yourself from falling prey to any type of depressed outlook.
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest