Baba
Spiritual cheats
Namaskar,
When I went to the meditation hall in Baba's Quarter, I thought I saw some coins thrown by some sadhakas just below the cot on which Baba's photo was placed. It was crowded and not all were allowed in Baba's room. But from where I stood it looked like someone had tossed money towards Guru's photo.
I was still standing at a distance so I stepped closer and went to the front side and confirmed that it was indeed a coin. Upon further investigation, I found that some margiis were continuing to throw coins and rupees just in front of Baba's photo. Those coins were landing at the same spot where the flowers, pots with coconuts and candles (pradiipa) were placed. All these coins were tossed just below the cot upon which Baba's photo was placed.
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Then I saw that people were doing this in hopes of getting their selfish desires and requests fulfilled. They were basically bribing Parama Purusa. In exchange for their monetary offering, they were seeking their daughter's marriage, victory in their court case, getting their enemies destroyed, or a job promotion etc. These were some of the selfish requests they wanted fulfilled by dropping money in front of Baba's photo.
Greedy Wts accepting this dogma
Certain various in-charge Dadas knew this was dogmatic, but because such offerings were generating income, these Dadas were not telling the margiis to stop. Nor were they telling margiis that this is a very dirty, unhygienic, and disgraceful way to treat Baba's photo, i.e. placing or tossing disease-carrying coins next to Guru’s photo.
I even asked one Dada about this and he said, "Yes, some might have placed a few coins by the photo." But he did not say anything further.
However, many of us felt that an announcement should have been made telling that this act of dropping coins by Baba's photo was not good. Then ignorant margiis etc - would have gotten the message not to toss coins by Baba's photo.
Instead, those in-charges put this coin-tossing dogma on open display by letting it continue. By that way, more and more began to partake in this extremely dirty dogma.
And again, why was it allowed to continue? Because, ultimately, there was an economic benefit involved. The more those coin-tossers gave, the greater amount of money those Dadas got. Why such Dadas did not openly denounce this dogmatic offering from the very beginning.
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Rational margiis know that this type of external offering - i.e. arcana - is an exact copy of dogmatic Hindu religious dogma - which Baba has instructed us not to follow. Yet, sadly, that is what I personally have seen going on at our various programs and gatherings in Ananda Nagar and elsewhere.
Example of doctors infecting patients
Just think of it this way. Suppose a doctor began intentionally infecting patients whereby they would get terribly sick with a horrible disease so that he could then make huge money. Similarly, some Wts in our AMPS who were involved in the above scene purposely injected dogma into our AMPS to exploit margiis and grab money. In that case, what is the difference between some of our Wts and that exploitative doctor. Such is the irony, because our AMPS was made to remove dogma from the society but here we see how those dadas were involved in injecting dogma.
Why toadyism and flattery is bad
In Ananda Sutram Baba warns us that those who ask for their selfish interests to be fulfilled by giving money to Parama Purusa are merely indulging in useless prayers.
“3-11: Prárthanárcaná mátraeva bhramamúlam.”
“Purport: It is useless to pray to God for something, for He is sure to give what is necessary. Solicitation or importunity in the name of worship is nothing but toadyism and flattery." (1)
Baba's teaching is that Parama Purusa will do what is required for the proper development of each and every person, so to ask for something - when He already knows what is best for you - is just one defective manner and undermines one's relation with Parama Purusa.
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Here are a few of Baba's teachings on arcana. In this below guideline, Baba clearly tells us that offering money at His photo has nothing to do with bhakti.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Bhakti cannot be identified with árcaná either, which means to worship the deity with flowers, leaves, [holy] water or other articles [like money]." (2)
Just selfish, ritualistic puja: Next Baba differentiates between selfish and selfless puja. Clearly that type of puja where money is offered is nothing but arcana, i.e. that puja done with "selfish motive and external paraphernalia".
Ananda Marga ideology says, ,"The type of worship which is performed with selfish motive and external paraphernalia is called arca´ or arcana´. ...And the special type of pu´ja´ which is performed without any selfish motive or external paraphernalia is called Brahmasadbha´va [ideation of Brahma]." (3)
Conclusion
Tragically the scene of giving money at Baba Quarter's is nothing but a dirty, distasteful, and dogmatic case of arcana, i.e. praying to and bribing Parama Purusa with external objects (i.e. money) in order to get His favour and one's selfish desires met. This type of offering is just dogma and has nothing to do with bhakti. It is shameful that out of greed certain Dadas allow this act to go on at our very own AMPS gatherings.
in Him,
Piiyus’a
Bad idea: to remind to God to give one something
Here below Ananda Marga philosophy points out that those who pray to God for a job promotion, or for a husband for their daughter, actually send the message to Parama Purusa that He is not fulfilling His duties properly and has forgotten what a person needs. That is what is implied by asking something of Parama Purusa - one is blaming God for failing to do the needful.
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Ananda Marga ideology teaches us, "Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours. One who performs actions will also bear the consequences, and blaming God for it as His partiality is not going to save one from bearing the consequences." (4)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The sádhaka should ask for and pray for the Lord Himself and nothing else. He should not even pray for worldly power without at the same time praying for the ability through sádhaná to restrain that power. Better still, if the Lord is so omnipotent as to be able to grant the worldly power and the spiritual strength to restrain that power, then why not pray for the Lord Himself?" (5)
Father asks boons and loses his son
In this following story, the father asks for things that prove to be very harmful and in result he loses his son.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "There is the story of the grant of a dried hand of a monkey to an aspirant. The dried hand was powerful enough to fulfil three wishes. The grantee first of all demanded a fortune of fifty thousand rupees from the dried hand. In a few moments there came a knock at his door and a man appeared with fifty thousand rupees; but this money represented the insurance payment of his son, who had suddenly died in an accident. The grantee, who regarded himself as a clever person, demanded as the second request that the son should be brought to him alive. In a few moments there came the clattering sound of somebody approaching the house. When the father looked out, to his horror, what was coming was the skeleton of his deceased son. It was walking by itself and therefore might be said to be alive, but it was nevertheless a skeleton. The father was so terrified that he asked the dried hand of the monkey to drive the skeleton away. The dried hand did this, but it was the last of the three wishes and the dried hand was exhausted of its power. So the father got his fifty thousand rupees, but lost his son." (6)
How He knows your needs better than you
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "What should we ask from Parama Puruśa? He already knows what the individual and collective needs are. He is associated with each individual through His “ota yoga” (yoga of association), and with the entire universe through His “prota yoga” (yoga of pervasive association). Remaining in the midst of all, He gives instructions to all. He knows better than anyone what their own needs are. So what should you ask from that entity who knows your needs better than you? In my opinion, nothing because He thinks about you more than you think about yourself. He understands you more than you understand yourself. However, if you do wish to say something, you should say, “Sha no buddhyá shubhayá saḿyunaktu.” “Let Him unite our intellect with the Supreme Benevolence because the moment we forget Him we move even further away from Him and virtually become animals in human form. And the moment we think about Him we become supermen and superwomen in human form.”" (7)
What we should offer
Here Baba clearly tells us what we should offer to Parama Purusa. We are to offer our own selves - i.e. our minds, not external objects like money.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "“Tava dravyam' Jagatguro Tubhyameva samarpaye.” “Everything of mine, along with my mind, is offered at Your altar. Please oblige and accept it.” (8)
In the various dogmatic religions, they commonly place coins by the photo of their deity. Generally they will place their coins or cash carefully on the decorated table that is supporting the deity's image. But if that day the temple, church, or house of worship is very crowded, then generally people are not allowed nearby the deity's image. In that case, followers softly toss those coins towards the deity from afar, maybe 15 or 20 feet away. Whether from near or far, this entire approach of placing money at the deity's image and asking a boon is a very dogmatic and static way to worship. This whole dogmatic notion of bribing God to get one's wishes fulfilled is extremely low-minded. And this is one point that is addressed in this letter.
Why coins and currencies are very dirty
However, there is another element involved that some may not be aware of. That money that those worshipers are placing close to their deity is absolutely filthy and disgusting. Money itself is omni-mobile; it is constantly changing hands from one person to the next. And when a person gets that money, they may cough or sneeze on it. Some, such as criminals and inmates, keep the money in their underwear or even in their body cavities. Various travelers put currency notes in their laungota and pubic region to protect it from pickpockets. Others scratch their private parts and then use that same hand to touch their money. Still others keep money in their armpits, while small kids put it in their mouth and suck on it. Those with TB, syphilis, AIDS, as well as all kinds of sick and dirty people covered in germs touch that money. And there are numerous other gross ways that people handle their money.
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Verily, money is put anywhere and everywhere and exists as a transmitter of numerous contagious diseases. The older it is the more unhygienic and dirty it is. Scientists have even found rare and disease-causing bacteria on money. Thus money in the form of coins and currency is one of the most grotesque objects on the planet. It is truly disgusting.
Yet, unwittingly, dogmatic worshipers place those dirty, disgusting, and germ-carrying coins and paper bills near their deity. It is quite a repulsive and dingy practice.
There are two main problems: One is the dogmatic nature of the offering in that one is bribing or paying God for favours; second is the point of hygiene where rancid, disease-carrying coins are placed at the deity's image. Yet this is commonly done by countless, dogmatic religious worshipers around the globe.
Now, shockingly, some in our AMPS are falling into this same approach. It is most unfortunate.
References
1. Ananda Sutram, 3-11
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam, Part 33, Bhaktitattva
3. Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 14)
4. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 33, Yatamána, Vyatireka, Ekendriya and Vashiikára
6. Annada Vacanamrtam - 23, Yatamána, Vyatireka, Ekendriya and Vashiikára
7. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, Remain United with the Supreme Benevolence
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam part 3, Prańáma Mantra
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
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 ==
Ocean of cimmerian darkness
"A'ndha'r sa'gar pa're esecho, esecho ru'per sama'rohe..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0810)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You have come here after traversing the ocean of cimmerian darkness in the festival of form and colour, smiling with the glittering of refulgence and beaming with the flow of intuition. It is Your grace.
The Parama Purusa, the Supreme Entity which was previously beyond the reach of ordinary people, has now come within the reach of all. You have come in the form of Mahasambhuti, floating in the waves of tune and melody to inundate everyone's mind with bliss. It is Your krpa’. Now everyone's heart is bursting with euphoria. It is Your karun’a’.
Baba, You have taken advent on this earth to fill everyone's heart with divine love. Please come to me in Your most blissful form with compassion and affection, softly, very softly, arrive to my kutiir (hut) with crest and trough.
Baba, You have done everything for me...
Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #0810:
[1] This line of Prabhat Samgiita symbolizes how before the creation started Parama Purusa was alone and He was just existing as divine effulgence. And all around Him was blackness - no form, no shape, no colour. Everything was dark because darkness has no colour etc. And such a state of blackness is the Cimmerian darkness. But now when He has created this expressed universe it means Parama Purusa has Himself manifested or He has appeared in different colours and shapes, in the forms of various created beings: flora, fauna, animals, plants, human beings etc. That is why it is said that after crossing the Cimmerian darkness You have come in the festival of form and colour. (1)
[2] Parama Purusa took the form as Taraka Brahma. Now bhaktas can have His closeness.
Reference
1. Please refer to the shloka, Na' sadiiya sukta, from the chapter on the Vedas, from Subhasita Samgraha-16, Agra DMC 1984.
== Section: Important teaching ==
Laziness and extreme hyper-alertness: both are bad
“The common people, let alone the master artists, know that sound is not emitted if the strings are loosened too much and the soft and delicate strings snap if they are tightened too much. Human life is also like this. If one practises too much austerity (in some cases, if one makes a parade of austerity), tender human sensitivities snap and break into smithereens’ the soft, delicate parts of the mind get charred and petrified. On the other hand, if life is made akin to a loose string, the nobler yearnings of life will never be fulfilled. In other words, that kind of life degenerates into the life of an animal characterized only by bathing, eating and sleeping. Hence one must never allow the string of life to be loose. But also the string of life should not be left to snap due to excessive strain. The ideal course of life is neither left-oriented nor right-oriented. This kind of life will be conspicuous by the absence of strife, mayhem or horror of the leftists and of toleration of injustices by the rightists in their loose, careless and sloppy life. It is this ideal course that will usher in a life worth yearning for a super-human existence, divinely exquisite and shining brightly on the banner of gold.” (1)
Reference:
(1) Saḿgiita: Song, Dance and Instrumental Music, Invention of Various Musical Instruments
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Sadguru Baba’s special declaration
Ananda Marga ideology says, "I dedicate A'nanda Ma'rga in this DMC to all sections of society...from this DMC onwards I have become a man of the people because I believe that dharma is the property of the masses, not the exclusive monopoly of a handful of so-called educated middle class elite. Dharma belongs to one and all. From this DMC, I recognise it as the property of the common people." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, Spiritual Truth Surpasses Everything
== Section 3: Links ==
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