Baba
Great dada
Namaskar,
When anyone writes a Baba story book, the stated aim is to highlight Sadguru - not one's own self. Even if the writer has some desire to glorify himself, he will be very discreet, and will not do so openly - in a gross manner.
It is only when one has an irresistible urge to propagate their own glory that they cannot check that propensity. Intoxicated by their own vanity, they lose their ability to think rationally and they openly praise themselves for all to see. And that is exactly what happened in one Baba story book.
The ideal way to write a Baba story book is to clearly present Guru in a reverential way. The reader should get the feeling that the writer is sitting at Baba's feet and directing all their attention unto Him - His glory. That is the ideal method and all the prose, poetry and photos contained therein should reflect this spirit and selfless, spiritual feeling.
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Displaying as if in AM Guru is just ordinary
Unfortunately, on the Dedication page of his book, one dada has placed a photo of Baba, and directly next to Baba, in the same exact type of chair, sits one dada – the very wt who wrote the book. So Sadguru Baba is sitting in one chair, and this dada is sitting next to Him on the exact same level.
This makes it look like in Ananda Marga the Guru is just someone ordinary and it is common for one to sit next to Him – in the same type of seat, on the same level. This gives a very poor impression to the reader.
Yet the place of Guru in tantra is unparalleled – Guru’s stance has no equal. In Ananda Marga, the disciple remains at the feet of Guru or in full prostration. But here in this photo, dadaji is sitting directly on par with Baba – and he has published this in a most prominent location of his Baba story book for all to see.
Sadly, goaded by his own petty ego, this Dada could not refrain from showing the world how he himself is as great as his Guru. Otherwise, no proper bhakta could ever select such a photo to put in their Baba story book.
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Absolutely shocking scene
To make matters worse, the dada who is sitting next to Baba is not even looking at Him. Instead of casting his eyes upon the Sadguru Baba, this dada is looking directly back toward the camera - his eyes glued to the lens, as if he himself – not Baba – is the focal point of the photograph. As if the photo is of him, dadaji.
This is the absolutely shocking scene that is taking place – all captured on film for all to see on the Dedication page of his Baba story book.
"Look at me, I am as great as Guru"
On that very Dedication page it says:
To My Baba
Offering His Flowers back unto Him.
Tava dravyam jagatguro, tubyameva samarpaye.
The message here is conflicted and hypocritical. Dadaji is trying to show how the book is an offering of surrender to Guru, yet at the same time he has included this photo that tells a whole other story.
Any true bhakta would have used a different photo, or the photo could have easily been cropped etc.
Instead – driven by his own vanity, dadaji has taken this as an occasion to highlight himself: As if to say, “Look at me, I am as great as Guru.”
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Dada did the exact opposite
Instead of showing himself to be on par with Sadguru Baba, dadaji would have been far, far wiser to have seated himself directly on the ground at Guru’s feet, with his gazed fixed on Guru’s lotus feet. This would have properly depicted the reverence and great regard we have for Guru. But instead, dada did the exact opposite.
Some say that dadaji wanted to preserve his place in history and show his greatness. But the reality dadaji did just opposite. Because by his behaviour, people will easily understand that dadaji has no reverence for Sadguru Baba. Just dadaji is concerned about his own personal image - i.e. name and fame.
Dadaji has delivered a sinful message: In Ananda Marga Guru is not given a special place. That is the most unfortunate and tragic depiction he has given in his book. New people and readers from all walks of life will think that the the Guru of Ananda Marga is ordinary. It is quite sad and disturbing that a sin of this magnitude has occurred.
”I will never propagate my greatness”
“A’loker path cha’r’ibo na’…A’mi nijere praca’r koribo na’…” (Prabhat Samgiita #337)
Purport: Baba, by Your grace I will not leave the path of Ananda Marga ideology, the path of effulgence. I will never leave the path which You showed me. By Your grace, I will mold myself according to Your desire. With Your guidance, I will make my mind straight, focusing on You & propagating Your glory. I will never glorify my own existence. I will never propagate about me I will never praise myself in front of anyone. I will never propagate myself. My Lord, You have taught me to propagate Your glory. I will propagate the glory of Parama Purusa – not anyone else. So I will never propagate my own self...
Ananda Marga Ideology says, “Sometimes their self-praise is so intense that others are obliged to say, ‘Please stop praising yourself so much’. They forget that their self-applause is rather boring for others. Human beings should realise that no one likes to hear the self-praise of others.” (1)
Ananda Marga Ideology says, “Why on earth should he indulge in self-publicity? To whom will he publicize himself? Such acts are the antics of common, avaricious people with beggar-like mentality.” (2)
Ananda Marga Ideology says, “...Be great by your sa’dhana’, by your service, by your sacrifice.” (3)
Ananda Marga Ideology says, “Human beings are made of flesh and bones. If their heart or lungs stop functioning, in that case they will be lifted onto the shoulders of 4 other people in order to get thrown onto the funeral pyre. When this is the situation of human beings, where is the scope for self-glorification?” (4)
Who is a fool
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “This arrogance, which makes them want to display themselves, forgetting all other things, is termed aham’ka’ra [vanity]. The predominant vrtti behind it is aham [ego]: ‘I am everything, there is nothing beyond and outside me’.” (5)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Where people are guided more by ahamtattva [ego], they say, ‘I am doing, I am giving, this was done by me, that was done by me, etc.’… Their minds do not inspire the lives of others, their minds do not touch the minds of others. They do not reach the sweetness of others ‘I’ feelings, for they are too preoccupied with themselves. Their approach is defective; their path is not the path of Neo-Humanism.” (6)
Here is an English summary of the original Hindi:
It is the duty of all human beings and especially those who are bhaktas, it is their mandatory duty to always think that, ‘I am a machine and the controller is Parama Purusa. He is the machine man and I have to work according to His desire. I have to fulfill His desire. This body of mine is a machine and it belongs to Him. This is His machine and this machine has to do His work.’ If one constantly thinks in this way then the vanity of action will never sprout. This is the only path to save oneself from vanity. One has to think ‘I am just one machine; I am a tool and according to His desire I have to work’. (7) (English summary of Subhasita Samgraha - 16 (H), p. 81, DMC Agra 19 Feb 84)
Ananda Marga Ideology, “Vanity harms the mind in three ways...The second [way] is gaorava, self-aggrandizement or boasting – projecting oneself as a great personality...Is this really something great of which human beings can feel proud? And what is the result of this self-glorification? Raorava means the seventh hell.” (8)
Ananda Marga Ideology says, “A person boasts of learning, intellect and fortune. But nothing is eternal. Therefore one who boasts of anything of this world is a fool.” (9)
Conclusion
those who are treading On the path of tantra, on the spiritual path, they should never praise themselves. That goads the mind in the wrong direction and one’s degradation is certain. Instead, true bhaktas always sing the glories of the Supreme Entity - whose very thought automatically elevates the mind.
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Ananda Marga Ideology says, “Even people of wisdom, of high social status — even so-called intellectual and accomplished scientists and philosophers who are always concerned with earning high respect for themselves or saving their own prestige — even they pursue sensuous or fragmentary objects for the gratification of their egos. Perhaps they deliberately refuse to realise that these petty objectives of their egos will infuse their minds with meanness, as a result of which all their egoistic respect, prestige and status will ultimately be pulverized into dust.” (10)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Your vanity may increase. You may think “I have done this, I have done that, I am not an ordinary man’. This is a psychic disease.” (11)
In Him,
Gopal Basu
About this Wt
The Dada who lost himself in his own vanity and displayed this photo in his own Baba story book is Dada Tapeshvarananda.
Some may give the silly justification that this scene took place in an airport so what is the big deal - Dada Tapeshvarananda did nothing wrong. But that stands no ground. In the life of the disciple, in all circumstances, and in all places, bhaktas give maximum regard and reverence for Guru. So the fact that this occurred in an airport is irrelevant. Indeed so many margiis and Wts sat at His lotus feet in airports, on train platforms, and in countless other places. For the bhakta Guru is everything and they will always surrender unto Him - no matter the location.
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References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, The Lord Should Always Be Praised
2. Sibhasita Samgraha - 2, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 3
3. Ananda Vanii #20
4. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 11, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
5. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 10, ‘Shivokti 6′
6. Neo-humanism in a Nutshell - 1, Perfect Spirituality and Neohumanism
7. Subhasita Samgraha - 16 (H), p. 81, DMC Agra 19 Feb 84
8. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 11, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
9. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 1, The Three Factors for Spiritual Elevation
10. Subhastia Samgraha - 3, Supreme Benevolence and Mundane Pleasure (Shreya and Preya)
11. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, “Prańipátena Pariprashnena Sevayá” – 1 / Yoga – Its Fundamental Factors
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