Baba
Mahaprayan of one senior family acarya
Namaskar
It is with much sadness that we share with you news of the
mahaprayan (death) of Acarya Amulya Ratan Sarangiji. Respected
Acaryaji breathed his last on 14th November 2015 at 5:30pm IST at
Ranchi hospital. At the time of his mahaprayan, Ac Sarangiji was
beyond 93 years of age.
Ac. Sarangji's mahaprayan comes on the heels of a terrible heart
attack which weakened him. On this tragic occasion of his
mahaprayan, surely all will remember him as a very senior member of
the Marga as Sarangi took initiation in the early 1960's - by His
grace. That is when he was blessed with diiksa and took Shrii Shrii
Anandamurtiji as his Guru.
In the 1960's Sarangiji was extremely active in pracara - initiating
so many sadhakas, some of whom became Wts. And then in the post 1978
era, Ac Sarangiji was deeply involved in Ananda Marga work,
including doing Hindi Prabhat Samgiita purports on a few occasions
at DMC with Sadguru Baba. Plus, on a few other occasions, Sarangiji
translated Guru's divine discourses into Hindi when Baba spoke in
English.
May we all take solace in the fact that our dear Acarya Sarangiji
was a devotee of Sadguru Baba. Certainly he will attain mukti or
moksa, accordingly. Baba will lovingly bestow His grace and he will
remain under His Supreme shelter.
at the lotus feet of Baba,
Ramdev
Note 1: "Mahaprayan" means death of mortals - confirm
for yourself
from the Samsad Bengali-English Dictionary
Mahaprayan (Death): Many are aware that mahaprayan (death) is the
common term used in India and especially in Bengal to describe the
death of any human being, even ordinary people. In that way, the
obituary columns of the newspapers of Bengal regularly cite the
mahaprayan (death) of various persons of society who died or passed
away.
Some may get confused and wrongly think that the word 'mahaprayan'
(death) is one extraordinarily devotional term to be used in
association with Parama Purusa. But that is not at all the case.
Rather to do so is only to undermine the eternal presence of Parama
Purusa. That is why no devotees ever use the word 'mahaprayan' in
reference to Lord Shiva or Lord Krsna. Because Lord Shiva and Lord
Krsna exist eternally. Then there is no question of Their mahaprayan
(death).
Baba is Parama Purusa so He is eternal and there is no question of
His mahaprayan.
Here it should be known that the convention of an annual death day
ceremony (i.e. shraddhainjali or mahaprayan) is a foundation of the
Islamic tradition. Muslims are well known for this, and their
approach of an annual death day ceremony was adopted by the leader
of a particular group in AMPS. So no one should think that
mahaprayan is some type of sacred event. It is done on the death day
anniversary of Muslims.
And for those who need still more technical proof then all this can
be clarified quite readily by referencing the dictionary.
Specifically in the Samsad Bengali-English dictionary on page 742.
Checking there it will be confirmed that the word 'mahaprayan' means
death. Which is why it is used to refer to the passing away of even
common citizens.
Note 2: Mahaprayan is only for humans
Sadguru is eternal
Here it should be qualified that there is both real mahaprayan and
fake mahaprayan. Real mahaprayan marks the death of any ordinary
human being, just like the aforesaid news. This is the proper use of
the term: To note a person's departure from this earth. That is the
meaning of the mahaprayan term and that is the standard way the term
is used in Indian languages.
Then there is the fake, or so-called, or dogmatic mahaprayan. That
is when certain vested interests try to apply the mahaprayan term to
Parama Purusa Himself. This is grossly inappropriate because when
Parama Purusa Sadguru Baba is that Divine Entity who is
beginningless and endless and resides always in our heart, then it
is entirely wrong to proclaim that He is gone.
That is why rational margiis are protesting; because the Oct 21st
program is so-called mahaprayan. So-called means that something is
fake. Parama Purusa is eternal, thus for some vested interests to
declare "mahaprayan of Parama Purusa" is nothing but so-called
mahaprayan.
Mahaprayan only really happens in the case of human beings, not
Parama Purusa.
Note 3: Story: Sitting on Baba's lap means died?
Recently after dharmacakra, a senior margii was recounting his
experiences of having dharma samiiksa with Baba.
He said, "After being punished by Baba, then He called me close and
placed me on His lap - I remained there for some time soaking up His
love - and He blessed me."
We all enjoyed hearing about his personal account with Baba during
dharma samiiksa. When he finished telling his story, there was a
call for questions. Various people posed their queries.
"How did Baba bring you back to life?"
Towards the end, one new margii raised his hand and asked, "How did
Baba bring you back to life?"
Everyone stared at the new margii in amazement. There was a look of
astonishment all around - people were really shocked to hear him say
this.
The new sadhaka sensed that something was awry.
He said very matter-of-factly, "I thought that sitting on Baba's Lap
means that he (the margii) died - that is why I asked that
question."
This was quite eye-opening for those of us in the room: Through our
language and expression we had unknowingly taught someone to think
that being on Baba's lap is the equivalent of death. Because it
seems that nowadays people only use the phrase "Baba's lap" when a
person has died, such as "Let him rest peacefully in Baba's lap", as
if in order to sit on Baba’s lap one has to die. But that is false.
Sincere sadhakas regularly sit on Baba’s lap in their meditation. It
is His grace. It is just like a child need not die in order to sit
on hi father’s lap.
Confusion about sitting on Baba's lap
At that moment I thought that everyone, new and old, should be clear
about the real and devotional meaning of this phrase, "being on
Baba's lap." It should not become stigmatized such that it only
means death. Because in its true sense, the phrase "being on Baba's
lap" really does carry a highly devotional and sweet feeling.
It is just like how a small child sits on its parent's lap. In a
similar way, a spiritual child (human being) sits on the lap of
Parama Purusa. By Baba's grace this can happen anytime in one's
sadhana, especially in dhyana. Such a phrase then should not become
stigmatized because too many people only use it at the time of
death.
We should be careful that we do not relegate "Baba's lap" only to
the point of death.
The connotation of death must not become synonymous with "being on
Baba's lap." Because the phrase - "being on Baba's lap" - is a
devotional experience that can happen today itself in sadhana, and
especially in dhyana. The phrase "being on Baba's lap" should not
lose this quality and only mean death. It should not meet the same
dark fate as happened with the term harijan. Nowadays, for the
occasion of death / mahaprayan, 99.9% of the time people use the
phrase "on Baba's lap", and for devotional stories the phrase "on
Baba's lap" is used 0.01% of the time. That is why - for devotional
purposes - this phrase is already included on the endangered species
list.
Lest meet same fate as "harijan"
As we all know, these days in India nobody uses the term harijan to
mean "a devotee". Whereas 70 years ago it was used in that way. The
term harijan did mean bhakta. But ever since the time of Gandhi when
he glued the harijan term to the lowest so-called caste, i.e
so-called untouchables, nobody uses the the harijan to mean devotee.
Never. Because the term harijan has been stigmatized to mean
"untouchable". Nobody uses it to mean "devotee", but that is the
original and true meaning of the word.
The phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", should not meet a similar fate.
It should not lose its devotional quality and just refer to one's
death. That will be very negative.
Baba would bless devotees and place them on His lap
There are tens of thousands of recorded stories by sadhakas where
they use the phrase, "on Baba's lap", when describing their
experiences of being with Baba: He used to bless them and bring them
on His lap. People should understand the deeply devotional value
of this expression, and not just think that Baba's lap means death,
i.e. that you can only sit on His lap at the time of death. Still
today there are thousands of margiis walking this earth who sat in
Baba's lap. And not only that, there are countless more sadhakas who
were blessed by Baba in dreams and dhyana wherein they sat in His
lap. And still today this deeply devotional experience is attainable
by sadhakas, by His grace.
There are so many ways an aspirant can reach unto Baba's lap
including in sadhana and especially during dhyana. That is the main
idea that should be preserved. Sadhana is a devotional practice and
one can sit on Baba's lap in dhyana. We should make it cent-per-cent
clear to one and all that the phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", does
not mean death.
Dogma:
if "on Baba's lap" only used for death
Here are quoted lines from recently posted emails on various forums,
wherein the writer uses the phrase - "in Baba's lap" - with the
occasion of death:
- "May he rest in HIS loving lap of eternity."
- "We are sure that Baba has taken him in His loving lap."
- "May his soul rest in Baba's lap forever."
- "Let her rest peacefully in Baba's Lap - which she always
desired."
- "now he is in beloved Baba's lap"
- "May his soul get peaceful place in His lap"
- "He is now in BÁBÁ'S loving lap"
- "May Baba bless him with a seat in His lap."
- "May BABA accept him in HIS divine lap!"
- "May Baba take him in his eternal loving lap."
- "Please keep him on Your lap forever."
All of the above lines are commonly written in eulogizing the
deceased. Of course, it is fine to write like that. Here the point
is that this same phrase "in Baba's lap" should also be used when
describing one's devotional practices and experiences. But these
days mostly it is used in a eulogy and rarely used to recount one's
devotional experiences - unfortunately. By this way, the phrase "in
Baba's lap" is being misused and step by step the real meaning is
being forgotten as now people more commonly use the phrase to
eulogize those who have died, and much less so to express their
devotional feeling. Unfortunately, the meaning and inner spirit of
the phrase is getting lost.
Here again is the central idea:
The connotation of death must not become synonymous with "being on
Baba's lap." Because the phrase - "being on Baba's lap" - is a
devotional experience that can happen today itself in sadhana, and
especially in dhyana. The phrase "being on Baba's lap" should not
lose this quality and only mean death. It should not meet the same
dark fate as happened with the term harijan. Nowadays, for the
occasion of death / mahaprayan, 99.9% of the time people use the
phrase "on Baba's lap", and for devotional stories the phrase "on
Baba's lap" is used 0.01% of the time. That is why - for devotional
purposes - this phrase is already included on the endangered species
list.
The idea is that this phrase - Baba's lap - has been linked with
death due to extreme overuse. So for some time if sadhakas use this
phrase exclusively for devotional purposes, that will be best.
