== AVADHUTA'S BIRTHDAY ==
Namaskar,
Just a few short days ago one of our esteemed Avadhuta's celebrated his own
birthday in grand fashion at one of the regional retreats in our NY sector.
So let us all take a peek at the import of such events to see how far Baba
is approving this or not.
STORY: BABA'S REPORTING SESSION AND DADA N
Long back in Delhi sector Dada Nirmohananandji also had a favourite passion
of indulging in his own birthday parties. So here and there and whenever
opportunity knocked he would set-up birthday party celebrations in his own
honour. This was his way of doing.
Then one day in reporting sesion Baba Himself raised the matter and exposed
Nirmohananandji in front of all. And it became well known how Baba lovingly
pointed out and made jokes about Nirmohananandji's behaviour. In that way
Baba Himself has put forth the dharmic injunction that workers are not to
involve in such things as it goes against the entire spirit of being Avadhuta.
Since then nobody asked permission from Baba to arrange the birthday
celebration of any avadhuta. Nor did any acarya dare to do. Similarly that
is also why the birthdays of acaryas and avadhutas are never published in
different media, ie e-mail or Central Magazines etc.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AVADHUTA
As we know the spirit of being Avadhuta is to dedicate everything to Marga
Gurudev. So by getting Avadhuta diiksa and by getting their new avadhuta
name, then they they no longer have anything of their own. In that blessed
state, everything belongs to Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. And Shrii Shrii
Anandamurtiji is their mother father, & everything.
That is why in conduct rules of Avadhuta, there is no such thing as the
observance of one's own birthday or any form of celebration or
glorification of one's own unit existence. Rather the avadhuta's goal of
life and the be-all end-all of their existence is to glorify Baba's image.
They are to be fully established in and dedicated to AM ideology and
Marga's Guru's glory.
Baba says, "Avadhuta shall always keep himself engaged in the service of
Gurudeva with sincerity and devotion, in thought, words and deed, in subtle
and in crude spheres, in inner and outer expressions of life." (Rule no.
28 of '32 Rules for Avadhutas')
Adhering to this principle no true Avadhuta celebrates their own personal
mundane birthday.
BIRTHDAY IS WORSE THAN SELF-PRAISE
As we all know Baba warns us to steer away from things like self-publicity
& self-praise. Thus when the chief result of indulging in one's own
birthday party is drawing attention to oneself, then no avadhuta should
indulge in such acts.
Baba 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." (SS-2, p. 49)
And to go one step further, in the case of one's own birthday party, that
is not only praising oneself but even worse-- celebrating and overtly
highlighting one's unit cause.
Overall it is just like how stealing itself is bad yet the annual
celebration of a notorious stealing program is far worse.
PP's and GS's BIRHTDAY NOT CELEBRATED
Who can say they have heard about PP Dada's birthday or GS Dada's birthday.
The answer is on one. Because it is not done. Yet If this birthday
celebration would have been accepted & approved then certainly first PP
Dada's birthday would have been celebrated every year. And then step by
step GS Dada's birthday followed by , Purodha Board members and Central
Dadas etc. Like this all high posted worker would be doing. But if you
examine the history of AM never has such things been done. Because it is
understood that this is not approved by Baba.
THE SCENE AT THE BOSTON REGIONAL RETREAT
However, at last week's Boston Regional retreat, Ac. Rainjitananda Avt
celebrated his own birthday with full gusto and glory. In grand fashion,
everyone present at the retreat sang a hearty round of the traditional
American "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to you" song in Dadaji's
honor. And during the singing one sumptuous cake was brought out and served
to Dadaji. And like that the whole affair took on the flavor of one mundane
Americana birthday party whereby non-margiis make a wish for crude objects
as they blow out the candles on the birthday cake and receive presents from
one and all etc. So like that Rainjitanandji's celebratory occasion and
birthday party was carried out whereby Dada accepted the card and cake and
all arrangements in his own honour. Because at that moment Dadaji's
birthday was the showcase event going on at the retreat.
THEY WERE ALSO "AVADHUTA"
So how far it is appropriate & befitting for Avadhutas to do like this everyone
can surely arrive at the answer. Yet who can forget that at one time Vishokananda
and Madhavananda also carried the title of Avadhuta.
Thus for those who do not follow the codes and standards of being
avadhuta-- their title of avadhuta is meaningless, or thereabouts. Because
Baba's guideline is that being Avadhuta in name only is not enough-- one
must follow the spirit.
NOT ONLY AVADHUTA BUT PURODHA
And here in the case of Rainjitanandji he is not only avadhuta but also
Purodha, i.e. one of the specially chosen, hand-selected avadhutas. So see
the standard of some of our Purodhas these days-- they are fake, or what
can be.
About any such cases Baba has given the following teaching:
"Mana na' ra'inga'ile ra'inga'ile yogi ka'par'a.
Saffron and red do not a yogiis make
With mind undyed he remains a fake."
"Dye your mind with His colour.
Those who have not done so cannot attain Him, for this very coloration is
Prema or Divine Love...No external sign of Sa'dhuta' or virtue is necessary.
Become sa'dhu within. Behind the external show of virtuousness of many so-called
sa'dhus exists apharisaic state of mind. Preserve the true dignity of the word, Sa'dhu."
"Mu'd'ha mu'ra'ye jata' v'ar'aye....
With shaven head or matted locks
And ashen body a Sadhu walks
With the swaggering gait of a well-fed buffalo.
And crude mind filled with thoughts mean and low."
"That is why I say that you must bring about a revolutionary change in the
flow of your judgment and thought, and see how, after overcoming your fascination
with external colour, your mind becomes tinged with the Hisglorious colour." (SS-3)
BABA'S BLESSING
At all times may we always remember these following divine words of Baba.
Baba says, "We are proceeding from darkness towards effulgence, from
imperfection along the golden steps to perfection. No obstacle on the way
will be able to stop our advancement...the inherent desire to bring
well-being to all living beings is our way...Moving ahead is the very wont
of life." (AVS, p. 48-9)
Namaskar,
Dharmaviira
Note 1: INITIATION MEANS REBIRTH
Here it is meaningful to carefully read Baba's teaching that after
initiation one gets re-birth. So in this situation we should all consider &
rethink this idea of celebrating one's physical birth.
Baba says, "With an initiated person the first birth was the physical birth
and the second birth was the spiritual birth, during initiation. Such a
person is divya, born twice: First, you are simply born as an animal being.
But this second time, as a human being. So unless and until one is
initiated one is not, one cannot be, treated as a human being." (AVM)
So in Baba's above teaching's teaching is that physical birth does not have
so much meaning in the life of a spiritual aspirant. Because when they get
initiated that is counted as a re-birth. On that very ground the physical
birthday of a human being / sadhaka does not have much value. The main
value is when the person gets initiated and takes shelter at Rev. Baba's feet.
Note 2: WHY CELEBRATE
Why should anyone should practice or propagate their own birthday? We are
raising the slogan Parama Pita Baba Ki Jai! His victory, His glory, that is
why the real devotee has only one birthday to celebrate. That is Ananda
Purnima-- Baba's birthday. But those who do not have that type of devotion,
with faltering steps they usually go away from ideological path. And
sometimes they remain on track.
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Cooking Tips
Baba says, "If the vegetables get a little burnt and [you think] that 'Oh,
people can't eat this.' [Then] Quick- pour a lot of water onto them, and
add fifteen or twenty betel leaves. That will reduce the burnt effect."
(NKS, '97 Edn, p. 105)
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