== IDEAL AVADHUTA ==
Namaskar,
As we know, Baba is very strict with regard to the standard of our Wt's and
Avadhutas. Because by the formation of a strong cadre, then society can
quickly be transformed and guided in the proper direction.
The point being that Baba's theory of avadhuta is very lofty as the true
ideal avadhuta is treated as 'second god' in AM philosophy:
"Shmsha'ne...avadhutao dvatiya maheshvara"
Thus the color of one's dress alone is not enough. Rather the conduct of
our avadhutas must be exemplary in all regards. Then they can be considered
as ideal-- 'dvatiya maheshvara' or second gods. Unfortunately, these days
on various points a certain slackness has set in.
A CASE IN POINT
We need not consult the history books or look back in the annals of time to
find such examples. Since it was just last week that one of our
distinguished avadhutas engaged in the public & heralded celebration of his
own birthday. All done in a grand way at one of our AM retreats. When in
fact the point is commonly known to all that Avadhutas are not to pay heed to
such mundane dates like their own worldly birthday.
(a) Reason being that for the Avadhutas, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji is
Father, Mother, and Everything. And they have given up everything of their
worldly past in His service. In which case where is the scope for an
avadhuta to celebrate his own worldly birthday...
(b) In addition at each and every juncture or stage of an avadhuta's
development and training they are given a new name because each stage
itself represents a new birth-- a new beginning. All the while leaving
behind their old life. In which case where is the scope for an avadhuta to
celebrate his own worldly birthday...
(c) Plus for all avadhutas and aspirants Baba has beautifully explained
that our present life is not our first life-- rather it is a part life.
Because in the cycle of creation and moving ahead via saincara and
pratisaincara until finally attaining the human framework and ultimately
reaching onto the path of tantra, one has undergone countless lives and one
has experienced countless births. This is part and parcel of our spiritual
outlook.
Thus for these reasons and so many others, the whole notion of one of our
avadhutas celebrating their worldly mundane birth has no sense and goes
counter to the whole spirit of being avadhuta.
Even then NY SOS Dada Rainjitanandaji took it upon himself to celebrate his
worldly physical birth at a recent AM function. Not only that it was done
with all the glorified 'bells and whistles' of materialistic American
life-- following all the traditional ways from the mundane birthday song to
the making of a wish. All this was done in Dadaji's honor-- and he jumped
right in with full vigor. Thus with full pomp and show and wearing the
bright orange of his avadhuta uniform, Dadaji celebrated the whole affair
in full grandeur-- with full birthday charm.
So how far this is proper and following the spirit or the ideal of an
avadhuta as laid down by Baba, everyone can plainly see for themselves-- as
it is quite apparent.
SS WAS THERE AT THE SCENE
Plus this entire birthday festivity did not unfold in a vacuum-- without
anyone there to see. It was not like that as SS Dada, i.e. the 'eyes of the
sector', was on hand at that very retreat to observe the entire event. But
SS did not so much as move a muscle to intervene. Rather he let SOS party
to the sky in his birthday rituals.
Why SS Dada Tiirthanandaji remained frozen is anyone's best guess. But many
are telling it was because Tiirthanandaji was already involved in his own
muddy dealings. Since it was at that retreat itself that a major portion of
Dada's seminar presentation was spent praising & glorifying himself. When
every Ananda Margii is fully aware that self-praise is not good.
Hence being short on moral courage himself, SS Dada remained passive on the
sidelines-- unable to utter a dharmic word to save the situation of SOS's
mundane birthday party. Thus a snowball or domino effect happened-- i.e.
one poor showing led to another. Otherwise what can be.
And talk is further going on that when SS could not properly monitor the
party celebrations of SOS which was all done under his own watchful gaze,
then how can SS Dada handle administering and governing the expanse of the
entire sector. So this concern is also ablaze in peoples' minds.
Where to go and how to proceed in the creation of ideal avadhutas we can
think further, and at the same time consider Baba's following guidelines.
However one thing surely stands clear: That it is blatantly against the
standard of an avadhuta to indulge in the worldly celebration of their own
birthday.
BABA'S WARNINGS
Taking everything into consideration here following are some of Baba's
important guidelines about acarya and avadhuta life.
Baba says, "A'ca'ran'a't pa'thayati yah sah a'ca'ryah-- 'One who teaches
through one's conduct is an acarya'. If you cannot learn anything from the
conduct and behaviour of a certain person, why should you accept that
person as an a'ca'rya." (AVM pt 23 p.150)
Baba says, "Bear in mind that people may be harmed or misled by even a
small weakness or defect in the conduct of an acarya...an acarya should
always instruct by his exemplary actions and words." (AVM pt 31 p.18)
A POSITIVE RESOLUTION
So even while such birthday scenes and the like continue to unfold across
the sector and beyond. Even then we should not give up hope or 'lose the
faith'.
Because if we are careful to keep a close watch then quickly ideal
avadhutas can be created-- in which case fake ones will disappear from the
scene. All it take is a little vigilance. And by that way in no time we
will have a sterling cadre of avadhutas in the true spirit of the term.
Baba says, "Shmsha'ne...avadhutao dvatiya maheshvara"
Namaskar,
Jayanta
Note 1: AVADHUTA CONDUCT RULE
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')
By the above teaching it is quite clear that ideal avadhutas will dedicate
everything to Revered Baba. In which case the only birthday they will
concern themselves with is Ananda Purnima, i.e. Baba's birthday -- and not
their own unit birth.
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Sadhana Point
Baba says, "Padmasana (lotus posture): Place the right foot on the left
thigh and the left foot on the right thigh. Clench the jaws and press the
tongue against the roof of the mouth. You can maintain this posture as long
as you like." (CC-3)
Note: Just as sleeping needs to be done in a lying down posture. Similarly for
better sadhana one should sit in padmasana. No doubt margiis are aware about
this rule but even then review is needed because some are no longer in the
habit of sitting in this posture, while still others have become obese which
leads to discarding this rule. In addition, by seeing some sit in the wrong
way, confusion can come on such basic points as to which leg to bend first
or how to place the palms. Or people just plain forget to keep the tongue
back, the molar teeth pressed, the eyes closed, or the spine erect. Hence
for one or another reasons any or all of these points can get forgotten or
missed. Not to mention that at DMS and retreats I have seen how some people
keep their hands clasped together and their fingers interlinked, but this
of course is also not proper. So about all these aforementioned points
Baba has given the guideline in the above noted quote from Caryacarya part
3 and in the Senior Acarya Diary. So it is Baba's mandate that we should
be strict in following all these things properly, as they are integral for
enhancing one's movement on the path of sadhana.
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