== BECAUSE THERE IS BLISS ==
Namaskar,
Invariably on one of our Marga networks the question gets raised, "Who is
an A'nanda Ma'rgii?". And veritably speaking, the question is certainly an
important one which holds deep significance. Since, after all, our two-fold
duty is both to be Ananda Margiis and also to create more Ananda Margiis.
Given this, we should all hold an agreed upon, clear-cut idea of what
constitutes being an A'nanda Ma'rgii. On this point everyone is encouraged
to write in with their thoughts and realisations. And side by side as a
community we should investigate and collectively reflect upon Baba's divine
teachings on this all-important matter.
BABA HAS CREATED THE 'STRAIGHT' PATHWAY
As we all know Baba has magnificently advented Himself and clearly
presented the spiritual cult for all to follow. This is His great boon upon
us all.
As some may remember, initially Baba called the path as 'the straight path'
or Rju Ma'rga:
Baba says, "The meaning of the word rju is 'one who moves straight ahead'
or 'that which is straightforward'...Rju path means 'straight path', one
that does not bend right and left." (SC-2)
So at the outset, those who followed Baba's tenants were the adherents of
the straight path or Rju Ma'rga.
However, being that omniscient Cosmic Entity, Baba knows that
"straightness" alone does not satisfy the infinite longings of the human
heart. Human beings want something more-- humans want bliss, eternal bliss.
A'NANDA MA'RGA: 'THE PATH OF BLISS'
Hence, to appease that special a'kuti (longing) of human beings, Baba has
graciously created A'nanda Ma'rga-- literally meaning, the 'path of bliss'.
And by His grace, AM is that blissful movement to the Cosmic Hub, to
Supreme blessedness.
Baba says, "The path which leads to supreme bliss is a singular one; there
is no second path. The path is one, and only one. If this universe is
considered as a circle, its nucleus is the blissful Purus'ottama to which
every point on the circumference is connected. If any microcosm located on
any point of the circumference wants to reach the Nucleus, he will have to
move with Cosmic ideation, floating on the divine waves of bliss. From no
matter what point on the circumference one measures the distance to the
Nucleus, that radius will always be the same. This radius is termed the
a'nanda ma'rga-- the path of bliss." (DT-2, 'Sadhana')
Thus this movement on the path of A'nanda Ma'rga starts with human life and
culminates in eternal bliss. And along the way, along that radius while
moving on the path, one is "floating on the divine waves of bliss". This is
Baba's expressed teaching.
A'NANDA MA'RGII: ONE WHO FEELS THAT BLISS
So, per Baba's guideline, feeling and receiving bliss is part and parcel of
the movement on the path of A'nanda Ma'rga. Indeed it is an essential
element of that journey. It is just like when one moves towards the sun
then step by step one feels progressively warmer and warmer. Similarly
those moving on the path of A'nanda Ma'rga naturally feel more and more
bliss as they progress along the path toward the Supreme One. This 'bliss'
is a natural outcome of one's movement on the path of A'nanda Ma'rga. Thus
each and every A'nanda Ma'rgii feels a blissful vibration as they journey
forward.
AM PRACTICES ARE THE TOOLS FOR GETTING MORE BLISS
By Baba's grace, within the practical cult of AM He has given all the
particulars for moving ahead on the path. And by following Baba's selected
teachings of do's and don'ts, one is able to move with ever-accelerating
speed-- thereby feeling more and more bliss.
Baba says, "In A'nanda Ma'rga this divine flow of Brahma is embedded in
different lessons of spiritual meditation. Thus, those who practice this
meditation, whether in the present or the future, whether within time or
beyond time, will certainly cry, sing and dance with exquisitive spiritual
joy, and advance steadily towards the blissful Macrocosmic stance."
"Advancing thus, establishing oneself in yama and niyama, and becoming a
true sadvipra, one will attain oneness with the Supreme Entity. Developed
human beings will have to move along this Macrocosmic flow of Brahma. One
who tries to remain aloof from this divine flow does not deserve to be
called a human being. One should bear in mind that the highest fulfillment
in life lies in movement in the Cosmic flow. The path along which this
movement takes place is called the path of bliss, the path of A'nanda
Ma'rga." (AMIWL-8, 'The Macrocosmic Stance & Human Life')
So following Baba's teachings of yama and niyama and Sixteen Points etc are
requirements for advancing on the path. Keeping away from these practices
only means inviting one's degeneration. And by incorporating those AM
practices into our life we will enable one to move ahead-- in a speedier
and speedier fashion, feeling an ever-increasing amount of bliss.
WE SHOULD GAUGE OUR MOVEMENT
By all this we can understand that an Ananda Margii is one who actively
feels that bliss which is an inherent quality of traveling the path of
A'nanda Ma'rga. By this way we should gauge ourselves.
Because entering onto the path and plumping oneself down and sitting still
is not enough. That stagnant position does not qualify one as an A'nanda
Ma'rgii. Rather one will have to move and by that movement one will receive
bliss-- one will be "floating on the divine waves of bliss". This is Baba's
clear-cut guarantee and part and parcel of being an A'nanda Margii
So once again we should gauge ourselves. We should see if we are moving
fast or slow. The speed of one's movement is measured by the amount of
bliss one feels.
In this way we should frankly question ourselves: 'Am I really an Ananda
Margii-- am I feeling that bliss which Baba says is an inherent aspect of
moving on the path. Or am I just a margii in namesake only-- just calling
oneself an A'nanda Ma'rgii but not tangibly feeling that bliss which is the
cornerstone or defining point of one's movement along the path of AM.
Person to person we should all ask ourselves in our heart and truthfully
evaluate how far we are A'nanda Ma'rgiis. The answer lies within each and
every one.
FEELING THAT BLISS IS OUR MEASURING ROD
BABA HAS GIVEN THE METHOD AS WELL AS THE SOLUTION
So A'nanda means bliss and the degree to which one is feeling that bliss in
their life is that degree to which one is an Ananda Margii. Some lazy
persons may say that 'Oh, there is no need to feel bliss just I am an
A'nanda Margii'. But this is nothing but their own stagnant quality.
Instead those who are ardent followers will zealously ask themselves how
far they are really getting bliss and simultaneously desire to receive more
and more bliss. And by Baba's grace He has given the perfect formula: By
following His teachings one will get bliss.
So if one is not feeling any bliss or if one wants to feel more bliss then
there is tremendous hope as well as a practical approach. Because as we
engage more and more in His devotional cum spiritual practices and
incorporate these divine ideals into our heart then naturally bliss and
nectar pours throughout one's entire being-- until one is totally drenched
in that supreme bliss. This is Baba's expressed formula. And by this way we
can all joyously move ahead by His grace.
BABA'S BLESSING:
BECOMING ONE WITH THAT BLISS
Here below is Baba's great assurance that the path of Ananda Marga is for
one and all and that by His grace we will get success and progressively
become one with that divine bliss-- and reach unto Him.
Baba says, "In Ananda Marga, this wave of the Supreme Consciousness is to
be attained in the process of meditation (sa'dhana'). That is why, in
present or future, if anybody does this sa'dhana' with great determination,
they will also dance, sing, laugh and weep, and thus they will move on
towards that Supreme. In this way, by moving and moving, establishing
themselves in morality, becoming 'sadvipras' (spiritual moralists), in the
true sense of the word, they will become one with that Supreme form of
Bliss. Human beings will have to dive into this wave of the Supreme. This
is the true success in life. The is the A'nanda Ma'rga-- Path of Bliss."
("Brahmabhava and Human Life")
Namaskar,
Ram Sahay
Note 1: WHO IS AN ANANDA MA'RGII
Question: Who is an Ananda Margii?
Answer: One who feels the divine bliss that naturally comes from travelling
on the path of AM.
By this way we can easily understand that a simple farmer who sincerely
does his sadhana practices etc may be feeling tremendous bliss in his life
and qualify as a top-grade Ananda Margii; whereas, someone else may be
holding the top post of Purodha Pramukha or GS etc but they may be drowned
in their own ego and ignorance, thus having a dry mind devoid of any bliss.
In that case we cannot call that post-holder an A'nanda Ma'rgii.
So it varies from person to person depending on what they feel in their
heart. And the best judge of this is oneself.
Note 2: FIRST CAME A'NANDA MA'RGA AND THEN CAME AMPS
All are aware that Baba began teaching the blissful practice of AM sadhana
before creating AMPS. So first He began initiating aspirants into the cult
of Ananda Marga; and those who followed this path of bliss became known as
Ananda Margiis. And then per His desire in 1955, Baba formed the
organisation-- AMPS (A'nanda Ma'rga Pracaraka Samgha). So Ananda Marga is
not a structure per se but rather a way of life. Therefore A'nanda Ma'rgiis
are adherents of the path of bliss and living according to those ideals and
the organisation AMPS has been made to further propagate the teachings of AM.
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Money and Peace
Baba says, "With the acquisition of money people still feel that they have
nothing; in spite of possessing a huge amount of money they often beat
their chests in despair. So it is not money they seek-- what they truly
desire is peace, not happiness. But it is only rarely that people attain
peace in life...The answer [then] is that by attaining Parama Purus'a one
no longer has any unsatiated hunger or unqueched thirst." And that is the
stage of perfect peace. (SS-12, p.38)
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