ONE ESSENTIAL POINT:
ONE KITCHEN, ONE STOVE, ONE HUMAN SOCIETY
Namaskar,
We know that it is the need of the hour to build up one single human society--
free from exploitation, groupism, and human-made disparities. Certainly
this is the order of the day. And the whole humanity is anxiously waiting
for that.
Naturally then our Marga should be leading the way; but, when disparities
are cropping up left and right within our own AMPS society, then how far
are we able to live up to the task. How then are we able to guide the whole
society. Because when differences are being propagated such that there are
separate classes of workers--high & low; and when the family feeling in AM
has become considered expendable; then where is the scope to unite the
society based on universal feeling and cosmic brotherhood.
Even then we must forge ahead and at the same time become more aware about
to what degree our AM society is marked by such social disparities. This
whole entire letter is moving in that direction. Because now even the most
basic commodities are used to show a particular person's place or level.
FOOD USED TO ENHANCE ONE'S STATUS AND PRESTIGE
For example, here in India, the standard of food is linked with one's
prestige. Because only those who have money can get the wide array of
delicious dainties. Otherwise, for common citizens, due to extreme poverty
even getting a bare meal is often difficult. And in overseas countries
those who attend upscale restaurants use that as a means to distinguish
themselves as being above or better than others. Like this it all happens.
And here is more about this issue. In the same house, if a servant or
family assistant is helping the family, then usually they get an inferior
type or lower class variety of of food in comparison to what is cooked for
the house owners. So those servants are cooking and busy making different
dishes and dainties in the kitchen, for the master; but they themselves do
not have right to eat all those things. The servants cook separate food of
a very low standard for their own meal. Such as rice and some ordinary type
of vegetable. While on the other side they are engaged preparing several
dozens of varieties of dishes every day, but they do not have any right to
even taste those. If they do, that would be blasphemy and their masters
would throw that food to the animals, thinking that it had become dirty.
So the idea is, that there is a huge disparity in meeting basic needs with
regards to food. In the house, a servant's food is completely different
from the house owner's food. This is the common problem in general society,
especially in so-called third world countries where the rich have lots of
servants. And it expresses in a different way in so-called advanced nations
where the wealthy go out to extremely fancy black-tie restaurants and get
treated like kings and queens while millions of less fortunate people roam
the streets hoping to eat someone's leftover bread crumbs. Baba wants to
root out this thing. Because, this disparity in food is one of the great
hindrances for forming one human society.
ONE KITCHEN, ONE STOVE, ONE HUMAN SOCIETY
In Ananda Marga different festivals are there. And common food is served to
one and all as Baba has given the dharmic slogan: "One kitchen, One stove,
One human society".
Prior to 1990 all Ananda Marg families here in our India, and within
overseas margiis, Baba's system was being followed. But now we have all
witnessed have witnessed, that in our Central Office, Tiljala, or Ananda
Nagar and also in our Training Centres and in our overseas sectors-- the
standard of food varies according to one's post. Clear-cut differences
exist between haves and have-nots. Rich and poor.
In this situation, cosmic unity and universal brotherhood are not possible.
Baba wants that we should root out this serious malady. Because this
problem is very serious, and it is a deep rooted dogma which causes
terrible divisions, fractures, and schisms in the society.
To remove this, Baba starts teaching this important point even to small
children. That way everyone should grow-up in a way where they feel all are
entitled to the same quality of food. That is why in His children stories
books Baba has treated those who are eating delicious dainties and
depriving their associates of the same Baba as demons in His children's
story book. And that gives one clear-cut feeling that Baba appreciates that
everyone in the family should sit at the same table and eat whatever they
like according to availability for the whole family. Means, no disparity.
BABA'S SPECIAL STORY
Here is one unique and special story, which clearly shows how the demon
king was eating and enjoying so many luxurious treats by exploiting others
and at the same time he did not care about the common people. The story is
from Baba's book: "Golden Lotus of the Blue Sea".
Here below are some excerpts from the story which demonstrate this point of
extreme food disparities between the haves and have-nots.
Baba's Story begins here.
* * *
The demon asked to the prince-
"You have suffered a great deal in my kingdom during
these few days. I heartily wish that you should taste
the delicious food of my kingdom tomorrow. I hope you
realize that this country is famous for its fine
foods."
"The prince said, 'Is it so?'"
"The demon answered, 'Yes, you know little about the
pleasures of eating good food in this kingdom.'"
'Do you know what our daily menu is? We eat golden
cakes fried in clarified butter, Pearl water mixed
with coconut kernel, spiced Parble curry with salmon
fish made of platinum and in the morning we brush our
teeth with diamond powder!'
Baba furthermore writes very critically. And here the teaching of AM
Ideology is hidden.
"The prince asked, 'Is there such an arrangement for
everyone here?'"
"The demon said, 'This arrangement is for us
only--that is, for those who are learned,
intellectual, rich, highborn and aristocratic. Those
with whom you associate due to your ignorance--those
poor, mean and illiterate people--where would they get
such things? They neither know how to cook nor eat.
They eat stale rice and scorched eggfruit and they
brush their teeth with ash."
So with planned way, the demon arranged thousands of varieties of foods
from far places, in the royal feast to please the prince and enhance his
(the demon's)prestige. And the prince came to the demons palace on special invitation to
attend the feast. Upon his arrival he saw the huge array of foods. Some of
them reluctantly, the prince tasted. Continuing this idea, Baba says,
"The prince began to taste a little of each item; but
his stomach was full after tasting only some of these
dishes. Thinking that over-eating was bad for his
health and moreover, that as he was supposed to leave
early the next morning, eating too much at night would
not be good, he quickly finished his meal and got up
from the table."
Baba gives some further, great ideological teaching in this children's story.
After finishing his food, while all around it was dark, at that time one
idea came in the mind of the prince. And he thought that 'I should go and
see how the cooks are getting treated.' The prince thought-
"'Let me see those cooks, servants and pages who
prepared such delicious dishes and served them so
elegantly', he thought. While passing by the servants'
quarters, he suddenly reached the place where the
kitchen staff were eating together after the day's
hard labour. They were quite exhausted. Those who had
cooked so wonderfully and served so carefully were
eating only stale rice, scorched eggfruit and the sour
sauce of some leaves, perhaps tamarind."
So in the above paragraph, Baba described fully that serious disparity or
injustice, exploitation is a regular phenomenon in the life of servants.
What way they got treated. When the prince came to know all these things,
he was feeling deep repentance for having eaten any food at the demon
king's feast.
Baba further continues,
"The prince returned to his cottage with a heavy
heart. So many thoughts were running in his brain. He
was thinking that he had made a great mistake to eat
and drink such delicious food and drink cooked and
served by those poor people. The beautiful eyes of the
prince were deprived of sleep that night."
So Baba further continues the story, that in disturbed state of mind by
seeing the pitiful condition of the poor people, the prince's heart was
feeling uneasy, restless. And the prince took a vow to free the humanity.
The story follows like this below,
"He [the prince] was thinking continuously, "If I
cannot free humanity from such meanness, what is the
use of my education, my intellect? My coming to this
earth as a human being bears no value."
* * *
This is the end of the excerpt from "The Golden Lotus of the Blue Sea".
In this entire section of the above story, first of all Baba has given the
teaching that:
(A) The demon king was enjoying alone and bragging about his high status.
That time the prince wanted to know whether the common people get to eat
the food which the demon is eating, or not.
(B) In the demon king's feast, reluctantly the prince tasted very little of
some of the items/recipes.
(C) When the prince came to know that the common people or cooks are not
getting the same type of food, then the prince felt extremely repentant for
tasting some of the dishes of the "royal feast".
(D) Feeling quite sad with a heavy heart, the prince took a vow to free the
humanity from the exploitation of blood-sucking demons who do not provide
the very food to the common public, which they themselves enjoy.
SOME OF THE DISPARITIES OUR AM SOCIETY
So all these entire teachings of Baba are like a polestar in our forward
path of enlightenment.
Whichever B or H group Dada or Sectorial, or anywhere irrespective of what
is their post, position and how much money they have, it is the common duty
and courtesy of each and every follower of Ananda Marg, all Ananda Margiis and
WTs, to follow Baba's command.
This is the basic fundamental teaching, that disparity in food should not
be encouraged. What standard of food top posted Dadas eat in Ananda Nagar,
they should provide at least the resident WTs of Ananda Nagar unit the same
food.
Same way all higher posted workers and indeed all in Ananda Marga should
follow Baba's path. Otherwise how will margiis and WTs follow their
leadership or understand how to compassionately guide other?
Who can appreciate that some are enjoying innumerable dainties and in
comparison general WTs are not treated the same way. So people and a few of
our Dadas should show the behaviour of some civilized being and eat the
same food as is being serving for the common margiis and WTs on the same
dining table.
So this food point is a very basic point. That, everyone should get proper
food and ensure that the quality of food available for one is available for
all in the greater family. This is very important because it is linked with
Baba's teaching. So at least we should start bringing it into our practice
and that will help in forming one family, and ultimately one human society.
BABA'S BLESSING
To follow Guru's teachings and do's and don'ts is the real dharma. True
margiis and WT's always adhere to this. That is the answer of all the
questions.
Baba says, "So you must under all circumstances give first priority and
primary importance to dharma. Victory is assured to those who put dharma
above everything else. Under no circumstances can they be defeated. Never
have they been, nor are they now, nor will they be in future." (DKG, p.213)
Namaskar,
Madhusudan
Note 1: HOW IT EXPRESSES IN OUR MARGA
This food point is very important. That, everyone should get proper food.
Since thousands of years of this civilization, till today this serious
malady has not been solved. So on the one hand it seems rather simple but
on the other hand it is quite difficult. So Baba Himself in His different
discourses, on various occasions He highlights this very point. And in the
list of basic requirements, food is the first item which is seriously
connected with one's existence. So for the sake of disparities based on
food quality etc this runs counter to the ideals of neo-humanism.
Unfortunately in our Marga there are not one or two but innumerable
examples where such disparities are going on. Those wealthy Dadas and
groupist leaders eat like kings whereas as general field workers struggle
hard just to fill their plate and feed simple things to those around them.
And when rich and poor meet for organisational purposes, then multiple
kitchens are in vogue and according to the depth of one's pocket one is
able to eat something of proper quality or not. And where money is there
then sumptuous & decadent meals go hand in hand. Plus in our training
centres the Trainer Dadas often eat tasty treats while the trainees eat
simple vegetable. In the past various Dadas names have been connected with
all the aforementioned disparities. But the situation remains unsolved. And
without that then how to build-up a monolithic AMPS as well as one human
society.
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Maharshi Patanjali: Incorrect
Baba says, "According to Patanjali, yoga is the suspension of mental
propensities. But this interpretation of yoga by Maharshi Patanjali is not
accepted by Tantra. Tantra says, the unification of jiiva'tma' with
Parama'tma' is yoga. Sam'yoga means "unification", and yoga ityukto means
"known as yoga". So here Tantra has moved a step further." Patna, 2nd
September, 1978
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