== HUMAN STAMPEDES AROUND THE GLOBE ==
~ CAUSES & SOLUTIONS ~
Namaskar,
To see just where people's values are today, we need look no further
than recent tragic cases of human stampedes, i.e. when human beings are
trampled to death by others.
As we will see, such horrific events result when a society falls prey to
either a matter-centered or dogma-centered philosophy.
FEVER OF MATERIALISM IN USA
Just recently at a Walmart store in New York, hundreds and hundreds of
anxious shoppers burst into the store and trampled (i.e. killed) one
employee as they stampeded inside in order to get special deals. Here is
an excerpt from the report:
"...the doors shattered, and the shrieking mob surged through in a blind
rush for holiday bargains. One worker, Jdimytai Damour, 34, was thrown
back onto the black linoleum tiles and trampled in the stampede that
streamed over and around him."
Such is the disease of materialism these days. In order to get a "good
deal" on mundane things-- not even the essentials of life like food and
clothing-- just mundane toys and electronics etc, one human being got
brutally killed by shoppers.
This needless death happened due to the the spell of materialism. The
selfish rush for matter has totally overpowered and clouded the human
personality. People, drowned in a matter-centered philosophy, know that
the objects on this earth are limited, so they rush to get one of the
those limited things before they are all gone. Whether it be a new
i-Pod, or a Barbie doll, they think, 'I must get one'.
Baba says, "People who follow matter-centred philosophy want to enjoy
anything and everything for their own interest... In matter-centred
philosophy, enjoyment of material objects is the main motive." (PNS-18)
Matter is worshiped in such a society-- it is their religion.
In this regard, the US holds the very unenviable role of being top-most
materialistic nation. That is why common citizens will even trample over
another human being to buy a computer game or regular household item at
a discounted rate. Such is the extent of the disease of materialism in
the US.
OTHER CASES OF TRAMPLING TO DEATH & STAMPEDE
Other countries also experience such types of death, but rarely for
purely materialistic reasons, though recently there was a trampling
death in China at a super store.
"Shoppers eager to buy goods on sale stampeded at a Carrefour
supermarket in southwestern China on Saturday, trampling three people to
death and injuring at least 31, state media reported."
So now that China is becoming more materialistic-- and partially because
due to Communism still not all the basic needs are given to everyone--
such a trampling has occurred.
Outside of materialistic nations like the US, usually tramplings happen
at dogmatic pilgrimages like Hajj of the Khumba Mela that such stampedes
happen.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE GLOBE
Due to religious dogma-- and the belief that one limited parcel of land
is holy-- has caused innumerable human stampedes in various countries.
"On the first day of the Hajj [in Mecca], the annual pilgrimage to the
birthplace of the Prophet Mohammad. The worst stampede happened in 1990,
when 1,426 pilgrims were trampled to death."
"More than 145 people were trampled to death yesterday [April 2008] when
up to 3,000 panicking pilgrims stampeded from a hilltop temple in
northern India.The stampede began as a vast crowd of Hindu worshipers,
chanting and singing hymns, were snaking up a two and a half mile path
leading to the temple in Himachal Pradesh state."
So from Jerusalem to Varanasi, and wherever else people deem a
particular patch of land to be holy, religious fundamentalists will
trample over their brother in order to set foot in that land.
This is all due to religious dogma and the belief that their dogma or
holy land is very great and should be achieved at any and all cost--
even at the expense of another's life.
People who follow dogma-centred philosophy believe in dogma, wrong
sentiments and foolish ideas... People who follow dogma-centred
philosophy exploit others in the name of providence for their own
self-interest." (PNS-18)
MORE STAMPEDES & MORE STAMPEDES
Indeed in each and very corner of this earth stampedes occur for petty
and dogmatic reasons. In South America and Africa there is a history of
human stampedes at football matches.
"More than 100 people died in Ghana in the fourth soccer tragedy to
strike Africa in a month. The stampede at the Accra Stadium was the most
deadly on the soccer-mad continent."
Then in other lands, pseudo-culture rock concerts are the cause of
stampedes. And like that in each and every country, stampedes occur. It
all depends upon what the people value most. That is what determines
where a potential stampede will take place.
If the country it is very materialistic, the stampede will occur at a
store like Walmart. If the country is suffering from extreme religious
dogma then stampede will occur at a so-called holy site. And if the
country is sports-crazed or whatever else, then the stampede or human
trampling will occur at that venue.
That is the way it works. All of which is a result of the people losing
sight of the value of human life and being tunnel-visioned toward some
type of dogmatic or crude limited thing.
GOD-CENTERED PHILOSOPHY IS THE SOLUTION
The only answer to the tragedy of human stampedes is adopting a
God-centered philosophy.
Humans are psychic beings and it only when we tap into our deeper nature
are we able to escapes the throes of dogma and matter. Then only are we
able to recognise the tremendous value of human life.
In that case one will not trample over another human being for the sake
of buying a discounted toy or placing their foot on some so-called holy
land. That is how the selfishness of matter-centered and dogma-centered
philosophies rot the human mind.
That is why Baba has declared such types of philosophies must be
eradicated.
Baba says, "As I have already said, dogma-centred, matter-centred and
self-centred theories will have to be replaced by a God-centred
philosophy in the very near future." (PNS-18)
Only a God-centered philosophy enables human beings to realise the value
of humanity and develop themselves in a way befitting of a human being.
Then we will not get allured into trampling on one another but will
instead help and serve each other. But this transformation can only
occur with the implementation of the God-centred philosophy of Prout.
Baba says, "PROUT is the only panacea. If the God-centred philosophy of
PROUT does not come forward immediately to fill this vacuum, some other
ideology will, because it is a law of nature that something will fill a
vacuum once it has been created. If this ideological vacuum is not
filled by PROUT, a great catastrophe will take place in the future
because other defective philosophies will come forward. Some
dogma-centred, matter-centred or self-centred theories will occupy the
space. We cannot allow this to happen." (PNS-18)
BABA'S BLESSING
By His grace, the craze associated with human stampedes will soon be a
thing of the past. People will no longer be trampled at Wal-Marts or at
different holy lands. Instead, with our spiritual outlook our value
system will reflect what is truly most important in life.
Baba says, "Spiritual philosophy is the hub. By propagating
spirituality, implementing PROUT and rendering selfless service to
suffering humanity, you will be able to elevate the standard of human
beings in a very short time." (PNS-18)
Namaskar,
Mahendra
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Should We Sing these types of Prabhat Samgiita in Our Sadhana Time
Some innocent margiis & wts on different occasions sing certain Prabhat
Samgiita related with Lord Shiva or Lord Krsna. And they do so as part of their spiritual practice. But according to Baba's guideline this is wrong.
Baba says, "Observe non-compromising strictness and faith regarding the sanctity of Is't'a." (Point 10 of Sixteen Points)
Note: According to this above guideline, Baba is telling that there should be pointedness in Ista. For Ananda Margiis, Baba is the Ista. When we do sadhana then we do sadhana for Him. But some innocent margiis when they are singing Prabhat Samgiita songs then a few forget this very fact. And unknowingly they sing the song of Lord Krsna and Lord Shiva. But that is going against this very teaching. Their mind gets bifurcated since they sing about Lord Krsna and Shiva in Prabhat Samgiita and in their heart they have love for Baba. So it is not working properly. That is why in numerous discourse Baba guides us that there should be pointed devotion towards Ista.
So the only question that remains then is why has Baba created these types of songs about Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna and included them in His Prabhat Samgiita collection. The point is that these songs are for non-margiis. And our duty is to know the meaning and words so that we can teach them these songs. Thus these songs are for non-margiis devotees-- ie followers of Lord Krsna and Lord Shiva.
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