== WHAT'S YOUR NAME ==
Namaskar,
Language plays a tremendous in human life. It reflects the mental status of
the general society and sends out signals all around. If a society is high
then the language will be quite sentient whereas if the mind-set of the
society is degenerated then that will also be reflected in the linguistic
expression. It too will be degraded.
And one subset of language is naming or names-- what we choose to call a
particular person or object. This too correlates with the mental standard
of the society. In AM where we live in a sentient, Baba-centered universe
where all the names are Sanskrit based and reflect different aspects of the
Supreme Entity. But as we know well, not all societies on this present day
earth are like this-- rather our AM is unique.
NAMES IN SO-CALLED FIRST-WORLD NATIONS
For example, in so-called advanced society, these days generally human
beings are not given names which have meaning. The name is given just based
on what the guardians think superficially sounds good. And in that way they
make the name. Such as Lucy, Howard, Barbie, etc. In the olden days, most
of the names were based on the dogmatic figures in the Bible, but that
tradition has basically been forgotten; or people use those names unknowingly.
So it is surprising and lamentable that human beings have lost their value,
and their name does not have any meaning. In our co-called advanced
countries, this is quite common.
If we think about it, in comparison to human beings, technical machines and
components have a better status. Because at least the name that has been
allotted to them carries some meaning. Such as the machine known as a
photocopier. Then name 'photocopier' has a significant meaning and applies
to the use of that machine.
In contrast, generally the names of human beings-- whether the legal name
or just the colloquial name-- mostly do not have any deeper sense or
meaning. Just it namesake is for the sound alone. But no meaning. This is
the way things are in the so-called developed world.
Some cases have even come when a few persons raised the point that they
wanted to change their name to certain numerical digits only-- like 42,
001, or anything they wish. Such cases may currently be under consideration
in the court. This is an unfortunate state of affair when human existence
has hardly any value. In materialistic society today, the existence is
measured on the basis of money...a few coins.
In Ananda Marga however, whatever name any sadhaka receives is related with
Parama Purusa. And side by side all our practices, daily duties, and any
type of do's and don'ts has a root verb meaning that reflects its deeper
import.
For this reason, Baba has introduced the system of giving names in Samskrta
to all those getting initiated into Ananda Marga. Because the Samskrta name
carries a deep meaning-- as we all know. So that's why all around the
globe, the name of each and every Ananda Margis is in Samskrta.
SANSKRIT IS USED IN OUR DAILY LIFE
Following are a few common words which we use in daily life: sadhana,
dharmacakra, solah sutra (16 points), shaoca mainju's'a', Dharma Maha
Cakra, ja'grti, and so many other words. Which we are aware of and familiar
with.
The myth has been propagated that these are Bangla terms. But here this has
nothing to do with Bangla. For example, just you take this term ja'grti.
This meaning is "place of awakening". And so many words are commonly used
in Indian languages, related with the same Samskrta root verb. i.e.
"Ja'grata" means "Awake". And "ja'grti' means awakening. And when it is
given as one name of a place, then it is 'place of awakening'.
SPECIALITY OF SANSKRIT
These following teachings of Baba highlight the unique beauty of the
Sanskrit language.
Baba says "Latin is the daughter of Vedic and so is Sam'skrta. If Sam'skrta
is used human unity will be encouraged and human beings will move closer
together. See how sweet the link is between Vedic, Sam'skrta and the other
classical languages of the world? So you should encourage the study of
Sam'skrta." (PNS-17)
Baba says, "There is a very close relationship between Vedic and all other
classical languages of the world. If Vedic is properly nourished and
encouraged it will encourage the unity of the world and a cordial
relationship amongst human beings will develop." (PNS-17)
Namaskar,
Jiivendra
Note 1: STANDARD OF PRESENT DAY MATERIALIST SOCIETY
These days in the materialistic societies, the status of human beings is
very dry, low, and crude. Human beings are just becoming one mechanism. And
the language reflects in that way.
But in Ananda Marga, human beings are looked upon as being divine but the
in this age of materialism people are reduced to objects of enjoyment, made
into machines, or fallen into animal status.
Note 2: IT IS SANSKRTA NOT BANGLA
These words - ja'grata and ja'grti -- The original root verb is the same.
In Indian languages, they use ja'g, ja'go, ja'gana'. Many such similar
words are there, and in each case the meaning is the same -- "awake". And
the origin and root is Samskrta. This very root verb "ja'g" is quite
commonly used in Indian languages. There are so many words there which are
coming from the same root verb.
Words with this root are quite commonly used in our scriptures, which
everybody has. These are Ananda Vacanamrtam, Subhasita Samgraha, and all
the rest of Baba's discourses also. Here and there, so many slokas are
there when these terms ja'grata or ja'grti have been used.
Here is one sloka, which Baba uses in various discourses:
Baba says, "Uttis't'hata ja'grata pra'pya bara'nnibodhata -- that is,
"Arise, awake. Seek a competent teacher and start moving along the path of
spirituality." (AV-5, p.1)
And here is another sloka. In which Baba uses the expression ja'grata:
Baba says, "Ja'gratsvapnasus'uptya'di caetanyam yad praka'shate; Tad
Brahma'hamiti jina'tva' sarvavandhaeh pramucyate."
"[The three states of wakefulness, dream and sleep are expressed by the
Supreme Consciousness -- One who realizes that That is Brahma, is liberated
from all bondages.]"
"The mind has four states: ja'grata [wakefulness], svapna [dream], sus'upti
[sleep], and turiiya [merger in Cosmic Consciousness]. Of these four, the
first three are expressed due to the wish of Parama Purus'a. When the unit
mind, in its unbounded love for God, merges its individual feeling of
existence, all its sweet vibrations, all its rhythmic ideations, in the
eternal bliss, in the Supreme Entity, and arrives, temporarily or
permanently, at a state of mind without any sam'kalpa or vikalpa, this
state of highest wisdom, the state of union with Supreme Cognition, is the
state of turiiya. The state of turiiya is the state of eternal bliss, and
thus it has no external expression." (NSS, '95 ed., p.230)
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Really God's Favourite?
Baba says, "There are many philosophies which tend to crudify the human
mind, and make people violent and inconsiderate. They make people believe
that they are God's favourite children, whereas the rest of humanity are
cursed. Although these views have philosophical sanction, they do not have
the sanction of the A'tman (soul)...Intellectually such people are
certainly slaves, and in the material world also they are slaves." (PNS-18,
p.15)
Note: This psychic disease is present in fundamentalist Jews,
fundamentalist Christians, and fundamentalist Muslims etc. All are bad and
guilty of this point; but especially the fundamentalist Jews & Muslims.
They feel very negatively towards those who do not belong to their dogmatic
beliefs. Muslims brand others as Quafir (demons) and Jews label non-Jews in
their own derogatory language. Thus according to Baba the status of those
fundamentalist Jews & Muslims is like slaves-- intellectually, mentally,
emotionally, and physically. For more about this read Baba's discourse,
'The Continuous Effort to Promote Universal Well-Being-- Part 1'.
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