Baba
"A'va'r ki re a'lo elo dhu'lor e dhara'te..." (P.S. #615)
Purport:
O' human being, behold! Ajana Pathik has come again on this dusty earth.
The flood of effulgence has come. Through the medium of longing, You quench
the thirst of the eyes. Look, the Lord of Effulgence has Himself come.
All the minds and hearts which were crying in suffering and pain, are
now dancing in joy. Because, He has come. He loves one and all, everyone.
He has come here to remove the suffering, and establish dharma.
Because of His advent, everything changed. The sweet breeze is blowing
full of fragrance. On this dusty earth, Ajana Pathik has come...
= IN CELEBRATION OF PRABHAT SAMGIITA DAY ==
THOSE DAYS IN MADHU MALAINCA...
Those days when Baba was living in Madhu Malainca-- His residence at Lake
Gardens, He introduced the idea of holding Prabhat Samgiita cultural
programs. Because those days Prabhat Samgiita was quite new; so it was the
need of the time to propagate Baba's divine gift of Prabhat Samgiita.
Hence the then Central PRS Tryambakeshvaranandji was given the duty to
organise the first ever Prabhat Samgiita cultural program. And after
coordinating the needed affairs, the public program was held at a park in
Central Kolkata in the evening time around sunset. And then directly
afterwards Dada rushed back to Baba's Quarter to give the good news.
So PRS Dada Tryambakeshvaranandji reported to Baba by passing all the
various good news about the program. And certainly many of the workers were
also curious to hear-- because not all could attend.
MORE FROM THAT REPORTING SESSION
In particular PRS was telling that in order to attract the Bengali public,
first they performed a few Rabindra Samgiita (songs by Tagore). And those
Rabindra Samgiita went on for some time. Then after that a few Prabhat
Samgiita were also done. All in all 60% percent of the time was given
for Rabindra Samgiita and then the 40% was allotted for Prabhat Samgiita.
And altogether the public appreciated a lot. And like this PRS was telling the news.
Hearing all this Baba took on His 'Rudra Rupa'-- And immediately in that
reporting hall He became furious and started shouting loudly. All the
workers present in the hall were shocked by the magnitude and height of
Baba's fury.
Baba was strongly scolding and chastising PRS for highlighting
Rabindra Samgiita at our own Prabhat Samgiita Cultural Program. Baba was
abusing, 'you are degrading Prabhat Samgiita-- coward...animal...you do not
have the courage to play Prabhat Samgiita at our Prabhat Samgiita cultural
program... What nonsense!'.
In this way Baba's scolding went on. Of course Baba was speaking in Bangla
but the translation is as I told above.
DHIK, DHIK -- SHAME, SHAME
And then in front of all, Baba punished PRS for his sin by ordering him to
do 'Dhik, dhik... dhik, dhik...dhik, dhik', which literally means 'shame,
shame... shame, shame...shame, shame...'. So Dada T had to rub his nose on
the wall while all workers present chanted 'Dhik, dhik... dhik,
dhik...dhik,dhik'-- 'shame, shame... shame, shame...shame, shame...'.
But not only that, because of the extreme severity of his wrongdoing, then
Baba ordered PRS to do 'Dhik, dhik... dhik, dhik...dhik,dhik', on the
ground. And in unison all workers recited ''Dhik, dhik... dhik,
dhik...dhik,dhik','-- 'shame, shame... shame, shame...shame, shame...'--
while he rubbed his nose on the ground.
By this entire scene everyone understood in the deep core of their heart
that Baba is adamantly against the use of Rabindra Samgiita at our own
Prabhat Samgiita cultural programs. Indeed that was the first and last time
that it was done.
Because Baba Himself has pointed out the various negative expressions and
misguided melancholic themes which are prevalent throughout Rabindra
Samgiita. Not only once but on so many occasions He told like this.
BABA'S STATEMENT
And furthermore proof is that Baba Himself told innumerable times that, 'If
Rabindra Samgiita was okay then there would not have been any need to
create new songs. But because Rabindra Samgiita is not proper that is why I
(Baba) have to take the trouble to compose Prabhat Samgiita'.
So the overarching point is that we should not give undue importance to
Rabindra Samgiita. When Prabhat Samgiita was not there that was different
thing. But now that we have Prabhat Samgiita then no Rabindra Samgiita
should be propagated.
And on countless occasions all senior margiis have seen that in the presence
of Baba then regardless of what program was going on-- whether it be annual
DMC etc, General Darshan, in all such cases Baba emphasized for everybody
to sing Prabhat Samgiita. And even at DMC if someone was not singing then
Baba would become furious. So you can understand how much stress Baba
placed on Prabhat Samgiita. Otherwise it was not easy for margiis to give
up their local languages and forget about those other songs and have
everybody understand Prabhat Samgiita.
So from all around the globe it got propagated like that because Prabhat
Samgiita is something completely unique which Baba has given and we should
realise.
ONLY PRAHBAT SAMGIITA PERFORMED AT PS CULTURAL PROGRAMS
Thus since that very reporting session, no Rabindra Samgiita has been
performed at our cultural programs. Rather it has become the standard
practice that in our Prabhat Samgiita cultural programs only Prabhat
Samgiita are performed.
As well all know, Baba Himself has blessed us with this divine collection
of Prabhat Samgiita. And these songs are the devotional treasures which
uniquely express the inner heart feeling between the devotee and Lord. Plus
His Prabhat Samgiita contain all the teachings of Ananda Marga, in seed form.
So Prabhat Samgiita beautifully guides us in all the spheres of life.
Hence it is our duty to highlight this divine gift of Prabhat Samgiita and
please Him by performing only His PS songs in our cultural programs-- and
not any other types of song.
SYNOPSIS
This above story from that eventful reporting session leads in the
direction that we should not encourage any other types of songs. We should
follow our Guru, our Ista. And to please Him and we should propagate
Prabhat Samgiita.
So when He likes that everybody should propagate Prabhat Samgiita then our
duty is to propagate. In the face of that, what meaning does Rabindra
Samgiita have.
By His grace we should understand that Parama Purusa has blessed us by
coming and there is no comparison of any other poetry or any song.
Rabindranath is after all a human being so what can he compose in
comparison with the Parama Purusa Himself.
Here below Baba guides us how top-grade devotees dedicate their everything
to serve and please Ista.
Baba says, "I act only to please You...I want all my actions to give You
some joy. It's immaterial whether that brings joy or pain to me, it doesn't
bother me at all. My only task is to give You some joy." (AV-4, p. 66)
Namaskar,
Karun
Note 1: CULTURAL PROGRAMS
They are always a combination of song, dance,
and instrumental music etc. So cultural programs are not just simplistic
affairs. Because in general cultural programs consist of dynamic
performances that incorporate music, dance, drama, and many of the cultural
and fine arts. Likewise this first ever Prabhat Samgiita cultural program
was supposed to be a dynamic presentation of Baba's divine Prabhat
Samgiita. But because PRS Dada put in Rabindra Samgiita, then that was
something wrong.
Note 2: DHIK DHIK
When anybody did something outrageous-- very negative-- then they
got this type of punishment such as 'Dhik, dhik' / 'shame, shame'.
Note 3: PERSON BEHIND RABINDRA SAMGIITA
Some of our new overseas margiis may not be aware that Rabindra
Samgiita are the songs written by the Bengali poet, Rabindranath Tagore. So
only for this reason I raise the point because all others are surely aware.
Note 4: FROM ACARYA DIARY
In Acarya Diary Baba guides us that human life is short and that it
is our first and foremost duty to understand all the aspects of AM
ideology. As Ananda Margiis first we are to engage in this. And then
afterwards, once AM ideology has been fully grasped & understood, then we
can engage in the study of other philosophies & literatures for comparing
and to prove to others the superiority of Ananda Marga philosophy. But
without proper knowledge then some margiis will read those outside things
and their minds will become polluted and dogmatic. But not only that, the
culminating idea is that Baba does not approve this approach. So what He
approves, we should do. First we should understand our philosophy and we
should understand Prabhat Samgiita-- and after that when all 5018 Prabhat
Samgiita songs are clearly understood, then we have full capacity and
knowledge to understand which Rabindra Samgiita are good and which are bad.
Without that if you are doing that is not good.
Note 5: FOLLOW AND HIGHLIGHT BABA
If someone has never seen a watermelon and they only know about
grapes. And if they wrongly preach that grapes are the biggest fruit in
size, means if in their ignorance they start propagating in that manner--
then they may quarrel with others about which is the biggest fruit. But
when they finally come in contact with the watermelon then they will forget
their tales.
Nor should the situation be like those frogs in the well who
confine themselves to that limited place and brag about those things. So
this is the same negative condition.
Likewise all kinds of dogmatic things exist in the society and
if we allow our minds to drift in that direction then we will never be able
to understand the glory of AM philosophy.
So we should always follow Baba and highlight Baba's things. And
we should understand that Parama Purusa has come and there is no comparison
of any other poetry or any song. Rabindranath is after all a human being so
what can he compose in comparison with the Parama Purusa Himself.
Note 6: ANALOGY
Once someone tastes sentient food then they will no longer like to
eat tamasik food. And once a person tastes the spiritual vibration of
sadhana, then they will not like to engage in idol worship anymore.
Similarly once a devotee has tasted the divine songs created by Parama
Purus'a Himself, then they will not be attracted to any man-made songs.
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Dirty Habits Die Hard
Baba says, "[After] taking a bath...soap, oil, and comb should be used
every day." (Caryacarya-III)
Note: All around the globe every margii is aware about 16 Points and all of
Baba's teachings on health and hygene. Even then a few do not incorporate
all these guidelines into their practical lives. Means some do not apply
oil to their joints etc. So on paper they are aware about everything yet at
retreats one or two may even tell others to follow those things when they
themselves do not do this.
So in total there are 4 categories. Those who are aware; those who are not
aware; those who point out others; and those who do not recommend this to
others. And there may be some other categories also.
However, Baba has made it mandadory that after bathing one should comb the
hair of the joints of the body and also apply an ample amount of oil to
those regions well. This is Baba's distinct guideline and most margiis and
wts strictly adhere to this teaching.
But a very small population of Ananda Margiis shy away from this practice--
for one reason or another. It is sometimes seen that those stuck in a
dogmatic western approach to life do not like to use any oil because they
got addicted to using scented perfume etc. And there may be other reasons
why in so-called advanced countries people do not follow this point of
using oil-- neither they apply it to their joints nor on their head. And in
other parts of the globe a few have their own private reasons why they
avoid using oil.
In contrast in those countries where oil is used more regularly used, then
new margiis readily adapt to the practice of putting oil on the joints.
Means they quickly adopt this new practice. Because their mind is naturally
open to this idea; whereas in some western nations a couple people are
reticent to ever use oil-- that is why it is commonly proclaimed that this
is one of the dogmas of the west.
But most Ananda Margiis practice the use of oil and certainly there are
some sectors where it is even more widely practiced. And in that case those
practitioners naturally get all the special benefits. And indeed there is a
very significant reason behind all this which Baba has given. Namely tht
the lymph glands are located there in the joints and by applying oil to
those areas then the lymphatic glands get the nourishment they need.
Note 2: One need not spend a lot of money purchasing oil and it need not be
an imported variety. Rather in each area of the globe margiis should use
that type of oil which is commonly available to them at at reasonable
price. At the same time the oil should not be low-grade either. It should
be a standard variety from that area. In India many use coconut oil while
in the Mediterranean olive oil is more widely available. And like that from
place to place it will vary so everyone should experiment and use one of
the locally produced oils and find one they like best. this is the
Proutistic way.
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