== WHAT SENIOR ACARYA DIARY SAYS ==
Note: These two below letters are related with this important and critical topic.
The second letter is highly meaningful as without propper margii support and
sustenance, it is basically impossible for wts to follow the codes
of ajagarii and madhukarii vrttis. Thus one will have to gauge this issue
with a very balanced outlook. Otherwise it is too easy to blame either
Wt's or family margiis.
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2008/03/ac-diary-spirit-of-being-wt.html
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2008/03/addendum-ac-diary-spirit-of-being-wt.html
Namaskar,
"Baba's special teachings about ajagarii and madhukarii from Senior Acarya
Diary encapsulate the whole entire spirit of being a real sannyasi in our
Marga-- and for years and years this was prevalent in our WT cadre, but
unfortunately in the present era, since 1990, this essence is waning
drastically."
Such were the words of one of our senior avadhutas at a recent AM function.
Thereafter Dadaji went on to tell us all about Baba's special teaching of
ajagarii and madhukarii vrttis from Senior Acarya Diary. Of course Dada did
not read from the Diary itself, so what is discussed below is based on what
I heard from Dadaji.
And the basic message was that the spirit of renunciation is waning in our
Marga.
Of course, we are not to think that our entire wt cadre is suffering from
this epidemic, because there are countless dedicated workers in AM.
Nonetheless, it is an unholy trend that has spread around. That much we can
all certainly recognise.
So let us again investigate the ideals and practice of madhukarii and
ajagarii vrttis as not only will these qualities bring balance into our
Marga but Baba furthermore guides us that these are the key ingredients of
real avadhuta life.
SPIRIT OF MADHUKARII & AJAGARII VRTTIS
The overall idea here is that renunciation, dedication, and sacrifice are
the cornerstones of our AM way of life. Our saffron flag stands for these
ideals-- as should our sannyasi order. That is Baba's design & teaching of
madhukarii and ajagarii vrttis from Senior Acarya Diary.
As a quick review, madhukar is that black bee which encircles the flowers
and only takes that food which it needs at that very moment-- nothing more.
That madhukar does not gather and hoard bucketfuls of pollen to eat later.
And a step up from that is the ajagar, or python, which does not even move
to get its food; it merely eats what comes across its path. So not only
does it not gather extra, but that ajagar does not even spend time hunting
for food.
That is why in the aparigraha section of the Senior Acarya Diary, Baba
specifically states that the madhukar and ajagar represent the ONLY two
ways for our WTs to exist in this world.
That is, our Dadas and Didis are to adjust with the minimum necessities of
life-- and not get caught up in the chase after materialistic pursuits like
money etc-- but instead use their precious time & energy serving and
helping others in all the realms and for their personal spiritual
elevation. That is the spirit of madhukarii and ajagarii vrttis.
And according to Baba's direction in Senior Acarya Diary, that is the only
honourable way to live as a WT.
PRESENT DAY STANDARD OF WTS AND GROWTH OF THE MARGA
But tragically a few of our Wts these days lost this point and are running
after crude allurements. They idealistically entered into our Wt cadre but
at some point got caught up in the mundane chase for material things like
money, land, property, computers, and various other gems and jewels such as
post etc.
And in that spiritual vacuum, all kinds of negative habits, tendencies, and
diseases grow such that the whole spirit of renunciation totally
dissipates. In which case those Dadas cannot inspire anyone. So instead,
new people come and go from our AM like water and our numbers fail to
increase. True pracar work cannot be done because the minds of some of a
few of our wts are elsewhere-- drifting towards worldly attractions.
RENUNCIATION NEEDED
So only through this pathway of renunciation-- madhukra and ajagar-- can
our AM sannyasi order really be something great: An order that represents
dedication. And this is not my idea but rather this is Guru's teaching.
Because in AV-26 Hindi edition chapter 11 titled "Dhvaj...", Baba has given
one special formula related with this very topic.
And the whole idea of this teaching is that only through dedication and
renunciation in the individual sphere can society prosper. For example, if
anyone collects a whole bunch of money in his own bank account, that is
meaningless for the welfare of others-- this will not bring any relief to
the common people.
So those with money should not indulge in extravagant luxuries that are
beyond the means of ordinary citizens. Until each and every person in the
society can afford such amenities, then good people should not use such
luxuries. But when those items become accessible and affordable to all,
then in good faith it is alright for people to have those items.
Thus conscientious people use their wealth to raise the living standard of
all. If one truly adopts such ideals of renunciation then they can bring
smiles and happiness to countless people. So the spirit of sacrifice in
one's own personal life is truly something great and honourable. That is
Baba's guideline from Ananda Vacanamrtam.
And in His own personal life Baba was exemplary in this very approach. For
years and years He traveled by railway, bus, or by foot since that was the
common standard. And not only that, but what wealth He earned through His
railway job He distributed to the various wholetimers etc. So in all the
ways Baba's personal way of living stands the embodiment of renunciation.
Therefore we should understand and follow Guru's teaching and adopt the
path of renunciation in our individual lives, especially our wts.
So none should think that ajagarii and madhkarii vrittis are some type of
punishment to those wearing saffron. Rather adhering to this ideal code of
aparigraha is something quite noble-- it allows one to fulfill their
mission and command respect in the real sense of the term. Only this whole
concept may sound strange to our ears right now because only a very few are
fulfilling this role of renunciation. But this is the way it should be.
Baba says, "The dedicated monks and nuns of Ananda Marga have accepted
their life of renunciation...to further the cause of human welfare; and
through their service, they seek to lead human beings along the path of
righteousness to the abode of Supreme Bliss." (AFPS-3)
WAY THINGS ARE NOW IN OUR MARGA
Unfortunately now in our Marga, things are spinning in an entirely
different way. The pristine ways of renunciation are out, and the greedy
ways of money-grubbing are in. In brief, the capitalistic mentality has
seeped into our sannyasi order as some of our wts have just taken to
collecting wads of money, shiny automobiles, big buildings, or big posts etc.
Yet all this goes 100% against Baba's guideline of ajagarii and madhukarii
vrttis from Senior Acarya Diary.
Nonetheless that is what is happening. So instead of getting respect on
points of sadhuhood, restraint, sadhana, helping others, and sacrifice, the
culture of our Wts has shifted over to a materialistic or capitalist way of
living where so-called respect is given according to one's monetary status
etc.
And what we are seeing is that wealthy Dadas are using their money to
garner a lot of respect from some margiis-- what to say about non-margiis.
So on the point of money, those Wt's get clout even with some family
people. But this is way off the mark. Rather the real point is conduct;
that is our is main measuring rod for determining one's calibre. But at
present money and post are what gets respect.
This is the tragic and unfortunate state of affairs these days in AMPS. And
sadly, all those very many Wts who are properly leading a life of
renunciation by adhering to the codes of madhukar and ajagar, such workers
just get squeezed out and sneered at by their fellow sannyasis.
Because at present things in AMPS are entirely upside-down. Those groupist
Wt's with big pockets command & demand all the respect and get the reins of
AM whereas those service-minded wholetimers are looked upon as a liability
and pushed aside.
And this is not just a theory only-- this is what is practically happening.
If one wears a fancy watch and can generate revenue then they get a fancy
post and lots of prestige and if one firmly adheres to 16 Points and their
vow of renunciation then they are looked upon as being outdated and "out of
it".
WT'S HAVE RENUNCIATION & NOTHING ELSE
But this big-boss, corporate approach where money is king is not the way
things are supposed to be in our AM sannyasi order. Baba has designed it
completely differently-- based on the ideals of the madhukar and ajagar.
Where renunciation, not individual ownership, is everything.
For example, in the true AM system, if a wt has been working in a
particular location for a few years. Then when a transfer order is given
that very WT will automatically hand over all monies, equipment, funds, and
property to the incoming worker. And the Wt who got transferred is to leave
that area only with his dress and laungota in hand-- & nothing else, except
possibly a bus ticket to his new posting.
Here the point is that the only thing a wt truly "owns" in this world is
their vow of renunciation. Beyond that they have nothing. And that is
Baba's divine system of madhukar and ajagar from Senior Acarya Diary. And
that is what makes a sannyasi truly great-- then they can really serve
others and do great things in this world.
WAY THINGS ARE NOW IN OUR MARGA: Part B
But, in today's AM sannyasi culture things are totally askew: Selfishness
is the rule of the day.
Now when a posting order comes, half the time the Wt who got transferred
departs with all the money from the bank account, or that Dada might sell
the property and keep the profit, or he might send a hefty cash donation to
Centre in order to remain at his post. Or so many things might happen
according to the defective ways of a greedy capitalistic mind-set where
money is king. Because due to a lack of sadhana and straying from the path
of renunciation, our WT system has become dirtied in this way-- where money
not renunciation is everything.
And this has become such the common plight that margiis around the globe
have become accustomed to it. So for the most part no one says anything and
Baba's teachings of ajagar and madhukar vrttis just drift away.
NOT THE FAULT OF NEW WTS
Some may think that since this problem of money-hoarding within our WT
cadre began after 1990 then it is the fault of the new wts. But we cannot
blame our younger wts. Rather with pure intention they entered into a
system that quickly became ideologically bankrupt due to the greed of the
ruling Wts.
Things go from the top down. And when those top factional wts travel around
by private jet, chauffeur driven automobiles, keep houses & luxury suites
on 5 different continents, and stuff millions into their personal bank
accounts, then idealistic young workers have hardly a chance of maintaining
their vow of renunciation. Rather they get swept up into that greedy WT
culture-- or face the consequences of getting pushed aside and receiving
one punishment posting after another.
INGREDIENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL ORGANISATION:
RENUNCIATION AND DEDICATION
However to truly became a force in this world dedication is needed.
Please excuse me for saying so, but despite all their dogmas those militant
Muslim groups "succeed and thrive" on this earth because of their
dedication. No doubt their aims are awry, but they serve and help each
other and eat together as one family and that is enough for them to gain
their success and spread their faulty dogmas from one land to the next.
Perhaps it may sound odd to hear, but this very faculty is missing in our
Marga. That is why despite having the great teachings of dharma in our
books, due to this blatant lack of renunciation and dedication to help and
serve others, our Marga is just sputtering and floundering along,
aimlessly. In which case we can hardly spread the sermon of dharma anywhere.
So the spirit of madhukar and ajagar are deeply needed in our Marga. Prior
to 1990 they were present. All the wts did everything and everything for
the welfare of AM and nothing for their own self. Now the opposite is
happening. Because some are doing anything and everything for their own
self and nothing for the welfare of our Marga.
But we all know the saying: One bad apple spoils the bunch. So even if a
few Dadas are acting selfishly, hoarding money, indulging in luxuries, and
going against the point of renunciation, then that taints our entire WT cadre.
So this is a shame. Because, in truth, there is no dearth of dedicated
workers and margiis in AM. There are so many good person. But those
dedicated workers just get pushed aside in one corner by those ruling
groupist teamsters.
By this entire manner, spirit of renunciation and the sacrifice represented
by our saffron flag and saffron coloured sannyasis dress gets severely
compromised.
BABA'S BLESSING
Only by recapturing the ideals of ajagar and madhukar can we once again
become that great resurgent body that led to the tremendous growth of AM.
With those ideals absent from certain sannyasis, our problems will continue.
So let us once again rally around the spirit of our saffron flag and
embrace Baba's guidelines from senior acarya diary and build an AM that
reflects the cornerstones of sacrifice and renunciation.
Baba says, "Everyone should render service to the world in accordance with
their capacity and work for the welfare of the living beings to the best of
their ability...You are travellers of an impregnable path. You have to
march ahead proudly with the flag of Marga upright. You have no time to
stagger or to look behind." (SS-1)
Namaskar,
Ramlal
Note 1: CONDUCT RULES JUST BEING OVERLOOKED
These following WT conduct rules given by Baba go hand-in-hand with His
divine teachings about madhukar and ajagar from the aparigraha section of
Senior Acarya Diary.
So in various avenues, Baba is preaching this special gospel of
renunciation, but tragically within our AM sannyasi culture these things
are just being neglected and overlooked by some.
Best is if everyone judges for themselves if these below points are
prevalent in our AM sannyasi order or not.
Baba says, "One should attract other by one's sacrificing nature." ('37
Workers Rules', point #20)
Baba says, "One should leave all sorts of luxuries." ('37 Workers Rules',
point #6)
Baba says, "One should adjust with the minimum requirements of life." ('37
Workers Rules', point #17)
Thus when the ruling wts and their lackeys are just hoarding wealth, living
'high on the hog', and looking down on "lesser" wts and the common people,
then how is our WT order going to become that shining example that will
inspire confidence, service, and sacrifice to one and all.
Note 2: WHAT IS TRUE RENUNCIATION
Here Baba guides us about the pathway of true renunciation.
Baba says, "When the human mind becomes strong enough not to be affected by
any colour, it is called vaera'gya [renunciation]." (10 November 1978,
Calcutta)
Unfortunately, when some of our wts chase after glistening red sports cars,
green money, and all the crude allurements that exist in this mundane
world, then how can we say they truly imbibe the spirit renunciation.
Certainly we cannot.
Because according to Baba, renunciation means developing a high mind
through sadhana where one feels that they have come on this earth with a
mission to sacrifice for the service and welfare of others.
Armed with this true spirit of renunciation our WT cadre will really become
a great and benevolent force in this world.
> AJAGARII VRTII AND HOW IT WORKS
>
> The term 'ajagar' refers to that very large snake known as the python. And
> the sense is that a python never moves anywhere to procure its food. It
> stays put in one single place, always. And it only eats what comes across
> its path. It does not spend its entire life traveling all about in search
> of food.
> So in the realm of sannyasihood, our AM monks are to adopt a similar
> approach while living on this earth. They are not to indulge in an ongoing
> quest for more and more wealth and money etc. Rather our AM sannyasis are
> to adjust with whatever they get for their existential needs and dedicate
> themselves to infusing energy within others and serve all through our AM
> social service projects etc. They should not waste their energy and time
> thinking about their own self and self alone etc. According to Baba, this
> is the real dharma of an AM sannyasi.
> So we should all accept His teachings with a cool mind and think twice when
> we see our wts frivolously running headlong after money. Because, by that
> way, they have lost their dharma-- according to Baba's teaching in Senior
> Acarya Diary about madhukarii vrtti and ajagarii vrtii.
> APARIGRAHA, & THE APPLICATION OF
> MADHUKARII VRTTI AND AJAGARII VRTTI
>
> Those AM workers sincerely following madhukarii vrtti and ajagarii vrtti
> neither chase after money, nor property, nor clothing, nor computers, nor
> stereo systems-- nothing, only Parama Purusa. So a true wt will take proper
> ideation and just have the bare minimum that is needed to survive & execute
> their work of serving others. Side by side, one is not to harbour the
> desire of getting more.
> According to Baba, this is not only the ideal way, but the only way for a
> true AM sannyasi to live. Anyone going against this system is a fake
> sannyasi. That is Baba's pointed stance & strict warning.
> So that means our wts are not to stockpile funds in their bank accounts,
> nor are they to keep unaccounted money (i.e. black money), nor are they to
> wear fancy Rolex watches, or keep anything that is above and beyond what is
> needed for their basic subsistence.
> Here we should not forget this is Baba's teaching from Senior Acarya Diary
> and this is not some dogmatic belief from pre-historic Hinduism nor the
> fantasy of some crooked jinani, nor some impractical expectation by some
> day-dreamer which is too lofty to be attained.
> Rather the highly practical and ideal teachings of madhukarii vrtti and
> ajagarii vrtti come from our Guru, the Taraka Brahma Lord Shrii Shrii
> Ananamurtiji who has graciously given this in Senior Acarya Diary.
> And indeed those wts adhering to this dharmic code of ajagarii vrtti are
> truly great. They are the real seers, sadvipras, and well-wishers of
> humanity. Their minds are crystal-clear and pointed towards Baba's
> teachings, and not drifting towards worldly allurements etc.
Note: These two below letters are related with this important and critical topic.
