== VERY LONG SLEEP ==
Namaskar,
At the recent Jamalpur DMS, an announcement was made that reveals how
someone at the helm has been sleeping soundly for the last two decades.
What's at stake is a deeply devotional aspect of our AM way of life.
Read more about what happened and the issue involved.
JAI SLOGAN IS FOR BABA:
THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY CONFUSION
As we all know, our "Parama Pita Baba Ki - Jai!" slogan is raised in
Baba's glory - and no other. He is the Sadguru; He is that Taraka Brahma
that took birth to bring us on His divine lap; He is the Polestar; and
He is the Goal of Life. For Ananda Margiis, only He is Baba. And we
raise the Jai slogan with one-pointed ideation on His name and form.
There is no second or third entity involved - only Him. Thus, there
should not be any ambiguity about our Jai slogan.
WHAT MARGIIS OBJECTED TO THE POST 90 DOGMA
Unfortunately since 1990, our Jai slogan has been misused at our DMS
gatherings and that has left many new people confused and led many astray.
Since 1990, this has been the scene at DMS. The pandal would be full of
margiis, waiting for DMS to begin. Everyone would sing kiirtan. At the
conclusion of kiirtan, one Dada at the mic would raise the "Parama Pita
Baba Ki - Jai!" slogan and all would join in. The volume and intensity
would mount and then suddenly PP Dada or some other high-posted Dada
convening DMS would come out on stage. Everyone present would continue
to raise the slogan and PP Dada would slowly walk towards his seat with
his hands folded at his heart, not saying anything, as if everyone was
doing the Jai slogan for him & in his honour, not Baba's.
This is the crude way the slogan has been going on since 1990, and for
years and years many margiis and Dadas strongly objected. They brought
the point that PP Dada should also raise the Jai slogan and not stroll
into the pandal as if the slogan is in his honour.
But despite the many objections by margiis and Dadas, those top DMS
organisers kept everything as is, i.e. allowing PP and other big Dadas
to receive the Jai slogan. That was their standard practice; anyone who
has attended DMS knows this. History itself is the proof.
THIS WAS CONFUSING FOR MANY
Raising the Jai slogan in this dogmatic way was offensive to all bhaktas
and created much confusion about who the slogan is for and who Baba is,
especially for newer margiis and sympathizers. Certainly established
sadhakas were not confused but rather outraged, whereas countless others
were totally befuddled thinking that the slogan was for PP Dada etc.
Here's why, there was so much confusion:
1) In India, the term "Baba" is commonly used for many by the general
public. All Hindu monks are called Baba; grandfathers are called Baba;
priests are called Baba; all in all, there are so many Babas in India.
All are Baba. Thus when at DMS the whole pandal is raising the "Parama
Pita Baba Ki - Jai slogan" and PP Dada walks across the stage, then so
many members of the general public, new people and sympathizers will
naturally conclude that in AM Baba refers to PP Dada. This is one common
misnomer that has occurred in the post 1990 era.
2) In all the religions and on all the paths, the guruship, papacy (i.e.
the pope), head priest, and Dalai Lama title etc are passed down from
one leader to the next, from one human being to the next. This is the
way it works. AM is unique in that Brahma Himself is the Guru and there
is no passing down of the Guruship. There is not another path on the
planet that operates in this way. Naturally, then new people are going
to think that since 1990, the top Dada or PP Dada is the new Guru. None
can imagine that still we Ananda Margiis hold Baba to be the Guru after
1990. Hence when we raise the "Parama Pita Baba Ki - Jai!", they will
think it refers to the man walking across the stage with folded hands.
3) In AM, Baba is one. It refers to Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. There is
no other Baba. So when other paths do not follow the same one-pointed
approach as we follow, then they are bound to be confused about who we
mean when we say Baba.
These are but a few of the many reasons why the current DMS system has
been denounced by right-thinking Ananda Margiis. Raising the Jai slogan
and having PP Dada or some other top Dada walk across the stage is
misleading in so many ways. This is not the message we want to put
across. Even some good margiis got confused, especially in those early
years directly after '90.
Here the point is that the way the Jai slogan has been raised at DMS has
been problematic for the past 2 decades, i.e. 20 yrs, and many have
rightly brought forth their concerns - only to fall on deaf ears. Those
top Dadas always ignored the matter.
NIGAMANANDA'S FATEFUL ANNOUNCEMENT
Then, out of the blue, at this years Jamalpur DMS, Dada Nigamanandji,
the H group spokesman issued the following statement:
"When our chosen top Dada or PP walks out onto the stage, then do not
raise the Jai slogan. This slogan is only for Baba and none should get
confused. PP should enter silently, offer a garland to Baba's photo, do
sastaunga pranam, then the slogan should be Jai raised, and then PP will
take his seat."
This type of proclamation was given by Dada Nigamananda at the recently
held Jamalpur DMS (2010). Even then, Dadaji did not get the situation
totally correct, plus there are many inconsistencies with Dadaji's own
behaviour in this regard - all of which are explored further down in
this letter.
Suffice to say here that with regards to the Jai slogan at our DMS
functions, it would best if PP himself raises the slogan first and then
everyone else joins in. Then all would know that PP is raising the
slogan for someone because no one can raise their own slogan. The prime
minister cannot raise the slogan, "Long live the prime minister!" -
someone else has to do it. So when if PP himself raises the Jai slogan
first then all would understand that PP is not Baba. So that is the way
it should be done.
The Jai slogan at this past Jamalpur DMS was better than before but it
is still not ideal. For it to be proper, PP himself has be the first to
raise the slogan and he should raise it the entire time. Then common
people will understand that Baba is Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. None will
think that Baba means PP Dada or that the slogan is in PP's honour.
Beyond that there were some other noticeable peculiarities of Dada's
stated approach.
WHY PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING AT NIGAMANANDA'S STATEMENT
Here is why many margiis and Dadas present at DMS were smiling and
laughing at Nigamananda's talk.
1. Firstly, Nigamananda talked about the Jai slogan as if he was
introducing a new practice in AM and no one knew how to raise the
slogan. When in fact, most of the margiis present have been raising the
Jai slogan properly for years and years. They were the ones complaining
that it should be raised for Baba and no one else. But in his stated
manner, Nigamananda approached the matter as if he was teaching
something entirely new that was unheard of in AM. That was one point of
humour.
2. Nigamananda talked about the Jai slogan as if for the past 20yrs he
and other top Dadas were not the ones who implemented the faulty and
dogmatic Jai slogan system. After all, Sarvatmananda started this dogma
in 1990 as a way to raise the platform of PP and get more power for
himself by controlling PP. Thereafter, for the past 12 years, Rudrananda
and Nigamananda cashed in on this same dogmatic approach.
3. And now suddenly, out of the blue, as if he never did any wrong and
as if no margii ever tried to correct the faulty Jai slogan approach,
Nigamananda walks on stage and with a straight face begins talking "the
finer aspects" of raising the Jai slogan. When all along he and his
cronies were the ones infusing the dogmatic ways, not anyone else.
For all these reasons and more, many good margiis and Dadas were amused
by Nigamananda's approach at the Jamalpur DMS. Dadaji was the culprit
but he presents the situation as if he is the pure and dharmic one who
is coming forward to save the day. That was what all the humour was all
about.
WHY HE DID LIKE THAT
With our critical thinking skills and pointed intellect, we should
analyse the situation and understand what motivated Nigamananda to issue
such a statement.
1) The first reason is that Nigamananda knew for years and years
that the Jai slogan was not being done correctly but since he
is now getting aged he thought he should try and fix it before
he died - lest he be blamed in future for his wrong doing.
It is just like how Indira Gandhi lifted the Emergency / martial law
when she was losing her grip on the power. She was the one who imposed
martial law and when she was at the height of power she ridiculed those
who suggested that she end martial law, but when her demise was near
then she stopped martial law. She thought that at least she should at
least get the credit for reversing it. Such was her self-centered and
hypocritical approach.
And now it seems that Nigamananda is no different. He is sick and aged
and now has one leg in the funeral pyre and suddenly he has become
adamant to fix the way the Jai slogan is being done at DMS, when he
personally was in charge of doing it the wrong way for 20yrs.
Many say that this is one reason why Dadaji suddenly came forward.
2) Others are telling that Nigamananda was thinking that he himself
would become PP one day and that he would get that respect and that it
would be so amazing. But when he recently realised that he is not going
to get the top post, then he withdrew that way of doing the Jai slogan
at DMS. He thought that, "If I am not going to the top post then no one
should get such respect."
Earlier Nigamananda thought that he himself would certainly become PP.
But with all the arm wrestling going on between him and Rudrananda, he
realised that he would never get the top chair.
So he thought that if I cannot get all that respect by having the whole
world chant the Jai slogan while I walk slowly across the stage, then no
one should get that opportunity.
It is akin to someone thinking, "If I cannot eat all the rasagolla then
no one should get any, better I should throw it to the dogs."
It is with this defective mindset that all of a sudden Nigamananda ended
the dogmatic Jai slogan ritual at DMS.
3) Side by side there is this also going on. Nigamananda wants credit
for dismantling the wrong way of doing the Jai slogan but he is not
willing to apologise for having been the one to implement and carry out
this system in the first place. For 20 years he was one of the main
agents of this dogma - but he made no mention of that in his talk. He
simply delivered his announcement as if this is a totally new rule. When
in fact for years and years Nigamananda implemented the crude Jai slogan
ritual and he kicked margiis in the face for opposing this same dogmatic
Jai slogan.
For all these reasons and more it is a bit peculiar how now out of the
blue, Nigamananda is suddenly talking about how the Jai slogan gives the
wrong impression. Rather we can understand what is really going on
inside his mind. He is not concerned about undoing a dogma but rather
saving his own prestige.
DELIBERATE SINNER
All in all it has to be remarked that Nigamananda has not shown an iota
of repentance for his wrongdoing. He did not even hint that for years
and years he himself administered the Jai slogan for PP Dada. So he has
no repentance for his wrongdoing - otherwise he would have said something.
His only motivation for coming forward is ego - to save his own
prestige. He thinks that if he is not going to become PP then no one
should get that kind of power and respect. But even then he is not going
to admit his own wrongdoing as that would be self-incriminating. So he
simply talks as if he is implementing a new rule, not tearing down an
old dogma which he himself actively supported.
According to Baba, this type of crooked mind-set is that of a deliberate
sinner.
Baba says, "They know that they are surrendering their intellect to
dogma, and that the outcome will be undesirable; they know and
understand everything – why, even then, do they knowingly submit to it?
They are all deliberate sinners." (NH-LOI, Disc: 6)
Only now when Dadaji is sadly suffering from a terminal illness is he
trying to get credit for fixing this wrongdoing, without admitting his
part in it.
It seems he is fearful of how he will be judge in the future. Otherwise
what was the need to come forward like he did at the Jamalpur DMS function.
Of course we all feel badly that Dadaji is in poor health and close to
his end, but best would have been if he had expressed some repentance
for his misdeed and sin.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE APPROACH:
PP HIMSELF SHOULD RAISE THE SLOGAN
So that was the drama about Nigamananda's announcement at the recent
Jamalpur DMS gathering. Now we should all come to consensus on this
deeply devotional issue.
Baba is our Polestar and the "Parama Pita Baba Ki - Jai!" is for Him
alone. To ensure no one at DMS thinks that the slogan is for PP Dada,
then PP Dada himself should be the first to raise the slogan and then
all others should join in and PP should continue to yell the slogan till
the very end. Then everyone present, even non-margiis and sympathizers,
will understand that our Jai slogan is for Baba and Baba is Shrii Shrii
Anandamurtiji, not anyone else.
SOCIETY IS IMPROVING, BUT NOT DADAJI
This is the era when society is moving ahead quickly. So many dogmas and
injustices are being corrected. Whole countries and governments - like
Canada and Australia - are issuing apologies for how they abused and
wiped out native peoples in the past. Priests are speaking out about
religious injustices, and social leaders are admitting their misdeeds of
old. In so many ways people are coming clean and fixing their wrongs.
That is the trend.
So it is a shame that Nigamananda could only go halfway. All he could do
was try and introduce a new rule, he failed to express repentance for
his wrongdoing the past 20 years.
By Baba's grace, very soon Nigamananda will get the courage to show his
repentance in front of all. Till that time, everyone will see the truth
about him for what it is.
Right now it looks as though he has been sleeping the last 20yrs when
margiis were pointing out this wrongdoing, or Dadaji is a deliberate
sinner - or both. You the reader should decide.
BABA'S BLESSING
It is exclusively Baba's grace that He has blessed us by coming and
taking us on His lap. All glory and honour go to Him - no one else. By
using the Jai slogan at DMS in the proper way, everyone will understand
that Baba is Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji and that He alone is the Guru of
Ananda Marga.
Namaskar,
Mahesh
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Health Guideline: Diet Related
Baba says, "For proper digestion, fill the stomach half-way with food,
one quarter with water, and leave one quarter full of air." (CC-3,
'Procedure for Eating')
Note: Every conscious margii follows this above point but sometimes for
certain people it becomes difficult to follow. Especially at retreats or
during feasts this rule is not so strictly followed by some. Whereas in
everyday life when they are in their own home this is not a problem.
Anyhow, the above guideline given by Revered Baba is highly significant
and we should follow it.
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