== AM MONKS USING UNDERWEAR ==
Namaskar,
Monks of Ananda Marga are using underwear.
This statement is not some joke. Nor is this some type of hidden ordeal.
This is what certain group leaders are actively propagating. Anyone who
has seen the recent version of Caryacarya will easily understand.
BABA'S SCIENTIFIC SYSTEM
Of course, Baba's designated system is that all males must wear a laungota.
Baba says, "Immediately upon reaching adolescence (in India, one reaches
adolescence in between the ages of twelve and fourteen), males should
start using kaopiina (laungot'a') and should pull back the foreskin of
the penis." (CC-3)
The laungota is our scientific system as it promotes health and
restraint by providing proper support and keeping the penis in a upward
facing direction. No other type of undergarment does this.
Baba further directs us that one must wear a laungota when performing
yoga asanas.
Baba says, "Males must wear a kaopiina (laungot'a'), and there should be
no other clothing on the body." (CC-3, chapter 8, 'Rules for a'sanas)
So Baba's explicit direct is that all males in the Marga must wear a
laungota at all times and certainly when practicing yoga asanas - there
is no other alternative. Western style underwear or briefs is not an
acceptable option. Because western briefs do not provide adequate
support nor keep the organ upward facing.
FALSE SHOWING:
THE COVER OF CARYACARYA
Unfortunately, on the cover of the most recent Hindi edition of
Caryacarya part 3, there are glossy, color diagrams of an AM monk doing
yoga asanas. And the monk is depicted wearing western style underwear or
briefs. He is not wearing a laungota.
Even worse, as there is no opening or seam on the front side of that
western underwear, it becomes quite evident that the AM monk on the
cover of Caryacarya III is wearing female underwear.
So the whole situation is quite messy and embarrassing. Not only that,
one of the asanas that the monk is performing is NOT one of our specific
AM asanas.
Thus there are multiple issues involved.
That is why many are saying that this latest Hindi version of CC-3
should be banned or at least taken off the shelf and reprinted. Because
the term Caryacarya itself means "do's & don'ts": Our Caryacarya books
are explicit guidelines for the code of conduct in AM. And in this very
book, i.e. CC-3, Baba says in multiple places that all males must wear a
laungota - not western style underwear - and that, in particular, a
laungota must be worn when doing yoga asanas. Yet the very cover of this
latest Hindi edition contravenes Baba's guidelines in this regard. The
AM monk is wearing western-style underwear - and that is not our AM
system. Then on the top, one of the asanas shown is not part of Baba's
system.
Thus, the latest Hindi edition of Caryacarya-3 is quite problematic and
gives a false showing of our AM way of life.
DEFINITELY NOT A LAUNGOTA
It should be clarified that the monk on the cover of Caryacarya part 3
is definitely not wearing a laungota. There is no mistaking the drawing.
By contrast, the black and white sketches on the inside pages of the
book showing a monk doing yoga postures are totally different. Those are
older sketches done before 1990 and in those drawings it is very
evident and noticeable that the male practitioner is most definitely
wearing a laungota. While the drawings on the high-gloss cover of the
Hindi edition do not at all resemble those sketches on the inside pages.
On the cover, the AM monk is absolutely, positively wearing crude,
western underwear, just like they wear in Hollywood movies etc.
So it is not like they did not know how to draw a laungota. That is the
the problem. Rather someone in Publications made the distinct decision
not to use a laungota on the cover drawings, or it was an office
blunder. In any case the problem needs to be resolved.
WHY THEY DID LIKE THIS (Part 1)
The natural question that arises is why did those in Publications do
like this. What was the need to misrepresent our AM teachings on the
very cover of Caryacarya.
Here is what many are concluding:
Those at the helm wanted to make AM (more) appealing to the masses so
they used western style underwear. Thus for public appeal, they
compromised on our AM ideals. That is one reason.
For this same reason, those in publications depicted tree pose
(vrksasana) on the cover of this book even when this is not one of
Baba's specified poses. This is just one of the many thousands of poses
which Baba has rejected for our AM practice. Yet they put this pose on
the over because it is very popular with the masses, especially these
days as the fake yoga movement is growing exponentially.
So for the sake of public opinion all kinds of things are being done -
all sorts of compromises are being made.
One can only ask, what are they going to do next? Show someone eating
meat on the cover because that is also popular in certain areas, or will
they show someone drinking beer / alcohol on the cover because the
common people like that. Where will it end. This policy of compromise is
not at all good.
Some in the general society also do like this.
Baba says, "Playwrights and directors, too, are obliged to adjust
themselves to the public demand, adopting the policy of compromise."
(PNS-10)
But this is not at all good. We should not fall into such a rut. By
displaying western underwear and fake yoga asanas on the cover or
Caryacarya, the dharma of AM can never be established.
Baba says, "We will not deviate an inch from our ideology, nor will we
allow others to do so. One cannot promote human welfare if one bothers
too much about public criticism, about the reaction in the papers or
among the voters." (NSS, Disc: 14)
Tragically the problems on the cover of the recent Caryacarya-3 are all
part of one downward spiral where the essence of AM is lost due to the
fact that some are willing to compromise our AM mandates in order to
appeal to the general populace.
WHY THEY DID LIKE THIS (Part 2)
Here are further reasons which may have contributed to the present
situation.
Next, many acaryas in overseas sectors are now leading their own yoga
programs where they teach asana classes and they do not want to have to
introduce the system of wearing a laungota. Either due to shyness or
fear they neglect this point. Thus it is quite convenient for them if
the cover of our AM book shows a monk doing yoga asanas in western
fitting underwear.
Then there are various other reasons or moods behind this false display:
indifference, sloppiness, convenience, disinterest, embarrassment, lack
of understanding, & more. Whatever may be, the outcome is the same: Our
AM ideals have been compromised and instead dogma reigns. All this on
the cover of our very own AM book.
WHY THIS IS HARMFUL
The end result is that this is harmful in multiple ways:
1) Good people - ie new people looking for a revolutionary path - will
walk away from AM thinking that we are no different from all the other
fake yogas that are now on the market. They will see that we are
embracing the same western pseudo-culture. That is what will happen when
we shy away from our dharmic teachings.
2) Nowadays, due to Baba's sublime vibration, people are looking for
something pure and untainted. Many all over, and especially in the west,
are looking towards the ancient traditions of India for new practices in
life. They are not wanting to redo all the same western dogmas. If we
refrain from teaching them about our scientific laungota system, which
is actually new and revolutionary and even better than what the monks of
old were wearing, then we will not be able to attract those good people
into our Marga.
3) Baba's asana system requires wearing a laungota and He has specially
selected asanas which uplift the practitioner in all the realms:
physical, psychic and spiritual. That is a huge boon for the humanity.
As we know there are thousands and thousands of yoga asanas, yet Baba
has exclusively selected the most beneficial ones for human growth and
development. Yet on the cover of CC-3, those publishers are highlighting
tree pose, which is not even one of our AM asanas. New readers will
think that this is one they should practice and they will think we are
sloppy since although it appeared on the cover it is not described
inside the book. So this is yet another unfortunate and harmful outcome.
4) Finally, if we fail to live up to our AM standards on the points of
wearing a laungota and doing proper asanas, then we are bound to fall
short of our AM ideals in so many other arenas of life. So it only begs
a greater problem.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace, He has given all the teachings for self-realisation and
creating a proper social order. All we need to do is follow them correctly.
The teachings in Caryacarya represent our social scripture and if the
cover of these books run contrary to His guidelines, then that indeed is
an injustice. We can never accept such a thing - on points of dharma we
must never compromise.
It is our bounden to rally around this concerning matter regarding the
latest Hindi edition of Caryacarya-III. That will be a critical step to
restoring prama and setting the tone to keep true to His teachings.
Baba says, "Carya'carya (all parts) is our social treatise." (CC-1)
Baba says, "Ananda Marga wants to build up an ideal society such as
this. So there should be a congenial environment where people will get
the opportunity to enhance their physical, psychic and spiritual
progress, and advance rhythmically and in unison towards Parama Purus'a.
Hence, Ananda Marga has formulated a social treatise for the
establishment of a congenial social structure." (TK-2)
Namaskar,
Satiish
Note 1: PRINTED BY...
The most recent version of CC-3 Hindi edition was printed in Tiljala
by the in-charges. At first then it seems that this is yet another
B group scriptural scandal. No doubt that faction has a role to
play. At the same time H group personnel has just been keeping mum.
Either they do not care about the error of they have been too busy
in their groupist escapades to notice that anything was wrong.
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Sadhana Point
Baba says, "Where there is no love, the mind will not run after Him. So
dhya'na also becomes meaningless."
"Dhya'na is withdrawing the mental propensities from all extroversive
entities, and then collecting those withdrawn mental forces, mental
propensities, and urging them towards the Supreme Entity. If there is no
love for the Supreme Entity, this movement cannot be done." (Patna, 31st
August, 1978)
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