Our "Holy Lands"

From: Mandal.Virendra@bharata.net...
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Our "Holy Lands"
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:41:44 +0530

Baba

=== OUR "HOLY LANDS" ===

Namaskar,
Over the last twenty years, the stories and incidents have come again
and again.

Of course, most margiis understand that Baba resides in their heart.

Unfortunately, various Dadas has been involved in turning buidlings
like the Memorials in Kolkata and Ananda Nagar & Baba's Quarter
in Tiljala and Jamalpur, into "holy places". We all know their
motivations behind this: money, prestige, and control etc

Yet such types of memorials used as tiirtha sites or "holy lands"
run 100% contrary to Baba's teachings. Devotion starts with the
idea that Parama Purusa is with you, inside. And the defective "holy
land" mentality dictates that you have to go somewhere to find God
and get His grace.

Over the years some in our Marga have been affected by the "holy land"
propaganda of some Dadas. Here below are their stories followed by Baba's
dharmic teachings which dispel the holy land dogma.


                      PERSONAL STORIES

Basically every morning from 8am to 11 am there was a long queue of
innocent margiis and Wts waiting to enter the Baba's Quarters in order to
get His blessing. Means they were holding garlands in their hand thinking
that it is mostly meaningful to garland the photo in the Baba's Quarter--
and not any place else like on the Pandal etc. And while on line they
talking again and again how they were going "to see Baba in His room".

So simple sadhakas were giving more importance to Baba's room as if that
only places like His room, Memorial, Jamalpur, Bankipur Jail etc-- as if
those are the only places where sadhakas can get His blessing and have His
divine communication.

I even heard one wife telling her husband that when they get inside then
they must not forget to ask one boon of Baba: That He should find one
suitable match for their daughter-- because she is of the marriageable age
and it is a tough job to find a husband. So they were waiting on line to
request this of Baba.

And others who had already been through the line or did so on previous days
were moving here and there trying to convince others that they must go
inside to get Baba's blessing-- otherwise they would miss out.

And still others were proclaiming how fortunate they were to garland the
photo in the Baba's Quarter or go to the tomb / Memorial because that is
the sanctified holy place and now surely they will get success. And like
that the scene was going on.

Thus it was more than a little tragic because here in our AM we believe
that God is everywhere-- including inside our hearts. Yet here at these
so called holy sites, innocent and simple margiis were waiting on line in hopes
of seeing Baba in some external venue, i.e in that Baba Quarter, Memorial etc.
As if that is the exclusive place where they can convey their message to Baba
and get His grace.

And even those not initially attracted to do like this got convinced by
various persons who were actively propagandizing that going into the Baba's
Quarter in places like Ananda Nagar etc is the best opportunity to see
Baba. Otherwise how can one do.


                         SOME REVIEW

In our AMPS society we have turned Baba's room, Tiljala Memorial, Patna
Jail, and many such places, and now some are telling this Tiger's grave in
Jamalpur as well, into something "extra" divine. We say it is the place of
very special attention where Baba'spresence is much more than other places.
Obviously this very preaching goes against the fundamentals of dharma shastra
where it is taught that Baba isever-present everywhere beyond time, space and person.

In this following Baba's quote it is clear.

Baba says, "How strange! All countries have been created by the Supreme
Consciousness, so all countries are equal. The universal concept of dharma
that God is all-pervasive-- this essence of dharma has been forgotten.
Ultimately dharma has been reduced to a geo-sentiment centering around
Benares." (NH p.23)

Here, in the case of our AMPS society, 'Benares' means Ananda Nagar,
Memorial, Jamalpur, Patna Jail, Baba's quarters etc..

Before saying more about our Ananda Marga, in this regard so many examples
of history can be given.


              DOGMATIC WAYS OF BUDDHA'S FOLLOWERS

Take the example of Lord Buddha. Buddha got enlightenment through his deep
meditation but nowadays in place of doing meditation Buddhist monks or
followers mostly do idol worship of Lord Buddha.

Interestingly enough, the statue of Lord Buddha that those disciples
worship, the statue itself is in a meditative pose. And that gives the
sense that Lord Buddha is doing sadhana. But Buddha's followers do not
bother to think about that aspect-- sadhana. In place of sadhana they
created their own rituals and started worshipping that very idol by
lighting lamps etc. Lord Buddha's teachings got diluted and polluted by
Buddhists monks and followers. This is a well-known historical fact.

All around the globe where Buddhism is propagated one can find huge idols.
In the name of the propagation of Buddha's teachings Buddhists did only this:
Created huge, very tall high idols. Some 12 years back in Afghanistan the
negative Taliban regime destroyed countless Buddha statues including the
largest existing one which had been carved into a mountainside. That was
not at all dharmic-- rather destructive & against cultural legacy. And I
raise that issue here only in so far that Buddha's statues were made around
the globe.

So the point is that Lord Buddha taught about meditation, but instead his
dogmatic disciples started their own dogma. In his practical life Buddha
did meditation. But his followers never cared about this teaching, or
rarely so.


                 WHAT DISCIPLES OF KABIR DAS DID

In the case of Kabir Dasji, we see same story. So many places Baba cited Saint
Kabir's name. Saint Kabir never believed in or propagated idol worship but
now his followers believe only in the idol of Saint Kabir. They do not
believe in any other idol. But at the same time they are engaged in idol
worship of Saint Kabir.

What a peculiar history has been made. That very theory of idol worship which
Saint Kabir strongly opposed, his chief disciples started following that
theory after his passing.


                    JAINISM AND IDOL WORSHIP

See also in the case of the propounder of the Jain religion: Lord
Mahaviira. Lord Mahaviira also got realisation through deep meditation, but
immediately after his physical departure  many dogmas were started. And now
his disciples-- i.e.  followers of the Jain religion-- do worship to the
idol of Lord Mahaviira. They do not care about any type of meditation.

So this is the short history. And if you give any example then hundreds of
other examples can be enlisted. But the whole idea is that what guru
taught, immediately after his passing, then his senior disciples
ruined everything. And those disciples started practising various types of
negative things which their guru himself did not like.


                SOME DISCIPLES IMPOSE THIS THING

So here the central idea is that the chief disciples are the cause of
ruination of their Guru's teaching and in this way those disciples mislead
the entire society.


                   OUR ANANDA MARGA SOCIETY

Unfortunately, it looks like the same style of degeneration is going on in
AMPS society these days. Baba's teachings about the universal presence of
Parama Purusa have gotten tainted by the propaganda of the importance of
Baba's room etc. Baba has been limited to that particular place.

So knowingly or unknowingly simple margii sadhakas are taught to believe
that Baba's presence is more in those special places like Baba's room,
Memorial etc than in other places.

It seems, certain Wts & common margiis do not like to believe Baba's below
Prabhat Samgiita. Or they like to remain forgetful of this very teaching.


                       PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Ja'ni more ghire a'cha ca'ri dha're, tabu khunje khunje pa'rishra'nt..."
{1027}

The inner meaning: Oh Baba I know that You are surrounding me in all the
directions even then I am searching desperately. Even then with my
stupidity I go on searching. And I am exhausted by this search. Searching
from one Baba's quarter to another Baba's quarter with a garland and fruits
in my hand. From Kolkata Memorial to Ananda Nagar to Jamalpur to Patna Jail
then back to Baba's quarter and so many places.

Here also I want to share one other interesting story which I heard.


                   STORY OF LORD SHIVA'S FOLLOWERS

Similar scene is available when you go to visit various religious temples.
There, such a huge long queue of devotees are waiting to go inside to see
the idol of a certain deity. As I think you know, this thing is very common
in India. So many renowned temples are there in India.

For example there is Lord Shiva temple in Deogar where devotees of the
Hindu religion take the water of the Ganges which is 80 miles away. That
place is known as Sultan Ganj and that is where they start their dogmatic
holy journey.

And they walk to the temple. Or those who are called great devotees they do
one marathon run. And some those who are still greater devotees they start
their journey several weeks ahead of time and in prostrating position they
move: Lying down in prostration, getting up, and then lying down in prostration.
In that manner they journey to the temple.

By this way religious followers of various grades reach to temple during
certain fixed days of tiirtha (pilgrimage) program which is allotted
beforehand. And there also a huge crowd pours the water on the head of Lord
Shiva. And by that they think that Lord Shiva will grant them various types
of boons. And that Lord Shiva will also grant them relief from all the sins
they committed.

Such followers think that leading their whole life in a virtuous manner and
refraining oneself from sin is too difficult. So once in a year on certain
occasions of holy dates they foolishly think that if one does penance for a
certain limited period then the heavy load of one's life sins get washed
away. So this is working as a quick fix type.

In place of doing sadhana, these  religious believers are engaged in
external paraphernalia thus wasting their time, money, and energy.

This example shows that in that Deogar temple, a crowd of devotees gathers
in order to to see Lord Shiva externally and ask boons of Shiva. These
Hindu devotees go to see Lord Shiva in Deogar.


                        SEARCH GOD WITHIN

But Baba does not like this that is why Baba says that we should search God
within, not without.

BABA says:

            "Tiles'u taelam' dadhiniiva sarpira'pah..."

"Do you know how He is implanted in everything? Just as oil remains in the
sesame (Til). But if you look at the sesame superficially, you will see
only sesame; churn it and the oil will come out. He abides in everything,
but you cannot see Him, if you look at it superficially. Do the Sa'dhana' -
meditate churn any object or entity by meditation and He will appear." (SS
part IV)

Generally the common public searches God externally and they inspire
others, friends, relatives, and their known people also to move from this
place to that place to search Parama Purusa outside, externally. And by
that way it disturbs the whole spiritual enhancement of common innocent
people. When really devotion, the inner link with Parama Purusa is the
perennial source of inspiration.

In our Marga, we are to pay no attention and give no credence to the
existence of any such "holy land", whether it be Memorial, Jamalpur,
Baba's Quarter, Tiljala or any other place.

Baba resides in our heart and He wants that we should find Him there
through our devotional longing and meditation.


                      BABA'S BLESSING

In this negative environment of dogma and staticity this following Ananda
Vanii gives strong force of hope and inspiration that our future is bright.

Baba says, "Human civilization now faces the final moment of a critical
juncture. The dawn of a glorious new era is on its one side and the
worn-out skeletons of the past on the other. People have to adopt either of
these two. You are the spiritual soldiers, you are the worshipers of Life
Divine, hence I call you to adorn this crimson dawn deluged with glorious
light. Victory is surely yours." (Ananda Vanii)

Note: In the above Vanii "skeletons of the past" means dogmatic rituals
like tiirthas etc.

Namaskar,
Virendra


Note 1:      WHAT THOSE DOGMATIC WORSHIPERS DO

Prostrating position = Religious worshipers of Lord Shiva do
sastaunga pranam on the muddy road and extend their hand and place one
stone. And then they get up and move one step and then just before the
stone they again prostrate and in that lying position they go another 5 feet and put
that stone / rock. By this very slow torturous process they cross 80 miles.
It takes several weeks. This they do to please Lord Shiva. Of course in our
AM such penance is not accepted rather it is treated negatively.


Note 2:            HE IS WITH HIS DEVOTEES

Baba says, "He is everywhere, but that vibration originates from
that place where His nucleus is. He seats that nucleus at that place where
devotees sing His name. What can be a better place than that." (AV)

Baba says, "The secret of a devotee’s heart is known to Parama Puruśa.
In Jamalpur I told you that Parama Puruśa does not reside in Vaekuńt́ha
[the mythological abode of Lord Viśńu], nor on the throne, nor in the heart
of the dry yogi. He actually resides in the heart of a devotee. A devotee
is always bound to think of Parama Puruśa at heart, because their mutual
relation is one of love and devotion. That is why Parama Puruśa clearly
proclaims, Madbhaktáh yatra gáyanti tatra tiśt́hámi Nárada – that is,
“I reside, O Nárada, wherever my devotees are singing.”" (26 October 1979
DMC, Gaddopur)





"Tiirthe tiirthe ghuriya' kla'nt haye esechi dva're..."   (4112)

Purport:

  Baba in search of You, after wandering around the globe in various holy
lands, I am completely tired; and in that state now I have reached to Your
alter. Baba, be gracious, please do not turn Your face away; and please do
not become unhappy,  angry, or furious on me. Please open the door and
allow me to come inside. 
   Baba, look towards me; my whole body is completely tired and exhausted. My
feet are full of dust. Wandering around in the sun my whole body is
sweating. I am completely tired and exhausted. 
   By Your grace now I feel in my heart and repent how my whole life got
wasted. I was tied up in the noose of dogma. Just I was performing various
rituals, wandering in holy lands, moving from one tiirtha to another
tiirtha, from one Baba's Quarter to another Baba's Quarter, in search of
You. By Your grace now I understand that You are hiding sitting in my
heart-- smiling.  
   Baba, I am surrendering to You. Please accept me as Yours. Do not leave
me to wander to this and that dogma-- involved in one or another ritual.
The path which I was crossing through, that path is dark & full of
hopelessness. I wasted a lot of money, time, and energy but nothing was
gained. And now I am too tired. I want Your divine direction. 
   In spite of moving on the negative path, by Your grace in the garden of
my mind some flowers have bloomed for You. I want to offer those flowers at
Your lotus feet. Now the creepers of hope are swinging and the feeling is
coming that You will allow me. 
   By Your grace, Baba You have already given me the longing for You in my
heart. So now please allow me to come close to You to touch Your feet.
Baba, I am Yours and You are mine. I am surrendering everything to You.
Please accept me...

    *********************************************
                    Best and Worst
            
Baba says, "Human beings come into this world and attend to so many
duties...It is the sense of duty that makes a person great. Of all the
bonds, the bond of duty is the strongest and the bond of moha [blind
attachment or infatuation] is the worst. Humans will have to break the
bonds of moha and increase the bonds of duty." (NKS,'97 Edn, p.111)
    *********************************************