Nigamanandji's Tomb: Shrine

Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:01:19 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject:  Nigamanandji's Tomb: Shrine
From: Janardan Singh

Baba
 

== NIGAMANANDJI'S TOMB: SHRINE ==

(This letter starts a new thread, but does does cite paragraphs from a previously posted letter, How to Cope with Death #2 - Eds)

Namaskar,

"In the Hindu religion, there is one dogma of carrying the dead body to holy places ["tiirthas"]. Then they will get a special place in heaven. That is why from all around the globe Hindus carry the dead body to Varanasi for cremation. Those who do not have sufficient money cremate the body wherever they can and then carry the ashes to Varanasi, or any of the other holy places / [so-called] tiirthas.

In India, this Hindu dogma has entered into Ananda Marga. When Nigamanandji died in Delhi, his body was carried to the [so-called] tiirtha of Ananda Nagar. His supporters are trying to make one shrine there. Already a huge tomb has been constructed for Nigamanandji. The dogma is being spread around that by visiting that tomb and doing sadhana then one will get special grace. If you visit Ananda Nagar, you will find many persons visiting in order to get some grace of Nigamanandji.

Those margiis who are strict in Ista oppose this type of dogma."

DIMENSIONS OF THE TOMB & MORE

Yes, this is true. Dada Acintanandji constructed a tomb / shrine for Ac Nigamanandji in Ananda Nagar. It is quite large and there is nothing else like it throughout all of Ananda Nagar.

The dimensions of Nigamanandji's tomb are: 12 ft long, by 10 feet wide, by 4 ft high. Thus it is a big tomb. Suffice to say that it is large enough that at least ten people can lie down and sleep on this tomb.

I too have seen how various Wts are going to this tomb to get Nigamanandji's blessing. They go there for sadhana and even sleep there thinking they will receive special boons from Nigamananda Dada. Those with more news about this should come forward.

Here I want to discuss the motivation behind the construction of such a tomb - which we all know is totally against Baba's system.

WHY MAKING IT INTO A SHRINE

Dada Acintananda is not content to merely keep that tomb as is. Rather Dada has the grand plan to add marble and make Nigamananda's tomb into a veritable shrine, i.e. one beautiful building which houses the tomb. There will also be an engraving detailing the contributions of Dada Nigamananda and list the name of the person (Acintananda) who erected this shrine. In its totality, this shrine will be some type of symbolic edifice like the Taj Mahal. Needless to say, this is a further contravention of AM ideals.

You might be curious to know why Acintananda wants to turn Nigamanandji's tomb into a shrine?

Well, here's the answer.

Those close to the situation say that Acintananda wants others to build a tomb and shrine for him (i.e. Acintananda) one day. Acintananda thinks that by constructing both a tomb and shrine of Nigamanandji, then it will set the precedent for others to make a tomb and a shrine for himself (i.e. Acintananda). Apparently, that is Acintananda's mentality. Dada Acintananda wants to be remembered and regarded forever. That is the chief reason why Acintananda constructed such a tomb for Nigamanandji, by going against Baba's fundamental teaching.

TOMB WORSHIP HINDERS OUR DEVOTIONAL APPROACH

Here again is the inherent danger behind erecting such a tomb to honor the deceased. Then one will be giving too much importance to the those who have left this mortal world. Such tomb worshippers will not have the requisite psychic space to do sadhana and think about Parama Purusa Baba. Rather they will be too involved in remembering those who have passed. As sadhakas, we should never fall prone to this tomb worship dogma. There is no benefit, only harm.

Tadekaḿ smarámah tadekaḿ japáma
Tadekaḿ jagatsáksiirúpaḿ namámah.

Our Guru's teaching guides us what to ideate upon:

“If I remember anyone, I will remember only that One Entity and not many. If I repeat anyone’s name, I will repeat only the name of the Lord. If I ever salute anyone, I will salute only the Supreme One and no one else.” (Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 11, Relativity and the Supreme Entity)

Here we should all keep in mind that in Ananda Marga, we do not believe in this tomb worship dogma which comes from the Semitic religions (Islam, Christianity & Judaism etc); and, it is also prevalent in Hinduism. But in AM this is not appreciated. If we keep quiet more and more dogmas will sprout and ruin everything. We should ideate and meditate more and more on Parama Purusa. Only by this way can one get salvation.

Sincerely,
Janardan Singh

Note: MORE ABOUT THIS...

There is talk that Dada Nigamananda left a large sum of money with Dada Acintananda to make such a construction. So, as a friend of Nigamanandaji, Acintananda is feeling obligated to fulfill Nigamananda's request. Others are telling that, after all, this is organizational money and Dada Acintananda should not misuse those funds by constructing such a shrine.

 

 

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Ma'nav sama'j avibha'jy jayga'n..." (PS 880)

Purport:

Human society is one and indivisible - collectively we have to express this glorious ideal with song, dance, and music. We cannot allow our human society to be divided. We have to propagate the idea that human society is one and indivisible. O' my brothers and sisters, we have to march ahead and form one human society without delay. We have to remove all sorts of problems and difficulties that hinder our forward movement of forming one human society. Those difficulties are like thorns and they must be rooted out. One human society must be formed. We have to sing this glory. 

All human beings are my brothers and sisters, my own close and very intimate ones. No one is far or distant. Everyone is my kith and kin, nearest and dearest. If all human beings are moving collectively in one flow then Parama Purusa always remains with them. And He is ever-gracious on them. When human beings are fragmented then they go far from Parama Purusa - away from His grace. If all human beings are moving together towards Him in the form of one human society then this dusty earth will be turned into one golden paradise.

In the past I got swept away in the negative current, i.e the dogma of groupism and indulging in disparities. I kept other human beings, my brothers and sisters, distant and far away from me - thinking that they belonged to another group. This was my ignorance. It all happened because I fell into the dogma of groupism. I was moving in a negative direction away from Baba's divine teaching.

Today, by His grace, I have corrected myself and will work tirelessly for everybody's perfect peace.  We have to sing the glory of one human society; human society is one and indivisible...