To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Donkey Birthday
From: Nityanirainjan@4sign...
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:04:37
Baba
"A'loker path cha'r'ibo na'...A'mi nijere praca'r koribo na'..." (P.S. 337)
Purport:
Baba, by Your grace I will not leave the path of Ananda Marga ideology, the path of effulgence. I will never leave the path which You showed me. By Your grace, I will mold myself according to Your desire. With Your guidance, I will make my mind straight, focusing on You & propagating Your glory. I will never glorify my own existence. I will never propagate about my own personality. I will never praise myself in front of anyone. I will never propagate myself. O' my Lord, You have taught me to propagate Your glory. I will propagate the glory of Parama Purusa - not anyone else. So I will never propagate my own self...
Namaskar,
On and off we hear how some fallen avadhuta has come off the true path. In result, they engage in bizarre behaviour. Here are a few examples of what some have done.
We should ensure other workers do not indulge in a similar manner. If you know of more cases, please let us know. The aim here is to enhance the standard of our Wt cadre - not anything else.
Baba's teaching that during initiation one gets re-birth. So in this situation, we should all consider & rethink the notion of celebrating one's physical birth.
"With an initiated person the first birth was the physical birth and the second birth was the spiritual birth, during initiation. Such a person is divya, born twice: First, you are simply born as an animal being. But this second time, as a human being. So unless and until one is initiated one is not, one cannot be, treated as a human being." (1)
Thus the physical birth does hold much value in the life of a spiritual aspirant. When they get initiated onto the path of dharma sadhana, that is their real birth - i.e. when the person gets initiated and takes shelter at Rev. Baba's feet.
Regarding birthdays, it also has to be mentioned that our present life is nothing but a part life. It is not a full life. Our life began when our consciousness first emanated from the Cosmic Hub. Since that time we have undergone incarnation after incarnation.
Baba says, "After millions of animal lives, a created being attains the human form..." (2)
Baba says, "In Sanskrit, dvi means “two” and ja means “born”, so dvija means “twice born”...the first birth was the physical birth, and the second birth was the spiritual birth, during initiation." (3)
Thus, one should not think that when the spermatozoa fertilised the egg and led to this particular birth, then that is one grand birthday event.
Our life is spiritual oriented, not goaded toward the mundane.
Thus, every sadhaka in the Marga should think twice about how far they should celebrate their "birthday". For workers, there is no question of celebrating as they have given up everything of their unit existence for Baba. At each and every juncture or stage of an avadhuta's development and training they are given a new name because each stage itself represents a new birth-- a new beginning, all the while leaving behind their old life. In which case, where is the scope for an avadhuta to celebrate his own worldly birthday.
Indeed, all sadhakas in the Marga should take a moment and consider the points in this letter and see if really they feel it appropriate and beneficial to celebrate their own birthday.
Some naive persons may raise the question that when Baba has given the birthday celebration chapter in Caryacarya, then what is wrong if our avadhutas celebrate their birthday? The answer is quite clear. In Caryacarya, Baba also explains what type of meat a person should eat if they cannot resist eating meat. But that does not mean sincere sadhakas and avadhutas should also eat meat or that we should appreciate meat eating.
Remember, Caryacayra is our smrti shastra - our social code - which is not eternal. It depends upon time, space, and person. All kinds of people are coming into Ananda Marga. For some, Baba has given such rules for periods of transition onto the path of dharma.
Everyone knows that in Ananda Marga there are three types of sadhakas: pashvacariis, viiracariis, and divyacariis. Pashvacariis are half-margiis; viiracariis are mediocre sadhakas, and those who are very strict and do not compromise on points of dharma are divyacariis. There will always be a mixture of all three grades of sadhakas. Always, new people are coming into human life and they will enter onto the path of pashvacara. After many lives and with God's grace they will one day become viiracariis.
This point of eating meat in Caryacarya is for pashvaraiis. They compromise on various aspects of 16 points, but they are also margiis. They live amongst us - we all know this and recognize who is who. A person may not openly declare, "I am a pashvcarii; I am a half-margii", but everyone knows.
When such pashvacariis become strong, established margiis, their manner will be different. Then they will not do such things like eating meat and celebrating their birthday.
Just as meat-eating is a hindrance to those on that path of sadhana. Similarly, indulging in self-glorification - such as celebrating one's birthday - is not conducive to one's spiritual growth and development. Rather it is antithetical. Our spiritual philosophy condemns all forms of self-glorification.
As we all know, Baba warns us to steer away from things like self-publicity & self-praise. Thus, when the chief result of indulging in one's own birthday party is drawing attention to oneself, then no avadhuta should indulge in such acts.
Baba says, "Why on earth should he indulge in self-publicity? To whom will he publicize himself? Such acts are the antics of common, avaricious people with beggar-like mentality." (4)
And to go one step further, in the case of one's own birthday party, that is not only praising oneself but even worse - celebrating and overtly highlighting one's unit cause.
Overall, it is just like how stealing itself is bad yet the annual celebration of a notorious stealing program is far worse.
BABA'S ORDER:
MUST NOT GLORIFY ONESELF
Here Baba is clearly warning that human beings, let alone our avadhutas and acaryas, must not be involved in self-glorification by holding birthday parties and singing songs of their own greatness. One must not do such things.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Kiirtana should be done on Hari and on no other entity. One should not praise oneself or any other person. There are many people who are very fond of praising themselves by telling everyone what wonderful things they have done, but, as mentioned in this sloka, kiirtana is not for one’s own self but for Hari. Even though people are taught to do kiirtana for Hari, they still make the mistake of praising themselves too much. Sometimes their self-praise is so intense that others are obliged to say, “Please stop praising yourself so much.” They forget that their self-applause is rather boring for others. Human beings should realize that no one likes to hear the self-praise of others." (5)
Even though a few degraded workers may enjoy the display of their own petty glory, such ostentatious displays are not received well in the society. This will tarnish the image of all workers who have come on this earth to selflessly serve others, not glorify themselves.
Here Baba gives the formula for how to become great.
"It is action that makes a person great. Be great by your sa'dhana', by your service, by your sacrifice." (6)
The spirit of being Avadhuta is to dedicate everything to Marga Gurudev. By getting Avadhuta diiksa and by getting their new avadhuta name, they they no longer have anything of their own. In that blessed state, everything belongs to Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. And Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji is their mother father, & everything. That is the oath they have taken.
They surrender their all - their entire I-feeling - at His lotus feet. Their name has changed; their address has changed; their identity has changed. They have no past connection with their worldly life, nor their worldly birth. Avadhutas give everything to Parama Purusa - they have nothing left to call their own.
That is why in the conduct rules of Avadhuta, there is no such thing as the observance of one's own birthday or any form of celebration or glorification of one's own unit existence. Rather the avadhuta's goal of life and the be-all end-all of their existence is to glorify Baba's image. They are to be established solely in Marga's Guru's glory.
"Avadhuta shall always keep himself engaged in the service of Gurudeva with sincerity and devotion, in thought, words and deed, in subtle and in crude spheres, in inner and outer expressions of life." (7)
In that case, there is not an iota of scope to celebrate one's own unit birthday. Our wholetimers are to think about Him and focus on the Goal.
"That Cosmic Entity alone should be created in your mind and no other object...He is the terminating point. He is the Supreme Desideratum." (8)
Why should anyone practice or propagate their own birthday? We are raising the slogan Parama Pita Baba Ki Jai! His victory, His glory, that is why the real devotee has only one birthday to celebrate. That is Ananda Purnima - Baba's birthday. But those who do not have that type of devotion, with faltering steps they may go away from the ideological path.
You may have also noticed that the birthdays of acaryas and avadhutas were never published in different magazines prior to 1990. And now also, we do not recogise the birthdays of acaryas and avadhutas via different media like e-mail or organisational news publications etc.
Thus, the birthdays of our wholetime workers are not to be celebrated nor even mentioned publicly. Even in their individual life, a Wt should not think, "Today is my worldly birthday." There is no scope for that in our Ananda Marga Wt cadre.
In Caryacarya, Baba has given all kinds of ceremonies - marriage etc - for the general society, including birthday celebrations. But no avadhuta or WT should blindly think that therefore that birthday celebration is for them anymore than they should think that the marriage ceremony is for them. Those types of things in Caryacarya are for others, not our wholetimer acaryas.
In Ananda Marga, if anything is done for superficial show or in an insincere manner then that is not at all acceptable. For instance, if someone serves you food only to show how great they are then Baba terms that food as: Donkey Food.
“If food is not offered with that heart-felt feeling then that food is donkey food, gardabha’nna. So one must not eat that food.” (9)
Similarly sadhana done with the primary motive of showing one’s greatness instead of pleasing Parama Purusa is donkey sadhana. And if kiirtan is sung with the primary motive as a display of one’s musical talent and instead of to spread the glory of the Lord, then that is donkey kiirtan.
Likewise, when any Wt or avadhuta celebrated their own birthday in their honour instead of spreading the glory of Parama Puruas, then their celebration is a donkey birthday.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Nityanirainjan Deva
About any such cases where Wts go against their own code of conduct - by celebrating their worldly birthday etc - Baba has given the following teaching:
"Dye your mind with His colour. Those who have not done so cannot attain Him, for this very coloration is Prema or Divine Love... No external sign of Sa'dhuta' or virtue is necessary. Become sa'dhu within. Behind the external show of virtuousness of many so-called sa'dhus exists a pharisaic state of mind. Preserve the true dignity of the word, Sa'dhu."
"That is why I say that you must bring about a revolutionary change in the flow of your judgment and thought, and see how, after overcoming your fascination with external colour, your mind becomes tinged with the His glorious colour." (10)
(A) Some time back in Jharsguda (Orissa, India), there was a big birthday party event held in honour of of so-called Dada Priyakrsnananda.
For those not aware, Dada Priyakrsnananda has years and years of experience in Ananda Marga and even in his early years in the Marga he was a Central Worker who lived close to Baba. But unfortunately, those years he was like a rock in a river. Just as the water never touches the inside of the rock despite the rock being immersed in the water, similarly Priyakrsnananda Dada was living in Centre surrounded by Baba's physical presence for many years, but internally he could not get drenched. That is why he is like a rock in the river - or what we can say.
Perhaps most surprising is that there were many, many so-called senior workers on hand for this birthday gala event and in one big round, they all sang Prabhat Samgiita #135, "Janma dine...", in order to celebrate Priyakrsnananda's birthday.
This type of dogmatic occasion is 100% against the ethics of our Ananda Marga and it sets a very negative example.
(B) Not surprisingly then, more recently in SUVA sector, the very so-called senior Dada Paramatmananda and so-called Didi Ananda Shamiita organised two birthday parties. And once again, they both insisted that PS #135, "Janma dine...", be sung. Thus with printed song sheets etc that Dada and Didi made sure that the birthday event was celebrated with Prabhat Samgiita.
Our so-called senior most workers do not understand the basic principles about Ananda Marga and Prabhat Samgiita. They have forgotten Guru's teachings and guidelines.
(C) Some years ago at New York sector's Boston Regional retreat, Ac. Rainjitananda Avt celebrated his own birthday with full gusto and glory. In grand fashion, everyone present at the retreat sang a hearty round of the traditional American "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You" song in so-called Dadaji's honor. And during the singing one sumptuous cake was brought out and served to so-called Dadaji. And like that the whole affair took on the flavor of one mundane Americana birthday party whereby non-margiis make a wish for mundane objects as they blow out the candles on the birthday cake and receive presents from one and all etc. So like that Rainjitanandji's celebratory occasion and birthday party was carried out whereby Dada accepted the card and cake and all arrangements in his own honour. Because at that moment so-called Dadaji's birthday was the showcase event going on at the retreat.
REFERENCES:
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Twice Born
2. Ananda Va'nii #33
3. Ananda Vacnamrtam - 30
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 2, p. 49
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8
6. Ananda Vanii #20
7. Rule no. 28 of 32 Rules for Avadhutas
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 2
9. Summary of Shabda Cayanika - 20, p.163-64 [Bangla]
10. Subhasita Samgraha part 3
Baba says, "People recollect the tasty dishes they once relished and derive pleasure from that. Other people delight in feeding others. They offer rasagollás or sweets, and at the time of giving, imagine that their guest is enjoying the same delightful taste, the same sweet vibration from the rasagollás which they once relished when they ate them. A host feels mental satisfaction by imagining that the guest’s mind is full of those pleasing vibrations. The host wants the guest to enjoy more and more of those delightful vibrations, and therefore asks the guest to accept the offer of more rasagollás. So, one enjoys pleasure in two ways: first, by eating the delicious things; and secondly, by recollecting the pleasing vibrations enjoyed in the past while eating those very same delicacies. The human mind has two contradictory inherent tendencies: one of acquisition, the other of sacrifice. The more one advances along the path of evolution, the more the tendency, the spirit of sacrifice, becomes prominent." (Yoga Psychology, 'Faculty of Knowledge-2')
Note: In His above teaching Baba is illustrating two opposition psychologies:
(A) The science behind why people feel mental satisfaction by feeding delicious food to others.
(B) The mentality of those who themselves eat delicious food yet do not desire to feed others.
In the first scenario, people get derive great happiness from feeding others a tasty meal. But how exactly does this work? What is happening in the mind. Well, suppose one day Govinda ate a sumptuous meal which he enjoyed very much. Then a week or a month letter, Govinda prepares and serves that same type of food to his friend Tanmay. The meal is delicious and Tanmay enjoys every morsel. But that is not all. Govinda himself derives great mental pleasure in feeding Tanmay, even though he (Govinda) is not eating. How does this happen? In his own mind, Govinda recollects how much he enjoyed that meal and he thinks that just as he enjoyed it, similarly Tanmay is also enjoying that meal. This creates a sympathetic vibration in Govinda's mind he feels great psychic fulfillment. So Govinda's is taking delight in sacrificing and serving Tanmaya.
In contrast, a third person, Liilamaya, cooks food for himself and eats it all himself. And he becomes happy thinking how much he enjoyed the food. In this case, Liilamaya is deriving enjoyment from directly eating that food; he does not want to share it with others. There is no spirit of sacrifice, rather he delights in acquiring that food and filling his own belly.
Both scenarios start from the same point - both enjoy their food; but then, due to proper and or a lack of proper sadhana, things go in 2 contradictory directions. One sadhaka derives happiness by sacrificing, while the other becomes happy by direct acquisition.
These are two radically different psychologies. They are not related solely with food but with all kinds of indulgences and offerings. Some gain pleasure from acquiring something directly, and some become happy by sacrificing and watching others enjoy.
Finally Baba explains that the path of sacrifice is the higher path and as people develop, the more they will adhere to the path of sacrifice.
Subject: Donkey Birthday
From: Nityanirainjan@4sign...
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:04:37
Baba
"A'loker path cha'r'ibo na'...A'mi nijere praca'r koribo na'..." (P.S. 337)
Purport:
Baba, by Your grace I will not leave the path of Ananda Marga ideology, the path of effulgence. I will never leave the path which You showed me. By Your grace, I will mold myself according to Your desire. With Your guidance, I will make my mind straight, focusing on You & propagating Your glory. I will never glorify my own existence. I will never propagate about my own personality. I will never praise myself in front of anyone. I will never propagate myself. O' my Lord, You have taught me to propagate Your glory. I will propagate the glory of Parama Purusa - not anyone else. So I will never propagate my own self...
== DONKEY BIRTHDAY ==
Namaskar,
On and off we hear how some fallen avadhuta has come off the true path. In result, they engage in bizarre behaviour. Here are a few examples of what some have done.
We should ensure other workers do not indulge in a similar manner. If you know of more cases, please let us know. The aim here is to enhance the standard of our Wt cadre - not anything else.
INITIATION MEANS REBIRTH
Baba's teaching that during initiation one gets re-birth. So in this situation, we should all consider & rethink the notion of celebrating one's physical birth.
"With an initiated person the first birth was the physical birth and the second birth was the spiritual birth, during initiation. Such a person is divya, born twice: First, you are simply born as an animal being. But this second time, as a human being. So unless and until one is initiated one is not, one cannot be, treated as a human being." (1)
Thus the physical birth does hold much value in the life of a spiritual aspirant. When they get initiated onto the path of dharma sadhana, that is their real birth - i.e. when the person gets initiated and takes shelter at Rev. Baba's feet.
PART LIFE VS FULL LIFE
Regarding birthdays, it also has to be mentioned that our present life is nothing but a part life. It is not a full life. Our life began when our consciousness first emanated from the Cosmic Hub. Since that time we have undergone incarnation after incarnation.
Baba says, "After millions of animal lives, a created being attains the human form..." (2)
Baba says, "In Sanskrit, dvi means “two” and ja means “born”, so dvija means “twice born”...the first birth was the physical birth, and the second birth was the spiritual birth, during initiation." (3)
Thus, one should not think that when the spermatozoa fertilised the egg and led to this particular birth, then that is one grand birthday event.
Our life is spiritual oriented, not goaded toward the mundane.
Thus, every sadhaka in the Marga should think twice about how far they should celebrate their "birthday". For workers, there is no question of celebrating as they have given up everything of their unit existence for Baba. At each and every juncture or stage of an avadhuta's development and training they are given a new name because each stage itself represents a new birth-- a new beginning, all the while leaving behind their old life. In which case, where is the scope for an avadhuta to celebrate his own worldly birthday.
Indeed, all sadhakas in the Marga should take a moment and consider the points in this letter and see if really they feel it appropriate and beneficial to celebrate their own birthday.
SOME NAIVE PEOPLE MAY RAISE THIS QUESTION
Some naive persons may raise the question that when Baba has given the birthday celebration chapter in Caryacarya, then what is wrong if our avadhutas celebrate their birthday? The answer is quite clear. In Caryacarya, Baba also explains what type of meat a person should eat if they cannot resist eating meat. But that does not mean sincere sadhakas and avadhutas should also eat meat or that we should appreciate meat eating.
Remember, Caryacayra is our smrti shastra - our social code - which is not eternal. It depends upon time, space, and person. All kinds of people are coming into Ananda Marga. For some, Baba has given such rules for periods of transition onto the path of dharma.
Everyone knows that in Ananda Marga there are three types of sadhakas: pashvacariis, viiracariis, and divyacariis. Pashvacariis are half-margiis; viiracariis are mediocre sadhakas, and those who are very strict and do not compromise on points of dharma are divyacariis. There will always be a mixture of all three grades of sadhakas. Always, new people are coming into human life and they will enter onto the path of pashvacara. After many lives and with God's grace they will one day become viiracariis.
This point of eating meat in Caryacarya is for pashvaraiis. They compromise on various aspects of 16 points, but they are also margiis. They live amongst us - we all know this and recognize who is who. A person may not openly declare, "I am a pashvcarii; I am a half-margii", but everyone knows.
When such pashvacariis become strong, established margiis, their manner will be different. Then they will not do such things like eating meat and celebrating their birthday.
Just as meat-eating is a hindrance to those on that path of sadhana. Similarly, indulging in self-glorification - such as celebrating one's birthday - is not conducive to one's spiritual growth and development. Rather it is antithetical. Our spiritual philosophy condemns all forms of self-glorification.
BIRTHDAY IS WORSE THAN SELF-PRAISE
As we all know, Baba warns us to steer away from things like self-publicity & self-praise. Thus, when the chief result of indulging in one's own birthday party is drawing attention to oneself, then no avadhuta should indulge in such acts.
Baba says, "Why on earth should he indulge in self-publicity? To whom will he publicize himself? Such acts are the antics of common, avaricious people with beggar-like mentality." (4)
And to go one step further, in the case of one's own birthday party, that is not only praising oneself but even worse - celebrating and overtly highlighting one's unit cause.
Overall, it is just like how stealing itself is bad yet the annual celebration of a notorious stealing program is far worse.
BABA'S ORDER:
MUST NOT GLORIFY ONESELF
Here Baba is clearly warning that human beings, let alone our avadhutas and acaryas, must not be involved in self-glorification by holding birthday parties and singing songs of their own greatness. One must not do such things.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Kiirtana should be done on Hari and on no other entity. One should not praise oneself or any other person. There are many people who are very fond of praising themselves by telling everyone what wonderful things they have done, but, as mentioned in this sloka, kiirtana is not for one’s own self but for Hari. Even though people are taught to do kiirtana for Hari, they still make the mistake of praising themselves too much. Sometimes their self-praise is so intense that others are obliged to say, “Please stop praising yourself so much.” They forget that their self-applause is rather boring for others. Human beings should realize that no one likes to hear the self-praise of others." (5)
Even though a few degraded workers may enjoy the display of their own petty glory, such ostentatious displays are not received well in the society. This will tarnish the image of all workers who have come on this earth to selflessly serve others, not glorify themselves.
Here Baba gives the formula for how to become great.
"It is action that makes a person great. Be great by your sa'dhana', by your service, by your sacrifice." (6)
SPRIIT OF AVADHUTA
The spirit of being Avadhuta is to dedicate everything to Marga Gurudev. By getting Avadhuta diiksa and by getting their new avadhuta name, they they no longer have anything of their own. In that blessed state, everything belongs to Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. And Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji is their mother father, & everything. That is the oath they have taken.
They surrender their all - their entire I-feeling - at His lotus feet. Their name has changed; their address has changed; their identity has changed. They have no past connection with their worldly life, nor their worldly birth. Avadhutas give everything to Parama Purusa - they have nothing left to call their own.
That is why in the conduct rules of Avadhuta, there is no such thing as the observance of one's own birthday or any form of celebration or glorification of one's own unit existence. Rather the avadhuta's goal of life and the be-all end-all of their existence is to glorify Baba's image. They are to be established solely in Marga's Guru's glory.
"Avadhuta shall always keep himself engaged in the service of Gurudeva with sincerity and devotion, in thought, words and deed, in subtle and in crude spheres, in inner and outer expressions of life." (7)
In that case, there is not an iota of scope to celebrate one's own unit birthday. Our wholetimers are to think about Him and focus on the Goal.
Tadekam' smara'mah...Tadekam' nidha'nam'
"That Cosmic Entity alone should be created in your mind and no other object...He is the terminating point. He is the Supreme Desideratum." (8)
WHY ONE SHOULD NOT CELEBRATE THEIR BIRTHDAY
Why should anyone practice or propagate their own birthday? We are raising the slogan Parama Pita Baba Ki Jai! His victory, His glory, that is why the real devotee has only one birthday to celebrate. That is Ananda Purnima - Baba's birthday. But those who do not have that type of devotion, with faltering steps they may go away from the ideological path.
You may have also noticed that the birthdays of acaryas and avadhutas were never published in different magazines prior to 1990. And now also, we do not recogise the birthdays of acaryas and avadhutas via different media like e-mail or organisational news publications etc.
Thus, the birthdays of our wholetime workers are not to be celebrated nor even mentioned publicly. Even in their individual life, a Wt should not think, "Today is my worldly birthday." There is no scope for that in our Ananda Marga Wt cadre.
MARRIAGE IS NOT FOR WTS
In Caryacarya, Baba has given all kinds of ceremonies - marriage etc - for the general society, including birthday celebrations. But no avadhuta or WT should blindly think that therefore that birthday celebration is for them anymore than they should think that the marriage ceremony is for them. Those types of things in Caryacarya are for others, not our wholetimer acaryas.
JUST DONKEY’S BIRTHDAY
In Ananda Marga, if anything is done for superficial show or in an insincere manner then that is not at all acceptable. For instance, if someone serves you food only to show how great they are then Baba terms that food as: Donkey Food.
“If food is not offered with that heart-felt feeling then that food is donkey food, gardabha’nna. So one must not eat that food.” (9)
Similarly sadhana done with the primary motive of showing one’s greatness instead of pleasing Parama Purusa is donkey sadhana. And if kiirtan is sung with the primary motive as a display of one’s musical talent and instead of to spread the glory of the Lord, then that is donkey kiirtan.
Likewise, when any Wt or avadhuta celebrated their own birthday in their honour instead of spreading the glory of Parama Puruas, then their celebration is a donkey birthday.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Nityanirainjan Deva
Note 1: SOME FAKE AVADHUTAS INVOLVED IN BIRTHDAY ANTICS
About any such cases where Wts go against their own code of conduct - by celebrating their worldly birthday etc - Baba has given the following teaching:
"Mana na' ra'inga'ile ra'inga'ile yogi ka'par'a.
Saffron and red do not a yogiis make
With mind undyed he remains a fake."
Saffron and red do not a yogiis make
With mind undyed he remains a fake."
"Dye your mind with His colour. Those who have not done so cannot attain Him, for this very coloration is Prema or Divine Love... No external sign of Sa'dhuta' or virtue is necessary. Become sa'dhu within. Behind the external show of virtuousness of many so-called sa'dhus exists a pharisaic state of mind. Preserve the true dignity of the word, Sa'dhu."
"Mu'd'ha mu'ra'ye jata' v'ar'aye....
With shaven head or matted locks
And ashen body a Sadhu walks
With the swaggering gait of a well-fed buffalo.
And crude mind filled with thoughts mean and low."
With shaven head or matted locks
And ashen body a Sadhu walks
With the swaggering gait of a well-fed buffalo.
And crude mind filled with thoughts mean and low."
"That is why I say that you must bring about a revolutionary change in the flow of your judgment and thought, and see how, after overcoming your fascination with external colour, your mind becomes tinged with the His glorious colour." (10)
(A) Some time back in Jharsguda (Orissa, India), there was a big birthday party event held in honour of of so-called Dada Priyakrsnananda.
For those not aware, Dada Priyakrsnananda has years and years of experience in Ananda Marga and even in his early years in the Marga he was a Central Worker who lived close to Baba. But unfortunately, those years he was like a rock in a river. Just as the water never touches the inside of the rock despite the rock being immersed in the water, similarly Priyakrsnananda Dada was living in Centre surrounded by Baba's physical presence for many years, but internally he could not get drenched. That is why he is like a rock in the river - or what we can say.
Perhaps most surprising is that there were many, many so-called senior workers on hand for this birthday gala event and in one big round, they all sang Prabhat Samgiita #135, "Janma dine...", in order to celebrate Priyakrsnananda's birthday.
This type of dogmatic occasion is 100% against the ethics of our Ananda Marga and it sets a very negative example.
(B) Not surprisingly then, more recently in SUVA sector, the very so-called senior Dada Paramatmananda and so-called Didi Ananda Shamiita organised two birthday parties. And once again, they both insisted that PS #135, "Janma dine...", be sung. Thus with printed song sheets etc that Dada and Didi made sure that the birthday event was celebrated with Prabhat Samgiita.
Our so-called senior most workers do not understand the basic principles about Ananda Marga and Prabhat Samgiita. They have forgotten Guru's teachings and guidelines.
(C) Some years ago at New York sector's Boston Regional retreat, Ac. Rainjitananda Avt celebrated his own birthday with full gusto and glory. In grand fashion, everyone present at the retreat sang a hearty round of the traditional American "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You" song in so-called Dadaji's honor. And during the singing one sumptuous cake was brought out and served to so-called Dadaji. And like that the whole affair took on the flavor of one mundane Americana birthday party whereby non-margiis make a wish for mundane objects as they blow out the candles on the birthday cake and receive presents from one and all etc. So like that Rainjitanandji's celebratory occasion and birthday party was carried out whereby Dada accepted the card and cake and all arrangements in his own honour. Because at that moment so-called Dadaji's birthday was the showcase event going on at the retreat.
Note 2: MORE ABOUT DONKEY SADHANA, DONKEY KIIRTAN, AND DONKEY FOOD
For more about Baba's teachings in this regard:
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/12/donkey-food-donkey-sadhana-donkey.html
For more about Baba's teachings in this regard:
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/12/donkey-food-donkey-sadhana-donkey.html
REFERENCES:
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Twice Born
2. Ananda Va'nii #33
3. Ananda Vacnamrtam - 30
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 2, p. 49
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8
6. Ananda Vanii #20
7. Rule no. 28 of 32 Rules for Avadhutas
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 2
9. Summary of Shabda Cayanika - 20, p.163-64 [Bangla]
10. Subhasita Samgraha part 3
The section below demarcated by asterisks is
an entirely different topic,
completely unrelated to the above letter. It stands on its own as a point of interest.
completely unrelated to the above letter. It stands on its own as a point of interest.
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Why Some Like To Sacrifice For Others And Some Do Not
Why Some Like To Sacrifice For Others And Some Do Not
Baba says, "People recollect the tasty dishes they once relished and derive pleasure from that. Other people delight in feeding others. They offer rasagollás or sweets, and at the time of giving, imagine that their guest is enjoying the same delightful taste, the same sweet vibration from the rasagollás which they once relished when they ate them. A host feels mental satisfaction by imagining that the guest’s mind is full of those pleasing vibrations. The host wants the guest to enjoy more and more of those delightful vibrations, and therefore asks the guest to accept the offer of more rasagollás. So, one enjoys pleasure in two ways: first, by eating the delicious things; and secondly, by recollecting the pleasing vibrations enjoyed in the past while eating those very same delicacies. The human mind has two contradictory inherent tendencies: one of acquisition, the other of sacrifice. The more one advances along the path of evolution, the more the tendency, the spirit of sacrifice, becomes prominent." (Yoga Psychology, 'Faculty of Knowledge-2')
Note: In His above teaching Baba is illustrating two opposition psychologies:
(A) The science behind why people feel mental satisfaction by feeding delicious food to others.
(B) The mentality of those who themselves eat delicious food yet do not desire to feed others.
In the first scenario, people get derive great happiness from feeding others a tasty meal. But how exactly does this work? What is happening in the mind. Well, suppose one day Govinda ate a sumptuous meal which he enjoyed very much. Then a week or a month letter, Govinda prepares and serves that same type of food to his friend Tanmay. The meal is delicious and Tanmay enjoys every morsel. But that is not all. Govinda himself derives great mental pleasure in feeding Tanmay, even though he (Govinda) is not eating. How does this happen? In his own mind, Govinda recollects how much he enjoyed that meal and he thinks that just as he enjoyed it, similarly Tanmay is also enjoying that meal. This creates a sympathetic vibration in Govinda's mind he feels great psychic fulfillment. So Govinda's is taking delight in sacrificing and serving Tanmaya.
In contrast, a third person, Liilamaya, cooks food for himself and eats it all himself. And he becomes happy thinking how much he enjoyed the food. In this case, Liilamaya is deriving enjoyment from directly eating that food; he does not want to share it with others. There is no spirit of sacrifice, rather he delights in acquiring that food and filling his own belly.
Both scenarios start from the same point - both enjoy their food; but then, due to proper and or a lack of proper sadhana, things go in 2 contradictory directions. One sadhaka derives happiness by sacrificing, while the other becomes happy by direct acquisition.
These are two radically different psychologies. They are not related solely with food but with all kinds of indulgences and offerings. Some gain pleasure from acquiring something directly, and some become happy by sacrificing and watching others enjoy.
Finally Baba explains that the path of sacrifice is the higher path and as people develop, the more they will adhere to the path of sacrifice.
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