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Baba
HARMFUL BABA STORY ABOUT
DOG PRACTICING HIGHER PRANAYAMA
Namaskar,
One Baba story book - published in Hindi - contains many good stories,
yet, unfortunately, also contains some very serious flaws. Here we are
going to address one of those critical flaws wherein the writer
attributes a false statement to Baba.
Specifically, the writer claims that Baba told the following:
"Animals of the dog group perform shu'nya khumbak [pranayama] while
sleeping." (Note: Shu'nya kumbhaka means keeping the air expelled after
exhalation, and not breathing in again.)
More about the "veracity" of this statement is explained below.
First it should be understood that by directly addressing such flaws,
the book can be corrected and made better; and, most importantly,
Sadguru Baba will be presented in the proper light. Then the publication
will be cured of its ills.
As Ananda Margiis, we must examine the veracity of this claim. Because
as we know, if an incorrect philosophical tenet is put forth in story
form, then the whole society can be led astray. This happened in the
past with Mahasmbhuti, i.e. Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna. Such events must
not be repeated.
STEPS OF PRANAYAMA
Most senior sadhakas know that a type of pranayama has elements known in
Sanskrit as puraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention of breath), and
recaka (exhalation). Here I am referring to a type pranayama this is
potentially very dangerous whereby if not done correctly, one may even
die. This is not the pranayama done as the 4th lesson of Ananda Marga
sadhana, but rather a different pranayama.
Then there is another aspect of pranayama known as shu'nya kumbhaka,
i.e. the act of keeping all the air expelled for a period of time before
taking the next inhalation. That is the topic of this letter.
BEWARE - VERY HARMFUL IF DONE WRONGLY
So everyone should know that practicing any type of kumbhaka pranayama
without getting the proper guidance from an acarya is very harmful. Baba
has delivered a stern warning about this. Because if this practice is
done incorrectly then one may puncture their lung and be forced to get
emergency medical treatment in the hospital; and, various other physical
and psychic problems can arise if this type of pranayama is wrongly
done - even death itself. The body and mind can become so adversely
affected that the person actually dies. That is why Baba has advised us
not to practice any type of kumbhaka pranayama without proper
instruction.
You can ask your acarya more about shu'nya kumbhaka; certainly they will warn you about how harmful it is if not done properly.
In contrast, our 4th lesson pranayama is comparatively safe. Though
certainly one should practice 4th lesson after taking proper precaution
and carefully following the guidelines as told in Caryacarya. Just to
reiterate, in our 4th lesson pranayama meditation, there is no aspect of
shu'nya kumbhaka or any type of kumbhaka. There is only puraka
(inhalation) and recaka (exhalation).
What we need to know here is that shu'nya kumbhaka pranayama means
keeping the air out for an extended period, and that the writer claims
Baba said dogs do like this when they sleep. As if animals in the dog
family just sleep in a state of shu'nya kumbhaka, i.e. they exhale, and
keep the air out entirely while they sleep and do not inhale again until
after they awaken. This is an outlandish idea. How can a dog do like
this. Baba would never tell such a thing.
WHAT ONE FAMILY ACARYA WROTE
Yet on page 131 of his book, "Baba Antarya'mii" (Hindi), one family
acarya - Shrii Diip Narayanji - has laid claim that during senior acarya
classes Baba stated that dogs do shu'nya khumbak when they are
sleeping.
Here is his exact line from acaryaji's Hindi publication:
"Dog group sote samay shu'nya kumbhaka karte hain."
The English translation is:
"Animals of dog group perform shu'nya khumbak [pranayama] while sleeping."
This is the statement acaryaji has attributed to Baba. But how can a dog
sleep and do shunya khumbak and not take any air while it sleeps. This
is a most erroneous and outlandish claim. Obviously Baba never made such
a statement. Clearly, the writer is confused.
Moreover, dogs are unable to practice any form of meditation, let alone
shu'nya khumbak pranayama. So this is just a false and bogus claim.
THE BOOK MUST BE FIXED
Now it is the duty of Shrii Diip Narayanji's son, Randhir ji, to correct
this mistake. This is a grave error as it is done in Guru'a name. It
should not be in print that animals from the dog family practice shu'nya
kumbhaka pranayama. This is a complete misnomer.
Many other aspects of the book are ok, yet there are a number of critical issues.
In particular, when Shrii Diip Narayanji tries to explain Ananda Marga
philosophy or wrongly cites Baba, then he goes far from the path. And
verily that defeats the whole purpose in writing. The book is meant to
serve as a clarification of Ananda Marga ideals, but, at times, the
author is steering things in the other direction. His explanations
misguide the reader. That is the problem.
We should contact Randhir ji and inform him of the situation. An errata
page is needed that corrects the various errors in Ac Diip Narayanji's
book.
ENSURE, EVERY WORD AND EXPRESSION IS
CONSISTENT WITH ANANDA MARGA IDEOLOGY
Since 1990, various Baba story books have been written and many have
serious flaws - i.e. poor devotional expression and wrong explanation of
Ananda Marga ideology. That does not mean that such books should not be
written. Only it means that greater care must be taken before
publishing a Baba story book.
It is very important to share draft editions with various senior
sadhakas etc to ensure that every word and expression within the book is
consistent with Ananda Marga ideology. By having numerous proofreaders
ahead of time, it is sure that the final publication will be of a higher
standard.
Unfortunately, the way things are going these days, many such
publications are wrought with inaccuracies, including the book by Shrii
Diip Narayan ji, Baba Antarya'mii.
Following are some of Baba's divine teaching about pranayama including shu'nya kumbhaka pranayama.
PRANAYAMA AS DESCRIBED IN CARAYACARYA
Here below Baba is describing the pranayama which is the 4th lesson of
Ananda Marga sadhana. By reading the following it is evident that there
is no component of kumbhaka in this practice. So none should confuse
this with that potentially very harmful pranayama that is discussed
throughout this letter.
"Closing the eyes, sit in either siddhásana, padmásana or bhojanásana.
Do bhútashuddhi. After doing ásana shuddhi, concentrate your mind on the
point that the ácárya will fix. Then, after doing cittashuddhi, ideate
on the first syllable of your Iśt́a mantra, press and close the right
nostril with the thumb of the right hand, and draw in a deep breath
through the left nostril. During inhalation, ideate that infinite vital
energy is entering the point from the infinite Brahma who is existing
all around. After taking a full breath close the left nostril with the
middle, ring and little fingers, and, taking the thumb away from the
right nostril, slowly let out the air (Ideate that the infinite vital
energy is returning from the point to that Infinite Brahma). During
exhalation ideate on the remaining syllable of your Iśt́a mantra. When
the breath has been fully expelled from the right nostril, inhale as
fully as possible again through the right nostril. Afterwards, closing
the right nostril with the thumb and removing the fingers, exhale the
air through the left nostril. This completes one round." (Caryacarya -
III, Pranayama)
HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR STRENGTH & BECOME STRONG
"Moreover, the process of breathing, depending upon whether the
breath is flowing through the right nostril or the left nostril or both
nostrils, influences people in various ways. It was Shiva who determined
what kind of activity should be performed, depending on which nostril
the breath was flowing through, and depending on whether the id́á or
piuṋgalá or suśumná channel was active. He set down specific rules and
regulations as to when one should undertake physical, psychic or
spiritual activities. He further instructed when and in what
circumstances one should do ásanas, práńáyáma, dhárańá, dhyána, etc.
This science, which Shiva invented and developed, was known as svara
shástra or svarodaya [science of breath control]. Prior to Him, the
world was not aware of this science. Shiva also gave clear instructions
how this science could be applied by people in the practical field of
action. In fact, this svara shástra did help the people later to solve
many problems in their mundane as well as spiritual lives. When doing a
heavy job while breathing normally, a person might have serious
difficulties – perhaps one’s limbs might be broken – but in a state of
baddha kumbhaka, or púrńa kumbhaka [with the lungs full], one can easily
do the same work. While doing some over-strenuous activity in a state
of shúnya kumbhaka [with the lungs empty] one might even die."
"Suppose you are climbing to a high place or lifting a very heavy
load. If you do not follow the system of breathing while lifting the
load, your hands may become painful or your bones dislocated. If you do
the same work in a state of shúnya kumbhaka, you will have great
difficulty – you may even collapse. If, on the contrary, you perform any
strenuous activity in púrńa kumbhaka, taking a deep breath, you can
easily do it. All this comes within the scope of that svaravijiṋána. You
might have read in the Rámáyańa that Hanuman, by taking a deep breath,
made his body swell and lifted a whole mountain. Although it is a
mythological story, it refers to the science of svaravijinána."
(Namaha Shivay Shantaya, Shiva – the Focal Point of Everything (Discourse 3))
DANGEROUS TO PRACTICE
Here is one of the many places where Baba Himself advises that
non-sadhakas should not practice pranayama as without the proper
training they may harm themselves.
"Práńáyáma is meant for sádhakas – it is better for non-sádhakas not to
take the risk of injuring themselves by doing práńáyáma." (Caryacarya,
part 3)
But for sadhakas, 4th lesson pranayama is very important
PAUSE IS NOTHING BUT A STATE OF DEATH
"In the case of respiration also, after human beings inhale, they do not
immediately exhale. They retain the breath inside for a while, and then
they exhale. Similarly, after exhaling, they do not immediately inhale.
They stop for a little while, and then only do they inhale. So in both
cases there is a pause for a short while. The first pause, after
inhalation, is called púrńa kumbhaka, and the second pause, after
exhalation, is called shúnya kumbhaka." (Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Dhruva
and Adhruva)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GIVEN BY BABA
"Question: What is the meaning of recaka?"
"Answer: Recaka means “emptying”. When one exhales completely and keeps
the breath out during the process of breathing, it is called recaka."
(Yoga Psychology, Q & A #14)
"Question: What are the differences among recaka, púraka, and kumbhaka?"
"Answer: At the time of práńáyáma, when one exhales the breath
completely, it is called recaka; when one inhales completely, it is
called púraka; and when one retains air inside the body, it is called
kumbhaka." (Yoga Psychology, Q & A #15)
REMARKS
If any aspect of this letter is unclear or you have any questions, then please write me.
Also, it should be known that there are a number of other problems with
this book; please come forward with other fallacies and inconsistencies
that you have found in this book. In brief, to improve this publication
the need of the day is to point out any and all places where the book
does not match Ananda Marga ideology.
WHAT IS NEEDED TO WRITE A PROPER BABA STORY
It is important for us to consider what is
needed to write a proper Baba story. First and foremost one must ensure
that the Baba story is itself true. After carefully making this
assessment, these following criteria are needed: (a) deep devotion for
Baba, (b) pointed understanding of Ananda Marga philosophy, and (c)
literary skill.
Devotion allows a person to write with proper flow and prana.
Ideology brings right direction and philosophical consistency. Literary
skill brings artistic value and beauty.
Of these three characteristics, if one has only devotion and
lacks philosophical understanding and lacks writing skills, then
sometimes their story will not have philosophical support. And in some
cases the stoy may even be dogmatic. And, certainly without literary
skill, the story will be rough and jagged and will lack proper
expression.
If one has only philosophical understanding and lacks devotion
and is shy on writing skills, then their Baba story will be dry and
poorly expressed.
And if one only has literary prowess, yet lacks both devotion
and philosophical understanding, then that story will like applying
cosmetic make-up to a dead person - there will not be any charm. It will
be useless and dogmatic. If a person is alive and healthy, then that
make-up will have some value, i.e. if one has devotion then that
literary skill give devotional flow to the story, but if one does not
have devotion then that literary skill is meaningless. What they write
will be low-minded and dogmatic. So first one must have devotion and
philosophical understanding, then literary talent can add beauty -
otherwise not. Writing a story only with one's literary skill - without
proper devotion and devoid of ideological value - is of no use
whatsoever.
So if there is proper devotional feeling and ideological
understanding, then one's literary skill will help make that story
shine. While if one uses all their literary talent on a story that lacks
devotional feeling and philosophical understanding, then that story
will be a mess - i.e. useless and poisonous.
Unfortunately, nowadays there are some who fall in this last
category. They have the writing skills, yet utterly lack proper
devotional feeling and ideological understanding. In that case, the
devotional component of the story is ruined or left out entirely, or one
will write something contrary to the ideological fundamentals of Ananda
Marga.
Best is to cultivate or have all the qualities: (a) requisite
devotion, (b) understanding of Ananda Marga philosophy and (c) literary
skill. Then one can write a beautiful and loving account that will
inspire so many readers across the ages. And again, the first and
foremost point is to ensure that the original material - i.e. the Baba
story itself - is true and accurate.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Madhava Deva
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