== WHY ONE DAY IS ENOUGH ==
Note: Those born in the western hemisphere should read this letter with an
open mind. After all, we are Ananda Margiis and have no particular attachment
for local customs. Ours is the way of tantra. We should all ideate on
the tantric ideal of motherhood and think what it would be like to sleep side by
one's mother the first 7 or 8 years of one's life. Such a closeness develops.
Then there is a deeply intimate link between mother and child - and motherhood
is honoured as being one of the truly revered roles in life. Keeping this
ideal in the forefront of one's mind, no one will get frustrated reading
this letter. So we should all be careful while reading in order to get the
maximum benefit. The aim of this letter is not to go against anyone's
sentiment nor to attack anyone emotionally. Rather our aim as Ananda Margiis
is to hold up the flag of tantra.
Namaskar,
In certain materialistic western countries the annual "Mother's Day" and
"Father's Day" celebrations are going on in regular fashion. Mother's Day
was just celebrated today, Sunday May 9, and Father's Day will be celebrated
on June 20th.
At first glance or by superficial look, it may seem like "Mother's Day" and
"Father's Day" are noble enterprises. But upon slightly more examination
many oddities are going on. So we should apply our vivek. Following are
some of the ideas about this and hopefully others from around the globe
will also comment on this issue.
WHEN DAILY PRACTICE THEN NO NEED TO CELEBRATE
Some may think that having a yearly holiday to celebrate motherhood and
fatherhood is quite respectful and proper.
However, just consider the following.
We Ananda Margiis do not have an annual 'God-day' celebration because for
us every day is God's day. In our each and every action throughout the day
we cultivate the devotional feeling that everything is done in the service
to GuruDeva, to please Baba. This is our devotional approach in AM.
So in AM we see that the all 24 hrs are involved in spiritual activities.
When we are taking food or sleeping or bathing or doing our work,
everything is involved in Brahmahood. This is our regular and daily rhythm.
That is why anyone in AM will think it is odd to designate one day a year
as God's day.
But in the various dogmatic religions like Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or
Hindu, etc, they all have different days for their worship. Sunday for
Christians, Saturday for Jews, Friday for Muslims. And for Hindus, Tuesday
is the day for Lord Hanuman (monkey god) and Monday is the day for Lord
Shiva. In Hinduism also all goddesses have different dates of celebration.
So the overall central idea is that when something is not given importance
on an everyday basis then a weekly, monthly, or yearly program is fixed.
Just like everyday is not a holiday in government offices, so they take
rest on Saturday and Sunday.
Or here in our unit a special dharmacakra with akhanda kiirtan does not
happen everyday, so a special gathering is planned on the 2nd Sunday of
every month. That comes once in a month-- not daily.
And there are other things we do on a yearly basis. For example Ananda
Purniima celebration is a birthday so it comes yearly. And similar with the
1st Jan DMS, that program also comes annually. These are annual events not
meant to be practiced every day.
So the things which are done on a regular or daily basis then no special
day is allotted those things. Because they are done regularly, day in-day
out. For example in AM we do not have a '2nd lesson day' because everyday
we do. But we do have fasting days because we do not fast every day of the
year. Just some particular days.
In a similar way the things which are coming on a monthly basis then yearly
dates are not fixed, or vice versa. Then every month certain days are
fixed. And for festivals that come once in year then a yearly date is made.
WHY SOME THINK ONE DAY IS ENOUGH
Keeping this in mind, let's apply these principles to mother's day and father's day.
In the west, where the typical relation between mothers and their progeny can be
quite dry, people readily embrace the idea of mother's day. Then the idea
of having one day a year to pay special attention to one's mother is enough. After
that, they are free to be indifferent then about their mother or father the other
364 days.
Whereas those who carry love for their mother in their heart daily will think
it odd to designate just one day a year to honor their mother.
If that still does not make sense to our western mind-set then let's look
at it this way. Suppose one is infatuated with a member of the opposite sex,
then do you think one will like to honour and see that person just once a year.
Probably not - those sensually involved couples like to be together always.
And they will think it weird, heartless or even maddening to have just a single
day to be with their mate.
Yet that is what they have done with mother's day and father's day.
Here the point is that those who appreciate doing something once year
do not have the same love and attachment as those who are regularly
involved on a daily basis in that endeavour.
When the relation is sour then people feel that observing it just once
a year is enough, such as with mother's day or father's day.
DEBASED VIEW OF MOTHERHOOD IN THE WEST
One other contributing factor to honouring mother's day just a single
day each year is female sensuality. At present, females are sex objects
andthe sex toys of males.
In that case, females value their self-worth on their ability to attract
and allure men. When they lose that look, they lose their self-worth. That
is why most grown females prefer to be called sexy, baby, foxy or doll, and not
mother. Because all those former terms (sexay, baby, foxy, and doll) speak
to one's sexual appeal whereas motherhood does not.
So females in the west do not like be known as mother on a regular basis.
They think that is negative - in that case, once a year is sufficient.
All the other days they prefer to be judged on their sex appeal and sensual qualities.
OUR IDEAL IN ANANDA MARGA
In Ananda Marga, our view is the exact opposite. We follow the tantric
system where females are honoured as mother and one has a debt to their
mother.
Baba says, "Four kinds of debt are irredeemable - debt to father, debt to
mother, debt to Aca'rya, and debt to Guru (Divine debt). (a) The only way
to do service to one's father after his death is to help every male member
of the universe to progress on the path of highest development. (b) The
only way to do service to one's mother after her death is to help every
female member of the universe to progress on the path of highest
development. (c) The best service to the Aca'rya is to work for comfort and
benefit of one's Aca'rya and his family. (d) The best service to Ma'rga
Guru is to work according to His wishes. But however much service one
renders, one will not redeem the four debts until Moks'a (Salvation) is
attained." (CC-2)
So in all the above cases our social and spiritual responsibilities or
debts must be satisfied and attended to on a regular, on-going basis. As
the regular need arises it must be replied to. And even when there is no
apparent need, one should take care of the matter in a nice way. The point
being that these four debts deserve or constant and regular attention. They
are part and parcel of our daily life.
THE STANDARDS OF AM: PARENT-CHILD RELATIONS
In that way in our AM ideology what obligations we have for our parents is
quite clear. And what obligations parents have for their children is of a
similar nature.
Because Ananda Marga is made to build up one human society and in that human
society one healthy family is one part or component. In that healthy family
all direct worldly relations should live together. And that is one
miniature form of society. In their happiness and sorrow they will move
collectively towards one goal-- Parama Purusa. On the basis of this Baba
made the following Caryacarya rule where every sadhaka has great
responsibility toward their parents.
Same way parents have very big responsibility for their children. They have
to care for the physical, mental, and spiritual care of their progeny and
nourish them to grow in all round way-- in three spheres. This is their
parental duty. Devoid of this, the relation will not be treated as ideal.
Especially for those parents who care only for only the physical aspect or
only physical and psychic development-- and do not care about spiritual
development of their progeny. Such parents cannot be treated as ideal
guardians of their children.
Unfortunately these days in the materialistic countries many guardians &
parents are not doing their proper duty towards their progeny. Nor are
their progeny feeling any motivation or obligation towards their parents or
family. Baba's above cited Caryacarya teaching is beyond their imagination.
So ultimately both progeny and parents reached to a silly compromise. They
decided this certain compromise "that at least once in a year we will
celebrate where one particular day is fixed of Father's Day and one for
Mother's Day". In this way their selfish interests became satisfied.
Because in true sense in the ideal society it is the regular duty of the
progeny to look after their parents, and certainly the parents are to look
after their progeny.
Now however people are obsessed with self-centered philosophy of
materialism. That is why they have forgotten their duties. Both sides
forget: parents and their progeny. As I say this is especially visible in
materialistic countries. There, children in their teenage years often leave
their house and their elderly parents in old age are leading a neglected life
away from their family. Because old fragile parents live in a retirement
center in a very frustrated and depressed way.
One side children are suffering and other side elders are suffering.
So this self-centered philosophy or capitalistic bent of mind created this
dogma and they feel satisfied that-- 'alright one day will be Father's Day
and one day will be Mother's Day. And then all my duty is over'.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace, we should all aim to live according to AM's tantric vision
where motherhood & fatherhood are honoured and respected based on deeply
respectful and intimate relation - one which is renewed every moment due to
ongoing love, care and commitment.
Only those who have a lesser degree of attachment and concern between
parent and child can embrace the yearly mother's day and father's day programs.
Namaskar,
Arati
Note 1: CAPITALISTS STARTED THE DOGMA
Many were also telling the idea that "Mother's Day" and "Father's Day" were
started because of the capitalists monopoly. Capitalists want to sell
their goods-- for one or another reason. And in capitalistic society,
psychic exploitation is done in a very indirect and cunning way.
Capitalists create the hunger in the customer's mind that "you need these
products". Even the most unnecessary items. And in response the innocent
public feels that "yes it is very essential for me to have those things. I
must purchase them". By this way capitalists empty the pockets of the
unassuming common people.
So the false holidays of Father's Day and Mother's Day are also just the
capitalists' selfish inventions in order to dupe the common public into
running out to the stores to buy more products-- i.e. commercially produced
items to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day.
Here then are Baba's guidelines from His Prout discourse about economy and
psycho-economy:
Baba says, "Capitalists exploit society through their gigantic propaganda
machinery, and create unhealthy, artificial demands which not only poison
the mind but encourage dangerous habits detrimental to psychic sanctity and
expansion." (PNS-12, p.19)
Such type of mentality is the cause of the invention of this relatively new
dogma, Father's Day and Mother's Day. Because in this way capitalists get a
huge benefit. And although it started in the western materialistic areas,
now it is spreading step by step around the globe and the third world
countries strive to emulate first-world states. So this capitalist diseased
venture is passing on to other places around the globe.
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Science Behind
Baba says, "As a result of practising a special type of Tantra, people
attain the yaks'in'ii siddhi. (Such people are known as yaks'in'ii siddhas
-- sa'dhakas who have attained a type of occult power.) These yaks'in'iis*
work under the instructions of the siddhas, and provided that some rules
and regulations are not violated, they abide by their instructions. Usually
the yaks'in'iis cannot be induced to perform any evil deed. They have no
influence in the supernatural and spiritual spheres -- their influence is
primarily exerted in the physical sphere and to some extent in the psychic
sphere. They follow the yaks'in'ii siddhas like a shadowy image, and very
often can be found moving on walls or inside rooms like black shadows."
"The system of performing sa'dhana' on various deities is not exactly the
same as this, but somewhat similar. Deities like shadowy figures also
become visible through this practice. Although this sa'dhana' is different
to some extent from the sa'dhana' of yaks'in'ii siddhi, the psychology in
both is the same. All the systems of Ka'lii siddhi, Durga' siddhi,
d'a'kinii siddhi, yaks'in'ii siddhi, etc., are different in practice, yet
they are similar theoretically."
(DT-2, p. 242 & 245)
Note: Yaksinii is something which has no bodily physical existence. Rather
it is just the play or expression of someone's kosa. Because when an avidya
tantrika achieves some control over their kosas, then they can make that
unnaturally reflect as an image in the form of a yaksinii. And with the
help of this yaksinii they can do various things. For example with these
siddhis sometimes they fetch materials from distant places, if that item is
available. But one should not be surprised that some ghost or "spirit" is
doing the work. Rather this is the work of an avidya tantrika's own mind as
they are projecting it outwardly. However after some time these avidya
tantrikas lose their power and ultimately get degenerated. Their faces
become sunken, black, and crooked like a witch or ghost. So this is one
horrible stage. After their demise they turn into iron or coal.
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