Baba
Namaskar,
Here is one story from Dada Maheshvaranandji's collection. Please read it carefully and see whether it is proper or improper. Here the story begins:
Those who have not just got one touch from Baba but have sunk deep in the delight of His darshan have experienced a whole life of miracles.
Baba once said in a darshan in India that those people who are satisfied with feeling psychic oneness with Him attain Savikalpa Samadhi and that those who are not satisfied with this, and who want physical oneness with Him attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi (of a high order). One such great soul was Acarya Divyanandjii Avadhuta. He was fervently devoted to Baba. When Baba was poisoned, he worked very hard to fight for an investigation, but was unsuccessful.
Then he took the vow of self-immolation. He used to be always in samadhi and his whole body was red with bliss. He stopped taking food as he said that he did not want to take the food of this planet, which had treated Baba so heinously. As flames devoured his body, Divyanandji died in bliss, saying “Baba Ho! (O Baba!)”.
Later Baba commented about both Divyanandji and Dada Dineshvaranandji (the second person to commit self-immolation in protest against Baba’s imprisonment). Baba said that in front of others, He could not show anything but that when He was by Himself, He would weep for them. On another occasion, Baba commented that Divyanandji died in devotion and therefore felt no pain, but that Dineshvaranandjii died in emotion, and thus he had felt pain.
Please re-read this line from the above story:
People who are satisfied with feeling psychic oneness with Him attain Savikalpa Samadhi and that those who are not satisfied with this, and who want physical oneness with Him attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi (of a high order).
This is an outlandish idea that has nothing to do with the teachings of Ananda Marga and we will discuss this point in the near future. Kindly watch for future letters that address this false notion.
Clearly the above Baba story is false and inappropriate. While there are many problems with the store the key line from the story that I am addressing in this lettter is:
"Divyanandji died in devotion and therefore felt no pain, but that Dineshvaranandjii died in emotion, and thus he had felt pain."
The following comments are based on this above line.
1. Baba came out of jail in 1978 and then on 12 Feb 1979 in honour of Niilkantha Divas, Baba delivered a very descriptive general darshan and told the exact number of Wts who sacrifcied their life for the cause of dharma. In that count, Dada Dineshvaranandji was included. By this way, Baba clearly indicated that Dada Dineshvarananda was a devotee, so his death was not motivated by devotion, not emotion.
2. That is the proof that Dada Dineshvarananda's action was motivated by devotion.
3. In that way, we can say that Dada Dineshvaranandji was a devotee as his life is based on devotion; he was not an emoteee, i.e. one whose life is based on emotion.
4. The fundamental point and critical piece is identifying and understanding goal of the action. Once one knows the goal or motivating factor, one can easily determine if something was done out of devotion or emotion. If one is doing something in order to serve and please Parama Pursua then that is devotion. In contrast, if one is doing something for worldly gain, then that is emotion. If any Ananda Margii is doing anything for the organisation, Ista, or adarsha, then that action is devotionally motivated and inspired.
5. Ac Dineshvaranandji's entire purpose was to protest the atrocities done to Ista. That is why he performed self-immolation. Dadaji did this out of deep love and devotion for Ista, i.e. Baba. That was the motivating factor. So his action was grounded in devotion - not emotion. This was a devotionally inspired action. To say otherwise is hypocrisy.
6. Here is another key point. If anyone does anything based on emotion, then when any problem arises they leave the field etc, but Dada Dineshvaranandji was not like that. Dadaji sat in padmasana, poured the flammable oil over his body, lit a match, and put himself on fire. Dadaji did not move his body at all. Dada Dineshvaranandji did not move 1 inch; he sat there like an idol. In the end that burnt body just collapsed. An emotional person would have run around and cried for help once his body was on fire. But Dadaji sat there motionless. One can only do like this if they are goaded by devotion and keeping the mind fixed on Ista. Note: The whole episode was recorded on television by Mr. Lal and Patricia of Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).
7. Furthermore, just prior to performing this act of self-immolation, Dada Dineshvaranandji recorded his heartfelt feelings for Baba and explained that he was deeply pained and offended by the Indian Central government's mistreatment and harassment of Baba.
8. So the storyteller is spreading falsehood by claiming that Ac Dineshvaranandji's heroic act was not motivated by devotion. Such a claim is fundamentally wrong.
9. This above story is bogus and is narrated by someone who suffers from a groupist bias. The storyteller is clearly a member of one group and harbours ill will towards those not in his group fold. These two Dadas mentioned in the story - Ac Divyananda Avt & Ac Dineshvarananda Avt - come from two different linguistic backgrounds. The storyteller highlighted Ac Divyaanda Avt by stating Dadaji was motivated by devotion because Dada Divyanandji is from his own language background; whereas, the storyteller tore down Ac Dineshvarananda Avt by stating that Dadaji was motivated by emotion because Dada Dineshvarananda is from a different linguistic background. So it is a false accusation - goaded by a hate motive and linguistic sentiment - to state that Dada Dineshvaranandji was motivated by emotion.
10. The story is wrong and was altered due groupist dogma. The storyteller is himself affected by his own group & linguistic sentiment.
11. As we know, Baba's general darshan of 12 Feb 79 that discusses those who self-immolated is recorded. And that is the clear-cut proof that Dada Dineshvaranandji was motivated by devotion, because Baba Himself affirms this. So the storywriter did mischievous act by writing the story in this false and hurtful manner.
12. Blinded by his own narrow-mindedness, the storyteller could not portray the event in an honest, dharmic, and truthful manner. And it is shameful that Dada Maheshvaranandji included this in his collection of Baba stories.
As mentioned above, this below line from the story is also objectionable:
People who are satisfied with feeling psychic oneness with Him attain Savikalpa Samadhi and that those who are not satisfied with this, and who want physical oneness with Him attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi (of a high order).
This will be addressed in upcoming letters.
First and foremost one must ensure the Baba story is itself true. After carefully making this assessment, to write the story properly, one must have the (a) requisite devotion, (b) 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 may even be dogmatic, and will certainly be devoid of proper expression because of lack of literary skill. 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 devotion and is missing philosophical understanding, then that story will be as follows. It will be 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 be of use, i.e. if one has devotion then that literary skill is helpful to express that devotion and 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 understanding, then it can add beauty - otherwise not. Writing a story only with literary skill - without proper devotion and devoid of ideological value - is of no value 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 skill 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 will be 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.
Here following are the reasons why the above self-immolation story from Dada Maheshvaranandji's collection is bogus and false.
First and foremost, the story itself is not true. In addition, the account lacks any devotional feeling as it is based on deception and philosophically it is wrong and unideological.
Thus, when the story itself is false and lacks devotional expression and ideological integrity, then there is not need to even consider the literary style. Already we know the story is bogus.
"In order to give full expression to the continuous flow of humanity’s true nature, insight, power of expression and boldness – all three – are necessary. The creation of ideal literature is not possible for those who are always ready to yield to the pressures of the crowd. To manifest that svabháva, one will have to give a clarion call to the common people to struggle against the forces that want to suck dry their vitality. Those voices which lack such bold heroism will simply whine and whimper doggerels in the name of poetry – they will try to save themselves from the responsibility of reality by counting the stars in the heavens..."
"Many people have ideas which do not blossom due to lack of mastery over language. Those who have ideas must develop their power of expression through continued practice and effort, and those who possess the power of expression must make efforts to awaken their latent insight. The sáhityika must possess both expression and insight – if there is no iron, the touchstone is meaningless."
"By power of expression I do not mean merely individual skill with language; rather I mean the irresistible force of the mind and heart. If boldness and courage are lacking, the language will tend to move with diffident steps, with hesitant deliberation. Such timid language cannot express independent thinking due to the impacts of various factors: the prevalent social superstitions; the static bondages of the existing religions; the pressures of political philosophies; the false pride of communalism, provincialism and nationalism; and narrow-minded political ideas. Thwarted by these impacts, weak language either stops moving or expresses itself with extreme diffidence, following the policy of “Kill the snake, but save the stick also.” The root cause of this weakness lies in the cowardice of individuals and in blind attachment to the past. Sáhityikas have to assert themselves thunderingly, give a stirring call to the people and, setting aside all the garbage of impurities with a bold mind and strong arms, clear the path leading to human emancipation. They must be pioneers on the path to fulfilment."
"Here there may be a little confusion with regard to the dynamism of language. My exact meaning is that language, too, moves forward, keeping pace with the speed of thought. At times the language of those whose thoughts cannot freely move forward under the weight of ignorance or prevalent superstitions, is also very forceful and dynamic. Even the language of those who compose doggerels glorifying the greatness of a family, caste or pilgrimage, at times appears to be attractive and impressive. One can also write a thesis in powerful language on petty matters such as “A Sneeze”, “A House Lizard”, or, before preparing for a journey, on “Why It Is Best To Go North, Not East”; but I refuse to accept such language as truly dynamic language, for it bustles about within the iron railings of superstition and attachment to the past. It has speed but no movement. A deep analysis will show that for all its acrobatics, it has not moved even a step forward. Yoked to the millstone of superstition like the bullock at an oil mill, it may have proudly walked around the whole day covering more than fifty miles in brisk strides, but it could not move a step forward." (Prout in A Nutshell - 1, The Practice of Art and Literature)
When coming across any Baba story one must first look very carefully and assess its accuracy and veracity, otherwise people will get duped and misguided.
In the past, the teachings of Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna were lost due to such types of bogus stories. By this way, bad people spread their dogma by twisting the story due to their selfish agenda. In the end, simple and innocent people get confused and spread the story as being accurate and true. Such persons naively become the couriers of dogma. In that case, Guru's original teachings are lost and the false and bogus story lives on.
We must not forget that this story was collected and circulated by Dada Maheshvaranandji. We have to be careful because this Dada circulates some good stories, but many bad ones also. It is just like how a person serves good food but also on many occaions serves bad and poisonous food that is contaminated and causes hepatitis. We should be careful of this type gift. First, it should be sent to the lab so it can be tested. Similarly, the food that Dada Maheshvaranandji is serving is also bad and needs to be sent to the lab for testing.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Vijaya Deva
== EXAMPLE OF FALSE BABA STORY ==
Namaskar,
Here is one story from Dada Maheshvaranandji's collection. Please read it carefully and see whether it is proper or improper. Here the story begins:
Those who have not just got one touch from Baba but have sunk deep in the delight of His darshan have experienced a whole life of miracles.
Baba once said in a darshan in India that those people who are satisfied with feeling psychic oneness with Him attain Savikalpa Samadhi and that those who are not satisfied with this, and who want physical oneness with Him attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi (of a high order). One such great soul was Acarya Divyanandjii Avadhuta. He was fervently devoted to Baba. When Baba was poisoned, he worked very hard to fight for an investigation, but was unsuccessful.
Then he took the vow of self-immolation. He used to be always in samadhi and his whole body was red with bliss. He stopped taking food as he said that he did not want to take the food of this planet, which had treated Baba so heinously. As flames devoured his body, Divyanandji died in bliss, saying “Baba Ho! (O Baba!)”.
Later Baba commented about both Divyanandji and Dada Dineshvaranandji (the second person to commit self-immolation in protest against Baba’s imprisonment). Baba said that in front of others, He could not show anything but that when He was by Himself, He would weep for them. On another occasion, Baba commented that Divyanandji died in devotion and therefore felt no pain, but that Dineshvaranandjii died in emotion, and thus he had felt pain.
OUTLANDISH IDEA
Please re-read this line from the above story:
People who are satisfied with feeling psychic oneness with Him attain Savikalpa Samadhi and that those who are not satisfied with this, and who want physical oneness with Him attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi (of a high order).
This is an outlandish idea that has nothing to do with the teachings of Ananda Marga and we will discuss this point in the near future. Kindly watch for future letters that address this false notion.
MAIN THEME OF THIS LETTER:
MOTIVATED BY DEVOTION NOT EMOTION
MOTIVATED BY DEVOTION NOT EMOTION
Clearly the above Baba story is false and inappropriate. While there are many problems with the store the key line from the story that I am addressing in this lettter is:
"Divyanandji died in devotion and therefore felt no pain, but that Dineshvaranandjii died in emotion, and thus he had felt pain."
The following comments are based on this above line.
1. Baba came out of jail in 1978 and then on 12 Feb 1979 in honour of Niilkantha Divas, Baba delivered a very descriptive general darshan and told the exact number of Wts who sacrifcied their life for the cause of dharma. In that count, Dada Dineshvaranandji was included. By this way, Baba clearly indicated that Dada Dineshvarananda was a devotee, so his death was not motivated by devotion, not emotion.
2. That is the proof that Dada Dineshvarananda's action was motivated by devotion.
3. In that way, we can say that Dada Dineshvaranandji was a devotee as his life is based on devotion; he was not an emoteee, i.e. one whose life is based on emotion.
4. The fundamental point and critical piece is identifying and understanding goal of the action. Once one knows the goal or motivating factor, one can easily determine if something was done out of devotion or emotion. If one is doing something in order to serve and please Parama Pursua then that is devotion. In contrast, if one is doing something for worldly gain, then that is emotion. If any Ananda Margii is doing anything for the organisation, Ista, or adarsha, then that action is devotionally motivated and inspired.
5. Ac Dineshvaranandji's entire purpose was to protest the atrocities done to Ista. That is why he performed self-immolation. Dadaji did this out of deep love and devotion for Ista, i.e. Baba. That was the motivating factor. So his action was grounded in devotion - not emotion. This was a devotionally inspired action. To say otherwise is hypocrisy.
6. Here is another key point. If anyone does anything based on emotion, then when any problem arises they leave the field etc, but Dada Dineshvaranandji was not like that. Dadaji sat in padmasana, poured the flammable oil over his body, lit a match, and put himself on fire. Dadaji did not move his body at all. Dada Dineshvaranandji did not move 1 inch; he sat there like an idol. In the end that burnt body just collapsed. An emotional person would have run around and cried for help once his body was on fire. But Dadaji sat there motionless. One can only do like this if they are goaded by devotion and keeping the mind fixed on Ista. Note: The whole episode was recorded on television by Mr. Lal and Patricia of Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).
7. Furthermore, just prior to performing this act of self-immolation, Dada Dineshvaranandji recorded his heartfelt feelings for Baba and explained that he was deeply pained and offended by the Indian Central government's mistreatment and harassment of Baba.
8. So the storyteller is spreading falsehood by claiming that Ac Dineshvaranandji's heroic act was not motivated by devotion. Such a claim is fundamentally wrong.
9. This above story is bogus and is narrated by someone who suffers from a groupist bias. The storyteller is clearly a member of one group and harbours ill will towards those not in his group fold. These two Dadas mentioned in the story - Ac Divyananda Avt & Ac Dineshvarananda Avt - come from two different linguistic backgrounds. The storyteller highlighted Ac Divyaanda Avt by stating Dadaji was motivated by devotion because Dada Divyanandji is from his own language background; whereas, the storyteller tore down Ac Dineshvarananda Avt by stating that Dadaji was motivated by emotion because Dada Dineshvarananda is from a different linguistic background. So it is a false accusation - goaded by a hate motive and linguistic sentiment - to state that Dada Dineshvaranandji was motivated by emotion.
10. The story is wrong and was altered due groupist dogma. The storyteller is himself affected by his own group & linguistic sentiment.
11. As we know, Baba's general darshan of 12 Feb 79 that discusses those who self-immolated is recorded. And that is the clear-cut proof that Dada Dineshvaranandji was motivated by devotion, because Baba Himself affirms this. So the storywriter did mischievous act by writing the story in this false and hurtful manner.
12. Blinded by his own narrow-mindedness, the storyteller could not portray the event in an honest, dharmic, and truthful manner. And it is shameful that Dada Maheshvaranandji included this in his collection of Baba stories.
POINT TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE
As mentioned above, this below line from the story is also objectionable:
People who are satisfied with feeling psychic oneness with Him attain Savikalpa Samadhi and that those who are not satisfied with this, and who want physical oneness with Him attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi (of a high order).
This will be addressed in upcoming letters.
WHAT IS NEEDED TO WRITE A PROPER BABA STORY
First and foremost one must ensure the Baba story is itself true. After carefully making this assessment, to write the story properly, one must have the (a) requisite devotion, (b) 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 may even be dogmatic, and will certainly be devoid of proper expression because of lack of literary skill. 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 devotion and is missing philosophical understanding, then that story will be as follows. It will be 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 be of use, i.e. if one has devotion then that literary skill is helpful to express that devotion and 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 understanding, then it can add beauty - otherwise not. Writing a story only with literary skill - without proper devotion and devoid of ideological value - is of no value 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 skill 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 will be 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.
IN REVIEW
Here following are the reasons why the above self-immolation story from Dada Maheshvaranandji's collection is bogus and false.
First and foremost, the story itself is not true. In addition, the account lacks any devotional feeling as it is based on deception and philosophically it is wrong and unideological.
Thus, when the story itself is false and lacks devotional expression and ideological integrity, then there is not need to even consider the literary style. Already we know the story is bogus.
BABA'S TEACHING FROM ART & LITERATURE
"In order to give full expression to the continuous flow of humanity’s true nature, insight, power of expression and boldness – all three – are necessary. The creation of ideal literature is not possible for those who are always ready to yield to the pressures of the crowd. To manifest that svabháva, one will have to give a clarion call to the common people to struggle against the forces that want to suck dry their vitality. Those voices which lack such bold heroism will simply whine and whimper doggerels in the name of poetry – they will try to save themselves from the responsibility of reality by counting the stars in the heavens..."
"Many people have ideas which do not blossom due to lack of mastery over language. Those who have ideas must develop their power of expression through continued practice and effort, and those who possess the power of expression must make efforts to awaken their latent insight. The sáhityika must possess both expression and insight – if there is no iron, the touchstone is meaningless."
"By power of expression I do not mean merely individual skill with language; rather I mean the irresistible force of the mind and heart. If boldness and courage are lacking, the language will tend to move with diffident steps, with hesitant deliberation. Such timid language cannot express independent thinking due to the impacts of various factors: the prevalent social superstitions; the static bondages of the existing religions; the pressures of political philosophies; the false pride of communalism, provincialism and nationalism; and narrow-minded political ideas. Thwarted by these impacts, weak language either stops moving or expresses itself with extreme diffidence, following the policy of “Kill the snake, but save the stick also.” The root cause of this weakness lies in the cowardice of individuals and in blind attachment to the past. Sáhityikas have to assert themselves thunderingly, give a stirring call to the people and, setting aside all the garbage of impurities with a bold mind and strong arms, clear the path leading to human emancipation. They must be pioneers on the path to fulfilment."
"Here there may be a little confusion with regard to the dynamism of language. My exact meaning is that language, too, moves forward, keeping pace with the speed of thought. At times the language of those whose thoughts cannot freely move forward under the weight of ignorance or prevalent superstitions, is also very forceful and dynamic. Even the language of those who compose doggerels glorifying the greatness of a family, caste or pilgrimage, at times appears to be attractive and impressive. One can also write a thesis in powerful language on petty matters such as “A Sneeze”, “A House Lizard”, or, before preparing for a journey, on “Why It Is Best To Go North, Not East”; but I refuse to accept such language as truly dynamic language, for it bustles about within the iron railings of superstition and attachment to the past. It has speed but no movement. A deep analysis will show that for all its acrobatics, it has not moved even a step forward. Yoked to the millstone of superstition like the bullock at an oil mill, it may have proudly walked around the whole day covering more than fifty miles in brisk strides, but it could not move a step forward." (Prout in A Nutshell - 1, The Practice of Art and Literature)
DEVOTIONAL STORIES ARE BEST WAY FOR BAD PEOPLE TO SPREAD THEIR DOGMA
When coming across any Baba story one must first look very carefully and assess its accuracy and veracity, otherwise people will get duped and misguided.
In the past, the teachings of Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna were lost due to such types of bogus stories. By this way, bad people spread their dogma by twisting the story due to their selfish agenda. In the end, simple and innocent people get confused and spread the story as being accurate and true. Such persons naively become the couriers of dogma. In that case, Guru's original teachings are lost and the false and bogus story lives on.
ABOUT THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY
We must not forget that this story was collected and circulated by Dada Maheshvaranandji. We have to be careful because this Dada circulates some good stories, but many bad ones also. It is just like how a person serves good food but also on many occaions serves bad and poisonous food that is contaminated and causes hepatitis. We should be careful of this type gift. First, it should be sent to the lab so it can be tested. Similarly, the food that Dada Maheshvaranandji is serving is also bad and needs to be sent to the lab for testing.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Vijaya Deva
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