From: "Naval Sinha"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Those Who Think They Understand Fully - Don't
Date: Wed 10 October 2012 21:49:38
Baba
Namaskar,
Hindus think that brahamcarya means "celibacy", when in in our Ananda Marga it means ensconcing oneself in Godhood. That is the dharmic understanding as given by Baba. This type of example is not unique; there are countless such cases.
As we know, Ananda Marga philosophy has its own vocabulary: Words carry a pointed dharmic meaning given by Baba Himself which is different from the general understanding of the common public and the various religions.
For example, take the term avatar. Here are three different definitions:
1) The dogmatic Hindus believe that an avatar is a divine being that has descended from heaven onto earth.
2) Next, there is the pseudo-culture / video gaming definition of avatar, wherein an avatar is the creation of a character (as in a computer game) that represents and is manipulated by a computer user.
3) Finally in Ananda Marga, the term avatar refers to every created entity in this universe.
Baba says, "The fundamental stuff of the universe has emerged from Parama Purus'a; hence all objects, big and small, are the sambhu'tis of Parama Purus'a... When Parama Purus'a is manifested in some physical object, that physical object is called the avata'ra of Parama Purus'a." (Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10)
Thus the Ananda Marga definition of avatara is dramatically different from that of the dogmatic religions and pseudo-culture venues.
Now let's investigate another term: Tandava.
The Hindu community thinks that tandava means destruction. In Indian newspapers, if they are describing some village that caught fire wherein the houses burned to ashes, then they say that it was tandava of fire.
So Hindus commonly use it in this way: "Tandava depicts Shiva's violent nature as the destroyer of the universe."
The general Indian society also adheres to this meaning. Hence when destruction comes in the form of fire, the loss of blood, or an earthquake etc, then people use the term tandava, i.e. the tandava dance of destruction was going on.
But we know that this is not the true meaning of tandava.
In Ananda Marga, tandava is the name of one dynamic and tantric dance which Lord Shiva invented. All margiis practice this dance. So we use the term tandava in a very positive way: As one of the great gifts of Lord Shiva.
If in our Ananda Marga magazine or newspaper it is reported that margiis were doing tandava, it does not mean that margiis were killing, destroying or engaging in arson etc. Because for us tandava is something quite beneficial and positive. It is our duty to propagate this ideal to all.
Thus when we use the term tandava we should not use it as dogmatic Hindus do: They think that tandava means obliteration, destruction or disaster. Even in the newspapers, they will say that the dance of tandava of fire - or the first is dancing tandanva - happened if a huge blaze burned down an entire city.
As Ananda Margiis, we are not to be drawn in to such dogmatic ideas.
Unfortunately, in his book, "Mere Rahasyamay Baba" (2010, Hindi) - which translates as "My Mysterious Baba" - Dada Keshavanandji also uses the tandava term to mean destruction. When talking about the Emergency period during the 1970's, Dadaji uses tandava as a destructive force. He says things like: During the destruction of Emergency period, the dance of tandava was going on and everything was destroyed.
In this manner, Dadaji has drifted and adopted the dogmatic Hindu meaning of the term tandava. To be fair, Dadaji uses the tandava term twice in his book: one time properly (dharmic) and one time improperly (dogmatic). When describing the Emergency period, Dada uses the tandava term in that latter dogmatic way.
OTHER MISTAKES IN DADAJI'S BOOK
Throughout the book, there are numerous small mistakes and some really big errors as well. Perhaps the most problematic story is chapter 41 (p. 46 - 48) titled "Ramchij Do Bar Mara'", or "Ramchij Dies Twice". Someone should really come forward and correct this chapter / story. Bacause there Dadaji misunderstood Baba's view entirely. All in all, this book need to be updated and made proper. Once all the mistakes are corrected, it can be translated into various languages and shared with margiis around the globe. But first, all corrections should made done, checked, and re-checked. To publish a Baba story book that goes astray is not at all good.
As His PA (Personal Assistant), Dada Keshavanandji was given so much time with Baba. So Dadaji should recount some of his experiences - just we need to correct his errors and misundertandings so that all the words, terms, and stories properly reflect Baba's ideals. Each story should be focused, flawless, and not at all haphazard, murky, or misleading. Each story should give neatly reflect Baba's and teachings.
Namaskar,
Naval
Here Baba below Baba talks about the meaning of the tandava dance. By His explanation it is quite clear that the tandava dance is not about destruction but rather life itself.
Baba says, "Now the fundamentality, or rather the primordial phase of Oriental dance, is táńd́ava. It is not a very easy job either. The knees must cross the navel. When they cross the navel it is called Brahma táńd́ava. When they cross the anáhata [mid-point of the chest] it is called Viśńu táńd́ava. When they cross this portion [indicates the throat], it is called Rudra táńd́ava. It is very difficult to dance Rudra táńd́ava. It requires long practice.
That is why Lord Sadáshiva is known as Nat́arája. And when these boys [indicates them] were dancing, it was just like a picture of Nat́arája in táńd́ava mudrá. It is called táńd́ava; táńd́ava is a mudrá.
Why is it called táńd́ava? In Sanskrit tańd́ means “to jump”. Tańd́u means “of jumping habit”. Táńd́ava means “having the use of tańd́u, the use of jumping”. But jumping in the proper style, not in a disorderly manner. You should learn it properly in a disciplined way.
And táńd́ava represents life; you know Tantra is a cult of life, it is not a cult of death. For Tantra you should be strong physically, mentally and spiritually. First in the present tense; Lord Shiva says all your expressions, all your manifestations, must be based on the present tense. So this táńd́ava is the starting phase of Tantra.
This táńd́ava I said represents life, it represents vitality. There are so many forces that want to destroy you, so many forces forces that are inimical to you by nature. Say a snake – a snake is a born enemy. There are many such born enemies. As Tantra represents life, táńd́ava says that one’s spirit should be based on vitality, based on the principle of survival.
This human skull represents death. You are surrounded by death, but you must not be defeated, you must not develop the psychology of fear or defeatism. So the knife is with you to fight against death.(1) Yours is a fight for survival. In the daytime one may also use a snake to represent death – not an ordinary snake, but a venomous snake. In India our boys dance with a snake. But at nighttime neither a skull nor a snake will be visible. Here there is light, they will be visible, but in a burial ground, in a cremation ground, where there is darkness, a snake or skull will not be visible. There you may use fire to represent death.
This is the spirit of Tantra. To fight, to fight for survival. [[It is the normal wont of all living beings to fight for survival.]] It is normal life moving towards the supreme state of abnormality.
Lord Shiva started this táńd́ava dance." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - part 12)
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Those Who Think They Understand Fully - Don't
Date: Wed 10 October 2012 21:49:38
Baba
== THOSE WHO THINK THEY UNDERSTAND FULLY - DON'T ==
Namaskar,
Hindus think that brahamcarya means "celibacy", when in in our Ananda Marga it means ensconcing oneself in Godhood. That is the dharmic understanding as given by Baba. This type of example is not unique; there are countless such cases.
As we know, Ananda Marga philosophy has its own vocabulary: Words carry a pointed dharmic meaning given by Baba Himself which is different from the general understanding of the common public and the various religions.
THE TERM AVATAR
For example, take the term avatar. Here are three different definitions:
1) The dogmatic Hindus believe that an avatar is a divine being that has descended from heaven onto earth.
2) Next, there is the pseudo-culture / video gaming definition of avatar, wherein an avatar is the creation of a character (as in a computer game) that represents and is manipulated by a computer user.
3) Finally in Ananda Marga, the term avatar refers to every created entity in this universe.
Baba says, "The fundamental stuff of the universe has emerged from Parama Purus'a; hence all objects, big and small, are the sambhu'tis of Parama Purus'a... When Parama Purus'a is manifested in some physical object, that physical object is called the avata'ra of Parama Purus'a." (Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10)
Thus the Ananda Marga definition of avatara is dramatically different from that of the dogmatic religions and pseudo-culture venues.
ABOUT THE TERM TANDAVA
Now let's investigate another term: Tandava.
The Hindu community thinks that tandava means destruction. In Indian newspapers, if they are describing some village that caught fire wherein the houses burned to ashes, then they say that it was tandava of fire.
So Hindus commonly use it in this way: "Tandava depicts Shiva's violent nature as the destroyer of the universe."
The general Indian society also adheres to this meaning. Hence when destruction comes in the form of fire, the loss of blood, or an earthquake etc, then people use the term tandava, i.e. the tandava dance of destruction was going on.
But we know that this is not the true meaning of tandava.
In Ananda Marga, tandava is the name of one dynamic and tantric dance which Lord Shiva invented. All margiis practice this dance. So we use the term tandava in a very positive way: As one of the great gifts of Lord Shiva.
If in our Ananda Marga magazine or newspaper it is reported that margiis were doing tandava, it does not mean that margiis were killing, destroying or engaging in arson etc. Because for us tandava is something quite beneficial and positive. It is our duty to propagate this ideal to all.
Thus when we use the term tandava we should not use it as dogmatic Hindus do: They think that tandava means obliteration, destruction or disaster. Even in the newspapers, they will say that the dance of tandava of fire - or the first is dancing tandanva - happened if a huge blaze burned down an entire city.
As Ananda Margiis, we are not to be drawn in to such dogmatic ideas.
DADAJI'S BOOK
Unfortunately, in his book, "Mere Rahasyamay Baba" (2010, Hindi) - which translates as "My Mysterious Baba" - Dada Keshavanandji also uses the tandava term to mean destruction. When talking about the Emergency period during the 1970's, Dadaji uses tandava as a destructive force. He says things like: During the destruction of Emergency period, the dance of tandava was going on and everything was destroyed.
In this manner, Dadaji has drifted and adopted the dogmatic Hindu meaning of the term tandava. To be fair, Dadaji uses the tandava term twice in his book: one time properly (dharmic) and one time improperly (dogmatic). When describing the Emergency period, Dada uses the tandava term in that latter dogmatic way.
OTHER MISTAKES IN DADAJI'S BOOK
Throughout the book, there are numerous small mistakes and some really big errors as well. Perhaps the most problematic story is chapter 41 (p. 46 - 48) titled "Ramchij Do Bar Mara'", or "Ramchij Dies Twice". Someone should really come forward and correct this chapter / story. Bacause there Dadaji misunderstood Baba's view entirely. All in all, this book need to be updated and made proper. Once all the mistakes are corrected, it can be translated into various languages and shared with margiis around the globe. But first, all corrections should made done, checked, and re-checked. To publish a Baba story book that goes astray is not at all good.
BABA'S BLESSING
As His PA (Personal Assistant), Dada Keshavanandji was given so much time with Baba. So Dadaji should recount some of his experiences - just we need to correct his errors and misundertandings so that all the words, terms, and stories properly reflect Baba's ideals. Each story should be focused, flawless, and not at all haphazard, murky, or misleading. Each story should give neatly reflect Baba's and teachings.
Namaskar,
Naval
Note 1: ABOUT THE TANDAVA DANCE
Here Baba below Baba talks about the meaning of the tandava dance. By His explanation it is quite clear that the tandava dance is not about destruction but rather life itself.
Baba says, "Now the fundamentality, or rather the primordial phase of Oriental dance, is táńd́ava. It is not a very easy job either. The knees must cross the navel. When they cross the navel it is called Brahma táńd́ava. When they cross the anáhata [mid-point of the chest] it is called Viśńu táńd́ava. When they cross this portion [indicates the throat], it is called Rudra táńd́ava. It is very difficult to dance Rudra táńd́ava. It requires long practice.
That is why Lord Sadáshiva is known as Nat́arája. And when these boys [indicates them] were dancing, it was just like a picture of Nat́arája in táńd́ava mudrá. It is called táńd́ava; táńd́ava is a mudrá.
Why is it called táńd́ava? In Sanskrit tańd́ means “to jump”. Tańd́u means “of jumping habit”. Táńd́ava means “having the use of tańd́u, the use of jumping”. But jumping in the proper style, not in a disorderly manner. You should learn it properly in a disciplined way.
And táńd́ava represents life; you know Tantra is a cult of life, it is not a cult of death. For Tantra you should be strong physically, mentally and spiritually. First in the present tense; Lord Shiva says all your expressions, all your manifestations, must be based on the present tense. So this táńd́ava is the starting phase of Tantra.
This táńd́ava I said represents life, it represents vitality. There are so many forces that want to destroy you, so many forces forces that are inimical to you by nature. Say a snake – a snake is a born enemy. There are many such born enemies. As Tantra represents life, táńd́ava says that one’s spirit should be based on vitality, based on the principle of survival.
This human skull represents death. You are surrounded by death, but you must not be defeated, you must not develop the psychology of fear or defeatism. So the knife is with you to fight against death.(1) Yours is a fight for survival. In the daytime one may also use a snake to represent death – not an ordinary snake, but a venomous snake. In India our boys dance with a snake. But at nighttime neither a skull nor a snake will be visible. Here there is light, they will be visible, but in a burial ground, in a cremation ground, where there is darkness, a snake or skull will not be visible. There you may use fire to represent death.
This is the spirit of Tantra. To fight, to fight for survival. [[It is the normal wont of all living beings to fight for survival.]] It is normal life moving towards the supreme state of abnormality.
Lord Shiva started this táńd́ava dance." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - part 12)
PRABHAT SAMGIITA
"Ga'nera jharn'a' baye ya'ya, bela' abela' na'hi ma'ne..."
(P.S.#4868)
Purport:
Baba, O' my Dearmost, Your divine fountain of Prabhat Samgiita is flowing eternally, completely independent of the normal cycle of time. Your blissful songs flow according to their own schedule, according to their own routine - not caring about day or night, summer or winter. The divine flow and sweet melody of Your Prabhat Samgiita is dancing on the jagged path. They lead one towards that vast Cosmic Ocean - towards the fountain of effulgence, towards You Baba...
Purport:
Baba, O' my Dearmost, Your divine fountain of Prabhat Samgiita is flowing eternally, completely independent of the normal cycle of time. Your blissful songs flow according to their own schedule, according to their own routine - not caring about day or night, summer or winter. The divine flow and sweet melody of Your Prabhat Samgiita is dancing on the jagged path. They lead one towards that vast Cosmic Ocean - towards the fountain of effulgence, towards You Baba...
