Monday, January 29, 2007

Why Do SRCM Abhyasis Reflect Arrogance and Ego?


Why do SRCM abhyasis reflect arrogance and ego?


This is short comment by Christian, Phd, and research psychologist on Elodie's blog, translated with Google Translate.


Elodie's blog with comments by Christian to article:
Jan 28, 2007 "Une premiere circulaire de Tiruppur"


To return to what Babuji says about the "ego" in a post-hoc comment in his journal. (Part I Volume 1):

“page 56

p56 - Comment added by Babuji to his journal entry of the 17th January 1929 (autobiography commented on publication?)

"The ego gives you strength for all the work. It points out to you that you have got the power to do a certain thing. But we identify ego with the body, instead of with the soul. It is the production of God which you cannot annihilate. You should modify it."

I think that we have THE answer to the question that everyone is asking about “spiritually advanced” persons who adopt a pathologically egotistical stance, to egoist and to egocentric persons. If the traditional ego (of a person not practising spirituality) is centered on the body and the ego of a spiritual candidate is centered on the heart, it may be also that the ego - as for example that of an abhyasi of SRCMtm - is centered on the navel (metaphor) , i.e. neither the body nor the heart, but the "individuality".

It was the thesis which I defended initially on SRCMVEROLEE (Christian's old blog), while detailing why the (SRCMtm) practices led people to be centered on themselves instead of being centered on the divine one.

It becomes completely possible to obtain the kind of monstrosity which we could all observe in SRCMtm, and nothing any prevents such an ego from hypertrophying when the practices are not directed correctly. For ME it is a small sentence which brings much sense to what I observed in the others and in ME. Which means that this obsession of the abhyasis, the prefects (preceptors) and Chari on the ego is completely inadequate.

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Friday, January 26, 2007

Lalaji and His Many Successors

Lalaji and its multiple successors

From http://pourquevivelesahajmarg.blogspot.com/

Here a non-exhaustive list of personalities and organizations which contributed to diffuse the teaching of Lalaji and its Sufi Master Hujur Maharaj, drawn up by Alexis as well as extracts of Babuji's autobiography selected by Christian on his (Babuji's) name, his bonds with Islam and his definition of the "ego".

Thank you for your research!

I. Ramashram Satsang

My summary is based on Internet sites
www.ramashramsatsang.org
www.ramashramsatsang-mathura.com
www.ramashram.com.

All three declare that their founder was Dr. Chaturbhuj and that the current Master is his son Hemendra KUMAR ji.

I point out that according to NaqshMuMRa Nexus, there are other Ramashram Satsang's in Sikandarabad (with Shrikrishna Lal), Gazhiabad, Shyam Nagar or Jaipur (with Thakur Singh Ji). What follows relates only to Ramashram Satsang, Mathura.

One day (unknown date), Lalaji transmitted divine knowledge and the tool of sadhana to Dr. Chaturbhuj Sahai Ji (1883-1957). Lalaji charged him with the task of contributing to diffuse it in 1919. This is why Dr. Chaturbhuj created Ramashram Satsang in 1923 in Etah, then moved in 1951 in Mathura (Uttar Pradesh - India). It based its system of meditation on the teaching of this new sadhana, called “Naveen Sadhana” by Lalaji. In its principle, it places the responsibility entirely on the guru and not on his disciples. The guru will allow the spiritual elevation of the disciple thanks to his own spiritual power. From his heart the divine capacity in the form of light to the heart of the disciple will emanate by erasing the impurities there at the same time. That does not demand any conscious effort on the part of the disciple. The only thing which is required of him/her is to come into daily contact with his/her guru by the means of the meditation (dhyan).

In practice, this must take place in the morning, the evening and before sleeping by concentrating the will on heart chakra (“will heart-chakra”). The message of Lalaji is summarized in 8 points on ramashram.com:

- Prayer is the food of the human spirit
- To constantly feel the presence (of the Guru or God) and in all the situations constitutes true knowledge
- To be happy in any situation is the quintessence of the duty of the human being
- Don’t hurt anyone. Keep heart clean of desireshurt anyone. To maintain its heart with the shelter of the desires
- To avoid the company of the unbelievers
- It does not have a reason there to posture. Our objective is that our Guru or God remains happy and to live according to its will
- Strive towards selfless service for all humankind and avoid taking help from others
- Pray - God, please fill me up with your devotion

From the point of view of the origins of this method, things are more confused. Huzur Maharaj, a great Moslem Sufi saint, would have taught these techniques to Lalaji by saying to him that they came from the Hindus who had forgotten them: “Come to me. I shall teach you spirituality. It belonged to Hindus but they have it no more.”

This teaching modified by Lalaji would come from a practice preached by the Bhagvat Geeta, using the techniques of Patanjali, as well as the lessons of Kabir and Guru Nanak Devji. The bibliography recommended is a book of Dr. Chaturbhuj “Yog Philosophy and Naveen Sadhana” - Sadhan Press (Dampier Nagar, Mathura - 281001 - UP - India)

They created a newsgroup on: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ramashramsatsang/

One thus finds the various influences listed by Madeleine (on Elodie's Blog: http://pourquevivelesahajmarg.blogspot.com/, an Indian Sufism which seized upon old hindu practices (yoga of Patanjali, Kabir, himself inspired by Islam, and Sant Mat, radhasoami or other (Nanak Dev. Ji and once again Kabir, Sikhism).

Dr. Chaturbhuj does not claim to be the only representative of Lalaji, he contributes to the spreading of his (Lalaji's) teaching… him among others. What it does not say to us is: does the meditation make it possible to the disciples to go in the “central area”? But I do not know myself what it (the central region) is or what that can resemble. The spiritual researchers that visit are may perhaps be able to enlighten me a little… Otherwise, one finds the majority of the elements present in Babuji's Sahaj Marg: meditation centered on the heart, cleansing of impurities, constant remembrance, devotion, etc

Differences: the responsibility of the guru, the absence of conscious effort of the disciple apart from the practice of the meditation.

II. Thakur Saheb Shri RAM Singh Ji and Ramashram Sansthan

Gathered starting from the data resulting from the website of Mr. Arvind Jolly, metallurgist engineer and son of a disciple of Thakur Saheb (http://members.tripod.com/arvind_jolly/
one can contact him directly via: arvindjolly@hotmail.com
and of the data resulting from the website of RK Gupta, apparently very related to Dr. Chandra Gupta, himself a disciple of Radha Mohan Lalji (nephew of Lalaji) and of Thakur RAM Singh ji (http://sufism.weebly.com/) one can contact him via rkgupta51@yahoo.com

Sufisms and Santmat are two currents of Islam and Hinduism which rest on the same guiding principles. Fazal Ahmed Khan Saheb (Hujur Maharaj), a great Sufi mystic, decided to break the barriers between these two currents by naming a Hindu to succeed to him, Mahatma Ramchandra Ji (Lala Ji). This new current is called Ramashram, to which one adds a suffix according to regional branches' in India and elsewhere. It takes its roots in the Sufi order of Naqshbandiyya, but according to Hujur Maharaj, the Sufism comes from the former Hindu mystics. The loop is thus buckled. More especially as Ramashram reinstated the Santmat current (or bhaktimat). Lalaji, like Hujur, his Master, reacted strongly vis-a-vis the attitude of people who were using religion to divide. They on the contrary worked for the humanitarian idea of a wisdom and a spirituality which unites humanity without any barrier. Ramashram Sansthan, located at Fatehgarh (UP - India), is the umbrella organization which groups all the ramifications in India.

Ramashram Satsang, Jaipur is a group which followed the teaching of Thakur Saheb Shri RAM Singh Ji. It is currently directed by his son Shri Narayan Singh who made the choice to use the method of the great yogi, Aurobindo.

Thakur Saheb Shri RAM Singh Ji (1898-1971) was a great disciple of Lalaji, a saint in the lineage of the Sufism and Santmat in India. “Samarpan (let-go) and Yaad (remembrance) are the driving force of his teachings”. In the lineage of the Naqshbandiyya Sufi Order, the transmission of knowledge is carried out "heart to heart". It travels from the heart of the Master into the heart of the disciple through his love and his devotion for the Master and grows with the practice, provided the disciple transcends his ego.

According to NaqshMuMRa Nexus, Thakur RAM Singh ji is not part of the 9 “preceptors” of Lalaji. Ramashram Satsang, Sansthan did not reside in Fatehgarh but in Raipur. One thus does not know which organization “Ramashram” covered under its umbrella of all the other branches of Ramashram. This is NaqshMuMRa which would be called Ramashram Sansthan by Arvind Jolly? In all cases, there are strong bonds between Radha Mohan Lalji and Thakur RAM Singh ji.

For Elodie, one is still into a succession between father and son. The accent is strongly placed on the will of the founders to overcome the religious barriers of the time, which takes us in the direction of which I spoke a few days ago, ie. of the context of inter-religious violences. But that also largely exceeds this accent, because Arvind Jolly presents them as wanting to create something which synthesizes these religions, while giving them up.

III. The Sufi lines resulting from Lalaji: Ramchandriyya (NaqshMuMRa) and Na' imiyya

1 NaqshMuMRa Nexus

The data come from the website http://laalaajinilayam.googlepages.com/
created by Himanshu Vikram.

According to his blog http://laalaajinilayam.blogspot.com/, he seems to be the son of Dinesh KUMAR Saxena and thus Lalaji's great grandson. He and his father and know Chariji well. One can contact them via laalaajinilayam@gmail.com or adhyatmadhara@gmail.com. the address of Dinesh KUMAR Saxena is:

Laalaaji Nilayam -
45 Mahatma Shri RAM Chandra Marg -
Talaiya Lane, FATEHGARH, District-
FARRUKHABAD, (U.P) 209.601
INDIA - Mobile: +91 9451970632.

NaqshMuMRa is the abbreviation of Naqshbandiya Mujaddadia Mazahariya Ramchandriya, a new branch of the Naqshbandiyya Sufi Order from Mahatma Ramchandra (Laalaaji Maharaj) and created by his son Mahatma Jagmohan Narain (1901-1944).

In this branch, Hujur Maharaj (1857-1907) figures in the 34th position of the "Golden Delicious Chain", Lalaji is 36th. His brother, Raghubal Dayal called Chachchaji (1875-1947) succeeds him, then his son Jagmohan Narain (1901-44) then his grandsons Akhilesh KUMAR (1941-74) and finally Dinesh KUMAR Saxena, born in 1944. On October 23, 1930, Lalaji addressed a letter to Jagmohan's son and indicated him to succeed to him, the genetic lineage being stronger than the line by adhesion, which requires more exercise and practice.

Failing this, Brijmohan Lal, his nephew could have filled the position (line by adhesion). Lalaji pushed them to cooperate both. According to NaqshMuMRa Nexus, Lalaji had 212 disciples only and named 9 “functionaries” (preceptors?).

They quote 8 institutions which were established to spread the teaching of Lalaji, one of which is the SRCM of Shajahanpur (of which the head office is in Chennai), 5 Ramashram Satsang (Mathura, Sikandrabad, Ghaziabad, Shyam Nagar and Sansthan with Jaipur), Sant Bhawani Shankar Satsanj Aashram Orai and Akhil Bhartiya Santmat Satsang Anangpur.

Lalaji met his Master, the great Sufi saint Hazarat Fazal Ahmad Khan Sahib Raipuri, in 1891 and spent 16 years in his company. This one gave him full powers on October 11, 1896 but he began his teaching in 1911, after he had assimilated the best of various religions and had founded a new method. This one makes possible the realization of God for all without giving up family life and in a short period of time, thanks to the Master who accompanies them. His teaching also brought a social and spiritual regeneration. He could raise his disciples up to the highest states (the central area) with his will. It was a pillar of Santmat (Sufism beyond the religion).

Its teaching in 7 points:
1. Engage your coil in practice of listening to every heartbeat, super imposing there with the nomenclature of the Lord (AJAPA JAP).
2. Pure Keep your heart, away from the corrupting influence of undesirable things and undesirable company.
3. Always keep attuned to the Lord; your attention should never for has moment deviating there from.
4. Concentrate your attention one the heart and keep your heart centered in the Lord.
5. Endeavor to attain kin-ship and attachment to the Eternal truth, the Lord of Universe.
6. Gradually erase the identity of coil, try to merge in, and attain oneness with God.
7. Large sacrifice life in the endeavor.

Lalaji wrote also much:

1. Tattwa Probodhini,
2. Shri RAM Sandesh,
3. Quamal-e-insani,
4. Praveshika Santmat Satsang
5.Vedant Saagar,
6. Satsangion ke Kartavya,
7. Ramayan ki Roohani Tashrieh- Baal Kaand and Aranya kaand,
8. Raamaayan ki roohaani tashrieh- Uttar kaand,
9. Santmat Darshan

2 Na' imiyya

In his book “Changes and continuity in Indian Sufism”, Thomas Dähnhardt introduces another branch of Na' imiyya Sufi order, which seems to have assigned successorship upon Brijmohan Lal of Kanpur from Lalaji of Fatehgarh.

IV. Akhil Bhartiya Santmat Satsang (ABSS):

www.abssatsang.org
Head Office: B-20, D.C. Colony,
Delhi-110 007. (India) - Ashram:
Pure Anang village (Distt. Faridabad) Haryana.
e-mail: info@abssatsang.org

ABSS with Anangpur appears also in the list drawn up by NaqshMuMRa Nexus of the institutions which succeeded Lalaji.

ABSS was created in Anangpur in 1969 by Param Pujya Param Sant Mahatma Shri Yashpal Ji, often named Pujya Bhai Sahab ji (1918 -?).

This movement finds its origins through Maulana Fazal Ahmed Sahib Kuddusuruh Naqshbandia (Maulana Sahib), of PSM Lalaji Maharaj and his brother PSM Raghuvar Dayal (Chachcha Ji: 1875-1947) and the son of the latter: Brijmohan Lalji or Dadda Ji (1898-1955) who initiated Shri Yashpal Ji.

Bhai Sahib ji synthesized their lesson in what he names “Anand Yoga” and which is diffused by his organization “Akhil Bhartiya Santmat Satsang”. It attaches its origin to the adiguru Maharshi Ashtabakra which would have initiated the celebrated king Janak (known as Videh) in Brahma Vidya during the vedic period (several centuries before the Christian era), a method which would have also passed to the Sufis while the Hindus forgot it. The method is based on Sadhana of Iti Marg where the meditation must be carried out while thinking of the name of God.

Institutions linked to ABSS :

* The Anangpur Ashram
* Saint Brijmohan Lal Secondary School, Anangpur (Faridabad)
* Saint Brijmohan Lal Charitable Dispensary, Anangpur Ashram (Faridabad)
* Saint Yashpal Charitable Hospital, Nagpur
* Saint Yashpal Institute of Computer Technology, Anangpur (Faridabad)
* Sadhna Shila, Jabalpur V.

Exerpts from "The autobiography of Ram Chandra", vol I, 1899-1932, SRCM Shahjahanpur, oct. 1980, 2nd edition

This is not taken from the new release of Babuji's Autobiography edited by Babuji's son.

Three topics:

1) Babuji's name
2) Babuji's spiritual training with Muslims
3) Babuji and ego

1) Babuji's name

page 1

"My father was Rai Bahadur Sri Badri Prasad, Honorary Special Magistrate I Class." I don't know if it helps for determining if Babuji changed his name.

page 13

Babuji meets his master Lalaji on the 3rd June 1922 for the first time. He adds:

"After coming back from my Master, I continued the practice, but not so deeply as I had to appear in the Matric and SSLC examination."

He had to pass this examination before starting to work. He got hired at the Court of Shahjahanpur on the 12th January 1925, therefore after meeting his Master. So, the precision that was given to me by the ISRC preceptor is wrong (my previous message on Elodie's blog, stating that Babuji met his master after starting his work at the Court, implying that he could not have changed his name for administrative reasons due to his work for the government).

page 14

(I) "retired as Record Keeper in 1956. My Master, who served in the Collectorate of Fatehgarh, also retired as Record Keeper."

Babuji seems to emphasize the similarity between him and his master as something important.

A cause for his choice of this job?
A cause for changing his name?

2) Babuji's spiritual training and Muslims-

page 36 - 5th April 1928

"Dreamt in the night that I visited the holy shrine of Prophet Mohammad in Mecca. There I felt vibration at a point above the Trikuti or Cavernous Plexus and also a force of the same kind which had its link with the head."

Why is Babuji dreaming of the Prophet and traveling to Mecca?

page 73 - 15th August 1929

"There, a great Muslim divine was present along with another Saint and a personage. I did not recognize that personage. The great Muslim divine asked that personage to inspect my backbone. So my shirt was removed and the inspection was made. He seemed to be pleased with me. He remarked that the condition was very good, and there was some hint regarding the emotion of love which I bore for my Guru. He directed me to request the Mahatmaji Maharaj to pay special attention and to give special instruction to my humble self. I intimated Revered Lalaji Saheb accordingly. He also asked me to keep him informed regarding my condition. What he meant at that time seemed to me as if my humble self had been ordered by him to look towards him also."

Why is Babuji dreaming of a Muslim Saint? Who is this Saint? Is it Lalaji's Master? This Saint is acting as if he was also supervising Babuji's spiritual training. It is a dream.


3) Babuji and ego

page 56

Comment added by Babuji to his journal entry of the 17th January 1929 (autobiography commented on publication?)

"The ego gives you strength for all the work. It points out to you that you have got the power to do a certain thing. But we identify ego with the body, instead of with the soul. It is the production of God which you cannot annihilate. You should modify it."

Good to read that from Babuji himslef. Chari's SRCM has produced an obnubilation against the ego to such an extent that Chari's abhyasis simply lose the important focus. Ego is not something to destroy - obviously - but something to use to reach the goal. Chari's SRCM is misconceiving this spiritual aspect of the human system, therefore misleading people. The ego is a spiritual entity, the "production of God which you cannot annihilate".

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Historical Conclusions of a ex-abhyasi on the SRCM(tm) Sufi past

Historical Conclusions of a ex-abhyasi on the SRCM(tm) Sufi past

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The contribution of Madeleine, a 20 year ex-abhyasis (since 3 years) of SRCM™

Translated by 4d-don using: Google Translate from Elodie's blog: http://pourquevivelesahajmarg.blogspot.com/2007/01/la-contribution-de-madeleine.html



During the years of our permanence in the SRCM, and still at the time of Babuji, some among us knew already about the existence, in the north of India, of 5 or 6 groups of disciples or descendants of disciples of Lalaji, who had gone on their own way, without having recognized Babuji as the successor of Lalaji.

We also knew, from Babuji’s autobiography that somebody had tried to put sticks in his wheels , even to the point of attempting to put an end to his days (on earth).

At that time, we were satisfied with the path which we followed and we were not curious to know more. Moreover, the environment which reigned within the mission, consisted of a significant "self-satisfaction": we were the only ones to benefit from the transmission (!), our Master was of such a level that no other being of that level would be reincarnated again for more than a few thousands of years (!), probably, He was the Special Personality (?), without mentionning the possibility of eventually becoming a preceptor (!).

And thus, these disciples of Lalaji who had not recognized Babuji, which, for us was the single legitimate successor, were seen at best, with commiseration and sufficiency. As Christian would say, we belonged to the "stupid arrogant"!

A few years later, especially after 99 and particularly after the centenary of the birth of Babuji, we started to not find anymore what we had always sought, i.e. that we feel that the access road to the Ultimate, towards the Divine One was not open any more, and considering the type of horizontal material expansion that the mission developed, we started to try to include/understand a little more the origins of Sahaj Marg, with an aim of finding another way which could be appropriate for us, hoping that there was still a movement with the same origin, in which spirituality would be still alive.

At the time of this research, one of the first elements which retained our attention was a film (or rather 2 films) of Arnaud Desjardin, filmed in 1973 in Afghanistan and titled: "Sufis of Afghanistan Master and Disciple" and "In the Middle of the Brothers" (Alize Prduction).

Upon seeing these 2 films, we could note that they also used a transmission and that they worked with the same points in the area of the heart as in Sahaj Marg, that they had sittings and the analogy was really obvious.

I wrote to Arnaud Desjardin so as to find out more on these Masters. He answered me that, unfortunately, the majority of them had disappeared, died or became fugitives, with the Soviet invasion.

After which, I went (literally) in search of a book of which I had had some indications and who would have proven what I thought on the Sufi origin of Sahaj Marg. This book is: "Lakshvedhi Genealogy", the genealogical chronology of the saints, before and after Mahatma Ram Chandraji Maharaj de Fatehgarh (Lalaji), in the order of Naqshbandia Mujaddidia, written by B.B Basuk (first edition in Hindi in 1973, third English edition in 1985).

I noted thereafter that Dahnhardt had inserted it in the bibliography of his book.

Here is some information drawn from this book, with the benefit of the doubt, of course, because Indian research and the "exposes" are often not very clear already, only by the simple fact that they often allot to a same person, several different names…:

first point: the Sufi origin the sahaj marg was confirmed there. Basuk declares that in 1984, he had been invited to Madras of April 29 to May 1 for the 85th birthday of Babuji and that he had contacts with abhyasis and preceptors of the mission. Therefore, in the SRCM, one knew him, and some undoubtedly knew of his research!

Another point: With the death of Lalaji, Babuji would have continued to attend very often the satsang of Shri Chaturbhuj Sahaj in Matura and that of Shri Krishna Lal in Sikanderabad, these two being apparently two of the legitimate representatives (successors) of Lalaji (heir). (Krishna Lal would have been named successor of Lalaji in 1921, therefore 10 years before his death) –

Last point: this information, for the first time, put to us in front of the fact, for us difficult to accept, that a Master can have more than one legitimate successor and that that is completely normal and natural. Indeed, with regard to this last point, in the past and still today in these times, it was completely normal that a Master send, before his death, his best disciples, to work each one in a different geographical area. And it is what Lalaji would have done.

Just as it was normal for a disciple to follow several Masters along one’s spiritual journey, Masters being at diffèrent levels, and it was sometimes the same Master who himself sent his disciple to another Master, to carry on his way.

All was very open!

And it is also what Lalaji would have done, beginning as a disciple, while starting with the Sufism and continuing with the practice of Sant Mat. And this without making anyone feel guilty or "to betray" whoever!
Today, all these ramifications can perhaps allow each one of us, to find what is appropriate and best for each one and, if one believes in it, one can think that each one of us is sent where one must go!

Let us recall that if the path that one follows is not the right one, one does not far, even if one often believes that one went far! The problem arises only when one successor declares himself as being the only legitimate successor! To this point, I would like to highlight some "inaccuracies" which were reported by Babuji on the origin of Sahaj Marg and which are still read and believed within the SRCM.

It should be held in mind that, from the death of Lalaji to the foundation of the SRCM and the arrival of the Babuji’s first disciples, more than 10 years passed… one knows that time erases all and makes all to forget…:

- Lalaji would have had a Master and perhaps more than one

– The partly Sufi origins, of the system is, today without any doubt
The writings of Lalaji have not disappeared, as in the story told by the SRCM, in which one tells us that a servant would have sold all the writings of Lalaji, thinking that they were papers to be thrown away. The writings of Lalaji apparently still exist, were written into Urdu, some were translated into English, but they were never made known to us in the SRCM, at least, not until 2001, with the book "The Complete works of RAM Chandra-Lalaji- volume II", but for a short period (considering how it practically disappeared from circulation), also for the fact that it dealt with a teaching quite different from that of Sahaj Marg and from which one can understand that the "so-called" simplification of this teaching is none other than the reduction and the amputation of the teaching of Lalaji.

- The spiritual practice taught by Babuji does not correspond to that taught by Lalaji.

- Lalaji would have named at least 2 successors (heirs)

- Lalaji would not have discovered the central area.
This point is most difficult and to speak about (as) it is not obvious! But, in fact, the concept of the central region was taken (up) again by Lalaji following his contact with Radhasoami (and by reading the radhasoami literature which precedes him, one can have the confirmation of it).

- To these "inaccuracies", one should not miss, to complete the picture, the change of his (Ram Chandra of Shahajanpur) own name to that of his Master.

I finish by giving you again the references in the books which, in my opinion, help to better understand all that, if one wants to go more in depth on certain points:

--- The supplemental works of RAM Chandra - Lalaji- volume II, subsequently published by SRCM with 7000 copies in July 2001 and it seems that this book disappeared from circulation, oddly, there is no trace of it anywhere! It became taboo! The only way of getting it is to get a loan by an abhyasi who is or was subscribed for life and who will have received it systematically at the time. In this book, Lalaji starts from his Sufi experience to lead to his Sant Mat experience, which he largely develops.

--- The book of the researcher Thomas Dahnhardt. : "Exchange and Continuity in Indian Sufism ". You will learn many things there about Lalaji. --"

--- L' Anurag Sagar. " "The ocean of Love "attributed to Kabir. One understands many things there on the why there are masters of various levels! And which are these levels.

--- Books of Kirpal Singh (one of the Masters beyond Sant Mat): "The Wheel of Life, the Mystery of Death "and many other books on the site: www.ruhanisatsangusa.org, which give an much clearer explanation and deepens that what we may have read in Sahaj Marg, on spirituality.

--- The books of Baba Sawan Singh (another Master of Sant Mat) (if you succeed in finding them): "Philosophy of the Masters". 6 or 7 volumes

---"Sar Bachan" of Soamiji Maharaj. They are difficult to digest, but their reading is worth the pain. They are in English. Of course, they are only books, and they are used to draw us some ideas all-done or prejudiced or the better us to inform, but there always remains the truth that nothing is worth the direct contact with the Masters and a valid practice with their assistance.

Here, I believe that with this letter, I conclude my intervention on the blogs, because frankly, I do not want to explore further any more! I spent many years with this research and it seemed to me right to communicate the fruit of it.

I greet all the brothers and sisters with all my heart.

Very fraternally
Madeleine

Thank you Madeleine for your information which brought us so much lately.
Do not leave us completely if it pleases you.

Elodie

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Historical & Political Perspective at the Birth of SRCM

Historical and Political Perspective at the Birth of SRCM


This is taken from a commentary on Elodie’s blog Jan, 2007
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=20689467&postID=116877129544235498

Translated with Google Translate

Alexis said…

I have just read Christian’s last posts on his blog under the heading "Sahaj Marg and Sufism". Here are a few hot reactions:

1-We must not forget that the context plays a great part, it seems to me (historical and space) - Hujur Maharaj, Lalaji and babuji are men from the north (of India), all 3 having lived in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which is still today more than 20% Muslim - KC Varadachari, his son, Narayana , and also Chari are occidentalized Indians from the south - In the XIXthe century, one comes out of a war which opposed 2 empires: the Muslim Moghols and the Hindus Marathes to fall into British colonialism - In 1945, one is within 2 breaths of the independence and the partition of India

2- Apparently Hujur Maharaj & Lalaji together and voluntarily amalgamated the teachings of the Sufism and Hinduism - The majority of the successors of Lalaji do not hide this Sufi heritage. Some assert it high and strong (the Sufi lineage resulting from the son of Lalaji and his (Lalaji’s) brother), others speak about it less (in favour of the synthesis: Ramashram satsang), only Babuji’s referrence to it is not explicit - Babuji is a man from Uttar Pradesh, not an idiot, therefore necessarily aware of the Sufi heritage of Lalaji

3- One is in 1945 when he (Babuji) creates the SRCM, the other currents began in the Twenties and Thirties - In 1920-30, it is the war against the British which prevails, the conflicts between Hindus & Muslims were put on hold - In 1945, it is the opposite. Babuji does not make any more allusions particular to Lalaji’s Sufi heritage.

4- Varadachari meets Babuji in 1955, under the government of the nationalist Nehru, 7 years after the assasination of Mahatma Gandhi, 8 years after the partition - To my knowledge, Babuji never summarized SM with Raja Yoga, at least not so succintly nor simply, it is Varadachari alone who will do it - Varadachari is a man of the south, a specialist in Hindu philosophy and one impassioned of Hindu spirituality, alive in a nationalist environment where the Moslems of Pakistan are the enemy. Is he also nationalist? I do not know.… All that to saying that in their works, Hujur Maharaj the Muslim & Lalaji the Hindu collaborated, sought the fusion of the Sufi and Hindu systems. Contrary to its predecessors of the Sufi lineage, Lalaji did not designate anyone to succeed him but several in their centres of respective populations. Did he name Babuji or did Babuji want it so badly that he "dreamed" it? It does not matter!

These successors spread their teaching, rather Sufi for some, rather Hindu for others, the teachings always resulting from their (Lalaji and Huzur Maharaj) fusion in any case. Babuji returns to the offensive in 1944-45; the political environment has completely degraded. Inter-religious violence are at their peak, in particular in the more Muslim and the more populated states. He does not speak about Sufism, saying that Lalaji rediscovered an old teaching. But in fact, it is he (Babuji) who creates SM, certainly inspired by Lalaji, but it is him who lays down the 10 commands. And he (Babuji) does not hide the Sufi heritage totally, even if he speaks very little about it.

Arrives then Varadachari, from another culture. He comes from the south, is of the academic world where it is of good tone to assert the national (Hindu) heritage vis-a-vis the dangerous Muslim extremism facing them. He thus will try to explain SM in a 100% Hindu perspective . And it is there that the Sahaj Marg equation arrives SRCM = Raja yoga. He is the only one to express it so clearly! Even Chari will be never be so affirmative…


Saturday, January 13, 2007

Why did Babuji not become a preceptor of Lalaji?

Why did Babuji not become a preceptor of Lalaji?

This is from Elodie's blog and is a commentary and analysis by Christian to be completed after more research. Christian is a Phd in research psychology.

Christian' s Blog is:
Analyse de la SRCM at URL: http://srcmtm-fr.blogspot.com/

Elodie's blog:
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=20689467&postID=116825681281489187

RK Gupta's Blog:
Sufi Saints and Sufism at URL: http://sufism.weebly.com/Naqsh MuMRA Stream of Sufis (Lalaji's lineage)
Sufism in India

Lalaji's Family Sites:
NaqshMuMRa Nexus (Lalaji's family Blogs) at URL: http://laalaajinilayam.googlepages.com/home

See on NaqshMuMRa Nexus:
Epitome of Sahaj Marg  

P.S. If file, "Epitome of Sahaj Marg"  is not accessible on this site, then see it here:
Epitome of Sahaj Marg at http://srcmsmproject.blogspot.ca/2011/12/epitome-of-sahajmarg.html

Babuji's letter of Feb. 14, 1963

http://laalaajinilayam.blogspot.com/




ENGLISH (translation)


Hello Madeleine

Still some elements of reflection which came to me this morning.

Concerning Babuji’s name change, it is the kind of excess which does not astonish me. Indeed, I always wondered why Babuji’s father opposed that his son meet Lalaji. There had to be other reasons than only the association of Lalaji with Moslems. He knew his son, and certainly wanted to protect him from something, if not from outside, then from something in Babuji himself.

And isn't it interesting that Babuji, adopting the identity of another and making the total negation of himself, not in God, but in his Master, in fact one cannot be more excessive, then taught that moderation in everything is one of the essential characteristics of the spiritual life?

Still one more inconsistency to be added to the already abnormally long list we already have in this story. The puzzle is gradually being solved, and pieces that seem unimportant and isollated elements, such as the attitude of Babuji’s father, start to take show a direction.

The ISRC did not prevent me from reflecting, but strongly discouraged me when I harnessed myself to Babuji’s Shadowy Zone. I claimed on my blog that the birth of Sahaj Marg was opaque, and that it corresponded in fact to a schism, not just a break in the lineage. Such a schism could mean only 2 things: [open conflict between Lalaji and Babuji, therefore dissimulation and intellectual dishonesty] versus [real ignorance, therefore distortion of claims]. Indeed, somebody must have lied or voluntarily hidden the facts by ignorance to claim that there was a continuity between Sahaj Marg de Babuji and the sufism of Lalaji, this somebody can only be Babuji, with all the questions which implies a real ignorance…

A third possibility was however to be considered: that Babuji worked under the orders of Lalaji to create something new. It is however necessary to be able to accept this hypothesis, which implies a communication of the living with the dead, unverifiable, and thus to agree to leave the steps of rational reflection to drift into the irrational. This would amount to accepting the formless magma of the imaginary as being reality and being lost there again, i.e. to return to square one. Indeed, these alleged intercommunications could also be the fruit of the mind of Babuji, and not to be a real communication with the world of the dead. In this case, their role would have been above all to give credit to the Babuji’s activities, under cover of the authority of the master, without the disadvantages that such an authority has when it is real. Indeed, alive, Lalaji could have ordered Babuji to act differently, and, for example, not create a SRCM but to become a preceptor of his movement, perhaps even under the authority of another person. In this third case, one would be thus in an alternative more complex than the logical duality implied by the observed schism, concerned with a latent conflict of authority, and referring to what Freud called: "to kill the father" symbolically and to take his place.

Indeed, certain questions were never asked, although implicitly brought up in the blogs. Since Lalaji had other disciples, 9 preceptors, and obviously a lineage, with one of them (preceptor) for his succession, why did Babuji not continue the meetings and not accept the change of master? Did it embarrass him that another took the place of his master? If so, he acted like others later on, at the time of his own succession, and which, one said, that they "had not recognized the master where he is", or that they had an ego problem.

Did it embarrass him that it was not he who was appointed? If so, it is perhaps because he felt betrayed to find himself excluded by the one he loved so much. Like a father who would have preferred one of his children at the time of the choice, instead of recognizing him (all this story turns around a psychological problem of lineage and a father/son relationship, (and in this context, the reaction of the Babuji’s biological father is eloquent), and as well, around the suicide of the one of his sons).

To thwart this emotional suffering, Babuji would thereafter have created a universe in which he "replaced" himself in the central position, in the eyes of all, in the fires of the love of his master. And when I say to the eyes of all, it is necessary to include/understand "in a delirious and total megalomania", since the ambition of the "mission" is to reach all humanity.

How can anyone claim that Babuji was unaware of all the organization installated by Lalaji? My opinion is not that, of course, but obviously, he did not accept it. Lalaji had, like all gurus, a debt towards his master, which was to transmit the torch, and there was thus somebody, for sure, ready to take it. But it was not Babuji. Why didn't Babuji respect the order established by his master by continuing his abhyas under the direction of the successor of Lalaji? Was this a sign of his love and submission to his master? Wasn't this rather a sign of conflict, probably latent and perhaps even unconscious?

But, even though, even with the supreme excuse that Babuji would have been unaware of certain facts, would he not have sought to know, taking into account the importance of his master in his life? It is not logical. Or rather, yes, all is extremely and humanly logical.

Narayana pointed out to me recently that there was perhaps a fault in my logic, because Babuji had waited until 1945 to found the SRCM, i.e. he had awaited until after the death of the successor of Lalaji to act. One can thus think that this successor had failed to set up his own successor and that it was necessary that Babuji take the charge, but it is obviously an partisan assumption. One can also think that it was now or never, and that Babuji, not having recognized the successor named by Lalaji, however had not dared to go openly against the will of his master. Now, he did not go against the will of his master by creating a new line, since the new representative of Lalaji was not designated by Lalaji but by his successor. The fact that he waited until this precise moment to launch out also reveals that he was informed of what occurred with the disciples of Lalaji, therefore that he had preserved the contacts with the satsangh of Lalaji.

Of course, these are only assumptions, suggested to explain these facts. I must still read the biography of Babuji, the "true one", which has been just published by his son, and in which I could find more elements confirming or "infirming" my model. I admit that several points must still be clarified, which could result in explaining the Babuji’s behavior differently and in washing away these suspicions. But for the moment I am not there. With all these elements, I thus claimed that there is once again something to clarify. According to the myth from ISRC, Babuji being the special personality, my remarks are inadmissible, and my blog have thus caused a great concern.

After being received positively as having worked to publicly restore the truth on the drifts of the SRCM under Chari, the attitudes became more distant because I now attacked the myth of the ISRC. Deification of the human beings… or how to give birth to a religion, how to give birth to a myth and to lock people up there. It is a true problem of public health which the sects and the religions pose, and I think that there is a difference between the two only on the degree of institutionalization, not of nature. Because it is institutionalized, it is acceptable? And because it is not, it is opposed? Because, how does one preserve one’s balance while being taken into a system which introduces an obnubilation (obfuscation) on a myth, to the point of leading to a diverting of perception such as the imaginary becomes reality, to the point leading to people killing out some other in the name of a belief?

How to remain free and mentally healthy?

Which brings me again to to my friend Gupta. Madeleine, you probably read (scanned) his Web site. There you could see that the sufism which it describes resembles like 2 water drops the teaching of Sahaj Marg. However, of what I could in addition read on the sufism, the sufism of Gupta would be a particular sufism, all the same. The question is thus: did this teaching integrate the developments of Babuji, or are these developments of Lalaji? I think in particular of the 10 commands, of which Babuji said that it was his masterpiece! But with the facts… 10 commands, a biblical inspiration? The expression of a sub-ajacent religious scheme? Babuji could consider the 10 commands as a masterpiece because it succeeded in extracting the essence from the teaching of his master, a difficult exercise, thus offering to all the secrects of the spiritual development in a food recipe that all can post in the living room. Or he could consider the 10 commands as a masterpiece because he invented its contents. In the first case, he did nothing but formalize something which existed already in the teaching of Lalaji, a codifying which obviously was the animating point of his work, probably to do like Patanjali, another figure of reference in Babuji’s symbolic system, and one saw it on the blogs through the intervention of the abhyasis. In the symbolic system of SRCMtm (Babuji = reincarnation of Patanjali (PS: Chari = reincarnation of Muhammed?… He thus ended up perceiving a soufie lineage of his spiritual ascent).

In any case, Babuji, once again, would have introduced a mist while letting his disciples believe he was the author of all, god to some extent, i.e. the special personality, a manner of subjecting them forever, since there exists nothing better than the special personality. In the second case, the problem relates to the knowledge conveyed by Gupta. Is it from a synthesis made by him starting from books that he would have read, or from a synthesis made by an old abhyasi of Babuji which would have changed to crème in the course of the journey? Having explored other ways, and having thought of many aspects relating to the SRCM and Sahaj Marg, do you have any idea? That is the problem with the Indians, all is fuzzy and opaque because they believe without ever raising questions, and because humans are what they are. At the end of 3 generations, it is an impossible brothel. How can one have confidence under these conditions?

.
.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Thomas Dahnhardt's Book On Indian Sufism (SRCM)

Thomas Dahnhardt Book

Change and Continuity in Indian Sufism :
(A Naqshbandi-Myjaddidi Branch in the Hindu Environment)
by Thomas Dahnhardt

Series : Islamic Heritage in Cross-Cultural PerspectivesNo. 3 -
Year of Publication : 2002ISBN : 8124601704 -
Edition : 1st Edition -
Place : New Delhi -
Book Details : 23 cm; xvi, 447p

From an E-mail by Alexis on Elodie's blog, Jan 10, 2007...
http://www.blogger.com/publish-comment.do?blogID=20689467&postID=116825681281489187&r=ok&mod=true

Alexis said:

I believe that Madeleine has brought us one of the last stones we were missing for the building. Sahaj Marg is one of the many branches of the bulky tree of Indian Sufism. And this time, it is Dr. Thomas Dähnhardt, a "not very likely biased" university researcher, who in fact makes a masterly demonstration. He studied the "hinduisation" of Sufism while focusing on chalk-lining about Naqsbandiyya Mujaddidiyya Mazhariyya, with a particular interest in the figures of Maulana Shah Fadl Ahmad Khan de Raipur and of Mahatma Ramchandra de Fatehgarh, as their multiple successors.

In his opinion, Hujur Maharaj and Lalaji, together carried out a islamo-hinduist synthesis of their spiritual teaching. Between them, they lived nearly one century (1838-1931), in a context of very violent religious tensions. The range of their action thus exceeded largely only the spiritual aspect. They voluntarily crossed the barriers of their religions to highlighted a multitude of common points to build a synthesis.

Their successors completed this "hinduisation" of Sufism, without modifying the practices (role of the spiritual guide, dhikr or invocation of the name of God, meditation centered on the heart, etc). Only the terms in Arabic or Persan were replaced by the Sanskrit or the Hindi, the references to the Koran and the Prophet left their place to the Upanishads and the Bhakti. Dähnhardt thus presents Hujur Maharaj & Lalaji as great visionaries, more anxious to unite men than to divide them, at a crucial moment in the history of India and of its religions.

The multiple regional branches of Hindu Sufism which developed then proceeded in this way, as those which it presents at Delhi, Mathura or Sikandarabad. It's a pity that Babuji, the usurper of name (Ram Chandra), is the only one to have disavowed this heritage!
Did Chari ever think of buying this very instructive book and to make it appear in a prominent place in the CREST library? He would be happy if each abhyasi read it…

2 small notes:

-Dähnhardt gives birth to Hujur Maharaj in 1838, as opposed to what one had learned from RK Gupta who spoke of 1857

-The line Mazhariyya Na' imiyya mentionned by Dähnhardt which makes Mohan Lal Ji, the successor of Lalaji, whereas NaqshMuMRa (Mazhariyya Ramchandriyya) continues with the children of Lalaji. One is there vis-a-vis one of the many regional ramifications about which Dähnhardt speaks: Na' imiyya in Kanpur with the nephew of Lalaji, Ramchandriyya with Fatehgarh with his son and grandsons.

References :

Change and Continuity in Indian Sufism : (A Naqshbandi-Myjaddidi Branch in the Hindu Environment) by Thomas Dahnhardt
Series : Islamic Heritage in Cross-Cultural PerspectivesNo. 3 - Year of Publication : 2002
ISBN : 8124601704 - Edition : 1st Edition - Place : New Delhi - Book Details : 23 cm; xvi, 447p


About the Book :

The common heritage of India is an active concept expressing itself in the myriad forms of integration of diverse cultures and traditions. Change and Continuity in Indian Sufism explores this common heritage through a study of the esoteric relationship between India`s two major religious traditions, Hinduism and Islam as expressed in the sufi tradition.

Dr. Thomas Dahnhardt focuses on the evolution of the Indian lineage of the Naqshbandiyya, generally known as the Mujadidiyya, in Indian sufism as an example of the intense spiritual symbiosis between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Based ona field study among the Hindu and Muslim representatives of the Naqshbandiyya lineage, he presents a social and historical study of the Naqshbandiyya Mujaddidiyya, surveying the various masters of the tradition and taking up specifically the establishment of a new khanaqah of the Mazhariyya branch of the Mujaddidiyyal in old Delhi, one of the most important Naqshbandi centres of the tradition in the Indian subcontient. The work goes in detail into the emergence, doctrines and methodology of and Hindu offshoot of the Mujaddidiyya Mazhariyya along with creation of regional sub-Hindu branches.

The book would be useful to scholars of inter-religious studies, Sufism and Indian religious traditions as well as general readers interested in the process of integration and communities.

About the Author :

Thomas Dahnhardt (PhD), a scholar dedicated to exploring the contact between Islamic and Hindu spirituality over centuries of their co-existence, is currently a research fellow at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and a lecturer of Urdu literature and the Islamic civilisation on the Indian subcontinent at Venice University.

Contents:

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations

Introduction

I. The Masters of the Naqshbandiyya Mujaddidiyya Mazhariyya Na‘imiyya
1. Shaikh Mirza Jan-i Janan (1111/1701-1195/1781)
2. Mirza ‘Mazhar’ Jan-i Janan : Life and Thought
3. Shah Na‘im Allah Bahraichi (1153/1740-1218/1803)
4. Shah Murad Allah Thanesari Faruqi Mujaddidi (1166/1752-1248/1833)
5. Sayyid Maulana Shah Abul Hasan Nashirabadi (1198/1784-1272/1856)
6. Maulana Khalifat al-Rahman Ahmad ‘Ali Khan Mau Rashidabadi (d. 1307/1889)
7. Maulana Shah Fadl Ahmad Khan Ra’ipuri (AD 1838-1907)
8. Mahatma Ramcandraji Fatehgarhi (AD 1873-1931)
9. Mahatma Paramsant Brija Mohan Lal Kanpuri (AD 1898-1955)

II. The Naqshbandiyya Mujaddidiyya Mazhariyya at Delhi: Continuity in the Tradition
1. Man and his Role in the Universe
2. The Constitution of the Human Being in the Light of the Science of the Subtle Centres
3. The Stages of the Path in the Light of the Science of the Subtle Centres
4. Methods and Techniques for Spiritual Realisation in the Light of the Science of the Subtle Centres
- Dhikr — Muraqaba
5. The Master-disciple Relationship

III. The Doctrine and Methodology of the Hindu Sufis at Fatehgarh and Kanpur: Continuity and Gradual Assimilation
1. Socio-Political Circumstances and Religious Environment
2. The Perception of Metaphysical Reality
3. The Coming into Being of the Universe
4. The Realms of the Universe
5. The Constitution of Man and the Science of the Subtle Centres
6. The Higher Stages of Spiritual Realisation
7. The Techniques of Spiritual Realisation

IV. The Emergence of Regional Hindu Sub-Branches: A Kayasth Path to Liberation?
1. Mathura: Personal Cult or Pathway Towards Liberation?
- The Teachings
2. Shahjahanpur: A Universal Movement
- The Teachings
3. Sikandarabad: Santmat or Tashawwuf?
- The Teachings
4. Delhi: Continuity in Diversity

Conclusion

Glossary of Technical Terms
Appendix I & II
Bibliography
Place Index
Index of Names of Individuals
Technical Terminology Index (Islamic)
Technical Terminology Index (Hindu)

On this Site:
http://jis.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/15/3/359

"Change and Continuity in Indian Sufism"
By THOMAS DÄHNHARDT (Delhi: D. K. Printworld, 2002), 461 pp.
Price HB $37.50. ISBN 81–246–0170–4.

Dr. Dähnhardt has studied a distinct branch of the [Naqshbandi] Mujaddid; order, forged by the followers of Mirza Mazhar Jan-i Janan (d. 1780) in and around Delhi. This branch was open to the initiation of Hindus into the predominantly Muslim Sufi order, despite the stereotype of the Naqshband; order being orthodox or championing Islamic purism and dominance. In fact, in the late nineteenth century, a Hindu follower of a Muslim Shaykh was granted the authority of mastership, khilafat, and attracted a circle of primarily Hindu followers; this branch subsequently became a Sufi order populated by Hindus, in which mode it continues until today.

This reality, which contradicts many stereotypes, is the subject of Dähnhardt’s study. The author’s challenge isboth historical, to document this unusual configuration of a ‘Hinduizing’ Sufi order, and theoretical, to find ways to analyze this synthesis, which defies conventional categories such as ‘Islamic’ or ‘Hindu’.

The most interesting figures within this branch of the Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Sufi order are Maulana Shah Fadl Ahmad Khan and Mahatma Ramchandra Fatehgarhi who — as master and disciple — were most responsible for the order’s unusual Hindu–Muslim synthesis. Taken as a pair, their lives stretch from 1838 to 1931 — over a century of radical change in India, characterized by increasingly violent communalist interpretations of religion. Yet these two men engineered a synthesis of spiritual values, passing spiritual guidance and meditation techniques over the boundaries of formal communal allegiance, whether Islamic or Hindu. They did not simply ignore the boundary between religions, they intentionally and articulately drew equivalencies between the two in order to downplay any such boundary. (...)

In order to make sense of the synthesis between a Sufi system of mystical discipline rooted in the Islamic tradition and a Bhakti system of mystical practice rooted in the Hindu Sant tradition, Dähnhardt in effect compares Islam and Hinduism as religious traditions. (...)

Dähnhardt does not see religious traditions as hermetically sealed categories defined by distinct theologies; rather, he proposes that religious traditions are divided into theory and practice, the former understood as theological discourse and the latter as ritual practice. Dähnhardt makes sense of the ‘Hinduization’ of the Sufi order by saying that the practice stayed relatively constant, while the theory explaining that practice was more open to change. The theoretical framework changed as Muslim practitioners initiated Hindu practitioners and they created an all-Hindu environment for the spiritual practice. Arabic and Persian terms were replaced by Sanskrit and Hindi terms; references to the Quran and the Prophet were replaced by references to the Upanishads and Ram-Krishna mythology, as understood within the tradition of nirguna-bhakti in the style of Kabir. However, at a level deeper than this theoretical superstructure, the practical techniques of meditation remained quite constant: ‘The practical aspect comprising methods and specific techniques was largely deemed applicable to Muslims and non-Muslims alike since they are meant to act on thecommon ground represented by a human constitution subject to universal laws and principles’ (p. 269). (...)

Dähnhardt’s study is clearer on how the synthesis happened than on why it happened. He cites Sayyid Abu l-Easan Nasirabadi (d. 1856) as the key figure who ‘entrusted one of his disciples with the task of opening up the tariqa to Hindus’ (p. 200); while he tells us that this was ‘an unprecedentedly bold step’, he gives no explanation of the Sufi leader’s motivation or goals.The reader is left wondering whether Sayyid Abul Easan was simply making explicit the ecumenical understanding of the order since Mirza Mazhar Jan-i Janan (who seemed to be open to Hindus though he was very harsh against the Shia), or whether he was setting out a new course for the order based on his own, radically new vision that Hindus and Muslims needed to join together in spiritual practice as the Mughal empire fell under British colonial domination."

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

What was Ram Chandra's (Babuji) Real Name

What was Ram Chandra's (Babuji) real name?

Hi all...

This is from a message from Madeleine on the French Blog of Elodie. Madeleine is a 20 year abhyasi who just quit the SRCM(tm) and is speaking out. I translated with Babelfish...

This is a part of her comment:

"On this subject, I highly recommend to those who read English, to read the book by Thomas Dahnhardt, university researcher from the Centre for Islamic Studies of Oxford University, and professor of Urdu litterature and Islamic Civilization in India, at the University of Venice. This book is titled: "Change and continuity in Indian Sufism".

According to Dahnhardt, another little detail that escaped us (if his information is correct) :Babuji was not called Ram Chandra but Madhe Mohan Lal and later took the name of his Master Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh."

"They hid many things from us!"

Fraternal Salutations to all..

Madeleine

This statement is attributed to research from Christian on Elodie's blog in her article titled: Lalaji et ses multiples successeurs dated Jan 26, 2007, and is quoted from "The autobiography of Ram Chandra", vol I, 1899-1932, SRCM Shahjahanpur, oct. 1980, 2nd edition

http://pourquevivelesahajmarg.blogspot.com/

"The autobiography of Ram Chandra", vol I, 1899-1932, SRCM Shahjahanpur, oct. 1980, 2nd edition

page 1

"My father was Rai Bahadur Sri Badri Prasad, Honorary Special Magistrate I Class."

Christian: I don't know if it helps for determining if Babuji changed his name.

Babuji meets his master Lalaji on the 3rd June 1922 for the first time. He adds:

page 13

"After coming back from my Master, I continued the practice, but not so deeply as I had to appear in the Matric and SSLC examination."

He had to pass this examination before starting to work. He got hired at the Court of Shahjahanpur on the 12th January 1925, therefore after meeting his Master.

So, the precision that was given to me by the ISRC preceptor is wrong (my previous message on Elodie's blog, stating that Babuji met his master after starting his work at the Court, implying that he could not have changed his name for administrative reasons due to his work for the government).

page 14

(I) "retired as Record Keeper in 1956. My Master, who served in the Collectorate of Fatehgarh, also retired as Record Keeper."

Babuji seems to emphasize the similitudes between him and his master as something important. A cause for his choice of this job? A cause for changing his name?

PS...Does anyone know of the accuracy of this statement by Madeleine from the Thomas Dahnhardt book? (They (SRCM(tm) would not lie about their names, their lineage, and their status as Master, would they??)

Friday, January 05, 2007

Sufi Golden Chain of Lalaji and his Master

The Golden delicious Chain (Shijra) of Naqshbandiya Mujaddadia Mazahariya Ramchandriya lineage:

From Preceeding articles on the Sahaj Marg Family Bush

"Babuji was not made a preceptor of Lalaji, but only met him once or twice"
"Lalaji did not re-discover "transmission".

Now:
"Transmission" is not "unique" to Sahaj Marg or SRCM(tm).

This is taken off Elodie's blog http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=20689467&postID=116774325478024795

and is the research work of Alexis from http://shriramchandramission.blogspot.com/

In its text published by the SRCM, Dr. KS Balasubramaniam brings an especially stinging denial to all the preceding assertions of the mission relating to the "unique-ness" of the Sahaj Marg "transmission". On the contrary, it tries to show, with enough accuracy, that the transmission existed since a very very long time in vedic teachings and the practices of yoga. So, the SRCM does not have the sole mandate of the transmission of divine energy. One suspected it a little… It seems that this text was published by the SRCM to reaffirm the hindu heritage of Sahaj Marg, and its vedic and yogic roots, - probably because of our assertions (on our blogs) of its sufi origins. It is amusing to see at which point it disturbs them (SRCMtm) to recognize a sufi role in this heritage, contrary to the other heirs of Lalaji. There is nothing surprising that Sahaj Marg is a product resulting from the double heritage of hindouism and sufism. On this subject, and to try to close the debate on the influence of Sufism in the spiritual teachings of Lalaji, here is the “golden delicious chain” (shijrah-sharif) of NaqshMuMRa high-lighting the Sufi order of Naqshbandiyya, as published by its current master current Shri Dinesh KUMAR Saxena, 40th of the order and grandson of Lalaji (who occupies position 36):

The Golden delicious Chain (Shijra) of Naqshbandiya Mujaddadia Mazahariya Ramchandriya lineage:

1. Prophet Huzoor Muhammad-ur-Rasoolullah S.a. (D. 12 Rabbiyul Awwal 11AH) - Medina
2. Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddique r.a. (D. 22 Jama' dil A' lhar 13AH) - Medina
3. Hadhrat Salman Al-faris r.a. (D. 10 Rajjab 35AH) - Madain
4. Hadhrat Imaam Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr r.a. (D. 24 Jama' dil (Awwal/A' khar) 107AH) - Medina
5. Hadhrat Imaam Ja' far Al-Sadiq r.a. (D. 15 Rajjab Murajjab 148AH) - Medina
6. Hadhrat Bayazid Bastami r.a. (D. 14/17 Sha' ba' N 261AH) - Bastam
7. Hadhrat Abul Hassan Khurqaani r.a. (D. 15 Ramda' N 425AH) - Khurqan
8. Hadhrat khwaja Abul Quqsim Ghurghani r.a.
9. Hadhrat Abu Ali Farmadi r.a. (D. 4 Rabbiyul Awwal 477AH) - Mashad
10. Hadhrat Yusuf Hamdani r.a. (D. 27 Rajjab 535AH) - Turkistan
11. Hadhrat Abdul Khaliq Gajadwani r.a. (D. 12 Rabbiyul Awwal 575AH) - Bukhara
12. Hadhrat Muhammad Arif Riogri r.a. (D. 1 Shawwa' L 615AH) - Tajikistan 13. Hadhrat Mehmood Injir Faghnavi r.a. (D. 17 Rabbiyul Awwal 715AH) - Bukhara
14. Hadhrat Azizane Ali Raamitni r.a. (D. 718/721AH) - Bukhara
15. Hadhrat Muhammad Baba Samasi r.a. (D. 755AH) - Bukhara
16. Hadhrat Sayyed Amir Kulaal r.a. (D. 772AH) - Bukhara
17. Hadhrat Kwajah Bahauddin Naqshband r.a. (D. 2 Rajab Al-Murajjab, 791AH) - Qasr-e-Aarifan (Bukhara)
18. Hadhrat Alaa' uddin Attaar r.a. (D. 20 Rajab 802AH) - Jafaaniyan (Mawralnahar)
19. Hadhrat Ya' qoob Charkhi r.a. (D. 5 Safar, 851AH) - Charkh (Bukhara)
20. Hadhrat Ubeydullah Ahraar r.a. (D. 20/29 Rabi Al-Awwal, 895AH) - Samarqand (Mawralnahar)
21. Hadhrat Muhammad Zaahid r.a. (D. 1 Rabi Al-Awwal, 936AH) - Wakhsh (Malk Hasaar)
22. Hadhrat Darwesh Muhammad r.a. (D. 19 Muharram, 970AH) - Samarqand (Mawralnahar)
23. Hadhrat Muhammad Waaqif Akangi r.a. (D. 21/22 Sha' baan, 1008AH) - Akang (Bukhara)
24. Hadhrat Khwaja Baaqi Billaah r.a. (D. 25 Jumaad Al-Aakhar, 1012AH) - Delhi (India)
25. Huzoor Rabbani Imam, Mujaddid Alf Thani, Hadhrat Shaykh Ahmad Farooqui Sarhandi r.a. (D. 28 Safar, 1034AH) - Sarhand (India)
26. Hadhrat Muhammad Ma' soom Farooqui r.a. (D. 9 Rabi Al-Awwal, 1079AH) - Sarhand (India)
27. Hadhrat Sayfuddeen Bin Ma' soom Farooqui r.a. (D. 19 Jumad Al-Oola, 10951096AH) - Sarhand (India)
28. Hadhrat Noor Muhammad Badyooni r.a. (D. 11 Dhul Qa' dah, 1135AH) - Dehli (India)
29. Hadhrat Mirza Mazhar Jaan-I-Jaanan r.a. (D. 10 Muharram, 1195AH) - Khanqah Mazharia Dehli (India)
30. Hadhrat Abdullah Shah Naimullah r.a. (D. 22 Safar, 1240AH) - Behraich U.P. (India)
31. Hadhrat Mawla' Na Muradullah r.a. (D. Dhul Qa' dah, 1248AH) - Lakhnow U.P. (India)
32. Hadhrat Sayyed Abul Hasan Sa' eed r.a. (D. Sha' ba' N, 1272) - Spoke Bareli U.P. (India)
33. Hadhrat Mawla' Na Khalifa Ahemad Ali Khan r.a. left one 04.11.1904 (AD) Kaimganj, Distt. Farrukhabad (Uttar Pradesh)
34. Hadhrat Mawla' Na Shaah Fazl Ahemad Khan r.a. (1857-1907 A D) Qusba- Raipur Distt. Farrukhabad (Uttar Pradesh)
35. Hadhrat Mawla' Na Abdul Ghani Khan R, has, (1867-1952 AD) Qusba- Bhogaon, Distt. Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh)
36. Samarthguru Mahatma Ramchandra (Laalaaji) Ji Maharaj (1873-1931 AD) r.a. Fatehgarh (Uttar Pradesh) India
37. Samarthguru Mahatma Raghubar Dayal (Chachchaji) Ji Maharaj (1875-1947 AD) r.a. Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh India
38. Samarthguru Mahatma Jagmohan Narain Ji Saaheb (1901-1944 AD) r.a. Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
39. Samarthguru Mahatma Akhilesh KUMAR Ji (1941-1974 AD) r.a. Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
40. Samarthguru Mahatma Dinesh KUMAR Saxena, `daamat barquatahu' born one October 28,1944, the present Dean of the seat.

And finally, to correct my preceding mistakes, Lalaji had a brother Raghubar Dayal Ji, also called Chachcha Ji (N°37 of the line), and a son Jagmohan Narain (N°38) and 2 grandsons: Akhilesh KUMAR Ji (N°39) and Dinesh KUMAR Saxena (current N°40).

On the other hand, Chachcha Ji, brother of Lalaji, had 3 offsprings: Brijmohan Lal also called Dadda Ji, Radha Mohan Lal and Jyotendra Mohan Lal. Brijmohan Lal (Dadda Ji) had several pupils of which Yashpal Ji also called Bhai Sahab Ji, founder of movement ABSS “Akhil Bhartiya Santmat Satsang” (see www.abssatsang.org). Radha Mohan Lal Ji had as disciple, Dr. Chandra Gupta… If one adds to that the Ramashram Satsang resulting from the disciples of Lalaji, with personalities like Dr. Chaturbhuj and/or Thakur RAM Singhji, all claim their lineage their Master, Lalaji the 36th of the Sufi Order and his Master Hujur Maharaj. All except Babuji… (and SRCM tm)


"I do not invent, I transmit". (Confusius)