Monday, October 19, 2009

SRCM (California-1997), Sahaj Marg(tm), Chari, Vaishnava, Tamil, Lalaji, Mughals, Islam, Sufism, etc...


Comments by 4d-don
in quotation attributed to other sources, are in "red italics"

Chari's SRCM (California-1997) with its trademarked (for trade and commercial products) meditation, Sahaj Marg, is headquartered in Chennai (Pop. 4.3 milliion- was called Madras) in the State of Tamil Nadu (Pop. 66.3 million), on the Bay of Bengal, in Southeastern India.

Chari, the Master and President of SRCM (California-1997), claims to be a Tamil, and a Vaishnava (a worshipper or follower of Vishnu). Vaishnavism, a sect of Hinduism is exporting its religion to the world. And currently, Vaishnavism (nationalism, imperialism) is also exported via Chari, the self-professed Vaishnava and self-appointed Master of the Spiritualist (or Spiritist) Sahaj Marg (trademark owned by a group of businessmen/developers), and the Chari schism of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM registered in California - 1997). Vaishnavism is also exported to the world by the more fundamentalist Hare Krishna sect once prevalent at airports and on street corners around the world.

The Sahaj Marg system and the SRCM (California-1997) is well funded through the Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation (SMSF) which is also registered as a "manufacturing business", to the same small group of businessmen from India. Chari boasts of a "million dollar" donation from some "real brother".



See the difference between the Vaishnavism service to Vishnu, versus the more common Hindu teachings of "Liberation" as once taught by Babuji and his "original" Sahaj Marg!


Unlike other schools of Hinduism whose goal is liberation (moksha), or union with the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate goal of Vaishnava practice is an eternal life of bliss (ananda) in service to Vishnu, or one of his many avatars, in the spiritual realm of 'Vaikuntha', which lies beyond the temporary world of illusion (maya).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishnava

A few Vaishnava schools also identify the God of the Abrahamic religions with Vishnu, which is however problematic, since Yhwh/Allah is viewed through a monotheistic lens: ie a single eternal being, outside, beyond and separate from his creation; whereas Vishnu is viewed through the panentheistic lens of Hinduism: ie. where all existence is a part of God, and God includes all existence. [19] Another distinguishing feature of the Vaishnava teachings, is that God (Vishnu and/or Krishna) "is a real person and His variegated creation is also real". [20]


The original Sahaj Marg, founded by Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur (aka: Babuji), along with his society, the Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM), registered at Shahjahanpur, India - 1945) is headquartered at Shahjahanpur (pop. 297,000), Uttar Pradesh, which borders Nepal, in the Northeast of India, and currently is presided by Babuji's grandson, Navneet Kumar Saxena.

The greater Shahjahanpur District Pop. 1.9 million. The State of Uttar Pradesh: Pop.: 190.9 Millions (80% Hindu, 18% Muslim). Lucknow (Sister Kasturi's home) is 180 km from Shahjahanpur. Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity. If the State of Uttar Pradesh was a country, it would be the the fifth largest country in the world after: China, India, United States of America, and Indonesia.


More Background Statistics:

Tamil Nadu
(area: 130,000 Sq. km. Population of 66.3 million is 88% Hindu, 6% Christian, 5.5% Muslim.
Sri Lanka (Sanskrit: "Resplendent Land") Area: 65,610 Sq. Km. : An Island, (31 km by boat from the State of Tamil Nadu, Mainland India, Population: 20 million ... 73.9% Sinhalese, 12.6% Tamil, 5.2% Indian Tamil) (and they (the Tamil migrants) want a partitioned "homeland" on the island of Sri Lanka?)


From Wikipedia
...Religious History of Tamil Nadu (Land of the Tamils)

The Hindu sects Saivism and Vaishnavism became dominant, replacing the prevalence of Jainism and Buddhism of the previous era. Saivism was patronised more by the Chola (Tamil empire) kings and became more or less a state religion.[44] Some of the earliest temples that are still standing were built during this period by the Pallavas. The rock-cut temples in Mamallapuram and the majestic Kailasanatha and Vaikuntaperumal temples of Kanchipuram stand testament to the Pallava art. The Cholas, utilising their prodigious wealth earned through their extensive conquests, built long-lasting stone temples including the great Brihadisvara temple of Thanjavur and exquisite bronze sculptures. Temples dedicated to Siva and Vishnu received liberal donations of money, jewels, animals, and land, and thereby became powerful economic institutions.[45]


History of the Tamil Diaspora

Britain with 300,000 or more, the USA with well over 300,000, Canada with over 300,000 and Australia with over 30,000 are some of the developed countries where the Tamil diaspora is well settled, having gone on voluntary migration from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. It is also estimated that there are more than 250,000 Tamils from Sri Lanka which comprises voluntary migrants and refugees/asylum seekers. Their sense of belonging and togetherness has resulted in the flowering of multi-faceted cultural, religious and media growth to such an extent to excel these activities in the lands of their origin. It is estimated that as base habitation India has almost 61,000,000 and Sri Lanka has 5,000,000 Tamils.

(...)

Their passion for and the love of their language and culture which has a cherished heritage is the one that binds
the Tamil diaspora world wide and their coherence and unity is fast growing to be recognized as an international force.




More Inaccuracies (or Intentional "lies") about Lalaji, the Master of Naqshbandiyaa Sufi Order, (NaqshMuMRa sub-order), from SRCM (California-1997 web sites)
(Why does SRCM (California-1997) refuse to correct the many "errors"?)

On their site:
The Masters of Sahaj Marg
(on http://www.srcm.org/welcome/guidance-lalaji.jsp)

Shri Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh U.P. in northern India, affectionately known as Lalaji, was the adi-guru (first Master) of Shri Ram Chandra Mission. (See NaqshMuMRa Nexus (Lalaji's family) for contradiction of that statement) Born on 2 February 1873, Lalaji belonged to a distinguished family of Jagirdars (landowners). (See accurate definition of "Jagirdar" below)


On
SRCM (California-1997) Sahaj Marg NEWER site
(http://www.sahajmarg.org/sm/guide/masters-of-sahajmarg-lalaji)


He himself attained perfection within a span of seven months,
(according to whom?) and went on to become the first Master of the Sahaj Marg system of spirituality. (NOT TRUE, according to MOST. Lalji died 1931, Sahaj Marg was founded in 1945)

(...)

Lalaji's father was a tax superintendent and his mother was a devout woman, who passed away when Lalaji was only seven.
(maybe this is the "seven" THEY talk about?? To take a word from one part of the scriptures and apply it in another passage or in another TIME, is common among religious "prophets" and prophesies. They (Sahaj Marg-ees) believe in Spiritualism, (spiritism), "anonymous" (French lady) Mediums and "Chanelling" messages or "whispers" from the spirits of the dead, from beyond the grave, after all!! This is not the "scientific" set!! We could call them the "seancetific" set! as they claim that Sahaj Marg (like Raja Yoga) is a "science"! ... lol, lol, lol) ;-))


According to Dr. RK Gupta's site: Sufi Saints and Sufism (Sufism in India) :


On 23rd January 1896 Hujur Maharaj had taken Mahatma Ram Chandraji completely in his shelter i.e. initiated him and accepted him as his disciple. Soon thereafter on 11th October, 1896 Hujur Maharaj bestowed ‘Kully Izazat’ i.e. Master hood on Mahatma Ram Chandraji stating, ‘My Master (Maulvi Ahmad Ali Khan Sahab) had mentioned that people will benefit spiritually from me, but unfortunately I could not prove myself able to discharge this duty fully. Now my end is nearing but I am hopeful that after me you shall discharge this duty satisfactorily and will make my Master’s forecast come true.

(That is nine months from initiation to Lalaji being bestowed Master-hood in the Naqshbandiyya Sufi Order, to become its first giaour (non-Muslim) Master. But "perfection" is a little more elusive, is it not? Even Saints are not and do not claim to be PERFECT!! Does Chari and SRCM(California-1997) think that "Master" means "Perfect"? What about "self-appointed" Masters such as Chari? Are they automatically or self-appointed-ly PERFECT?

And there were many more contacts and teaching exchanges between Lalaji and Hujur Maharaj. Reaching "perfection" in seven months sounds like another Sahaj Marg fantasy so as to create a Sahaj Marg "myth" apart from the Sufi REALITY of Lalaji and the Naqshbandiyya lineage. Why are all the Abhyasis not following "SUFISM" or becoming members of the Naqshbandiyya Sufi Order if they want to "obey" their so-called "first" Master?)



On Sufi Saints and Sufism (under Ram Chandra of Fatehgargh- aka Lalaji) by Dr. RK Gupta


Mahatma Ram Chandraji was the first giaour (non-Muslim) saint of the Naqshbandi (Sufi) Order. His father Chaudhary (chaudhary/chowdhary means "chieftain") Harbaksh Rai was one of the descendants of a highly respected Kayasth (upper caste, along with the brahmins) family of District Mainpuri. Emperor Akbar (the Great Mughal Emperor, 1556) had gifted Babu Vrindavan, one of the renowned ancestors of this family, with the title ‘Chowdhary’ and 555 villages amongst many other things. Babu Vrindavan named one of these villages as ‘Bhoom-gram’ and started living there. With the passage of time this village developed into a small town and its name got distorted to ‘Bhogaon.’

Ch. Harbaksh Rai initially lived in Bhogaon but later after the mutiny in 1857 moved to Farukhabad. He was appointed as Superintendent-Octroi.

(...)

A special mention needs to be made of two great Sufi Masters of the twentieth century AD, Mahatma Radha Mohan Lalji and Thakur Ram Singhji, both belonging to the chain of Naqshbandi Sufis and Dr. Chandra Gupta, who received their blessings and carried their mission forward.

(...)

(1929) He submitted his resignation to the Collector and left the service for fully devoting himself to the mission of his Master.



From
Akhil Bhartiya Santmat Satsangh (ABSS)

(...)

The mother started inculcating the teachings of Ramayana to her sons. But it was not acceptable to God and when Mahatma Ramchandra Ji was only nine years old and his younger brother Raghubar Dayalji of seven years, their mother left to heavenly abode. Responsibility of their education came on the shoulders of Chaudhary Harbaksh Rai, who arranged best possible teachers for them. However, it was not acceptable to God once again and when Mahatma Ramchandra ji was in class 9, Chaudhary Sahib also expired, Both the brothers were bereaved of father and mother.
The relatives (of Lalaji) took away their entire property cunningly telling that Chaudhary Sahib (Lalaji's father, Chaudhary Harbaksh Rai) owed much debt to them.


ISRC's Narayana's book (on-line), with Intro (section) by his father, Dr Prof. KC Varadachari (who was allegedly being groomed as his "successor" by Babuji: Practice and Efficacy of Sri Ramchandra Rajayoga: (section on Shri Ramchandraji - Lalaji ):


Page 182:

It is the will of God, that he attained perfection within the brief span of seven months.

(...)

He was married to a noble lady a a respectable family. His father expired soon after his marriage. At this period, Raja of Mainpuri had brought action against his ancestral property and he lost all the property. His brother, (cousin) who was adopted by his father, also expired around this time.

(...)

Page 186...
One of his wishes was that the children of satsanghis marry among themselves.

(...)

His servants were like members of his own family, and were paid on due dates.

(...)

Page 187...

He was transfered from Kaimganj to Fatehgarh in 1908. (36 yrs) ... There was an old servant who did all the housework...

(...)

Page 188...
Sri Lalaji established regular satsangh from the year 1914. He did not put off his work even during his illness. After his retirement in 1929, he began to give all this time to his noble work.

Page 190...
He was not against earning money by honest means, but insisted on spending it on others. (The) use of intoxicants and being given to adultery were strictly prohibited by him.

Page 192...
He even forbade association and satsangh with immoral persons.

Page 193...
He advised to avoid becoming a Master and serve as a servant should.





Lalaji's ancestors starting with Babu Vrindavan, were apparently upper caste, tax collectors for the Mughals (from Akbar the Great - 1556) and provided the Persian Muslim Mughals with tax money, military men and animals, until the so-called by some British historians: "The Sepoy (military) Mutiny of 1857" (East India Company from the British Victorian era), also called the "Indian Rebellion of 1857". Maybe this explains the reticence of Babuji's family to accept his becoming a disciple of Lalaji. This is what Lalaji wrote in a letter dated 09.12.1930 to Shri Madan Mohan Laal,regarding the appointment of "Br. Pandit Rameshwar Prasad" as the "center-in-charge of Shahjahanpur": "Brother Ram Chandra undoubtedly has ability and agility in this respect, but I am sorry that due to restrictions of his father, narrowness of heart and space, and intricacies of his home, my sagacity did not permit me for the time being to throw the responsibility on him. …” (see Epitome of Sahaj Marg). That letter was written one year before Lalaji's death in Aug, 1931. Babuji was never a "preceptor" or a "center-in-charge" of Lalaji's organization.


According to Dr. RK Gupta of "Sufi Saints and Sufism (Sufism in India)" and NaqshMuMra Nexus, Lalaji was:

* born: Feb. 2, 1873,

* married 1885 (12 yrs)
Wife- (Mrs.) Brij Rani, daughter of Shri Yadunath Sahai Kanchan, resident of village- Kamalnayanpur, Tahsil- Kanth, District- Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. They had 2 sons, 8 daughters

* started working at the "Government Service": in April, 1891 (at 18 yrs),

* was initiated: Jun. 6, 1896. (23 yrs),

* According to a discourse by Dr. Shyaam Laal, an adherent disciple of Rev. Laalaaji Maharaaj, right since his school days, as far as known to me, Laalaaji Maharaaj met his guru in the year 1891. He (“Maulwi Fazal Ahemad Khan Saahib” the "spiritual governor of Farrukhabad) took him (Lalaji) as his disciple after performing a formal ceremony, on January 23, 1896 at 05.00 p.m. He made him full-fledged Master (guru) on October 11, 1897. Both these venerables were the preceptor of the Naqshbandia sect of Sufis, although they were beneficiaries of all other sects also. That is why they could vary their teaching to suit the needs of different disciples.

* was appointed Master of Naqshbandia Sufi Order: Oct. 11, 1896 or 1897? (23 or 24 yrs),
(had 212 disciples)

* first met Babuji: 1921 (Lalaji was: 48 yrs, Babuji was 22 yrs),

* resigned his position with the Government Service (after a "tearful" incident with a "lost file" by a clerk, sub-ordinate of Lalaji. Lalaji would not reveal his identity to the "Collector"): Incident and/or resignation and retirement was in 1928 or 1929?

* letter regarding Ram Chandra (Babuji) Center-in-charge position (see above): 09,12, 1930.

* died: Aug. 14, 1931 (58 yrs). Cause of death: "illness" that ended with Diarrhoea.

* his (Lalaji's) tradition was ably carried on by his son, Mahatma Jagmohan Narain, till his demise on August 28, 1944
.

* his (Jagmohan Narain's) son-Mahatma Akhilesh Kumar carried on the work of the mission by publication of the work of his grandfather and by editing a periodical “Adhyaatma Dhaara” till his untimely death on May 15, 1974.



* Babuji forms his "Shri Ram Chandra Mission" in 1945 and later claims that Sahaj Marg replaces all other "systems".
(see letter by Babuji regarding Sahaj Marg, Feb. 14, 1963)

For the events at Fatehgarh during the "up-rising" of 1857, and the "non-co-operation-movement" (Ghandi) events of the 1930's see: NaqshMuMra Nexus: Fatehgarh



On NaqshMuMRa Nexus (Lalaji's Sufi Order)

As a result of the benediction of a great saint, the Holy Man Laalaaji was born to Chaudhari Har Bux Rai, the superintendent of Customs and Excise, Farrukhabad, on Basant Panchami, February 2, 1873. Having passed his Middle class ‘Anglo-Vernacular Examination’ in April 1891, he entered in Government service. It was at this time, at the early age of 18, that he came in contact with his peer-o-Murshad (Preceptor) and was formally initiated by him on June 06, 1896 and was granted full powers of the saint-preceptor on October 11, 1896.

Souvenir section...

His ancestors were one of the biggest property owners of the area and lived like almost as a mini “RAJA” (king). I have had occasion to have a visit to his ancestral house in Bhongaon, in District Mainpuri (an adjoining District to Farrukhabad). An Elephant could easily pass through its Main Porch. For a considerable, time Chaudhary Har Bux Rai remained childless.


On ISRC site (a schism of Chari's SRCM (California-1997) by Narayana, son of Dr. Professor KC Varadachari)
(http://www.sriramchandra.org/Master/LalajiMaharajStory.htm)

His father Sri Harbux Rai belonged to a very distinguished family of kayasths. His great grand father was a person of rare genius and his fine qualities and noble attainments won for him, from the Great Moghul emperor unstinted praise and friendship. He was given the title of Chowdhari (chieftain) and a jagir comprising 555 villages. He resided in the town of Bhoomigram in the district of Mainpuri in UP India. The family which got affected by the after effects of the uprising of the Indians in 1857 (called sepoy mutiny by the biased British historians) migrated to Fategarh, U.P. Here he worked as tax superintendent and began to live with his family. But in the changed circumstances his state had been subjected to considerable damage and his assets were just enough to live the old aristocratic life.


A jagir and Jagirdar

In Pakistan and India, a Jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service. The grantee of the jagir, called a Jagirdar, was in effect the ruler of that region and substantial income that was earned (taxes, etc.) from this region went to the owner to maintain his family and his troops. The jagirdar would live at court in Delhi, keeping up his rank and appearing twice a day before the emperor; consequently the jagirdar preferred to receive his share of the dues from the estates in coin rather than in kind.





Statistics from the highly populated and seismically-active region, the "triangular" Bay of Bengal:


Countries and Indian States that surround the Triangular Bay of Bengal
(Starting at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal where it opens onto the Indian Ocean (at the Southwest angle of the Bay of Bengal triangle)

Triangle's Southwest Vertex and northwest side (India):
Sri Lanka
(sanskrit "sri lanka"=resplendent, radiant, or shining Land- Pop. 20 million), State of Tamil Nadu in Mainland India: Pop. 66.3 million- Southernmost state of India) Capital city of Madras (Chennai) Pop. 4.3 million), State of Andhra Pradesh Pop. 76.2 million), State of Orissa (Pop. 36.7 million), State of West Bengal (Pop. 80.2 million), State of Tripura (Pop. 3.2 million), State of Meghalaya (Pop. 2.3 million),

Triangle's Southeast Vertex and northeast side:
Myanmar (Pop. 50 million), Thailand (Pop. 63.3 million), Malaysia (Pop. 20.3 million), Indonesia (Pop. 230 Million).

Northern Triangle Vertex:
(The "delta" confluence of the rivers: Ganges (local name Padma or PĂ´dda), the Brahmaputra (Jamuna or Jomuna), and the Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. ), the City of Calcutta (Pop. 15 million) , Bangladesh (Pop. 162.2 million - Capital city of Dhaka (Pop. 6.8 million), Indian State of Mizoram (Pop. 888, 000), Myanmar- (aka-Burma) Pop. 50 million - Military Dictatorship).


Geology Under the Bay of Bengal

The lithosphere of the earth is broken up into what are called tectonic plates. Underneath the Bay of Bengal is the Indian Plate which is part of the great Indo-Australian Plate and is slowly moving north east. This plate meets the Burma Microplate at the Sunda Trench. The Nicobar Islands, and the Andaman Islands are part of the Burma Microplate. The India Plate subducts beneath the Burma Plate at the Sunda Trench or Java Trench. Here, the pressure of the two plates on each other increase pressure and temperature resulting in the formation of volcanoes such as the volcanoes in Myanmar, and a volcanic arc called the Sunda Arc. Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and Asian Tsunami was a result of the pressure at this zone causing a submarine earthquake which then resulted in a huge Tsunamai.[6]



Other current "hot spots" in the area with an Indian (Hindu) minority:


Fiji (the Fiji Revolution or Coup (April 2009)
Jammu and Kashmir (ongoing Muslim/Hindu conflict)

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