Ánanda Márga (, also spelled Anand Marg and Ananda Marg), or officially Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saḿgha (organization for the propagation of the path of bliss), is a world-wide socio-spiritual organisation founded in Jamalpur, Munger, Bihar, India, in 1955 by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, known as Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti. It is also the name of the philosophy and life-style propounded by Sarkar, described as a practical means of personal development and the transformation of society. It is established in more than 180 countries across the world. Its motto is Átmamokśárthaṃ jagaddhitáya ca (Self-Realisation and Service to the Universe).
Tantra yoga, as interpreted by Sarkar, serves as the foundation of Ánanda Márga. According to his teachings, Tantra means liberation from darkness through the expansion of mind. Meditation is the main spiritual practice of this tantric tradition, which assists the practitioner to overcome weaknesses and imperfections. The path to liberation in Ananda Marga is free of religious dogmas, superstitions, artificial social barriers and ritualism. Ánanda Márga recognises spirituality and liberation as the birth right of every individual irrespective of one's race, caste, creed, nationality, gender, socio-economic status or belief system.
The basis of Ánanda Márga practice is covered by a set of rules called the 'Sixteen Points' that guide the practitioner on both spiritual and social aspects. It consist of yoga asanas, mudras, bandhas, pranayama, self-massage and two specific dances, kaos'ikii and tandava. A lacto-vegetarian diet and fasting are also included as a fundamental part of yogic practice. The goal of Ananda Marga is "self-realisation and the welfare of all".
Founding Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, known as Sri Sri Anandamurti, founded the Ánanda Márga on 1 January 1955 in the state of Bihar, India. Its stated aims are "liberation of self and service to humanity"..
Disciplines, teachings and practice
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar developed a discipline of Tantra yoga and meditation. Tantra yoga, as interpreted by him, is the practical philosophy which serves as foundation of Ananda Marga. According to Sarkar's teachings Tantra means liberation from darkness. Meditation is the main spiritual practice of this tradition, and through it the practitioner struggles to overcome weaknesses and imperfections. The basis of Ananda Marga practice is covered by a set of rules called the 'Sixteen Points' that guide the practitioner on both spiritual and social aspects. Sarkar expounded these principles in his 1961 , in Sanskrit.
Meditation, Lalita Marmika dance and kirtan
In the Tantric tradition of Ánanda Márga, the spiritual aspirant or sadhaka practices sadhana. This signifies the effort through which a person becomes completely realized. In Tantra the spiritual master, the guru, plays a special role, guiding students on the spiritual path. The aspirant learns meditation from a qualified acarya. An acarya is most commonly a monk or nun, but in the Ánanda Márga tradition there are also "family acaryas". In the initiation the aspirant makes a commitment to practice meditation and to live in harmony with the universal balance, and is then taught the technique itself. The aspirant is then required to keep the individual lessons personal. In addition, he also taught Kapalika meditation to many sanyásins. His system of yoga can be termed as Rájadhirája Yoga, Tantra Yoga, or simply Ánanda Márga Yoga. The basic Ánanda Márga meditation system is called Sahaja Yoga. The system consists of six meditation techniques or lessons taught one by one, on a personal basis. The six lessons are: 1)Iishvara Pranidhana (Personal mantra and Ishta Cakra), 2) Guru Mantra (Personal Guru Mantra), 3) Tattva Dharana (Concentration on Cakras' Tattvas), 4) Sadharana Pranayama (Basic Pranayama. A special breathing technique), 5) Cakra Shodhana (Purification of Cakras. A special type of Dharana), 6) Guru Dhyana (Special type of ideation for Dhyana). A set of higher meditation lessons is taught to advanced practitioners committed to dedicate more time for spiritual practices and universal service.
According to the Ánanda Márga system, the Lalita Marmika dance is performed particularly during the collective meditation. It was supposedly invented by Parvati, the wife of the god Shiva. This yogic dance with swaying movements, combined with a kirtan (the chanting of the universal mantra), is regarded as useful in freeing the mind and preparing it for meditation. Ánanda Márga members are recommended to practice collective meditation at least once a week. These meetings, Dharma Chakras (held weekly in the Dhyan Mandir), are preceded by the singing of Prabhat Samgiita ("Songs of the New Dawn" composed by Sarkar) followed by the spiritual dance of Lalita Marmika. Before meditation the mantra is chanted. At the end of meditation the and the mantras are recited. Baba Nam Kevalam is a universal kirtan mantra given by Sarkar.
Vegetarian diet, yogic asanas, physical exercises and yogic treatments
The basic practices of Ánanda Márga are yoga asanas, mudras, bandhas, pranayama, self-massage and two specific dances, kaos'ikii and tandava. These are accompanied by Lacto-vegetarian diet and fasting. Diet and fasting: Lacto-vegetarian diet avoids meat, fish, eggs and some substances which are said to have a negative effect on the mind, particularly if "mucus-producing". On specific monthly dates called Ekadashi (Sanskrit: একাদশী, ekādaśī, the eleventh day after the full moon),Ánanda Márga acharyas practice fasting in two additional days per month called Purnima and Amavasya. the regular practice of Upavasa (yoga fasting) is recommended to improve health and strengthen the mind. Yoga asanas, mudras and bandhas: comprises 42 asanasThe following are the Ánanda Márga asanasas listed from P. R. Sarkar in "Ánanda Márga Caryacarya part 3": Sarvanungasana, Matsyamudra, Matsyasana, Matsyendrasana, Virasana, Cakrasana, Naokasana (or Dhanurasana), Utkata Pascimottanasana, Parvatasana (or Halasana), Shivasana, Vajrasana, Siddhasana, Baddha Padmasana, Kukkutasana, Gomukhasana, Mayurasana, Kurmakasana, Sahaja Utkatasana, Shalabhasana, Bhujaungasana, Shashaungasana, Bhastrikasana, Janusirsasana, Ardhashivasana, Ardhakurmakasana (or Dirgha Pranama), Yogasana (or Yogamudra), Tuladandasana, Ustrasana, Utkata Kurmakasana, Jatila Utkatasana, Utkata Vajrasana, Padahastasana, Shivasana, Padmasana, Karmasana, Jinanasana, Bhavasana, Granthimuktasana, Garudasana, Dvisamakonasana, Tejasana, Mandukasana. chosen by Sarkar. The asanas are to be performed at least once a day. 15 Yoga mudras and bandhas are included.Mudras and bandhas are listed in "Ánanda Márga Caryacarya part 3": Uddayana Mudra, Bandhatraya Yoga (Mahamudra, Mahabandha, Mahaveda), Parthivii Mudra, Ambhasii Mudra, Agneyii Mudra, Vayavii Mudra, Akashii Mudra, Manasii Mudra, Agnisara Mudra, Kakacaincu Mudra, Trimunda Mudra, Ashvinii Mudra, Vajrolii Mudra. Yogic treatments: in 1957 Sarkar published in Bengali Yaogika Cikitsa o Dravyaguna, translated into English and published in 1983, with revisions under the title Yogic Treatments and Natural Remedies. In this handbook, he described yogic treatments using asanas and mudras with claims about natural and traditional remedies for about forty diseases.In the preface the author warns the reader not to risk practising asanas and mudras without the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher. Kaoshikii: the 'dance for mental expansion', was defined by Sarkar a 'physico-psycho-spiritual dance,' performed by all, and consists of 18 mudras aligning with 6 physical postures, each associated with a specific ideaThe spiritual ideation is carried along with the dance in order to establish a subtle link with the divine. while strengthening body and mind and making them flexible. Tandava or Tāṇḍava: is a vigorous dance.Associated with Shiva in his cosmic dancer image of Nataraja. This dance is only performed by male followers. The dance is performed to imbue the practitioner's mind with courage and honour, dispelling all sorts of complexes and fear, even fear of death itself.Thus the dance also has an associated ideation. The dancer starts off with the two arms outstretched, the left arm with an open palm, and the right arm with a clenched fist. The dancer imagines holding a human skull in the left hand, symbolizing death, and a knife in the right, symbolizing the fight for life; or the actual objects may be used. The dance starts with a jump, landing with bent knees. Another jump follows, and the dance continues in a jumping manner, lifting one leg then the other continuously. Tribuneindia.com story
Spiritual and social philosophy The philosophy of Ánanda Márga is a synthetic outlook, recognizing a theistic singularity or 'Supreme Consciousness',See: Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti, 1954, pp. 15, 68. which is claimed to be both transcendental and manifested in all. To this end Ánanda Márga suggests what it claims is a practical, rational, and systematic way of life for the balanced development of all human potentialities: physical, psychic and spiritual. This incorporate practices from hygiene, diet, and yoga postures, to a technique of meditation based on moral rules directed to inner fulfillment. It recognizes that a balance is needed between the spiritual and mundane aspects of existence, and that neither one should be neglected at the expense of the other. Hence, the goal of Ánanda Márga is "self-realization and the welfare of all".
Spiritual philosophy
The spiritual philosophy of Ánanda Márga recognizes that the universe is the creation of the mental thought waves of the 'Supreme consciousness'. The following is a brief list of the essential elements of Ánanda Márga spiritual philosophy: Atma or Soul and Paramatma or the Cosmic Consciousness: the Consciousness (Purusa) is reflected in the unit objects forming the "unit consciousness" or atma. Particularly the reflection of the soul on the mind is called and in that case the "reflector-soul" is called Paramatma (Supreme Soul).: "The reflection of Consciousness – Purusa – in the unit object is known as – "unit soul" – (Ananda Sutram, Chapter 2, Sutra 8 (2–8) in Avadhūtika Ānanda Mitra Ācāryā, 1981).