Writings of Avadhutika Ananda Mitra Acarya

Avadhutika Ananda Mitra Acarya is a wholetimer in the Ananda Marga organization. Her book “The Spiritual Philosophy of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti” [1] is a very important book as it provides excellent commentary. I will provide short quotes from her book and give the links to her articles at the end.



Brahma, Shiva, Shakti

“Brahma is the composite of Shiva and Shakti” (Ananda Sutram 1-1)

Avtk. Ananda Mitra Ac. explains this sutra as follows:

“This is the basic concept of Ananda Marga philosophy – that the Supreme Entity is One but has two aspects: the Cognitive Principle and the Operative Principle, Shiva and Shakti. It is impossible to conceive of one entity without the other; Consciousness and Its Energy of creation are as inseparable as fire and its heat; as milk and its whiteness, as two sides of a piece of paper. This concept has often been depicted symbolically in the image of a hermaphrodite (man and woman in the same body), or in Indian sculpture as two lovers locked in a tight embrace. In this sutra the term `atmakam’ has been used to express the relationship: Brahma is the composite of, the combined name of, Consciousness and the Operative Principle, Brahma is not a third entity.” [1]

Prakrti: Subordinate Efficient Cause

“Purusa (Shiva) is the material and efficient cause of creation and Prakrti (Shakti) is the `secondary efficient cause’.” [2]

Purushottama, Shiva, Paramashiva, Saguna and Nirguna Brahma

“Shiva, Consciousness, permeates each and every one of the innumerable particles of creation. The Consciousness is latent in all expressions. But when Shiva is controlling all these microcosms as the Macroscopic Witnessing Entity, He is known as `Parama Shiva’, `Supreme Shiva’. When He is witnessing all the unit purushas, all the unit consciousnesses, he is known as `Purushottama’. Thus `Parama Shiva’ and `Purushottama’ are synonymous. He is the witnesser and controller of the gunas, which in turn manage the creation. Not even a blade of grass can move without His desire. He is not Nirguna Brahma because He is witnessing the Universe. He is indirectly concerned with the objectivity. Nirguna Brahma is completely outside and beyond the universe, not related to it in any way. Saguna Brahma is the combination of the two, Purushottama and His psychic object, the Universe.” [3]

Cosmic Controller

“All entities are linked to the Cosmic Nucleus as if by a thread, like a kite to the child flying the kite. All are guided by Him. Modern science says that all microcosmic entities are determined by a cause we can no longer perceive: `Exhaustive studies by many investigators have shown that the fundamental laws of nature do not control the phenomena directly. We must picture them as operating in a substratum of which we can form no mental picture’ (Dirac, physicist). The ultimate substratum of course is the Cosmic Consciousness, the ultimate cause, knowing all and witnessing all. Baba says nothing is an accident; the very word `accident’ should be deleted from the dictionary. Everything is incidental; everything has a cause, though we may not be able to perceive that cause. Everything is guided by the Cosmic Nucleus; but human beings have a certain degree of subordinate free will to move forward or backward within the Cosmic Cycle.” [3]

Activity, Thought and Witness-ship

“There are three aspects of existence: (1) action (Prakrti is responsible for this), (2) thought (Prakrti is responsible for this also: thought and action being vibrational, are products of Her bondage), (3) witness-ship (Purusha is responsible for this: He performs the function of the witness-ship of Consciousness). We cannot know of the existence of Prakrti until we see something She produces, until She identifies Herself with objectivity, until She manifests the pure Consciousness in objective forms (like citta, physical world, etc.). All the different operations and activities in the Universe (activity and thought) are because of the binding of Prakrti. The third factor, witness-ship, belongs to Purusha because He is watching everything, as the infinite Transcendental Entity.” [4]

Articles

Avadhutika Ananda Mitra Acarya’s articles are very inspiring, I recommend them highly

Raising the Kundalini

The Art of Relaxation

The Characteristics of a Mantra

Please check the list at “Ananda Marga Articles” periodically as new articles are added.

References

[1] Avadhutika Ananda Mitra Ac., The Spiritual Philosophy of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti: A Commentary on Ananda Sutram, 2nd Edition, Ananda Marga Publications, ISBN 81-7252-119-7, p:1
[2] ibid, p:7
[3] ibid, p:16
[4] ibid, p:11