JAYA MAAI JAYA MARKAND MAAI
CELEBRATION DAYS
Mai-ism scripture is simple. It consists of Six words only: Mother, Love to Mother and Her Children, Universality, Service, Devotion and Self Surrender. (Please Part I). see pages 56, 57, of "Mai Sahasranama" Vol. 1,
The first word 'Mother' ' indirectly and implicitly Includes the principle or the word of spiritual co-equal status of man and woman.
Of course practice will take time but at least the scripture is over. In practical life the spirit of spiritual coequal status of man and woman in addition to the four concepts of love, service, devotion and self-surrender are also to be rigidly observed. In every thought, action and desire, keep these Six words before you. If the practice is observed with full austerity, your life is crowned with success by Mai's Grace resulting from your devotion to Her. Relief from misery, happiness and finally salvation are easily attained. Even if there is no conviction about God, Mai-ism has the broadest vision and the words of devotion and surrender should be applied to one's master husband, employer, guardian, parents, patrons etc.
Just practice for a year and you will find you are transformed. Practise it at least one day (Mai days being Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and Sunday in the order of importance), or one day in a month say the full moon day, or once in a year, say your birthday or once in your life on your death-bed and mark the miraculous change.
As detailed in " Mai Sahasranama" (1940). Mother's Day is the day of practice. Do not be wrathful on this day. Do not utter lies. Do not cheat. Do not assume or abuse superiority. Do not exploit helplessness, ignorance or misunderstanding. Do not refuse possible service to the needy. Do not indulge in pleasure. Do not behave naughtily. Do not seek luxury. Do not pervert the truth. Do not misconstrue, misinterpret or take an uncharitable view. Do not think or believe or harbor bad thoughts. Do nothing bad Do not crush the poor and weak.
None needs being taught what should be done and what not. Be religious and truly religious on that day at least. Do fast to the extent your vitality permits. Keep silence as long as possible. What goes out of your mouth is often more dangerous than what goes inside through the mouth. All other days are again yours to lead a free life as your agitated mind chooses. Do what little you can. However little in good thing done is much higher than however great the work but only intended or merely desired to be done but actually not done at all. For a Mai-ist a little is better than nothing and it is a matter of satisfaction for himself and encouragement to and example for others. Don't trust the next occasion or moment for beginning any good and meritorious work. Done is done in spite of any imperfection and incompletion Not done is not done in spite of hundreds of justifications for not doing. Any good work once begun, increases in its goodness as time passes.
Temples are there;) scriptures are there, worships by hundreds are there, pandits are there. What is not there is the altruistic, benevolent, devotional spirit, the understanding, the outlook, the sincerity, the faith, the service, the sacrifice and selflessness or in one word, the perseverance and practice of living a self-controlled righteous, and goodness-dedicated life. The said improvement of the mentality itself takes place and progresses with religious and spiritual purest thinking, virtuous living moral environments, varied experiences, etc., although say with a snail or an ant's speed. The miraculous unbelievable transformation however, with an aeroplane's speed has however only one source and remedy and that is only the most sincere surrender to God and Guru which as well governs the said avenues of improvement.
The special days are to be observed as described above to the extent of one's increasing capacities, and the subject of celebration and celebration days has been described elementarily on Page 139 of "Mai Sahasranama" Vol. II under "Falashruthi" (Recollection of benefits arising from Mai Devotion). It is more than clear to all Mal-ists that in respect of observance, the same principle as explained in the case of sacraments holds good. (1) A Mai-ist must observe as far as possible the undermentioned days, (2) that such observance is more than enough, although (3) any Mai-ist is entirely free to make additions according to one's own personal wishes or the suggestions of one's family, society, community or religion, ancestral tradition or hereditary customs.
Very generally speaking, in addition to the days mentioned below, one should select a particular day representing the day of his individual select adoption and loved religion and similarly a day of his own personal religious initiation, Guru worship and any other day which one's society holds sacred or popular.
It need not be stated here that the most predominant humanity portion from which Mai-ism has drawn admirers, followers, devotees, votaries and adherents is that of Hindus, though Mai-ism has so many advocates and admirers belonging to other religions as well. One thing is true, viz. that Mai-ism has not any other religionists than Hindus who take full part in the worship and that is so very natural.
There should be no misunderstanding or any wrong conclusion or delusion arising from the statement of the stated Hindu predominance. Any Mai-ism literature reader can immediately see that, if there be sufficient minimum number of Mai-ists of any other religions, Mai-ism has so often proclaimed in writing its Willingness to accept any newly suggested or newly composed prayer series, etc. of any other religion, a new method of worship to be followed by them as say Jain Mai-ists, Christian Mai-ists, Muslim Mai-ists, etc. (Please read "Mai Sahasranama" Vol. II page. 222 - 'Details of Mother Worship'.)
If we penetratingly analyze, the general religious mentality of the modernized Hindus, even though they have joined or taken part in Mai-ism, is interesting. (although the analysis has been subject to a rigid standard.) It is made clear hereunder.
As it is, the modern world is practically living quite a materialistic life. Most of the Hindus have very little interest in religion now. Naturally unless they are in need of any religious or divine help they would not like to be dislodged from their safe and silent saddle of living nominally but under the denomination of "Hindus". Full of lethargic inertia, especially in the matter of higher pursuits, they do not like to undergo any deviation from the trodden religious path, in virtue of the only reason of their association with Mai-ism, if that association is merely nominal, theoretical temporary or only as a need satisfying measure.
There is another class of 'religious' styled Hindus which has an academical, intellectual interest especially in scriptures and philosophers and they have not realised the internal ecstasies of devotion. Such ones agree to be appreciative of Mai-ism but nothing further thereafter.
Just on a little religious higher plane there is again the routinistic or self-centred orthodox class, some ones of which do actually feel the need of some reformation and change. However most of the religious persons of this class, while they covertly appreciate Mai-ism, have all their enthusiasm evaporated under their self
pride with the inward feeling of "our own religion" of "Hinduism" is only the best, '"the highest best".
Some of their bear feeling of resentment against Maiism in as much as is surely and admittedly indebted to Hinduism, It is a decision as bureaucratic
under the ancestral roof, even though in the midst of all Illiteracies, poverty, and possibly all heterogeneities, for the only reason that he has been born in that family, They exclude all considerations except the parental birthright over the son,
There are others who are yet more aggressive, They desire that any healthy reform would be welcomed by them but they should be placed before the world, as approved and sanctioned by their own acknowledged religious authorities and under the name of "Hinduism'. And this they would expect without the smallest sympathy, encouragement, assistance or co-operation
Yet another class is that of the "lurking thief" which is Maiji's favourite expression. It is getting into a house either as a friend or a guest or a lurking thief during day-time, the thief concealing himself in the corner, observing every detail of possessions, etc, in the day-time and awaiting nightfall or moments of weakness when everything is to be shattered or snatched under the threat of the brutal knife.
All these classes of Hinduism deter the general Hindu mass from associating with Mai-ism, which would naturally create the idea of unification of Hinduism with Mai-ism.
Practically therefore only such fractions of the whole Hindu world have greatest attractions for Mai-ism as are from their full heart fully religious but whose conscience is not satisfied or constantly experiencing that the Hindu life lived actually and factually is entirely different from what is required to be as depicted in theory and speech.
The late Ernest Kirk, the author of "The World's Need and Mai-ism", under the Chapter 'Maiji', a Man of Destiny, has explained this very idea in these words:
"Maiji is born in the family of orthodox Nagar Brahmins, equivalent to, say a Namboodiri in Malabar, or an Acharyar in Madras. This gave Maiji a schooling in Hinduism (orthodox Hinduism), with all its rites, ceremonies and scriptural studies. He was however, brought face to face with the actual struggles and difficulties that confront those in Hinduism, and indeed in every religion, who are feeling the need for something more, real and satisfying than is being offered to them."
Thus even though the Hindu class is as large as an ocean, it is only a particular fraction therefrom which feels the constant need of Divine protections and religious joys and which has not been successful in finding their own joys and misery-relieving means that have rallied round Mai-ism. The greatest uniqueness of Mai-ism is that with only a small preliminary idea of the most important principles of life, it at once starts with the devotion, Mai-Worship, Guru-contact, Mantra repetitions etc. Thus the test of the pudding being in the eating thereof, almost everyone has been a staunch Mai-ist who has already tasted the fruits in solid form, of Mai-Devotion.
It is the only most practical way for general all round happiness and peace, which every human being is in search of and lives for. Mai-ism lays special emphasis not simply on so called arbitrary grounds of religion but even from the viewpoint of psychology, on the continued practice of day to day and hour to hour of maintaining the mental attitude and religious spirit of devotional attachment, in the midst of different moods through various modes of keeping oneself, as much engrossed and absorbed as possible during one's life, in occupations of daily programmes of devotion, benevolence, services wherever needed without any differences, and with universal outlooked love. The monotony of the daily programme needs being wiped out for renewal of enthusiasm and energy, and that is being done through the particular points of time and periods in the eternal run of one's lifetime.
The said celebration days to be observed with rigidity and self-control, self-purification etc. as described before, serve as bench-mark points of new refreshing on the long way. Each year, for a Mai-ist, is supposed to complete by the end of the victory day of Dusserah when as far as possible, the convening of a Mai convocation, large or small, royal or rare with a special day for a Sisters' Social for all women, of any religion is desirable. If unfortunately money, men, material etc. are not coming forth, let such Mai Convocations be held once in two, three, five or even ten years. But let it be most fixedly riveted in the minds of Mai-ists that Sisters' Socials and Mai Convocations, the former representing the Mai-ism principle of the spiritual co-equal status, and the latter the universality, are the two special unique unparalleled, unprecedented features as a Religion of the Universal Mai-ism.
It may be just casually noted here that a pair of Jain religionists who had so many proofs of Mai's Grace came down to Bombay from Saurashtra and took their Oath. Naturally enough they must have full freedom to follow their own religion so far as that does not conflict with the universal truths and they too must have the happiness of selecting their own day for their own God and religion. The same thing is true surely for every religionist and it has been so very clearly mentioned at different places in Mai-ism literature as well as during Convocations that Mai-ism is fully and ever prepared to permit quite a different programme and method of prayer, ceremony, devotion etc. whenever followers of any other religions beside Hinduism join Mai-ism and propose a certain uniform set for them to follow, as say Jain Mai-ists, Zoroastrian Mai-ists, Christian Mai-ists etc. On a smaller scale this freedom has been fully granted even for the sub-classes of Hinduism as will be seen from the full liberty given to every Hindu to repeat specific mantras of one's deity as also to worship one's own deity. The subtlest point one has always to bear in mind is that whereas one's religion is an individual religion most suited to oneself, Mai-ism is the Universal Religion with Universal God for Universal Purpose in order to bring all different religious persons and forces together.
So much introduction being considered enough for the present purpose, we next take up the details and description of celebration days all of which must be observed in the manner described as far as practicable.
(1) Mai was installed on 2-9-1932. This particular day is primarily important.
(2) Good Friday. Mai-ism has considered this Christian day as a special day and a select day for convening meetings, taking oaths etc.
(3) Due to Mai's command in a dream, the first Sisters' Social was convened in Poona on 9-10-1932, Dusserah Day. So many other Sisters' Socials were held on Mai's command on Dussera days in Poona, Madras, Calicut. Trichur, Trivandrum and Ernakulam. Thus Dusserah day is very important as the day of victory for the outspread of universal Mai-ism.
(4) After Dussehra day ranks 23rd December, the birthday of Maiji on full moon Poornima Day of Margashirsh, stated to be the best of all months according to the Bhagavad Gita. This is also the Dutta Jayanti day. It may easily be seen that this day almost immediately precedes Christmas which falls on 25th December, which also should naturally be a celebration day. In a word, if possible, all three days viz. 23rd, 24th and 25th of December, should be observed as special days.
(5) The next most important day is Gudi Padva or the first day of Chaitra Navaratri, the day on which Mother's Lodge was founded for the outspread of Universal Mai-ism. (27-3-1933). It then had the denomination of 'Mother's Lodge' which gave inspiration to the opening of several Mai Mandals (equivalent Gujarati denomination) in Gujarat, principally through the devotional exertions of Keshavlal Pandya in Nadiad (Gujarat) and Mai Kalapi in Rajkot (Saurashtra) who have been working for Mai devotion outspread, as in-charge of a temple in each place, constructed through their collections. There are in all more than one hundred and thirty Mai Mandals and some of them are also in Africa, Mombassa etc. Please read pages 60 to 66 of "Mai-ism" regarding the details of the first devotee, Keshavlal's initiation in Poona and the widest sublimation of the Hindu Mataji conception to the Universal Mai conception in Gujarat and Saurashtra.
All these Mai Mandals principally started and practically supervised and guided by devotee Keshavlal of Nadiad, are from the practical viewpoint and test, religious, devotional centers of Hindu Mai-istic nature, and represent the variety of the combination of the
universal conception of Mai with all the rest of the devotional old mentality of the Hindu Mataji's devotion, with notions, beliefs, traditions and customs etc. of the ancestral type, principally including the notions of possession, quickest pleasing-ness or wrathfulness etc., with which every Hindu is quite familiar. In fact any impartial spectator of the working there will not be far from right if he concludes that except the change in the name of "Mataji" to "Mai'', and a theoretical acceptance of the truth viz. that Mai is the Mother not only of Hindus, but of the whole world, there is very little of modern rational outlook or actual sublimation of the traditional mentality to attain the higher plane as desired, required and preached under strictly clear, purest Mai-ism or say as visualized and understood by educated and religious persons of an entirely clean slate nature.
All the same, most doubtlessly, they are pieces and parcels of Mai-ism, as Mai-ism has a welcoming heart for Hindu Mai-ists as well. A subtle distinction however, is pointed out here, viz. that they represent the Hindu Mai-istic variety which Mai-ism fully welcomes and accepts.
A change in the religious mentality is the hardest task to achieve and the necessary time for its achievement has to be most patiently reckoned in terms of a century and its quarters. The seed once sown in a suitable land never dies. Mai-ism feels fully confident, with a certainty that the routinistic no-change Mai-ists of the said Mai Mandals, after some more decades and years, with greater spiritual development and experience and after much higher considerations, contacts and concentrations, will not fall back into the old marshy mud pools, but will especially hasten to sublimate their narrowed down mentalities and run up to declare themselves as most homogeneous parts and parcels of the parent whole of the unadulterated Universal Maiism. Nothing can be more clear on this subtlest issue as the constant expression of Maiji viz. that Mal-ism is surely Hinduism in its absolute aspect but not Hinduism alone.
After about a long period of say twenty-five years, the seeds of Mai-ism developed into much stronger roots with an unbelievable slow but steady invisible growth. The institutional conception of enlarged itself into the more disciplined advanced and staunchly devoted shape and organized form of Mai Adherents' Institute with the actual construction of Mai temples named 'Mai Viddyut' and 'Mai Kripa' at Trichur and Perintalmanna respectively, both in Kerala State. Mai-ism has Mai Adherents' Institutes in Trichur, Perintalmanna, Madras, Poona and Bombay. It is quite a happy memorable point of noting that Poona is the birthplace of Mai and Mai-ism and the first Sisters' Social. The province of Madras has its own unique reputation of staunch religiosity; and before it was subdivided with the creation of the states of Andhra and Kerala was the birth province of different Acharyas of scriptural profound learning. Bombay has been the central headquarters from where the founder transmits his spiritual messages for the propagation of Universal Mai-ism. The last but not the least is the last sweetest morsel of the mention of the Kerala State which is the real home of Mai's mother and child devotion. Kerala with its higher education and respected rights of the woman, wife and mother has been the natural home of Mai.
To return to the principal commonplace ordinary, straight route issue, wherefrom this bifurcation took place, viz. the enumeration of the celebration days. For reasons explained, Gudi Padva day is a celebration day. This day as also Dusserah day are important Hindu days as well and principal days of Chaitra and Ashvin Navaratra, Navratri being the nine days' period for the propitiation of the Hindu Mother. The former Navaratra has just after its end, the most popularly religious Ram Navami day and the latter is immediately followed by the victorious Dussehra day.
For Mai-ists, any year, for the purposes of Mai-ism devotion and activity may be generally taken from one Dusserah day to another or for them that are staunchly attached to Mai and Mai-ji both from the date of 23rd of December of one year to that of the other i. e. practically from Christmas to Christmas.
(6) As already referred to on Page 139 on "Falashruti" Friday, Saturday and Tuesday of every week and full moon days are important.
(7) Birthdays of oneself, one's parents and especially of one's mother and before one's marriage, the birthdays of one's sisters and brothers; and after marriage, the marriage day and the birthdays of one's husband or wife and children.
(8) From the viewpoint of spiritual success, the day of one's Diksha or also the day when there is spiritual illumination due to Guru Kripa or any wonderful experience, the day of the demise of one's parents, Guru, husband or wife are considered important.
(9) Days of prayers and thanks-giving for welfare and success or desire to be achieved or already achieved.
(10) Finally, most naturally enough, the days of illness and calamities, days of special grace for particular attainments, undertaken periods of Vrata or Anustan or Purashacharan i. e. vow devotional continuation period and determination to finish a certain number of mantras etc.
(11) As desired or decided by any Mai-ist, any special day with suitable programme calculated to be most welcome to, and expected to be fully participated in by all neighboring and nearest Mai-ists may also be included in the list of celebration days.
As said earlier, on all the celebration days one should remain religious, truly religious, and if one's vitality permits, observe fast, keep silence as long as possible, repeat Mai names and conduct especially in the night Mai worship. Particularly on the celebration days one must practice love, service, devotion and self-surrender.
Most religious persons, saints and sages have always repeated the truth viz., that there are times when the very same meritorious actions bear maximum fruits. There must be a fixed time, day and period for everything holy to gain the maximum benifit of self elevation, removal of calamity, poverty, misery, etc. There must be a fixed time for breaking the lethargic monotony, for refreshing and revitalising energy. There must be a place for everything to maintain orderliness and a time for increasing discipline and personal merit. It may be casually observed that leaflets have been often printed regarding the instructions as to how to observe NAVARATRA. In Trichur, the spiritual strength consolidated during NAVARATRI fast periods has always brought victory to Mai convocations.
The above stated celebration days should be observed on similar lines to the extent of one's practicability.
MAI BLESS ALL
