Gagan Divas
On 16th February 1978 Acarya Gagan Brahmacarii a monk from Maharlika (Philippines) performed self-immolation in Dallas Texas. This shocked everyone as he was such a wonderful, enthusiastic worker who was always cheerful and only a few persons had any inkling of what he was going to do. He had poured his soul into contacting officials and the public regarding Baba’s release.
As a margi holding a high salaried job in Manila, dada began a life of service by using his car to take dadas on errands. He would be ready to transport any dada anywhere at any time despite holding a demanding job. Eventually he left the job permanently to devote himself to life of service as a monk of Ananda Marga. After becoming a Brahmacarii, he had the chance to go to India to visit Baba in Jail. Instead, he devoted himself full time to working to educated the officials in the UN and the US government to take action on the persecution and suffering Baba was undergoing in Jail.
One margi in Dallas, Texas wrote about this later, “After one day of silence, fasting and intense meditation, Dada Gagana knew how he could best serve humanity. He sat at the typewriter in the Ananda Marga house in Dallas and calmly and carefully typed out four letters of protest about Shrii P. R. Sarkar’s unjust and prolonged imprisonment – to a TV station and one to the President of the United States of America. The latter was to remind President Carter of his stand and crusade for human rights. After doing his last worldly deeds, he set out to return to his Father. He drove four miles until he reached a quiet field in Garland, Texas. It was late on February 16th and very cold and cloudy. Everyone in town gathered in their homes preparing for a snow storm. Dada Gagana turned over his Xeroxed letter and wrote a letter to his Sectorial Secretary, Dada Yatiishvaranandaji.
In part it read:
‘He will always be with me. He is guiding my every thought and action, and as I die and leave this physical body I am completely surrendering myself to His sacred lotus Feet. My life is His and I have chosen to give it back to Him. Be not sad but rejoice at my death for I am rejoicing in the infinite love of our Lord.”
Then he moved quietly along the ground carrying gasoline and matches. Moments later, one woman in a distant farmhouse gazed out of her window and thought she saw a trash-fire. When morning came, she was still curious to know about what she saw the night before and called the police. A thick blanket of snow was covering Dada. The police found his charred body, letters and not far away – his car.”
When Baba was told of this, He said that Didi Uma, Dada Lokesh and Dada Gagana were the flame of His New Year Vanii of 1978. That Vanii said,
The flame of a lamp lights up countless lamps. The touch of a great personality wakes up innumerable sleeping hearts. In the same way, the eternal glow of the boundless élan vital of Cosmic Consciousness has been illuminating the life-lamp of universal humanism since time immemorial, is illuminating it, and in future will do so even more intensely. That is why I say, the future of the human race is not dark, rather it is strikingly resplendent. So proceed on, ignoring the frowns of darkness.
1 January 1978
Final Message
February 16th, 1978
President Carter
The White House
My name is Kim Peter Balmer, and I am a minister of Ananda Marga, a religious group whose leader, Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji, is being persecuted and imprisoned on falsely contrived charges in India.
Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji has been in Jail for years now. He has been poisoned, tortured, and been subject to all the lies, shams, of the Indian government. All because He wants all the people in the universe to love one another. Ananda Marga in the United States has made many number (of) attempts, ranging from letter writing, to demonstrations, to public fasts, but so far nothing has prompted the American government to take any concrete action on this matter. And that is why I have take the decision to self-immolate myself somewhere in the Dallas area. It seems the American government can not be moved by mere words, but it needs tragedy to goad it into action. Thus my self-immolation.
I must say that I am taking this action of my own free will. No one has talked me into doing this, nor has anyone ever approached me about it. My self-immolation is a decision that I made entirely on my own.
And so, Mr. Carter, please investigate the reasons behind the imprisonment of Anandamurtjii. Do not simply listen to the excuses of the Indian government, but take immediate steps to pursue this matter till its just and rightful end. If nothing is done, then my death will hang upon the conscience of the US Federal government.
At this moment I am extremely happy that I have this sacred opportunity to give my life to my beloved Guru. He has given me Life, and now, I am priviledged to die for Him.
Very truly yours,
Kim Peter Balmer (Ac. Gagan Brc.)
Dallas, Texas
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"Let (His) tale of torture be known by every person of the world, on every continent, in every country and in every house."
BABA
(17/2/1975 Crimson Dawn April 1975)
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