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BÁBÁ
Addled Táraka, Delhi PROUT: readers harmed
(Proutist solution to casteism, racism)
Namaskár,
Some people think that the problem of caste/race can be tackled by (i) waging a war against those in the exploiter caste/race and (ii) simultaneously providing special benefits to those in the exploited caste/race, in the form of reservations and affirmative actions.
Wrong solutions to the exploitation in the society
These two aforementioned approaches are wrong and go against PROUT. The reason is that they both inherently acknowledge the very existence of caste/race. Whereas unfortunately, recognizing caste/race is in itself the mistake, which results in a divided human society. Humans have evolved from apes and apes do not have caste or race. As descendents of apes, therefore, humans also do not have caste or race. Stratification of society based on caste (in India) and race (outside India) has been falsely imposed throughout the world to perpetuate exploitation.
The question is, how to rid the society of these false divisions based and caste and race? The Proutist solution of eliminating documentation of caste/race is the correct approach; why this is so is explained below. (Also see earlier post, note 1)
Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar’s working style and AMPS
There are various evidences available within AMPS and in Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar’s own style of working and His writings, to prove that documentation based on caste/race is not to be encouraged.
How some people’s skin became black, some white
Ananda Marga ideology guides us,
“Human beings, since their advent onto this earth, found themselves confronted with these types of conflicting natural environments. They had to fight tooth and nail against those particular adverse circumstances to preserve their existence, and that process brought about marked changes in their outward physical structures.”
“The greater the heat of the sun, the greater the amount of ultraviolet rays in the sunlight. A study of geography tells us why there are differences in the degree of heat of the sun’s rays. Where the sun’s rays fall on earth obliquely, there is less heat of the sun, and where the sun’s rays fall straight on the earth, the heat is greater. In very hot countries white-skinned people find it very hard to live, because their skin, having less of the chemical substance called melanin, is unable to stand much heat. Body skin with a great quantity of melanin in it turns jet black, and obviously a lesser quantity of melanin makes one’s skin white.”
“If ever white people are forced for some reason to live long in a hot climate, their colour turns brown. In 1939-40, when British soldiers came to India for war purposes, their colour became brown due to the great heat. Naturally, as the skin of these soldiers had to adjust with the hot climate of India, there were some necessary changes in their skin to effect acclimatisation.”
“In hot countries the irises of people’s eyes are generally black, because more melanin is required to protect the eyeball from the scorching rays of the sun.” (1)
Revolutionary marriages
The system of Ananda Marga is to follow revolutionary marriage (RM). If a so-called Brahmin marries a so-called Dalit then the children of such a family will not have any caste. Marriages within a single caste, i.e. same-caste marriages, which are traditional in the dogmatic Hindu religion, are a way to continue the caste system by formally documenting caste information in each marriage. Similarly, if a fair-skinned Caucasian marries a dark-skinned Negroid or a yellow-skinned Mongoloid, then the offspring will have a mixed skin color making it impossible to identify these children as matching the characteristics of any individual so-called race. In a generation or two the relics of caste/race will be lost in the oblivion. Ananda Marga, using Revolutionary Marriage (RM), has permanently erased such marriage-based caste/race documentation.
Even a founding member of AM Shri Ramtanuk jii, when he got his child married within his own caste, was strongly punished by Baba for holding caste-based sentiments. For years following Ramtanuk jii’s child’s same-caste marriage, Baba stopped talking to Ramtanuk jii for committing this mistake. This is a living example that Baba treats all humans as one & condemns caste and race dogma.
Test of candidates for Family Acaryaship
In the pre-1990 era, all the candidates for Family Acaryaship were tested to check if they had any caste sentiment. Just before the formal examination of Acarya, the candidates were asked certain specific questions to check if they still had caste sentiments deep within them despite all their AM training. These questions would be asked in casual settings like while walking, eating, etc. Typical questions would include, “How can Kayasthas-- members of a particular caste that the candidate might likely be attached to-- be encouraged to join AM?” The candidate would unwittingly lay out a plan for Kayasthas to join AM. The right answer for such a question should of course be that there are no castes and thus there should not be special caste-based programs. However, those candidates who still believed in the caste system would provide a caste-based program. Such candidates were invariably failed. Again, this is a living demonstration of the importance of giving-up all caste/race related sentiments to progress in one’s spiritual life.
No questions about caste/race in AM functions like DMS
It is well known that in any AM functions no questions about one’s caste/race are asked. This system was set-up for the simple reason that AM does not subscribe to the idea of documenting anyone’s so-called caste/race. Thus, caste/race documentation is not followed in AM.
“Revolutionary marriage is the solution”
One of the important solutions provided by Ananda Marga philosophy to the problem of casteism is the system of revolutionary marriage (RM). Maintaining a so-called “pure” blood-line by have same-caste/race marriages divides the society into groups and breeds animosity leading to a fragmented social fabric. According to Ananda Marga philosophy, revolutionary marriage is one of the main solutions to tackle this problem and form a strong unified society, as the RM system obliterates the distinctions between people by mixing all the blood together.
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “अधिक से अधिक revolutionary marriage करा लो | और जो हिम्मतवार लड़के हैं, वे, उनके guardian, उनके माता; वे लोग क्या करें ? जात-पाँत को लात से ख़त्म कर दो, चूर-चूर कर दो | एक दल, एक मज़बूत समाज बना लो | और हम लोगों को दुनिया के कोने-कोने में आनन्दमार्ग का पैगाम पहुँचा देना है | इसलिए अधिक से अधिक सङ्ख्या में whole timer worker की भी जरूरत है | कोई whole timer worker बनो | कोई revolutionary marriage करके समाज को मज़बूत बना दो |” (2)
(Rough English Translation) Ananda Marga philosophy says-- More and more people should adopt revolutionary marriage. The strong boys and girls and their guardians should quash the notion of caste/race and thereby form a strong society. And we have to propagate the ideals of Ananda Marga in all the corners of the world. For that we need more whole time workers. Some of you can become whole time workers while others can adopt revolutionary marriage to strengthen the society. (Rough English Translation ends)
According to Prout caste/race is not to be documented
Prout does not support any differentiation amongst human beings based on caste/race as Prout is based on neohumanism.
Evidence based on Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar’s writings
In a number of places, the propounder of Prout, Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar, says that caste is a false social order and is an outdated and dogmatic institution. The caste system must be wiped out immediately. To do so the first step, indeed, is to remove caste documentation and all mention of caste from the records. One can either be a spiritualist or a dogmatic individual but not both. One who maintains or supports maintaining caste related information cannot be a spiritualist. According to Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar, everyone should adopt a uniform title namely Deva so that in all the records, name based markers for one’s caste would be eliminated.
Prout philosophy guides us, “Casteism is a burden on the Hindu society. All the year round they preach casteism but on the polling days they decry it. This is wholly undesirable. It is better to avoid all titles. Titles signify the caste. If casteism is to be wiped out, it is incumbent to discard the titles. It is commendable if everyone adopts uniformity on title – Deva. Persons using a particular word more often will influence their minds with the meaning of that word. People are reluctant to use the word dása because this word signifies slavery. Whenever the so-called low caste people catch an opportunity, they declare themselves as belonging to the so-called elevated caste, etc. It is an ideal to become deva and for this reason Deva title should be adopted.” (3)
Those who follow caste/race don't believe in one supreme father
AM ideology teaches us that a father cannot have children of more than one race, and Parama Purusa is everyone’s father. As all are the children of one supreme Father, all are of the same race, the same ‘caste’, the same ‘ja’ti’.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “हर जीव परमपुरुष की सन्तान है | हर जीव के पिता एक परमपुरुष हैं | इसलिए मनुष्य में ऊँच-नीच का भेदभाव रहना नहीं चाहिए | कई बार मैं कह चुका हूँ कि जो मनुष्य जात-पाँति मानते हैं, परमपुरुष को वे नहीं मानते हैं | क्यों ? न, एक पिता के पुत्त्रों का अनेक जात नहीं हो सकता है | जात-पाँति माननेवाले परमपिता को नहीं मानते हैं, और, परमपिता को माननेवाले जात-पाँति नहीं मान सकते हैं | एक को रखना है जी; दो नाव पर चलने से नहीं चलेगा | अगर जीना है, अगर आगे बढ़ना है, तो एक नाव पर चढ़ना है | Either परमपुरुष को मानो, या जात-पाँति मानो | दोनों मानोगे, नहीं हो सकता है |” (4)
Conclusion
Recognizing caste/race is in itself the mistake, which results in a human society divided based on caste/race. Humans have evolved from apes and apes do not have caste or race. Thus humans, the descendents of apes, also do not have caste or race. Stratification of society based on caste (in India) and race (outside India) has been falsely imposed throughout the world to perpetuate exploitation.
The Proutist solution to the evils of casteism and racism is to be achieved through the elimination of all documentation of caste and race. This elimination of caste and race documentation is in turn realized through (i) revolutionary marriages and (ii) abolishing caste/race specific titles in people’s names.
At His Lotus Feet,
Bhakti
Shri. P. R. Sarkar says, “It is better to avoid all titles. Titles signify the caste. If casteism is to be wiped out, it is incumbent to discard the titles.” (5)
Chief wrongdoer in Delhi Prout is Táraka
- You know, Delhi Prout is a very old Prout magazine, and is the mouthpiece of various PROUT organizations. It is supposed to be dedicated for publishing Prout philosophy. But unfortunately, the editors are doing just the opposite. The magazine publishes in English, from Delhi.
- There are many names listed on the Publisher’s page, but the wrongdoer is Tarak Ghista (aka Tiki). His polluted mind is the cause of the degradation of the Prout magazine. When Dada Santoshananda was running the magazine, in those days it was proper. But now his name is printed on the Publisher's page just for show.
- All kinds of names have been listed there on the Publisher’s page, but mostly due to laziness they don’t write anything. Rather, the main wrongdoer Tarak copies left wing type articles from the internet, and prints them in the Delhi Prout magazine. In this way, he deceives the magazine’s readers. Because, outwardly he never writes that it has been copied from the internet, and nor does he provide the link to the articles online. So here in this current letter, Delhi Prout means the editors of Delhi Prout magazine-- i.e Tarak Ghista (the main problem creator on the staff of the Prout Magazine). (Courtesy Ananda Marga News Bulletin)
All belong to the human race
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, ”In Ananda Marga the first step that a person takes is to forget one’s race or sect and to no longer identify oneself with one’s race, caste or sect, whether it was superior or inferior. In social functions based on racial considerations, racial prejudices figure very prominently. In our collective functions, members of all races, castes or creeds take part as equals. The caste, race or nation is often the main consideration in arranging marriages. In our Márga, there is no such consideration. These petty differences between human beings are not given any importance. Humanity as a whole is considered as one family belonging to the race of human race. In such a society, injustice due either to economic background, sex or racial considerations will be unknown.” (6)
In depth learning
The Proutist solution to the evils of casteism and racism is to be achieved through the elimination of all documentation of caste and race. This elimination of caste and race documentation is in turn realized through (i) revolutionary marriages and (ii) abolishing caste/race specific titles in people’s names (see note 1 for a link to a detailed earlier posting on this topic). However, some confused people mistakenly believe that those belonging to a so-called superior caste or race, who exploit the people belonging to a so-called inferior caste or race, are themselves the root cause of the evils of casteism and racism.
In this post, caste and race are treated as similar in the sense that they are both the cause of false divisions in human society. (Note 2)
Some confused wts
In response to a posting on the evils of casteism/racism and Proutist solutions, some confused people circulated views online that are not at all in line with Prout philosophy. Those people say that removing documentation of caste is not a solution for eliminating the caste/race system; but this sort of view is against what Prout philosophy teaches. There are various evidences both in the writings of the propounder of Prout, Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar, and in the AM working style. Some confused WTs also have some of the aforementioned misunderstandings about caste/race. Being a member of AM one should learn the correct Proutist view on this matter so as to prevent a faulty outlook that may even lead one to misguide others.
Note 1
Link to the original post in response to which some people circulated their reply--
Note 2
Although, caste and race are different constructs in a literal sense but in the context of splitting human society both play a similar role. In India, caste is inherited from father to children. In western countries, often skin color is used as a marker of one’s race and inherited biologically. Both aforementioned constructs split the society into a hierarchy of superior and inferior caste/race. People do not mix/inter-marry across the caste/race in order to maintain “purity.” People at every level exploit their inferior caste/race while themselves get exploited by their superior caste/race. The exploitation is evidently all-pervasive in the society. Hence, in this posting, caste and race are all treated as similar.
Main Incharges
Ácárya Acyutánanda Avadhuta
Ácárya Santosánanda Avadhuta
Ácárya Vedaprajinananda Avadhuta
Sohail Inayatullah
Note 3
Request to Márgiis: In order to make our AM magazines pristine, please forward this posting to the editor (editor@proutjournal.org) of Prout English Magazine. As well as to the magazine’s Editorial Board members:
Ácárya Acyutánanda Avadhuta <acyutananda1@gmail.com>
Ácárya Vedaprajinananda Avadhuta <dadaveda@ru.org>, <dadaveda@gmail.com>
Ácárya Santosánanda Avadhuta <bhaktasamaja@gmail.com>, <prout.am@gmail.com>
Sohail Inayatullah <s.inayatullah@qut.edu.au>; <sinayatullah@hotmail.com>; <sohail@bigpond.net.au>; <sohail@mail.tku.edu.tw>, <sohail@metafuture.org>; <sinayatullah@gmail.com>
Note 4
The editorial members of Prout (English edition) are listed below.
Editor: Ácárya Santosánanda Avadhuta
Editorial Board: Ácárya Acyutánanda Avadhuta, Ácárya Vedaprajinananda Avadhuta, Sohail Inayatullah
Correspondents: Kanhu Charan Behura, Rajesh Singh, Ravindra Singh
Layout & Design: Suman Jha, Nishant Jha
Head Office: Prout Bhawan, JC-48, Khirki Extension Main Road, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi - 110017 ; Mobile No. : 09212199658; Email : prout.am@gmail.com
General Manager: Pranav Koul; Circulation Manager: R N Prasad; Assistant Circulation Manager: Sukhdeo
References
(1) Human Society Is One and Indivisible – 1, A Few Problems Solved Part 2
(2) PS Purport 1030 + WT Discourse – 2, 1/14/1984 Patna, Not Printed
(3) Táttvika Diipiká (Paiṋcama Parva), Ánanda Púrńimá 1957, Published in: Táttvika Diipiká [unpublished in book form]
Notes: Paiṋcama Parva = “Part 5”
(4) आध्यात्मिक साधना के साथ मानसिक स्तर का सम्पर्क, A'dhya'tmika Sa'dhana' ke Sa'th Ma'nasika Star ka' Samparka, 6/27/80, Saharsa, Published: Subhasita Samgraha, part 14, Chapter 09, S14-09
(5) Táttvika Diipiká (Paiṋcama Parva), Ánanda Púrńimá 1957, Published in: Táttvika Diipiká [unpublished in book form]
Notes: Paiṋcama Parva = “Part 5”
(6) Tattvika Praveshika, Social Psychology
== Section 2: Links ==
Recent Postings
Other topics of interest
More important letters
The name of Ácárya Santosánanda Avadhuta can be spelt in various ways as listed here - Dádá Santośánanda, Dádá Santoshananda, Santosánanda Dada, Santoshananda Dada. Ácárya Acyutánanda Avadhuta, Acyutánand, Acyutananda, Acyutananda Dada, Dada, Acyutananda, Ácárya Vedaprajinananda Avadhuta, Vedaprajinanand, Vedaprajiṋánanda, Vedaprajiṋánand, Tarak, Taraka, Tárak, Táraka, Ta’rak.
