Baba
Outlandish assertions of Dada B
Note: This was first posted in May of 2011, and since this is such an important topic we present again here for your review. It details an interaction between Ac Bhaskarananda Avt and Shrii Narayan Panda.
Namaskar,
Once in 2008 or so, Ac Bhaskarananda Avt telephoned me and requested me to kindly arrange food for his lunch in Vishakhapatnam station during his journey from Howrah to Yashvantpur. I gladly accepted his request and went to the railway station to hand over the food packet. At that meeting, Dada Bhaskarananda ji immediately started telling me why he joined the Kolkata Administration. Dadaji wanted to justify his allegiance. On that day, Dada presented two claims about Sadguru Baba’s discourses.
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Dada's first bogus claim: Bengali is original
#1) Bengali should be treated as the "original" language for all of Baba's discourses.
That means even if Baba has delivered the discourse originally in Hindi, then that Hindi should be translated into Bengali, which then becomes the new master or "original." Using the Bengali as the new source text, the discourse should be translated from Bengali back into Hindi, and from Bengali to English and then into other languages. So even though it is a Hindi discourse, Dada Bhaskarananda claims that Bengali should be treated as the original. And on the inside of the book it should state: "Translated from the original Bengali." They want to make it appear as though Baba delivered every discourse in Bengali when in fact Baba originally gave discourses in many other languages. So this is the convoluted and misleading way Dada Bhaskarananda and certain Publications officials want to publish Baba's discourses.
Dada's second bogus claim: "peasant English"
#2) Those in attendance for Baba's English DMC discourses were not up to the proper standard so Baba spoke in simple or "peasant" English.
Those who attended DMC were of a lowly standard so Baba used "peasant" English to communicate with them. Hence it was necessary to put those English discourses into Bengali and then translate that Bengali back into proper English.
Upon hearing this, Pandaji reflected: "Internally, I got annoyed with Da'da' because who is he to comment whether Ba'ba' was thinking that He would speak standard English, or poor quality English. If it is so, let us examine Baba's first discourse on microvita in Kalikata on 31st Dec '86 which He delivered in English. That discourse was so complex that even up till today, it could not be understood by so many philosophers, doctors, scientists, yet Baba spoke in that manner before so many common margiis like us who were present on that day."
In brief, those were Dada Bhaskaranandji's two proclamations.
Cannot dupe margiis with rhetoric
Anyone can easily understand that Dada Bhaskarananda's above two claims are utterly erroneous. All of Baba's discourses should be printed "as is" in the original language in which Baba spoke. There is no "rule" that Bengali should be treated as the original language.
Secondly, Dada Bhaskarananda is seriously insulting all non-Bengalis by saying that their mental standard (i.e. intelligence) was so low - i.e. Baba had to employ "dumb English" or "pigeon English" so those dull-witted English speakers in attendance could understand; and Baba had to employ "dumb Hindi" or "pigeon Hindi" so those dull-witted Hindi speakers in attendance could understand. Hence it was needed to change Baba's spoken English His spoken Hindi at DMC to Bengali and then translate that into respectable English or respectable Hindi. Whereas with Bangla, all the Bengali speakers in attendance were highly educated and of keen intellect, so Baba spoke in highly refined Bengali at DMC. In which case, those Bangla discourses could be printed "as is". This is the outrageous claim that Dada Bhaskarananda makes. Dadaji's misguided analysis smacks of narrow-minded, communal sentiments.
So all these justifications given by Ac Bhaskarananda are very unfortunate. He may think he can dupe all Ananda Margiis with his rhetoric, but that is not so.
“As-is” transcription is the original discourse
We know that all Baba's discourses should first be transcribed in the language in which Baba spoke. And that transcription should be treated as the original discourse. So if Baba delivered the discourse in Hindi than that Hindi transcription should serve as the original. And same is the case with English as well as any other language. This every margii and acarya now understands. So no one can believe what Dada Bhaskarananda is telling.
Again, as we know, irrespective of the language, what Baba spoke should be transcribed "as is" and that should be treated as the original. Because in the process of translation 20% of the idea gets lost. To minimize this, all His discourses - irrespective of any language - should always be directly translated from the original language, not via any 3rd language.
For example, if a Hindi discourse published in Subhasita Samgraha needs to be translated into Hungarian then it should be translated directly from the original language, i.e. Hindi, into Hungarian. The absolute worst would if it was translated from the original Hindi to Bengali to English and the finally to Hungarian. In that case the entire meaning of the discourse would be lost in translation.
Conclusion
The translation should always be from the original language in which Sadguru Baba delivered the discourse - not via any other language. None then can claim that all Baba's discourses should first be translated into Bengali and then use the Bengali as the original. This is not the right approach.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Narayan Panda
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* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Why a bhakta should be fearless
Ananda Marga ideology says, “Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity, the Supreme Lord, He loves His devotees very much. He can do anything and everything for His devotees, and actually He does. A devotee should always be fearless, because Parama Puruśa is always ready to do anything and everything for him." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, “Prańipátena Pariprashnena Sevayá” – 1 / Yoga – Its Fundamental Factors
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Why forgetfulness is a blessing
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Forgetfulness is a providential decree. Usually human beings forget their past lives. Is this forgetfulness a blessing or a curse? It is a blessing because human beings feel burdened by the weight of one life. It would be impossible for them to carry the burden of many lives together."
"The human mind is sentimental – full of love, affection, camaraderie, etc. People have a deep attraction to this world; they remain preoccupied throughout their lives with fears and anxieties for the safety of their families. So many problems have to be confronted. The problems of one life alone are enough to make people restless. If they had to face the problems of several lives, they would be unable to lead a natural life. The problems of the past lives, compounded by the strife of the present life, would drive them to the brink of insanity. Secondly, it is difficult for people to be detached from love and attachment for one life. So much effort is required to overcome the bondages of attachment and march towards Parama Puruśa. If the memory of the past lives is revived, the bondage of attachment will tighten its grip, putting a halt to spiritual advancement. One will be caught in the grip of worldly attachment. Thus the decree of merciful providence is, “Let human beings be oblivious of their past lives.”" (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, Cerebral and Extra-Cerebral Memory
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Forgetfulness is a providential decree. Usually human beings forget their past lives. Is this forgetfulness a blessing or a curse? It is a blessing because human beings feel burdened by the weight of one life. It would be impossible for them to carry the burden of many lives together."
"The human mind is sentimental – full of love, affection, camaraderie, etc. People have a deep attraction to this world; they remain preoccupied throughout their lives with fears and anxieties for the safety of their families. So many problems have to be confronted. The problems of one life alone are enough to make people restless. If they had to face the problems of several lives, they would be unable to lead a natural life. The problems of the past lives, compounded by the strife of the present life, would drive them to the brink of insanity. Secondly, it is difficult for people to be detached from love and attachment for one life. So much effort is required to overcome the bondages of attachment and march towards Parama Puruśa. If the memory of the past lives is revived, the bondage of attachment will tighten its grip, putting a halt to spiritual advancement. One will be caught in the grip of worldly attachment. Thus the decree of merciful providence is, “Let human beings be oblivious of their past lives.”" (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, Cerebral and Extra-Cerebral Memory
== Section 3:
Important Teaching ==
Why a bhakta should be fearless
Ananda Marga ideology says, “Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity, the Supreme Lord, He loves His devotees very much. He can do anything and everything for His devotees, and actually He does. A devotee should always be fearless, because Parama Puruśa is always ready to do anything and everything for him." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, “Prańipátena Pariprashnena Sevayá” – 1 / Yoga – Its Fundamental Factors
== Section 4:
Links ==
Ananda Purnima Series
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This email contains four sections:
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3. IT: Why a bhakta should be fearless
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This email contains four sections:
1. Posting: Outlandish assertions of Dada B
2. IT: Why forgetfulness is a blessing
3. IT: Why a bhakta should be fearless
4. Links
