Baba
Poor condition
Note: Those knowledgeable about languages of the Indian subcontinent have to pay more attention. Because those languages carry a dogmatic notion of the term pralaya that is vastly different from how Ananda Marga philosophy defines pralaya.
Namaskar,
Ananda Sutram is our key philosophical text. Unfortunately, a review of the latest English edition of Ananda Sutram brought to light a few mistakes. The translators and publishers could not properly convey Baba's teaching. As sadhakas, it is our collective duty to raise awareness about scriptural errors / distortions. We should ensure that publication in-charges correct such errors.
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Publishers use wrong definition of pralaya
In the first chapter of Ananda Sutram, Baba is explaining how the entire expressed universe was created, as well as how unit beings ultimately merge back into the Macrocosm. Baba's philosophy is absolutely flawless, and He explains everything in a very clear and concise manner. So it is a bit of a tragedy that there is one key point from the purport of sutra 1-21 that has been wrongly published in the English edition. There are two key errors.
First the Saḿskrta word pralaya (pra = special; laya = merging; hence, merging back into the Supreme) was translated as "utter destruction" in the final sentence of the English purport. That was the first error. Second, certain editors or publishers put that same "utter destruction" phrase in square brackets [ ] to indicate that as the proper definition of pralaya or pran'a'sha in the second sentence. That was the second mistake.
Both of these are wrong because in that very purport Baba defines pralaya or pran'a'sha as "when the object merges in its cause" - i.e. when the unit being merges into the Supreme. Here it should be noted that "-laya" is a common suffix that means "merging", such as vilaya meaning properly dissolved. And pralaya, means, merging into the Macrocosm and attaining savikalpa samadhi. Baba defines pralaya or pran'a'sha as "when the object merges in its cause."
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Namaskar,
in Him,
Mukul Guha’
~ In-depth study ~
The words in green highlight in the below purport are wrong. The Tiljala editorial insertion says “utter destruction”, and Baba’s purport states it means merging in its own cause. Hence the error because “merging in its own cause” is not “utter destruction.”
Here is the sutra and purport of 1-21, for your review, as it appears in the current English edition of Ananda Sutram. See the mistakes for yourself.
1-21. Bhu'ma'vya'pte Mahati aham' cittayorpran'a'she sagun'a'sthitih savikalpasama'dhih va'.
[When the aham and the citta merge into the Macrocosmic Mahat, the merger is called sagun'a'sthiti or savikalpa sama'dhi.]
Baba’s purport in the Bengali edition was properly rendered / transcribed, but (a) the below green highlighted editorial insertion is wrong, and (b) the below yellow highlighted editorial translation is bogus and self-contradictory.
"Purport: When after continued spiritual practice the mahattattva, that is, the “I” feeling, gets metamorphosed into the Macrocosmic “I” feeling, the citta of the microcosmic mind merges in the aham and the aham merges in the mahat. When the object merges in its cause, that merger is called pralaya or pran'a'sha [utter destruction]. Since the citta of the Macrocosm grows out of the Macrocosmic Aham, and the Macrocosmic Aham out of the Macrocosmic Mahat, when in pratisaincara’s introversial movement the [unit] citta merges in the aham and the aham in the mahat, to call it pran'a'sha is quite logical and reasonable. The state of utter destruction of the citta and the aham and the state of all-pervasiveness of the mahat constitute sagun'a'sthiti [the state of transcendentality], or savikalpa sama'dhi [the trance of determinate absorption]." (Ananda Sutram 1-21)
In His unique explanation, Baba states that "when the object merges in its cause, that merger is called pralaya or pran'a'sha". Here the point is that when any unit being attains savikalpa samadhi and merges back into the Macrocosm then that is pralaya or pran'a'sha. There is no ambiguity about this because in His 19 Oct 1971 discourse in Purnea, Baba designates an entire paragraph to describe the meaning of pran'a'sha. (1) In that paragraph, Baba tells that if sugar could be converted back into sugar cane then that is pran'a'sha. Because pran'a'sha or pralaya means merging back into the source.
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But, in Ananda Sutram 1-21, in square brackets [ ] the publishers inserted the phrase "utter destruction" as if that is the real meaning of pralaya or pran'a'sha. That is wrong. Plus in the final sentence, the original Bengali purport uses the phrase the pralaya yet that got wrongly translated as "the state of utter destruction". Those are two critical mistakes from sutra 1-21 of the English edition of Ananda Sutram wherein the term pralaya was wrongly translated and printed as "utter destruction".
Don’t misguide
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "If one is not able to give the people proper guidance, then at least one should not misguide them…... There must be an excellent and all-embracing philosophy, in which there should be no loophole in any sphere of mind as far as possible." (2)
Note: According to our information and the latest books that I have, this point has not been fixed. But if TP has fixed it then they failed to inform all the margiis.
Warning: same words in Hindu dogma contrary to AM
In Ananda Marga philosophy, pralaya means the merger back into the Macrocosm; whereas, the Hindus refer to pralaya as the demolition of this earth, or doomsday etc.
Here it should be noted that there are many shared words between Ananda Marga philosophy and Hindu dogma that carry vastly different meanings: asura, brahamcarya, brahmin, deva, devii, dharma, dvija, gotra, gopal, gopii, Guru, loka, mahesh, mantra, murti, naraka, omnkara, papa, papiii, puja, punya, radha, rasaliila, samadhi, samskara, shastra, shudra, sura, svarga, varna, veda, vipra, vis'nu, yajina, yoga, and many more. There is the Ananda Marga dharmic meaning and the Hindu dogmatic sense. In the same way, pralaya in the Hindu tradition means utter destruction, and in Ananda Marga it means merging back into the Macrocosm.
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Merging is not utter destruction
According to Baba, when a jiiva'tma' reaches the apex stance of pratisaincara and, due to sadhana and His divine grace, merges back into the Macrocosm then that is pralaya or pran'a'sha. Because at the point the unit has merged back into its Source. In that case, there is no question "utter destruction" - the unit being has not been harmed, ruined or destroyed. Rather a blissful merger has taken place as the jiivatma has fulfilled its dharma and become one with the Macrocosm and become vast.
The dogmatic Hindu understanding of pralaya or pran'a'sha is destruction; unfortunately that wrong notion has been inserted into English edition of Ananda Sutram by certain publishers. Such Hindus believe that the whole world will be destroyed, just as other religions harbor their own doomsday and Armageddon philosophies. Such fundamentalists do this to scare and trap others in their dogma. We, however, do not subscribe to such beliefs. More about this is written below.
In His Hindi discourse of Purnea printed in Ananda Vacanamrtam - 26 (H) and Ananda Vacanamrtam - 27 (H), Baba has specifically defined pran'a'sha as meaning merger into the Supreme Source. Baba is meticulous on such issues wherein He gives His own dharmic explanation so people do not get misguided by traditional dogmatic uses. He has done the same with the term - brahamacarya. In Ananda Marga we have our dharmic understanding, and traditional Hindu society has their limited understanding or dogma. Baba clearly addresses both meanings.
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If still the publishers would like to explain further about the meaning of pralaya, then they could use either a bracketed section signifying merger into the Macrocosm or perhaps add a footnote and write a short paragraph. In that footnote, the editors can explain that when anything returns to its origin or source then that is pralaya. Just like Baba does by giving the example of sugar being converted back into sugar cane.
But to print the phrase "utter destruction" as a synonym or translation of pralaya is extremely misleading and wrong. Pralaya does not mean "utter destruction". That is just the dogmatic Hindu understanding of that term. In reality, according to Ananda Marga, pralaya means that sweet and blissful merger back into the Macrocosm - to return to the original source.
So in Ananda Marga, pralaya means the final merger back into the Macrocosm; whereas, in the faulty Hindu doctrine pralaya means the utter destruction of earth. We should not confuse these meanings nor think that Baba gives an iota of credence to the dogmatic Hindu concept of pralaya. He only uses the term in order to dispel that Hindu dogma.
Ananda Marga scriptures should be flawless
Baba has graciously given a perfect philosophy and it is our duty to make all the books proper. We should start by correcting our own personal English edition of Ananda Sutram. Please inform others in your unit as well.
Ananda Sutram is our philosophical treatise - it must not veer off course from Ananda Marga philosophy.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The scriptures containing spiritual injunctions must be totally flawless." (3)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "When the sole purpose of scripture, i.e. dharmasha'stra is to establish the human beings in the stable, exalted position of spiritual ideation, it must be practical, rational, infallible and universal. It must be based on deep eternal truths. It must be a'ptava'kya. A scripture is a guided entity." (4)
Importance of Ananda Sutram
As we all know, Ananda Sutram stands as Baba's seminal work in the realm of Ananda Marga philosophy.
Sadguru Baba says, "The recognized book on Ananda Marga Philosophy is A'nanda Su'tram." (5)
Baba says, "A'nanda Su'tram is our philosophical treatise." (6)
Plus Ananda Marga philosophy is completely new and unique - such a philosophy has never existed before on this earth.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The trend of thinking and the spiritual practices prescribed in our Ananda Marga are not only new but something quite different from the established ideas and practices...Never before in the entire history of this world or the universe, if it could be known to mortals, has a system of life...ever been correlated in such closely knit society as in Ananda Marga." (7)
When Ananda Sutram is such an important book, and when Ananda Marga philosophy is completely revolutionary and unique, then it only stands to reason we should ensure this book is properly published and printed.
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AM dharmic meaning vs Hindu dogmatic meaning
It is 100% wrong to translate or define pralaya or pran'a'sha as "utter destruction".
Sadguru Baba defines pralaya or pran'a'sha as "when the object merges in its cause."
Here it should be noted that there are many shared words between Ananda Marga philosophy and Hindu dogma that carry vastly different meanings: asura, brahamcarya, brahmin, deva, devii, dharma, dvija, gotra, gopal, gopii, Guru, loka, mahesh, mantra, murti, naraka, omnkara, papa, papiii, puja, punya, radha, rasaliila, samadhi, samskara, shastra, shudra, sura, svarga, varna, veda, vipra, vis'nu, yajina, yoga, and many more. There is the Ananda Marga dharmic meaning and the Hindu dogmatic sense.
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References
1. Reference Ananda Vacanamrtam - 27 (H), p.45 or Ananda Vacanamrtam - 26 (H), p 90
2. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 14
3. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 14
4. Tattva Kaomudii - 2, Our Spiritual Treatise
5. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, "Our Philosophical Treatise"
6. Caryacarya - 1, "Svadhyaya"
7. A Few Problems Solved Part 7, Ananda Marga – A Revolution
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Please come to my home today
"Tumi nandan-manthan candan sa'r a'j eso prabhu ghare a'ma'r..." (Prabhat Samgiita #4394)
Purport:
Baba, O’ Parama Purusa, You are the most endearing and charming Entity and as sweet as the essence of nectar. Please come to my home today. I have decorated my entire house for Your reception - for the occasion of Your august arrival. I have opened all the doors and windows of the abode of my heart, along with the thousand petals of the white lotus. I have decorated with mango branchlets, with leaves over the pitcher. All done with the hope that You will come in a gracious mood.
O’ Parama Purusa Baba, I do not know the protocol for welcoming You, nor how to receive You in a grand way. You are anadi, beginningless, so Your lineage is not known to me. I never heard of Your gotra. And there are no particular scriptures, rituals, or dos and don'ts for chanting Your name, and calling You. So with my ista mantra I am calling You with tears in my eyes.
O’ Parama Purusa Baba, I came to know that You are vast. Your idol cannot be made and You do not have an abode in any tiirtha. I never heard of any pilgrim that You like. So It is useless to search for You in the various holy lands. For all these reasons, I have created the atma'-tiirtha: Your seat in my soul. In that very divine temple, my mind is dancing, overwhelmed in the bliss of having You. Baba, please come in an attractive and exquisite way. Kindly come in my heart, I have been waiting for You since ages...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Way child becomes divine
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "It is meaningless to impart diikśá under five years of age, since at this stage the nerve cells of a human child are undeveloped. Consequently, at age of five, there is no disposition or propensity for intricate types of spiritual practices. But, in absences of initiation of five years of age, there is apprehension of the child going astray. Verily, all the human vices are acquired during the age of five to fifteen years. The child has a great inclination to imitate. It hears abusive words and learns them. The robbers sons turn to be robbers only on account of environmental influence. For this reason, if the child be initiated on attaining five years of age, it can develop into a perfect human being – it will be a perfect man." (1)
Reference
1. Táttvika Diipiká (Paiṋcama Parva)
== Section 3: Links ==
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