Baba
Socialism vs Prout
Namaskar,
It is the duty of all Ananda Margiis to know the basics of Prout philosophy, as given by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarakar. Unfortunately, now and again, some so-called top Dadas make dubious claims about Prout. And that can cause a lot of confusion. Here is one such proclamation.
Dada V wrote: "Prout is Progressive socialism." (Courtesy of WhatsApp forums)
However, Prout is not progressive socialism. Socialism is matter-centered, whereas Prout is God-centered. So it is our duty to understand how and why Dada V completely misunderstood Prout. Then we can prevent others from falling into that same dark chasm.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Wrong translation is the cause
This confusion happened due to the wrong translation from the original Hindi. Please read the below teaching and pay attention to the purple colored section from Prout in a Nutshell part 6.
==> Here below is the CORRECT version
Prout in a Nutshell Hindi - 6 says, "The social system that will come into being, keeping parallelism and harmony with time, space and person, will be called “pragatishiila samaj tantra” [progressive social system]. Our Prout is that very “pragatishiila samaj tantra” [progressive social system]. Society will have to make provisions to ensure an increase in the living standard of every individual. When “pragatishiila samaj tantra” [progressive social system] is established within the framework of democracy, then democracy will be successful." (1)
==> Now see below WRONG version
Prout in a Nutshell English - 6 says, "The social system that will come into being, keeping parallelism and harmony with time, space and person, will be called progressive socialism. Our Prout is that very progressive socialism. Society will have to make provisions to ensure an increase in the living standard of every individual. When progressive socialism is established within the framework of democracy, then democracy will be successful." (2)
Pragatishiila samaj tantra term mistranslated
Prout is a progressive social system, not progressive socialism. Remember, Socialism is matter-centered, whereas Prout is God-centered. Here below are the details:
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
#1: The term “progressive socialism” only appears in one single discourse, i.e. Dialectical Materialism and Democracy. And that happened because the original Hindi term pragatishiila samaj tantra was wrongly translated as progressive socialism. When it should have been written as progressive social system.
#2: So the term “progressive socialism” has no place in our Prout vocabulary.
#3: In that Hindi discourse on page 155 of Abhimat -1, Baba uses the term “pragatishiila samaj tantra.” And that means progressive social system. The term (a) pragatishiila means progressive; (b) samaj means social or society, and (c) tantra means system.
Conclusion
The above logic and careful understanding of the original text makes the following conclusion extremely clear.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
==> Prout is not progressive socialism. Prout is “pragatishiila samaj tantra.” / Prout is a “progressive social system.”
Socialism is matter-centered, whereas Prout is God-centered.
in Him,
Brajesh
~ In-depth study ~
History of this mistranslation
Some may wonder how this mistranslation occurred. How did “pragatishiila samaj tantra” get wrongly translated to “progressive socialism.” Knowing the backdrop will help explain how this happened.
When Prout came into being those early margiis were thinking that Prout is another form of communism. And still today those who superficially read Prout get confused. Actually, in the 1960's, many communist cadres joined Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha (AMPS) and became Ananda Margiis. Some coloured themselves with our Ananda Marga way of life, but mostly they left when they found out that Prout is based on spirituality. Because communism is an atheistic philosophy.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Even then, in that era, it is so unfortunate that one confused Proutist was challenging another Proutist, “Why are you calling communism as atheistic. Communists are very spiritual.” When I heard this I was shocked. Those who know even the basics of communism know that communists are atheists. This is a fundamental part of their philosophy.
Let's come to the main point. Why did this distortion happen wherein Prout came to be defined as progressive socialism. Initially, those who translated it from the original Hindi did this in favour of communism. Due to their emotional attachment with communism they ended up writing “pragatishiila samaj tantra” as “progressive socialism.”
==> Here below is Dada Vimalananda’s propaganda about Prout. Please pay attention to the yellow.
Dada V wrongly wrote: Prout is Progressive socialism where you get better prosperity than capitalism...
It is sad that Vimalananda wrote like this. Over the years he has held many top posts in Prout, yet still he is unaware of the real teachings of Prout. If you want to see his entire propaganda, let us know.
Socialism is matter-centered, whereas Prout is God-centered.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Begging for reputation
Ananda Marga ideology states, “According to our philosophy, when consciousness arises in individual life then a person begins to move in accordance with certain instructions, certain guidance. In collective life as well, when this stage comes, those who are well advanced, who understand better, who are more courageous, more firmly established in morality, who are truly righteous, they have to take the lead, to assume the mantle of leadership. In such times those who worry about what others will say or think, or worry about being criticized, and due to this fear hide behind closed doors thinking that if they take action their good name will be tarnished, such people are not true human beings. They are beggars, begging for reputation. They have no manliness; they have lost the courage to move ahead. At that time those who come forward and say – “Let’s go. I’m with you. If trouble comes, let it come. I’ll take it on my shoulders” – such people I have given the name sadvipra.” (3)
“Give up the rubbish of the past”
Ananda Marga ideology states, “This is the way it has been and the way it will always be. However, in collective life at the critical juncture between one great age and another, in this transitional stage of great change, when it becomes impossible for the common man or even ordinary sadvipras to take up the leadership, then Parama Puruśa through his special grace arranges that leadership. At this time on the earth humanity is witnessing such a yuga sandhi. On one side there is the rubbish heap of the past and people are clinging to that rubbish heap because they have not yet been shown the way out. And on the other side, there is the call of the new. Under such conditions what will that Mahásambhúti do who gave guidance to the human race in the past? With courage he will call to human beings and declare: “Give up the rubbish of the past. It can only harm you and lead you to your death. Move ahead. Answer the call of the new. I am with you. There is no reason to be afraid.” (4)
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 6, Dialectical Materialism and Democracy
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 6, Dialectical Materialism and Democracy
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 9, The Significance of The Word “Yuga”
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 9, The Significance of The Word “Yuga”
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
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 ==
Proper method of second lesson
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “This world is changing, moving. The word jagat (world) is derived from the root, gam-kvip, which means moving. This universe is the psychic manifestation of Brahma. All thought processes are moving and restive, and that is why this world, the psychic manifestation of Brahma. All thought processes are moving and restive and that is why this world, the psychic manifestation of Saguńa Brahma (the Subjectivated Transcendentality), is moving and restive. A thing that appears beautiful today is not necessarily so tomorrow. A sandesh (sweetmeat) that is delicious today will not be fit for consumption after a few days. Indeed one cannot even vouch for its shape still being intact. Every unit is in a state of change, and that is why the pleasure derived from unit objects cannot last permanently. So what should a Sádhaka (spiritual aspirant) do? He or she must ascribe divinity to every unit object. Everything is the manifestation of God. Whether it is land, home, river, mountain, respect, insult, day or night – everything is He and His manifestation as a unit. Make proper use of all objects thinking that they are His gifts to us. To enjoy or endure anything is to enjoy or endure Him. Avoid the attraction of the unit and make contact with the integral whole. When you are able to live this way, the desire to steal the property of others will completely disappear. In Ananda Marga there is a special process through which one can dedicate everything to God. The ascription of divinity to objects means the pursuit of the Infinite, leaving the finite behind. Are you feeding your son? No, no, you are feeding the son-like manifestation of Brahma. Are you tilling the field? No, no you are serving the finite manifestation of Brahma with your plough. Really speaking, the ascription of divinity to objects precludes their material enjoyment, as the objects then merge in the non-material Supreme Brahma. Thus the mind of one, who has established him or herself in real Vaerágya (the renunciation of all sensual pleasures) can never become attached to finite objects. Even in their midst he or she remains beyond the reach of their attraction and gains eternal peace after death.” (1)
Note: Some people are not aware how to practice second lesson (brahamacarya, madhuvidya). They merely repeat their mantra without taking any ideation. What they do not realise is that ideation is key for the efficacy of second lesson.
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 2, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 1
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Story: pitfalls of an avidya tantrika
Namaskar,
The following is the full account from Shabda Cayanika of the depraved sadhaka Khagen who fell prey to the allurement of avidya tantra and occult powers. Here below Baba is narrating the story.
---
I kept on going and going and going. The palásh forest was not as close as I thought it had been from a distance. After walking for a while, I came to a halt at one spot. To my left was a somewhat deep ditch where a dog had fallen in. He was still barking faintly in between pauses. I realized that this middle-aged creature had come to the last limits of his short life.
What an awful thing! Who could have done such a cruel deed? The dog showed no sign of any injury, that is, he hadn’t been attacked by any animal. If a tiger had attacked it would have seized him or her by the throat or the neck. That is the way that felines attack, from the tigers of the Sundarban jungle to the domesticated housecat. Even a common cat catches rats and mice in that way. A wolf would have attacked the stomach or the back which is how canines attack, from the lion to the fox. When kakt́esiyás creatures attack, however, they attack from the tail end. Their nature is to attack other animals from behind and swing and shake them about.
The dog appeared completely uninjured. From looking at him, it appeared as if some unnatural means had been used to arrest his blood circulation and bring him seemingly to the point of death. Almost as if someone was rapidly squeezing the last drop of its life’s essence. After a few minutes navel-breathing began. His dog-life did not have long to go. There was no water nearby. If it had been rainy season then some water could have been found in puddles and holes, but it was now the end of the cold season and water was getting scarce. There was none to be found anywhere. Alas, I thought, if I could just put a few drops of water in his mouth, his throat would not be dry during his last moments.
The dog looked at me with sorrowful eyes. Suddenly my eyes fell on a hillock directly across from the ditch, what we call d́uḿri in Rarhi Bengali. In Rarhi Bengali we call a large mountain páháŕ, a smaller, medium-sized mountain páháŕii, a smaller hill d́uḿri, still smaller t́ilá, and even smaller d́hibi. When I looked closely, I could see a motionless, imposing naked human figure.
I started moving slowly in his direction. After I had gone a little ways I noticed that he was sitting absorbed in meditation in the siddhásana posture, completely motionless. He seemed to be an extension of the hill itself. The only difference between the two was that the hill was reddish yellow and the human figure was bright and fair-complexioned. I crossed a vaenci-shiyákul thicket, approached very close to him and saw a Tantric sadhaka sitting in a bhaeravii cakra yantra. My curiosity was aroused. I went even closer, close enough to touch him, and took a good look. What did I see, to my amazement, but someone well-known to me, Khagen… Khagendranath Ghosh.
I had known Khagen since I was a child. His parents lived in Chakradharpur and he used to attend school in my town. After he finished his studies he left that area. I had heard from his father that the two of us were born on the same day. I was born most likely under the constellation of Vishákhá and he was born a few hours later, most likely under the constellation of Anurádhá. He was one class behind me in school.
There was a hereditary inclination towards spiritual practices in his family. His grandfather, father and uncles all followed the path of sádhaná. I remembered many years before, when he was studying in standard nine, and he had asked me what the eight occult powers were and what special practices existed by which one could attain them. I explained to him as much as I knew at the time and pointed out that these were dangerous things and that it was better not to tread that path.
Kśurasya dhárá nishitá duratyayá durgaḿ pathastat kavayo vadanti.
[The path is as sharp as a razor’s edge, difficult to tread. It is an intractable path. So realized persons say.]
Looking at his face back then I thought that he seemed to be devising a plan. I explained even more carefully the dangers associated with it and counselled him to shun that path. Sádhaná should be done only for the attainment of Parama Puruśa, not for any second thing. He asked me how it would be if he did the sádhaná for attaining Parama Puruśa along with the sádhaná for attaining the eight occult powers.
I told him: “Do you know how it would be? It would be just like eating bitter curry with sweet rice.” He fell silent.
Now I understood what kind of plans he had been hatching deep inside. I could see with my own eyes the fruits of his plans.
Khagen was totally absorbed, like a tree immersed in meditation. He didn’t blink at all or move even a finger or a toe so I kept quiet for some time and remained standing there, not disturbing him. At one point, I looked over at the dog and saw that he had died. His tormented eyes seemed to be looking in my direction, as if they were saying: “I am innocent, without fault. Why should a person have removed me from the earth in this way without any reason? Will you not redress this?”
I looked again at Khagen and saw his fair-complexioned body gradually start turning red. It stayed that way for a short time and then slowly turned jet-black. I watched for some time longer until he gradually turned pale, anaemic. Then I touched his body; it was as cold as ice and harder than iron. A human corpse will turn cold but it never becomes that hard. I was considering what to do or not to do, and then I remembered that in such cases the body should not be cremated for eighteen hours; one must wait. If it didn’t return to a normal state within eighteen hours then one could begin cremating. I thought about returning to town and letting someone know what had happened and then returning, but I realized that it would take at least two hours to go and come and in the meantime some wild animal might come and eat him, thinking him to be dead. Finally I decided to keep watch over the body throughout the night and then return to town in the morning to let people know. There would be little possibility of a wild animal showing up there during daylight hours. I remained standing there, looking now at the unfortunate dog and now at Khagen.
Suddenly I saw a point of light exit from Khagen’s third eye and enter into the third eye of the dog. Then an even more amazing thing happened. Could it really be? The dog’s tail started to move slowly two or three times. Then again quiet. As it had been.
A short while later, the dog’s tail again started to move slowly back and forth, and some barks came from his mouth. What an amazing sight! Then again everything was quiet, silent, still, not even a quiver.
Again, moments later, the dog’s tail started to move. From its mouth came a few soft barks. This time the dog seemed to be trying to stand up. It rose to its feet then and fell down again. Then it was na yayao na tasthao [“it remained in the same condition”]. Again the dog’s tail moved a few times and again it barked a little. This time it stood up, looked here and there, and then started climbing the hill.
It approached us and then started circling around Khagen like a machine with someone at the controls, like an ox with blinders tracing fixed circles around the oil-mill. The dog didn’t enter the bhaeravii cakra, but stuck close to its outer edge as it circled around. It was easy to understand what a dreadful state it was in; it had no fear, no thought, perhaps not even a sense of existence. It was a crude flesh-and-bone machine, a mindless, energy-driven body. And in whose hands was the switch for turning on the energy that drove him? You could not say that it was living because behind it there was no independent unit mind at work – it was acting at the urge of some other entity’s mind.
I understood that this was all Khagen’s affair. He had mastered the skill to kill an innocent creature and drive its body. It made no difference whether the dog was alive or not because it didn’t have any independent individual existence. Its existence was actually just like that of a puppet.
I couldn’t bear it any longer. Such misuse of the human being’s hidden internal powers would not help to elevate the human race. Rather it would bog down one’s hands and feet in the quagmire of power and bring stagnancy into one’s forward movement.
I grabbed a fistful of hair and slapped him in the face; his body fell over, just like a large, precariously balanced rock topples at the slightest touch. His body was not a living body; it was like a huge puppet carved out of a piece of hard iron. As Khagen’s body fell from its seat another astonishing thing occurred. A point of light exited from the third eye of the dog and entered into Khagen’s third eye. The dog uttered a cry and collapsed on top of a rock. It was dead once again.
I looked over at Khagen and saw him slowly trying to open his eyes. He looked at me and started to cry. Then with a weak voice he whispered: “I have committed a great injustice, a great injustice. I didn’t listen to you. Please forgive me.”
I stretched out a hand and pulled him up. “You were studying in high school then,” I said. “I told you these things were deadly, that this was not a path to tread. Why didn’t you listen to me?”
He started sobbing and said: “I have done wrong, very wrong. Please forgive me.”
Khagen wasn’t able to stand properly. His vocal cords were also not functioning properly. I helped him to put his clothes on. At first I had to use my arms to help him, but after a little while he told me that he could walk by himself.
He started walking by my side but very slowly. I did not scold him any more along the way because he was not in a normal state. He was somewhere halfway between life and death. When I got to the edge of the muddy pond where I had been sitting, I saw that some black figure was standing beside the pigeon-pea field right behind me. His body was not luminous but rather fashioned from a black shadow. Lest Khagen be disturbed or feel worried, I didn’t say anything. I pressed his elbow and gently made him sit down. “Take some rest now,” I said, “then we’ll go on some more.”
He started crying and said: “I have committed such a great sin, yet you still love me so much. I disobeyed you, yet you still don’t hate me.”
“That may be so,” I said, “but you’re my childhood friend. Don’t forget that.”
The black shadow figure by the side of the pigeon-pea field gradually started becoming pointed like a needle and a blue light came out from that needle-like portion. I realized that Khagen might perhaps be creating another disturbance here.
“Are you practising márańa tantra [death-tantra] while you’re sitting there,” I asked. “And was that the Avidyá Tantra practice for entering another body that you were doing while sitting on the hill?”
“Yes,” he said, sobbing. Then he cried out: “Forgive me. Help me to forget all these things.”
“I also want that,” I replied. “Come on, let us return to town.” We continued walking side by side. I kept hold of his left elbow with my right hand and pulled him along in a fashion. Glancing behind, I noticed a point of light following us. Since I was looking at the point of light, Khagen also glanced in that direction. He shivered and said: “That dog, again that dog, again that dog is chasing me.”
“Wipe that dog out of your mind,” I said. “Repeat your Iśt́a mantra.”
“I am trying,” he said. “But I am not able to.”
“Think of me for a little bit,” I said. “Think that I am pulling you along by the hand. Then, while thinking of me, fix your mind at your Iśt́a cakra. Try it. Then you’ll be able to do it.”
I took a few steps forward and saw that the point of light had disappeared into the void. Khagen cried out again, sobbing, and said: “I have left that path, I have left that path. I don’t ever want to return to it again.”
A few years later I was once again sitting in that same place at the dead of night bathed in moonlight. With the change in time comes a change in place and person as well. And so it was, though it wasn’t a great change. I remembered the incident of Khagen and the dog on that full-moon night in Phalgun. Neither of the two was present.
During the day I asked the local villagers for news about Khagen. “Yes, yes,” they said. “Sometimes we see a half-mad fellow wandering the jungle paths at the edge of the hills. He often goes around barking as if he thought he was a dog. Whenever he sees anyone with glasses he rushes after them, grabs them and says: ‘Prabhat, you have come. I have left that path, I have left that path, bark, bark, I have left that path, but that dog won’t leave me alone. Whenever I want to meditate or to repeat my Iśt́a mantra that dog comes into my mind and starts barking mercilessly. What can I do, tell me! It would be better to die.’” (1)
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 2, Disc: 13
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Hating His creation means hating God
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Human beings neglect many things in this world without any plausible reason. They forget that Parama Puruśa resides in every object, even the most neglected one. They fail to look at the world with proper social benevolence. Suppose a pig is writhing in pain. The onlookers casually say, “Well, it's only a pig – let it die,” and thus neglect Parama Puruśa in the form of a pig. Such an error will result in their overall progress being retarded. One should not detest anything as everything is a manifestation of Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa cannot hate anyone or anything in this world – how can He, all are His manifestations – so on what grounds can humans hate anyone or anything. If one hates His manifestation it means that one hates Parama Puruśa Himself. Let no human being be so arrogant.”
“It has been said, “Amáninam mánadeyam” – “respect the disrespected.” Those who are disrespected and rejected by society should also be recognized by us as manifestations of Parama Puruśa. We must respect them with due honour as Parama Puruśa has chosen to manifest them in that particular way. We should always be very courteous to them. Hence the third duty of a devotee is to respect those people whom no one respects. We must approach those who are unloved, ridiculed, and in need of affection, and tell them we care for them. By honouring them and restoring their dignity we will make them happy; their minds will become filled with joy." (1)
Reference
1. Anadna Vacanamrtam - 7, How Should a Devotee Behave?
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "When for age after age society spins in the murky eddies of evil and vice, when individual and collective knavery masquerades as intelligence, when hypocrisy, bribery and fraud are the yardsticks for measuring the ability to lead – it is then that the genuine followers of Bháratii [the goddess of learning] must struggle on in spite of constant humiliation. Only taunts and insults will be their fate. Those who are afraid of these insults are incapable of offering anything really lasting to humanity. How can people who lack moral strength, under whose feet the soil is not hard and strong, invite anyone in to a cool, refreshing shelter and impart happiness to them? It may be possible to drag oneself through life by sucking the blood of others like social parasites, but this will not bring fulfilment to either sáhityikas or their readers." (1)
In His above teaching, Baba is telling when society is degraded then fighting against the status quo is very difficult. Cowards surrender whereas heroes face abuse, slander, bad name, and torture, but they never give up their stand. They persevere. They are are real saviours of society. In our Marga also, there are many goody-goodies and so-called bhaktas who face humiliation but keep quiet and do not write anything. Baba calls them cowards. True writers are never afraid and always use the pen as a sword to oppose wrongdoers and injustice.
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 1, The Practice of Art and Literature
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Parama Purusa only considers how much bhakti a sadhaka has
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Parama Puruśa looks deep into the inner thoughts and feelings of human beings. He is omniscient, forever watching throughout the creation those who are meditating upon Him with undivided attention, and those who have been patiently waiting with an unwavering mind to realize Him. These are expressions of those with an integral outlook. Only such people, irrespective of caste, colour, creed, community, national or geographical barrier, etc. can look upon each and every human being as their own kith and kin. They are free of all discrimination. They even treat the animals and plants as being intimately related to themselves.” (1)
Note: In His original Hindi discourse of this above teaching, it is explained how Parama Purusa only evaluates a person based on their degree of bhakti. That is the chief criteria for judging a sadhaka.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy - 5, Integral and Non-Integral Outlook
== Section 3: Links ==
Recent postingsOther topics of interest
