Baba
Easiest way to learn Prout
One of the best ways to get an overview of Baba's teachings on Prout is to read these three short discourses:
(1) “Discourses on Prout” (initially titled "A Discussion")
(2) “Talks on Prout”
(3) “Problems of the Day”
Each of the above three discourses has been published as a single chapter in the Prout in a Nutshell series.
If we narrow it down even further, we can say that Baba has addressed all the major problems plaguing humanity in just His single discourse - “Problems of the Day”. In seed form, He has touched on all the points. For this reason, this is a great book for propagating Prout because, in a short time, readers can get a very good overview. “Problems of the Day” covers the vast array of societal issues wherein Sadguru Baba has identified the problems and given the solution. Here following is more about that discourse.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Quick way to know almost all policies of Prout
Baba inaugurated the Renaissance Universal movement in Shrii Aniruddha Prasad Singh's house (Trimohan, Bhagalpur) on 26 January 1958 by delivering the historic discourse that was printed in book form as "Problems of the Day". So “Problems of the Day” was given even before "Idea and Ideology", and just after Baba delivered Tattvika Praveshika. In those early days, Baba had yet to put forth His teachings on social philosophy, so those margiis were unaware about those burning issues.
Today, we see Prout as a vast body of literature which contains approximately 250 discourses published in 21 volumes of “Prout in a Nutshell”, as well as the “A Few Problems Solved” series, related books, and some unpublished discourses.
More about Problems of the Day
Let us come to the main point. Baba's Proutistic teachings cover every nook and corner of human experience. Prout is vast in scope and its entirety falls within the realm of the social philosophy of Ananda Marga.
But during those early days when Baba started Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, there was not much written about our social philosophy. Margiis were not aware about Baba's social viewpoints and perspectives. So it was essential to put forth a brief yet comprehensive overview of Ananda Marga's social platform, i.e. the ideals and stand of Prout. And that is exactly what Baba did in this very discourse - Problems of the Day - which He delivered in Bhagalpur on 26 January 1958.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The 'Problems of the Day' discourse contains 37 points. All those points are independent issues. And these are not ordinary issues; they are burning issues. The whole globe is suffering from these problems. Baba, being the Taraka Brahma, even addressed points in 1958 that were not dire issues in those days, but were to become key topics in the years to come. So with perfect knowledge and foresight, Baba told everything on that occasion. This relatively short discourse gives a pointed and dynamic overview of nearly every Proutistic teaching - in seed form.
"Problems of the Day": topics like Cosmic inheritance, capitalism, communism
Here are some examples of what subjects have been addressed in this single discourse, Problems of the Day.
- Cosmic Fraternity and Ownership of Property vs Communism and Capitalism;
- Communism and Gandhism are not the Answer of Capitalism;
- Communistic approach of Accusing Capitalism is Negative;
- Policy of Distribution of Wealth vs. Capitalism and Communism;
- Spiritual Motivation vs. Communism and Capitalism;
Topics also in the the book, "Problems of the Day": Economy, Gandhism, Mechanization
- Issue of Casteism;
- Policy of Decentralization of Economy;
- Policy of Small and Large Scale Industry vs. Gandhism;
- Public Welfare, Mechanization, and Unemployment;
- Trade Union movement / Communism / Political leaders;
Cooperatives, industry, women’s rights issues are also in "Problems of the Day"
- Policy of Cooperative Movement;
- Policy of Industry and Trade vs Capitalism and Communism;
- Women's Rights;
- Dowry Problem;
- Establishment of World Peace;
Citizenship, Communal, Language topics are also in "Problems of the Day"
- World Citizenship;
- Policy of Forgiveness;
- Geo, Socio, Communal & Religious sentiment, Casteism and Universalism;
- Issue of World Government;
- World Language Issue;
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Issues like script, dress, culture, marriage, population & more
In the Problems of the Day discourse there are these points:
- World Script Issue;
- Problem of Imposing World Dress;
- Human Culture and Revolutionary Marriages;
- Population Management Issue and Birth Control;
- Control of Science & Laboratory Babes;
Subjects like Party Politics, Unity, Universalism etc also in "Problems of the Day"
- Issue of Unity and Party Politics;
- Social Service and Party Politics and Universalism;
- Importance of Spirituality in Politics / Failure of Communism;
- Party politics and Communism & Capitalism;
- Classless Society and Communism;
- Issue of Education and Party Politics;
Topics like government, democracy, social theory, sadvipras also in the "Problems of the Day"
And finally here are other issues from Baba's "Problems of the Day" discourse:
- World Government / Social service / Sadvipra leadership;
- Failure of Democracy & Election Reforms; Education Policy & Universalism;
- Social Cycle and Sadvipra Leadership;
- Social Dynamics, Revolution and Counter-Revolution;
- Ananda Marga ideology is the Only Solution;
- Materialism (Capitalism and Communism) / Sadvipra Leadership / Human society is One and Indivisible / Samgacchadhvam Mantra.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
And so many more points have been addressed in this Problems of the Day (POD) book. If any sincere margii will take efforts to read carefully they may find more issues as well. So in this Problems of the Day discourse, Baba has given one special, comprehensive vision in a compact format. That's to say Baba has given the points in very small form - smaller than mustard seeds yet those issues and solutions into gigantic banyan trees. So this single discourse gives pointed solutions to so many problems.
POD: Overview of vast Prout philosophy
These points are very significant and of great importance. For quick reference, this "Problems of the Day" (POD) discourse alone is enough for general philosophical knowledge of the vast PROUT philosophy. With the help of this book those early margiis began their socio-political awareness of Ananda Marga ideals and developed an understanding of the key concepts of Prout.
As we know Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji Baba has given Prout as a part of Ananda Marga philosophy, which is why the essentials of Prout stand in the 5th chapter of Ananda Sutram. Baba has systematically addressed all the problems causing huge catastrophes and creating serious impediments to the formation of one human society. The whole globe is suffering and drowning in these various problems. And Baba has given all those solutions. Until these guidelines are implemented, the crisis is not going to finish. Rather it will escalate.
Conclusion
This Problems of the Day discourse is basic and fundamental, yet dynamic and complex. Baba has given the solution to all the burning socio-economico-politico issues. Since then Baba has given more discourses and elaborated further upon all these points and provided more detailed solutions. Yet, the foundation was all put forth on that occasion when He delivered, "Problems of the Day."
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The ideas Baba has expressed in His Problems of the Day discourse have been magnified in various discourses which are available in Prout volumes. Although Problems of the Day is one discourse, or just one booklet or book, but it is very meaningful. It is like a map which is small in size but represents a vast area. That is the way this Problems of the Day discourse works.
Those who want to gain a basic understanding of Prout philosophy in seed form should read "Problems of the Day" - again and again. This book touches all the points and hence is an ideal publication to recommend to sympathizers and new persons. By this way they will easily understand our socio-economico-politico stand ie Prout philosophy.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Nilanjan Roy
~ In-depth study ~
Dada Sarvatmananda and ruination
For one or another reason, however, Sarvatmananda did not include non-Bangla discourses in the Prout series, although he was keen to highlight all the discourses about Bengal and A’mara’ Bengali samaj. Moreover, he ignored numerous discourses recorded and submitted by other samaj secretaries. So those remain unprinted. Clearly, many non-Bengali discourses were intentionally omitted from the Prout in a Nutshell series.
Non-Bangla discourses removed from PNS
It was the policy that if Baba mentioned the term “Prout” in a given discourse then that discourse should be included in the "Prout in a Nutshell" series. But for their own reasons, some did not adhere to this policy. Here are a few examples.
(A) In His discourse, “Soliloquy of the Supreme” (AV-2-4) delivered in Patna on 12 Sep 1978, Baba spoke in Hindi and used the term Prout. But those in-charges omitted Baba’s long Hindi section about Prout. The end result is that that discourse was not placed in the Prout in a Nutshell series.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
(B) This next example is from the discourse, Lord Buddha's Cardinal Principles. Baba delivered the discourse in English and spoke about Prout but this too was not included in the Prout in a Nutshell series.
Baba states, “When I started Ananda Marga, I wanted all humanity to stand upon the strict code of cardinal principles, human values, and spirituality; and when I saw everything internally I came to the decision that there are so many loopholes in human society. Human beings came here about ten lakhs of years ago, but they have not yet been able to form a well-knit social order. We require a strong social order. That’s why I had to create another branch of philosophy, known as Prout, through which we are to remodel the social order so that nobody is compelled to do anything, nobody is compelled to resort to immorality, for want of food or clothes or other necessaries of life.” (1)
(C) The below paragraph is yet another instance where Baba spoke the Prout term in an English discourse, “Mobility and Cognitive Stance”, but that discourse was also not given its place in the Prout in a Nutshell series.
Baba says, “In the psychic sphere, we solve many mental problems, we march ahead with the help of our microcosmic stamina. But so many socio-economic problems are solved, and again so many socio-economic problems are newly created. That is why I have had no alternative but to accept, in the Fifth [Fundamental Principle] of Prout, changes due to change in time, space, and person. Changes should be according to the change in time, space, and person.” (2)
The above examples are from discourses given in either Hindi or English that were overlooked and not included in the Prout in a Nutshell series, even though they contained the term Prout. And like this there were so many English and Hindi discourses that were intentionally kept out of that Prout series. All the while the vast majority of Bangla discourses that contained the term Prout were prominently featured in the Prout in a Nutshell series.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Defective social order injects an inferiority complex
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "There cannot be any complex in the spiritual level or existential sphere. In spirituality there is no complex because every person has contact with Parama Puruśa on a purely personal level. There is no third existence between them. There are only two – the spiritualist and the Parama Pitá [Cosmic Father]. Spiritualists move towards the Cosmic Father and sit on His lap. To do this is every one's birthright. Nobody can be debarred from doing so on the pretext of inferior caste, colour, education or poverty. Since this is everyone's birthright there cannot be any complex in the arena of spirituality. The defective social order injects an inferiority complex in the mind which often persists even when people enter the spiritual field. They feel that as the Cosmic Father is so great, how can they, being of low caste or poor or uneducated, go to Him? This is called mahimnabodha in the shástras [scriptures]. But one should not forget that the relation of father and child exists. Even if the father is a great scholar, the uneducated child will go to him and ask for whatever he requires because he or she has affection for the father. Just now I said that in the field of spirituality there cannot be any complex, but there are complexes due to social defects. It is our spiritual duty to rectify the social order. If we fail, there may not be good spiritualists. Even those who have the potentiality to become good spiritualists may not progress. They may be like a flower that dies before it blossoms. I cannot allow this to happen. For this reason the theory of Prout has been given so that every person can progress speedily in the field of spirituality without any complex." (3)
Prout stands upon this vaedika sermon
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Suppose you have gathered sufficient money, and there is no dearth of food in your house, but the remaining portion of society, your neighbours, your friends, are suffering from a dearth of money, or food, or clothes. Then it means that you are not following the spirit of “samgacchadhvam”. “Samgacchadhvam” means to build a strong, well-knit society where there shall be no exploitation, no superiority complex or inferiority complex. Just to represent the spirit of “samgacchadhvam”, I propounded the theory of PROUT. So the entire theory of PROUT stands upon this Vaedika sermon of “samgacchadhvam”." (4)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Just see the case of air, light, water, respirations and everything. The need for these things is the same for all individuals. There have been no differentiations. These differentiations that we see in society are creations of vested interests, creations of depraved persons, of degenerated, immoral people. So you should not support these actional defects of immoral persons. You should follow the divine vibrational system, that is, you must not try to find any differentiations among individuals. “Devábhágam yathápúrve saḿjánáná upásate.” It is the wont of divine expressions that there be no differentiations, no class of exploiters and exploited. That is, this wont of not creating any differentiations was not only their duty, it was their upásaná, the desideratum of their existential march." (5)
All belong to the same big human family
Ananda Marga ideology says, "“Samáni va ákuti”. When everything cometh from the same source, from the same Progenitor, and when finally everything goeth back to the same desideratum, there must be the same aspirations, the same longing, in the heart of each and every individual. But due to the depraving actions of immoral people, those exploited, those downtrodden people are forced to forget their goal. They are drifted away from the desideratum of their life. This should not be done. Everybody should get the chance to develop their natural longings for Him. “Samánáhrdayánivah”. When everything comes from the same Progenitor and moves along the same path towards the supreme culminating point, then should there be any cordial difference between man and man? No, there must not be. Everybody should be given the scope, or circumstances should be created, such that nobody gets the scope to feel that their future is sealed forever, is blocked. So let everybody feel that everybody in this expressed universe belongs to the same big human family. “Ek caoká, ek culhá, ek hyay mánav samáj”." (6)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "“Samánamastu vo mano.” All microcosms come from the same Macrocosm, and finally, all microcosms will become one with the same Singular Macrocosm. So, while they are in society, while they are in the phenomenal world, they should remember this Supreme truth: that actually they are one, one Entity expressing itself through so many different corporeal structures. And when this is done – and it is not at all a difficult job to do it – then what will it be? It will be a society in the proper spirit of the term. And this is the loftiest, it is the highest mission of all human beings. Those who do not recognize this fact, or those who want to forget this fact, are actually enemies of human society. Those who support casteism, racialism, provincialism, parochialism, nationalism, even internationalism, are enemies of the big human society. Human society is, rather should be, based on only one ism, and that ism is universalism." (7)
PROUT: Progressive Utilization Theory; Shrii P.R. Sarkar’s socio-economic theory for the all-round development of society. Proutists are adherents of PROUT. To His bhaktas, Shrii P.R. Sarkar is known as Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji, or simply Baba.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Some misunderstand
Most are aware that Sadguru Baba's book - "Problems of the Day" - addresses many points across the entire gamut of Ananda Marga social philosophy. Yet sometimes this is misunderstood. For instance, some years ago, one respected Dada Abhidevananda on margii-mail publicly wrote: "the book [Problems of the Day] is focused on just one major problem - capitalism." So Dadaji claimed that the Problems of the Day book is dealing with just one problem. However, we know that this is simply not true. Problems of the Day examines a wide breadth of social issues.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Lord Buddha's Cardinal Principles
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Mobility and Cognitive Stance
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, The Social Order and Superiority and Inferiority Complexes
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
7. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
You are the brilliant refulgence
"Jyoti-ujjvala práńocchala, tumi priya tumi priya..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2229)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You are the brilliant refulgence - full of vitality and my most dear, as well as the Supreme Controller of this vast universe. You are my Dearmost. By Your own glory You are glorified. You are ever-adorable, my most revered and cherished One, my everything.
Parama Purusa, in so many ways I want to bind You in the bond of affection, but I do not have the strength to catch hold of You. With my limited energy and whatever means I have, I try to catch You - but it is impossible for me. Instead, I remain engrossed in my own self - unit "I", which is preventing me from coming close to You. Please transform my “I-feeling” and make it Yours.
Baba, with my own capacity I will not be able to get You. With the thread of the spider's web of my meager efforts, I will not be able to bind and hold You. Please grace me, and allow Yourself to be held. This is my only request to You. Kindly keep this in mind.
Parama Purusa, in my heart, I have a deep longing to have You. Be merciful and grant me this by Your causeless grace. Baba, come in my shravan, manan, niddidhyasan, and dhyana and make me Yours...
"Jyoti-ujjvala práńocchala, tumi priya tumi priya..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2229)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You are the brilliant refulgence - full of vitality and my most dear, as well as the Supreme Controller of this vast universe. You are my Dearmost. By Your own glory You are glorified. You are ever-adorable, my most revered and cherished One, my everything.
Parama Purusa, in so many ways I want to bind You in the bond of affection, but I do not have the strength to catch hold of You. With my limited energy and whatever means I have, I try to catch You - but it is impossible for me. Instead, I remain engrossed in my own self - unit "I", which is preventing me from coming close to You. Please transform my “I-feeling” and make it Yours.
Baba, with my own capacity I will not be able to get You. With the thread of the spider's web of my meager efforts, I will not be able to bind and hold You. Please grace me, and allow Yourself to be held. This is my only request to You. Kindly keep this in mind.
Parama Purusa, in my heart, I have a deep longing to have You. Be merciful and grant me this by Your causeless grace. Baba, come in my shravan, manan, niddidhyasan, and dhyana and make me Yours...
== Section: Comment of 13 Feb 2018 ==
Dear brothers & sisters,
On the occasion of the Neelkantha Divas as held every year on 12thFebruary ever since 12th Feb'73 on failing the sinisterous design of the antisocial elements as present in the then Government to kill our all pervading Baba in Cell No13 of Bankipur Central Jail, Patna, I salute shri Divyananda Avt, Shri Dineshwarananda Avt.,Shri Autlananda Avt, Shri Tyagiswarananda Avt,
Smt Uma Brahmacharini,Shri Lokesh Brahmchari,Shri Gagan Bihari,Smt Ashitma Brahmacharini &Smt Shanti on setting the unprecedented example to immolate themselves openly at different places across the world to protest the barbarous act to kill our Supreme Baba.
Though the entire world will know one day our omniscient & omnipresent Baba,I am very much shocked to state on this date that some of us after our Baba left His physical body, have most unfortunately deviated from His unprecedented ideology of giving liberty to all human beings shattering the age old dogmatic prejudices & superstitions of caste, creed & colour to identify oneself with the master nucleus of the entire universe embracing all under one banner of humanism, formed different groups to nourish their own vested interests.
I earnestly pray Baba on this date to bless all of us to throw off the vested interests as crept in different groups & to become one once again to take forward His great mission as much needed in the vicious situation as created across the world.
Yours ever,
Suresh
- Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic: Upcoming observance
== Section: Comment of 13 Feb 2018 ==
Re: Exploitation & chaos in Manila sector
Jai Baba
in Manila sector margiis were always in very blissful mood. They are very pure hearted, devotional, and simple people. BABA loved margiis there. Margiis were great bhaktas of BABA. It greatly saddens me to listen to the negative affairs going on in AM in Philippines . It was exported over there from AM central. They dirtied the pure waters in Maharlika. Shame on these WT's and leaders of AM who are involved deeply in these wrong and selfish acts. Maharlika margiis are very highly intelligent folks and they will definitely do the needful.
Baba Nam Kevalam
N
- Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic: Exploitation & chaos in Manila sector
== Section 3: Links ==
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