Baba story and discourse theft

Baba

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Baba Story and discourse theft

Namaskar,
This Baba story is not just a story but also the reply to the propaganda by B group.

In 1958, AMPS first gained access to audio recording devices and began using audio reels to record Baba’s discourses. Baba ordered that the original audio recorded version would stand as the mother copy and all translations were to be made from that original language.

But B group was and is spreading the propaganda that all any and all discourses given by Baba should be translated via Bengali and all books should indicate Bengali as being the original language - not the Hindi nor the English audio file.

In the very early years of Ananda Marga when recording devices were not available, i.e. from from 1955 - 58, Baba’s system was that sadhakas noted down His discourses with pen and paper. Then Baba reviewed them in Bengali. So Bengali became the original language of those few select discourses.

That system stopped in 1958 when audio recording devices began being used in AMPS. Then the rule became that all discourses that were recorded on audio machines should be printed "As-Is." Since Baba's order, books like AV-34 (E) have been printed and published in the "As-Is" form.

But B group’s false propaganda message is that all discourses should be marked as "from the original Bengali" - regardless of which language Baba originally delivered the discourse.

This letter deals with this highly significant issue.


Preview:
History of Baba’s discourses mid 1955-1958

1. Baba delivered nearly all of the DMC discourses for Subhasita Samgraha parts 1 – 6 in Hindi.
2. That was before audio recording devices were available in Ananda Marga.
3. Various margiis noted down Baba’s discourses at DMC and presented them to Baba for publication.
4. Those who noted down the discourses for SS-2 to SS-6 were native Bangla speakers so they wrote their notes in Bengali.
5. Those note-takers missed much of what Baba actually spoke in Hindi.
6. So Baba worked with them in the ensuing days and weeks to make the discourses proper.
7. Because they were native Bangla speakers Baba worked with them in Bengali to finalise those discourses.
8. Baba’s review in Bengali was exhaustive and numerous sections were added.
9. So Baba included an Author’s Note in SS-2 indicating that although the discourses were originally given at DMC in Hindi, one should treat the printed Bengali version as the original. Because an audio recording was not made of the original Hindi DMC discourse and Baba made many updates to their notes in Bengali.

Note: Most are aware that this issue has been fought over for 26 years. Those with deeper interest should please write us – and we will provide you with all the relevant documents. This is not a language issue; rather, maintaining the authenticity of Baba’s discourses is what is at stake.

Back in the early days, before there was the recording technology in Ananda Marga to audio record discourses, Baba delivered DMC pravacans that became part of the Subhasita Samgraha series of publications – specifically part 1 to part 6.


How SS 2-6 were written before 1958

In particular, those discourses of Subhasita Samgraha parts 2 – 6 were originally given by Baba in Hindi at the DMC venue. Those discourses were not recorded on audio because reels and cassettes were still not available those days in Ananda Marga. So some people were assigned to note down the discourses with pen and paper. Since those note-takers could not properly write down all that Baba spoke, it was needed to check over the accuracy and completeness of their notes. Ultimately, Baba had to expound greatly on the topic as the Bengali notes of Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji were just bits and pieces of what Baba had actually spoken.

Now here comes more about the discourses in SS parts 2 – 6.


Baba updated SS-2 during lunchtime in the 1956 era

Here is the story how both Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji could only note down bits and pieces of what Baba had actually spoken at the time of DMC. They were native Bangla speakers who would regularly take dictation from Baba in the Jamalpur railway office during lunchtime. He would sit under the tree when the weather was good - and when the weather was not accommodating then He would give dictation at His desk in the railway office.

And sometimes Baba would sit under the tree at night with an oil lamp and give them dictation after Field Walk.

In the case of those DMC discourses that eventually became Subhasita Samgraha parts 2 – 6, Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji noted down those discourses when they were originally given by Baba in Hindi at DMC. But Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji were unable to capture all of what Baba spoke - they only noted down bits and pieces. And those notes were in Bengali, even though Baba primarily delivered those discourses in Hindi.

So to prepare the discourse for publication, Baba would orally update their notes in Bengali and they would write down Baba's updates in Bengali. This was done for the ease and efficiency of those native Bangla speakers who were taking down Baba’s dictation. Specifically, Baba was involved in updating and correcting their notes that would eventually comprise the published discourses of Subhasita Samgraha parts 2 - 6. And, as stated, most of this was done during lunchtime at the Jamalpur Railway Office or in the evenings.

The key point here is that both Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji were native Bangla speakers. And Baba had to expound greatly on the topic as the Bengali notes of Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji were just bits and pieces of what Baba had actually spoken in Hindi at the time of DMC.

So for their ease and accuracy, Baba worked with them in updating their notes in Bangla.

This entire process occurred because at that time Ananda Marga did not have the capability of audio recording Baba DMC discourses. That technology was brought into our Ananda Marga later on.


Why SS-2 discourses became very lengthy

Thus for parts 2 – 6 of the Subhasita Samgraha series, Baba graciously offered more illustration and explanation. Over the course of many sessions, Baba worked with Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji to ensure the topic was clearly presented. In that way, those discourses grew in size.

Indeed in parts Subhasita Samgraha parts 2 – 6, the chapters (i.e. discourses) became very lengthy. Some were even 35 pages or or more in length. That is why in those books there are only 4 – 5 discourses per book. Because Baba elaborated greatly while editing the notes of Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji, and all that work was done in Bengali because those two brothers were native Bangla speakers. Although Baba delivered those discourses in Hindi at DMC, those brothers could not fully write down everything during the time of DMC itself. Thus Baba worked with them later on in Bengali to prepare those discourses for publication.

Because of the sheer length of the discourses, SS parts 2 – 6 contain only 4 or 5 chapters, i.e. discourses. To be exact, SS-2 has five discourses, SS 3-5 have four discourses, and SS-6 has five discourses.

The reason why there are less discourses in SS parts 2 – 6 is because Baba clarified and elaborated upon their notes. What Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji noted down at DMC was just bits and pieces of what Baba spoke. And those notes were enlarged upon when Baba was finalising the discourse. And all that work was done in Bengali.

Hence, at the end of that process, they were no longer Hindi discourses since Baba had expounded on the topic in Bengali. That is why for parts 2 – 6 of the Subhasita Samgraha series, Bengali is treated as the original language.

And remember, this whole scene occurred because Ananda Marga did not have access to audio recording equipment in those early days.


SS-7 recorded on reel-to-reel machines 1958

By the time Baba was delivering the discourses for SS parts 7 1958 then recording devices had come into vogue. So those discourses were recorded on reel-to-reel machines. In that case, whatever language in which Baba spoke remained the original language of the discourse. Because there was an actual audio recording. So those discourses were to be printed “as is”.


Why SS-2 Hindi discourse treated as original Bengali

With the introduction of recording devices, Baba was able to direct His precious time to other pursuits like organisational reporting etc, since He no longer had to endure hours and days of editing work with those who had partially noted down His discourses.

For all these reasons, at the beginning of the Bengali and Hindi editions of Subhasita Samgraha part 2, Baba has inserted an Author’s Note stating that the discourses were originally delivered in Hindi but had been updated in Bengali. For this reason, for parts 2 – 6, parts of the Subhasita Samgraha series, Baba had expounded on the topic in Bengali. Thus Bengali is treated as the original language. But that is only because in Ananda Marga we did not yet have audio recording devices 


Very important Author’s Note in SS-2

Here is why the Author's Note in Subhasita Samgraha part 2 states that the Bengali is now the original version of this book.

1. There was no audio recording of the original Hindi delivered at the DMC that time because such machines were not yet available in Ananda Marga.

2. Those taking notes when Baba delivered the discourse in Hindi – i.e. Har Govind Mandal ji and Sushil Dhar ji – could not properly write everything down.

3. Baba worked with a dictation team whose mother tongue was Bengali to finalise the discourses.

4. Baba had to expound greatly on the topic as their Bengali notes were just bits and pieces of what Baba had actually spoken. There were many points that were lost and not noted by those note-takers during the original Hindi discourse.

5. This was done only because those days they did not have the means in Ananda Marga to make an audio recording of Baba’s original discourse. Thus, the SS-2 Author's Note states that Bengali is the original version.

So again, it was only in this unique instance, regarding Subhasita Samgraha parts 2 – 6, that Baba told that the original should be Bengali. Naturally, as soon as discourses began being audio recorded at DMC, then the original language was always maintained.

Thus Subhasita Samgraha series parts 2 – 6 do not stand as a precedent. Rather this was an exception to the norm and the proof is that Baba Himself inserted an Author’s Note to clarify the matter.


Why it is linguistic chauvinism

Once the discourses began being recorded via audio reels or cassettes, Baba ordered that the original audio recorded version stand as the mother copy and all translations were made from that original language.

But now opportunists are taking over and painting everything in the colour of Bangalisation – by making the ridiculous claim that the Bengali version should be looked upon as the original for every discourse, even if it was recorded and given by Baba in another language. This is their ludicrous proposition. Obviously it is wrong and against Baba’s order.

So there is no value to the claim that Bengali should always be treated as the original language for all of Baba’s discourses. This is 100% false.

We must have this weapon in mind to fight against discourse theft. That is the only way to save Sadguru Baba’s discourses from linguistic chauvinism.

Namaskar,
in Him,
Sudiipta Ghosal


Naginaji and Prof Indradeva Gupta - also noted down discourses

For all the discourses in Subhasita Samgraha parts 1, Baba originally delivered those pravacans in Hindi.

Because native Hindi speakers – i.e. Naginaji and Prof Indradeva Gupta - noted down the DMC discourses for Subhasita Samgraha-1, there is no Author’s note like SS-2. Because for SS-1, Baba delivered the discourse in Hindi, reviewed their notes in Hindi, and did final review in Hindi.


Very important scan of Author's Note SS-2

This is a well-known fact. Here is the scan of Baba’s Author’s Note from Subhasita Samgraha Part 2 Hindi 1968 3rd edition:

​​

Note 1: What is the Bangalisation / Bangalization of an English discourse?

It is when Baba spoke in English and that English discourse is not directly transcribed and printed in English. Rather that original English discourse is translated into Bengali. And then from that translated Bengali version it is double-translated back into English and then finally printed in English. This entire process of ruining Baba’s original discourse is known as the Bangalisation / Bangalization of Baba’s English discourse.


What is the Bangalisation / Bangalization of a Hindi discourse?

It is when Baba spoke in Hindi and that Hindi discourse is not directly transcribed and printed in Hindi. Rather that original Hindi discourse is translated into Bengali. And then from that translated Bengali version it is double-translated back into Hindi and then finally printed in Hindi. This entire process of ruining Baba’s original discourse is known as the Bangalisation / Bangalization of Baba’s Hindi discourse.


Bangalisation / Bangalization analogy

By simple analogy, one can understand what Bangalisation / Bangalization is. Suppose you have a white t-shirt that you wish to wear. Then suppose there is a dogmatic belief (Bangalisation / Bangalization) that this shirt should first be placed in a bucket of black charcoal. And by so doing the shirt became filthy black. The original white color became permanently lost. So "via Bangla" is like that. When Baba's original Hindi is filtered through a Bangla translation to make the printed Hindi, then in that process Baba's original Hindi words get completely lost. And that is what happened with this discourse.

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