Dos & don'ts in bringing social change
Namaskar,
Now
that we are in the midst and nearing the climax of the vaeshyan era,
before conducting any type of revolution, we should remember the lessons
of the past. Here is an important sequence of teachings given by Baba
about waging revolution.
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Key guidelines for revolutionary action in vaeshyan era
#1: First
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar guides that a true revolutionary will have
to have genuine love for humanity, and to look upon others with sincere
sympathy.
Prout philosophy says, "Like any other problem, great
or small, there is only one way to solve economic problems, and that is
through genuine love for humanity. This love will give people guidance;
it will show them what to do and what not to do. It is not necessary to
study great numbers of books or to rely upon those who speculate with
the future of the silent masses. The only essential requirement is to
look upon humanity with genuine sympathy." (1)
#2: Next
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar warns that true revolutionaries should
focus on transforming the human condition and not engage in violence for
violence sake, disregarding the economic plight of the fallen.
Prout
philosophy says, "Those who, on the other hand, believe in violence,
but do not believe in changing human hearts through spiritual practices
and spiritual education, argue that the capitalists have plundered the
wealth of society for so long that the question of compensation does not
even arise. Those who have genuine love for humanity, however, cannot
accept either of those viewpoints." (2)
#3: Then
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar warns us that not all landowners are
millionaires etc, many of them are physically weak, economically needy,
and compromised in other ways, so they should be compensated for their
losses as a result of any revolutionary action.
Prout philosophy
says, "Not all those who own land or industry are healthy, able-bodied
or young. Many of them are sick, invalids or elderly, and some are
widows and minors. If all their property is forcibly confiscated without
compensation, what situation will they be in? Furthermore, not all
property owners are rich. Many are poor or belong to the lower middle
class. Even if the policy of compensation or exchanging one property for
another of similar value is not accepted, those who cherish genuine
love for humanity will take a sympathetic view of the plight of those
who find themselves in difficulty due to nationalization, and will act
accordingly. A monthly pension or a lump sum should be allocated to old
people, invalids, children and destitute women. Opportunities to earn a
decent livelihood must be provided to all those, young or middle-aged,
who are able-bodied and healthy, if they have no alternative means of
support. Such employment opportunities should take into consideration
their abilities as well as their needs." (3)
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Horrors of French Revolution should not be repeated
A
similar situation is happening now, as occurred in the pre-French
Revolution era, whereby a minute portion of the population controls all
the wealth and the masses are starving. This type of economic
polarisation is occurring today. Should a similar type of revolution
happen in this present era, then certain blunders must not be repeated.
Unfortunately,
during the French Revolution, when the people revolted against the
monarchy, all the exploiters and their kith and kin were mercilessly
killed - including the king and queen, their advisors, the high priests,
the noble class, as well as their elderly parents and young children.
All suffered miserable tortures during the bloody uprising.
Now
in this vaeshyan era, a similar mistake should not be repeated. When,
due to a rise of social consciousness, the common people take aim at
those capitalist exploiters, then it is imperative that they do not
unduly harm or punish those ruling exploiters, their confidants, nor the
elderly parents and / or young offspring of such exploiters. Just as
patients suffer in different ways - physically or psychically etc - we
should treat capitalists as patients who suffer from a psychic disease.
Sadly, they goaded their infinite (psychic) desire toward finite
(physical) things. We should help cure them of this ailment. That should
be our aim - not to harm them.
Conclusion
All
should be cared for and given scope to participate in the new social
order. No one should be persecuted, banished, or killed. Rather, once
rectified of their capitalistic tendencies, they should have the
opportunity to pursue a proper social life. This type of humanitarian
approach is essential.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Prout
philosophy states, “We are to fight capitalism and not the capitalists.
We are to wipe out this ism from human society because this ism is
paralysing humanity. The capitalists are suffering from a sort of mental
ailment, and it is our foremost duty to radically cure them by
diverting their physical thirst towards psychic and spiritual pursuits.”
(4)
In Him,
Sukhadeva
The above is our Prout policy as
given in "Human Society - 1." If you are interested to learn more then
read Prout in a Nutshell parts 1 - 21.
Cunning exploitative strategy
Prout
philosophy states, “Psycho-economic exploitation is the latest form of
dangerous and all-devouring capitalist exploitation. It is a special
type of exploitation which first weakens and paralyses people
psychologically in various ways, and then exploits them economically.
Some of the methods of psycho-economic exploitation include, first, the
suppression of the indigenous language and culture of local people;
secondly, the extensive propagation of pseudo-culture, exemplified by
pornographic literature which debases people’s mind and particularly
undermines the vitality of the youth; thirdly, the imposition of
numerous restrictions on women, forcing them to be economically
dependent on men; fourthly, an unpsychological education system with
frequent political interference by vested interests; fifthly, the
negation of dharma in the name of secularism; sixthly, the balkanization
of society into numerous castes and groups; seventhly, the damaging of
society by the use of unnatural and harmful methods of birth control;
and eighthly, placing the control of different mass media, such as
newspapers, radio and television, in the hands of capitalists. Both
intellectual exploitation and psycho-economic exploitation are great
dangers to the human race today.” (5)
References
1. Human Society - 1, Social Justice
2. Human Society - 1, Social Justice
3. Human Society - 1, Social Justice
4. Prout in a Nutshell - 5, Discourses on Prout
5. Prout in a Nutshell - 13, Capitalism in Three Spheres
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
Beware of this type of desire
Ananda
Marga philosophy guides us, "There are seven kinds of luminous bodies:
yakśa, siddha, gandharva, kinnara, vidyádhara, Prakrtiliina and
videhaliina. They are categorized according to their respective
psychologies. Suppose there is a very elevated person who often ideates
on the Supreme Consciousness, but who has some greed for wealth. He does
not, however, express it openly to the Supreme, nor does he even think
of it directly. He thinks indirectly, "Oh, since I am a devotee of the
Supreme Consciousness, He will certainly give me enormous wealth and
make me immensely rich." Those who harbour this sort of covert desire
are reborn as yaks'as." (1)
Note:
Yaksas are one type of degraded being - i.e. those unfortunate ones who
cannot get human framework because they are under punishment. Only
after extreme punishment, after exhausting so many negative samskaras,
may they again get human life. Once they attain human form they will
need to get tantric initiation, adhere to the code of yama and niyama,
and do maximum sadhana. Then after much effort, only by His grace, may
they get moksa. So theirs is a long and arduous journey as they must
suffer for millions of years. That is why meditating on money is very
bad.
Some
sadhaka businessmen and money-minded sadhakas who are indulged day and
night in money matters will suffer in this way. They will be degenerated
into yaksas. After facing punishment for millions of years, then who
knows on which planet they may get the opportunity to live human life
and do proper work and service. But if they again indulge in money
matters, they will become yaksas (degraded beings) and this cycle will
be repeated. They will spin round and round in this torturous pattern.
That is why Baba warns us that when one has a human body then the goal must be Parama Purusa - not money.
Reference
1. Yoga Psychology, Are Ghosts Hallucinations?
External rituals cannot bring spiritual gain
Here Baba condemns the use of such dogmatic malas and rosary beads etc.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "I have said it before and I say it again, that Sádhaná means fight against Avidyá. This fight is internal, not external. External or ostentatious fight will achieve nothing. In such a fight one's entire capability culminates in the acrobatics of dressing and decorating of one's exterior with málá (a rosary or string of beads for saying prayers), tilaka (a conspicuous mark between the eyebrows with sandalwood-paste or vermilion, jholá (a little sack for the rosary) and candan-chápa (or the mark of sandalwood paste on the forehead, arms and chest). Instead, spiritual aspirants have to fight against their inner, base propensities, and when they will wear the crown of victory, they will then realize that there is absolutely no difference between them and Brahma – they have become Brahma Himself." (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 6: Avidyá
