Ananda Marga Universal Forum: Solving environmental disasters: Prout + 5 more

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Solving environmental disasters: Prout + 5 more

Baba

Solving environmental disasters: Prout

Namaskar,

Prout philosophy was founded by Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar more than half a century ago. Yet the very problems which Prout teachings warned us about long ago are now rampant in society. By spreading the name of Prout and educating people about Prout’s policies, so many issues plaguing humanity will be solved, including environmental disasters in key industries.

Prout's two policies

These two following Prout policies are enough to prevent recurring disasters -- in the near future:
1. The profit motive should be replaced by the consumption and service motive;
2. Key industries, like oil and gasoline, must be run by the local government.

With the implementation of Prout's above two policies, all kinds of human-made disasters can be averted.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Prout policy #1:
service & consumption motive, not profit motive

At present, in this profit-oriented, capitalist era, the chief aim in all business endeavors is making money. To turn a profit, all kinds of tactics are done which often undermine the overall integrity and safety of the industry. These top vaeshyas (wealthy exploiters) can do anything and everything - at great risk to the public - in order to increase profits. In so doing, the quality of work is reduced, safety measures are overlooked, lower-grade materials are used, and so many maneuvers are employed to increase profits that hinder the overall product and outcome of the job.

So these capitalists and business tycoons are more concerned with making money and less concerned about pollution, environmental hazards, safety, and well-being of the people. All these aspects are compromised and sacrificed to fatten profits. That is why there are so many disasters and problems related with big business. There is a huge string of such catastrophes that recklessly took countless lives etc.

In nearly cent-per-cent of the cases, the catastrophes were preventable. Because of the greed of the profit motive as their sole endeavor, companies skimped on safety features etc and became agents of disasters. That is why Prout's policy is that the profit motive must be set aside in favour of a policy based on universal consumption and well-being.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Prout philosophy says, "In the capitalist structure, industry or production is governed by the profit motive, but in the Proutistic structure production will be governed by the motive of consumption." (1)

Prout philosophy states, "In the collective economic structure the profit motive has no place – here industry is for consumption." (2)

“Profit-motive” leads to risk taking

Here below, the Propounder of Prout - Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar - outlines more aspects below.

Prout philosophy states, “In Proutistic production or consumption, in the first phase the money value remains constant and full-fledged purchasing capacity will be guaranteed to the people. In the second phase, when production increases in the revised economic order, money will get back its natural market value. Finally, after consumption, money will get back its actual value." (3)

The entire point is that the motivating force behind economic development is key. If the principal motive is just to turn a profit then that will invariably lead to so many other risks and hazards, whereas when the economy is based on safe human consumption, projects will be planned and carried out in an entirely different manner. That is why when the profit motive is swept aside, and we adopt Prout's new approach of industry for consumption, then gross oil industrial disasters etc will be a thing of the past.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Prout policy #2:
government should run key industries

The following point in Prout's policy is that all meta or key industries must be run by the immediate governmental body. Because the private sector, as noted above, is unable to safely manage those industries.

Prout philosophy guides us, "It has to be emphasised that key industries should be run by the government. " (4)

When the government runs a key industry then the sole objective will not be to make a profit. The aim will be to make that industry safe, accessible, and practical for the common people. So it will not run on the profit motive.

Prout philosophy guides us, "Most key industries should be managed by the local government but they should be guided by the principle of “no profit, no loss”." (5)

In the case of oil, the government will follow far more safety regulations and operate the industry more for public welfare rather than their own gain. In that case, we will not wake up in the morning and hear the news of massive oil spills or other kinds of industrial disasters. Such messes will be much less likely. One thing to keep in mind in all of this is that Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar advocates that local governmental bodies should control key industries. It is not like communism where the fed or state owns and controls everything. According to Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar, it is the local governmental bodies that should be in control. This is an important element to keep in mind.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Prout philosophy guides us, "The central government should not control large-scale industries because this may hamper the interests of local people. Where there is a federal system of government, these industries should be controlled by the immediate government, and where there is unitary government, they should be managed by local bodies." (6)

How to manage the workforce

And here Prout philosophy explains further about how those local governmental bodies should manage their labour force.

Prout philosophy says, "Key industries should be large scale industries. These key industries should be managed and owned by the immediate government, and in order to keep labour relations congenial, a bonus system of work and piece work payments should be adopted. The harder and better the people work, the more profit they will get." (7)

Again, the entire point is that the government must be involved and operate on a no-profit, no-loss basis where the aim is public welfare and where local people have a voice in how it is run. That will be a safe way in which to run key industries. Then corporate greed will not run wild - like we see in today's capitalist era - and there will not be crude and dangerous decisions made based solely on the profit motive, as happens in today's oil industry etc.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Conclusion

By implementing Prout’s above two policies - (a) industry for consumption sake and (b) local governmental bodies controlling key industries - the economy will no longer be driven by corporate greed. By this way, greater safety measures will be put in place and the key industries will better serve the needs of the people. Then industries like the oil industry will not repeatedly wreak havoc with such environmental disasters etc. Rather it will be run in a safe and efficient manner.

Namaskar,
In Him,
Ganapati

List of some industrial disasters

~ Courtesy of Wikipedia ~

August 17, 2009: Sayano–Shushenskaya power station accident. Seventy-five people were killed at a hydroelectric power station when a turbine failed. The failed turbine had been vibrating for a considerable time. Emergency doors to stop the incoming water took a long time to close, while a self-closing lock would have stopped the water in minutes.
February 7, 2010: 2010 Connecticut power plant explosion. A large explosion occurred at a Kleen Energy Systems 620-megawatt, Siemens combined cycle gas- and oil- fired power plant in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. Preliminary reports attributed the cause of the explosion to a test of the plant's energy systems. The plant was still under construction and scheduled to start supplying energy in June 2010. The number of injuries was eventually established to be 27. Five people died in the explosion.
April 20, 2010: Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven oil platform workers died in an explosion and fire that resulted in a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, considered the largest offshore spill in US history.
March 2011: Fukushima I nuclear accidents in Japan. Regarded as the largest nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl disaster, there were no direct deaths but a few of the plant's workers were severely injured or killed by the disaster conditions resulting from the earthquake.
October 29, 2012: Hurricane Sandy caused a ConEdison power plant to explode, causing a blackout in most of midtown Manhattan. The blue light emitted from the arc made places as far as Brooklyn glow. No person was killed or injured.
July 6, 2013: Lac-Mégantic, Quebec Canada. Lac-Mégantic derailment. Forty-seven people were killed when there was a derailment of an oil shipment train. The oil shipment caught fire and exploded, destroying more than thirty buildings. It was the fourth-deadliest rail accident in Canadian history.
April 5, 2010: Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, West Virginia, United States. An explosion occurred in Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch coal mine. Twenty-nine out of 31 miners at the site were killed.
November 19, 2010: Pike River Mine disaster in New Zealand. At 3:45 pm, the coal mine exploded. Twenty-nine men underground died immediately, or shortly afterwards, from the blast or from the toxic atmosphere. Two men in the stone drift, some distance from the mine workings, managed to escape. (Extract from Royal Commission of Enquiry Report on Pike River.)
May 13, 2014: Soma mine disaster in Manisa Province, Turkey. An explosion occurred two kilometers below the surface, starting a fire, which caused the mine's elevator to stop working. This trapped several hundred miners, many of whom died of carbon monoxide poisoning. 787 workers were present during the disaster, and 301 of them died during the disaster.
August 4, 2014: Mount Polley mine disaster near Likely, British Columbia.
April 17, 2013: Fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. An explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas, 18 miles (29 km) north of Waco, while emergency services personnel were responding to a fire at the facility. At least 14 people were killed, more than 160 were injured and more than 150 buildings damaged or destroyed.
June 20, 2013: Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, Canada. Two women were killed in a fireworks warehouse explosion.
August 12, 2015 Binhai, Tianjin, China. Two explosions within 30 seconds of each other occurred at a container storage station at the Port of Tianjin in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, China 173 people died as a result.
August 23, 2016: Chittagong, Bangladesh. An incident of gas leakage happened at a fertilizer company in port city of Chittagong. The fertilizer company belongs to Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) located near the shore of Karnaphuli River. No deaths were reported but 25 people had fallen ill due to toxic ammonia inhalation.[53] The investigation team found that tank was maintained by unskilled workers instead of skilled engineers which resulted in leakage.
September 10, 2016: Gazipur, Bangladesh. A boiler explosion in a packaging industry in the town of Tongi, Gazipur, led to the death of 23 workers. The explosion was so powerful that it made part of the four story building collapse. The explosion also triggered a fire which spread to surrounding areas.
May 9, 2018: Patel Milmet Dam failure. An embankment dam in Nakuru County, Kenya, burst during heavy rains, killing at least 48 people.
May 7, 2020: Visakhapatnam gas leak. A gas leakage accident at LG Polymers chemical plant in Gopala samudram, Vizag. The leakage had spread over a radius of about 3 km, affecting the nearby areas and villages. 11 were killed and more than 1000 people were injured as of 7 May 2020.
3 June 2020: 2020 Dahej chemical plant explosion. Five deaths and more than fifty people injured.[77]
August 4, 2020: 2020 Beirut explosions. A massive explosion of a large cache of ammonium nitrate at the Port of Beirut flattened much of the port and damaged buildings throughout the city. As of September 3, 2020, at least 190 people have been reported dead and another 6,500+ injured.[78]
4 November 2020: Ahmedabad chemical factory blast resulted in twelve deaths and injuries to nine people.[79]
6 January 2022: Surat gas leak: At least six people died and 22 people became sick following gas leak from a tanker in an industrial area in India.[80]

References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 5, Discourses on Prout
3. Prout in a Nutshell - 13, Economic Dynamics
4. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
5. Prout in a Nutshell - 21, Decentralized Economy – 1
6. Prout in a Nutshell - 5, Discourses on Prout
7. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

When will You come

“A'lokera' oi jharn'adha'ra'y ke go ele tumi aja'na'...” (Prabhat Samgiita #1115)

Purport:

Unknown Entity, who are You who has come with the grand flow of refulgence and the golden glow of the Divine world and given me inspiration for my forward march on the path of dharma.

You know my everything, my entire present and past, and You plan my future. You know all about me and understand all my thoughts, whereas I know nothing about me.

Whatever I do, I do for You. With Your grace I remember only You. My Lord, when will You come within my hold. You know, but I do not know...

Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #1115:

[1] Unknown Entity: Here the bhakta is talking with Parama Purusa and calling Him unknown because the bhakta thinks that, "Yes, I know Parama Purusa, but I do not know Him completely." For this reason, the bhakta is addressing Him as "unknown." When one knows Him 100% then that sadhaka actually becomes one with Him. Then one's unit identity is no more. So long as one has their own individual unit consciousness, then one cannot claim that they know Parama Purusa completely. In that case, to some or more degree, He remains "unknown."

[2] I know nothing about me (a'mi ta'r kichu bujhi na'): People generally think they know everything about themselves; but, in fact, there is much they do not know. A person cannot remember what they ate for lunch 10 days ago or what they were thinking in a particular place at a particular time. People cannot recall all their dreams or life experiences of this life, let alone events from past lives. Nor are they aware about what will occur in the future. That is why in a poetic way we can say, "I do not know anything myself." Because people are hardly aware about themselves. Yet Parama Purusa knows everything. That is why Baba would constantly remind sadhakas about what they were doing and thinking at particular times in their life. In comparison to His knowledge about us, we do not know anything about ourselves.

[3] Whatever I do, I do for You (yata ka'ja kari tava kari): This is the expression of bhakti. In the worldly sphere, people commonly do everything for their own self-satisfaction and ego. This is what happens most of the time. People eat, drink, work, play, shop, and interact for their own unit gain and pleasure. This is the way most ordinary humans behave. And to be honest, animals also follow this pathway; they do for their own self.

Those who are bad people are motivated by self-interest but by their actions they inflict harm on others. For this reason they are worse than ordinary humans and worse than animals as well.

Elevated beings, i.e. bhaktas, do each and everything to please Parama Purusa, not for self-interest. True Ananda Margiis do not even want to harm their enemies. Rather the aim is to rectify wrongdoers and not take vengeance against them. That too is a service to Parama Purusa because those depraved people are also expressions of Him.

Here the whole idea is that only bhaktas are motivated by the aim of serving and pleasing Parama Purusa. Ordinary and crude people cannot think in this way - nor can animals.

[4] By Your grace, I only remember You (toma'ya krpa'ya tomarei sma'ri): When people read Baba's books and Ananda Marga philosophy, or get inspired by attending a retreat etc, then they think, "I should always remember Him and repeat my ista mantra all the time." Indeed people get all kinds of good ideas. But how easily they forget those good ideas as well. Their inner desire is to remember Him and always do mantra japa, but the next moment, hour, or day they forget. That is why it is said that His grace is needed in order to remember Him all the time. Without His krpa no one can get success in this endeavour.

[5] Overall Theme of Song:

In the first stanza, the central idea is that when Parama Purusa comes then He gives tremendous inspiration. Any and all feelings of frustration, depression, and dejection automatically slip away. When Parama Purusa comes then everything in life becomes blissful. One's days become full of exuberance and inspiration.

The second and third stanzas of this song represent the feeling of prapatti vada, or surrender theory. Parama Purusa is controlling everything while the bhakta merely surrenders to His sweet will. Parama Purusa knows and manages everything. What He plans, that happens.

So the sadhaka thinks: "I should work according to the energy He has instilled within me. Whatever I do for the betterment of society is His work. With his energy I am completing my allotted tasks. The ultimate doer is He. My duty is to do sadhana and totally depend on Parama Purusa. It is up to Him when I reach the Goal. He will certainly be gracious."

This is the high degree of surrender expressed in this song.

Here the main idea is that the sadhaka is doing sadhana with a deep longing of getting Him but ultimately it all depends on the grace of Parama Purusa. Without His grace, nothing happens. When He showers His grace then people gain realisation, otherwise not. That is why it is said, "Guru krpa hi kevalam" and "Brahma krpa hi kevalam", i.e the grace of Guru / Brahma is everything. Only Parama Purusa knows when the bhakta will reach the Goal. One must surrender to His will and follow His teachings; all the rest is up to Him.

In Him
Ananda Bhus’an’a

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Self-propaganda by margii

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "In the mind of undeveloped creatures and plants the major portion is nothing but citta...But the mind where there exists citta and ahaḿtattva both can take the ideation of matter with the help of the citta and keep contact with matter through the ahaḿtattva.” (1)

Note: Undeveloped animals have very little I-feeling. That is why beetles, flies, and spiders are not concerned about their prestige or reputation. They do not care what others think about them or the works they do. They just continue doing what they do in an automated manner, never seeking glory or validation for their work. This is because their ahamtattva is so undeveloped. They are very basic creatures.

As animals become more advanced they have a more dominant ahamtattva (I-feeling). One way to test this is to call an animal by name and if they look towards you and respond in some way then it has ahamtattva. Those animals who are most developed may even showcase themselves. This is especially the case with orangutans etc. They have a highly developed ahamtattva in the animal sphere. When they commit an act they will stand up, beat their chest, and raucously jump up and down to make their mark and draw attention to their deeds etc.

And verily, many new in human form are terribly bound by their own petty ego etc. Whatever they do, they want to promote themselves up to the sky and gain maximum self-glory. Such is even the case with certain new sadhakas onto the path of AM are so driven by their own ego that they may even attach their name to a Baba quote. This runs contrary to all feelings of bhakti and service. By this type of show, we can understand a person’s mind and the degree to which they are developed or not.

It is only when the mahatattva becomes prominent that people overcome the trappings of the petty ego and are able to work for the great cause with a higher ideal in mind. At that stage, they realise that everything is done by the sweet will and strength of Parama Purusa so they do not gloat.

In sum, there are three stages:
(a) Those undeveloped creatures dominated by citta do not brag because they do not even know that they exist.
(b) Those beings dominated by their ahamtattva are bound up in their own unit ego and are keen to gloat about everything they do.
(c) Those sadhakas with a developed mahatattava are not egotistical at all because they know that everything is done by Parama Purusa.

Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 33, The Difference Between Developed and Undeveloped Mind

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Kinds of sin

In our Ananda Marga philosophy, sin comes in two forms: (a) doing destructive deeds and (b) not doing our assigned deeds. Here below Baba explains further.

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Sin is also of two types. An action of yours that brings harm to others and brings about your own downfall is called pa´pa [sin]. In this kind of karma, harm to others goes hand in hand with your own degradation. Humans become far removed from Parama Purus´a by such actions. I said before that pa´pa is also of two types - pa´taka and pratyava´ya. An action that should not be done but that is nevertheless done, is called pa´taka. And an action that should be done but is not done, is called pratyava´ya. For instance, one should not steal; so if anybody steals, that will be pa´taka. And if one knows full well that nursing a patient is good, but refrains from doing so, that will be pratyava´ya." (1)

By the above we can easily understand that not doing things that ought to be done is also a type of sin known as pratyava'ya. And here below Baba clarifies this crucial matter.

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "That which is not done but should be done is called Pratyava'ya." (2)

References
1. Discourses on Krsna and the Giita, 'Bhajate Ma'mananyabha'k'
2. Prout in a Nutshell-12, 'Sin, Crime, & Law'

== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==

बाबा! मैंने तुमको कुछ भी नहीं दिया, केवल पाने की इच्छा से हाथ तुम्हारी ओर बढ़ाता रहा।

प्रभात सङ्गीत 1980 तुमि कि चेयेछो जानी नी तो आमि, तुमि कि दियेछो किछु जानी....
भावार्थ
बाबा ! हे परम पुरुष ! तुम क्या चाहते हो, वह मैं नहीं जानता। पर, तुमने कृपा कर जो कुछ दिया है उसके बारे में थोड़ा सा जानता हूँ । मैंने तुमको कुछ भी नहीं दिया। केवल और अधिक पाने की इच्छा से अपने दोनों हाथ अवश्य ही तुम्हारी ओर बढ़ाता रहा।

हे मेरे प्रभु ! तुमने कृपाकर मुझे इस धूल भरी धरती पर मानव के रूप में भेजा है। निश्चय ही मेरे बारे में तुम्हारी कोई निश्चित कार्य योजना होगी। इस सम्बन्ध में तुम्हारी भी आशाएँ और इच्छाएँ होगीं। पर, दुर्भाग्य से वे मैं नहीं जानता। मैं तो केवल इतना जानता हूँ कि मैंने अपना जीवन व्यर्थ की बातों और आलस्य में बिता दिया है। उचित रूप से कभी साधना की ही नहीं।

बाबा ! इस मानव जीवन का क़ीमती समय व्यर्थ चला गया। उचित समय पर जागरूकता मेरे मन में नहीं आयी। बस, इसी तरह समय जाता रहा। मेरे दिन अपने आप में मस्त रहने और मनोरञ्जन करने में ही जाते रहे। आज मैं मरुस्थल में बैठ कर तारे गिन रहा हॅूं।

बाबा ! फिर भी मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि तुम मेरे ऊपर कृपा करोगे। मुझे सही रास्ते पर ले आओगे ताकि मैं तुम्हारा कार्य कर सकूँ । हे परमप्रिय ! मैं तुम्हारे चरणकमलों में समर्पण करता हूँ ।

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Out of these fruits people prepare deadly poison

Shabda Cayanika states, "There are certain trees and plants that contain [[lethal]] poison. A person who knows these plants avoids them. Roots, barks, juices, fruits, flowers and seeds containing deadly poison are used by human beings for making medicines. Our very familiar kalke flower [Yellow oleander; Thevetia peruviana] is one such tree. Its flower or floral nectar does not contain any poison. But the fruits that appear after the flowers have fallen off contain poison. Out of these fruits people prepare deadly poison through various methods." (1)

Reference
1. Shabda Cayaniká Part 4, Disc: 23

Common name: Mexican oleander, Yellow Oleander, Lucky Nut • Hindi: Peeli kaner पीली कनेर.

== Section: Comment ==

[05 OCT 2016] Re: Outrageous food distribution

Namaskar.

The news of 'outrageous food distribution' is simply shocking ! How can a sane Ananda Margii get involved in such act in the name of service ?

In His Service,

Manoj

Here is the original letter on this topic: Outrageous food distribution

== Section: Comment ==

[05 OCT 2016] Re: Dada G. Propagates Avidyá Tantra Vashiikarańa

Namaskar to all margis.
After going through this email one can arrive at the conclusion that the persons who are in the Editorial Board never touch Baba's book/s; even they don't have zeal in reading the article. But what about Ac Diipnáráyanji? It seems the Ranchi group is not serious about Baba's philosophy. The Editor too is not serious in proof-reading. He may not have time, because he is busy in minting money in the name of Legal Fund. After all the Editor never posted a corrigendum.

Your Brother
Ratnakar Sharma