Baba
Samaj: good or bad
Namaskar,
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar has graciously given the very unique and special sama’j system and movement whereby (a) every community feels they have their rightful place on this earth and (b) we can all move together as one universal family.
Accordingly, our samaj movement is based on the slogan, "universal in spirit but regional in approach". (1)
Unfortunately, some misunderstand this ideal and instead get caught up in the notion that our samaj movement is provincial, i.e. small-minded. As Ananda Margiis, our duty is to clear this confusion from their minds and teach them the great overall meaning and function of our samaj movement. And that is what this letter aims to do.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Is this small-minded?
In our samaj system, some may say that, “I am a Bengali” or “I am a Punjabi” etc. Hearing this, others may wrongly level the accusation that this is a small-minded way of thinking. They may offer that it is better to think, “I am a citizen of the world, I am a human, brother / sister of all, and others are also brothers and sisters of mine.” Here, we have to convince them how the two are working together, and that they are not not mutually exclusive: “I belong to a particular community” and “I am a member of a global society”. Now let’s explore this further.
Apparent contradiction in samaj
From an external viewpoint, when people say that they belong to a particular region, it appears to be a narrow way of thinking. For example, in Bengal people say that “Amara Bangali'' means, “I am a Bengali”. Similarly, in Punjab there is a Proutist sama’j called “Asi Punjabi” meaning, “We are Punjabis”. In Karnataka, people were also demanding a name which would represent that they hail from Karnataka. So non-margiis feel that, on the one hand, Ananda Marga philosophy promotes universalism, and, on the other hand, there are communities within our AMPS which represent people from certain regions. So, to non-margiis, this seems to be inconsistent.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
For example, in India some raise the query, “Why do some people say, ‘I am from Bihar’, ‘I am from Bengal’, ‘I am from Punjab’ as these are expressions of socio-sentiment.” This is the type of accusation they levy. They furthermore state, “The universal approach would be to say, ‘I am a global citizen’ which would then include everyone without any emphasis on a particular region.” Here our duty is to teach them why our samaj system is not antithetical to the universality of AM ideology, i.e. why stating, “I am a Punjabi”, is wholly consistent with our AM teachings. Please continue reading.
Importance of local customs
The question is why has Baba created such a system where people from a certain locale can say that they belong to a certain group. The reason is twofold: social and economic. The social side relates to a specific society which consists of language, lifestyle, civilization, social structure, food habits, dress etc. For example, in a society there are a number of illiterate people who speak a specific language, and they have a connection with the demi-culture of their own society. If people of that locale do not feel proud of their own demi-culture, then they develop an inferiority complex thereby hindering their self-confidence. And this is highly problematic. The whole aim and strategy of the samaj movement is to restore the sense of dignity and pride to each and every local community, thereby enabling them to feel encouraged and empowered. By this way they become better global citizens who will not bow down in the face of exploitation. Without that, our human society cannot progress, as explained in the next section.
Countries invade & inject inferiority complex
In our human history, certain countries have invaded other countries and used the weapon of an inferiority complex. The so-called advanced countries imposed an inferiority complex upon other peoples forcing them to think they are not good enough to survive and thrive on their own. That dominant group demoralized them in all kinds of ways in order to strip them of their identity and sense of self-worth.
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For example, Britishers invaded India and exploited them to the bone even though the demi-culture of India was at a higher level. And those Britishers chief strategy was to impose an inferiority complex on the Indian population. The Britishers first befooled the educated people of India and brainwashed them by saying how British demi-culture was modern and first-rate, and Indian demi-culture was lowly and backwards. The Britishers did this through all types of brutal, crafty, and cunning methods that struck at the very core of the Indian psyche. Consequently, the Indian populace developed an inferiority complex about their own culture. Britishers sent scholars of India to Britain for higher education and showed how the scholars were getting better education in Britain than they would get in India. Similarly, in order to show that British demi-culture was superior to Indian demi-culture, they taught the educated elite many negative activities such as drinking alcohol and cigarette smoking, etc. This is an example of how when countries invade another country, they impose their own culture on the helpless citizens who, in turn, develop an inferiority complex about their once-revered culture.
Educated elites: victims of inferiority complex
When educated elites of India followed the demi-culture of the Britishers, the general public started to develop an inferiority complex, as the educated elites were boastful and feeling superior about leading a life which was not typical of a traditional Indian lifestyle. Due to that imposed inferiority complex, the general public began to feel lowly, and over time came to be ruled by the Britishers. One example of losing their self-confidence was on the point of language. When the rulers were speaking in English, and the general public did not know the English language, they were made to feel that English was a superior language and that those who did not know English were dumb and illiterate. Moreover, all official business and governmental affairs were carried out in English. This is how the general public was exploited by the educated elites, who were in turn being manipulated by the Britishers. The operative factor is that exploiters inject an inferiority complex and then impose their dominance over an entire community or population.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Example in US
So the basic formula is that whenever one does not speak the same language as their rulers then they develop an inferiority complex. For example, in the United States, the majority of African Americans do not get the opportunity to go for higher education, and their spoken English is not as good as the English spoken in schools and colleges. So they have an inferiority complex that they are not good speakers of the same language which is used in schools and colleges. Similarly, when people from Mexico and other Latin American countries come to the United States, they also fall prey to exploitation as they do not speak English well. When they work, they are generally paid less than other local workers. Furthermore, they are unable to express their complaints about low pay to their boss in proper English.
Conclusion: proud of mother tongue & demiculture
The key pathway to avoid getting exploited is to build one’s self-confidence about their own language and demi-culture. And that is exactly what the sama’j movements aim to achieve. Our AM samaj system makes people proud to be part of their local region and feel good about their local customs and characteristics etc. In this way, they will fend off any attempt by the dominant group to impose an inferiority complex, and they will not get exploited.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Then, having developed confidence in their own local language and culture, people can learn other languages and demi-cultures, and samajas and unite and grow. This happens when people of all societies live together and support revolutionary practices like inter-caste marriages etc. Over time, when the difference among communities becomes negligible, then no samaj will try to exploit the other, and peace will prevail. Until there is peace in the society, collective human progress is not possible. Once exploitation is eradicated then a society can be built in the real sense of the term.
In Him,
Nirakara
Ananda Marga philosophy teaches us, "Human culture is, therefore, one and indivisible. The use of expressions such as Hindu culture, Muslim culture, Indian culture or European culture is absurd. Those who hold these partisan ideas are not well-wishers of humanity." (2)
~ In-depth study ~
Prout says, “Suppose a certain Hindi [or English, German, French, Mandarin-speaking] chauvinist has come to see you. When you speak to him, you will certainly speak in Hindi [or English, German, French, Mandarin-speaking] , and so will he. But he is speaking his mother tongue, whereas you are not. Perhaps ungrammatical Hindi [or English, German, French, Mandarin-speaking] words will come out of your mouth. But it is obvious that in your expression there may be some fundamental errors, and the use of words will not be precise and to-the-point. This will create a diffidence in your mind, a kind of inferiority complex, whereas the Hindi [or English, German, French, Mandarin-speaking] -knowing people may suffer from superiority complex. They may think of you, “What a fool he is! He cannot speak with grammatical precision!” But instead if you speak in your own mother tongue [e.g. Spanish, Oriya, Tibetan, Bhojpuri, Angika], your expression will be grammatically correct. So when you speak Hindi [or English, German, French, Mandarin] you become somewhat inferior to those Hindi-speaking [or English, German, French, Mandarin-speaking] persons and, taking advantage of our inferior position, they may exploit you economically. They should not be given this opportunity of psycho-economic exploitation. If this sort of psycho-economic exploitation is tolerated, if they are given the opportunity to exploit for long, they will become rulers and you will become their subjects. This is how psycho-economic exploitation is perpetrated; in the first stage the exploiters impose inferiority complex in your mind by creating psychic pressure. When your language is suppressed, you will feel mentally inferior and develop some psychic weakness. Taking advantage of this psychic weakness, the exploiters will continue their psycho-economic exploitation. So those who advocate the cause of Hindi [or English, German, French, or Mandarin] thus pave the way for psycho-economic exploitation. Actually they are not your friends.” (3)
How dominant group exploits
Prout philosophy states, “When there is exploitation in the physical stratum, it is not necessarily economic in nature in all cases; it is often social, and in many cases, indirectly social. For instance, vested interests inject complexes into the public mind at a certain stage, and at a much later stage they exploit that psychic complex. At that time, the exploitation may as well be physical instead of economic. But ultimately, this physical exploitation is as good or as bad as economic exploitation.” (4)
Prout philosophy says, “In the case of economic exploitation, the exploited people can easily understand who the exploiters are. But in the case of exploitation in other social spheres, the exploited people are not even aware that they are being exploited. This is why it is easy to exploit them in the social sphere, then create inferiority complexes in their minds to keep them under prolonged administrative domination and perpetuate the exploitation. This is easily done by the cunning exploiters. And the tragedy is that the exploited mass do not try to understand – they cannot understand, and they even refuse to understand – that they are victims of exploitation.” (5)
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 13, Socio-Economic Groupifications
2. A Few Problems Solved - 6, The Interplay of Culture and Civilization
3. Prout in a Nutshell Part 13, The Fundamentals of Language
4. Prout in a Nutshell Part 18, Various Forms of Exploitation
5. Prout in a Nutshell Part 18, Various Forms of Exploitation
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
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== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
"Tomár dváre prárthaná kare, nijere kari vaincaná..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2660)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, when I come at Your doorstep for alms, most of the time I ask for worldly, transitory allurements that fade away. And generally those things are bad for me. By this way, I harm myself - over and over again. Baba, I never request to have those gifts that are good for me. I cannot conceive of what is going to happen even after a single moment and am not aware about my true needs and requirements. But You see everything - my past, present, and future. And above all, You love me. My Supreme Entity, You know what is best for me, so please grant me whatever You wish.
Parama Purusa, this entire creation, this universal mela and panorama of flora and fauna - from the forest to the desert, and from the oceans to the mountain peaks - everything is Your beautiful expression. You keep an eye on this grand manifestation. Nothing is uncared for or neglected. You are so gracious. This is Your unparalleled liila. Every entity in this vast universe is Your thought projection. You shower Your mercy equally on all and do not consider if one is rich or poor - sinner or virtuous - good or bad etc. You pour Your causeless grace upon everyone. Due to their umbrella of vanity and petty ego, some cannot feel Your krpa so they complain. But it is their fault not Yours. Baba, I do not desire anything from You. Please bestow upon me whatever You wish. That will be best for me.
Parama Purusa, by discarding all vanity and giving up their ego, all accept You as their own. When they call You, they do not address You as “Our God”; they say, “My God.” Everyone thinks of You as their personal Entity. No matter how many sins they commit, they feel that You are going to help them. That is why they want You to save them. They may not tell their bad things to anyone, but they must tell You in seeking Your compassion. In their weal and woe, they draw You near and evoke Your causeless karuna. Baba, in happiness and sorrow, all want to have Your support and closeness. They ignore the high walls of obstructions. They do not care about any type of obstacle or difficulty. Just they want to come near You.
Parama Purusa, I do not know what to truly wish for nor what will really help me. My intellect is incomplete and incapable of any deeper understanding. Baba, please be merciful and bestow upon me whatever You wish and think is best for me...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Here for a short span
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Smara nitya anityatám. You should remember always that you have come here for a short span. You won't remain in this world for a long period. You may remain here, say, for ninety or a hundred years, or say for 150 years. Some saints like Traelauṋga Svámii lived here for 350 years. He lived in Varanasi in India and died in this twentieth century. But you are to live under certain limitations – limitations of time, space and person."
"So you should always remember that you have come here for a very short span. It is just like a waiting room of a railway station. You remain there for a short period and when the train comes, you leave the waiting room. This world is just like that waiting room. You are to remain here for a very short span."
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "You should always remember this fact – “I have come here for a short span and I won't remain here for a very long period. My home is elsewhere. I am just like a tourist.” You should always remember this fact. And as a universal tourist, you, while leaving for your permanent home, will not require a passport." (1)
Reference
1. 25 May 1979 evening, Rotterdam
== Section 4: Links ==
Other topics of interest
