Ananda Marga Universal Forum: 09/22/26

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Undoing cultural imposition + 4 more

Baba

Undoing cultural imposition

Namaskar,

Are you curious why the general Indian public is abandoning 'namaskar' and instead involved in 'shaking hands', or why 'using water' has been swapped out 'for wiping with toilet paper', or why 'laungotas' have become a thing of the past and 'western underwear' is now the only way to go, or why India is now importing more meat than ever before into its borders.

All these above changes-- as well as others like them by various native communities in other countries-- are fast taking place today, and have been in the making for a long while. That is the sad and unfortunate plight of so many of these previously colonised nations and subjugated peoples.
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Here the point is not to only highlight India. Such transformations are also occurring with Blacks in the US, Middle-Easterners in Europe, Native Indians in Brasil, and so many others. It is happening wherever people have been made to believe that their own culture is 'lowly'. That is the reason why so many communities around the globe are departing from their traditional or cultural heritage and instead adopting lowly ways of another more dominant culture. That is why McDonald's, Levis, martinis, and just about everything western is being embraced in so many lands. Here is more about this most tragic human tale.

Countries demanding return of artifacts

It is well-known that colonial powers took away precious artifacts from various lands and now certain countries like Greece are asking for their artifacts back - as well as many of the African nations etc. This is a big issue nowadays. Plus, it was discussed that those colonial powers took those artifacts not for their monetary value, but rather because those imperialistic nations wanted to exploit those local and native people to the very bone. So those cultural artifacts must be returned to those native lands etc. This is all part of the current conversation.

Tragic effect is lasting

Actually, it is not only that those cultural artifacts should be returned. It is not just a simple case of thievery of an old artifact. Tragically, the common people from the lands of South Africa, India, Greece, Vietnam, Mexico, Nepal, Morocco, and so many places have been stripped of their cultural pride. And we see the ill effect still to this very day. Because the stealing of an artifact is only the very beginning of a long chain of events.
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Just see: The main way to exploit an entire people is to first rob them of their own cultural identity and legacy, and then impose new cultural norms, i.e. those of the dominant country. Take away their history, heroes, habits, language, and customs, and then instead inject the same from the dominant land.

That will shatter the backbone of a people and cause them to fall into an inferiority complex-- such that they will openly renounce everything about their own cultural background and history, even the most positive aspects. Their language, their dress, their history, their music, their everything will be dropped into one dark chasm, and instead those oppressed and embarrassed people will run after everything associated with the more dominant but lowly lifestyle, i.e. they will embrace the ways of their exploiters. Because they have been brainwashed into being totally ashamed of their native ways.

Next step in exploitation process

The next phase is that wherever artifacts have been taken, in that land pseudo-culture has been imposed, and the people suffer from an inferiority complex, such that they are totally ashamed of who they are, and then they end up as prime targets for economic exploitation. So in any land, where people are swapping out their own cultural heritage for a lowly and debauched way of living, or the ways of a more materialistic and crude lifestyle, then it is sure that those people are getting exploited in one way or another. Baba has pointed this out in so many discourses.
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Baba says, "A particular group which is motivated by socio-sentiment to exploit others, tries to destroy the local cultural expressions of other groups. It forcibly imposes its language, dress and ideas on other groups, and thus paves the way for exploitation by paralysing those people psychologically. This is how people guided by socio-sentiment perpetuate exploitation in cultural life." (1)

That is why this whole issue is not just a simple case of thievery wherein artifacts can be returned and then the whole matter is done. It is not like that. Because when certain people do not like to speak their mother tongue even in their own kitchen let alone in public, and when some people do not like the shape of their hair or the colour of their skin, and where people think that all that is good comes from outside their borders, and where people feel that the traditions from their country are of no value, then this all speaks to the point that those peoples have become ashamed of who they are. In that case, inferiority complexes and exploitation must also be nearby.

Such is the devious and harmful effect of pillaging a country of their cultural heritage and artifacts. And that is why all across the globe innocent people are chasing after Euro-American manners and ways. Because they have been brainwashed into thinking that that is the only and best way to live.
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Returning the artifacts is not the only point

So it is not just that the museums of New York, Paris, London, Sydney, San Francisco, and elsewhere need only return thousands of artifacts to nations like Zaire, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Jamaica, Peru, and Greece. Rather, centuries and centuries of cultural oppression and suppression need to be undone.

Innumerable lands were forced to forget about their own cultural heroes and figures as they were wiped clean from the history, and instead they were taught to honour exploiters like Christopher Columbus, Vasco De Gama, US Presidents, Marilyn Monroe, Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Michael Jordan, Jane Fonda, and the list goes on and on.

On the surface it all may look innocent, but the undercurrents of such cultural imposition is horrific. As people have been brainwashed into thinking that their own way of living and their own history is negligible or even sub-human. And still today, in their conscious mind they are unaware that this has happened. The scar is that deep.
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Further reflection: whom to blame

So it is a painful and unfortunate twist. And it is not right to think that the current events story begins and ends with the returning of artifacts to a native area. Rather those stolen artifacts were just the starting point of the demolition of entire cultures.

And it should also be known that still today those museum curators in New York, Paris, London, and Chicago have absolutely no intention of even returning the cultural artifacts to those distant lands from where they came.

Another aspect is that as we speak the younger generations in those exploited countries have no idea why they are running after western values and western ways. They are just plunged in the idea that those things are better. From nightclubs to McDonalds, from pants to neck ties, from lipstick to cartoons, from coca-cola to the English language, inside and out, the long-term effect of having their cultural artifacts stolen is stinging the youths in those lands.

The people of India, Vietnam, Mexico, Greece, Philippines, Zaire, etc are not to be blamed. It is not the fault of those colonised nations that they have fallen into this trap.

Rather those western exploiters from the US and Europe shoulder the blame. Those top politicians and executives are the cause-- not even the general public of those wealthy nations. Because this is all due to the tricks of those cunning leaders.
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And one thing is also sure: That each and every member of the human race must be taught, educated, and made to understand the horrors of cultural imposition. The history should be known, the effects should be studied, and everyone should be fully cognizant of what has transpired. Failing that, the people of those lands will never rediscover their cultural heritage and such exploitation is bound to happen again and again.

Let us all remember that the current events topic of stolen artifacts is not just a simple matter of return, but, rather, a starting point for undoing centuries of cultural imposition and exploitation.

Conclusion

We should fortify humanity with the teachings of neo-humanism as this is the only formula for unshackling the world from centuries of cultural imposition and exploitation.

Baba says, "In that supreme neohumanistic status, the universal humanity will attain the consummation of its existence. Then nothing will be impossible for human beings; they will be able to do anything and everything." (2)

Namaskar,
Shrii Devii

References
1. Liberation of Intellect: Neo-Humanism, Disc: 7
2. Liberation of Intellect: Neo-Humanism, Disc: 11

* * *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.

* * *

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

All became very close

"Tumi ele cári dik raunge bhare ut́halo, taruń tapan miśt́i hási hásalo..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0316)

Purport:

Parama Purusa, with Your arrival and advent, everything - all the directions - became inundated with resplendent colours of bhagavata dharma. The morning sun smiled sweetly; due to its beaming joy the world forgot all its agony. Because of Your coming as Mahasambhuti the whole universe is charged with spiritual vibrations.

Baba, in jubilation and delight, all became very close as everyone pulled together. It is Your grace. Today, after forgetting all sorrows, now in an exalted state bhaktas no longer feel suffering as suffering, or problems as a problem. Everything has become blissful due to Your august presence. In one tempo of spirituality, in a singular pull of the Cosmic Entity, in one song of His glory, the entire cosmos is ecstatically dancing in exultation.

My Cosmic Boatman, with a smile, receive the mind which is floating in the streams of divine refulgence; please bring that to the shore. With the attraction of the golden flash, today all are dancing rhythmically with exuberance, in euphoric ecstasy, in Your cadence & divine tempo.

Baba, in the past, people were drowned in misery - now with Your auspicious arrival everything has changed - only there is bliss....

== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

Need of the hour: more people

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "While dharma in the true sense of the term is based on logic and the realizations of great sádhakas [spiritual aspirants], religion, or dharmamata, is based entirely on irrational blind faith. So religions are always sheltered within dogma. While the propagation of dharma goes on spontaneously, for the propagation and establishment of dogma-based religions, the financial power of the vaeshyas [capitalists] and the intellectual prowess of the vipras [intellectuals] is inevitably needed. What we observe from the history of humankind is that the religions which have come so far have, without exception, taken shelter under the wings of capitalism. While money has been spent lavishly for the construction of beautiful places of worship, money has never been arranged for food, clothing, housing, education and medical care for the welfare of the poor. While for four full years all the state revenues of Orissa were spent for the construction of the Konark temple, during that period not a penny was spent for human welfare. Needless to say, the history of all countries is replete with such examples." (1)

In His above teaching, Baba points out how in the past the dogmatic religions spent their money on material pursuits such as the construction of the Konark temple, while the common people languished in utter poverty, half-naked and hungry. A similar state of affairs has befallen our AMPS where all emphasis is on material construction rather than a man-making mission.

#1: AMPS needs human beings.
#2: So many ashrams and MUs are empty - now AM needs human beings not buildings.
#3: Those donating to those buildings and types of construction etc are all fools.
#4: Essentially, they are preparing those sites for non-margiis.
#5: Due to lack of occupancy by AMPS others will take over those buildings; that is what happened with the ashrams of other religions.
#6: In Bihar, Kabir followers had tens of thousands of MUs, and now everything is occupied by Bhumihar.
#7: So remain alert; we need humans.

Reference
1. Ráŕh: The Cradle of Civilization, Ráŕh – 6

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Cannot call them humans

Ananda Marga ideology states, "Human beings are animate beings, they are not animals. What is the difference between the two? Animals remain obsessed with the gratification of their crude propensities; they only try to satisfy their cruder kośas. That is why in the minds of animals, what to speak of the supreme question, even questions related to the mundane world do not arise. Human beings, however, are (and herein lies the main difference between them and animals) mind preponderant beings. They possess the capacity of subtle thought which helps them find answers to increasingly complex questions, answers which have helped them to increase their dominance over nature. The same subtle thinking power has helped humans to attain Brahma, the Source of all psychic thought, and the final answer to all queries. It is the characteristic of all animate beings to seek joy and composure. For animals, that means the fulfilment of the crude propensities, but humans, by virtue of their developed thinking power, seek the deeper joys of life through the constant perfection of the subtle branches of relative knowledge. In the process of self-abnegation they take their psychic thinking back to its Supreme Source and get established in eternal bliss. Those for whom the pursuit of the crude pleasures of life is the be-all and end-all of existence should never be categorized as human beings." (1)

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology Way of Life - 8, The Supreme Question – 1

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Spiritual ideals should guide humanity

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Without spiritual ideals true morality based on universal love cannot be awakened. Unless God is accepted as the creator of all, human fraternity is impossible since God’s authority as the universal father is denied. Only spiritual ideals and spiritual desires can lead humanity onto the path of well-being. Universalism, cosmic ideation and cosmic bliss, unlike the material objects composed of the five fundamental factors, are not limited. Therefore, humanity should be inspired to move on the path of spirituality, or else nothing worthwhile will be achieved.” (1)

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 3, Some Questions and Answers on Ananda Marga Philosophy – Excerpt B, Answer #45