Timeline of societal decline
Namaskar,
It is commonly recognized that human thinking and values change over time. A brief look at the history of any country, community, or group shows that the values of a given population changed dramatically over the course of 500 years, and even in as little as 50 years, as well as from era to era. In the social cycle chapter of Prout, Baba describes this and guides us that the values are molded toward the dominant socio-philosophical outlook.
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How Buddhism halted India’s progress
Take the example of the pre-Buddhist era of India and the post-Buddhist era. Prior to Buddha, medical science was quite developed, and surgery was a common phenomenon. But when Buddhism spread, then surgery died out because it was not considered acceptable in the Buddhist society. Due to this, the development of medical science was severely retarded. Secondly, in the pre-Buddhist era, people were fighters, but with the onset of Buddhism and its dogmatic view of ahimsa, the general population became cowardly. And verily, there are innumerable ways the society changed during the Buddhist era in India.
Gandhi’s negative effect on society
Let’s also take the case of Gandhi. Prior to his emergence, the Indian people did not destroy or burn public property as a form of protest. However, Mahatma Gandhi taught the principle of civil disobedience and this destructive policy became quite common. That is, when the public feels wronged by the government etc, they wantonly destroy and burn public property. Until recently, this was unheard of in European countries, but, in India, this has been an ongoing problem for nearly a hundred years. Angry protesters block trains, roads, railway stations, and even burn hospitals and schools. This negative trend in Indian society developed because of the psychic disease of Gandhism and his faulty preachings of “satyagraha”, or ‘non-cooperation movement’. Essentially, in India, the public thinks that expressing their dissatisfaction about public policy in this destructive manner is appropriate because this dogmatic approach was infused into the public psyche during Gandhi's time.
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How women lost their rights
In the prehistoric era, males and females had equal rights. As society became more organized, men seized women’s rights by infusing an inferiority complex in various arenas of life. For instance, on various religious pretexts, it was imposed that women were not entitled to liberation. This occurred in Hinduism where women had to be reborn as men in order to gain liberation, or in Islam which stated that three women were equal to one man in voting rights, or in Catholicism where women could not be priests. All these dogmas were introduced to prevent women from having equal rights - a grave injustice. Unfortunately, in those respective societies, people thought that there was nothing wrong with these dogmatic practices. Yet, today in most countries of the world, equal rights for women have been enshrined in legislation, though the battle for actual equal rights still rages on.
Selfishness in materialism - part I
Here is another critical case of how the values of society have changed. The self-centered philosophy has spread world-wide and, gradually, people are becoming more and more selfish. This is the general flow, and it is evident in the common manner of speech and expression in capitalist society. For instance, in their general parting, many people write or say, "Take care", which means, 'Take care of yourself.' However, when one thinks about it, this is a completely self-centered and selfish form of expression.
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Another instance of the extreme selfishness of capitalist society is that, in many families, the relations between parents and children have completely degenerated. One example of this is that the sense of parental duty towards the children has greatly diminished. For this reason, families easily break up, and the parents may kick the children out of the house, or the children leave because they are abused. As a result, in many nations around the world today, there are so many abused and neglected children that the state has had to create different "social welfare" centers to care for such abused children. A second cause for the degeneration of the family in capitalist society is that people view having children as a way to invest in their own personal care for the future so that in their old age, these children will help them. In that sense, children are just a "capitalist investment" in exchange for care later on.
Selfishness in materialism - part II
The negative behaviours rampant in families throughout capitalist society are the outcome of a self-centered philosophy, and that is why children and parents often develop severely dysfunctional relations. Indeed, there are hardly any children in materialistic nations where grown children live with their aged parents in order to care for their well-being. Most often, those elderly parents are placed in old-age homes, i.e. institutions. Moreover, there is also the element that the elderly parents feel so distant from their children that they do not want to live with them even if they do need the help.
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And on this point of selfishness, there should not be any confusion that materialists keep pets because they are proponents of animal rights etc. Rather, people keep pets not for feelings of animal welfare, but so they can selfishly control another entity, or because they are unable to get along with other humans. Many times even their own children do not want to follow their selfish orders, so, to satisfy themselves, they keep some animals. And such people usually talk and gossip with their cats and dogs to relieve their loneliness. They also know that regardless of what they do the dog or cat is not going to oppose them.
Baba's teaching is that capitalism is a self-centered philosophy. And now, the whole world is being influenced by this psychic disease of selfishness such that people are always thinking about themselves, planning for themselves, talking about themselves, and praising themselves. It is not only accepted in society, it is also encouraged.
Self-praise brings degeneration - part I
One of the hallmarks of self-centered philosophy is self-praise. This is everywhere; people perpetually glorify themselves, but this degenerates the mind and brings their ruination. Verily, Baba warns us that if someone does everything for their own prestige it will lead to their destruction.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "Even people of wisdom, of high social status-- even so called intellectual and accomplished scientists and philosophers who are always concerned with earning high respect for themselves or saving their own prestige...they deliberately refuse to realise that these petty objectives of their egos will infuse their minds with meanness, as a result of which all their egoistic respect, prestige, and status will ultimately be pulverized into dust." (1)
Unfortunately, as the general society has become degenerated and affected by self-propaganda and self-praise, even good people have also fallen into this trap. In their degenerated state, they become grossly energized by praising themselves because their minds have become stained by the dogma of a self-centered philosophy.
Self-praise brings ruination - part II
Baba guides us that those involved in self-glorification suffer from a psychic defect, and, in turn they become even more degenerated. Baba warns us about what happens to those driven by vanity and ego.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "It often happens that whatever one assimilates, one considers to be one's own achievement, and the ego becomes inflated like a croaking frog. Just as a frog considers itself to be bigger than others--just as the frog, in its vanity, to demonstrate its size, tries to inflate itself more and more until it bursts--so those who have assimilated only a little of the psychic world become puffed up with vanity and thereby invite their own ruin. (2)
In the above teaching, Baba makes two key points.
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(1) Those who have a little knowledge start thinking about their own glory. In result, they get puffed up with vanity and go around praising their own existence.
(2) When people are very self-centered they sing their own kiirtan, i.e. their own self-praise. They are so self-absorbed they do not even care what other people around them think.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "'Kiirtaniiya' sada'harih'. Kiirtana should be done on Hari (Parama Purusa) and on no other entity. One should not praise oneself or any other person. There are many people who are very fond of praising themselves by telling everyone what wonderful things they have done, but as mentioned in this shloka, kiirtana is not for one's own self but for Hari. Even though people are taught to do kiirtan for Hari, they still make the mistake of praising themselves too much. Sometimes their self-praise is so intense that others are obliged to say, 'Please stop praising yourself so much'. They forget that their self-applause is rather boring for others. Human beings should realise that no one likes to hear the self-praise of others." (3)
In His teaching, Baba is guiding us that human beings are to do the kiirtan of Parama Purusa. It is His glory we are to sing. But, unfortunately, those guided by materialistic, selfish tendencies become completely egocentric such that all they can do is sing their own praise. This is a pitiful, pathetic, and lowly state of mind.
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Specialty of tantra: serve others
Our tantric culture is completely different. Tantra is founded on the ethic of helping and serving others and thinking about their well-being - all done taking cosmic ideation. The basic spirit is: "It is my duty to serve all". This is the spirit of Tantra.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Bear in mind that you have a duty towards – indeed, you owe a debt to – every creature of this universe, but towards you, no one has any duty; from others, nothing is due.” (4)
The basic outlook is:, "Don't think about your own problems. Think about others' problems and help them resolve their difficulties." In essence, be selfless, not selfish. This is the drastic difference between materialism and spirituality, or self-centered philosophy and God-centered philosophy.
Conclusion
The overall message is that from era to era the dominant philosophy has a dramatic effect on the mentality and values of the people. Philosophies like Buddhism, Gandhism, and self-centered philosophy have hastened the demise and degeneration of society, as has the imposition of various religious dogmas. The tantric and neo-humanistic teachings of Ananda Marga ideology can lift society up from the mud and into a whole new golden era where cardinal human values are cherished and spirituality is embraced.
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Ananda Vanii states, “All the beings of this universe are the kith and kin of one another. No one is despicable. All are equally respectable and entitled to equal love and affection. No problem is to be ignored as an individual or group affair. Every problem is to be considered as the collective problem of universal humanity and is to be resolved collectively and resolved it must be. Let it be the vocal panorama of the newer world of today – the continuous musical notes behind the movement of Neohumanism.” (5)
Sadguru Baba explains, “Ananda Marga alone is dharma and all the rest are sectisms.” (6)
In Him,
Gaurishankar
Self-praise brings degeneration - part III
In so many teachings, Baba warns us about what happens to those who foolishly run after their own prestige and self-glory.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “Gaorava is the second type of ahaḿkára. It means “self-aggrandizement”. Puffed up with vanity, a person will want to project his or her image in an exaggerated manner. Often we hear somebody say, for example, that they have a rose the size of a balloon in their garden – whereas actually the rose may be the size of a ping-pong ball. Constant indulgence in this type of activity converts the mind into matter.” (7)
So, according to Baba, we should not praise ourselves and, in consequence, invite our ruination. Rather, we are to sing His praise and His praise only.
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Ananda Marga ideology states, “Vanity harms the mind in three ways: abhimána or inflated ego, gaorava or self-aggrandizement, and pratiśt́ha or prestige.” (8)
References
1. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 3, Supreme Benevolence and Mundane Pleasure (Shreya and Preya)
2. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Shiva’s Teachings – 1 (Discourse 10)
3. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 8, “The Lord Should Always Be Praised”
4. Caryacarya - 2, Sadhana, Point #3
5. Ánanda Váńii #58
6. Subhasita Samgraha – 1, The Call of the Supreme
7. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 23, Safeguards against the Defects of Jiṋána and Karma
8. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 10, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
You are all-pervading
"Prabhu toma'r liila' apa'r, buddhite ke bujhite pa're..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0507)
Purport:
Prabhu, Your divine liila is beyond all human comprehension. Merely relying upon one's own intellect, who can understand Your vast cosmic play - no one. So many things are continually unfolding in the universe. This is all a display of Your grand liila. When I try to understand the reason why this is happening, I do not have any answer. Baba, You are present in form as well as in the unexpressed universe. You reside within everything and are also surrounding each and every manifestation. You are infinite - hiding in the form of flora and fauna, plants and animals. You are concealing Yourself within them and enveloping them also.
Baba, You are present in the depths of the deep blue ocean as well as on the whitish, foggy tall mountain peaks. Wherever I look and even in the places that I cannot see, everything resides within Your mind, and You are surrounding that as well.
Parama Purusa, You are in the poreless solid rocks and also in all the revolving seasons; You are all-pervading, and remain in the animate as well as inanimate entities; You are everywhere. Baba, whatever I think and even what I do not think, everything resides within Your mind. You are so vast.
Baba, Your liila is fathomless; I long for Your causeless grace...
