Adapted from DMS discourse given by Ac. Shraddhananda Avadhuta on 27th April 1975.
Published in Harbinger May 1975
ANANDA MARGA : AS I SEE IT
Try to define Ananda Marga. To give a complete concept of it is an impossibility. It is Dharma; it is BABA’s mission and therefore it is as limitless as HE. Nonetheless, for the sake of pracar, it is necessary to delineate this great mission in some way, so that others may come to understand and embrace it. So with this in mind, ‘Ananda Marga as I see It will be a regular feature in HARBINGER. Each month we will print a different view of Ananda Marga as seen by individual Margiis and workers within the organisation. These ideas may then be used by us to ‘bring all to the path of bliss’. Your contributions are welcome.
यतो धर्म ततो इष्टः, यतो इष्टः ततो जयः
Editor – Harbinger
Pragati or progress means speed forward (gati speed, pra forward) and this forward movement of man is towards complete consciousness, oг Cosmic Conscious- ness. External factors are not indicative of progress, though many people today have the misguided idea that their material accumulations or their petty actions prove them to be of a ‘progressive’ nature. Man can progress because he has been graced with a superior consciousness to other beings, and through proper spiritual practice he increases his consciousness and in this way only, in the spiritual sphere only, can he progress. So called ‘progress’ in the physical and mental spheres always has its drawbacks for example, modern technology has created environmental problems, and modern man’s expanded intellect has brought along with it an increase in the number of people suffering from mental disease.
Spiritual practice can make a man progressive. Then he will be able to overcome the difficulties created by Avidyamaya, then he will be able to rise above narrow sentiments of casteism, provincialism and nationalism and consider the world to be his home.
Before the formation of government on any level, it is essential to have emotion- al integration of the peoples. If there is no emotional integration, then the existence of a working government is not possible. Take the case of India, when the emotional integration was disturbed, Pakistan separated from India. Similarly, when the emotional integration of Pakistan was disturbed, then Bangla Desh broke away from the rest of Pakistan.
If a World Government is to be formed, before its formation, the emotional integration of the world is essential. At present Ananda Marga is being propogated in order to fulfil the basic requirement of emotional integration of the world. Any attempt to disrupt the activities of Ananda Marga is to create difficulties in the formation of one integrated human society.
Even in the personal life of every human being, there is a constant fight between the benevolent and the malevolent intellect, or between vidyá and avidyá. At times vidyá triumphs, while at other times avidyá wins. In social life, too, this fight between vidyá and avidyá continues. Vidyá has to fight avidyá, and in this fight wherever and as long as vidyá remains triumphant, there is a special type of peace which may be called sáttvikii shánti [sentient peace]. Similarly, wherever and as long as avidyá remains victorious in this fight, there, also, a special type of peace prevails which may be called támasikii shánti [static peace]. Thus we find that peace is actually a relative factor. Absolute or permanent peace cannot occur in collective life because the created universe, which is embedded in the process of saiṋcara [extroversion] and pratisaiṋcara [introversion] is, in fact, dominated first by Avidyá [extroversial force], and then by Vidyá [introversial force], respectively.”
Absolute peace in the collective body means the suspension of the universe, which is an impossibility.”
References
- Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11, To Know Him Is to Be Free from All Fetters
- The Awakening of Women, Economic Self-Reliance – Section A
