== WHICH AM BOOK IS AUTHENTIC ==
Namaskar,
With so many things going on in the organisation, nowadays, more than
ever, around the globe margiis and workers realise the need for the
proper transcription, printing, and publishing of Baba's discourses.
Everyone understand this is the urgent need of the day.
However, it is not so easy to execute. It is not like taking a stroll
down to the corner store. There are many angles & complexities to the
issue; hence the matter can indeed seem quite arduous, if not daunting.
The question then becomes: How to manage this mighty task and where to
begin.
#1: FORMULA FOR AUTHENTICITY NEEDED
First off, it needs to be decided which books are alright-- i.e.
authentic, and which ones need attention. Is it that each and every AM
book needs to be redone entirely; are all the printed discourses in
terrible shape. Or is it that some published discourses are properly
done. If so, then which ones. That is the first consideration.
#2: HOW TO REPUBLISH DISCOURSES
Secondly, once it is decided which books need to be reprinted, then what
will be our means for republishing the discourses. Shall we merely
accept the current printed Bangla edition as the original and print all
the discourses from the so-called original Bengali. Is that enough to
settle the matter.
Unfortunately if we adopt this pathway, then we may face the crisis
which has occurred in Ananda Vacanamrtam part 1, where all the printed
discourses in AV-1 are missing 95% of Baba's original discourse. Because
those publishers only printed the few paras which Baba spoke in Bengali
and they outrightly deleted scores and scores of paragraphs which Baba
spoke in other languages, like English and Hindi. That is why all the
discourses in AV-1 are so short and appear incomplete. Because they are
incomplete-- miserably so. And that is not just the case with AV-1, but
with numerous titles and editions. The problem is rampant.
This then is the second consideration: Once we decide a book or set of
discourses needs to be reprinted or republished, then what are we to use
as the original material for republication.
OTHER THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
And there are other considerations as well such as who can and will do
this work and so many logistical matters as well. Nonetheless, these two
aforementioned issues stand as the main areas which must be worked out:
Parameters need to be established on these two points. Otherwise how is
one to move ahead and get the desired result: A properly published
discourse.
SOLUTION #1:
DETERMINING AUTHENTICITY
Although, there are many angles to the issue, there is one standard
measuring rod for determining which AM book is authentic.
As we all know, some of Baba's discourses were recorded live via audio
cassette and some were given by dictation and margiis or Dadas noted
down what Baba said.
For example, these books or series contain discourses that were
recorded: (1) Ananda Vacanamrtam, (2) Subhasita Samgraha (later
editions, (3) Prout Nutshell (some recorded & some not), (4) Discourses
on the Mahabharata, (5) Microvita Nutshell (some recorded & some not),
(6) Nheo-Humanism: Liberation of Intellect, etc.
And then there were other books that were not recorded at all; these
were given by dictation: (1) Tattvika Praveshika, (2) Ananda Sutram, (3)
Caryacarya (all parts), (4) Namah Shiva Shantaya (some chapters
dictated), (5) Shabda Cayanika, (6) Varna Vijiana, (7) Human Society
(Parts 1 & 2), (8) Strange Experiences, etc.
Thus some discourses were recorded and some were dictated and the books
were formed accordingly. So what to to do.
[A] Basically, those discourses which were recorded need to be checked
word for word with the original cassette to ensure that each and every
word was properly transcribed, irregardless of the language in which
Baba spoke. Then if the discourse measures up-- if it contains all that
Baba spoke-- then we can consider that discourse or book as being
authentic.
[B] And those discourses which were dictated & noted down by pen,
basically we must review them to ensure that every portion of the book
is consistent with AM ideology. If so, then we must accept that book as
being authentic. We have no other recourse.
These then are are two basic parameters for determining authenticity of
our AM books. And then there is the matter of what medium to use as the
original for those discourses that were recorded.
SOLUTION #2:
CASSETTES ARE ONLY DEPENDABLE MEDIUM
For those discourses that were recorded and wherein there are gaps and
discrepancies between the original audio tape and the printed discourse,
then obviously we must use the recorded audio as the original. To use
anything else would be injustice and we would only be asking for trouble.
Right now, there are some who are relying on the Bangla text as the
original for redoing various discourses, but when the Bengali books have
omitted huge portions of what Baba originally spoke, then how can those
books be depended upon for republishing His discourses.
Let us remember that our job is to print the discourses "as is"-- what
Baba spoke needs to be published, irregardless of what language He used.
In that case, the only viable option is to resort to the audio cassette
as the medium for republishing those discourses.
ABOUT THOSE DISCOURSES THAT WERE NOT RECORDED
And of course for those discourses that were not recorded and have no
audio cassette, then we have to ensure those books are consistent with
the teachings of AM ideology. Where any inconsistency appears, then a
responsible committee should be in charge of informing all of the
problem and marking a pathway for correcting the matter.
But truth be told, Baba Himself was checking and editing those older
published books, so really most of them are just fine. Books like Ananda
Sutram, AM: Elementary Philosophy etc have been meticulously used by our
Marga over the decades and they are basically approved by Guru Himself.
Only we have to ensure that no nonsense was placed into the Appendix by
various Dadas such as when they added the gross dogma of Mahaprayan to
the appendix of CC-1 etc. Other than that, in most cases, the original
text in our older AM books is alright. Even then there should be a
comprehensive review.
HOW DO WE KNOW THE CASSETTES EXIST
The final piece of the puzzle is how do we know there is an original
cassette for those recorded discourses. For example, let's say we ask
the folks in Tiljala and they say there is no cassette etc-- when in
fact we know the discourse was recorded. Then what are we to do.
Actually, already we know which cassettes exist. Because Baba's demand
was that all cassettes must be kept. He was adamant and forceful on this
point. After each and every discourse, the cassette would go to the
proper authority such as PRS Dada. And by that way the original cassette
was maintained. This was the working style.
Furthermore, since 1990, in their archive meetings, and when asking for
money, and when reports come about which discourses have been put in
digital format, and when announcements were made about this or that
preservation project, then we have a concrete idea about which cassettes
have been kept and preserved. Because, always the in-charges would give
reports about what was done.
And not only that, so many margiis, Dadas, Didis, and LFTs who have
worked in the Tiljala archive etc have talked about which discourses
they were working on. So it is known those cassettes exist. Plus, in the
Editor's Note, of so many books, Publications personnel neatly describe
which discourse has come from which cassette etc.
By all these avenues and by all these accounts, we can easily determine
how and where to get the original cassette to do this greatly needed
work of checking and publishing Baba's discourses "as is".
Thus, although it is a complex issue, there is a definite and clear-cut
pathway by which to move ahead.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace we will fulfill our dharma of properly preserving and
publishing all His original discourses.
Baba says, "The scriptures containing spiritual injunctions must be
totally flawless." (NSS)
Namaskar,
Nagendra
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A Few Medicines
Baba says, "Aloe juice is a medicine. Dried aloe sap is called musabbar
in Arabic. A type of rasa'injana also used to be prepared out of aloe
sap, or musabbar, which was used as medicine -- it was used to treat
blood pressure and insanity due to gall bladder disorder." (SC-3, p.109)
Baba says, "The retention-of-urine ailment that results when the
movement of the urine is obstructed is also called kabandha. The water
from soaked fenugreek, fresh date juice, palm juice, and sha'nkha'lu [a
conch-shaped esculent] are medicines for this disease." (SC-3, p.103)
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