Misleading Baba Story & More

Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:21:09
From: Govinda gk1955@u.colomb.edu...
Subject: Misleading Baba Story & More
To: am-global@earthlink.net

Baba

This entire email is composed of 4 parts:
(1) Prabhat Samgiita #2209;
(2) Posting: Misleading Baba Story & More
(3) Comment From Reader: Misuse & Abuse of Public Funds #2
(4) Trailer Quote:  Shortcoming of English Language

 Each section is demarcated by asterisks (***).

**** Here begins the Prabhat Samgiita ****

Baba

"Mor ma'nas sarovare tumi son'a'li kamal..." (PS 2209)

Purport:

O' Parama Purusa, in the pool of my mind You are the golden lotus. Looking towards You – ideating and meditating on You – is my dance and my life. I dance keeping You as my Goal. Baba, You are the sweet vibration of my heart. I dance keeping You fixed as my Goal. You are the very hope and vitality of my life. You are the golden lotus.

Baba, the garden of paradise is filled with the sun’s rays; the glow of Your beauty is resplendent. Your beauty is expressed in every particle of Your creation. In grove after grove, the buzzing bees get the pure, sweet honey from that lotus. Baba, You are the golden lotus.

Baba, pleasing You is my sadhana. You are my Goal. Except You I want nothing. I will act according to Your desire. By Your grace, I will follow Your every direction. O' my Dearmost, O' the Liila Personified, please fulfill the longing of my heart. You are the golden lotus.

O' Parama Purusa, please be gracious and shower Your causeless grace on me...

== MISLEADING BABA STORY ==

Namaskar,
One writer has expressed in his book that Baba would use avidya tantra on some sadhakas during those Jamalpur days.

Let us see what avidya and vidya are according to Ananda Marga philosophy. By this way we can examine how far this claim is legitimate or not.

AVIDYA TANTRIKAS HURL STONES

According to Ananda Marga philosophy, avidya is the path of scaring, harming, torturing and killing innocent persons - all done due to one's own "wicked nature."

"If people such as this happen to be wicked by nature, they can cause the disembodied entity to hurl pieces of bone, brick, etc., into someone else's house. Sometimes the cots on which people recline are also found to be tilting. All these actions are done by the ectoplasmic structure of a powerful person, not by that of the dead person. So to stop this nonsense you should find the real culprit and give the person a good shaking. You will find that the throwing of pieces of bone, brick, etc., will immediately stop. All this comes within the scope of Avidyá Tantra. It often turns out that the person who was responsible for the throwing of the bricks is found sitting quietly in a corner of the burial ground, and their ectoplasmic structure is getting that hapless disembodied soul to do all those wicked things. If you hit their arm with a good stick then their wicked deeds will immediately stop. And when you see a cot rising from the ground with the ectoplasmic strength of that person (though you cannot see the ectoplasmic arm that raises it, as ectoplasm cannot be seen), just brandish a stick at random. It will turn out that the arm of that wicked Tantric gets broken. Perhaps that person was seated three miles away from the actual site of occurrence. These are all interesting things – Avidyá Tantric things." (1)

NEGATIVE DEEDS AND HELLISH WAYS OF AVIDYA TANTRA:

KILL, CONTROL / EXPLOIT, UPROOT, HYPNOTISM, HARM, DANGER

Here is more about the devious and destructive pathway of avidya.

"Now let us analyse the six actions of Avidyá Tantra."
   1. One part of Avidyá Tantra is to kill or cause the death of someone through mantra or through some related technique or in some artificial way. This is called márańa. [Mára literally means “annihilation”.]
   2. Bringing somebody under one's control by means of a mantra or a dravyaguńa [some plant or other natural substance which projects psychic effects], or by wearing a squirrel's tail like a ring on the little finger of the left hand and chanting the mantra hriiḿ kriiḿ klu, or by feeding that tail to a person in a chánci pán [a betel preparation], is known as vashiikarańa. But remember that this action must be accompanied by purashcarańa [raising the kuńd́alinii, the dormant force] as per Avidyá Tantric style. When under the influence of vashiikarańa, a person becomes completely controlled and behaves like a servant.
   3. Cat́ana or cát́ana means one's residence. When somebody is uprooted from his or her residence by means of a mantra or some mystic power or some dravyaguńa, the process is called uccát́ana. It is said that if a particular mantra is written on a brick in red ink and buried under the northeast corner of a house by a naked person on a rainy night, the owner of that house becomes uprooted within three days. This process may or may not fructify, but if it actually does the effect is disastrous. Keeping this fact in mind, I have deliberately refrained from giving the mantra in this book.
   4. To get someone to do something by hypnotizing the person with light waves or by fixing one's gaze on him or by breaking or overpowering his personality is called sammohana. In English this process is called hypnotism. The [European] physician Dr. Mesmer did some research on this method to find out if this process could be utilized for the benefit of the public; hence this process is also known as “mesmerism”.
   5. Stopping the flow or movement of something is called stambhana. Stambha means “pillar”. Since any moving thing will be stopped when it hits a pillar, stopping the movement of something by means of a mantra and some dravyaguńa is called stambhana. By using some mantra and holding under the tongue a kánt́ánat́e root fitted into a silver ring (like a hub circled by its wheel), one can stop another person's movement or action. Suppose someone is about to urinate. The flow of urine is stopped. In the science of áyurveda, the medical condition of constricted urination is known as mútrastambha [just as this Avidyá practice is known as mútrastambha]. Vákstambha [stopping the flow of another person's voice] is a similar Avidyá Tantric practice. But the Avidyá Tantric should be cautious about trying to maintain the stambhana for a long time, because it requires him or her to remain in an abnormal condition [sometimes physiologically abnormal], which will eventually harm the person.
   6. The shántikarma of Avidyá Tantra means to save someone from a danger or a disease by means of certain rituals, and then redirect that danger or disease towards another person: that is, to help one person to survive by killing another."
   "When the Kálacakrayána and Vajrayána Tantras of the Buddhist school of philosophy were popular in Bengal, these six actions of Avidyá Tantra were widely practised. But when the Kálacakrayána and Vajrayána vanished from Bengal, the six actions also fell out of use. And the six actions of Vidyá Tantra fell out of use simultaneously. It is good that the actions of both have been forgotten by people. What is desirable is that people move towards spiritual elevation along the paths of jiṋána, karma, and bhakti with a healthy and rational outlook."
   "The secret processes of Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra are called guhya vidyá. The motivation behind the practice of Avidyá Tantra is Máraya máraya náshaya náshaya uccát́aya uccát́aya mama shatruńám [“Kill my enemy, kill. Destroy my enemy, destroy. Uproot my enemy, uproot.”] This sort of mentality should not be allowed to develop in a person. This sort of prayer should also be avoided." (2)

So those adhering to the path of avidya senselessly harm others, make use of occult powers, and indulge in all sorts of selfish and destructive acts.

"Their goal is not noble, and will result in their ultimately being converted into inert matter." (Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 6, Vashiikára – 2)

Such avidya tantrikas have a very bad effect on society and themselves.

MEANING OF VIDYA

In stark contrast, the path of vidya is the path of benevolence and supreme realisation.

"The six branches of Vidyá Tantra are: to awaken benevolent intellect, to awaken noble propensities, to arouse a sense of humility, to arouse a sense of dharma, to arouse a sense of self-surrender, and shántikarma [propitiatory rites for others' welfare]." (3)

So vidya tantra brings about universal welfare and spiritual attainment. As the Marga Guru, Baba Himself is the pure embodiment of vidya and all noble qualities. As His disciples, every sincere sadhaka of Ananda Marga is on the path of vidya, not avidya.

COMPARISON OF THE TWO:

ANANDA MARGA IS THE PATH OF VIDYA

Here below is a very clear, concise distinction between vidya and avidya

"The śat́karma [six actions] of Vidyá Tantra are applied in order to elevate human beings in the world of spirituality by goading them towards auspicious thoughts; whereas the śat́karma of Avidyá Tantra are applied in order to exploit human beings and utilize them for one's own self interest." (4)

Baba has graciously blessed humanity with all the tools and teachings to advance along the path of pure spirituality.

Thus who can equate Baba with practicing avidya. Everything Baba has said and done is for the upliftment of humanity - to bring all along the path of Divine realisation and Supreme fulfillment.

Below are many more teaching about the distinction and differences between avidya and vidya for study and awareness. All those guidelines furthermore demonstrate and prove that Baba was only vidya, and never avidya.

WHY THE WRITER DID LIKE THIS

There seem to be only two reasons why anyone would write and publish in their book that Baba "sometimes used avidya techniques."

(1) The writer wrote like this because he himself is naive and ignorant;

(2) The writer wrote like this because he himself is a deliberate sinner.

In either case, it casts severe doubt that such a person has the worthy credentials for publishing a book on Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji, as he [the writer] believes and tries to prove that Baba was an avidya tantrika.

FURTHER READING ON AVIDYA

"The word guhya as commonly used means something mysterious, something concealed, something like a dreadful nightmare, some secret chant, some mystical occult power; or witchcraft. Or finally, it may indicate the five branches [exclusive to] Avidyá Tantra – márańa, vashiikarań, uccát́ana, sammohana and stambhana." (5)

"Endeavouring to exercise greater control over the mundane world. This is the path of Avidyá Tantra. In this endeavour the practitioners remain totally preoccupied with the attainment of name, fame, prosperity, and material enjoyments – these are their goals. The purpose of their spiritual practice is to make the mind increasingly subtle, in order to be able to exercise further control, not only over the physical world, but over the crude minds of other microcosms as well. Their goal is not noble, and will result in their ultimately being converted into inert matter. So the final result of Avidyá Tantra is extreme crudity. I have attempted to explain this in some of my ghost stories. Try to find time to read them." (6)

HALLUCINATIONS

"Avidyá Tantrics make use of this sort of process. With the help of their sense organs and ectoplasms they create positive hallucinations. In Sanskrit this science is called rákśasii vidyá. (Rákśasa does not refer to any monstrous type of animal, but to a particular group of humans. With the help of your mental eyes and your psychic power you can create an image visible to the eyes of an ordinary person. You can actually suspend the power of vision of another person so that he sees the object you want him to see. This is called rákśasii máyá." (7)

HURLING BRICKS AND BONES AT OTHERS

"Such negative practices are common in Avidyá Tantra. For example, suppose a wicked person may be sitting in a solitary place where bones are scattered around. Using his or her psychic power, the person can create ectoplasmic “hands”, and command them to throw the bones into the house of the person whom he or she wishes to harm. The inhabitants of the house, ordinary people no doubt, will certainly be terrified by such occult phenomena. They will think it is the work of a ghost and will probably decide to move out of the house. Instead of bones, bricks or stones could also be hurled. To do this, one does not require great power – rákśasii máyá is an occult power of inferior degree." (8)

OF NO USE

"If I were to analyse the positive and negative paths you would be fascinated, but it would be of no use whatsoever in attaining Parama Puruśa." (9)

ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR OBJECT OF ADORATION

"Human beings practise sádhaná in order to become one with Brahma, not to become ghosts or ghouls. To become one with Brahma, they must practise Vidyá Tantra, and not Avidyá Tantra. Of course through either kind of sádhaná, sádhakas gain freedom from the páshas and ripus. But the difference between the two sádhanás is that the practitioners of Vidyá Tantra channelize their spiritual powers towards the attainment of Paramátmá, whereas the practitioners of Avidyá Tantra utilize their acquired powers for mundane benefits. Through Vidyá Tantra one “binds” [wins] Paramátmá, while through Avidyá Tantra one binds [dominates] living beings. Vidyá Tantrics accept Paramátmá as their object of supreme adoration, and in order to become one with Him, they channelize all the powers they have acquired towards Him." (10)

SUMMARY

As the Marga Guru, Baba is the embodiment of vidya - Supreme Benevolence.

Tragically, the person behind the book "The Jamalpur Years" (2010) has revealed his own state of mind and understanding by labeling Baba has "avidya". Devashish (Deva’shiis’a / Devashish / Devashiisa) a.k.a. Donald Acosta is the one who did like this:

"While most of Baba's tests fell well within the range of the disciples' normal experience, he sometimes used avidya techniques to add to these challenges." (Jamalpur Years, p.155)

In fact, in order to prove Baba as avidya, he narrated not less than 5 stories in his book on pages 155-6.

No true bhakta and disciple of Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji can think in that manner.

All sincere sadhakas in Ananda Marga understand well in their heart that Baba is Love Personified and He has come to uplift humanity and bring all unto His Supreme Abode.

Namaskar,
At His lotus feet,
Govinda

Note: ABOUT THOSE STORIES

Baba is Sadguru and whatever He thinks takes expression. His every thought is for the welfare of sadhakas. What happend in those stories portrayed in that book was for the well-being of those devotees.


REFERENCES
1. The Real Culprit
2. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
3. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
4. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
5. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
6. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 6, Vashiikára – 2
7. Ekendriya – 7
8. Avidyá – Excerpt A
9. Ekendriya – 8
10. Tantra and Supernatural Power

The sections below demarcated by asterisks are entirely different topics,
completely unrelated to the above letter. It stands on its own as a point of interest.

**************************************
COMMENT FROM MARGII READER

Subject: RE: Misuse & Abuse of Public Funds #2
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:25:02 -0800
From: Paul Taylor
To: 'AM-GLOBAL'

In Vancouver the 2010 Winter Olympics were hosted. The same massive expenditures of public funds went on with all exacted promises (during the bid process) of social housing and definitive  requirements surrounding the low-income populace broken, one after the other. The local collection of community activists held, in 2008, 2009 and 2010 the Poverty Olympics. It picked up awareness and by 2010 it received global media. The preceeding Olympics, held in China in 2008, had exactly zero such examples of dissent, and they claimed to have spent $50 billion on venues and over 300,000 poor were forcefully relocated. In England in 2012 the same kinds of dissent occurred but got less media. All to say that researching the history of the Olympics will give the same kind of scenario over and over. PROUT is the only answer; compromises with the proponents of these billion $ scams are a chimera and virtually any agreement will be made just to shut the protestors up. As Baba has put forth – uncompromising strictness & faith.

Pra’n’ava

**************************************
Shortcoming of English Language:

Lack of Spiritual Terms

Baba says, "In Sanskrit the term Mantra means Manana't talrayet yastu sah mantra parikiirttiah-- 'Manan means 'inner suggestion', 'repetition within'. And Tarayet yastu - 'after this manan, when that entity liberates you from all metaphysical, all psychic and suprapsychic and also from all spiritual bondages, then it is known as mantra: Manana't ta'rayet yastu sa mantrah parikiirtitah."

"Whereas the English term incantation just means 'repeating something again and again'. That is incantation. So incantation does not lead to liberation. Whereas the repetition of mantra leads to liberation. So incantation and mantra are not the same thing."

"There is no proper English word for the Sanskrit word mantra, but we use the word 'incantation' for mantra but it is not the proper word for the Sanskrit word mantra." (Morning General Darshan, 14 Nov 78, Silchar, W.B.)

Note: If one repeats, 'Tom, Dick, and Harry', 'Tom, Dick, and Harry' again and again, then that very repetition is an incantation. But repeating 'Tom, Dick, and Harry' will not lead to liberation. So that is the essential difference between incantation and mantra. Because the repetition of mantra leads to liberation.

**************************************

Misuse & Abuse of Public Funds #2

Date: Fri 22 Feb 2013 13:03:36
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Lokesh@spiral.....
Subject: Misuse & Abuse of Public Funds #2

== MISUSE & ABUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ==

~ Part 2 ~

(Note: This is the second letter in this series. A link to the first letter titled - "Big Questions About World Events" - has been appended below. All italicised sections in brown are quotes from the first letter. - Eds)

Namaskar,
The unfortunate trend is that the wealthy and the powerful leaders use public money for their own gain, at the expense of the well-being of the poor and suffering people. This problem is acutely evidenced during the planning & preparation of certain events like the Olympics etc. Such planners feel entitled to use the money in a way that suits them best, and utterly overlook the needs of the local, impoverished populace.

WEALTH OF ENTIRE UNIVERSE IS PROPERTY OF PARAMA PURUSA

Our Proutistic outlook is entirely different. Baba guides us that Parama Purusa - not any unit being - is the owner of all mundane wealth.

"The universe is the thought projection of Brahma [the Supreme Entity], so the ownership of the universe lies with the Supreme Entity, and not with His imagined beings. None of the movable or immovable property of this universe belongs to any particular individual; everything is the common patrimony of all, and the Father of all is Brahma." (1)

In that case, where is there scope for the misuse of public funds in pursuit of self or group interest. There is none. Only materialists can indulge in this way.

MORE ABOUT THE PRESENT SITUATION

"At present, Brazil is gearing up to host both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, both of which will be hosted in Rio. At minimum, estimates are that Brasil will spend nearly $35 billion to host these two events...While all these tens of billions of dollars are spent on these sporting venues, not less than 25% of Rio's population, or 1.5 million people, are suffering and live without the basic necessities. The million-plus residents of Rio de Janeiro’s shantytowns (favelas) still find their lives controlled by violent drug gangs and that the crime rate in Rio ranks among the highest in the world, and many of them will be uprooted and relocated before 2014. Their lives will not improve an ounce due to the spending of $35 billion, just they will be forgotten."

DISTINCT LACK OF FAMILY FEELING

Those who advocate the construction of extravagant new sports stadiums for the Olympics or the World Cup etc proclaim that life is not just about food, clothing, and shelter, but entertainment and amusement as well. For this reason, they feel it acceptable to spend massive amounts of public money on Olympic stadiums despite the presence of widespread poverty in that host nation.

The following analogy sheds light on this matter.

Suppose a child is sick, lacks food and medical treatment, and is living in a house that has a leaky roof, yet his parents are spending all their money on films, dancing, drugs, and night clubs, and there is no food or medicine for the child. In that case, who is going to be sympathetic to those parents? No one.

Similarly, we have to reconsider the ethic of those who build stadiums at tremendous public expense while much of the local population suffers and lacks the minimum requirements of life: food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and education.

Such persons do not look upon the entire population as their own. They suffer from a narrow-minded and selfish outlook, i.e. atma sukha tattva, or principle of selfish pleasure. They are involved in gratifying their own unit self, not thinking about others.

Proponents of the extravagant stadiums suffer from atma sukha tattva. Blinded by their own selfish vision, the wealthy leaders of society fail to see the pain experienced by common people who struggle for their daily needs. In turn, those wealthy leaders exploit the masses by adhering to their own selfish agenda. That is what we see happening in nations hosting the Olympics and World Cup etc. If those wealthier, empowered leaders were infused with sama samaj tattva (principle of social equality), then their priority would first be meeting the basic needs of the common people. Once accomplished, one could discuss other projects like stadium construction etc.

In that case, the issue of exploitation and suffering would not arise. Then those with means would help those in need and not indulge in their own selfish gratification.

Here the point is that only those with a very narrow and selfish outlook can think that vast amounts of public monies should be used for fancy stadiums for the Olympics etc, when large numbers of people in that country are starving and living in unsanitary conditions. In contrast, if one cultivates the ideal that this whole humanity is my kith and kin, then there will be no scope to waste money on extravagant sporting venues while naked children in that country beg for food and lack drinking water.

Please bear in mind that I am fond of sports and encourage participation and healthy competition in sporting endeavours. What I am not in favour of is extravagant spending on superfluous projects when brothers and sisters are suffering from lack of essential needs: Food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and education. As we all know, this goes directly against the approach of Ananda Marga.

Only when the minimum requirements have been provided to all can we then think to invest in sports stadiums.

WHY MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS

Another cause behind the misuse of public funds is over-accumulation of physical pabula. There are some in society that have so much money that they literally do not know how to spend it - they just indulge in misuse. They pay extraordinary sums of money for clothing, intoxicants, x-tra fancy airplanes, huge number of cars, and in other frivolous and degrading ways. When in their own private life they are accustomed to the misuse of money, then they casually apply that same approach to public money. Because of their extreme over-accumulation of money, they do not know how to use money in a rational manner for social good.

IT IS A RECURRING THEME...

...PROUT IS NEEDED

So this is a recurring theme. Time and again, those in power spend huge amounts of public money on structures that will supposedly bring them prestige and fame, and the common people lay impoverished. So many extravagant structures were constructed at the expense and well-being of the public good. Such buildings include the Taj Mahal etc. Misusing public funds in this way invites crime, social unrest, and chaos. All because the state forces people into a situation of being have-nots.

When a nation indulges in constructing extravagant stadiums to impress others - while their own denizens lack the basic necessities - then that is just a superficial show. It is tinsel - nothing more. They have no substantial good to portray.

The only answer is Prout. Only the practical approach of Prout takes into consideration the welfare of the common people and encourages the rational distribution of public resources. Big money decisions based on a leader's prestige will never get support in a Proutistic system.

Our policies are for the welfare of the people and Proutistic leaders are linked with the heart-beat of the masses. The torchbearers of Prout are not living in golden castles, aloof from the worries and needs of the general populace.

Prout Philosophy says, "The Proutistic social order follows the principle sarva jana hita'ya – that is, PROUT is for the welfare of all. Nobody is suppressed or oppressed. PROUT supports the rule of sadvipras. Only sadvipras can guarantee the all-round welfare of all groups of people because sadvipras represent the interests of all classes in society." (2)

FINANCIAL REGULATIONS NEEDED

In both Caraycarya part 2 and "A Guide to Human Conduct", Baba has given the strict guideline that individuals and families are not to go into debt to host social functions like marriages, baby-naming ceremonies, and festivals etc. That same type of approach should be taken with nations and international bodies. Host cities and nations of the Olympics regularly go deep into debt and often never recover, as happened with the 2004 games in Athens, Greece etc. So there should be strict regulations and guidelines about this.

I appreciate the solution offered in the prior letter:

"Various international organisations like the United Nations etc do not build new offices every time they hold a meeting. Rather they return to the same venue again and again. The same should be done with the Olympics. There can be 4 fixed sites around the globe. The Olympics can simply rotate through those 4 venues, returning to the same site every 16 years. That way each facility can be of a premium standard and well-maintained. An international board will manage the sites and distribute profits to all nations. During "off years" when the Olympics is not being held at a particular site then that location can be used for the Asia games or other competitions. This will bring regular use and income to each site. It will not be like the way things are now where an entire Olympic sporting complex is built for the Olympics, only to sit unused and fall into disrepair as soon as the games are over."

PROUT POLICY:

SUPPORT COMMON PEOPLE;

DO NOT ALLOW PUBLIC FUNDS TO BE CONTROLLED BY CENTRAL GOVT

While we are in this transition phase of the height of the vaeshyan era, particular attention must be paid to those impoverished people. That is our Prout policy

In those lands where the World Cup and Olympics are held, and in those lands where huge airports are built and fancy rails are put in place for the wealthy, there are millions and millions of people living below the poverty level. They are overlooked by their governments and ignored by the educated elite. This must be corrected - the course must be changed. The way to proceed starts with the health, safety and welfare of the downtrodden masses. Failing that we will continue to see so many fall prey to starvation, neglect, and premature death. And a proper society will never be built.

Along these lines our Proutistic teachings put forth this following warning:

"It is desirable that the management of industrial, agricultural, trade and commercial enterprises not be in the hands of the central government or the world government (after the establishment of the world government). If it is, the common people will not get the direct or even the indirect opportunity to participate in the management of these enterprises. In such cases capitalists, opportunists or self-seeking politicians can easily take control of them and misappropriate public wealth." (3)

THE SOLUTION IS PROUT

Baba has blessed us with all the resources and the right philosophy (i.e. Prout) to ease the pains of humanity. We are to act fast and protest the wrongs being carried out at present wherein huge monies are misused and wasted by the state for lavish events like the Olympics etc, while the people of that land lack even the most basic necessities to survive. There is growing awareness about this tragic issue - good people everywhere want to help - we should keep the flame alive and bring welfare to the people.

THE TEACHINGS OF PROUT:

WHAT ARE THE MARVELS OF CIVILIZATION FOR, IF PEOPLE ARE PREVENTED FROM MANIFESTING THEMSELVES

"To sadvipras [spiritual revolutionaries] the value of human life surpasses all other values. So states and scriptures, societies and religions, acquire significance only insofar as they develop humanity to the maximum through learning, culture, physical health and economic plenty. It is for the sake of developing humanity that civilization has so many institutions of different kinds, that states take their various forms, that theories proliferate, and that the scriptures abound in ordinances and regulations. What in the world does the state stand for, what is the use of all these regulations, and what are the marvels of civilization for, if people are prevented from manifesting themselves, if they do not get the opportunity to build good physiques, to invigorate their intelligence with knowledge, or to broaden their hearts with love and compassion? If, instead of tending to lead human beings to the goal of life, the state stands in the way, it cannot command loyalty, because humanity is superior to the state. According to Rabindranath Tagore, “Justice and law at the cost of humanity is like a stone instead of bread. Maybe that stone is rare and valuable, but it cannot remove hunger.”" (4)

"HUMAN VALUE TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER SOCIAL VALUE"

"It is customary to give preference to social value over human value. Sadvipras want to strike at the root of this custom. For them, human value takes precedence over social value. Human beings form the society, and hence human value must lay the foundation for the social value. In other words, those who show respect to human value will be entitled to social value. It was mentioned earlier that human value means nothing but to treat the joys and sorrows, hopes and aspirations of human beings sympathetically, and see them merged in Cosmic Consciousness and established in divine majesty. And if one is to elevate oneself to that sublime height, he or she will have to be supplied with an environment suitable to his or her physical, mental and spiritual existence. It is the birthright of everyone to make headway in their trifarious existence. It is the duty of society to accord recognition to this human right. Society has failed to do its duty, and that is why life is full of sorrow and suffering." (4)

A GOOD NUMBER OF GREAT PERSONALITIES ARE WITHERING AWAY IN THEIR EMBRYONIC STAGE

"No one can say for certain that no great person might have emerged from among those wayward urchins whom we are wont to slight and hate. Women who have turned to prostitution for the sake of their physical existence might have grown into noble personalities if their agony had been appreciated sympathetically, and if they had been rehabilitated by society. But since society has nothing to do with human value, a good number of great personalities are withering away in their embryonic stage. The sadvipras will undertake to revive this neglected section of humanity. To them no sinner is contemptible, no one is a rogue. People turn into satans or sinners when, for want of proper guidance, they are goaded by depraving propensities. The human mind goaded by depraving propensities is satan. If their propensities are sublimated, they will no longer be satans; they will be transformed into gods. Every course of action of society ought to be judged with an eye to the dictum “Human beings are divine children.”" (4)

WE SHOULD NOT JUST GO AHEAD AND LEAVE THEM IN THE LURCH

"The significance of society lies in moving together. If in the course of the journey anybody lags behind, if in the darkness of night a gust of wind blows out anyone's lamp, we should not just go ahead and leave them in the lurch. We should extend a hand to help them up, and rekindle their lamps with the flames of our lamps..."

"...Stop we must, otherwise the spirit of society is in jeopardy."

"A rśi [sage] has said: Samamantreńa jáyate iti samájah [“Society is the collective movement of a group of individuals who have decided to move together towards a common goal”]. That is, whether people are pápii [sinners], thieves, criminals, or characterless individuals, they are so only superficially; internally they are filled with the potential for purity. The principal object of the sadvipras is to explore and bring this potentiality into play. They will accord human value to everyone without exception. Those who have done hateful crimes must be punished, but sadvipras will never hate them, or put an end to them by depriving them of food, because sadvipras are humanists. The pandits puffed up with vain glory could turn their attention to their books instead of attending on the ailing non-Hindu Haridas, but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu found it impossible to remain indifferent to him. He took Haridas in his arms and nursed him carefully, and thus showed respect to human value." (4)

MORE PROUTISTIC GUIDELINES

"That is, these days, a person who possesses wealth is respected and revered whereas a person without money is a person honoured by none. The poor, whoever they may be, have to woo the rich just for the sake of earning their livelihood. Human values have become meaningless, for human beings have become the means for the rich to earn money. The rich, having purchased the human mind with their money, are busy playing a game of chess with the other members of society. Bereft of everything, people toil round the clock to earn a mere pittance. Today the motto of people is, “I have to send some food particles into the apathetic stomach after somehow taking a dip in the muddy water amidst hyacinths.”" (5)

"Those who are at the helm of society, constantly suspicious of others, forever count their losses and profits. They have no desire to think about the plight of humanity. Rather, to gratify themselves they are ready to chew the human bone, and suck human blood. For the self-centred there is no place for feelings of mercy, sympathy or camaraderie. The railway stations and market places are full of half-clad beggars and lepers desperately stretching out their begging bowls, earning their livelihood in the only way they know. They are fortunate if anyone contemptuously flings them a copper coin. The old blind beggars sitting all day long on the steps of a bridge automatically lift their bowls whenever anyone walks past. But their hungry pleas fall on deaf ears. On the other side of the social coin, sumptuous dishes are being prepared to entertain the rich dignitaries. These contrasts ridicule the present human society." (6)

"Today, those who occupy high posts are also respected. Dignity is attached to post or rank. A station master will take great pains to prepare the railway minister's visit, but will never trouble himself with the inconveniences faced by the ordinary passengers. Luxurious houses are built for high-ranking officers while the poor live in shanty towns, barely protected from the elements. I don't say that large houses should never be built, but that everyone should be provided the minimum requirements. “I admit that both rice and tasty dishes are necessary for people, but I shall not demand a sumptuous dish from the goddess of food until I see that India has been overflooded with an abundance of rice.”" (7)

"These days educated people are so proud of their erudition that they detest illiterate people and avoid the company of commoners. Thus they shun village life and live in towns. When the question of returning to the village crops up, they say, “What on earth would we do in a village? There's not a single person to talk to. Only idiots live there.” This explains why almost all attention is focused on the urban areas to the detriment of the villages. While soliciting votes, political leaders pay a short visit to the villages with a mouthful of attractive promises. They promptly inform the ignorant populace about their great achievements in constructing huge dams; though perhaps village cultivation is becoming impossible due to want of irrigation. They give detailed descriptions about their plans to build bridges and bungalows and install television sets, though perhaps in that village people die for want of medicine, or beg for food in poverty-stricken desperation. And yet the common villagers constitute the backbone of society. Even in the towns not everyone gets equal opportunities. The pavements have become the home for so many people. Rabindranath says, “There are always a number of uncelebrated people in the human civilization. They are the majority, and they are the medium, but they have no time to become human beings. They are raised on the leftovers of the national wealth. They are poorly dressed and receive little education, yet they serve the rest of society. They give maximum labour but are rewarded with ignominy – they die of starvation or are tortured to death by those they serve. They are deprived of all life's amenities. They are the candlestick of civilization: they stand erect with the candle resting on their head. Everyone gets light from it, while they suffer the discomfort of the wax trickling down their sides. In this way, the dishonest of humanity or the neglect of human values has become a social malady.”"(8)

SUMMARY STATEMENT AND REVIEW

Here in review: The point is that only those with a very narrow and selfish outlook can think that vast amounts of public monies should be used for fancy stadiums for the Olympics etc, when large numbers of people in that country are starving and living in unsanitary conditions. In contrast, if one cultivates the ideal that this whole humanity is my kith and kin, then there will be no scope to waste money on extravagant sporting venues while naked children in that country beg for food and lack drinking water.

Namaskar,
in Him,
Lokesh

Note 1: FINAL THOUGHT

As mentioned above, I am not against games and sports, only my concern is the commercialisation thereof. In the US, obesity is rampant, and games and sports are highly commercialised. The unfortunate result is that people think they should watch, not play. Yet real use of games and sports is for keeping a population healthy, active, and vibrant, but in the US and other nations that tenant has sadly been lost.

Note 2: COMMENTS FROM COMMON PEOPLE ABOUT THE OLYMPICS

The following comments are from this website: http://www.debate.org/opinions/are-the-olympic-games-a-waste-of-money

- I believe that the Olympic Games are a waste of money because there are more important things that the money used for these events could be spent on. If we stopped the Olympic Games, a lot of extra money could be donated to child hunger, cancer cures, and child hospitals. Think about the people in third world countries, starving and living without shelter. All charities ask for a small amount of money, yet countries spend millions on a sporting event. The Olympic Games boost economies and also boost pollution at the same time! We are trying our best to stop global warming and this is NOT helping! The native animals of each country loose their habitat to just a stupid car park or an expensive stadium. This can ruin the food chain. The Olympic Games just puts everyone against each other and puts hatred between each country.


- It’s a ridiculous waste of money for a 3 week sporting event – all because of the need to compete against other countries and win some medals!!  Feed the poor, educate the masses, give the money to worthwhile needy charities!


- The Olympics are a waste of money

The money spent by countries on international sporting events, such as the Olympic game and World championships, is money wasted. It should be used for more important things such as curing malaria in LEDCs, improving infrastructure, and providing proper education for the adults and children from poorer countries.Billions of pounds are spent on these events just to watch people throwing javelins and shot putts around when it could be donated to charities so they could at least make a difference to this world by helping the people.


-Priorities

The Olympics represents a criminal diversion of funds away from the kind of projects and policies which would actually effect improvements in the health of the population. Merely claiming that ‘striving’ for the best compensates the masses who are paid off with a few weeks of sports saturated T.V. is not where public money is best sent. Society, as a whole, has greater, and certainly, more pressing needs. Hunger, poverty, ignorance etc. I do not propose aid to have succeeded when applied to foreign lands, however when spent domestically it can reap huge rewards.


- The Olympic Games are a waste of money!

If we stopped the Olympic Games, a lot of extra money could be donated to child hunger, cancer cures, charities, and child hospitals. Think about the people in third world countries, starving and living without shelter. All charities ask for a small amount of money, yet we spend millions on a sporting event. Athletes may get publicity, but aren’t human lives more important?

    We are trying our best to stop global warming and this is NOT helping! The native animals of each country loose their habitat to just a stupid car park or an expensive stadium. This can ruin the food chain. The Olympic Games just puts everyone against each other and puts hatred between each country.


- of course it is

It is kind on stupid to have the olympics in the first place. They are a waste of money and very much a waste of time. Who cares if you win a gold medal in swimming or some other sport. That does not prove you are the greatest athlete in the world.


-of course it is a waste of money!

all you really need is a track to run a pool to swim a court to hit and a field to ride it doesnt have to big cant you just agree with me and give this money to the people who need it and inspiring someone this is like WE ARE SHOWING OFF how much money we can spend


- Pakistan and Afghanistan practice a pates but still want to kill loads of people.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are lead by the group of people – the Taliban who smashed the twin towers yet they compete in the Olympics. They destroyed Bali, yet they compete in the Olympics. It doesn’t provide friendly competition because their are still wars going on across the world yet almost every country competes even though they create wars. They don’t allow friendly competition so I conclude that it is a waste of money because it can’t provide friendly competition.


- The money can be use for other reasons.

The millions of dollars used building the facilities of the Olympic games should be used to give to the poor in Africa. Only when all the poor people have enough money to have a healthy lifestyle should we even think of spending millions of dollars building massive facilities that we don’t need.


- Olympic games are a waste of money!!!

Facts clearly state that where ever the Olympics were held; the country had to spend a big sum of money on advancements. A clear example is the recent London 2012 Olympics where Britain earned millions of USD through people who had a craze for watching this game. I mean the making of the movie in which the Queen jumps it had a a cost too, which included graphic designing etc.


- Yes

Because what about the poor people in Africa, Why think about money all time. What about people they have feelings (Naduh) but why think about money all the time when you can give to poor people instead of Having the money all by yourself when you earn enough already? Seriously what about people?


- Yes, believe the Olympic Games are a waste of money, this money could be spent on much better things.

I believe that the Olympic Games are a waste of money because there are more important things that the money used for these events could be spent on. There are starving kids who could eat if the money was given to them instead. There are also natural disasters that could be better controlled if there was more funding for them.


- There are so many other things we could spend money on!!!

I understand that there is a strong sentiment which surrounds the Olympic games, and it’s not that I have anything against them in and of themselves, but I think the amount of ceremony, media hype, and flare which is used is certainly excessive. Instead of using that money to further lavish the leaders of the globe and create a spectacle, we could be using these resources to SOLVE PROBLEMS!!!!


- Not the only competition

The games have put more than one economy in debt; one need not look further than Greece’s current state. Also, this is not the only forum for athletes to get together. There is also the pan-am games, the commonwealth games, and the world cup. The billions spent on the Olympics are just thrown away, and could be given to much worthier causes.


- Recall way back to 1972, and Colorado had been chosen for the ’76 winter games. We voters took the initiative on a state-wide ballot and voted by a good margin to deny the use of any public funds for the Olympics. It only took days to withdraw, and the IOC moved the ’76 winter games to Austria.What happened is that Colorado got a black eye in the world press (no big deal), and also a national reputation for being green, clean, low tax, frugal and smart. People and hi-tech firms moved to the state in larger numbers than ever, and our economy has been doing fine ever since.


- My rule of thumb: whenever a sports stadium or arena is touted as the centrepiece of a city’s long-term prosperity (as opposed to the prosperity of the developers, construction firms, and various cronies and hangers-on), it’s a grift. The IOC and local committees are no different in this regard than are major-league team owners.Spending taxpayer and/or private dollars on urban infrastructure is great, but that can be done without spending billions of extra dollars on short-term events and soon-to-be under-used facilities


- The Olympics is one big rip-off.

It’s all about making money, money, money for a few big companies and assorted Fat Cats.

£350 per household in the UK? With all the cuts you’re suffering? You’ve been ripped off.


- The Olympics are very much a second prize in today’s world. It can and probably will saddle us with huge debts ala Montreal and do little, if anything for anywhere outside of London. The World Cup is the biggie and we came NOWHERE in the run off for that blockbuster which would at least have spread the money around the country instead of centralising it in London. The attitude of people from the Midlands Northwards is, its London’s, nothing to do with us, we won’t benefit but we will be told to pay for it. At the end of the day the Government refused point-blank to consider bids from other cities.Stick them where the sun doesn’t shine.


- Have been to Montreal and the Olympic village is like a strange ghost town, apparently it took Montreal almost two decades to pay off the debt left from it’s olympics. British Columbia is left with a big sales tax after the Vancouver winter olympics and is saddled with debt.


- I think we ought to build a permenant olympics site somewhere for re use every 4 years so we don’t waste time, money and resources building these big nationalistic monuments


- The Olympics is a waste of money. The current bill is £3.3B, but apparently we can afford this whilst we make 100,000s redundant and stop spending money on the NHS.


- It’s a classic example of ignoring the real problems in the country and going for a project that only caters for 1/3rd of the population – if that – of the UK.


http://www.sailpay.com/blog/hosting-the-olympics-is-a-waste-of-money-read-these-lessons-from-greece-and-china-to-avoid-similar-investment-mistakes/


- The Olympic Games could have been made less extravagant and millions could have been saved to help the needy. Indeed, watching this spectacular event unleashing is like living a real boost of emotion.But then, is the feeling of these temporary emotions more prominent than the health of a human being ? We all know it isn’t yet we keep on hosting it. It is sad therefore to realise that mankind has adopted an egocentric culture.


- Athens Olympics Venues In Decay 8 Years After 2004 Games (PHOTOS)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/03/athens-olympics-venues-photos-abandoned_n_1739264.html

There’s still one group that loves the training pool for athletes at the former Olympic village in Athens’ northern fringe. Frogs.

They appear to delight in sitting on debris that floats on the half-filled pool’s murky waters.

The athletes village itself has fared somewhat better, turned into housing for workers.

Eight years after the 2004 Athens Games, many of the Olympic venues Greece built at great expense remain abandoned or rarely used. They are the focus of great public anger as the country struggles through a fifth year of recession and nearly three years of a debt crisis that has seen a surge in poverty and unemployment.

At the southern Athens venue for softball – a sport unknown in Greece and already out of the Summer Olympics – the occasional weed is all that remains on the dried-out field.

With no shortage of real beaches in Greece, the purpose-built beach volleyball stadium has seen minimal use in the past eight years, mostly just concerts.

Other Athens venues have fared better. The badminton hall has been converted into a popular theater venue, the former international Olympic broadcast center is a shopping mall and what was the main press center now houses ministry offices.

The old baseball venue has been used for the past two years by a fourth-division local soccer club – although some of the stands could do with a lick of paint.

The hockey venue hosted the Special Olympics last year, but material used in that event still lies abandoned around the rim.

The taekwondo and handball arena is occasionally used for non-sports events.

The main Athens Olympics complex is now mostly open to the public and its sporting venues are used by local teams or to host national championships.

Greek politicians, meanwhile, are still struggling to deal with those years of excess spending, and many economists still question the country’s future in the 17-nation common euro currency.

Note 3: LINK TO PRIOR LETTER ON THIS TOPIC

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2013/01/big-questions-about-world-events.html

REFERENCES:
1. Problems of the Day, pt #1
2. Prout in A Nutshell - 15
3. Problems of the Day, #11
4 - 8. A Few Problems Solved Part 2, Social Values and Human Cardinal Principles