From: Bhakti <bhakti@ren....>
To: ananda-marga-discourses@googlegroups.com
Subject: Distortions in ÁV 23, letter #2: Final Section Replaced with Brief Summary
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2013 15:09:11 +0530
To: ananda-marga-discourses@googlegroups.com
Subject: Distortions in ÁV 23, letter #2: Final Section Replaced with Brief Summary
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2013 15:09:11 +0530
Bábá
Náma Kevalam
Distortions in ÁV 23, letter #2: Final Section Replaced with Brief Summary
Namaskár brothers and sisters,
A recent posting discussed how in 1968, Bábá delivered a discourse which was published in English under the name, “Accomplish Your Work with This Body Only”. (1) The Tiljala Publishers used an old cyclostyle from the Philippines as their source, and they assumed the cyclostyle's language (English) and place of origin (Philippines) to be the language and venue of the actual discourse. (2) They also assumed the text of the cyclostyle to be accurate. Their assumptions were wrong on all three counts.
The Publishers failed to review the audio cassette of this discourse which they have in their office, and instead relied on this inherently unreliable source—the Philippines cyclostyle—as their base and authority. This led not only to the Tiljala Publishers providing wrong information as to the original language and venue—the discourse was in fact delivered in Hindi, in India—but also to a myriad of textual distortions.
We bring these distortions to the notice of Márgii sisters and brothers due to their serious nature that in many places destroys the meaning and beauty of the discourse. The first of those serious distortions is presented in this posting.
First Textual Distortion Presented:
Cyclostyle's Final Section Mere Summary of Original Hindi
A textual distortion is being presented below which is very serious—and it is the first of many to be presented in a series of postings about this discourse. Here the cyclostyle editors cut the final several paragraphs of the discourse. In those closing paragraphs of Bábá there were 330 words. In place of those, the cyclostyle editors wrote a few scanty sentences of their own in brief summary of what Bábá had given, and presented the ideas in a different order altogether from what is in the original discourse. The original Hindi concluding section contains 330 words, while the brief summary of it from the Philippines cyclostyle contains 102 words.
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Final Section of Original Hindi Discourse, omitted by Tiljala Publishers, Begins Here.
Original Hindi Final Section Presented For First Time
Here below is the final section of the discourse given by Lord Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrtiji. This is text from the transcribed As-Is discourse. Please note that the As-Is text has been transcribed very carefully by listening to the original audiotapes of Bábá’s discourse. The portion in green was discarded by the Tiljala Publishers and has never been printed anywhere.
Color coding:
Green color means original “As Is” Hindi text. (The Tiljala Publishers removed this entire text and replaced it with a brief summary, shown further below in red.)
ये जो त्रिलोक हैं,जो कहा गया—स्थूल sphere में सद्विप्र, सूक्ष्म sphere में सद्बुद्धि, और आत्मिक sphere में पुरुषोत्तम-परमपुरुष | ये जो तीन sphere इनको त्रिलोक कहते हैं | और परमपुरुष को कहते हैं—त्रिलोकीनाथ, त्रिलोकनाथ |
अर्थात् physical में जहाँ सद्विप्रत्व, psychic में जहाँ सद्बुद्धि, इन दोनों पर परमपुरुष का नियन्त्रण है |
तो, कोई मनुष्य, तुम में से कोई भी लड़का, कोई भी लड़की; अगर चाहते हो कि "हम अगर और भी अधिक speed बढ़ा दें, ताकि 'वस्त्र' भी उतारना-पहनना नहीं पड़े, एक ही वस्त्र से काम हो जाए, "तो तुम अधिक speed बढ़ा दो | क्यों ? न, जो दूरी है, वह तुम्हें cover करना है | Speed कम; तो चार बार, पाँच बार अवश्य (जो साधना मार्ग में आए हैं—चार बार, पाँच बार नहीं; generally, एक ही बार में हो जाएगा) शरीर change करना पड़ता है | तुम लोगों का एक ही शरीर में हो, यही तो मैं चाहता हूँ |
["बाबा, बाबा, बाबा !"]
किन्तु, जो speed बढ़ा दिया; तो दूरी रहने पर भी, speed बढ़ जाने से; दूरी, कोई दूरी नहीं है—तो, इसी शरीर में काम हो जाएगा | वस्त्र उतारना और लेना, इसमें कुछ time लगता है, वह time भी बच जाएगा |
तो मैं, मेरे लड़कों से तथा लड़कियों से कहूँगा कि speed बढ़ा दो | आज ही से, इसी मुहूर्त से speed दुगुना कर दो, four times कर दो, thousand times कर दो, million times बढ़ा दो, infinite times बढ़ा दो : ताकि क्षणभर का भी समय नष्ट नहीं हो | तुम्हारा समय अत्यन्त क़ीमती है | परमपुरुष का समय जितना क़ीमती है, तुम्हारा समय उससे भी अधिक क़ीमती है | क्यों ? न, दुनिया में परमपुरुष की प्रतिष्ठा करना तुम लोगों का काम है | तुम लोगों के द्वारा ही उनकी महिमा का प्रचार होगा | तुम्हीं लोगों पर वे निर्भरशील हैं | इसलिए अगर दुनिया में चाहते हो कि उनकी शहंशाही हो, तो अधिक से अधिक speed करो, इसी मुहूर्त से चेष्टाशील हो जाओ | और, पहले मैं कह चुका हूँ कि—जय तुम्हारे साथ है | जय तुम्हारी अवश्य होगी |
शुभमस्तु
[मार्गी लोग—"बाबा, बाबा, बाबा !"]
Final Section of Original Hindi Discourse, omitted by Tiljala Publishers, Ends Here.
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English translation of Original “As Is” Hindi starts here.
Translated Final Section of Original Hindi Discourse
The following text has been translated from the above displayed As-Is transcript of the Hindi, which Bábá directly spoke. Here then are the missing sentences, shown translated into English as they should have been printed in AV23 published by the Tiljala group.
The below translated text is again colored green to show that it corresponds to the green-colored Hindi text shown above in section 1.
This triloka, which has been described as – in crude sphere sadvipra, in subtle sphere righteous intellect (sadbuddhi), and in spiritual sphere Puruśottama-Parama Puruśa; these three spheres are known as triloka [three abodes]. And Parama Puruśa is called – trilokiinátha, trilokanátha.
That is, Parama Puruśa has control both over sadviprahood in the physical sphere and righteous intellect in the psychic sphere.
So, any human, say any boy or girl amongst you; if you wish that "I should increase my speed further, so that I do not need to change my 'clothes'; with one set of clothes [i.e. one physical body] the work should be done", then increase the speed. Why? Because the remaining distance, you will have to cover. If the speed is low then you will have to change the body four to five times. But for those who have come on the path of sádhaná, generally with just one life the work will be done; four or five times will not be needed. May you all do it in one body only; that is what I want.
["Bábá, Bábá, Bábá!"]
So for one who has increased his speed—then even if there is distance, by the increased speed any distance is no distance at all. So the work will be accomplished in this very body. Moreover in the act itself of changing your clothes [i.e. getting a new body], time is expended; that time will also be saved.
So, my boys and girls, I urge you to increase your speed. From today, from this very moment double the speed, make the speed four times, make it a thousand times, increase it a million times, increase it infinite times---so that not even a moment is wasted. Your time is very valuable. Your time is even more valuable than that of Parama Puruśa Himself. Why? Because your job is to establish Parama Puruśa in this world. Only through you people His grandeur will be promulgated. He is dependent on you very people. That is why, if you want His kingdom in this world, then increase your speed as much as possible, begin your endeavor from this very moment. And, I said earlier that - victory is with you. Victory will surely be yours."
Shubhamastu
["Bábá, Bábá, Bábá!"]
English translation of Original “As Is” Hindi ends here
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Tiljala Publishers' distorted final section of discourse begins here.
Cyclostyle's Brief Summary of Final Section:
Published by Tiljala Group With Claim that These are Bábá's Original Words.
The Tiljala Publishers printed the following taken directly from the cyclostyle, and claimed that these are Bábá's original words i.e. that Bábá spoke in English, and this is what He said. We know that Bábá spoke in Hindi, and what is presented below is a mere translated summary of what Bábá said in Hindi. The ideas are presented in completely different order, and in only a shadow of the detail Bábá gave in the original Hindi.
Here is what the Tiljala Publishers printed, claiming it to be Bábá's original language and words:
Color coding: Red color is final section taken from Philippines cyclostyle (presented by Tiljala Publishers as though they were Bábá's original words).
I want you to work with this body only, and then leave it permanently. This is not impossible for you. Increase the speed of your activities thousands of times or even countless times more than what it is now, and accomplish your work with this body only.
There are three spheres – physical, mental, and spiritual. They are the trilokas, and one who controls them is “Trilokanáth”. It is your dharma to show the right path to society in those three spheres – it depends on your speed also.
Work with the infinite power of Paramátman and with infinite speed. Victory is surely yours.
There are merely 102 words in this concluding distorted section of the Tiljala version of this discourse. The original Hindi of this final section contains 330 words. As one can see by comparing the above red section, it is tiny compared with the green “As Is
sections shown above. The content is scant, reordered, and reworded compared to the original Hindi.
Tiljala Publishers' distorted final section of discourse ends here.
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Original As-Is Discourse Section w/ Paragraph-by-Paragraph Translation
Here below is the final section given by Lord Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrtiji during the 1968 RU Discourse. It was discarded by the Tiljala Publishers and has never been printed in any AMPS publication. It is shown below in the original Hindi which Bábá actually spoke, with sentence-by-sentence translation to English for the convenience of the non-Hindi speaking brothers and sisters. Here I have also written some informational notes to highlight important aspects of the missing text. These are marked as [Explanation].
The As-Is text written below in Devanagari script is again colored green to show that it corresponds to the green-colored paragraphs in the above sections.
ये जो त्रिलोक हैं,जो कहा गया—स्थूल sphere में सद्विप्र, सूक्ष्म sphere में सद्बुद्धि, और आत्मिक sphere में पुरुषोत्तम-परमपुरुष | ये जो तीन sphere इनको त्रिलोक कहते हैं | और परमपुरुष को कहते हैं—त्रिलोकीनाथ, त्रिलोकनाथ | अर्थात् physical में जहाँ सद्विप्रत्व, psychic में जहाँ सद्बुद्धि, इन दोनों पर परमपुरुष का नियन्त्रण है |
[Translation]
“This triloka, which has been described as – in crude sphere sadvipra, in subtle sphere righteous intellect (sadbuddhi), and in spiritual sphere Puruśottama-Parama Puruśa; these three spheres are known as triloka [three abodes]. And Parama Puruśa is called – trilokiinátha, trilokanátha. That is, Parama Puruśa has control both over sadviprahood in the physical sphere and righteous intellect in the psychic sphere.”
[Explanation]
In this paragraph Bábá is beginning to summarize the discourse. Humans are established in physical, psychic, and spiritual spheres. Bábá has said that ideal human existence should tend towards sadviprahood in the crude, physical or mundane sphere. In the subtle, psychic or mental sphere human existence should tend towards righteous intellect. In spiritual sphere it should tend towards attainment of Parama Puruśa. These three spheres or domains of human existence are cumulatively known as triloka or three abodes. At numerous places Bábá has burst the myth and dogma surrounding terms such as lokas being abused by Eastern religions. Lokas are misunderstood as some distinct place in the Universe other than the world we humans live in. However, Bábá says that lokas exist verily in our own beings, in stratas of our own minds. Bábá is giving ideals for all possible lokas in which we can possibly live.
Our spiritual existence, i.e., átmá supersedes and controls other layers [physical and psychic] of our existence. Átmáis unit consciousness, i.e., reflection of Parama Puruśa. Thus, Parama Puruśa is the ruler of all three lokas. In PS 3879 it is said "Rájá tumi maner rájá vishva tomár adhiine" [Parama Puruśa you are king of the mind, and the world is governed by you] .
तो, कोई मनुष्य, तुम में से कोई भी लड़का, कोई भी लड़की; अगर चाहते हो कि "हम अगर और भी अधिक speed बढ़ा दें, ताकि 'वस्त्र' भी उतारना-पहनना नहीं पड़े, एक ही वस्त्र से काम हो जाए, "तो तुम अधिक speed बढ़ा दो | क्यों ? न, जो दूरी है, वह तुम्हें cover करना है | Speed कम; तो चार बार, पाँच बार अवश्य (जो साधना मार्ग में आए हैं—चार बार, पाँच बार नहीं; generally, एक ही बार में हो जाएगा) शरीर change करना पड़ता है | तुम लोगों का एक ही शरीर में हो, यही तो मैं चाहता हूँ |
[Translation]
"So, any human, say any boy or girl amongst you; if you wish that "I should increase my speed further, so that I do not need to change my 'clothes'; with one set of clothes [i.e. one physical body] the work should be done", then increase the speed. Why? Because the remaining distance, you will have to cover. If the speed is low then you will have to change the body four to five times. But for those who have come on the path of sádhaná, generally with just one life the work will be done; four or five times will not be needed. May you all do it in one body only; that is what I want."
[Explanation]
Next Bábá is is addressing sádhakas directly and telling that it is possible to increase speed so that one can accomplish one's task with the given body without changing it, i.e., going through multiple cycles of births, lives, and deaths comprising of mundane pains and pleasures. Here, it must be highlighted that Bábá is referring to the job of elevating oneself from crudity to subtlety, from animal life to human life followed by merging in Parama Puruśa. All humans have to perform this job of elevating oneself and eventually merging into Parama Puruśa as that is human dharma. If efforts are not made fervently then it will take eons and multiple cycles of rebirths and deaths to accomplish this task. Bábá has given the márga or path to sádhakas so that they can increase their speed and accomplish the task of merging in Parama Puruśa in this very life. This is what Bábá wants.
["बाबा, बाबा, बाबा !"]
[Translation]
[Bábá, Bábá, Bábá!].
[Explanation]
"Bábá graced the devotees with a straightforward formula to accomplish their goal not only for this life but also for their existence across many births and deaths they took, to reach this stage. Because of this grace those present became exhilarated and emotional."
किन्तु,जो speed बढ़ा दिया; तो दूरी रहने पर भी, speed बढ़ जाने से; दूरी, कोई दूरी नहीं है—तो, इसी शरीर में काम हो जाएगा | वस्त्र उतारना और लेना, इसमें कुछ time लगता है, वह time भी बच जाएगा |
[Translation]
“So for one who has increased his speed—then even if there is distance, by the increased speed any distance is no distance at all. So the work will be accomplished in this very body. Moreover in the act itself of changing your clothes [i.e. getting a new body], time is expended; that time will also be saved."
[Explanation]
By increasing speed it is meant here that one can do sádhaná to accelerate on the path towards mokśa (merging with Parama Puruśa). If someone has lots of saḿskáras, they will prevent that person from marching on the path towards mokśa. Thus, mokśa or goal will seem to be very far away. However, Bábá is telling that even if the distance is large, if one goes with very high speed then one can still reach the goal quickly. For example, even if the distance between New York and Mumbai is very far, if one travels by an aeroplane at high speed, then one can reach in a day. However if one takes a ship, it may take weeks to cover the same distance. Thus, if one does sádhaná then one accelerates one's speed and hence even in one lifetime all saḿskáras can be burned. On the contrary, if a person does not do sádhaná then that person will have to take many rebirths and go through tribulations of lives. In addition, if one has to be born several times then some time will be wasted in between deaths and subsequent rebirths. This is because, it will take Prakrti time to find a new body based upon one's saḿskáras. Thus, reduced speed (i.e., a life without sádhaná) will lead to lot of wastage of time.
तो मैं, मेरे लड़कों से तथा लड़कियों से कहूँगा कि speed बढ़ा दो | आज ही से, इसी मुहूर्त से speed दुगुना कर दो, four times कर दो, thousand times कर दो, million times बढ़ा दो, infinite times बढ़ा दो : ताकि क्षणभर का भी समय नष्ट नहीं हो | तुम्हारा समय अत्यन्त क़ीमती है | परमपुरुष का समय जितना क़ीमती है, तुम्हारा समय उससे भी अधिक क़ीमती है | क्यों ? न, दुनिया में परमपुरुष की प्रतिष्ठा करना तुम लोगों का काम है | तुम लोगों के द्वारा ही उनकी महिमा का प्रचार होगा | तुम्हीं लोगों पर वे निर्भरशील हैं | इसलिए अगर दुनिया में चाहते हो कि उनकी शहंशाही हो, तो अधिक से अधिक speed करो, इसी मुहूर्त से चेष्टाशील हो जाओ | और, पहले मैं कह चुका हूँ कि—जय तुम्हारे साथ है | जय तुम्हारी अवश्य होगी |
शुभमस्तु
[मार्गी लोग—"बाबा, बाबा, बाबा !"]
[Translation]
"So, my boys and girls, I urge you to increase your speed. From today, from this very moment double the speed, make the speed four times, make it a thousand times, increase it a million times, increase it infinite times—so that not even a moment is wasted. Your time is very valuable. Your time is even more valuable than that of Parama Puruśa Himself. Why? Because your job is to establish Parama Puruśa in this world. Only through you people His grandeur will be promulgated. He is dependent on you very people. That is why, if you want His kingdom in this world, then increase your speed as much as possible, begin your endeavor from this very moment. And, I said earlier that - victory is with you. Victory will surely be yours."
[Explanation]
After explaining the importance of increasing one's speed via sádhaná, Bábá is urging sádhakas to do sádhaná more fervently. By this, one will not waste time. Bábá is telling that the time of a sádhaka is very valuable as he/she has to establish dharma on the planet. The noble and lofty goal of establishing Parama Puruśa's name has to be attained as early as possible. No time is to be wasted. One should exhaust one's entire energy and accomplish one's goal in this given life itself and not waste time in even changing dress (allegory for death and rebirth). Bábá is blessing victory to the sádhaka to undertake this grand work of dharma sádhaná.
End of Translation of Section of As-Is Discourse Omitted From AV12, Tiljala Edition
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Rewriting and Presenting Brief Summary in Place of Original is Serious Distortion
Kolkata Publications has in this discourse removed sentences, shifted sentences from one place to another, and eliminated details. In this sense, the translator has gone far beyond the periphery of his/her job and has synthesized commentary instead of sticking to word to word translation.
A commentary may be useful if it is known to a reader that what he/she is reading is indeed a commentary. However, if someone reads a discourse thinking it was spoken by Guru Himself but actually it is interpretation of some Dada or Didi then it is indeed injustice to the reader.
It is said that mantramulam guruvákyam i.e., every word of the Guru is verily a mantra and serves to guide sádhakas for all time to come. Imagine, if instead of repeating (japa) of your iśt́a mantra you repeat its meaning explained by your ácárya. This will be completely flawed technique for sádhaná. This is the reason a dharmaniśt́ha (established in dharma) ácárya clearly tells you that what is a mantra and what is its meaning. Similarly, if a discourse is not translated As-Is then we are entitled to know that it is a commentary and not the discourse itself.
In a discourse, all the sections work together to produce the message Bábá intends. And each section depends on the one before and after to complete its meaning. In this discourse, the Tiljala Publishers have removed many details and added some on their own, leading to lots of ambiguities and eventually a total chaos.
Distortion in Guru's Discourse is Not Acceptable
In this article, it is seen that by using the cyclostyle from the Philippines as their source—instead of the original audio recording which they have—the Tiljala Publishers cut the entire final section of the discourse and replaced it with a brief, rewritten summary.
In the actual original final section, Bábá is explaining to sádhakas the importance of moving on the path of dharma. On the physical plane, a sádhaka should aspire to become a sadvipra, on mental plane a sádhaka should aspire to attain righteous intellect, and on the spiritual plane a sádhaka should only aim for Parama Puruśa. Putting efforts fervently to stay on this path will increase the sádhaka's speed to reach the goal of mokśa, merger with Parama Puruśa. If one is not fervent in one's efforts then will have to go through multiple cycles of deaths and rebirths. For a sádhaka, this will be a waste of precious time. Thus the sádhaka should stay on the path of dharma and always aspire to increase his/her speed.
By providing only a brief summary of this final section, the Tiljala Publishers have given only a distorted shadow of Bábá's great teaching.
As Ánanda Márgiis it is our duty to understand, appreciate, internalize, and propagate Bábá’s true teachings. In order to fulfill this duty, that Ánanda Má́rga scripture which we study and propagate, has to be proper. If our scripture itself is distorted, then what we learn and propagate will itself be distorted. So when we see that our shástra is indeed full of errors introduced by our Publishers, then it becomes our duty to point this out and put pressure to get our books fixed. This will prevent people from getting misguided and thereby true pracára of Bábá’s teachings can take place.
Sincerely,
Bhakti
Footnotes.
1.“Accomplish Your Work with This Body Only”, Ánanda Vacanámrtam 23, Tiljala, 1994.
2. Cyclostyle is an old technology invented in 1890, used for making a document into a stencil and from that, multiple copies. In Ánanda Márga, cyclostyle used to be used before the days of xerox machines when a newsletter or bulletin was being made for a limited number of people, say 20-50.
3. Click here to see the discourse as published in Ánanda Vacanámrtam part 23, with their final distorted section in red and the actual final section that should have been published, in green. The original “As Is” Hindi final section follows that as well, in green.
Quotes From Previous Posts
“It is regrettable that H and EC groups have no interest in Bábá’s discourses, otherwise they would have become active in publishing them from the original sound track instead of merely reprinting the books which the Tiljala group publishes. The distortions introduced by Tiljala group in their publications of Bábá’s discourses are errors of commissional in nature. But let none make the mistake of thinking that H and EC groups are innocent here; by their failure to take interest in publishing Bábá’s original discourses, they demonstrate a lethargy toward Bábá’s shástra which is highly condemnable. H and EC groups’ failure to publish Bábá’s original discourses is a failure of omission. The omissional error of H and EC is every bit as serious as the commissional errors of Tiljala group.”
From the Moderators—
Moderators Note 1.
Fix
Bábá's Discourses Now or Never
If we remain passive onlookers and do not fix the negative trends of introducing distortion into Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrtiji's discourses—if we do not bring the printed discourses up to the proper standard now—it will become impossible to change this in the future. And even if in future some sincere Ánanda Márgiis will try, they will be treated as enemies. Because this is the way religion works: Today one cannot teach the devotees of Lord Krśńa that He has nothing to do with cows; they will never believe it. In the same way, Ánanda Márgiis will become used to the wrong teachings in our AM books and they will not like to give them up. They will think that whatever was there at the end of the twentieth century, that was the gold standard for all time. And it should be kept and maintained.
Ánanda Má́rga is dharma—not religion—but we will face the same opposition from within to change, when wrong teachings get established.
So we don't have any time: it is either now or never. The clock is ticking: If we do not get Bábá's discourses fixed now, it will be impossible to do so later. And that will cause bloodshed and more division on the basis of the various versions of Bábá's teachings and their explanations. History bears testimony to this, that all the religions have similarly broken into multiple factions, groups and subgroups on the basis of differences in scripture interpretations. Bábá wanted to eliminate such problems, and that is why Bábá's discourses are recorded. But unfortunately, those recordings are not being published properly. This matter is very serious.
Moderators Note 2.
Request
for Volunteers
We make a special request for volunteers to help in this work of producing and reviewing the “as is” discourses. Márgii volunteers are needed from all countries around the world, to help with translating the “as is” discourses into the various languages, and also to help with translating postings about distortions so that all Márgiis around the world can be made aware. Comparing the “as is” discourses to the discourses published by our AMPS is a big job, and help here is also needed. We welcome a hand from any and all who are inspired and interested to serve in the protection of the discourses of Lord Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrtiji.
Moderators Note 3.
Need
for Audio Recordings
In order to produce “As Is” discourses, there is a need for audio cassettes of Bábá's discourses. These are treated with the utmost of care as we do the job for which the recordings were made: discourse transcription. So any who have recordings of Bábá's discourses are encouraged to contact us in order to get the recording transcribed in “As Is” fashion.
Moderators Note 4.
Only
Goal of Ánanda Má́rga Discourses Network:
To Protect
Bábá's Discourses
This Ánanda Má́rga Discourses Network does not have any agenda against any group. Its only goal is to repair and protect Lord Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrtiji's holy discourses so they will remain for the present and future humanity.
