By Taraka Ghista
“Everything in this universe is a metamorphosed form of Consciousness. This metamorphosis takes place due to the influence of the static principle. The creation of the world of forms by the static principle continues as a result of the changes in the flow of endless waves. Forms are the expressions of the formless due to the influence of the static Prakrti. So Consciousness, in the process of crudification, is turned into solid matter and takes the form of a perceptible object, relinquishing its original quality of witness-ship. That is, Consciousness (Átmabháva) becomes metamorphosed into non-consciousness (anátmabháva).
From mind to solid matter there is the domination of non-consciousness and hence the existence of the three factors: knower, knowledge, and knowable. When spiritual aspirants apply átmánátma viveka they can easily discern these three factors and come to the realization that all the three are changeable and perceptible and hence non-consciousness by nature. And the entity which is above these three factors, which is One without a second, which is the Witnessing Entity, is nothing but Consciousness.” (The Five Kinds of Conscience (Viveka), * Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 6)
This quote of Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti reveals the Átman or unit Consciousness that is the witnessing entity that is the actual support or foundation of our mind. From this state, there arise the three stages of knower, knowledge and the known (object). In Sanskrit, these stages are known as Pramátr [knower] governed by the sentient principle (sattvaguńa), the Pramáńa [means of knowledge] governed by the mutative principle (ever-changing, passionate; rajoguńa) and the Prameya [object of knowledge, known] governed by the static principle (crudity; tamoguńa). So long as the mind is attracted to various external objects and internal objects (thoughts, feelings, sentiments, reactions or samskáras) it will be involved in the play of these 3 states of being. This is expressed in the following chart:
When the mind becomes introspective, it realizes that there is something beneath it that is supporting its very existence. That is why Ánanda Sútram says, “2-9. Átmani sattásaḿsthitih” – the very foundation of being, existence lies in this Pure Consciousness which is called the “soul” or Átman. These realizations are the basis of human spirituality. The English word “Aesthetics” is given the name by Baba as “Nandana Vijiṋána,” which literally means the science of expressing one’s inner joy or delight in more and more subtle ways. So, expressing blissful realizations of Spirit or Átman, then is a fundamental part of human culture and civilization. Now, when these 3 stages of the mind are in a state of dynamic equilibrium, equipoise or symmetry, and this Spirit becomes expressed, then this is what is known as Pramá. Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti has said that Life is a never-ending, constant endeavour and fight to restore an unstable equilibrium (Pramá). This refers not just to the individual physical and psychic life but also to the physical and psychic life of the Collective Mind of a society or civilization. So aesthetics is intimately involved with this essence of human existence.
Literary and Cultural Movements
The history of literature and culture is a vast and complex subject. So let us very simply reveal the essence of modern culture of western civilization, which has dominated this planet through colonialism and neo-colonialism. They are Realism, Modernism and Post-modernism.
Regarding Realism, this is the era when material objects (Prameya) become the be-all and end-all of human life. The credo of this era was “God is dead”. The great realist writers inevitably chronicle the decline and fall of moral values. This was the age of extreme colonialism in the form of empires that kept the overwhelming majority of humanity enslaved under foreign rule. To justify these criminal regimes, the basic ideology came forth rejecting sensibility, sentiment, spirituality and moral principles and instead focusing on the practical reality of material life or of the sordid social order founded upon himsa and plunder. The literature and culture of so-called post-colonial or neo-colonial nations was highly influenced by these doctrines of Realism that debase one’s humanity and enshroud the innate divinity of one’s Spirit or Soul. This is a general judgement – they were and are noble litterateurs who follow this cultural doctrine of realism. Furthermore, great novelists like Benito Pérez Galdós wrote in all three genres of Realism, Modernism and Postmodernism.
Regarding Modernism, we can simply say that it was an outburst or a tremendous reaction against Realism. The credo of this era was “Man is dead”. In science, philosophy and politics, the traditional foundations of Western society underwent the earthquake of the First World War. The main current was a rejection of external reality and to lapse into a state of self-absorption. The subject or Pramátr is the be-all and end-all – the era of narcissism begins, which was manipulated by capitalist corporations through the work of Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud. Hence, a main feature of modernist literature was the rejection of the canons of realism – a narrator, characters with separate actions and a plot. The essential feature was then a “stream of consciousness” in which all the traditional elements of literature were embedded. The reader was now submerged in the flow of the author’s mind – an act of authorial fascism. It was the great literateur Miguel A. Asturias who related this cultural development to the political dictatorship of economically enslaved nations in the book El Señor Presidente. Colonialism was the enslavement of so-called inferior countries by Aryan imperialists and then fascism, as intuited by Franco in Morocco was the similar enslavement of inferior races, classes, minorities in one’s own country.
Regarding Post-Modernism, simply we can say that it evolved in reaction to the aftermath of the Second World War and the rise of the Cold War. The credo of this era was and is Nihilism – nothing exists in any meaningful way. The process of knowing or awareness or the Pramáńa is the main thing. Playing with technology, absorbed in the moment to moment trivial pursuits, one’s very existence, identity and values is lost. This is why in the Yoga Sútra of Pataiôjali, Pramáńa (this process of losing oneself in momentary pursuit of cheap thrills) is described as an addictive propensity or Vrtti. The practical consequence of this philosophy we are now seeing in the form of the result of global capitalism – “The Earth is dead”. The science of ecology developed hand in hand with the science of technological destruction. Both were based on the same materialist foundations. In Post-modernist literature, the “Author is dead.”. There is no “Stream of Consciousness.” Instead there is just collections of random characters, random words that are as Shakespeare said in another context – “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” The colonial essence of the Cold War was that the US empire encouraged people in exploited countries to suppress and kill their own people in the name of democracy and liberty. Not surprisingly, the psychopath became the hero in novels and movies starting with Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. At the same time, the Soviet empire encouraged people in these countries to suppress and kill their people in the name of socialism and equality. The barbarism of the Soviet man is seen vividly in Bulgakov’s novel The Heart of a Dog. Both the Soviets and the Americans made millions selling weapons to both sides in a series of bloody wars, such as the Iran-Iraq War and the endless Congo Wars. Unsurprisingly, in such a situation, all ideas, all ideals become a farce – one starts to question one’s own existence. In normal times, normal people do not question their existence. In the past, Descartes, as a Catholic spy in the barbaric, bloody Thirty Years War, began to question his own existence, which led to Western materialist philosophy, while the war itself led to modern European (Westhalian) political order. So long as the Cold War lasted, Modernism was alive. However, with the end of the Cold War, Post-Modernism or nihilistic, omnicidal capitalism thrived in the name of globalization. Out of this gaping, bleeding vacuum in the mind and heart of humanity, there emerged the cancer of religious extremism, funded as usual by the Western capitalists. Jihadis were manufactured and exported to every country like fast food. This global order was challenged by the careful and brilliant rise of the Chinese capitalist empire run by the communist (state capitalist) party. Secondly, Russia emerged after a crash and after being looted by the West. The result is that we see the resurgence of the old Russian and Chinese Empires. These empires are allied with the Shia countries like Iran, while the western countries and Israel are united with the Sunni countries of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, etc. In essence, society has gone back to the Medieval Era of warring religions and empires. The only solution is a Noumenal Cultural Revolution – a cultural revolution based upon the revelation of the Noumenal Cause or the Noumenal Entity within our phenomenal identity.
“We deduce conclusions just from whatever we observe in this external phenomenal world. We should try to see the subtle cause behind the crude phenomenal world, but we do not see it. For instance, a particular person stole something, and when we say, “Thief! Thief!” people will start beating him. If we try to inquire about the reasons for the theft, we may come to know that he had been hungry for the last three days. And how are we treating him? We are beating him rather than giving him food. So we should think and try to find the noumenal cause behind the phenomenal world. If he was hungry and so stole, then we are more responsible for that theft than he, because we failed to build up society, so that he had to remain hungry. So we must see, and try to find the noumenal cause behind the prima facie observable world. If we are intelligent beings, possessing intellect, we must discover the noumenal cause. It is not proper to arrive at conclusions from mere observation of outward expressions.
“In some places today, a personʼs hand is cut off if he engages in stealing. With a little thought it can be seen that this is not at all a humanistic recourse to eliminate stealing. We must seek the noumenal cause behind all actions.
“All activity, good or bad, has a centre of action, and actions are controlled by the mental nucleus in the same manner as electrons move around their controlling nucleus. We have, therefore, to seek that Cosmic centre and find out where lies the Nave of that Cosmic wheel. If we do not seek it, we do harm to both individuals and society.” (Towards the Noumenal Entity, Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 12)
Learning From South Asian History – Negative
The Indian Sub-continent passed through a similar crisis in the past. In response to the corrupt ritualism of the Vedic religion, 3 philosophies emerged: Cárvaka, Vijiṋánaváda and Shúnyaváda (whose Hindu avatar was Máyáváda)
First, there was the triumph of Vedic dogma over the revolutionary mission of Lord Krśńa. This mission is explained by Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti as follows:
“In the middle period [of Indian history] Shrii Krśńa united all the kings of India in order to apply force and to destroy those powerful leaders who were doing evil and who, in the name of morality and justice, were encouraging unrighteousness within the accepted structure of society.(i.e. varna caste system) He gave a clarion call to the human race and declared that the human body is the medium through which Dharma is realized. However, it should not be utilized only for performing spiritual activities and breathing through alternate nostrils in a darkened room. People also have to become karma yogiis [yogis active in society] so they can destroy the root causes of sin in society. They should even mercilessly take up arms against their relatives if necessary. On behalf of the common people Krśńa declared war on a social system built on a base of selfishness in order to smash it. He stood defiantly against the systems of exploitation of the gurus and priests and propounded his own psychologically-based karmaváda [doctrine of action].” (The Vipra Age, Human Society Part 2)
In our own Neo-medieval Age, is not this Mission more relevant than ever? In any case, this Mission was defeated by the Vedic orthodox religion. Society suffered tremendously and especially suffers today, as Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti explains:
“These are the people who in every age in the name of religion have caused blood to flow, and have injected the fear of heaven and hell, of ghosts and demons into the human mind. These are the people who made human beings lifeless puppets. And even today these vested interests are still trying to perpetrate discrimination in a thousand and one ways. It is said, “One who knows Brahma [Supreme Entity] becomes a Brahmin.” But this definition of a Brahmin is inconvenient for them so they have declared that the son of a Brahmin [priest caste] is a Brahmin and the son of a Vipra is a Vipra, whether they merit the title or not. In this way they have cheated the simple, mute and gullible masses for centuries together. They do not have the key to salvation; no, they hold only one thing in their hands: the binding rope. They donʼt possess the spirit or the valour to sing the songs of human emancipation. Their eyes do not shine with the radiance of universalism, but squint with the greed and cruelty of vultures. (The Only Way to Salvation, Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 5)
The first reaction against this was that of the Indian materialists, including Cárvaka. It rejected outright not just the Vedic religion but the entire domain of genuine human existence. The main focus was the enjoyment of material objects or Prameya. This materialism was very similar to the materialism of the 19th century. This is why Indian Marxists studied and wrote books trying to revive the doctrines of Cárvaka. The practical reality, however, is that materialistic philosophy cannot defeat religious dogma because religious dogma itself is based on materialism. Religious dogma is designed to meet the fears of death and the desires of people to enjoy physical pleasures in heaven. Hence, they have the same fundamental outlook in actual fact.
The second reaction against this was the evolution of the Buddhist doctrine of Vijiṋánaváda. Scholars have noticed that it is very similar to modernism. This is because it rejects the reality of the physical world and the psychic world and says that the ultimate truth is that there is nothing but a “stream of consciousness” which we perceive as the external world. Hence, nothing exists outside the mind. In other words, the Pramátr or subject is the only reality. This extreme self-centredness was what led to the collapse of Buddhism in Indian society. As Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti reveals:
“Innumerable branches and sub-branches emerged, countless philosophies of sthaviraváda, vijiôánaváda, shúnyaváda, mahásukhaváda, and atisukaváda. Each one of these groups became so engrossed in their own ideologies, doctrines and sub-doctrines that they did not have any time to do any constructive work: they were always engaged in vindicating their own doctrines and maligning othersʼ. In other words, they strayed far from their original ethics and objectives. This state of affairs which began to develop in the Buddhist age is still occurring – and not only in the Buddhist sects. It is also continuing in all respects, in all spheres of life. Wherever there are two individuals there emerge two parties. Conflicts between ideologies have become unavoidable, and have become the order of the day. The reason for this is that human beings have progressed in the mental sphere but not in the spiritual sphere. The spiritual goal is one. But in the absence of this unitary goal, factionalism emerged. Factionalism does not mean only groupism; it is also a conflict of doctrines. And it will prevail until human beings accept a singular goal in the process of synthesis. ‘Stop, stop – do not quarrel – there is no use of fighting – peace, peace’ – uttering all these good words will not do; it will stop no one. Peace may come for the time being, but it will not be permanent; like an ash-covered spark, unrest will again flair up. If human beings want to save themselves from this catastrophe, the only way is to march forward towards a single goal. Humanity must be guided to follow the path of synthesis and not the path of analysis.” (The Ever-Expanding Domain of the Microcosm, Discourses on Neohumanist Education)
However, the evolution of Indian philosophy and society proceeds further downwards. The third stage that evolved was that of Buddhist Shúnyaváda. In this school of philosophy, even the mind, even Consciousness, is an illusion. This is why many scholars have linked Post-Moderism with this Buddhist philosophy. The only thing that is real is just the play of philosophical concepts or the play of desires in worldly lives. The philosophers of these schools tried to show that all ideas and doctrines are fundamentally meaningless. However, these Buddhist philosophers spent years writing and debating these doctrines as described above. Hence, the ultimate reality for them was the search for knowledge necessary to defeat their opponents and establish their own religious sect. Hence, Pramáńa or the pursuit of meaning and knowledge was the essential focus, even though they declared that all knowledge was meaningless. There is nothing then but the sound of fury of the world, which is nothing but an illusion. Hence, here, the only thing that one is involved in is the play of meaningless people, objects, and ideas that comprise worldly life. Ironically, these illusory realities were called dharmas. This nihilism led to the creation of many gods and goddesses who were all worshipped. It also led to the rise of Atisukhaváda, or the doctrine that the pursuit of ultimate pleasure is the goal of life, completely opposite to that of Buddha. This had serious consequences as
Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti reveals:
“I should still say that in the age of Vajrayána the Buddhists used to sacrifice human beings in order to gain material boons from the deities. During the period of Vajrayána in India, particularly in Bengal, thousands and thousands of innocent people were sacrificed in order to propitiate Vajrayoginii, Vajratárá, etc.” (Discourse 4, Namah Shiváya Shántáya)
This situation did not improve. Rather, it got significantly worse. With the rise of Shankarácárya, the Buddhist religion was defeated, but the culture of idol worship of various gods and goddesses remained. New superstitions and books were created about these deities by the Neo-Vedic priests, but the ultimate reality was that the ancient Varńa of the Vedic religion was imposed in a much more barbaric way in the form of the casteism of the Puráńas [mythological scriptures]. Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti summarises what happened not just to westernmost Bengal but to the entire Indian subcontinent, saying,
“The Puranic religion weighed heavily on Ráŕh, like an immovable stone. It struck a heavy blow at the roots of sama-samája tattva, the principle of social equality, the invaluable asset of Ráŕh, and threw it deep into the darkest dungeon. One of the main factors responsible for the present backwardness of Ráŕh, especially western Ráŕh, is the Puranic religion that was forcibly imposed on it.” (Discourse 16, Ráŕh: The Cradle of Civilization)
While the Buddhist philosophers had socially destructive ideas, they had inner sincerity; however, as many critics (including Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti) have argued that the Máyáváda doctrine of Shankara was fundamentally based on hypocrisy. This judgement also applies to other Vedanta doctrines because of their acceptance of the demonic caste system, which still shackles Indian society more than one thousand years later.
Even the Vedantic yogis were spiritual capitalists who left society for the Himalayas and pursued the experience of their own Átman, ignoring the struggle against the Adharma of religion and exploitation. Their success could not help society just as the age of great Buddhist yogis could not help society. The reason is their fundamental self-absorption and disrespect (underneath their compassion) for the created universe. Hence, they could not rise beyond the play of Pramátr [knower], Pramáńa [means of knowledge], and the Prameya [object of knowledge, known] in a permanent way. As a result, even collectively in their own sects/organisation, they could not attain Pramá [witnessing awareness of pure Oneness of Consciousness, Átman]. Naturally, then, they could go further and develop their realization of the Supreme Soul/Self Paramátman since that Supreme Subjectivity is intimately involved in not just witnessing but guiding and loving the so-called illusory created beings through the Macrocosmic Yogas of Ota (Madhuvidya, Brahmacárya), Anujiṋatá (Iishvara Praidhána), Anujiṋá (Dhyána) and Avikalpa (Sahaja). Thus, the liilá of the Supreme Lord (Táraka Brahma) in the form of Lord Shiva or Lord Krśńa remained beyond them because they rejected the mission of these Dharma Gurus to fight Adharma of superstition, exploitation and inequality.
Hence, the priests freely exploited the helpless people mercilessly. This is why the essential reality of most religions is that they want to go back to the past. The Christians want to go back to the era of Church rule, the Muslims want to go back to the age of the Caliphs ruled by mullahs, and the Hindus want to go back to the Puráńic Age. In this age of divisive mind viruses (pischaca negative microvita), the path forward of RAWA is crystal clear – the path of ultimate union or yoga:
“The entire universe has to be brought within the realm of your mind and made wholeheartedly your own. This indeed is the way to benediction, the way to all-round prosperity and success. This is the only path of your individual and collective survival.” (Ánanda Váńii Saḿgraha: A Collection of the Spiritual Messages of Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti)
Learning From South Asian History – Positive
It was the dogmatic rule of brahmin priests that led to the Islamic invasions, European invasions, and the brutal British rule over the entire India and other innocent communities across Asia, Africa and the Carribean. However, the ancient Tantric tradition also revolted against these barbaric trends. The Buddhist Tantrics of western Bengal revolted against all dogma. Later, the Natha yogis, who were devotees of Lord Shiva, continued in this path, rejecting all religions and accepting everyone into the path of spiritual meditation. These had a significant impact on society but not much on the ruling culture
There was, however, a Tantric challenge in the intellectual realm. The great philosopher and devotee, Shrii Utpaladeva of Kashmir, created the philosophy of Pratyabhijiṋána. He simply elaborately refuted the doctrines of the Buddhist idealists by referring to one fundamental fact of human life – human memory. We can say that the world is a relative truth, not an absolute truth. We can say that the human mind is also a relative truth, not an absolute truth. But how are we able to remember? The ultimate truth is that there is a Singular, Universal Entity who is the sole witness and experience – Lord Shiva. This was not the Lord Shiva of mythology and temples, but the Lord Shiva experienced in the realm of the Soul of one’s soul (Paramátman, Macrocosmic Nucleus)
However, this religious exploitation led to something even unique in history – the Bhakti Revolution. Basava, the founder of the Lingayat revolution in Karnataka, was a Shiva Tantric, social revolutionary who created a new Kannada cultural revolution based on ardent love for Lord Shiva. This movement became a vast phenomenon of many saints in many samajas (socio-cultural ecoregions) of South Asia. Questioning, revolting against religious authority in many languages, the saints created a literary, social and cultural renaissance. Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti summarizes:
“So those who are spiritual aspirants should very carefully keep themselves away, rather keep themselves aloof, from these so-called approaches of spirituality, rather, from these dogmas. In the past there was dogma; in the Middle Ages it reached its zenith; and in the Middle Ages of the human era, of human history, there was a revolt against dogma. That first revolt against dogma was a psychic approach, a psycho-spiritual approach, of devotionalism. And that we find in certain Bhágavata shástras [scriptures], where they say that no physical show is required for the devotional approach. For the devotional approach, nothing external is required; nothing external is required to be done. And because it is the supreme pinnacle of devotional approach, you should remember that it is yours, because Parama Puruśa is cent per cent yours.” (Revolt against Dogma, Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 34)
Now what was the essence of this devotional approach? It lay in direct personal contact with the Supreme Lord (Táraka Brahma) as He has appeared in history in the form of Lord Shiva and Lord Krśńa. The realizations of the Lord by these saints are vibrant in their songs and poems. That is why, still today, those who sing them or even read them can feel that vibration. More importantly, Kabir led a movement to challenge religious dogma, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu led a kiirtana revolution against religious extremism.
Dharma Guru Ánandamúrti
Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti launched a revolution in the realm of sádhaná or spiritual practice and by His power has enabled the most ordinary person to experience the bliss of the great yogis and the devotional ecstasy of the great devotees of the past by giving them direct contact with the Supreme Stance of human Consciousness. By this, He empowers them to become Sadvipras or spiritual revolutionaries against all forms of inequality and exploitation.
He also created a vast philosophy touching every aspect of human life. Through this philosophy, the human mind moves beyond the triad of Prameya (external objects), Pramáńa (ways of knowing or awareness) and Pramátr (the limited human mind and personality). This philosophy also frees social life from narrow sentiments through the NeoHumanistic movement of universal love for all beings who are divine manifestations of Bliss. Hence, all beings have infinite rights and each human being has infinite responsibilities of loving and serving all beings. Above all, it frees the countless people suffering due to poverty by the PROUT philosophy and movement to launch a Nuclear Revolution against economic exploitation of both capitalism and communism in order to establish decentralized, regional (sámaja) economic democracies.
And to make this into reality, He has launched a Dharma Yuddha. As He explains,
“These capitalists are the unworthy sons and daughters of the Cosmic Father because they go against the principle of cosmic inheritance. They should be cured of their ailments. To fight capitalism is therefore within your goal. The seed of infinite expression lies within Dharma, but you must nourish it. Capitalists create hindrances on the path of human beings to prevent them from becoming one with the cosmos – to prevent them from becoming great. So capitalism is anti-Dharma and the actions of capitalists are also anti-Dharma…
“Each and every individual has the inborn right to enjoy our common patrimony, the mundane property. Anyone who violates this fundamental law is a vested interest. Nobody should be allowed to go against this patrimony. If anybody does so, they should be cured of their psychic ailments. The process of curing them may be termed ‘Dharma Yuddha’.” (Talks on Prout, Prout in a Nutshell Part 15)
He has also created a cultural revolution by giving 5018 songs in 8 years. These songs will usher in not just a second and a Genuine Bengal Renaissance but a Renaissance Universe in every language and culture of the world. It is this Cosmic Cultural Revolution that will save humanity from the nihilism of Postmodern capitalism and the barbarism of religious hatred. He explains this Mission so beautifully, saying,
“The aim of all artistic creation is to impart joy and bliss. Those who serve the people by bestowing this bliss cannot in their daily lives remain aloof from commonplace events, from pleasure and pain, smiles and tears. Literature must remain inseparably associated with the men and women of the soil of this earth, and the sáhityika [enlightened litterateur] is also one of them.
“People seek deliverance from the whirlpools of darkness; they aspire to illuminate their lives and minds with light all the time. All their actions, all their feelings, express an inherent tendency to move forward; therefore, if at all they are to be offered something in this regard, the creator of art cannot remain idle or inert.
“On their journey through life human beings may sometimes stop short in fear or apprehension. Sometimes their knees give way and they sit down fatigued and frustrated. At such times the responsibility of the gifted sáhityika becomes all the more significant. And when sáhityikas sing songs inspiring them to move forward, they have to be very cautious in one respect: after every artistic creation they must look back carefully to determine whether those for whom they sang their marching songs are capable of moving forward with them, whether their thought-waves are touching the core of the peopleʼs hearts, whether their service is really doing them good. In the literary world the crown of glory goes only to those who are constantly aware of their responsibilities as sáhityikas….
It is my firm conviction that the future of humanity is not dark. Every human being will reach that inextinguishable flame that is forever alight beyond the veil of the darkness of the present – and reach it they must. Those who carry the message of that effulgent light will be forever revered by all humanity. I see in the sáhityikas and artists of today the potentiality to become such memorable and venerable people, and that is why I hold them in great regard.” (The Practice of Art and Literature, Discourses on Neohumanist Education)
RAWA Mission
To manifest this movement, on February 2nd, 1958, announced the formation of the Renaissance Artists and Writers’ Association (RAWA) was announced to infuse new life and divine light into the arts and literature. Baba said RAWA vibrates the physical world and leads the human mind from the physical world to the psychic realm and beyond. RAWA exists to lead the collective mind to the real of balance, oneness, and bliss that is called Pramá and thus liberates literature and the collective psychology from the pathologies of debasing culture created based on absorption in the Prameya (objectivity, psycho-physical parallelism), the Pramátr (shallow, selfish subjectivity, narcissism) and the Pramáńa (matrix of relations between these two). Literature and art are then based on the Author and listener/reader identification and loving play with the endless, diverse, wondrous and blissful drama of the Supreme Witness, the Supreme Narrator – Supreme voice of our own heart of hearts.
RAWA has the following objectives:
1) To develop the finer faculties of the human mind through music, drama, song, dance, poetry, etc.
2) To promote the ideal of “service and blessedness”
3) To improve the psycho-spiritual development of society through art and literature
4) To popularise Prabhat Samgiita through cassettes, CDs, concerts, etc.
5) To establish RAWA clubs enabling artistes of all types to socialise, communicate, organise concerts, art exhibitions, research new art forms, etc. To help purchase equipment to be used by the members of RAWA.
6) To encourage the subtler branches of art.
7) To bring change in social values through art.
8) To organise fundraising programmes.
9) To protect the artist from commercial exploitation.
10) To suggest solutions to the outstanding problems of human society through art and literature.
11) To inculcate the ethical and spiritual values of life in human society.
12) To create a proper psychological environment for the establishment of universalism by staging a powerful crusade against all sectarianisms.
13) To arrest the trend of excessive commercialization of modern art and literature, and to create a healthy trend of utilizing both art and literature for the growth and evolution of human civilization.
14) To create a strong moral movement through art and literature against all sorts of immoral forces responsible for the degradation of modern society.
15) To provide encouragement and opportunity to the new generation of writers and artists by creating a powerful literary movement based on the higher values of life.
16) To attend to the various social, political, and economic handicaps confronting talented writers and artists.
17) To inculcate a positive philosophy of life in the society, which is presently haunted by negative and pessimistic outlooks.
18) To propagate basic theoretical and practical knowledge of masterpieces of classical literature (in the local, national language as well as in other languages), song, dance and instrumental music amongst the common people through seminars, clubs, training sessions and media programmes. This will, above all, include propagating knowledge of how to sing Prabhata Samgiita as well as guidance in understanding the meaning of the songs.
RAWA consists of the following Sub-Sections:
i) Artists’ and Painters’ Association
ii) Dramatists’ and Cinema-Artists’ Association
iii) Musicians’ and Dancers’ Association
iv) Writers’ Association
v) Journalists’ Association
RAWA Artists’ and Painters’ Association
Functions:
1) To raise funds through public collections for the economic security of the artists.
2) To impart proper training in the higher art and painting of members and to search for markets.
3) To act as a liaison between the member-artists and institutions patronizing fine arts and paintings and those devoted to training in fine arts.
4) To make provisions for the employment of the member-artists.
5) To deal with socio-political problems confronting the member-artists,
6) To arrange for mass education to arouse public interest in art and to change the attitude about art.
RAWA Dramatists’ and Cinema-Artists’ Association (also Photography)
Functions:
1) To produce progressive dramas, films and plays in conformity with the ideology of RAWA, thereby fighting against obscene plays, dramas, films and photography.
2) To construct theatre halls, cinema hallsand studios to be run as cooperatives.
3) To train the younger generation in staging dramas, films and plays.
4) To fight against all sorts of corruption in the field of drama and cinema.
5) To raise funds through public collection to provide the poor and at the same time talented actors and actresses with financial help.
6) To encourage the open-air theatre, folklore and folk songs.
RAWA Musicians’ and Dancers’ Association
Functions:
1) To produce progressive music, songs and dances in conformity with the ideology of RAWA, thereby fighting against obscene music and dance.
2) To construct theatre halls and studios on a cooperative basis.
3) To train the younger generation in producing music and dance.
4) To raise funds through public collection to subsidize performances, recordings, written music and choreography of economically handicapped musicians and dancers.
5) To search for employment for unemployed musicians, singers, and dancers.
RAWA Writers’ Association
Functions:
1) To conduct a weekly literary sitting to find the best talent.
2) To raise funds through public collection to publish the books of economically handicapped writers.
3) To act as a liaison between writers and magazines or periodicals.
4) To inspire the members to write progressive literature for the psycho-spiritual development of the human race and to take effective steps to boost universal brotherhood.
5) To fight against the immoral tendencies in literature and to take effective steps for the enrichment of literature and language.
6) Mass education for the development of a new attitude towards literature.
7) To search for literary talents among the younger generation through educational institutions.
8) To popularize the great literature of the past (in particular spiritual – yogic, bhakti, sufi, mystical) amongst the general public using all media and special programmes.
9) To popularize poetry among the public by organizing Poetry Day on the birth anniversary of great poets in schools, official events presided over by the local dignitaries.
RAWA Journalists’ Association
Functions:
1) To create new journalists through proper training. This includes arousing social, economic, moral, cultural, educational and linguistic awareness and conscience via proper education.
2) To search for employment for unemployed journalists.
3) To fight for the just causes and grievances of journalists.
4) To fight for absolute freedom of the press.
5) To keep the member-journalists informed about the different systems of journalism of the world.
6) To provide economic protection to other economically handicapped journalists.
7) To fight against sectarianism, communalism, and casteism, and to promote the cause of universalism through the use of the press.
8) To make journalism an effective medium for mass communications and the right type of social, political and economic education.
Goal of RAWA Revolution
The goal of the Renaissance Universal movement of the RAWA cultural movement is the upliftment of humanity from the degradation caused by capitalist exploitation, the True Enlightenment of the human mind by establishing it in the realm of divine love. Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti reveals,
“The feeling that is at work behind aesthetic science is nothing but pleasure. But what is behind this pleasure? I like this flower. I take delight in a particular arrangement. I feel amused with a special style of speaking. This is how dramas came into being and how human beings invented recitation. When this pleasure fills my mind, ́Iʼ becomes the subject or possessive case, and that which enthralls me becomes the objective case. When such a state of affairs continues, a stage is reached when that Entity feels that ́Iʼ am dear to him. Thus the reverse occurs. If this stage continues over a considerable length of time, one loses oneself. As long as I enjoy, my unit existence persists. As I exist, I can enjoy, and when I lose myself, when ́Iʼ becomes dear to that Entity, when ́Iʼ becomes the source of joy to that Entity, a stage is finally reached when my unit existence is completely lost in that Entity. The losing of oneself, the state of being lost or as a matter of fact, the beginning of the process of losing oneself to the very source of joy, is known as mohana vijiôána, or the science of supra-aesthetics. And the Entity to whom we lose ourselves is Mohana, or the embodiment of enchantment. Parama Puruśa is Mohana as He enchants one and all. Had not Parama Puruśa enchanted the world, no one would have wanted to live here.
“Can you imagine the gravity of the countless problems in the world? Exasperated at the acute problems, human beings would have bidden goodbye to the world and fled. But one fails to do this because one has come under the overwhelming influence of Mohana, i.e., Parama Puruśa and thus has become unable to flee from this world. Even if one does not like this world, one somehow remains here due to love for Parama Puruśa. And when one falls in love with Parama Puruśa, and when one is dear to Parama Puruśa, where will one go? For this very reason it has been said that human beings invented Dharma as a result of their love for Mohana, or due to falling into His charming clutches. In this way, Dharma or spirituality first appeared in human life.” (Aesthetic Science and Saḿgiita, Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 17)
And to enable every single human being on this planet to enjoy this science of divine charm (Mohana) the PROUT’s founder, Dharma Guru (Preceptor of spiritual righteousness) Ánandamúrti launched the Dharma Yuddha (War) of today against all forms of capitalism – religious, state (communist) and corporate. And the foundation of this war is the revolution of Divine Love in Prabháta Saḿgiita. Since this is a vast topic, we will just look at one single, so-called social song to explain this – the revolutionary song of PROUT (Progressive Utilisation Theory).
4795 E GÁN THÁMIBE NÁ
E DÁBI DAMIBE NÁ
PATH BENDHE DILO ÁLOKOJJVALA
PROUT́ERA PREŚAŃÁ
SAHYA KARECHI YUGA YUGA DHARE
SAHYER SIIMÁ GELO BHENGE PAŔE
DÁNAV ÁJIO BHRUBHAUNGI KARE
NIITIVÁDII UNMANÁ
PÚRVA DIGANTE ARUŃ ESECHE
KÁLER KÁLIMÁ SARIYÁ JE GECHE
VIŚÁDERA PAR ÁLOK JHARICHE
ÁR DERI SAHIBE NÁ
This song shall not end,
This resolve shall not suppressed
The path is inspired
By PROUT’s dazzling radiance.
We have been tolerating so much for ages and ages,
Now, the limits of tolerance are broken.
Even today demons are browbeating
And the moralists are restless.
On the eastern horizon rises the sun,
The pall of gloom is dispelled.
After poisonous pollution
Yonder cascades light
We shall not stand any further delay.
The English words do not at all convey the lyricism, simplicity and ardour of the original Bengali. Please listen to the music here
Listening to this, one surprisingly feels that this is such a tender, sweet song. This is the hallmark of the RAWA and PROUT revolution – it is based on the increasing sweetness and sublimity of the human personality.
However, in history, we have seen Peasant Revolts involving much barbarism and violence due to the barbarism of the ruling regime. In the French Revolutio,n we saw revolutionaries become more sadistic and totalitarian than the monarchy ever was. Right from the start in Russia with Chernshevsky, we saw the image of a revolutionary as a soulless killer. This culture was developed in the name of the practical nature of fighting against a brutal exploiter. The end result is that when the revolutionaries come to power, they have been barbarized due to this struggle and due to meditating on the crimes and personality of their oppressor. Henc,e the cycle of violence and exploitation continues and increases during their new regime.
This is why a Renaissance Universal, a RAWA revolution is so crucial, because it ensures that revolutionaries will be created who will not just be noble human beings, but will be enlightened beings who will transcend the realm of duality (of subject, object and the matrix of relations) due to the power of their spiritual mediation, service and sacrifice. This is an inner revolution in the collective mind of each civilisation and of humanity as a whole on this planet. In every language, the acoustic, spiritual foundation must be developed. This involves understanding the acoustic roots (biija mantras) of each letter of the alphabet and also of the sounds of conjunct sounds – filed that is now called phonosemantics. This investigation is based on the Tantric spiritual practice of realising divine sounds within oneself that are associated with specific mental propensities (vrttis) and certain cakras (vital psycho-spiritual plexi). In addition, since Sanskrit is both the language of the microcosm (cakras) and of the Macrocosm (Oṋm), RAWA seeks to introduce new vocabulary based on Sanskrit in all languages (Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, German, etc.). This has been ongoing in Eastern Africa for centuries. However, with regard to Latin-derived languages, Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti states in the treatise (Varńa Vijiṋána, Discourse 19):
“Many of the rules of Latin are similar to those of Vedic. Many verbal roots have found a place in Latin; the prefixes and suffixes are also in accordance with Vedic. This close relationship between the two languages is especially noticeable when it comes to their vocabularies. Latin’s style of pronunciation is also not far removed from Vedic. Hence, if a Vedic vocabulary list is added to Latin a new dictionary will be created.”
The science of Saîgiita – song, dance and instrumental music in the form of Ragas and Raginis developed by Lord Shiva is also based on rudimental spirituality (Tantra). Furthermore, the classical music and dance of Southeast Asian cultures such as Javanese, Thai and Cambodian are heavily influenced by Indian traditions while developing their own unique characteristics. Flamenco music of Hispanic cultures is based on the Indian raga system but is also influenced by the music of Europe and South America. Hence, more such musical blendings are part of RAWA. This applies especially to spiritual musical traditions such as found in China, Japan, Aboriginal Australia, Peru, Paraguay, Turkey, Jamaica and so many African countries like Malawi, Gabon and Ethiopia. Even undeveloped or colonially victimised cultures can blend their local music based on a new system of ragas as per their local civilisation. Since Indian dance’s emphasis on subtle gestures or mudras, which is also based on Tantra and bhakti (aesthetics of mystical love), this fundamental science can be transcreated and adapted around the world. The word mudra literally means that which gives subtle joy (mud). Just as mudra-based dances of diverse kinds have evolved in South and Southeast Asia, RAWA seeks to evolve further dance cultures by blending various local dances with mudras. Thus, we see that RAWA an omnidimensional Noumenal Cultural Revolution.
The revolutionary cells that are formed to create this inner or Noumenal revolution in the collective psychology are called Bábá Parimańd́ala Gośt́hi, which means a Tantrically empowered circle (mańd́ala) of ardently loving devotees or mystics dedicated to singing and loving the Supreme Beloved or Noumenal Darling (Baba) who is the culmination of Pramá. Culturally, this means creating new songs, dances and art that spread the ambience of this ecstasy. And above all, it involves creating new literature based on Pramá or the state of inner synthesis where all thoughts, objects, feelings, sentiments, intuitions merge into one singular flow of bliss and love – literature rooted in the loving awareness of the Supreme Beloved who is the Soul of our souls. That is the ultimate power and delight of the Cosmic Revolutionary – the Sadvipra. And to create and celebrate this delight is the Mission of RAWA. This is why the Revealer of RAWA has said
“It is my firm conviction that the future of humanity is not dark. Every human being will reach that inextinguishable flame that is forever alight beyond the veil of the darkness of the present – and reach it they must. Those who carry the message of that effulgent light will be forever revered by all humanity. I see in the sáhityikas and artists of today the potentiality to become such memorable and venerable people, and that is why I hold them in great regard. (The Practice of Art and Literature, A Few Problems Solved Part 1)