SHRII PRABHAT RANJAN SARKAR PROUT IN A NUTSHELL VOLUME FOUR SHRII PRABHAT RANJAN SARKAR The pratiika (Ananda Marga emblem) represents in a visual way the essence of Ananda Marga ideology. The six-pointed star is composed of two equilateral triangles. The triangle pointing upward represents action, or the outward flow of energy through selfless service to humanity. The triangle pointing downward represents knowledge, the inward search for spiritual realization through meditation. The sun in the centre represents advancement, all-round progress. The goal of the aspirant’s march through life is represented by the swastika, a several-thousand-year-old symbol of spiritual victory. PROUT IN A NUTSHELL VOLUME FOUR Second Edition SHRII PRABHAT RANJAN SARKAR Prout in a Nutshell was originally published simultaneously in twenty-one parts and seven volumes, with each volume containing three parts, © 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 by Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saîgha (Central). The same material, reorganized and revised, with the omission of some chapters and the addition of some new discourses, is now being published in four volumes as the second edition. This book is Prout in a Nutshell Volume Four, Second Edition, © 2020 by Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saîgha (Central). Registered office: Ananda Nagar, P.O. Baglata, District Purulia, West Bengal, India All rights reserved by the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. First edition edited by: Ácárya Vijayánanda Avadhúta and Párthasárathi Second edition edited by: Ácárya Vijayánanda Avadhúta, Párthasárathi, Ácárya Acyutánanda Avadhúta and Ácárya Vimalánanda Avadhúta ISBN Electronic Edition: 978-81-941215-3-4 (Volume Four) ISBN Electronic Edition: 978-81-941215-4-1 (Set of four volumes) Published by: Ácárya Hariishánanda Avadhúta Publications Secretary (Central) Ananda Marga Publications Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saîgha (Central) CONTENTS Roman Saîskrta xi Publisher’s Note xv 1. Trade and Barter in Ancient Bengal 29 2. Dynamic Equilibrium and Equipoise 34 3. Questions and Answers on Pramá 46 4. Neoethics of Multilateral Salvation 52 5. Various Forms of Government 58 6. The Rule of Rationality 65 7. Economic Dynamics 68 8. The Theory of Microvita and Its Possible Effects on Human Society 79 9. Service Psychology and Group Psychology 86 10. Afforestation 91 11. Questions and Answers on Society – 2 93 12. Questions and Answers on Economics 102 13. Geology and Human Civilization 110 14. Economic Depressions 124 15. Cooperatives 126 16. Integrated Farming 144 17. Leadership 163 18. The Speciality of the Fifth Fundamental Principle of Prout 167 19. A Short History of Ireland 173 20. Religious Dogma 178 21. Defects of Communism 195 22. Development Programmes 203 23. Democracy and Group-Governed States 207 24. Mass Murder 212 25. Some Important Events in the Early History of Ananda Marga 216 26. Cooperative Production 219 27. Contai Basin Planning 227 28. Feudalism and the Zamindary System 236 29. The Existential Value of Ideology 241 30. Gorkhaland 248 31. Jammu and Kashmir 253 32. The Civil Disobedience Movement 256 33. Decentralized Economy – 2 258 34. Three Types of Occupation 263 35. Acquire Proper Force 267 36. Three Cardinal Socio-Political Principles 272 37. Teachers and Students 282 38. Greater Bengal 285 39. Some Development Programmes for Bengal 289 40. Bangladesh 295 41. A Scriptological and Linguistic Survey of the World 303 42. The Original Inhabitants of Bengal 321 43. Water Conservation 323 44. Multi-Purpose Development Schemes 337 45. Northeastern India 345 46. South Bengal 356 47. Bihar 361 48. The Significance of Language 381 49. Minimum Requirements and Maximum Amenities 390 50. Prout and Neohumanism 405 51. Master Units 411 52. Suppression, Repression and Oppression 415 53. The Excellence of God-Centred Philosophy 424 54. The Coming Ice Age 432 55. Move with Ever-Accelerating Speed 438 56. Socio-Economic Life Is a Biological Structure 441 57. Guidelines for Some Faculties of Gurukul 446 58. The Evolution of Indian Languages 452 59. Intoxicants 464 60. The Dangers of Communalism 468 Glossary 475 ROMAN SAÎSKRTA Realizing the necessity of writing swiftly and of pronouncing the words of different languages correctly, the undernoted Roman Saîskrta (Sanskrit) alphabet has been adopted. Those not familiar with either the Devanágrii alphabet or the Bengali alphabet below, please see the pronunciation key on page xii. xii a á b c ì d e g h i j k l m î n ò ô o p r s ï t í u ú v y It is possible to pronounce the Saîskrta, or Sanskrit, language with the help of only twenty-nine letters of Roman script. The letters “f”, “q”, “qh”, “z”, etc., are required in the Arabic, Persian, and various other languages, but not in Saîskrta. “ìa” and “ìha”, occurring in the middle of a word or at the end of a word, are pronounced “óa” and “óha”, respectively. Like “ya”, they are not independent letters. When the need arises in writing non-Saîskrta words, “óa” and “óha” may be written. Letters newly added to the Bengali alphabet in order to render certain words of foreign languages: qua qhua za óa óha fa ya lra t aô SANSKRIT PRONUNCIATION KEY This key is a guide to the pronunciation of the Sanskrit words in this book. In the cases of those words of other languages (such as Bengali and Hindi) romanized in this book, the pronunciations will be similar but not exactly the same. a = “a” in “mica” á = “a” in “father” i = “i” in “folio” ii = somewhat prolonged i u = “u” in “lute” ú = somewhat prolonged u r (alone or followed by consonant) = ri in Spanish carido rr = rri in Spanish corrida lr = l +ri xiii lrr = l + rri e = “e” in “cachet” ae = “ai” in “kaiser” o = “o” in “open” ao = “au” in “sauerkraut” î = a nasalization of the preceding vowel, sometimes similar to “ng” in “sung” h (following vowel, but not followed by a vowel) = aspirated version of the vowel, or ha sound appended to the vowel. E.g., vah = either va with aspiration (expelling breath), or vaha sound. kh, gh, ch, jh, íh, ìh, th, dh, ph = aspirated versions of consonants (expelling breath) uôa = nasalized “wa” (“a” in “mica”). Combining form uô before k, kh, g, gh = “n” pronounced naturally for that location. iôa = nasalized “ya” (“a” in “mica”). Combining form iô before c, ch, j, jh = “n” pronounced naturally for that location. í = cerebral “t” (tip of tongue touches centre of palate) ì = cerebral “d” (tip of tongue touches centre of palate) ò = cerebral “n” (tip of tongue touches centre of palate) t = dental “t” (tip of tongue touches upper teeth) d = dental “d” (tip of tongue touches upper teeth) y at beginning of word =“j” in “jump”. In middle of word = “y” in “you”. v at beginning of word =“v” in “victory”. In middle of word = “w” in “awaken”. sh = palatal “s” (tip of tongue touches back of palate), “sh” in “shall” or “ss” in “issue” ï = cerebral “s” (tip of tongue touches centre of palate), “sh” in “shun” or “bush” kï = either aspirated version of “k” (expelling breath), or “k” + “sh” ô (preceded by vowel other than i or u) = nasalization of vowel jiôa = “gya” (“a” in “mica”) jiôá = “gya” (“a” in “father”) PUBLISHER’S NOTE Prout, an acronym for Progressive Utilisation Theory, is a comprehensive socio-economic philosophy developed by the author from the beginning of 1955 until his death in October 1990. The author defined Progressive Utilization Theory as the “progressive utilization of all factors” and those who support this principle as “Proutists”. Prout, however, is more than just a theory or philosophy. It is also a social movement based on spiritual culture, a model of a socio-economic system, a vision of the good society and a practice. And, as the author himself once indicated, Prout is also a universal resource, capable of finding a just and rational solution whenever it is properly applied to a socio-economic problem. In essence, Prout aims to establish a new social system. In the discourse “Dialectical Materialism and Democracy”, which is contained in Volume Two of this series, the author explains that the social system that will come into being will maintain adjustment and harmony with time, space and person. It will move step by step towards establishment in spirituality, without regard to any ism. For a discussion on the reasons why the author propounded Prout, the history of the term “Prout”, the origins of the Prout in a Nutshell series, and how best to study Prout, see the Publisher’s Note in Volume One. This book is Prout in a Nutshell Volume Four, Second Edition. The second edition of the series contains four volumes and twenty parts, with each volume containing five parts. This volume contains Part 16 to Part 20. It spans the period from the beginning of 1987 to October 1990, and contains sixty chapters. It also contains four new chapters that were not included in the first edition of the series: “Socio-Economic Life Is a Biological Structure”, “Some Important Events in the Early xvi History of Ananda Marga”, “Acquire Proper Force” and “Guidelines for Some Faculties of Gurukul”. Details about the source of each of the discourses in this volume are set out at the end of the Publisher’s Note. Part 16 to Part 20, based on the Contents, are divided as follows: Part 16: “Trade and Barter in Ancient Bengal” (chapter 1) to “Geology and Human Civilization” (chapter 13); Part 17: “Economic Depressions” (chapter 14) to “Democracy and Group-Governed States” (chapter 23); Part 18: “Mass Murder” (chapter 24) to “Bangladesh” (chapter 40); Part 19: “A Scriptological and Linguistic Survey of the World” (chapter 41) to “The Significance of Language” (chapter 48); and Part 20: “Minimum Requirements and Maximum Amenities” (chapter 49) to “The Dangers of Communalism” (chapter 60).