Ananda Marga - Literary Production

Literary Production

The Ananda Marga literary production is very wide and is largely related to the books of P. R. Sarkar and from many of his disciples. Between 1955 and 1990 the founder of AMPS wrote a total of 261 books in English, Bengali and Hindi. He wrote in the name Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar when treating sociology, economics, philology and various other subjects, included children's tales; and in the name Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti when focusing on spiritual topics. Many of his books he gave as dictations; others were compiled from his discourses, some of them in small inspirational pocket-books.

The first book of Ananda Marga was Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy. It was originally published in Bengali in the year 1955 (the same year the book was translated in Hindi and later on published in English). This book continues to hold its place as an introduction to the entire AMPS philosophy. In the same year Sarkar's Problems of the Day was published. In the book the author explains key concepts of his ideas: "We are all citizens of this universe. The universe is the thought-projection of the Macrocosmic Mind, and it is in the extroversial and introversial phases of the Cosmic imaginative flow that the creation, preservation and destruction of all entities continues." "Parama Purusa (Supreme Consciouness) is our Father, Parama Prakrti (Supreme Operative Principle) is our Mother, and the Universe is our homeland". Another important book in three volumes is Ananda Marga Caryácarya, published for the first time in 1956. This is the social treatise (samája shástra) of Ananda Marga. These three volumes set out both the organization and the cultural basis of the Ananda Marga movement. Part 1 describes AMPS governing boards and committees, and guidelines for social functions. Part 2 gives many guidelines for conduct in a progressive society i.e., a society of individuals moving towards the Supreme. Part 3 contains all the dos and don'ts related to physical health that must be followed for progress in mental and spiritual sádhaná.

The fourth book dictated on 1957 from Sarkar as Anandamurti was A Guide to Human Conduct. Herein the author explains the cardinal principles of morality together with the ancient teachings of self– control and selfless conduct, and at the same time places those principles on a clear scientific basis. On his (later expanded) volume Yogic Treatment and Natural Remedies, 1958, Sarkar gives practical advices on Natural Remedies using yogic exercise, water, diet, herbal medicines, sunlight and air. In his sixth book Idea and Ideology, a collection of speeches delivered to higher Tattvika trainees from 27 May 1959 to 5 June 1959, Sarkar methodically explains, in a careful sequence, spiritual and social practices. Here is described for the first time a socio-economic theory which Sarkar called "Progressive Utilization Theory", known by the acronym Prout. It concludes by using the spiritual vantage that has been gained to focus on the social problems of the earth.

On Ánanda Sútram, 1961, Anandamurti condensed in a few strokes all his spiritual and social Philosophy. Ánanda Sútram means "aphorisms leading to ánanda, divine bliss. In the traditions of sutra literature the sútra form has been valued over the centuries as a powerful tool for communicating a deep philosophy in a condensed way. The eighty–five sútras of this book serve, with breathtaking conciseness, as a framework for the entire Ananda Marga ideology.

A large part of Sarkar's ideas are collected in the series of books called Subháśita Samgraha, which form part of the philosophical scriptures of Ánanda Márga ideology. The Subhásita Samgraha ("Collected Discourses") series assembles all the Dharma Mahácakra (DMC) discourses given by the author as Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti.