The publication of the present sixth English edition of Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 1 coincides, by design, with the publication of fresh editions in Bengali and Hindi. An identical content, as well as an identical ordering of chapters, has now been established among the three languages. This occasion merits a look back at the history of the Caryácarya series.

Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti, the founder, propounder and preceptor of the Ananda Marga movement, constructed the Ananda Marga trishástra – that is, its dharma shástra (spiritual treatise), its darshan shástra (philosophical treatise) and its samája shástra (social treatise) – from the perspective of Ananda Marga’s monistic philosophy. Parts 1, 2 and 3 of Ananda Marga Caryácarya (caryácarya means “code”) constitute the samája shástra. Part 1 sets forth, among other things, guidelines for social functions and ceremonies, such as those for naming an infant, for entering a new house, for giving an invitation, for marriage, for cremation, for tree planting, and for a number of socio-spiritual festivals.

The author wrote the original Caryácarya in 1956, almost immediately after the Ananda Marga mission was founded. Then in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s, the author added directives for the further benefit of followers of the Marga. Sometimes the new material would make its appearance in the edition of one language, sometimes in the edition of another language. Naturally there came to be a slight variation in content among the different editions. A few printing mistakes also crept in.

With the growth of the organization and the spread of the Ananda Marga ideology to different countries, it became necessary to translate all the Ananda Marga books – with the Caryácarya series as a top priority – into the major languages of the world. Considering the need for uniformity among so many languages, and the importance of precision in all languages, the Central Committee of Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saḿgha unanimously passed a resolution that identical versions of Caryácarya Part 1, free from all defects, be published in Bengali, Hindi and English, and that those versions (with Bengali as the definitive version) be the basis for translation into other languages.⁽¹⁾

Accordingly the Central Committee, meeting on 3 and 4 June 1995, thoroughly compared previous editions of the book in the three languages, and agreed unanimously on a model manuscript that drew together those different editions. Thereafter, three members of the Committee were authorized to prepare final drafts for publication: Ác. Shambhúshivánanda Avt. for the English, Ác. Prańavánanda Avt. for the Hindi, and Ác. Vijayánanda Avt. for the Bengali. The present volume, in the case of English, is the outcome of that collective endeavour. We hope that this book will serve the author’s intention in providing a range of guidelines for society, and in assisting individuals to conduct spiritual and social functions within their families.

The “Concluding Words” that follow the last chapter of the book were set down by the author in a handwritten Bengali document that still survives. They were used to conclude the first edition or two in Bengali, Hindi and English; but in all cases they were used incompletely. Herewith, in the present Bengali, Hindi and English editions, these words appear for the first time in their complete form.

Footnotes by the translators have all been signed “–Trans.” Unsigned footnotes are those of the author.

Square brackets [   ] in the text are used to indicate translations by the editor-translators or other editorial insertions. Round brackets (   ) indicate a word or words originally given by the author.

The translation of the shloka beginning Sarve’tra sukhinah bhavantu on page 65 is the translation that the author used at the end of a discourse on 4 June 1989. The translation has been treated as an editorial translation, however, since it was given in a context other than that of this book.

Footnotes

(1) “The Bengali edition of Caryácarya 1, 2 and 3 should be updated, reconciling [all parts] with the latest English edition. Thereafter these should be translated into English, Hindi and other languages from the original Bengali in order to avoid any mistake in earlier translations.” (CC Resolutions, 3/1/91, Calcutta)
“A new edition of Caryácarya Part 1 shall be published at the earliest. A thorough review of Hindi/Bengali/English versions of the book shall be completed to assure that they [the books] are consistent and proper.” (CC Resolutions, 31/5/95, Anandanagar)