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Human progress has been steadily increasing in speed. Progress during the last two hundred years has been very fast in comparison to that in the preceding three hundred years. In education and culture, in dress and food habits, in mode of living, in transport and communication, there has been a fast and tremendous change, with great speed. Wearing habits have changed. Terylene, terycotton, nylon, bush-shirts, hats have become the fashion of the day. Bullock carts, hackney coaches and ferry-boats have been replaced by speedy conveyances such as motor cars, trains and planes.
People were carefree on elephants’ backs, but they are sufficiently careful when they are driving a motor car or scooter. When going to the moon or Mars, people should be sufficiently cautious. The body and mind should be properly adjusted. This is called environmental adjustment. Ásana, práńáyáma [yogic postures and breathing], etc., help us in this adjustment.
Punishment
Ananda Marga philosophy lays down that punishment can be given only in the social sphere, not in the spiritual sphere.
No Economic Pressure
Our philosophy clearly states that there will be no economic pressure. The dowry system, offering costly presents, offering feasts with loans, are against the social code of Ananda Marga. Economic pressure makes a person a brute.
Provision for Changes in Social Rights
For the present, social rights have been defined.(1) But for the future society, enormous scope has been given for future readjustment in case the situations so demand.
Recognition of Changes
In Ananda Marga philosophy it has always been mentioned that this universe is always subject to changes in time, space and person. So this universe cannot be accepted as eternal and unchangeable. But at the same time we do not deny the existence of the world as did Shankaracharya.
Footnotes
(1) See Caryácarya Parts 1-3, the social code of Ananda Marga. –Trans.