A Study of Indian Culture and Society (London and New
York: Oxford University Press, 1971).
pratyahara See YOGA SUTRA.
pratyaksha See PRAMANA.
Prayag See ALLAHABAD.
Premananda, Swami See SELF-REVELATION
CHURCH OF ABSOLUTE MONISM.
prithivi
Prithivi is earth, one of the five ELEMENTS (mahab-
hutas) of reality. The word is also a name of the
earth goddess in the Vedas. In the RIG VEDA and
ATHARVA VEDA prithivi, or the “Earth,” is called
the mother, while the sky is considered father.
Together they are frequently called parents, or
even the parents of the gods; frequently the Sun
is mentioned as their child. The Earth is seen as
protecting, sustaining, and nourishing but is only
rarely referred to without reference to the sky.
In later Hindu mythology the earth goddess was
called Bhumi Devi.
Further reading: Ralph R. T. Griffith, The Rig Veda
(New York: Motilal Banarsidass, 1992); Marta Van-
nucci, Ecological Readings in the Veda (New Delhi: D. K.
Print World, 1994).
PROUT (est. 1959)
PROUT is an acronym for PROgressive Utilization
Theory, a socioeconomic philosophy developed by
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (1923–90), better known
to the world as Sri Sri ANANDAMURTI, the founder
of the ANANDA MARGA YOGA SOCIETY. Sarkar saw
PROUT as an alternative to both capitalism and
communism, the major economic systems of the
20th century. Sarkar suggested that both capitalism
and communism had failed to address the mental
and spiritual needs of humankind. He called for
a balance between more abstract concerns, such
as economic growth, social development, and
environmental sustainability, and individual and
collective human interests.
Sarkar assumed that humanity is heading
toward the experience of a higher consciousness
as part of the essence of the race’s evolution. Mate-
rial and intellectual gains lose their significance
unless accompanied by spiritual progress. He
advocated a decentralized economy with decision
making in the hands of local people. The democ-
ratization of economic power implied that there
would be strict limits on the individual accumula-
tion of wealth.
Alongside the decentralization of economic
life, Sarkar saw the need for a world governance
system, including a global bill of rights, consti-
tution, and common penal code. Such a world
government would institute many of the values
he advocated, such as guaranteed necessities of
life for all people, moral and principled leaders
dedicated to the service of society, individual
freedom, cultural diversity, and equal rights for
women.
The PROUT system has gained some support
from a few intellectuals, but has yet to find imple-
mentation on a large scale.Further reading: Ravi Batra, The Downfall of Capi-
talism and Communism: Can Capitalism Be Saved?
(Richardson, Tex.: Liberty Press, 1990); ———, Great
American Deception: What Politicians Won’t Tell You
about Our Economy and Your Future (New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 1996); Dada Maheshvarananda, After
Capitalism: PROUT’s Vision for a New World (Wash-
ington, D.C.: Proutist Universal Publications, 2003);
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, Universal Humanism: Selected
Social Writings of P. R. Sarkar. Edited by Timothy G.
Anderson (Washington, D.C.: Proutist Universal Pub-
lications, 1983).PROUT 335 J