Word: marga
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...disastrous Sunday, Korchnoi lost twice to Karpov in the space of an hour. The anguished challenger fled to Manila, where he encountered Steven Michael Dwyer and Victoria Sheppard, members of Ananda Marga, a yoga-practicing Indian sect. The two young Americans were out on bail, appealing a conviction for stabbing an Indian embassy official. Korchnoi struck up a friendship with the saffron-robed duo, who prescribed yoga exercises, including headstands, as a remedy for his tension. Back in Baguio City, with the yoga experts in tow, Korchnoi mounted a surprising offensive, winning four of the next 14 games, to even...
Such tumult ill fits a religious group that calls itself Ananda Marga (the Path of Bliss). But its desperate devotees believe Indian authorities are conspiring to crush the sect and kill their imprisoned guru, P.R. Sarkar, by poison and mistreatment. The government has Sarkar in jail awaiting trial on the charge of abetting the murder of six defectors from his faith. It also claims that Ananda Marga is really a dangerous political organization...
Shocked. In truth, as practiced by Indian members of Ananda Marga, the path to bliss does seem to lead through byways usually avoided by otherworldly Indian religious sects. Sarkar, 52, a Bengali who is called Anandamurti (Bliss Personified) by his followers, was variously a newspaperman and railway clerk before he began raising disciples in 1955. Shocked by graft and corruption then, he now preaches self-liberation, not only through yoga but also through sweeping social reforms. Among them: absolute morality in government, and a guaranteed standard of living...
...government has described the sect as everything from anarchist to fascist. Certainly Ananda Marga is profoundly political; its political wing ran several unsuccessful candidates in the 1971 elections. But officials refuse to explain the case until Sarkar is tried. Sarkar has languished in prison for 16 months with only a pretrial hearing, and because murder is involved the courts have denied him bail three times. Such court snarls are common in India, but until Sarkar is proved guilty or innocent, both sides are likely to go on thinking-or doing-the worst...
...mention the Ananda Marga Yoga Society, which teaches just the balance of spiritual and worldly life called for in the article...