Mahatma Gandhi: The Proponent of Non-Violence
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Bapuji, is largely called “The Father of Nation.” He was a lawyer by profession and then turned into a politician, columnist, preacher, and philosopher, whom the world respects for his theories of Non-violence movements. He revived Buddha’s ethics of ahimsa and applies it to social, economic, and political problems. He evolved a new outlook on life based on the doctrine of ahimsa (non-violence) and firmly believed that through the principle of non-violence, all social, political, and economic problems can be solved. He gave a new orientation to the problems that face humanity today and offers a new solution.
Buddhism and Jainism preached ahimsa in India long ago. Hinduism also inculcated ahimsa for the attainment of liberation from family. But they did not apply it to the social, economic, and political problems. Gandhiji says, “My contribution to the great problem lies in my presenting for acceptance of Truth (satya) and Ahimsa in every walk of life, whether for individuals, or nations,” Gandhiji was influenced by Tolstoy who believed in absolute altruism. Tolstoy maintained that the true self could be realized in acts of self-sacrifice alone and that moral goodness was identical to altruism.
His Idea of Truth (Satya)
Mahatma Gandhi is an apostle of ahimsa. The basic principle of life is based on Truth. “The word ‘Satya’ (Truth) is derived from ‘Sat’ which means being. And nothing is or exists in reality except Truth. And where there is truth, there also is knowledge, pure knowledge. And where there is true knowledge, there is always bliss.” Gandhiji gives a succinct account of his philosophy in a very simple manner. He says; “I often describe my religion as the religion of truth. The bearing of this religion on social life is or has to be seen in one’s daily social contact. To be true to such religion one has to lose oneself in continuous and continuing service of our life. Realization of Truth is impossible without a complete merging of oneself in identification with this limitless ocean of life.”
Hence, for me, there is no escape from social service; there is no happiness on earth beyond or apart from it. Social service must be taken to include every department of life. In this scheme, there is nothing low, nothing high. For, all is one, though we seem to be many. Gandhiji says, ‘God is life, He is the Supreme Good. God is truth and love’, God is fearlessness. God is the source of Light and Life, and yet He is above and beyond all these. He is the most exciting personage in the world. Therefore, it is impossible to conceive God by breaking the law. He and His Law abide everywhere and govern everything.”
His Philosophy of Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
Gandhiji is famous worldwide for his philosophy of Non-violence or ahimsa. It is not merely a negative virtue of non-killing and non-injury, but a positive virtue of doing well to others. Ahimsa is supreme kindness and supreme self-sacrifice. It is non-violence in thought, word, and deed. It is not only abstinence from killing and doing harm. It is also abstinence from causing pain through word or thought and resentment. It is non-violence in every form—in thought, word and deed. But non-violence or non-injury in thought, word, and deed constitutes the negative aspect of ahimsa. It has positive aspects, which are more important than negative aspects. It is not only a complete absence of ill-will towards mankind and sentient creation but involves over-flowing love and affection for them.
I am greatly influenced by the ahimsa concept of Gandhiji. Ahimsa means non-injury and love. God is Truth and Love. And we realize Truth by loving the whole animal world both under the water and on the earth including mankind. To clarify further it can be said that, “Ahimsa is the basis of the search for truth. The search is in vain unless it is founded on ahimsa as the basis. The only means for the realization of Truth is ahimsa (non-violence). A perfect vision of Truth can only follow a realization of ahimsa.” Without following the ahimsa no one can attain God i.e., truth. When there will be a complete absence of ahimsa from family, and society then the country will be an ideal place to live for angels (my little children, and small students). The country will be a beautiful garden of God. That is an ideal society and country for which I see the dream.
Ahimsa requires truthfulness and fearlessness. Gandhiji says, “There is only one whom we have to fear, that is God. When we fear God, we shall fear no man; and if you want to follow the vow of Truth, then fearlessness is absolutely necessary.” This doctrine of the fearless pursuit of truth is called Satyagraha (firmness in truth). Life should be ruled by the law of Truth regardless of consequences. Gandhiji considers, “Ahimsa is the means; Truth is the end. Ahimsa is our supreme duty.” He also believes, “Ahimsa and Truth are so intertwined that it is practically impossible to disentangle and separate them….Non-violence and Truth are inseparable and presuppose each other.”
His philosophy of Ahimsa is unique. He feels, “Ahimsa does not simply mean non-killing.” “Anger is the enemy of Ahimsa, and pride is a monster that swallows it up.” Ahimsa implies a conquest of anger and pride. “A Satyagrahi will always try to overcome evil by good, anger by love, untruth by truth, and by ahimsa.” Ahimsa implies an absence of hatred. Hate ought to be conquered by love. Hate is the subtlest form of violence. Hence, we must abjure hate and ill-feeling toward others. We can conquer the world through love and non-violence.
Gandhiji’s conception of non-violence is so remarkable that any person will feel attracted to it in no time. Non-violence implies truthfulness, selflessness, harmlessness, freedom from anger, pride, and hatred, love for all men and creatures, fearlessness, courage, humility, forgiveness, and absolute self-surrender to God.” Further, he feels that “One who believes in non-violence believes in a living God.” Gandhiji was influenced by Christ who says, “Love your enemies, do good to them who hate you. Bless them that curse you and pray for them, which despitefully use you.” Gandhi believes that “Hate the sin and not the sinner.” “For we are all tarred with the same brush and are children of one and the same Creator, and as such the divine powers within us are infinite. To slight a single human being is to slight those divine powers, and thus to harm not only that being but with him the whole world.”
His Idea of Satyagraha
It has been said that Gandhi’s ‘greatest gift to the world is the gospel of Satyagraha,’ which rests in turn upon what Gandhiji called ‘the two cardinal principles of truth and non-violence. But what are the implications of this gift for the modern world? When Gandhiji first coined the term in 1906 he had sought to encapsulate the concept of ‘holding on to Truth’, and in doing so he equated Satyagraha with ‘Truth-force’, ‘Love-force’, and ‘Soul-force.’ Satya is derived from the Sanskrit for truth (and ultimately God), and grah means to grab, cling to, or hold fast to. Gandhi explained that ‘The word Satya (Truth) is derived from Sat, which means ‘being.’ Nothing is or exists in reality except Truth. That is why Sat or Truth is perhaps the most important name of God. He called Ahimsa and Truth the two sides of the same coin.
Duty of a Satyagrahi
We can learn a lot from Gandhiji’s concept of Satyagrahi. This concept has so much power that it can transform the world. According to Gandhiji, a Satyagrahi must take the vow of nonpossession and voluntary poverty. Gandhi says, “A seeker after truth, a follower of the law of love, cannot hold anything against tomorrow. God never stores for the morrow. If we repose faith in His Providence, we should rest assured that He will give us every day our daily bread.” A Satyagrahi must observe the five vows of truthfulness, non-violence, non-thieving, non-possession, and sex control. Gandhi considers that “Realization of God is impossible without complete renunciation of the sexual desire.” Sex urge is a fine and noble thing. It is meant for the act of creation.
But it must be controlled, legal, and ethical. His teachings of Satyagraha, Ahimsa, and Non-violence are very relevant for our political priests and activists of contemporary India. With the following of his lessons, our leaders can turn India into a very prosperous, spiritual, and developed nation. When the top leaders will follow the teachings of Gandhiji, the middle and lower-level leaders will automatically follow the same. And only then, there would be prevailed peace, harmony, and all-round development of all people. For this purpose, politicians should be spiritual and ethical by heart, and follow the philosophy of Satyagraha and Non-violence, which is the general aspiration of the average Indian people.
