“As human begins, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world- that is the myth of the atomic age- as in being able to remake ourselves.”-Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi Ji has always been considered as the greatest freedom fighter that has followed the way of non-violence in order to set India free from the chains of slavery from British rule. Mahatma Gandhiji has played a pivotal role in the independence of India by being the prominent figure of political scenes in India. At that critical stage of Indian history when there has been a mass violation by the British Empire in India, Mahatma Gandhiji stood up against that rule and aimed to set India free from the chains of slavery. The war for independence was not to achieve political supremacy but it was aimed to have social and economic development of India which the British government was not doing.
Mahatma Gandhi Ji approach to set India free from the British government was unique as it was totally based upon the notions of Non-Violence i.e. non-injury. It was not only India who got freedom from British rule but South Africa also got freedom with the efforts of Mahatma Gandhiji. It was the innumerable efforts of Mahatma Gandhiji that India got freedom from the British government and it was their hard work and their principles that Mahatma Gandhiji has been referred as “Father of the Nation”. But in the 21st century it seems that nobody has emerged out to become like Gandhiji. Everyone remembers them on the day of Independence but the next day everyone forgets the principles of Gandhiji. We all are aware of what is happening all around the world – there has been a mass violation, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption that is still in existence. What is happening in India? Does anybody knows, well we all are aware what is going “poor are becoming more poor and rich are becoming more rich”, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption, and the increased crime rate. Whether India has got freedom in the real sense? Well, India has got freedom from the British government but India is still struggling to get freedom from poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and corruption. In our 70 years of independence does anybody has found why we are still tied in the chains of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and corruption? Perhaps nobody has followed the principles of Mahatma Gandhiji.
INTRODUCTION
“An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind” – Mahatma Gandhi
Dr. Francis Neilson referred Gandhiji as- A Diogenes in action, a Francis in Humility, a Socrates in wisdom, Gandhiji reveals to the world the utter paltriness of the methods of statesman who relies upon force to gain his end. In this way, spiritual integrity triumphs over the physical opposition of the forces of States.[1] The study of such personality is very important in today’s contemporary world in many aspects. Gandhiji personality indeed has different facets which has extended various aspects of human life and human rights. The secret of the success of Mahatma Gandhiji life was that he had given equal importance to his spiritual and material life. The power of material life was the soul force of mahatma Gandhiji principles. It was the ideals and principles based on human rights that have been followed by Gandhiji made Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi a “Mahatma”. Albert Einstein described Mahatma Gandhiji as “Greatest Man of our Times”.[2] The early personality of Mahatma Gandhiji revealed that he was very shy and this can be observed from his autobiography.
“I used to be very shy and avoided all company. My books and my lessons were my sole companions. To him at school at the stroke of the hour and to run back home as soon as the school is closed that was my daily habit. I literally ran back because I could not bear to talk to anybody. 1 was even afraid lest anyone should poke fun at me”‘.[3]
Gandhiji always believed in the transformation of society and this can only be achieved by an individual personality which is capable of doing continue work which is assigned to it. Gandhiji made the society a big laboratory where he does experiments in order to transform the society. To quote Mahatma Gandhiji own words-
“I shall work for India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their own country in whose making they have an, effective voice, an India in which there shall be no rich class and no poor class of people, an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. This is the India of my dream”.[4]
Ideas and Principles of Gandhiji
1. Political Philosophy of Gandhiji-
Gandhiji had a strong influence over politics and this is the reason that Gandhiji always believed that politics is a medium which can transform the society. Gandhiji always believed that life is whole thing. Life cannot be separated into water tight compartments like social, economic and political. According to him they are the part of same thing and life and are inseparable. He always says that “politics bereft of religion is absolute dirt and ever to be shunned”.[5] The political idea of Mahatma Gandhiji is always based upon to have “Rama Rajya”[6]. By this term Gandhiji wanted to have kingdom of God which may ensures equal rights to all human beings.
2. Concept of Swaraj-
Gandhiji political ideas was based upon the moral principles which he always followed in order to achieve freedom from British Empire. In politics Gandhiji used the term “Swaraj”. To him this term means the political independence by which India can transform into better nation. Thus by word Swaraj he meant the government of India with the consent of people and the government which is always be ruled by people of India.
3. Concept of Democracy-
the above idea of Mahatma Gandhiji was based on the concept of Democracy– a government by the people for the people and of the people. According to Mahatma Gandhi ji democracy means the art and science of mobilizing the entire physical, economical and spiritual sources for the various sections of people in the service of common good for all.[7] He described democracy as the finest sources of political power. In the true democracy like India, according to Gandhiji “The unit is the village”. He pointed out that the true democracy cannot be worked at twenty men sitting at the centre. It has to be worked from the people of every village whether small or large.[8]
4. Concept of Satyagraha-
Gandhiji considered that that every man is mixture of good and evil. The nature of evilness is innate and is present in every human being. But Gandhiji points out that the moment the man awakens to the spirit within him he cannot be violent.[9] When one becomes non- violent the body of that human being is transformed into spirit. Satyagraha in the opinion of Mahatma Gandhiji means the relentless pursuit of truthful means by non violent ends. It is the “vindication of truth, not by any kind of infliction of the suffering on the opponents on one’s own self.[10] Thus Gandhiji considered it as penance Thapsaya for Truth or it means the holding of truth. The ultimate and most potent weapon of Satyagraha is fasting. Gandhiji call it as one of the fieriest weapon to achieve your goals. According to Gandhiji, fasting generates a silent unseen force. In violence there is nothing visible. Mahatma Gandhiji points out that “Non violence when it becomes active travel with extra ordinary velocity and then it becomes a miracle.[11]
a) Truth- to Mahatma Gandhi ji Truth and God are synonymous and he always tried to see God in the form of Truth. He always says “the great power is not by Allah not by the name of Khuda or by the God but it is always by the name of Truth”. If there is uniformity in the voice and practice of a person then the thought of that person is the evident voice of Truth. Everyone should follow the inner voice. The significance in that case is that the inner voice says different things. This is so because different people have different level of thought and mental level. Due to different in thought and different mental level of human beings, different inner voices are formed. True love originates from true morality. True morality comes when the six enemies are absent. The six enemies are lust, hatred, greed, error, pride and injustice.[12] When all these get away truth can be realised.
b) Non Violence- There has been close connection between the two words i.e. non violence and ahimsa. To Gandhiji Non violence is the mean to attain the truth and ends means are convertible terms. The whole philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi ji has been based upon the two words that are the truth and Non Violence. Non violence is to be observed in thoughts and deed of the person. Gandhiji points out that “Non violence” is not the performance of any person but it is the finest art that reflects from the heart and not through the brain of the human beings. The acceptance of Non violence is complete surrender before the God. When one becomes a humble servant of god, it is the duty of that person to serve the humanity. Gandhiji always believes in the notion that “I am not endeavouring to see god through service of humanity for I know that God is in heaven, nor down”.[13]
c) Gandhiji Concept of Universal Religion- Gandhiji believed that there should be one religion and the roots of that religion must be fundamental and moreover it must have the concept of religious harmony. Gandhiji says that a religion is like a tree, as a tree has one trunk but have many branches similarly there must be one religion. By religion he meant not a conventional type of religion but it must be idealistic and must be based on the fundamental qualities of religion. According to him a religion is moral trust of an individual towards to a particular community. The goal or the main aim of person’s life is to conqueror over evil in him and reach the optimum goodness; therefore these various religions are different parts or road to the same goal.
d) Tolerance- Gandhiji points that all human beings must have the same and equal rights for their dignity in the particular society and the society which cannot affords or provides the basic rights to the human being is having no worth importance in the Universe. According to Mahatma Gandhiji faith is a personal matter and is based on the ability and his experience. To him all human beings also must possess the character of having tolerance in all fields. One who does not have tolerance in his or her character is unable to achieve the objectives of his or her life. So everyone must have tolerance in order to succeed in his life.
e) Education – for every particular society, Gandhiji considered education to be the one of the most important essential element. According to Mahatma Gandhi ji Education is “Like a reel which draws best out of oneself”[14]. Drawing best out of individual is the main objective of education. Therefore education is the mean of drawing out divinity in man. Education is the only mean by which a person can thought to have reformation. A person without education is like body without oxygen. Similar a person cannot survive in particular society without education. Education does not reform the society but it also brings reformation in the thought process of individual. This is the reason why Mahatma Gandhiji always aimed to have better education in society.
“Education in itself is Human being which can reform the individual, his thought process and finally the society in which that individual resides”
CONCLUSION
“A man is nothing but the product of his thoughts what he thinks he becomes”- Mahatma Gandhiji
It was the thought process and the ideology of Truth, Non Violence, Honesty, Tolerance, education and humanity that made Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi to be called as The “Mahatma Gandhiji the Father of our Nation”. Such a big personality or we can call him the messenger of the God who made India free from the chains of slavery of British Empire, who imbibe in us the character such as Honesty, humanity and truth. The thing which I liked the most in writing this article is the concept of Mahatma Gandhiji towards religion. Once Mahatma Gandhiji was asked that whether he is Hindu? Mahatma Gandhi ji replied back with the words “Yes I am”. “I am also Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist and a Jew”
“A nation’s culture resides in the heart and soul of its people”- Mahatma Gandhi ji
[1] S. Radhakrishnan : Mahatma Gandhi; Essays and Reflections on His Life and Work, George Allen & Unwin, London, (1949), p. 537
[2] P.C.Ghosh, Mahatma Gandhi as I saw him, S.Chand & Co., Delhi, 1968, p.VI.
[3] M. K.Gandhi, an Autobiography or the Story of my Experiments with Truth, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmadabad, 1989, p.5.
[4] N.A.Palkivala, ‘Relevance of Gandhi Today’, Gandhimarg, Vo1.6. April 1984, p. 13.
[5] Gandhi M.K. Harijan 30-03- 1934 p.55
[6] Amrit Bazar Patrika, Culcutta 2-08- 1934
[7] Anthony J Parel, Gandhi freedom and self Rule, Vistaar Publication, New Delhi,2000, p.80
[8] M. K.Gandhi, ‘Democracy and Trust: Harijan, 16, November 1947, p.409.
[9] Gandhi M.K. Harijan, 10-6- 1939. pp158 – 159
[10] Speeches and writing S of Mahatma Gandhi, G.A. Nateshan Madras, 1922. P. 50 1.
[11] Gandhi M.K. Young India I11 p.20
[12] .G.N. Dhawan, Political Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, p. 136.
[13] Gandhi M.K. Young India, 16-4- 193 1.
[14] Gandhi M.K. Young India 11-08- 1920.
