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| Thursday, 15 July 2004 |
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Gandhism Mahathma Gandhi was a spiritual leader of Indian liberation movement. He was well-known for introducing two doctrines named 'Satyagaraha' and non-violence. According to Gandhi 'Satyagraha' means truthful persuasion moral pleasure for the sake of truth. The word Satyagraha was coined by Gandhi in 1906 A.D. in the early phase of his South African campaign to secure elementary human rights of Indian immigrants. In March 1921, Gandhi declared that 'Satyagraha' literally means 'truthforce or Soul force'. Truth implies love and firmness. It excludes use of violence. Active force of love, faith and sacrifice are the threefold energies expressed in the word "Satyagraha". 'Satyagraha' seeks not only avoiding physical violence but also mental violence. Love rather than hatred is the spirit behind Satyagraha. Satyagraha is the technique of resisting all that is evil, unjust, impure or untrue by love, self-suffering, self-purification and by appealing to the divine spark in the soul of the opponent. Apart from 'Satyagraha' the equal important other principle is Ahimsa or non-violence. Gandhi defines Ahimsa as "avoiding injury to anything on earth in thought, word or deed". Ahimsa in active form, goodwill towards all life. It is not a negative doctrine but a positive doctrine meaning" Love in the largest sense, love even for the evil doer". It is universal brotherhood. Gandhi prefers non-violence to violence. Mainly because violence is destructive, violence always leads to a scope for revenge, while non-violence is constructive and does not deprive others' freedom. More over non-violence does not make any compulsion. So non-violence is superior to violence. The essential elements of non-violence are compassion,freedom from anger and desire. In its negative form, Ahimsa means physical and mental non-injury to any being. In its positive form, it means the largest love, the greatest charity. The follower of Ahimsa should love his enemy. Ahimsa consists of truth and fearlessness and it allows others the maximum inconvenience to its followers even at the risk of life. Ahimsa is the basis of 'Satyagraha'. "Gandhi is dead but Gandhism will live till the stars shine and the ocean rolls on". These words of late Dr. Rajendra Prasad give a very correct portrayal of lasting value of Gadhism ideology. Gandhism has not failed but we have forgotten it. His concepts of 'Satyagraha' and 'Ahimsa' are relevant even today. Gandhi brought Satyagraha to social life and claimed its applicability to all works of life. Satyagraha ought to be undertaken for a social good and never for a personal gain. A person who cannot rise beyond selfish consideration cannot be a 'Satyagrahi'. The doctrine of Satyagraha was meant to show how a man of conscience could engage in heroic action in the protection of truth and freedom. Gandhi blends politics with ethics and emphasizing the value of truth and non-violence both for the solution of national and international problems. Non-violence is the major tool for a peaceful earth. Mahathma Gandhi will be remembered as the greatest prophet of moral and spiritual revolution. We are fortunate that man of his vision was born to the world. His doctrines of 'Satyagraha' and 'Ahimsa' represent the most significant and remarkable creations in modern times. H. Chandani Haputhanthri |
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