Secret of Mahatma!
By- Pamarty Venkataramana
Relevance of Gandian philosophy of non-violence in a world seated on the brink of a nuclear war may seem a far-fetched or dream-world thought to most people who bask in being updated and connected to the real world of geo-political strategy via twitter-feeds and such other internet media.
How different and how distinctive is the legacy of Mahatma Gandhiji in comparison to others around the world , be it Mao or Lenin or even Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King?
How did a suit-boot barrister come to don a loin-cloth and lead a simple lifestyle even as he grew in stature and importance as a larger-than-life persona?
He was a strict disciplinarian but turned into an epitome of rebellion and war of independence. How?
A clamour for rights and the discerning ability to know what is right and what is wrong is the fiery spirit of righteousness which sent him back to his homeland- India, completely resolved to take the fight for ‘self-esteem’ and ‘dignity of existence’ back to the foreigners who treated the hosts as serfs, intruders and slaves born to suffer every indignation meted out by the imperial colonialists.
Strong was weak and the weak were strong. A paradigm of sorts. Epitomises the times of turbulence when ‘colour prejudice’ reigned as State policy of the buccaneers in power!
The superiority complex exhibited by the ‘masters’ apparently hid their inferiority complex.
A ‘rebel against authority’ was an avatar the statesman assumed as he rose in importance as a rallying figure for the great India freedom movement.
Yet, in recent years, one has been witnessing a sea change in the perception of M.K.Gandhi as the ‘Father of Nation’. Hidden facts and analyses by dispassionate ones who are all of a sudden passionate about nationalism in an age of terrorism as well as political opportunism have led to a growing sense of dissent with the myth of a ‘Father of Nation !’.
However, what comes to the fore out of all teachings and writings of Gandhiji has been the single universal truth which holds good to this day-‘ hatred is banal to survival of mankind as a race on this planet !’ .
Non-violence may not be a happy or agreeable concept in the era where public encomiums are showered on governments that go shopping for most sophisticated arms, ammunition’s and other weaponry which engages peace loving countries into the abyss of war – a certainty which seemingly all love to avoid!
This is a time in history where praises are heaped on regimes that allocate almost thirty percent of their budgetary spending on defence with hardly two percent on gainful and productive purposes as agricultural production.
The long and short of a lesson learnt today as all India and peace loving rest of civilised world celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji is that destiny of a nation can be well led by any one personality who adopts the destiny of his fellow citizens as being his own – to learn to lead a life of frugality,humility and abundant love . So that hypocrisy dies out and is doused our by a life well lived with sincerity of purpose and strength of character. Personal values will determine if a particular Indian or world citizen is ‘Gandhian’ or not.
It will be an incomplete exposition of life of Mahatma Gandhi if one did not point out that the three years of his tutelage at Paunar Ashram under Acharya Vinobha Bhave in learning the Bhagwad Gita in original Sanskrit-version evolved the revenge seeking Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhiji. Such is the power of Hindu doctrines and philosophy towards all life and universal co existence in peace and with harmony.
History bears witness. The historians are all prejudiced copy-writers with a set agenda. So,salute History and Peace of Humankind.
Jai Hind!
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