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Gandhi’s Non-Violence Impacts The World
Dr. Varsha Das |
21st century has witnessed wide-spread violence in many countries
of the world. No place seems secure. We have as if reached an
impasse. In the midst of this scenario the UN General Assembly has
declared October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as the
International Day of Non-violence. The world has recognized that
there are only two alternatives, non-violence and non-existence.
Association of Gandhi with non-violence has existed for over a
century. He had not only shown the path but had walked on it and
had demonstrated that that was the only path that can lead to
harmonious co-existence in the society, the only path to fight
against injustice and exploitation. In the words of Martin Luther
King Jr., an exponent of passive resistance in the Civil Rights
movement in the United States of America, and a recipient of the
Nobel Peace Prize, “Gandhi was probably the first person in
history to lift the love ethics of Jesus above mere interaction
between individuals to a powerful and effective social force on a
large scale. Love for Gandhi was a potent instrument for social
and collective transformation.”
Non-violence was not a new concept. Gautam Buddha and Mahavir had
spoken about it in the 6th-5th Century B.C. Ancient Indian
scriptures have also described it as a core value of human beings
inherent in each and every person whatever may be one’s
nationality, religion, caste, creed, or socio-economic status in
the society. This and many other dormant values are activated and
manifested by certain external factors and also by one’s own
sensitivity towards them. It is a process of evolution, just like
a seed turning into a tree with good sunshine, rain and
nourishment.
Mohandas, a young advocate of 24, lacking in confidence and
experience went to South Africa in 1893. It turned out to be his
battlefield for internal and external struggles. Here Mohandas
experienced personal humiliations, witnessed discrimination and
exploitation, and mustered courage to say ‘no’ even at the risk of
his life. On September 11, 1906 under the leadership of Mohandas
2000 passive resisters took the oath to endure sufferings without
retaliating violently. It required tremendous inner courage, and
sympathy towards the opponent. It was not just a spiritual
concept, but non-violence in thought, speech and action.
Nelson Mandela, who led South Africa in its historic transition to
multi-racial democracy in 1994 and became the first President of
post-apartheid South Africa says,
“We in South Africa owe much to the presence of Gandhi in our
midst for 21 years. His influence was felt in our freedom
struggles throughout the African continent for a good part of the
20th century….His philosophy contributed in no small measure to
bringing about a peaceful transformation in South Africa and in
healing the destructive human divisions that had been spawned by
the abhorrent practice of apartheid….I called him the “sacred
warrior” because of the manner in which he combined ethics and
morality with a steely resolve that refused to compromise with the
oppressor.”.
For Gandhi, “non-violence is the language of love, not of hatred….
Anger proves our intolerance. We shall lack the capacity to bear
one another’s criticism. This is a very important quality of
public life.” He demonstrated this in South Africa.
General Jan Christian Smuts was dealing with Indian Affairs in
South Africa when Mohandas was imprisoned. This is what General
Smuts had to say, “It was my fate to be the Antagonist of a man
for whom even then I had the highest respect….In gaol he had
prepared for me a very useful pair of sandals which he presented
to me when he was set free. I have worn these sandals for many a
summer since then, even though I may feel that I am not worthy to
stand in the shoes of so great a man.”
Gandhiji made sandals for his ‘adversary’! He practiced what he
preached. And that impacted the world.
Nobel Peace Prize recipient, human rights activist and former
President of Poland Lech Walesa emphatically says, “Please do not
appropriate Mahatma Gandhi and limit him to South Africa and India
alone. His impact is felt throughout the world.”
Among the people who had influenced Gandhiji through their
non-violent behaviour in day to day life were his parents and his
wife Kasturba.
In the issue of Harijan, dated 24th December 1938 Gandhiji wrote:
“I learnt the lesson of Non-violence from my wife, when I tried to
bend her to my will. Her determined resistance to my will on the
one hand, and her quiet submission to the suffering my stupidity
involved on the other, ultimately made me ashamed of myself and
cured me of my stupidity in thinking that I was born to rule over
her and, in the end, she became my teacher in Non-violence.”
Gandhiji was a great learner. He has mentioned in his
autobiography, “Three moderns have left a deep impress on my life
and captivated me: Raychandbhai by his living contact; Tolstoy by
his book The Kingdom of God is within you; and Ruskin by his Unto
This Last.” The first one was an Indian, the second a Russian and
the last one was an Englishman. Gandhiji throughout his life
continued to learn and evolve.
He firmly believed that “there is a limit to violent action and it
can fail. Non-violence knows no limits and it never fails.”
Gandhiji exemplified this in his life and succeeded in convincing
hundreds and thousands of Satyagrahis who with pride participated
in the struggle for India’s freedom. A non-violent grass-root
level mass movement ultimately succeeded. The attainment of
freedom for Gandhiji, “whether for man, a nation, or the world,
must be in exact proportion to the attainment of non-violence.”
Nobel Laureate, Bangladeshi banker and renowned economist Muhammad
Yunus believes that in these troubled times that we live in, his
memory and message is as important as they were before. He further
says, “within a framework that encompasses Gandhiji’s philosophy
of tolerance, non-violence, compassion for all humanity and
peaceful coexistence, we can work together to create a world that
our grandchildren and great grandchildren can be proud of.”
Similar views are echoed by Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka
Gakkai International and a recipient of United Nation’s Peace
Award, “….in today’s world intensifying confusion makes it hard
for people to find a reliable philosophy and firm values….How can
we create a society free of conflict and strife?...The way of life
symbolized in Gandhi’s satyagraha (devotion to truth) and the
dignity of humanity provides a compass guiding us towards harmony
and symbiosis. Then a great swell of non-violence and compassion
will usher in a new dawn for the world.”
Evolution of non-violence in human beings sounds a natural process
but actually it is a conscious process of perseverance,
self-reflection and reformation throughout the life, whatever may
be the challenges and circumstances. It is an all time valid and
doable ‘formula’ for a peaceful and harmonious co-existence even
in the 21st century.
*Director, National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi.
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