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GANDHI'S LEGACY OF NON-VIOLENCE: A BRIEF STUDY
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GANDHI’S LEGACY OF NON-VIOLENCE: A BRIEF STUDY
KARTICK CHANDRA BARMAN*
*Assistant Professor, Krishna Chandra College, Hetampur, Birbhum, West Bengal, India
ABSTRACT
Gandhi returned for India on 9th January in 1915 from South Africa. Gandhi noticed
the status of the Indians is like the South African Indians. At that moment, British
Government applied their theory and politics in Indian society and a handful educated Indians
were protesting against the British power in disunited. There was no communication among
the Indian leaders and not in touch with the masses. As a result, Indian National Leaders were
isolated from the masses. Gandhi had seen the same scenario in South Africa. He travelled in
different parts in India and contacted with the local leaders and also the peoples in any level
of the society. He organized Champaran peasant movement in favour of the Indigo-planters
in 1917 and associated with the workers in Ahmadabad in 1918. He united the farmers of
Kheda district in Gujarat to remission of taxes in 1918. Gandhi organized Non-cooperation
movement during the year of 1920-22 with the Indian National Congress. At that moment, he
turned as spokesman of the Indian National Congress. The Indian Congress to be led by
Gandhi then. Thus he became a pioneer leader of the Indian National Congress.
KEYWORDS: Gandhi’s legacy, Non-violence, Himsa, Workers, Peasant Movements etc.
INTRODUCTION
According to Gandhi, “Non-Violence or Ahimsa was the heart of all religions. The
Ahimsa is truth itself, it’s very soul and its matures fruit. Truth and Ahimsa are the two sides
of disc and are so intertwined that it is difficult to disentangle and separate them.” He also
said, ‘Ahimsa does not simply mean non-killing. Ahimsa is not merely a negative state of
harmlessness but it is a positive state of love, of doing old to the evil-doer……In its positive
form, ahimsa means the largest love greatest charity. If I am a follower of ahimsa I must love
my enemy.’ A man cannot practice ahimsa and be a coward at the same time. The practice of
ahimsa calls forth the greatest courage. Diwakar said, “Gandhi’s whole philosophy of life and
action can be summed up in the following words: ceaseless, whole hearted endeavour to
realize and experience. Truth (the law f being and becoming) , both spiritual and material,
through non-violence which includes active love.”[1
] Gandhi challenged the age of violence,
the 20th
century with his weapon of non-violence. He wanted to normalize and moralize the
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Indian National Congress and by breathing into it the gospel of non-violence. His idea of
non-violence was not an abstraction but a direction and line of action for the contemporary
society and the Congress for a new mode of living. This culture of non-violence was
demonstrated by his own example of simple and non-violent way of living. He found a new
source of energy by splitting the atom of non-violence. There was no defense against his
powerful weapon of attack.
The doctrine of non-violence as enunciated and practiced by Gandhi was dynamic and
not static. It was radical in as much as it tolerated nothing less than unconditional acceptance
of truth. It was meant to set free man from legal, political and moral restraints and to uplift
and re-awaken his inner self. According to Nehru, “ It is not non-resistance. It is non-violent
resistance, which is very different thing, a positive and dynamic method of action. It was not
meant for those who meekly accept the status quo. The very purpose for which it was
designed was to create a ferment in society and thus to change existing conditions.’ But at the
same time, the exponent and propounded of this doctrine 3, Gandhi did not approve of
asserting or winning one’s freedom or recognizing one’s authority or dignity by actions that
involve violence or hatred of the man in others, even if they may be your enemies. SelfSuffering
is the third basic components of Satyagraha. [2
] According to Gandhi, ‘Nonviolence
in its dynamic condition means conscious suffering. It does not mean meek
submission to the will of the evil-doer, but it means the putting of one’s whole soul against
the will of the tyrant. Working under this law of our being, it is possible for a single
individual to defy the whole might of an unjust empire to save his honour, his religion, his
soul and lay the foundation for that empire’s fall or its regeneration.[3
]
Struggle and Non-Violence:
The path of non-violence was not a bed of roses in order to traverse it Gandhi had to
face numerous hardships and from back. He had to struggle and experiment with truth which
kept on illuminating his awareness and that of his followers particularly in the Congress. He
passed through varied experiences and ordeals especially during the days of non-cooperation
and Civil Disobedience Movements. From the lower levels of consciousness he reached the
higher level of spiritual insight. In order to meet the challenge of social life he tapped the
reserves of his spiritual energy. His life was a striving for transcendence and a voyage of the
spirit. His gospel of non-violence revolved round all the wisdom of the East and the West.It
would be worthwhile to analyze the Sanskrit word ‘Ahimsa’ which Gandhi used as synonym
for the word ‘non-violence. Ahimsa is composed of the negative prefix ‘a’ plus Himsa’
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meaning injury. Thus Ahimsa implies action based on the refusal to do harm. It is not just a
negative nation but a positive attitude of country towards opponents and eagerness to
understand their viewpoint. For Gandhi ‘ahimsa’ means an effort to abandon the violence that
is inevitable in man. Etymologically, ‘Himsa’ is derived from ‘Hins’ meaning to injure, kill
or destroy. ‘Hins’ was originally allied to the root ‘man’ who also means to slay, kill or
damage. Thus; ahimsa’ implies renunciation of the will to kill or to harm. Evil thought, lying,
hatred and wishing ill to anybody hurt the gospel of ahimsa. Ahimsa is not merely a negative
state of harmlessness but it is a positive state of love, of doing well even to the evil-door.
However, at the same time a devotee of ahimsa is not a passive spectator of evil deeds. The
spirit of ‘ahimsa’ resists the evil doer by disowning him actively. Not to say of approving of
the evil deeds of the evil-door. Ahimsa does not tolerate the wrongs committed by him. It is a
means of self-renewal which helps us in resisting injustice and in working or a new order of
civilization. Ahimsa was the farthest removed from acquiescence in evil or from a false
masquerade for one’s weakness. It was demonstration of the resolute strength of the heroic
soul which refuses to hurt anybody because every living creature is essentially spirit and
fundamentally one with himself. It is the symbol of supreme moral and spiritual strength.
Meticulous care for the right of the least among us is the sin qua non of non-violence. [4
]
Verma said, in his book, ‘Political Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sarvodaya’, “Ahimsa
is not merely the negative act for refraining from doing offence, injure or harm to others, but
really it represents the ancient law of positive self-sacrifice and constructive suffering.”
Gandhi considered truth and non-violence to be absolutely binding. He also said, “Ahimsa is
virtually integrated with Truth of God…The social application of ahimsa is postulated upon
the acceptance of spiritual metaphysicics and the implied necessity of the growth of social
charity.
Ideal of Non-violence:
Gandhi declared that the ideal of non-violence could be practiced generational gourds
without reference to God. He says, “It is unnecessary to believe in an extramundane power
called to maintain our faith in ahimsa. In order to justify the rationality of non-violence,
Gandhi says that non-violence satisfies the test of universal applicability and therefore, it has
an ultimate value. Again, non-violence contributes to all other values without taking away
anything from any of them. Moreover, non-violence can be applied to any extent or degree.
Better justice can be realized by applying non-violence in a better way. The ultimate value or
ideal of non-violence cannot be achieved practically. Of course, the maximum relative non-
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violence which approximate to perfect non-violence can be realized in practice. According to
Gandhi,[5
] “perfect non-violence while you inhabit the body of only a theory like Euclid’s
point of lower forms of life. Killing germs is violence and yet a duty. Killing of animal life
harmful to human life is also justified Gandhi supports killing of carnivorous animals,
poisonous snakes and rabbit dogs.” In some case, even killing of man is permissible. For
example, it is the duty of everybody to kill a man who has run a much and is on a killing
spree.
Gandhian ahimsa demands, that a life which is past recovery may be put to an end,
Gandhi justified Dr. Herald Blazer, a country doctor of Colorado’s action of killing his thirtytwo
year old imbecile daughter without arms, legs, speech or thought. The doctor had argued
that he knew that there would be no one to look after his/her death. The doctors were already
61 years old. Similarly, a comrade in the battlefield who has received a fatal wound may be
killed if no medical aid is available and if a lingering and torturing death is in store for him.
In fact, the violence or non-violence of this act of killing is determined by the selfish or
selfless intention underlying the said above.
Ahimsa is an empty dream without self-purification. The path of ahimsa is the path of
salvation. A devotee of ahimsa reduces himself to zero. He identifies himself with the lowly
of the lowest. Non-violence is love-incarnate and it is the law of our life. Impossible things
may be achieved by the practice of non-violence. This can be exemplified by those who lead
a non-violent life of sacrifice.
For Gandhi ahimsa was a fact of life as well as an act of faith. This faith can be
maintained only if our actions are in harmony with our faith. Of course, this is a difficult
thing to achieve. Human life is a continual striving after perfection. The ideal of non-violence
can be achieved if we overcome our weakness. A devotee of ahimsa display single
mindedness and stead-fastness in perfecting the powerful weapon of ahimsa is “an inward
growth depending for substance intense individual effort.” The votaries of non-violence
should demonstrate the power of non-violence by their own examples as models of love, truth
and non-violence.
Gandhi’s creed of non-violence was based on his metaphysical beliefs and the
universal moral law. But as Gandhi himself said it was very difficult to demonstrate this fact
to the world which was torn by hatred and in which human values were topsy-turvy.
Even then Gandhi accepted the challenge of the world. Through various experiments
and revolutionary movements which he led in India, Gandhi demonstrate that ahimsa can be
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practiced by individuals, groups, organizations and the people as a whole, Gandhi wanted that
individuals Satyagraha is must accept ahimsa as a creed and as a policy in mass that they
should have absolute faith in ahimsa. We should be tolerant in movements. As a policy the
seeker after could adjust and change the standard according to his requirements, Gandhi laid
emphasis on the moral necessity of ahimsa and its political necessity in certain cases. A
person may not be non-violent uniformly or continuously. But there is nothing wrong if he
becomes good or non-violent under the pressure of circumstances.[6
]
Gandhi pleaded for ahimsa as policy by pointing out the futility of ‘Himsa’. Acts of
violence like those of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Genghis are transitory and short-lived. On
the other hand, acts and effects of Buddha’s non-violence are ever-lasting and ever-growing.
If at all, the good effects of violence are temporary and the evil effects are ever-lasting.
Gandhi even condemns revolutionary violence which is born out of anger and ill-will. He
looks down upon hypocrisy in non-violence. Gandhi’s gospel of ‘ahimsa’ ‘harmonizes with
the Hindus doctrine of ‘ahimsa’. Ahimsa’ does not consist in indulging in acts of violence or
conspiring with others in acts of violence only but also in ignoring acts of violence
committed by others. Passive spectators of wrongs perpetrated and not doing anything about
them is also guilty of committing violence.
Code of Ahimsa:
Ahimsa was the quintessence if Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. According to the
Gandhara Samhita, one must think good of all created life and one must desist from all forms
of killing or harm. For Gandhi ahimsa was significant as a philosophy of life and a nonviolent
technique of action, so he desired that the Congress must follow this ideal in its
struggle against the British to achieve its goal of complete independence. Ahimsa is an
ethical and moral virtue. It the supreme dharma ahimsa pormodharmo as Yudhisthira, the
apostle of truth, in Mahabharata defines moral law (Dharma). According to this definition,
the only rule that applies to all societies, at all times is that, of ahimsa. But unintentional harm
must be differentiated from the calculated harm. The former is not a case of ahimsa, whereas
the latter case is a violation of ‘ahimsa’. According to the Gita, ahimsa is an essential of
spiritual attainment. In Jainism ‘ahimsa’ is a winner quest. The Sandier practice non-violence
in their day to day life. They classify violence mainly into ‘Arambhaja’ unavoidable violence
and ‘Arambhaja’ international violence. Buddhism regards love, the main ingredient of
‘ahimsa’ as the only principle of life. Life devoted of human love and compassion is empty
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and hollow. Ahimsa is born out of human love and compassion. Tolstoy’s book ‘The
Kingdom of God’ within you inspired Gandhi in formulating his gospel of non-violence.[7
]
As already stated, it is important to distinguish between the negative and positive
implications of non-violence. Not to hurt, a person physically or mentally or not to bear ill
will to a wrong-doer are negative aspects of non-violence self suffering rather than indulge in
hurting the feelings of the wrongdoer. Ahimsa, in its positive manifestation is a fountain of
love, compassion and charity. It embraces truth end fearlessness. A follower of ahimsa loves
his enemy or a strange as he would love his erring father or son. Gandhi the apostle of nonviolence,
himself says. Ahimsa means avoiding injury anything on earth in thought, word or
deed violence is any act, motive, thought, active feeling or outwardly directed attitude which
is divisive in nature or result that is to say, inconsistent with spiritual unity, it would for
example, pride, scorn, contempt, anger, impatience, grumbling, spite, indignation as well as
killing, wounding, frightening exploiting, deceiving, poisoning, tempting to evil, flattering,
deliberate weakening of character and similar wrong. In its positive form for Gandhi ahimsa
symbolized love, truth and service. According to S. Abid Husain, ahimsa included the
positive commutations of affection, sympathy, mercy, generosity, service and self-sacrifice
and the negative ones of non-violence and non-injury. It also refers to God as be-all and endall
of love.
According to Gandhi, non-injury or non-killing is only the least manifestation of
ahimsa. Harassment is sometimes worse than killing an earring person Gandhi enlarged the
scope of ahimsa beyond moor non-killing. It embraces penance and limitless patience. A
devotee of ahimsa in sot only sympathetic towards an enemy, but also denies existence of an
enemy. His bear’s malice towards none. All human beings are alike for him. He rises above
the pettings of life. In fact, ahimsa is a state of sul and mind. Gandhi felt the necessity of
demonstrating ahimsa by practical examples of a few devotees, who would be embodiments
of moral and spiritual discipline in ahimsa. Under the influence of Buddhism and Jainism,
Gandhi extended the scope of ahimsa to all the moral virtues. He equated it with humility,
forgiveness love, charity, selfishness, fearlessness, strength, non-attachment and
innocence.[8
] For him ail unfair and soul means like trickery, falsehood, intrigue, and
deceitfulness were different aspects of ahimsa. A person, who sticks to his duty but does not
bother about the results of his action, is not tempted to ahimsa. According to Gandhi may
ultimately be identical with divine love, the sense of oneness with all that belongs to the great
prophets and mystics.
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Ahimsa slowly but surely brings about a change in the mentality of the earning
person. It does net coerce the wrong doer but converts him by its spiritual insight into a better
human being. He is re-born; a votary of ahimsa puts a restraint on his desire for vengeance or
retaliation. But this does not imply that ahimsa eschews real fighting against wickedness.
According to Gandhi, ahimsa seeks to blunt the edge of the tyrant’s sword, not by putting up
a sharper-edged weapon but by disappointing his expectation by not offering physical
resistance. Self-suffering or penance is the essence of ahimsa.
Metaphysical Views of Ahimsa:
Gandhi derived his principle of ahimsa, perhaps from his metaphysical views. He
emphasizes the fallibilism of the inner voice. It is possible that the person whom we injure,
may be right and we may be wrong. Thus search for moral and factual truth may lead to nonviolence.
The ontological view of truth or what is may also lead to non-violence. We are
ultimately one. Therefore, by injuring others we injure ourselves and confine our own
capacity for self-realization and not only others capacity from self-realization. As already
stated Gandhi had his metaphysical views. The principle of non-violence follows from these
views. The metaphysical concept of fallibilism states that you can be and most probably are
mistaken as regards the facts of a situation. If this concept is adhered to strictly, you cannot
retaliate because you may the risk of acting from wrong data. Again your moral inhibitions
may prevent you from harming your enemy because you may be wrong and your enemy is
right fallibilism of the inner voice also puts a check on our actions. Gandhi stressed the need
of making the inner voice purer. Thus non-violence is a natural corollary to the search for
moral and factual truth. It is worth-nothing that, according to the fallibility concept of truth,
non-violence makes us get rid of the risk of injuring or killing innocent persons.[9
]
Gandhi was deeply influenced by the Indian thought, in general and Jainism in
particular. Traditionally an Indian is particular. Traditionally an Indian is non-violent. He is
horrified at the idea of killing. For him there is only one life. What to say of killing, he has
veneration even for animal and vegetable life. Gandhi gave expression to the latent ideas of
an Indian by declaring his gospel of non-violence. He added new dimensions to ahimsa.
Gandhian non-violence is flexible but unbreakable. A non-violent worker sacrifices his life so
that truth might be awakened in the other person. Gandhi imposed upon himself a fast as
penance for the sins of others. He realized that the only way the guilty parties could be made
to realize his distress and the depth of their own failure would be for him to do some penance.
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The results of this penance expressed even his expectations. He risked his life for the welfare
of others. Gandhi ahimsa symbolizes sacrifice, suffering, courage but above all truth and
purity.
Love and Ahimsa:
Love is the very soul of ahimsa in its positive form. Love is not to be taken in the
narrower sense which demands physical response. Love in the wider sense is a spiritual force.
It is the true love that demands no consideration. According to Gandhi, true life consists in
transferring itself from the body to the dweller within and then necessarily realizing the
oneness of all life inhabiting numberless lives. In this sense, ahimsa embraces even the evildoer
but it does not co-operate with his evil. A devotee of ahimsa would not shun the
company of an earring person. He would rather try to come into contact with so that so that
he may be reformed. Ahimsa implies boycott evil and not implies that a votary of ahimsa
should yield humbly to the will of the evil-doer. He should rather apply his soul force against
the will of the tyrant. His tyranny should not be overcome by tyranny, by violence or by
retaliation. Applying physical violence would amount to coming down to the level of the
evil-doer and denying the spiritual unity with him. Non-violence tries to overcome evil by
good. It releases its moral and spiritual forces to resist violence and immortality. It believes in
the essential goodness of human nature. Patience and self-suffering are the hallmarks of
ahimsa. Love does not burn to others, it burns itself. A devotee of Gandhian ahimsa is s
model of self-discipline and enlightened forgiveness. He develops soul-force by overcoming
his feelings of anger and resentment. Moreover, be achieves self-purification and selfrealization
as is humanity possible. In brief ahimsa consists in allowing others the maximum
of convenience at the maximum of inconveniences.
Gandhi put into practice his law of love especially during the period under study. He
had the conviction that the law of love is applicable to politics, and that the ruler can gain the
trust of the people by applying the law of love. At the outset of Kheda land reform campaign
he wrote to the commissioner of the Northern Division that if, at all, he desired to do good, he
should rule by right of love not by the force of fear Gandhi aimed at creating a human society
in which law of love should prevail. Such a society alone could generate peace and harmony
among people of the world. According to him nations can be called civilized only to the
extent that they obey this law of love. In 1947 Gandhi advised that Indian should not retaliate
against violence of Pakistan, since tit for tat is the law of the brute, of unregenerate man.[10
]
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According to Gandhi, there are three kinds of non-violence. The non-violence which a
person adopts by inner conviction and not only painful necessity is the supreme and the
highest of these three. It is based on moral considerations. It is such non-violence that moves
mountains, transforms life and flinches from nothing in its unshakable faith. Those who
accept non-violence as a creed would never surrender their sense of human unity and
brotherhood even in midst of conflict of interests and would try to convert and not their
adversary. It is non violence of the brave.
Non-violence of second kind is inferior to the first one. In this case it is weakness
rather than moral conviction which avoids use of violence. So, it is the non-violence of the
weak or the helpless who offer passive resistance. It is the non-violence of the opportunist
who is not steadfast in carrying out the rules of non-violence. More excellence is required for
the practice of the ahimsa of the first type as a creed. Such ahimsa per excellence springs
from fearlessness, indomitable will and not from physical courage and capacity.The third
type of non-violence is the passive non-violence of the coward, end the week. Cowardice and
ahimsa do not go together any more than water and fire. “Cowards is importance worse than
violence.” The coward desires revenge, but being afraid to die, he locks to others, may be the
government of the day to do the defense for him. Gandhi prefers violence to cowards and
abject, helpless submission. He would not let a coward seek shelter behind non-violence.
There is hope for a violent man to be some day non-violent, but there is none for a coward.
According to Gandhi, non-violence cannot be taught to a person who fears to die and has no
power of resistance.
Just as the cohesive force amongst the atoms of matter sustains this material word, so
the human world is kept alive by the force of love. Love or ahimsa is unmanned I this world.
According to Gandhi, non-violence is symbolic of higher moral law than violence. The world
is moving forward towards the realization of non-violence. Man has progressed from a
cannibal or a nomad to a civilized human being. This I sign of progressive ahimsa and
diminishing Himsa. Had it not been so, human species should have been extinct by now, as
many of the lower species have disappeared as man has steady progressed towards ahimsa. It
is hoped that he would someday absolutely renounce Himsa and would become a model of
ahimsa.
Thus ‘Ahimsa’ is the supreme moral force which should be applied in every sphere of
life. According to Gandhi, a devotee of non-violence should be honest, hardworking and trust
his faith in ‘ahimsa’. All devotees of ‘ahimsa’ are not expected to be perfect models of
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‘ahimsa’. But what is expected of them is judging as to how far a devotee has advanced in
practicing the principles of ahimsa.
Gandhi’s doctrine of non-violence is based on the inherent goodness of man. H
believed that human nature is essentially good and that man is divine in essence. He regarded
violence as an evil and opposed it but we should do away with the spirit of violence. Ahimsa
or soul force can accomplish this job. It brings about a change in the mind of the opponent.
Gandhian non-violence is not the same thing as fatalism. Fatalism implies that things would
happen as they should happen. But Gandhi wanted to bring about a change in the existing
hostile, atmosphere. He wanted to free man from hatred and fear by changing the attitude of
man towards society and other fellow, beings. Gandhi aimed at creating a social revolution
through love, truth and non-violence and relentless efforts. T those critics of non-violence,
who claim that violence is history, Gandhi say, “If we are to make progress, we must not
repeat history but make new history. We must add to the inheritance left by our ancestors. If
we make new discoveries and inventions in the phenomenal world, must we declare
bankruptcy in the spiritual domain.
Non-violence is the soul-force. It purifies both the guilty and the votary of nonviolence.
It is love in action. It is an advance in the ethical march of human thought. Tolstoy,
the great Russian writer say, “ what one calls non-resistance is in reality nothing but love
unreformed by false interpretation-love is the aspiration of solidarity and communion with
other souls and that aspirations always liberates the source of noble activities. Love is
supreme and unique law of human life which everyone feels in the depths of his soul.” The
principle of non-violence lay hidden in human heart for centuries. Gandhi re-affirmed it
against the creed of non-violence. He revealed to the world not material but the power of
soul. Warmongers cannot destroy by violence human belief in freedom or man’s soul or
nation’s soul. By his teaching and example Gandhi, freed the ‘soul’ of India from abject
slavery. It has been rightly said about Gandhi that out of the dust be made us men. He
enhanced the self-esteem and self-confidence of those who came into contact with him. His
influence made men and women realize that we live by an invisible light within us.[11
]
According to Gandhi ahimsa can be exercised practically against authority, internal
disturbances such as riots, external invasion and family circle. The love which we have to
practice towards our relatives or colleagues in our family or institution, we have to practice
towards our foes, dacoits etc. For a votary of non-violence, the whole world is a family. A
devotee of Gandhian ‘Ahimsas refuse to hurt those who desire to fight or outwit him. He tries
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to find an area of common interest based upon common humanity. Though his magic of nonviolence
he disarms or converts them into friends.
Gandhi was the rare quality of winning the respect and even the affection of his
enemies. By means of a dialogue with them he could turn hate into love and enmity into
friendship. General Smuts who was responsible for sending Gandhi into prison in South
Africa later on admitted that he was not worthy to stand in the shoes of so great a man as
Gandhi. He said, “ it was my fate to be the antagonist of a man for whom even then I had the
highest respect.” Gandhi never lost his temper or stooped to hate. He maintained his calm and
humor even in the most adverse circumstances. His weapon of non-violence and the freedom
movement led by this ‘naked fakir’ had undermined the foundations of the British rule in
India. On learning from Lord Mountbatten about the engagement of Princess Elizabeth, he
sent a gift of a table cloth prepared from thread spun by him on his spinning wheel. Lord
Mountbatten attached a forwarding letter along with the gift saying, “although it was a
rugged, Khadi Cloth, it was spun with care and affection by Gandhi himself and deserved to
be preserved among her most precious crown jewels. This shows how Gandhi could win the
respect of his adversaries even.
Conclusion:
Gandhi laid emphasis on the affinity between truth and non-violence. He regarded
Satya and ahimsa as the only common basis of human aspirations. Gandhi derived his
metaphysical concepts from the Hindus philosophy. Satya and ahimsa are traditionally
identified with dharma, the cosmic law which governs human conduct. According to Jainism
‘Satva’ (false-hood) leads to open violence-himsa. Gandhi opines that Hindu scriptures have
given us to immortal maxims; i. ahimsa is the supreme law or dharma and ii. There is no
other law or dharma, other than, ‘Satya’ or ‘truth’. Once he wrote to a Burmese friend that he
adopted non-violence because of his unadulterated love of truth. Even his knowledge of
Buddhism inspired him to further the cause of non-violence. Towards the end of his life
Gandhi confirmed that the root of all his activity lay in truth. He also believed in the Indian
thought that absolute truth of God is unmanifested as well as manifested in nature. He
regarded ‘ahimsa’ as the manifest part of truth. Man cannot acquire the manifest and
transcendental ground of absolute truth, but he can receive its manifestation through love.
Anger, greed, pride fear blind the seeker’s eyes. ‘Ahimsa’ is the means and truth is the end if
we take care of means, we are bound to reach the end, important Gandhi made the difference
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between ‘ahimsa’ and truth clear during the period of our study, when he said, “out of truth
emanate love. Tenderness, humility. A votary of truth has to be humble as the dust. His
humility increases with his observance of truth.” In his autobiography, Gandhi argued that the
search for truth is in vain unless it is founded on ‘ahimsa’. Truth can be realized and love can
be expressed only when a man in able to efface himself and love the meanest creature as one
self. Ahimsa is rooted in fear which can be removed only by the strength that issues from
Satya. Non-violence requires tolerance of and even generosity towards those who oppose us.
Ahimsa the means to ‘Satya’ which is superior to ‘Ahimsa’.
According to Indian, particularly, Hindu philosophy Moksha is the ultimate goal of
human life. Moksha implies spiritual freedom and salvation or transcendental bliss. For the
attainment of ‘Moksha’ tapes self restrain, self-suffering and identity with all other beings is
required. For Gandhi, Moksha, symbolized absolute truth to be attained by means of taps or
self-suffering. The relation between Moksha and tapes was the same as that between ‘Satya’
and ‘ahimsa’ in the concluding lines of his autobiography be writes “My uniform experienced
has convinced me that there is no other God than ‘truth’ and that the only means for the
realization of truth is ‘ahimsa’. I am striving for the kingdom of heaven which is Moksha. For
Gandhi, the utter extinction of egoism is Moksha and who has achieved it will be the very
image of truth or God. The quest of truth requires ‘tapes-self-suffering. Thus Satya, requires
the tapes, of; ahimsa’ and his means self-suffering and self-sacrifice. Thus Gandhi gave a
new meaning and significance to the traditional values of ‘Moksha’ and ‘traps’. He
interpreted ‘Moksha’ as the full realization of truth and he justified ahimsa, as an exercise in
‘traps’ self-suffering. He saind, ‘The law of .Karma does not imply determinism, thought it
limits the range for the exercise of our free will. Evil is the result of man’s abuse of his free
will and has a place in the scheme of progresses.
References
[1
] Diwakar, R.R., Gandhian Non-violence: A landmark’ in political Thinkers of Modern India by V.Grover, p.47.
[2
] Pasad, Rajendra, At the Feet of Mahatma Gandhi, p.25
[3
] Young India, 1919-22, p262.
[4
] Verma, V.P., Modern Indian Political Thought, p.230.
[5
] Mitra, N.N.1930. The Annual Register, May, vol. I, p.436
[6
] Dev, Maya. 1972. Round Table Conference and the Punjab Problem, M.Phil, Thesis of Punjab University, Patiala, p.76.
[7
] Singh, Khuswant, A History of the Sikhs, vol-II, p.299
[8
] One of the Institutions founded by Mahatma Gandhi at savargram towards the implementation of the constructive
programe to further the cause of Khadi and cottage industries, Jagadish Sharma, op.cit., p.9
[9
] Report of Forty-fifth Indian National Congress, 1901, Karachi Session, p.141
[10
] Sitaramaiah, P.B.,1969. History of the Indian national Congress, vol-I, New Delhi, p.576.
[11
] R, Coupland, 1943.The Indian problem 1933-35, Bombay, p.141.
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