Mahatma Gandhi said........

Mahatma Gandhi is an enigma. Here was a painfully thin man clothed only in a white loin cloth and a shawl, but resolute enough to prevail on this world with his Non-Violence concept. He got India its Independence through what he believed was the only solution, Non-Violence. What happened under his guidance was only one of its kind and relevant even today. The demand was for violence for the justified cause of Independence. There was no other way in history, yet the man took the opposite way, NON-violence, persisted and achieved! No mean task.

Put what happens today in viewpoint. A justified cause is sought to be achieved through violence. People are hurt. The hurt start their campaign of violence. Violence spawns. Where and when will this end? It’s misery of colossal magnitude. Good sense must prevail! We want the civilizations to prosper!

Here is what he said and did. My interpretation is only a feeble effort to understand his psyche. If we understand and implement even one tenth of his philosophy, we will have a reason to be happy.

I am aiming to address the die hard non believers also, as they do not subscribe to theology. Nothing wrong in that, almost all of this tribe have so much goodness in them, that, they do not need to draw inspiration from religion.

This has nothing to do with God! Following this fellow human being may be convincing enough. Self confessedly he did what he understood from religion. He has left us with a saying “Manav seva – Madhava seva.” “Serving humans is as good as serving God”

He was human. There is no doubt about it! His autobiography “My Experiments with Truth” will persuade you of it. It deals extensively about his failings, Physical, Mental and Moral. No holds barred! He is without any doubt an unlikely hero.

Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

Every human being has a sense of what is fair and what is not, and behaves in the way that the society finds desirable. I think that the harmony mentioned is not only between thought, word and deed, but between all the three and the society as well. If harmony with the society is not there then both society and the human are miserable and happiness is lost.

Hate the sin, love the sinner.

You will find this in line with what Jesus said and did. Forgiveness!, that is what is required. If someone has erred, punishment is essential. Brand someone a criminal and, he will be compelled to carry the mantel all his life. A little bit of compassion, counseling and a new direction in skill set is essential to make a convict positive and productive. There are such efforts going on. I hope they are successful.

I cannot teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before any one even at the cost of your life.

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.


This is the essence of the Indian Freedom struggle. People used to flood the streets, refused to pay taxes, civil disobedience concept was born. Salt Satyagraha was the benchmark. The British taxed Indian produced salt. Mahatma Gandhi thought this was unfair. So Satyagraha (Anger of truth.) started. People went to the sea shores to make salt as a symbol of protest. Only to be beaten on the head by police with strong sticks. No resistance was offered. You can watch the Movie Gandhi, by Richard Attenborough, this was very graphically represented. In the end the British had to withdraw. The Power of Non-Violence!


It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.

However learned you may be there is a lot still to learn. The moment you think we are wise and there is nothing more to learn, we fall into folly. Be confident of the knowledge you have, overconfidence is the ruin. Life has a habit of throwing the unusual at you, cope with the existing knowledge, tide it over. Learn with the experience, but keep you eyes and ears open. There can be an easier way.

One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds.

Consider the issue at hand carefully. Analyze and debate with yourself all the aspects. Then be convinced. Once convinced be firm. Dithering has no place in progress. A decision taken in a hurry might be an issue of regret later.

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

His physique and his resolve are the proof of this. One little man against the mighty Empire stood his ground and was invincible. If this is not strength, what is?

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

The Mahatma was never vengeful or vindictive with the British. As the Independence movement was underway came the Second World War. A call came from London to rise and defend freedom against evil. Mahatma Gandhi asked the people to join the British forces in the war, and they did. His stand was though we want freedom, we are subjects of the empire, and so we should obey and defend the freedom as it is a common interest. An irony when the whole movement started by him was of disobedience. He was roundly condemned for it, but was firm. The wily man used it to negotiate Freedom. The forgiveness he showed at the time of crisis is strength. Any other person would have refused participation.

Thank you Mahatma for the lovely gift you gave us. Here I stand, as a Human, with all of my faults, and thoroughly ashamed, we are not following you. Come back to guide us.