Gandhi's life and principles : Truth unrevealed

- By Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Gandhiji’s life was indeed multi-dimensional. No one can deny this fact. He had built up his own concepts and principles worth considering in almost all walks of life, especially in cultural, economic, educational, political and social fields. He also led a life founded on these ideas, which he formulated after long experience and learning. He believed in conducting experiments on himself and learnt from his own mistakes to testify to the Satya of what Indian philosophy preached. I, therefore, choose to say that Gandhiji was, in the entire human history, among a few great men who had uniformity in their views and actions to the maximum, if not in toto.

Gandhiji is remembered as a politician, a social reformer and a great soul - the Mahatma the world over. His socio-political and economic ideas and works in these fields always remained the subject of criticism. They are so even today. His nearest colleagues and comrades were disagreeing with his cultural views in his lifetime; and so many others are not agreeing till date. It is a natural public reaction, because of the difference between one’s ideas and actions or having disparity with his way of working, which is unavoidable. This state has always prevailed.

Not only this, so many volumes - books have been written on Gandhiji during his lifetime as well as after his passing away, keeping his life, ideas and works as nuclei. So much of research has been conducted on Gandhiji and his ideas - way or philosophy. This process still continues all over the world. No other one in the entire South and Southeast Asia triggers so much of curiosity for researchers, writers and thinkers, as him in this regard. In many universities and institutions of higher education of India and around the world, exclusive Gandhian studies and research centres have been established. Despite this, Gandhiji himself has never been accepted as a scholar in the academic sense. We are all aware of this fact.

Gandhiji’s socio-political, educational and cultural ideas were criticized by many in India itself. Several still do so for their own respective reasons. His views in these field and works - actions are despite their being centred on common men severely criticized.

II

It is pertinent to know why he has been the butt of so much of criticism. Gandhiji called for maintaining morality in politics in all situations; he was, therefore, criticized by his political opponents. His mass activities led on the basis of Ahimsa - non-violence were also criticized, as no one believed in the strength of non-violence, thinking it to be the weapon of the weak. Critics did so, being ignorant or indifferent about the basic spirit of morality, and Ahimsa (that is active goodwill towards living beings) and its acid test (that is intent underlying the act). They do so even today.

Gandhiji was targeted by social scientists for his cultural ideas and also views related to nationalism and socialism. For this reason, his book, Hind Swaraj was rigorously criticized. His critics saw with their closed eyes, narrowness and isolation in his views related to nationalism rather than noticing the broad outlook persisting therein. They did not try to go deeper to catch the importance of Gandhiji’s statement in which he said, “For me patriotism is the same as humanity. I am patriotic because I am a human and humane.” (Young India, March 16, 1921) They overlooked nationalism of Gandhiji knowingly-unknowingly and criticized assessing it in the light of nationalism of the West. Not only this, his critics found orthodoxy in his views ignoring one of his most progressive statement in which he clearly said that for large scaled welfare of humanity man should continuously step forward on the pathway of progress with co-operation, co-ordination and harmony of fellow beings. Hence, stepping forward is necessary, therefore, Go ahead, (if not so), fall is inevitable.

In India, a country of villages, cottage industries played a vital role for self-sufficiency of people. For centuries small industries provided livelihood to the masses; agriculture and related cottage industries still immensely contribute to the nation’s economy. Gandhiji preferred cottage industries over heavy industries; therefore, his ideas were disliked by those supporting heavy industries -including economists, industrialists, supporters of socialism of the West and communists.

Gandhiji was a self-realized one and he accepted the reality of equality of all. He rightly comprehended that progress -welfare of one remained in the welfare of all. That is why; through his concept of Trusteeship he expected capitalists, industrialists, Zamindars or those who owned resources, to considers themselves as the Trustees of their wealth or resources and to take it as their moral duty to use all gains thereof in larger benefit of the people. Through this, he also called for Antyodaya -uplift of the last and Sarvodaya -rise of one and all so that everyone could get appropriate opportunities in life to have her/his all-round development. But, how could his ideas be liked by individualists or those who had mentality that they were only born superior and gaining prosperity was their birthright? Gandhiji, on the other hand, wished to change hearts of capitalists, industrialists and landlords filling in them the high level of morality; thus, through the process of reform he undertook to transform them into the Trustees of capital or resources. But, even after a remarkable success of the Bhoodan Movement after Gandhiji’s passing away, the importance of his ideas is not accepted till today by those who still believe that no fundamental change or transformation in society is possible without the use of violence.

Many did not like Gandhiji’s statement related to culture in which he said, “I do respectfully contend that an appreciation of other cultures can fitly follow, never precede, an appreciation and assimilation of our own.” Although Gandhiji mentioned in the beginning of this statement, “nothing can be further from my thought than that we should become exclusive or erect barriers”, but without comprehending well his views -the basic spirit at the root of his statement and also the true meaning and sole purpose of a culture knowingly-unknowingly and connecting culture with a particular religious community or a sect, they could not digest Gandhiji’s ideas. India is still replete with such people even today.

I have already talked about the fact that Gandhiji is not accepted as a scholar in the academic sense; however, in my view, his ideas on education are matchless, and for this he emerges as a distinctive educationist. His views presenting a four sided education plan paves the way to all-round development of one’s personality. His idea of Buniyadi Shiksha (basic education) is not only significant in current perspective, but is effective to achieve the goal as per the basic spirit and the purpose of education. His concept of education is all timely; therefore, worth following even today.

In short, despite many accepting Gandhiji as their ideal and icon and following non-violence-based way of life shown by him in their struggles for equality, freedom, justice and rights, his ideas and actions and even his personal life remained subject to criticism. Currently it is so. Unfortunately, he is more criticized for his ideas and actions baselessly in his own country.

III

One can, I will repeat time and again, make critical analysis of ideas and actions -works of Gandhiji on solid grounds. A critical analysis of one’s ideas cannot weaken them or shrink their significance. Rather, a critical analysis of one’s thoughts, or his way of life makes it healthy and strong, brightens the importance of his ideas. Gandhian views and Gandhiji’s way are also not the exception to this reality. Not only this, ideas, or the way of Gandhiji after its critical analysis deeply appeals all of its critics, small or big, to realize the basic spirit and the intent of the Gandhian thought and the way. Martin Luther King Junior in the beginning did not agree with the Gandhian way of non-violence. But, after going into its root, getting familiarity with the basic spirit and intent of the Gandhian way he realized all-timely significance of it. He had said that in Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance he found the most practical and morality-bound method available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom.

In the first half of his public life Nelson Mandela also did not agree with the non-violent way of Gandhiji ultimately dedicated to the Satya. All those who are familiar with the series of events of South Africa especially related to struggles of Mandela, and also subject specialists, they are well aware that there was a time when he went far away from the Gandhian ideology. But, in the second half of his life -at the door of the freedom of his country, he accepted that there was no alternative to the Gandhian way - the Ahimsa-Marg.

Both the affirmations - statements of Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela were not spontaneous. Both of them had continuously fought against suppression of their compatriots - for justice for millions in their countries, the United States of America and South Africa respectively.  Confirmations of King and Mandela were, undoubtedly, the result of their comprehensions of the basic spirit and prejudice-free analysis of the non-violent Gandhian way, and experiences they had had from their continuous struggles for justice in their respective countries and achieved successes thereof.

IV

What is the basic spirit of the Gandhian ideas or the way? It is, in fact, necessary to comprehend in a state completely free from prejudices for one who desires to be familiar with views, works and the way of Gandhiji, or even his life.

The Satya - truth of the universal unity remains as the nucleus in views of Gandhiji. The universal unity calls for equality of everyone and the welfare of one and all. Every living being is essentially included in the broad concept of equality of all. However, in this, man, as the superior being of the entire creation, who possesses extraordinary qualities like intellect and creativity, remains in priority. On the basis of these qualities, he is through the large scaled co-operation of fellow beings capable of paving the way of welfare of all. This basic spirit of the Gandhian ideas establishes Gandhiji as a Mahatma - a Great Soul, a Saint.

The colossal brotherhood concept of Mahatma Gandhi - a broad outlook-based approach of fraternity of humankind could be well comprehended in his ideas related to equality-centred freedom. All of his socio-political critics or those who criticize Mahatma’s economic ideas or views of nationalism need to have familiarity with this reality. In this regard, his ideas appearing under the title, ‘Brotherhood of Man’ in Young India on January 4, 1929 are worth considering as they clearly reflect Mahatma Gandhi’s firm belief in universal unity, which essentially includes all living beings, equality of human beings and longing for the welfare of one and all. Having all beings in the centre, the Mahatma said, “I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings call human, but I want to realize identity with all life, even with such things as crawl upon earth...because we claim descent from the same God (the only basis of the universal unity and the one eternal and ever flowing law), and that being so, all life in whatever form it appears must be essentially one.”

Affirming his commitment towards the unity of the entire human race - mankind, equality of all and the welfare of everyone, the Mahatma said, “My mission is not merely brotherhood of Indian humanity. My mission is not merely freedom of India, though today it undoubtedly engrosses practically the whole of my life and whole of my time. But, through realization of freedom of India, I hope to realize and carry on the mission of brotherhood of man.”

Keeping especially patriotism as the nucleus, the Mahatma further said, “My patriotism is not an exclusive thing. It is all embracing and I should reject that patriotism, which sought to mount upon the distress or exploitation of other nationalities. The conception of my patriotism is nothing if it is not always, in every case without exception, consistent with the broadest good of humanity at large.”

It is just one example from Mahatma Gandhi’s brotherhood of man centred views elucidating his burning desire for unity, equality and the welfare of one and all. This eventually divulges commitment of his ideas and the way to the universalism. He expressed such views throughout his life and wished for the upliftment of everyone. He struggled whole of his life accordingly. Going against the wish of his close comrades and the most leading figures of India like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Mahatma Gandhi refused to support the Imperialists in the Second World War even if the English assured the freedom of India soon after the War. Reason was simple. Humanity had to be suppressed in the War. Nothing could be gained except the loss of life of innocent people in the War, and this happened. We all know this well. Therefore, in place of extending help to the English in the War Mahatma Gandhi asked them to quit India. He called on his compatriots to compel the Imperialists to go out of India. The Individual Satyagraha of the year 1940 followed by the Quit India Movement -the August Kranti were the result of the call made by the Mahatma.

‘Independent India would dedicate herself to the freedom and prosperity of everyone in the world’, the Mahatma called on every Indian at the launch of the Quit India Movement in 1942. It was fully in the consonance of two of his statements of the year 1925 in which he had clearly said that Independent India would work for the welfare of one and all in the world. In his own words, “I want India’s rise so that the whole world may benefit. I (indeed) do not want India to rise on the ruin of other nations.” (Young India, March 12, 1925) And, “I would like to see India free and strong so that she may offer herself a willing and pure sacrifice for the betterment (the welfare) of the world.”

A pure spirit of human welfare remains intact in Gandhiji’s statements. It is, in fact, the essence of his ideas and the identity of his saintliness. Keeping aside all prejudices each and every one, general or elite, needs to comprehend the ideas and works -actions of Mahatma Gandhi. Further, having the basic spirit of ideas and actions of the Mahatma intact, they could be refined -made conducive as per the demand of time and space and adopted for getting freedom, justice and rights, all necessary for human equality. His own life style was a result of his long research on human behaviour in which he himself was the sample. He lived what he preached, be it truthfulness, faith, simplicity, celibacy, non-vegetarianism, non-violence and morality. Those who take his ideas superficially can never get the knack of them. His ideology has to be practiced first and criticized later.

An Indologist Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut; he is also the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International Journal. | Email: ravindrawpmt@gmail.com