Mahatma Gandhi -- the Known and the Unknown PDF Download

Author: M. GEORGE
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781691155613
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 189

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Book Description
M.K. GANDHI -- THE MAHATMA There is a famous saying, "Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some people are thrust upon greatness!" The first category of people are those born as the children of kings and monarchs. I believe that the second category constitute people like Gandhiji, who achieve greatness through their precious life by upholding their precious principles in life, without jettisoning them while sailing through the rough sea of life. Certainly there were his fore runners to him in the annals of the history, like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. etc. But Gandhiji became a "Mahatma" not only by his martyrdom, but by establishing himself as a living legend as an apostle of peace and nonviolence. Before starting his experiments with Truth, he was an ordinary young man with strong sexual appetite and violent temper. And in his boyhood, he was just an ordinary boy, fragile, timid and even a coward who was afraid even to enter into another room of his own house without the company of others. But at the same time, he had enough mischief like eating meat flouting the custom of his caste, smoking and stealing money from his house to indulge in such hateful and forbidden activities. He did not like any sports activities and did not mingle with his colleagues whom he was afraid to face for fear of taunting remarks from them. But the great transformation of his personality from trembling timidity to a most courageous man occurred in a single incident when he was pushed out of the first class compartment at Maritzburg railway station, for being a colored coolie barrister. This humiliation hurt his self respect and made him a great crusader of civil rights. He later told, "I cannot conceive of a greater loss than the loss of one's self respect." This fiery awareness of self respect was the only capital he possessed in his life. It urged him to fight relentlessly against injustice and inhuman discrimination. Even after becoming a famous and respectable civil rights activist, no body attributed any greatness to him until 1930. The world came to know him when he successfully launched the "Salt Satyagraha". It catapulted him to the status of a unique world leader who could shake the great British Empire by a pinch of salt and proved to the world that nonviolent satyagraha can conquer the mightiest force. He became the Time magazine's "Man of the Year" He was nominated five times for Nobel Prize. Gandhij's life and teachings have inspired many great leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu kyi etc. It is said that it was Rabindranath Tagore called him, "Mahatma" for the first time. In the eyes of millions across the world Gandhiji is now a "Mahatma". He is also recognized as India's "Father of Nation". Thousands of books have been written about him by great writers. He is now one of the most universally recognized person on earth. But he was a man of flush and blood and that is the main reason why millions liked him and even loved him. His ordinary life, turned extraordinary through self purification by his persistent pursuit for truth. His life was an inspiration for innumerable works of art and literature. There is even a cult movement known as "Gandhism" to venerate Gandhiji and make him a religious icon. But he had never projected himself as a godly incarnation like many do in India. Rather he said,"There is no such thing as Gandhism" and I do not want to leave any sect after me. I do not claim to have originated any new principle or doctrine. I have simply tried in my own way to apply the eternal truths to our daily life and problems. The options I have formed and the conclusions I have arrived at are not final. I may change them tomorrow. I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and nonviolence are as old as the hills." This kind of humility is another mark of a great soul!