Theory and Practice of Gandhian Non-Violence

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Since ancient age, Non-violence, a value perpetually and permanently present in human nature, has been subsisting in world in different forms, in theory and in practice. It has been the means of human existence, development and achievement of real goal of life. In this work, along with definition, profile and evolution of the concept of Non-violence, as propounded by the thinkers of repute through the ages, in theoretical and applied context, Freedom and Justice, the two pillars of Non-violence and Democracy as contemplated by Mahatma Gandhi in resolving the conflicting global situation have been uniquely pursued with the help of some case studies to substantiate the thought.

Dr. Ravindra Kumar (b. 1959) is an Eminent Scholar, Writer and Indologist. He is the Former Vice-Chancellor of C.C.S. University, Meerut (India).

Dr. Ravindra Kumar has been closely associated with a number of academic, cultural, educational and social institutions in India and abroad. He has 50 outstanding works and 150 research articles to his credit. Some of his famous works, of which many are of international repute and have been translated in several Indian and foreign languages, viz., Towards Peace Vol. I and II, Morality and Ethics In Public Life, Religion and World Peace, Life and Work of Kanjibhai Desai, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Com. Mao Tse- Tung: A Comparative Study with Reference to Peasantry, Essays on Gandhism and Peace, Correspondence and Selected Documents of Subhas Chandra Bose, Collected Essays: Voice of an Indologist, Sagai Ka Din and Kulpati Kaksha Tak. He is the Founder of the World Peace Movement Trust, a member of 1.C.P.A., Executive Councils/Senates of several Indian Universities and a Consultant to UN University of Peace for Gandhian Studies. He has visited many countries of the world as a Visiting Scholar and Professor. The President of India has conferred the honour of 'Padma Shri upon Dr. Kumar for his outstanding services.

It is my good Luck that I got an opportunity to analyse Gandhian non-violence in theory and practice in the year when Gandhi had been declared the greatest personality of 20th century. It is due to his ahimsa, to be followed by all, he had been accepted as great.

Gandhi, neither was considered an eminent intellectual in the academic sense of the term nor was he accepted as a great scholar, thinker or philosopher. Even then he became a subject of study and research for a number of scholars and intellectuals. Why is it so? It is because the manner in which he placed non-violence, a value perpetually and permanently present in human nature, before the world, that is unique in itself.

Awakening crores of people on the strength of non- violent activities, engaging them to an action, challenging the mighty empire of the world and ultimately throwing off the yoke of slavery, can never be an ordinary event. Those who believed that not a single country in world history had achieved its freedom except by violence. Gandhi's action compelled them to rethink and also to change their mentality. It was his greatness that after doing all this, he said, "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills."

Since ancient age, non-violence has been subsisting in human world in different forms, in theory and in practice. It has been the means of human existence. development and achievement of real goal of life. In the whole world, at different places. from time to time, thinkers, philosophers, propounders and interpreters of religious communities and sects have accepted supremacy of non-violence in one form or the other. In my opinion, the principal and eternal values which became the basis of all religious communities, were supplementary to non- violence. So, Gandhi alone showed the way of non-violence to mankind, is not the only fact. The reality lies in the fact that, alongwith individual, he established it in the form of a social virtue, well worthy to be followed by each and every one, making the same exemplary for the solution of all the problems, small or big, through its unique experiments. Not only this, he synthesized all concepts of the East and the West pertaining to non- violence. Everyone, be he a Jain or a Hindu, a Buddhist or a Christian, a Muslim or a Jew or any one else, he. more or less, can find non-violence of his imagination in theory and practice of Gandhi. This is the basic characteristic of his ahimsa.

Non-violence is indispensable till we are in existence on this planet. Never can its importance be minimised. After accepting it in principle, we must bring it into practice for our own welfare. In solution of day to day problems of all natures and standards, there is no alternative superior to non-violence and its activities. But the question now arises how to adopt non-violence and its related activities? How to employ ahimsa and its activities? In this context Gandhi has put before us his theory in practice. I am trying to analyse the same before you. You may contemplate it and try to reap benefit from it if you so desire.

Before I close I express my gratitude to the authorities, particularly the Director of Master of Arts Programme in Peace and Development Studies, Universitat Jaume I. Castellon, for giving me an opportunity to express my views on the subject. I am also grateful to Sister Sebastian for extending her help in translating some Hindi-Sanskrit portions of this manuscript into English, and Shri V.B. Pant for going through the manuscript.

Going by the dictionary, the meaning of the word 'non-violence' is avoidance. Academically it may be the correct use of the word. Although careful in the use of words Mahatma Gandhi was neither an academic philosopher nor an ideologue. For him 'non-violence' was not a negative term but he used it to mean 'reverence for life', that is, 'jeeva-daya'. which is 'universal love'. He often used Satyagraha' and 'Ahimsa' to mean two aspects of the Truth, which for him was God. He was of the view that "Renunciation of the flesh is essential for realizing truth. The sage who realized truth found non-violence out of the violence ranging all about him and said: "violence is unreal, non-violence is real". Realization of truth is impossible without non- violence. Brahmcharya (celibacy), asteya (non-stealing). aparigraha (non-possession) are means to achieve Ahimsa. Ahimsa is the soul of truth. Man is mere animal without it. A seeker after truth will realize all this in his search for truth and he will then have no difficulty in the interpretation of the Shastras". (Gandhiji: Essential Writings, Ed. V.V. Ramana Murti; Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, 1970).

For Gandhiji 'Satyagraha' was obeying the divine law'. But why Satyagraha? Why the way of mass suffering? "Because" wherever communities or nations exist. individual members of those communities or nations have endured hardships for the common good." "These great and holy men (Lord Buddha. Jesus Christ, and Prophet Mohammed) obeyed the law and brought happiness to mankind. They did not think of their personal interest but found their own happiness in others." (Ibid., p. 4-5).

Book's Contents and Sample Pages