Then Gandhi came. He was like a powerful gust of fresh air that made us stand up straight and take a deep breath, like a beam of light that dispelled darkness and removed the veil from our eyes, like a whirlwind that set many things in motion, but above all, the spirit of the people. He did not come down from on high; it seemed like he emerged from the millions of India, speaking their language… The essence of his teachings was courage and truth combined with action… The greatest gift for an individual or a nation, as we were told in ancient books, was abhaja, the absence of fear… Chanakya and Yagnavalkaya said, at the dawn of our history, that it was the duty of leaders to make the people fearless. But the ruling instinct in India under British rule was fear… Against this pervasive fear rose Gandhi’s peaceful and determined voice: Do not be afraid!
Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of India
As with all great figures of humanity, a vast and diverse body of literature has inevitably emerged around the name and personality of Mahatma Gandhi in many languages.
a, in which facts and fairy tales, authentic history and romantic legends are intricately intertwined.
The first attempts at his biography were made by the English missionary in South Africa, Joseph J. Doke, and the English Jew, Henry Polak. His Indian friends, Pranjivan Mehta, whom Gandhi met during his studies in England, and Avantika Gokhale, an active participant in the independence movement, gathered everything they could from what he had written himself. Gandhi himself wrote his autobiography and a detailed history of the Satyagraha movement in South Africa while in prison in 1924. Since then, people all over the world have begun writing about him from different perspectives, and particularly notable are the biographies written by the French writer, musicologist, and historian Romain Rolland and the American journalist Louis Fischer. Gandhi’s secretaries, Pyarelal Nayyar and Chandrashankar Shukla, as well as the Indian writer and creator of documentary films, Dinanath G. Tendulkar, have written extremely comprehensive and well-documented biographies in multiple volumes. connections.
However, Indian poet and active participant in the Indian independence movement, Sarojini Naidu, wrote: “…Who among us, even among those closest to him, can truly assess the greatness of a man so richly endowed with the noblest and most wonderful qualities of the human mind and spirit: extraordinary kindness of heart, wisdom that is both deep and brilliant, unwavering courage, unadulterated faith, unparalleled love for human suffering and mistakes, and the rarest and most precious of gifts – his humor, which is an integral and inseparable part of his wisdom, courage, and compassion?”2
Another one of those magnetically drawn to Gandhi, his collaborator, journalist Shri R. K. Prabhu [Ramachandra Krishna Prabhu], who was also the editor of the magazine Young India3 for a time, and co-author of the book The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, published a collection of anecdotes about Gandhi titled This was Bapu4. Woven from historical facts and the Testimonies and anecdotes are, as our A.G. Matoš said, “the keyhole through which you can see more than through wide open doors”, and thus they peculiarly reveal fragments of the complex and intricate personality of this exceptional and beloved teacher of humanity.
THIS WAS BAPU
Mahatmadji forced to laugh
“As I entered, I greeted Mahatmadji with an Indian greeting, bowing my head and joining my palms in front of my chest. So, whether it was the sight of my big feet in their baggy socks or if I looked funny while greeting him, I don’t know, but the old gentleman chuckled quite a bit, and behind his steel-framed glasses, his eyes sparkled like those of a schoolboy,” wrote Robert Stimson in The Times of India, reminiscing about Gandhi.
In his company, one feels the presence of a moral giant whose soul is a clear, calm lake in which Truth is reflected. His gentleness has turned away anger a thousand times and disarmed even the most hostile. Unarmed for war, yes, he has conquered peace, for his weapon is ancient, armed with moral fervor, calm determination, spiritual enthusiasm, self-sacrifice of the lower self, service to others, humility, steadfastness, and great love for all living beings…
Henry and Millie Polak
Kindred Souls
“When I sent Gandhi my recently published book,” wrote the famous French scholar Romain Rolland, “I expressed my fear that I may not have always understood his thoughts and that I would like to correct any mistake that is found, if he points it out to me. He replied to me from the sanatorium where he was recovering:
Andheri, March 22, 1924.
Dear friend,
Thank you for your kind letter. What does it matter if you made a few mistakes here and there in your essay? It is truly miraculous to me that you have managed to accurately interpret my ideas, despite living in a distant and different environment, and have only made a few mistakes. This once again confirms the essential unity of human nature, even if it flourishes under different skies.
“I am still a student”
“Mahatma Gandhi, you are here to address a unique gathering representing different races and nationalities – people from 57 countries…; a group of two hundred individuals with two hundred opposing opinions and unfathomable follies,” said the chairman of the meeting at the International Students’ Movement House, as he introduced Gandhi at an extremely international gathering of male and female students in London on October 16, 1931.
Mahatma received applause with adoration and admiration when he warmly greeted the audience as “fellow students”. He asked them to forgive him for wanting to spend the evening answering questions instead of giving them a lecture. He said: “I am addressing you as fellow students. That is not just a phrase. In essence, I consider myself a learner and if you are as wise as I am (laughter), you will continue to consider yourselves learners even after finishing school, in later life.”
“Through my diverse life experiences,” Gandhiji continued, “I have come to the conclusion that our student life begins after we leave our schools, universities, and legal chambers where we are supposed to learn about our studies, with the key to our knowledge, and when we leave those spaces, we practically forget everything we have learned.”
In fact, after studying, we must unlearn many things. The so-called student life is merely preparation for the real life of a learner. When you’re in college or similar, you have specific subjects. Even with elective subjects, you have to study them separately. But after that phase, you are free like a bird with wings to soar high, and the higher you soar, the stronger you become. So I am still a student who hasn’t graduated in life. (applause).” The author states that, if you want to do good for those you come into contact with, the only way to achieve that goal is to be good yourself. His ideals are self-improvement and refinement… All of his theories and practices are seamlessly integrated into everyday life. No earthly temptations are too great for him, and none of them can lead him astray from the noble path he has set for himself. It is not an exaggeration to say that in this age of materialism, it is not possible to come across another person who lives the ideal life he preaches. Pranjivan Mehta
Gandhi became acquainted with the Bhagavad Gita through an English translation by Edwin Arnold through his theosophical connections in England. This opened up a new perspective on life for me… I finally found, as I believed, the light I needed. He also read Edwin Arnold’s poem on Buddha’s life – The Light of Asia – as well as the chapter on the Prophet of Islam from Thomas Carlyle’s book On Heroes, Hero Worship, and the Heroic in History. Around the same time, he also became introduced and the Bible. He immediately fell in love with the Sermon on the Mount. My young mind tried to merge the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Light of Asia, and the Sermon on the Mount. That renunciation was the highest form of religion that attracted me in an unusual way.
When you are beaten and left to yourself, it becomes a difficult task. If you embrace the teachings, if you dedicate yourself to learning, to eternal exploration, there are no limits to the joy, no limits to the pleasure you gain from learning. My study was a persistent search for Truth.”
When some of his associates founded a society named after him, with the aim of propagating his ideals, he warned them: There is no such thing as “Gandism” and I don’t want to leave behind any sect. I do not claim that any new principle or teaching originated from me. I simply tried to apply eternal truths to our everyday life and problems in my own way… The opinions I have formed and the conclusions I have reached are by no means final. If I find better ones, I can change them tomorrow. I have nothing new to teach the world. Tina and nonviolence are as old as the mountains. All I did was experiment on a large scale and do the best I could. In doing so, I sometimes made mistakes and learned from them…
I am just a poor soul longing to be completely good, completely true, and completely nonviolent in thoughts, words, and actions, but I am unable to achieve the ideal that I know is true. I admit that it is a difficult climb, but that suffering is my pleasure. Each step upwards makes me stronger and more prepared for the next. (The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi)
“Do I have any possessions?”
“I do not own any belongings, yet I feel that I might be the richest person in the world… For me, deprivation of possessions is a positive gain. I would love for people to compete with me in that pleasure. It is the richest treasure I possess. Therefore, it is correct to say that, even though I preach poverty, I am a wealthy man.”
There is no temple for Gandhi.
“My wish was to dedicate a temple to Gandhi. But when When I mentioned Gandhi (in May 1941), he burst out laughing, and then said in a serious tone:
“Yes, the proposal is good if you want to do it with good intentions. Look, I have fought against all kinds of superstitions that have corrupted our society and religion and degraded it to its current level all my life. Building a temple in the ashram and dedicating it to me will soon create new superstitions that you will not be able to fight against. Instead of creating unity among different castes and religions, even unintentionally, you will create the Gandhi caste. I do not want anything like that. But if you believe in what I have lived for, I could suggest this to you: designate a place for prayer in your ashram and plant beautiful flowering trees around it. Invite everyone, regardless of caste, religion, or faith, to visit your place and pray there. The rain of flowers from the trees at the prayer site and their refreshing and pleasant scent when you gather there will create the right atmosphere for spiritual growth.” There was potential.
“The proposal was so reasonable that I gave up on the idea of building a temple. I planted flowering trees around the prayer area in the Kripa ashram.” – Bhikku Nirmalananda from Tiruvennainalura
The gift of a poor woman
The response of women to Gandhi’s calls for work and money always filled him with hope and joy. For him, sincerity behind participation was essential. At a women’s meeting in Tunji, an elderly, clearly poor woman of about 75 years, bent double under the weight of her years but with a kind face and a sparkle in her eyes, put four annas in his hands without any apologies that could be read in those unforgettable eyes. Immediately after, a middle-aged woman put five rupees and a copper coin into his hands. Gandhi immediately asked her, “Whose donation is greater, yours or that of the older sister?”
A brave and determined answer followed: “Both are equal.”
“I was unprepared for that most intelligent and penetrating answer. I was satisfied beyond measure.” “These measures are necessary and I’m happy to be speechless,” said Gandhi, reflecting on that event.
Residence of Happiness
During his stop in Paris on his way back to India from the conference in London in December 1931, Mahatma Gandhi addressed a public gathering of over two thousand people organized by local intellectuals. At the end of his speech, he answered numerous questions from the French audience. Among the questions asked were the following:
Q: Is a person’s happiness in knowledge or in ignorance? (laughter).
A: Neither. Happiness resides in every person, in the pursuit of perfection and truth.
Q: Are all people capable of seeking perfection?
A: Yes, it exists within them.
I know the path. It is straight and narrow. It is like the edge of a sword. I rejoice in walking on it. I lament when I slip off it. God’s word is: “He who strives never perishes.” I firmly believe in that promise. And even if I experience failure a thousand times due to my weaknesses, I will not give up. Abandoning faith, I now hope to behold the Light when the body is perfectly restrained, as it must eventually be. (The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi)
Rights and duties
“From my illiterate but wise mother, I learned that all rights that need to be earned and preserved come from the proper fulfillment of duties,” wrote Gandhi in a letter addressed to Dr. Julian Huxley, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This letter was written in response to a call from sixty prominent figures around the world to define what they consider the foundation of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.
Defining his perspective on human rights, Gandhi said, “The right to life belongs to us only when we fulfill our duty as citizens of the world. Any other right can be proven as a usurpation that is hardly worth fighting for.”
Further insight on this matter is provided by a telegram that Gandhi sent to the late Mr. H. G. Wells. Gandhi’s telegram reads as follows: I have received your telegram. I have carefully read your five articles. Allow me to say that you are on the wrong track. I feel confident that I can draft a better Charter of Rights than you have. What good would that bring? If you think of propaganda or educating the people, you have started on the wrong side. I suggest the right path. Let us begin with a Charter of Duties and I guarantee that rights will follow as spring follows winter. I am writing from experience. As a young man, I started my life trying to assert my rights and soon discovered that I had none – not even over my own wife. So I started discovering and fulfilling my duty towards my spouse, children, friends, colleagues, and society, and today I find that I have more rights than any living person I know. If this is too lofty a claim, then I say that I do not know anyone who has more rights than me.
I deny being a visionary. I do not accept the claim of being holy. I am of the earth, earthly… I am prone to weaknesses just like you. But I have seen the world. I have lived in a world with open eyes. I have walked through the most fiery path that can befall a man. I have gone through that discipline. (The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi)
I believe in trust. Trust begets trust. Doubt is stagnant and only stinks. Those who have trust are never lost in the world. (The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi)
Lead me, gentle light in the darkness
that surrounds me, lead me on the path!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
lead me on the path!…
John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
– Gandhi’s favorite and often quoted poem
1 Henry Polak was one of Gandhi’s closest associates in South Africa, editing the Indian Opinion magazine during Gandhi’s absences. He and his wife Millie, also an active participant in Gandhi’s movement, shared a home with Gandhi’s family for a couple of years. Polak, being a lawyer, assisted Gandhi in resolving disputes, and he also spent time in prison with him in South Africa.
2 From the book Chandrash Ankara Shuffle: Gandhi As We Know Him [Gandhiji as we know him], in which friends and close associates described their perception of Gandhi and his mission.
3 Young India was an English-language weekly through which Gandhi spread his ideology of nonviolence in the fight for independence from Great Britain.
4 Selection from the book Shri R. K. Prabhu: This was Bapu [One Hundred and Fifty Anecdotes relating to Mahatma Gandhi], 1954.
5 Anna (or ānā) – a former currency unit used in India, equal to 1⁄16 rupee.