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Beginnings in South Africa Back in India
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Mahatma, the great soul,
epitomizes the meaning of a man who was possibly the greatest human being the
20th century has seen.
Mahatma Gandhi was a modern messiah
whose life became the message to the world. The message was truth and freedom
through non-violence. Non violence is the most beautiful gift mankind has
received since the existence of civilized evolution.
Violence, wars, terrorism and human
injustice are the focus of the central issues of world problems. The
constructive aspects of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy can regenerate a world
bordering on the chaos.
Gandhiji's altruistic philosophy may
appear to be an utopian ideal. However, if we want to find permanent solutions
to life's problems, it is essential to adopt universal welfare as a central
precept. Only an individual with considerable self-respect, unshakable faith in
human nature and detachment can find sanity where alienation, soaring crime and
unmitigated violence are ripping the society apart.
Today Mahatma Gandhi is no more a
person, he has become a phenomenon. In his lifetime he fought for many causes;
colonialism, racial discrimination, economic exploitation and India's
Independence, but predominantly he fought for human rights which was the pivot
of his existence. His weapons were Satya (truth) and Ahimsa (non-violence).
Gandhiji's entire life was a powerful message for mankind. His every breath was
dedicated to the pursuit of truth (god), in its most pristine manifestations,
justice and liberty for man.
FROM PORBUNDER Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on
October 2, 1869 in Porbunder, India. He later became known as `Mahatma' - the
great soul.
Born in an illustrious and
distinguished family, Gandhiji married Kasturba at the age of 13. Gandhiji's
experiments with truth reflect his early childhood. Mundane incidents which
otherwise would have been relegated to posterity are the foundation of his
future trials. Meat-eating being sacrilegious, as a boy Gandhi dared to defy
this profanity only to be convinced of its sacrament. Similarly, his confession
of stealing, refusing to `cheat' at the behest of his revered teacher, trying to
reform Sheikh Mehtab, his school friend, are all evidence of a mind confronting
an introspective conscience. However the incident which haunted his entire life
was his inability to be present at his father's deathbed. A privilege which he
felt he lost owing to his `lustful pangs' towards his young wife.
After completing his school education,
he left for England to study law. In England, apart from studying law, he became
an ardent supporter of vegetarianism.
Gandhiji also devoured theosophical and
mystical works. He read the Koran, the Old and New Testament and Indian
religious books, of which the Gita was to have a profound influence on his life.
The Bhagvad Gita is a Hindu religious book based on moral discourses and
practice of yoga.
Gandhiji was called to bar in 1891,
whereupon he immediately retuned to India. In 1893 he was hired by a law firm to
fight a case in South Africa.
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