The ubiquitous picture of the Mahatma smiling away in a toothless,grin personifies his remaining a mute witness to the turn of History after all those relentless years of fasting,Satyagraha,arrests,speeches,writings,round table conferences,killings,massacres,genocide,hangings,patriotic streaks ,generations of silent rebellion against slavery,plundering,lootings,subjugation,discrimination,racism,et all...!!
The face of the Father of the largest Democracy of the world stares out smiling from the postage stamps, the hoardings, the election manifestos,the street corners and even in front of Assembly buildings ,the Parliament and the Supreme Court's edifices ...!!
The name of the Mahatma is sought to be invoked at the drop of a hat ever since we attained independence and a self-rule [as is branded by the patriots ]to be determined by adult suffrage and the ballot-box...!!
The truth however belies the hope which is radiated from the smiling Mahatma's image : not a day passes without the newscasts and television broadcasters highlighting all the evil deeds and obnoxious acts being perpetrated by all and sundry ,across the length and breadth of the country .Day in and day out , the acts of barbarism,blasphemy and betrayal of all the ideals and principles which the great man lived for and preached through action and by example are repeated...All is ominously bleak and bloody in nature...!!
The Mahatma became one by facing up to the challenges posed by the testing times .Racism teased the Barrister on alien soil and so the learned soul in him was kindled to return to homeland and write out a script which may certainly be declared to be the curtain-raiser for the U.S.Patriot Act that came to the law-books much,much later [in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on American soil by modern-day terrorists]...He rose to the occasion by practising Religion and not merely remaining either a silent sufferer or a mute spectator or one of those many versions [and variations]of Prophets and Messaiahs of Mankind ...From ' Mr.' M.K.Gandhi,he rose to become the 'Mahatma' Gandhi himself.It takes huge stamina,grit ,determination ,strength and valour in order to take up one's fight to the streets and let it spread around the world , scaling heights of the House of Lords and fathoming high Seas ,across a century and half of strife,labour and struggle - especially , when it was a modus operandi which adopted the teachings of a 'dead' religion [viz;Hinduism]and involved such unheard of and untested ways such as non-violence, abstinence from vices or Satyagraha or fasting for long periods ...Inactivity and mass strikes did not result in inertia but propelled the momentum of the mass movement itself ...The force was from within ...There was no need for support by external agencies such as a modern-day Mossad or a CIA or an ISI or the RAW either...No G-9 nor G-20 was there nor an UNO present to have strengthened the Cause of one Man - The Mahatma Gandhi...!!
The life and times of Mahatma are exemplary indeed - of one greater truism that Religion is not meant to be merely preached or propounded by ought to be practiced . His teachings reflected the teachings essentially of the Bhagwat Gita [which was taught to him by his elder peer,Acharya Vinobha Bhave whilst at Paunar Ashram]-the do thy duty and leave the fruits to me -doctrine enunciated in the Words of the Lord Srikrishna with his ultimate concluding poser to Arjuna [representative of all of Mankind]-'Ask thyself,WHO AM I?' is the summation of Hinduism....The singular Victory attributed to the Mahatma in carving out Free Nations [had he not conceded for the partition of India into different new-States,Pakistan nor Bangladesh ,in particular would have ever been born on the world-map]is testimony of the fact that Hinduism is not a dead Religion but a live, throbbing force to reckon with - by the true practitioner ...Not to be mistaken or confused with the ritualistic observances or mechanical motions of rites and prayers performed by several claimants professing to practice this ancient form of Religion...!!
The Mahatma smiles on - for,he has discovered that Relgion is Right ; that Self-respect is an ultimate possession;that Humanism alone is the secret for survival of Planet Earth [while all those other eight planets are Lifeless]...!!
Be Human ...Become a Mahatma [rule the heart of your Beloved Ones at Home or Workplace ,not necessarily the whole countryside]...Be An Enlightened Soul - Everyone...!!!
1 comment:
A very enlightening blog! An person cannot be a Mahatama until he really is a Mahaan Atma. It indeed is very difficult to be a Mahatma. I am reminded of a hymn sung in my school days when I think of Mahatma-- It takes courage to answer call, it takes courage to give your all, it takes courage to rik your name, it takes courage to be true. It take courage to say what no other would dare , it takes courage to be standing alone for the neighbour next door, it takes courage to be true...........
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