Gandhi: The Great Soul

A brave person with only his knowledge and keen wit as his weapon – that is Mahatma Gandhi. The film about his life is great as it showed the highlights of one of the greatest men of history. He was shown in the film as an Italian lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British through his philosophy of non-violent protest. He was the pioneer and perfector of Satyagraha – the resistance of tyranny through mass civil disobedience strongly founded upon ahimsa or total non-violence – which led to Indian independence, and has inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. He first employed his ideas of peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian community’s struggle for civil rights in South Africa. Upon his return to India, he organized poor farmers and labourers in India to protest oppressive laws made by the British. He led a nationwide campaign for the alleviation of the poor, liberation of Indian women, for brotherhood amongst communities of differing religions and ethnicity, for an end to untouchability and caste discrimination, and for the economic self-sufficiency of the nation, but above all for independence of India from foreign domination. Due to his acts, he was imprisoned for many years on numerous occasions in South Africa and India.

Throughout his life, Gandhi remained committed to non-violence and truth even in the most extreme situations. He set a good example on how it is to live simply and be self-sufficient by making his own clothes.  He abstained from food and water for long periods as a means of protest.

Satyagraha literally means insistence on truth. This is the philosophy Gandhi used in forcing an end to the British Raj. It was illustrated in the film in scenes where Gandhi was being tried for sedition and was asked for his defense statement. He admitted the truth that he is indeed guilty if it were the only way he could let them realize how he hated the British colonizers and his genuine desire to liberate India. He was not afraid to be jailed nor to be assaulted or even killed just to stand up for the truth he believes in – for the principles he advocated. Yet he did these in a way no man has ever did during his time – without violence. The doctrine of Satyagraha came to mean vindication of truth, not by infliction of suffering on the opponent but one’s own self. It is linked with the practices of civil disobedience and fasting. Gandhi believed that Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any circumstance whatever; and it ever insists upon truth.

The religious concept which is related to this non-violence and respect for all life is Ahimsa. It may be understood to mean that a person should not offend anybody, and harbor uncharitable thought, even in connection with those who consider your enemies. There are no enemies to a man who follows this doctrine. If you express your love—ahimsa—in such a manner that it impresses itself indelibly upon your so-called enemy, he must return that love.

Satyagraha and ahimsa are the convictions upon which Gandhi’s life and acts were based upon. He bravely faced his enemies – not even treating them as ones – with a half smile and a half grin on his face.

… d pa pala tapos…