E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

36 Contextualising Gandhian Thoughtand has to be, applied in life. Non-violence is not like agarment to be put on and off at one’s own will. Its seat is in thehuman heart, and as such it must be an inseparable part of ourvery being.Gandhi lived his life experimenting with Truth. Sowhatever came across in his path got connected with him andhad to go through the prism of his experience. In the processhis ideas and work became inseparable from his life. Hence hiswords ‘my life is my message’ still remain relevant. For himNon-violence and Truth are the guiding principles of life andthe fusion of Non-violence and Truth is crucial. Violence leadsto more violence, falsehood and helplessness; whereas nonviolenceleads to more non-violence, truth and strength. Nonviolenceis the first article of Gandhi’s faith and the last articleof his creed. The violent person is at war with the world, andfeels that the world is at war with him, whereas the non-violentperson is at peace with himself and the world. The latter cantherefore make difference, as he enjoys freedom and generatesthe capacity to change.Gandhi has not compartmentalised life and has lookedupon it as an integrated whole. In his scheme of things theoryand practice remain inseparable. He was not an ivory towertheorist. He was always with the people, working with them,and for them. When a friend suggested that he should write atreatise on the science of ahimsa, his response was, “To write atreatise on the science of ahimsa is beyond my powers. I amnot built for academic writings. Action is my domain.” 10Gandhi devised methods of mass political mobilisationthrough the instrumentality of Satyagraha based on truth andnon-violence. Throughout his life he successfully employednon-violent techniques like boycott, fasting, civil-disobedience,strike, and the like. He connected the modern idea of civil