E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

38 Contextualising Gandhian Thoughtcoward is unrelenting. “I am not pleading for India to practicenon-violence because it is weak. I want her to practice nonviolencebeing conscious of her strength and power.” 13 Heabhorred cowardice more than violence. He declared that morethan once that he would prefer violence to cowardice. His nonviolencewas meant only for the bravest of the brave who couldresist injustice through the spirit of universal love that extendedeven to those against whom he was fighting. The courageouspeople empower themselves, even if the rest of the world seesthem as poor and weak.Gandhi retained his unflinching faith in the efficacy ofnon-violence till the end of his life. In the midst of growingviolence in the country, he saw no hope for the aching worldother than through the narrow and straight path of nonviolence.It is to be noted that Gandhi was not in Delhi onAugust 15, 1947, to celebrate the independence of the country;he was with the victims of the communal violence in Calcutta.Readiness to sacrifice through fearless action was natural toGandhi. To quote him, “Just as one must learn the art of killingin the training for violence, so one must learn the art of dyingin the training for non-violence. Violence does not meanemancipation from fear, but discovering the means ofcombating the cause of fear. Non-violence, on the other hand,has no cause for fear. The votary of non-violence has tocultivate the capacity for sacrifice of the highest type in orderto be free from fear. He cares not if he should lose his land, hiswealth, his life. He who has not overcome all fear cannotpractice ahimsa to perfection. The votary of ahimsa has onlyone fear - that is of God.” 14 Thus fearlessness became the mostpowerful symbol of Gandhi’s non-violence.It is a fact that violence dehumanises all those whodepend on it as they live in perpetual fear of others. Suchpeople believe that the whole world is against them and as such