INSIPARATIONAL VALUES FROM MAHATMA GANDHI - PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND HUMAN VALUES

INSIPARATIONAL VALUES FROM MAHATMA GANDHI

Mohandas Karamchan Gandhi

He was born on October 2^nd , 1869 to Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai Gandhi in Porbandar, a coastal town of Gujarat. Though the family was not known for their wealth, yet two of their family members held high position( Dewan/chief minister of Porbandar) and earned very high repute of their honesty, wisdom and knowledge in the art of administration,Uttamchand (his grandfather) was a man of high principals  and courage. Though he was loyal to the then queen mother of Porbandar, an act of her maid displeased him and he left his services.

Later their sincerity pleased the successors of Queen- Mother and appointed Gandhiji’s father Karamchand as the Diwan. He too frequently expressed his dislike to the British political Agents of his time and retaliated to obey their orders. Both parents of Gandhiji were very knowledgeable (though not scholars) and have exhibited their religious beliefs and orthodox nature. He exposed himself to many religious classic books like Tulasidas’s Ramayana and Bhagavata. He read Shravana Pitribhakti Nataka that potrays Shravana’s loyalty towards his parents. He also inspired by the life of Raja harishchandra who had to pass through agony, sacrifices and sufferings to stick to truth.

            Ganghiji studied his schooling from the High School of Rajkot (1881), and then he joined college in 1887 in Salmadas College in Bhavnagar. He learnt English language during his high school education, and attained good report in language, math and conduct, but had a poor handwriting. His exposure to the outside world and temptations had an impact on his character builtup and he has learnt that he his services to his parents and his family was of utmost importance.

            He was married at a very early age to Kasturiba, and they have four children. He served his father during his last days and after his death, his uncle Tulsidas became Diwan. A family friends advice to Gandhi to go to London and qualify Barister and so he moved to London. At that time it was considered as a bad thing and he was outcasted as he dint listen to his elders and crossed the so called Blackwaters. During his stay at London he adopted English costume and was very much influenced by Writings of Henry Salt (on animal rights) and principles of Theosophical Society (on universal brotherhood). By 1891 he left London to start his practice in Bombay. But he failed as he was unable to cross-question the witnesses. In 1893 he accepted contract of Daba Abdulla and company a South Africa based company and became a representative for Muslim Indian traders in the city of Pretoria. He spent nearly 21years there and during this period he has developed political views, as well as ethics and political leadership skills. In 1915 at the request of Gopal Krishna Gokhle, Gandhiji returned to India to Join Freedom struggle.

Values carried by Gandhiji:

Gandhiji followed the principles of Satyagraha (soul force or truth force). It is a philosophy and practice within the border and is known as non-violent resistance or civil resistance. He lead a simple life and he stuck to the following- Satya (Truth), Ahimsa (Non-violence), Vegetarianism, self-discipline (Brahmacharya), simplicity, faith, non-possession (Aparigraha) and equality (Sarva Dharma Samanatha).

Problems He faced in South Africa

-          He was thrown out of train despite having first class ticket as it was privileged for the whites

-          He was beaten by drivers

-          Kicked out from several hotels

-          Ordered to remove his turbine

-          He experienced racism and

-          He was attacked by whites after landing in Durban

In 1906, Transvaal  Government want to have count of Indian  population and wanted  to impose several  restrictions, for which protests arose. He insisted the Indians to take the path of non-violence and this run for over 7  years. Public were shocked at the violence that is taking place on Indians. And at last the South African General had to negotiated with Gandhi and thus the system of Satyagraha was developed by Gandhi in South Africa. He insisted on Indians of South Africa to be recruited in Zulu war (Man hunt) and the British did recruit 23 Indians upon his word and got them trained in warfare.

A born Leader: He is considered to be a born leader and has certain characteristics of a great leader.

-          Intelligent

-          Physical traits- he lacks this alone

-          Social status and experience

-          Task  orientation

-          Personality characteristics

§  Ambition and energy

§  Desire to lead

§  Honesty  and integrity

§  Self confidence etc

Ambition and Energy: Gandhiji’s Big ambition is to get freedom and make India a Sovereign country. He puts all his efforts to the people to make Unity in Diversity.

Desire to lead: He lead Indian public in South Africa as well as  in India. He decided to destroy racial inequalities.

Honesty and Integrity: Honesty at work, to his family, in his goal and towards his country.

Self-confidence- He was confident that he would succeed in attaining independence. Dandi march 9, 1929), the salt satyagraha reflects his confidence levels.

An intelligent leader: He is a well educated and very intelligent leader. He gave the principles of Truth and Ahimsa to all the people of the world. He had also good negotiation skills and he used to take decisions very efficiently. He also had job related knowledge- which is the knowledge that is essential for undertaking any task. He was aware of what he had to do to achieve his objectives as in – Pune pact, Bharath Bachao andolan etc.

Principle of Truth: He has always followed the principle of truth that is reflected in his schooling (he did not lie nor manipulates). He believed that “The propagation of truth and non-violence can be done less by books than by actually living on those Principles”.

Ahimsa (Non-violence): Gandhiji says “Non-violence is the weapon of the strong”.

In his another quote he says, “ The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. “ An eye to eye will make the world Blind”.

Ahimsa was adopted by Gandhiji in his pursuit of rights of Indians at natal as well as in India. It is the phase where Gandhiji has transformed from a Barrister to an Activist. In natal Indians were not allowed to own property, and he represented a petition bearing 10,000 signatures. Later he defended a victim of the then laws imposed upon the labours. He brought the issues of labour rights to the workers.

These features of his are well criticized by the then national movement leaders but he stick to his  path of ahimsa and strived towards it till we attained independence.

Issues of Inequalities: He himself was a victim of social in equality (was sent out of train as he was travelling in first class compartment that was meant for whites). He has also seen the issues like prohibiting of Indian from getting into rickshaws marked for Europeans. Hence, he himself objected to travel in those that were owned by Durban natives.

            In India, he stressed on eliminating the distinction between kinsmen and strangers, young and old, man and women and even friends and foe and insisted everyone to move in the path of non-violence.

“Diversity there certainly is in the world, but it means neither inequality nor untouchability”,

“I must reduce myself to zero. so long as a man does not of his own free will put himself last among his fellow creatures, there is no salvation for him.”

Vegetarianism: He was close to the chairman of vegetarian society, London. He says, Vegetarianism is the beginning of ones deep commitment to Brahmacharya”, “One must have perfect control over all his senses- beginning with the palate of tongue”. He was influenced by Hindu and Jain philosophies.

Self-discipline: Gandhiji says “True discipline gives enthusiasm, obedience to instructions even though they do not satisfy the reason”. Gandhiji is a man of own, self build  and high integrity. He was not a man with great physical built up, but a man whose capacity for self-suffering, fearlessness and self confidence, which made him the leader. The narration of a lady asking gandhiji to tell her kid to stop eating sweets, reveals that he is a man who gives utmost importance to self discipline. He could have advised the kid then itself but he preferred to practice it and then preach the child.

Self- confidence: Though he was confident about attaining independence about non-violence, he was not effective in communicating it to the public due to his low tone and hesitant nature. With time he over comes his imperfections. Single-handedly he made non-violence a universal substitute for violence According to him Service is self sacrifice.

            Gandhiji with his courage, endurance and spirit of self confidence, took control over the minds of the entire nation. In South Africa also, he questioned why he had to get down the first class compartment as he purchased the ticket. He lead people for decades due to this attribute.

Simplicity: Self- realization is important for everyone. He sacrificed self motives, earthly materials and private goals. He could have led a very comfortable life because of his professional success. The conditions around had a deep impact on his life and he changed himself. His simplicity attracted masses. He started using Charkha to make clothes and thereby abolishing foreign goods.

            Few of his quotes include-“Simplicity is the essence of universality”,

            “Live simple so that others may simply live”

            “ Be the change that you want to see in the world”

“Simple truths are more powerful than empires”.

Equality: He is a man who believes that everyone is equal. He worked towards racial equality, social equality, gender equality, and socio-economic equality he strived towards upliftment of less privileged in India.

Last Breath: Mohandas karamchand Gandhi was assassinated on January 30^th, 1948 at 5.17pm. over 2 million people joined the 5 miles funeral procession of this simple man.

His philosophy of Gandhism made him the Father of Nation in 1947. He was also called bapu, and was honored Mahatma in 1914 in South Africa itself. October 2^nd is remembered as not just Gandhi jayathi but as International day of Non-violence.

“Your beliefs become your Thoughts

Your thoughts become your Words

Your words become your Actions

Your actions become your habits

Your habits become your Values

Your values become your Destiny”.

M.K.Gandhi