Gandhian Thoughts
MAHATMA GANDHI’S MANTRA
When you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you,
apply the following test:--
Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man
whom you may have seen, and ask yourself,
If the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him?
Will he gain anything by it ?
Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny ?
In other words, will it lead to ‘Swaraj’ for the hungry
and spiritually starving millions ?
Then you will find your doubt and your ‘self’ melting away.
Important Quotes from Gandhi
"A small body of determined spirit, fired by an unquenchable faith
in their mission can alter the course of History."
You must be the change you want to see in the world.
“I do not want my house to be walled in all sides
and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures
of all lands to be blown about my houses freely as possible.
But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”
“One needs to be slow to form conviction,
But once formed they must be defended against the heavies of all odds”.
“Whenever you have truth, if must be given with love,
Or the message and the messenger will be rejected.”
“Strength of numbers is the delight of the timid,
The valiant in spirit glory is fighting alone.”
"Non-violence is the first article of my faith.
It is also the last article of my creed. "
“Non-violence is not a garment to be put on or off at will.
Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our very being."
"Inexhaustible patience is needed,
if truth be brought home to anyone."
"Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which
he works for the welfare of his fellowmen."
It was a habit with me to forget what I do not like,
and to carry out in practice whatever I liked.
Happiness depends on what you can give,
Not what you can get.
Man cannot worship God and at the same time despise
his fellow beings. These two are irreconciable.
Man is worse than a brute, so long as he is selfish
and indifferent to the happiness of others.
Weak can never forgive,
Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
In matter of conscience, the law of majority has no place.
The seasons of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of succeed.
Prayer is to the god within...
It does not provoke God to change His will;
But it enables us to know His will - which is everything.
Mass discipline is an essential condition for a people
who aspire to be great nation.
Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong.
Essence of education lies in drawing out the very best that is in you.
“He who is afraid of people’s censure,
will never be able to do anything worthwhile."
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
“If I have the believe that I can do it,
I will surely acquire the capacity to do it,
Even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
Aren’t we now, leading for a disaster, in this blind race of development? – Amidst all sort of problems such as rapid population growth, production and consumption pattern causing stress and strain on natural systems, degradation and depletion of natural resources affecting the life support system (air, water, soil, and bio-diversity), unpredictable global climate change, ozone layer depletion and sea-level-rise, unemployment, poverty, economic inequality, social injustice, poor conditions of villages, big polluted cities, rivers and polluting industries ? In the course of development we have to think of these problems and try to find out the solution best suited to our needs.
Self-sufficiency of villages, promotion of small and cottage industries, control on the import of consumption goods, improved agriculture etc, are some of the ways to reach our goal. Importance should be given to the qualitative improvement of human resources; education and health are to be given top priority. Better sanitation, better living condition and better life, can be achieved only through the Gandhian ways today.