Ankita Jaswal
Editorial Writer
“I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good it does is temporary; the evil it does is permanent.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi’s above stated words are enough to describe the importance of non- violence. He has very precisely explained what violence leads to- the evil. It might appear in the beginning that it has done what you were upto, but gradually you start facing troubles and hurdles. Whereas the path of non-violence, although grinds a person but leads to intense happiness and pleasure.
Let us just take an example to understand this. You were driving and your car was hit by another car. You start fighting with the other person with whom you just collided. It leads to a huge traffic jam and injuries to both the drivers in the tussle. Instead of fighting, you should have noted the car’s number and handed it over to the police. In this way, violence leads to a satisfaction which is just temporary in nature. You were satisfied after beating the car driver but it will lead both of you to the jail (the evil). On the other hand, if you had walked the path of non-violence, you wouldn’t have ended up in the jail.
We come across many instances in our daily life where we believe that violence is the only solution and we will be looking like a fool or weak if we are non-violent. So, we often choose looking cool over being on the right path. We often choose ferocity because either we want immediate results or we don’t want to look like nincompoops and cowards. Gandhiji always said, “Blessed is the man who can perceive the law of ahimsa (non-violence) in the midst of the raging fire of himsa all around him.” Gandhi feels that violence is not a natural tendency of humans. It is a learned experience. There is need for a perfect weapon to combat violence and this is non-violence. He also said that for non-violence to be strong and effective, it must begin with the mind, without which it will be non-violence of the weak and cowardly. A coward is a person who lacks courage when facing a dangerous and unpleasant situation and tries to avoid it. A man cannot practice ahimsa and at the same time be a coward.
So, being non-violent should never mean that you are a coward as true non-violence is disassociated from fear. Gandhi ji supported this view by quoting, “Non-violence is not to be used ever as the shield of the coward. It is the weapon of the brave.” A coward person can never practice non-violence. The path of non-violence is not like a bed full of roses but a really difficult path to tread on. That is why it is the weapon of the brave.
Whenever we talk about non-violence, it is impossible to forget the role of Gandhi ji in it.
He is considered the apostle of non-violence. He encouraged the use of ahimsa so its practice on an individual level might finally enhance its significance for the nation as a whole, for only individuals constitute a nation. The world is desperately in need of non- violence at this point of time to spread peace and love all around. It is the only means of restoring sanity of the world.