Ishwa helper Reged: 03/03/02 Posts: 553

Re: Hinduvata is NOT Hinduism!!! [Re: AKMehta] #14785 - 04/14/02 03:44 AM Edit Reply Quote

Dear AKMehta, I think that Mahatma Gandhi didn't lay much stress on the importance of the Vedas as being too far off for common people both in language and ideological symbolism. In this sense he resembled very much Gautama Buddha, who also spoke in the language of the people, though the Prakrits in those days resembled very much the Paniniya Sanskrit = classical Sanskrit (but not the Vedic Sanskrit). Mahatma Gandhi is certainly the embodiment of Ahimsa, not in the cowardly sense, but in the assertive sense. Mahatma Gandhi didn't hide, he firmly believed and practised Ahimsa in an active, dynamic way and he entered bravely the stage of political drama without fearing for his life. Unfortunately people don't understand this authentic power of dynamic Ahimsa. And since he was very sincere, he was killed by ignorance. (The same happened to one very much inspired by him: Martin Luther King) We mustn't also forget the great character of Shrimati KasturiBai Gandhi. As I repeatedly said, behind every great man is an even greater woman. To learn about proper Ahimsa/Himsa, the key role is for mothers to be educated and keep educating their children, as mothers are the first Gurus. The other key role is for wifes towards their husbands. Then final key role is for the teachers who can profide proper Ahimsa/Himsa in the career process. So, women must have a key part in this process of (re)education. I wonder how this will be achieved, because we still live in a male-dominated world. In the west women think they have equal rights and freedom, but their freedom is based upon getting rid of previous male-domination, so still a kind of male-domination, but now in the psychological sense. And this is frustration, not liberation. India doesn't need this role model, but unfortunately the western style is very popular and too much copied without the balance with the Indianness. And with this the western form of Himsa may creep into Indian minds......... PS Thank you for reminding me of Mahatma's important role and his Ahimsa in practice.