So. I managed to read Robert Fischer's "Gandhi". For some reason, I did not want to read his autobiography(again). I wanted to read about him as a second person.
And since this book was the inspiration for the movie "Gandhi", I was able to relate to it better.
The whole book went all "Mahatma" about him. There were words that touched the heart.
"He did not want the British to have no strength to fight Indians; He wanted them to not have the heart to do so."
It may seem immaterial, but what touched me most about the Mahatma was that he was not born like one. He was a normal atman with all the crap like we all have.
In his younger years, he had told lies, got immensely furious on many things. But he rose over all of it. His vision made him do so.
What touched me even more was that he contradicted himself on many occasions. He never settled with one thing. He was constantly learning to do what is best for a given situation at that particular time.
And his blackmails to "fast unto death"...this man tortured nothing but his self. Whatever opinion I have about him would be an absolute understatement.
I used to wonder. No. I was sure. This man did not take up any post. He probably fell in the same timespan as Nehru or Patel & managed to get popular. But as the book said, his main tool was strength(and truth). And without him, now, I doubt if we'd have gotten independence via non-violence.
And, his diet...WOW! Really. Fruits, vegetables, nuts & goat milk? Call him crazy. But he walked 3-4miles a day at the verge of his 77th birthday. And he passed away one year later. That is something.
He accomplished so many things. So many. I just lost focus after sometime. Just the spirit of the man is haunting me now. I am so overwhelmed. How can someone be like this? Very difficult. No reason he stands as a statue at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
But. As Sadhguru says, we don't need any more Hindus, Christians or Muslims. We need Krishnas. Christs. And Prophets. Loads of them.
This guy lived like one.
I don't want to cry. But something is deeply moved inside. Priorities may have been altered. I am yet to wait & watch. Phew!
And since this book was the inspiration for the movie "Gandhi", I was able to relate to it better.
The whole book went all "Mahatma" about him. There were words that touched the heart.
"He did not want the British to have no strength to fight Indians; He wanted them to not have the heart to do so."
It may seem immaterial, but what touched me most about the Mahatma was that he was not born like one. He was a normal atman with all the crap like we all have.
In his younger years, he had told lies, got immensely furious on many things. But he rose over all of it. His vision made him do so.
What touched me even more was that he contradicted himself on many occasions. He never settled with one thing. He was constantly learning to do what is best for a given situation at that particular time.
And his blackmails to "fast unto death"...this man tortured nothing but his self. Whatever opinion I have about him would be an absolute understatement.
I used to wonder. No. I was sure. This man did not take up any post. He probably fell in the same timespan as Nehru or Patel & managed to get popular. But as the book said, his main tool was strength(and truth). And without him, now, I doubt if we'd have gotten independence via non-violence.
And, his diet...WOW! Really. Fruits, vegetables, nuts & goat milk? Call him crazy. But he walked 3-4miles a day at the verge of his 77th birthday. And he passed away one year later. That is something.
He accomplished so many things. So many. I just lost focus after sometime. Just the spirit of the man is haunting me now. I am so overwhelmed. How can someone be like this? Very difficult. No reason he stands as a statue at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
But. As Sadhguru says, we don't need any more Hindus, Christians or Muslims. We need Krishnas. Christs. And Prophets. Loads of them.
This guy lived like one.
I don't want to cry. But something is deeply moved inside. Priorities may have been altered. I am yet to wait & watch. Phew!
I still remember the words from the last scene of the movie..."For the future generations ,it would be hard to believe that such personalities existed on this planet".His autobiography still remains in my list of books to read.I started reading it and shocked to see the contents...He is one more extra
ReplyDeleteordinary man that Sadhguru talks about.
http://thechroniclesofa.blogspot.com/2008/11/inspired-by-gandhiji.html
ReplyDeleteLove him! His vision for the villages, for India, for the individual person.
He mistook Truth for literal spoken truth which is actually not so. Minor...