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FREEDOM FROM REACTION (1)
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The man who has had a direct experience of non-violence, is filled with unlimited energy. In him is awakened the capacity to die, which constitutes in itself the greatest power a man can know. The ultimate power wielded by the rulers of the world is the power to kill; they can do no more. And the man who has awakened in himself the capacity to dic can facc all the world powers with equanimity: he becomes insuperable. Nothing can frighten or suppress him; ho becomes invincible.
The development of such power is possible only through nonviolence. India once witnessed this power, appreciated it fully. But during the Middle Ages, a change occurred.
The historians perhaps indulged in gross misrepresentation and a feeling grew up that non-violence had weakened the nation. That such a feeling should grow is most surprising, for where there is non-violence, there can be no scar. And vice-versa. Fcar and nonviolence cannot exist together. Such a powerful weapon is nonviolence that gives a thousand men ready to die, a hundredthousand-strong army cannot destroy them. The army indulges in killing when the enemy confronting it is actualed by the same motive. If the persons in front display an altogether different mien, il their countenances show no violence within, no aggressive design whatsoever, the biggest army is rendered inactive; its posture or violence, too, undergoes a transformation. But we have made nonviolence appear to be utterly worthless. The frightful prospect facing us today is that of psychological violence.
In the context of Preksha Meditation, I should like to dwell at length on psychological violence alone, because the observance of non-violence forms the practicalaspectos Preksha Meditation, which aims at doing away with violent impulses and ruthlessness, and to awaken compassion. Our hard-heartedness has created innumcrable problems. All the corruption, evils and lack of authenticity originate from insensitivity. Ifa man were rcally humane, there would bc no ground for evils to flourish.
Shrimad Rai Chandra was like a teacher to Gandhiji. He was a great spiritual practitioner. He dealt in jewellery. After a merchant had entered into some bargain with him, the prices shot up and the merchant stood to lose around Rs. 50.000/-. In those days, about 70 years ago, it was a tremendous sum. The merchant was quite flustered. Shrimad Rai Chandra came to know of it and called at him. He found the merchant greatly upset. Shrimad said, "What's the matter?"The merchant said, "Sir, have no fear on my account. I'll pay what I owe you even to the penny." Shrimad said, “Don't you worry about paying. Let me know your actual position. How are you getting along?"But the merchant was preoccupied with his debt to Rai Chandra. He said, "Sir, I'm fully sensible of my obligalions. I'll
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