Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 34

later, the servant knocked at his door to tell him that his father was no more. Gandhi felt deeply ashamed and miserable. Gandhi wrote, 'if animal passion had not blinded me, I should have been spared the torture of separation from my father during his last moments.' At the age of nineteen he went to England to complete his study of Law at the University College London. The elders in his community were strongly opposed to his travels to England on religious grounds. However he needed his mother's permission and blessings. For this, his mother made him take and observe three abstinences (abstention from wine, meat and sexual relations with a woman) administered by Jain monk Becharji Swami.24 Thus Gandhi pursued the aim of realizing his mission. After complying, he sailed for England from Bombay on September 9, 1888.
We shall now analyse these events in view of the impact of geography and demography of the place of his childhood, his family and education in the development of Gandhi's roots / values.
Analysis Porbandar and Rajkot in Kathiawad peninsula provided Gandhi an opportunity to interact and learn from individuals of different religions. This was possible because of the coastal nature of Porbandar which had a constant inflow of Arab traders, Hindu and Jain pilgrims. Rajkot was the largest urban centre of Kathiawad. The Christian rulers of India, the Zoroastrian headmaster at school and friendship with people of different religions all indicate the existence of other religious influences in the area. Thus in Rajkot, he got an early grounding in toleration for all branches of Hinduism and sister religions.Mahadev's notes on the English translation of The Gita's interpretation by Gandhi supports this fact:
Gandhi & Jainism
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