Great Warrior Of Ahimsa

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 16

THE GREAT WARRIOR OF AHIMSA
(Non-violence) COULD THERE DE SUCH A WARRIOR ?
SYNOPSIS (With Sources, Background) · Yug-drishta Yug-Purush SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJI [9th November 1867 : 9th April 1901), the
great "Spiritual Age-builder", Foreseer and Apostle of Ahimsa [Non-Violence) & Karuna (Compassion), had left major, unique and unparalled impact on Mahatma Gandhiji. SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJI's influence in the "Making of Gandhiji" in course of his spiritual quest & Experiments of Truth and their implementation through Non-violence in life was tremendous and second to none, even much more than that of John Ruskin, the author of "Unto this Last" and Count Leo Tolstoy, as admitted by Gandhiji himself: "....... No one else has ever made on me the impression that Raychandbhai did. His words went straight home to me. His intellect compelled as great a regard from me as his moral earnestness; and deep down in me was the conviction that he would never willingly lead me astray and would always confide to me his innermost thoughts. In my moments of spiritual crisis, therefore, he was my refuge........." (*A) Gandhiji's outcomes and products of Peaceful Satyagraha and Non-violent War against the mighty British Empire for India's Independence, had roots in this influence, impact, making and teachings of Srimad Rajchandra. Gandhiji was destined to be a warrior, a Unique Nonviolent Warrior in the footsteps of Universal Non-violent teachers like Mahaveera and Buddha, but differently, in the political and practical field on a large mass scale. This "Drinker of Religion and Compassion in abundance" and "Giver of Freedom to India" through Nonviolent War, would have never come to the Stage of India's Independence Movement, would have never emerged as its foremost Crusador or Leader or "Father of Nation" and would have only become a converted "Clergyman" in East Africa during his early Days, had there been no Rajchandra in his life ! This has been minutely and carefully observed and recorded by no one else than Gandhiji's direct ascendant and spiritual heir like Acharya Vinoba Bhave, the Sarvodaya and Bhoodan Movement Initiator: "Raichandbhai became instrumental in strengthening Bapu (Gandhiji]'s faith in Hinduismthis, a service which had naturally taken shape at his hands but from the view point of public, was his best act. In my opinion, his superb service is to manifest in himself, a burning zeal for Self-realisation" (*B) Is it not an irony of fate & fact and a twist of history that the makers of films on Mahatma Gandhi like Richard Attenborough and Shyam Benegal, etc. have mostly ignored, overlooked or neglected this Raychandbhai or Srimad Rajchandra, the real "MAKER OF MAHATMA" ? It remains to be seen about the present and future film makers on Mahatma Gandhi. Though there are ample evidences about this fact as mentioned hereabove, what more is required than Mahatma Gandhiji's own speeches and writings about Srimad Rajchandraji in his above-referred Autobiography and elsewhere? (*C) In fact, as elaborately mentioned in the Dream Sequence of this play,"the Spiritual foreseer and Visualiser of Indian and Universal Welfare" hidden in great but unassuming modern spiritualist Srimad Rajchandraji, had foreseen during his deep meditations in the caves of Idar, Gujarat-India, the potentialities in a young Indian Barrister to come from (*A) "The Story of my Experiments with Truth":II:Ch.I.P.P. 74-75(*B) In a Marathi Letter Dt. 17-11-1935 writtten from Pavnar, Wardha (*C) Pl. refer to all the Appendices attached at the end of the play.