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RELIGION OF MAHATMA GANDHI
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Mahatma Gandhi calls himself a Sanatani Hindu, that is, an orthodox Hindu believing not in castes and sub-castes but only in four principal castes. He does not, however, believe in untouchability nor in restrictions on interdining.
His love of truth has led him to write on not a few occasions in scathing terms regarding some of the evils of Hinduism and he has many a time several defects under his powerful and unflinching searchlight.
Though he styles himself as an orthodox Hindu, he is not recognised as such by the orthodox pandits, many of whom are opposed to him because of his fight for the untouchables and his radical views regarding social reforms.
His interpretations even of the religious Scriptures are all his own, and sometimes novel and original. Thus he reads even in the Bhagvat Gita (The Song of Songs) support to his favourite doctrine of Non-Violence, though this Gospel was preached by Shri Krishna to Arjun on the field of battle, and the Message was to cheer up the drooping spirits of the latter, who was entirely unnerved on seeing opposed to him in serial ranks his friends, his preceptors and his intimate relations.
Shri Krishna asked him on various reasons put forward one after another with the skill of a dialectician and the logic of a statesman to take up arms and fight.
Similarly the views of Mahatma Gandhi on Brahmacharya (rigorous chastity), though they find an echo in Hindu Scriptures, get their support from some Jain doctrines and beliefs. Mahatma Gandhi would ask husbands and wives to observe Brahmacharya and maintain brotherly and sisterly relations to each other. This is not a message of Hinduism but the doctrine of NonViolence in its extreme form he enjoins is also not a product of Hindu Religion but a direct emanation of Jain teachings and writings.
There are public prayers held in Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram twice a day, one at 4 a.m. and one at 6 p.m. There are religious songs sung on such occasions, but no passion or fervour is introduced in such songs on these occasions as is the case with Hindu religious songs generally.
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
