Santbal A Saint with a Difference

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Navjivan Prakashan Mandir

Page 88

CHAPTER 8
Shuddhi Prayog
In chapter-7, we have seen how attempts were made to see that current problems were solved on ethical lines. These were the attempts where the organisations which were under the direct control of the Saint were inspired to look to the social good rather than the individual good.
But the larger and more important question was how the problems should be solved when the adversary and conflicting interests of the society between third parties were concerned. For this Santbalji devised the method which is known as "Shuddhi Prayog” which literally means "the cleansing process”. When you want to clean a pool of water containing dirt which is settled at the bottom, you first stir the still water which disturbs the settled dirt. Then you take out the dirty water and allow clear water to come in. The same process is adopted in human affairs, by adopting the method which is perfectly non-violent. The idea is to stir the human consciousness. It is based on the premise that there is no human being who is wholly crooked. So what you have to do is to arouse his consciousness for ethical values and social good. At the initial stage there would be resistance to protect selfinterest. During such resistance all the temperamental dirt we come out. But if all this is met with scrupulous care to stick to truth, non-violence, love, understanding and patience, favourable result is bound to come.
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