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Vol. XIX, No. 1
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so Spirituality from the “institutional religion". Unfortunately, Spirituality in India has been normally associated with world-negating attitude and asceticism. Buddha's theory of Transitoriness, the Advaitic (Sankara) Doctrine of Illusion (Maya and the concept of Moksa (Liberation from the cycle of life and death) have combined to create an atmosphere of escape from life. However, Indian spirituality is life-affirming and positive. The very concept of Jeevan Mukti (Liberation while alive in flesh and blood) both in the Sramanic and the Brahmanic systems, the concept of Bodhisattva, the collective emancipation (Sarva-Mukti), and Fourfold Ends (Chatuh Purusartha) are indications enough to reject such ill-informed charges. The greatest spiritual figures like Ram and Krishna, Janaka and Yajnavalkya, Mahavira and Buddha, Vidyaranyan and Samartha Guru Ramdas are shinning examples of spirituality in action. In modern times, Swami Vivekanand, Dayananda, Tilak, Gandhi and Vinoba were as much men of spirituality as of social action.
Gandhi's personality is incarnation of spirituality in action-a Karmayogi. If Gandhi is described by Prof. R.D. Ranade as "audio-mystic", by Dr. R.R. Diwakar as “The Spiritual Seeker'', by Prof. N.A. Nikam as “Discoverer of Religion”, he is also characterised as “A Sage in Revolt” by Pran Chopra, a great “Social Technocrat” by A. Toynbee, as a Prophet, Statesman, Economist and Educationist of the highest order by Prof. Tsurumi. In his life, thought and action have always hung together, spilituality and social action (Satyagraha). go together. Several times, he said : "If I were to find and see God face to face in the Himalayas or by retiring to a cave, I would have done so long ago. But it is in the suffering humanity that see God and I find in my humble efforts to remove that suffering"41 He further said "God is neither in heaven nor down below, but in everyone. Hence his God of Truth (Satyanaroyana) is not different from God of the Poor (Daridranarayana).
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