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Ahimsa Research institute--its scope and sphere of work
Gandhi ji had invented and applied the Ahimsak weapon of Satyagraha. It will be the aim of the Ahimsa University to fully develop this weapon and to find new ways of its application or such other methods of bringing about social reform.
With the elimination of artificial differences of high and low based on power and pelf of privileged classes, the differences of religion, race and colour would automatically lose their bitterness and rigidity. But
for this we have to discover the root-cause of these differences and to apply the co-ordinated force of Ahimsak means for their eradicat on.
The establishment of the Ahimsa Uuiversity is the crying need of the time. Such an institution, when established, will have to have the help and co-operation of all the different nations, religious societies and classes of people for its success. There will be no predominance of any sect, rellgion or nation in it and no particular religion or school of thought will have any weightage in it.
The clarification of the ideal of Ahimsa will not depend only on religious doctrine, nor on the commentators of religion; it has to be based on the study of history, of sociology and psychology and it should have a spiritual background. It should have the support and co-operation of both vegetarians and non-vegetar ans. The Ahimsa University will not permit itself to be used for the propagation of any religion or sectarian ideal. It will not be dominated by any particular nation or country. The institution will have as its fundamental principle the equality of mankind and respect for the individual.
The establishment of such an institution will not depend on the collection of funds or on Government charter. It can only be possible through the personal influence of a dedicated soul who by his example will attract capable persons to work for the institution. If it is the crying need of the time the natural law of supply and demand must produce some individual to undertake this burden.
Until such a person comes along we have to march forward in this direction by setting up small organisations and groups. If even this is not possible, there should be no bar to individuals endowed with spiritual vision and inspired by ideal of service to take initiative in this direction. If it is the need of the hour the individual efforts in this direction are bound to be co-ordinated into an effective organisation sooner or later.
Kaka Saheb Kalelkar
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
