Bharatiya Swatantryanodalan Ki Ahimsatmakta Me Mahavir Ke Jivan Darshan Ki Bhumika

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Bharatiya Swatantryanodalan ki Ahimsatmakta me Mahavir ke Jivan Darshan ki Bhumika" by Prahlad N Vajpai, in English:

This text, authored by Prahlad Narayan Vajpai, explores the profound influence of Lord Mahavir's life philosophy on the non-violent nature of the Indian independence movement.

The author begins by characterizing the Indian independence struggle as a conflict of the awakened conscience of millions against the autocratic and brutal rule of the British Empire. It's described as a battle of righteousness against unrighteousness, spiritual strength against materialism, and the eternal voice of the people against injustice and oppression. Ultimately, it's presented as a victory of light over darkness and a triumph of non-violence over violence and terror. The Indian independence movement, by achieving victory through the weapon of non-violence and self-purification, has carved a new chapter in human history, offering a path towards global peace.

The text asserts that the non-violence used as a weapon in the Indian independence movement was deeply influenced by the life philosophy of Tirthankar Mahavir. This philosophy is deemed a boon for any campaign aimed at human welfare. Mahavir, in his spiritual journey, illuminated the path of non-violence at the pinnacle of self-control. The Indian independence movement, by adopting this as an ideal, amplified the vigor of its non-violent approach. This effectively fostered a spirit of public consciousness and a strong desire for the welfare and happiness of the masses, thereby achieving its goals. While non-violence is the supreme dharma for an individual, its socialization for the collective good, as seen in the independence movement's practice of suspending movements upon any possibility of violence, was meticulously upheld.

Non-violence is presented as the foundational cornerstone for bringing harmony and peace to a life characterized by lack of restraint and uncontrolled behavior. It is the basis upon which the palace of supreme bliss can be built. Tirthankar Mahavir explained that all beings desire to live and no one wishes to die. Happiness is agreeable to all, and suffering is disagreeable to all.

This principle directly informed the powerful slogan of the independence movement: "We will not kill, but we will not surrender either." Furthermore, the idea of "Hate the sin, not the sinner" gained prominence. The approach adopted for the struggle was to fight against the British Empire's authority, but crucially, to avoid harboring feelings of hatred or conflict towards the British people.

Tirthankar Mahavir propounded the principle of the unity of the soul (Eke Aaya), meaning all souls are one and equal. He emphasized the practice of seeking forgiveness from all beings and offering forgiveness to all. Mahavir categorized non-violence under the disciplines of austerity (tapas) and self-restraint (samyama), considering it auspicious and noting that even gods bow to non-violence.

The independence movement resonated with the mantra, "Swaraj (freedom) is our birthright," and the principle of equality (samata) was given paramount importance. To establish a non-violent society based on equality, Mahatma Gandhi established an ashram in Wardha where each resident voluntarily engaged in manual labor. Activities like sweeping, spinning, drawing water from wells, operating the spinning wheel, cooking, and even waste disposal were practiced by everyone. This effort was a practical embodiment of Tirthankar Mahavir's principle of equality, realizing the consciousness of "treating all beings as oneself" (Atmavat Sarvabhuteshu) to internalize and practice equality in human life.

The text argues that unwavering faith in non-violence creates an atmosphere of equality, while a lack of faith leads to caste-based ego and the proliferation of inferiority complexes. This lack of faith hinders a noble perspective on caste, thus strengthening bonds of hierarchy, untouchability, and discrimination.

Quoting the scripture, the text states that one becomes a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra by their actions. Mahatma Gandhi, as the architect of the non-violent movement, understood the essence of Tirthankar Mahavir's principle of equality. By internalizing this, he established the Wardha ashram where, through karma, all individuals became united. Mahatma Gandhi placed immense importance on the eradication of untouchability, making it a matter of life and death. He famously declared that if forced to choose between eradicating untouchability and independence, he would prioritize the former. His clear stance was that he would not accept independence if untouchability persisted. This is why the movement led by Gandhi was characterized by unity, with no distinctions of high or low, touched or untouchable among the participants. They fought unitedly, forgetting all differences.

Non-violence is described as an eternal, everlasting, and unwavering truth. The text explains that one who perpetrates, causes, or condones violence increases enmity with oneself, with one's own soul, because the soul is the same in every body. Therefore, violence is essentially an act of increasing enmity with the soul. Tirthankar Mahavir, in essence, advocated for non-violence towards any living being as the core of knowledge and science.

Mahatma Gandhi, embracing the religion of non-violence, resolved to build a society free from violence. He even forgave Madan Lal Dhingra, who had thrown a bomb at him, because he did not wish for violence against any living being. The text suggests that if Gandhi had retained the ability to speak after being shot, he would have likely forgiven Nathuram Godse as well, being dedicated to the practice of creating a non-violent society.

While non-violence is the supreme dharma and the highest austerity for an individual, the text acknowledges that disciplining an entire society in the practice of non-violence through self-restraint is extremely difficult. Tirthankar Mahavir, being omniscient, was aware of this truth and stated that one who conquers their difficult-to-control self becomes happy in this world and the next. Self-control is akin to self-suffering, where happiness arises from one's own pleasant experiences and suffering from unpleasant ones. Tirthankar Purushas, striving for the welfare of all beings, practice self-control to overcome adverse experiences. The entire Jain ascetic tradition is imbued with the noble sentiment of eliminating suffering.

The text highlights that Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated this self-control numerous times during the independence movement. Whenever he witnessed the movement deviating from the path of non-violence, he suspended it and undertook self-purification through fasting, which sometimes escalated to indefinite fasts.

The author concludes that while Tirthankar Mahavir, through his lifetime of extreme self-suffering, elevated the principle of non-violence to unparalleled heights that humanity can emulate for greatness, Mahatma Gandhi further enhanced this self-purification through his spirit of sacrifice. The independence movement ultimately achieved its goal due to the immense power of this spirit.

The text also touches upon the importance of avoiding dogmatism and embracing the wisdom of others, citing Socrates and Tirthankar Mahavir's philosophy of Syadvada. Syadvada, which posits multiple viewpoints (e.g., it is, it is not, it is and is not, it is inexpressible), is presented as a way to reconcile diverse philosophies and religions. This open-minded approach, reflected in keeping the channels of dialogue open even during conflict, allowed for the unity of people from all ideologies in the independence movement, leading to victory through sacrifice and dedication.

Finally, the author reiterates that the non-violent nature of the Indian independence movement has set a global precedent, demonstrating that an imperialist power can be defeated through non-violence. This exemplary ideal has been emulated elsewhere, with ongoing experiments in South Africa. The text firmly asserts that the life philosophy of Tirthankar Mahavir has played a crucial role in shaping this ideal of non-violence. It concludes with a powerful statement from the scriptures, asserting that while there are many forms of weapons (violence), the weaponless state of non-violence is supreme, with immeasurable power that brings welfare and fearlessness to all.