India is celebrating one of the biggest festivals Dussera also known as Vijayadashmi. The festival is known for the victory of good over the evils. This is also known as a Lord Rama’s victory over Demon Ravana. There are several beliefs, but all across India, this is perhaps the 2nd most celebrated festival after Diwali.
The apt book to introduce today is The story of My Experiments with the Truth by MK Gandhi. This book is his life chronicled from his childhood till 1921. Gandhiji died in 1948.
The book was written in weekly installments and published in his journal Navjivan from 1925 to 1929. Its English translation also appeared in installments in his other journal Young India. It was initiated at the insistence of Swami Anand and other close co-workers of Gandhi, who encouraged him to explain the background of his public campaigns. In 1999, the book was designated as one of the “100 Best Spiritual Books of the 20th Century” by a committee of global spiritual and religious authorities
To win over our internal evils, his experiments with the truth are an excellent encouragement.
His writing is very relevant today:
“Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”
“What barrier is there that love cannot break?”
“Men often become what they believe themselves to be.If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even If I didn’t have it in the beginning”.
“Renunciation of objects, without the renunciation of desires, is short-lived, however hard you may try.”
He has also written about his weakness and his struggles in the book. Autobiographies are a great source of learning from other’s experiences. When it’s an autobiography of one of the most revered persons of the 20th century, it can teach us many good things.
Today, after 70 years there are many opinions about Gandhiji but Gandhiji was a doer, doer does make mistakes, doer does have weaknesses, does can be subject to analysis and opinions but his stature is far outwitting all opinion makers. Igniting the imagination of the nation which enabled British leaving India ultimately with his pious means is no small feat by any standard.
Incidentally, we will be celebrating Gandhiji’s birthday on 2nd Oct 2017.
Some of his famous inspirational quotes:
- The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong
- First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
- You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
- It is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
- A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.
- Nobody can hurt me without my permission.
Know about his spiritual pursuit: 27 questions Gandhiji’s asked to his Spiritual Guru
He has written several books and several people have written about him:
- The story of my experiments with the truth by MK Gandhi
- The Bhagavad Gita by MK Gandhi
- A guide to health by MK Gandhi
- The Essential Gandhi by MK Gandhi & Louis Fischer
- The words of Gandhi by MK Gandhi & Richard Attenborough
- Be the Change- A grandfather Gandhi by Arun Gandhi & Bethany Hegedus
- Why Gandhi still matters; An appraisal of the Mahatma’s legacy by Rajmohan Gandhi
- Gandhi & Churchill by Arthur Herman
- Mahatma Gandhi; Non-violent power in action by Dennis Dalton
- Gandhi: My life is my message by Jason Quinn
Read about the Mahatma and begin your journey to become Mahatma (Great Soul) from Atma (Soul).
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